Uma Musume: From Being Knocked Ten Meters Away

Chapter 638 The Instructor's First Trial?
Yasui Makoto looked at the crimson eyes of Kita Genko that suddenly lit up, a slight smile playing on his lips, and nodded:

"Yes, this is a rare opportunity. The atmosphere of an exhibition match is more relaxed, focusing on demonstration and exchange, which is a great experience for Almond Eyes. And..."

He paused, then looked at the Northern Black Steed, "For you, this is also a valuable practical training exercise."

"Great! This way, I can see Oguri-senpai and the others again!"

After receiving confirmation, the Northern Black Horse's eyes shone even brighter, but the next second, a crucial piece of information suddenly crashed into his consciousness.

Let me try to guide Almond Eyes, which means...

The excited expression on his face froze instantly. Beifang Xuanju blinked, as if he didn't understand, raised his finger to his nose, and said with an incredulous bewilderment:
"Wait, wait a minute... Ah Zhen, you just said... that you wanted me to give guidance? I... to guide Xiao Xingmu?!"

As she said this, her brain started working at lightning speed without her realizing it.

This is an absolutely rare opportunity for Xiao Xingmu to compete against legendary seniors...

This is similar to the guidance that A-Zhen gave me before, which was to arrange for me to compete with many seniors. If you think about it this way, competing with senior Oguri Hat... will definitely be very beneficial for Alimee's future debut and growth!

But the problem is... if I were to guide them, would I... be able to do it?

Although I've been studying like crazy these past few days, those complex theories and data...

After much thought, a mix of nervousness and anticipation welled up inside him, and Beifang Xuanju unconsciously clenched his fists.

Almond, who was specifically named, reacted more directly.

She first opened her mouth slightly, as if she hadn't heard clearly, her gaze shifting blankly between Yasui Makoto and Kita Genko, before slowly raising her finger and pointing to herself:

"Eh? A legendary match with... Oguri-senpai? Who? Me?"

In an instant, just like the Northern Black Steed, her eyes lit up, and almost reflexively she straightened her back, her face radiating a competitive light, and blurted out:

"Yes! No problem! I can definitely do it..."

However, before he could utter the word "win," the sound got stuck in his throat.

Images of past champions crushing their opponents with absolute strength and crossing the finish line in posters and videos uncontrollably surfaced in my mind—peaks that seemed insurmountable.

Comparing herself to the present situation where she has not yet officially stepped onto the competition field, a huge and real pressure instantly seized her, extinguishing most of the flame that had just been ignited.

"Wow! Can we finally meet Oguri-senpai?"

Spring and Autumn Equinoxes immediately let out a small cheer, their ears twitching excitedly twice.

Seeing the hesitation on the face of the Northern Black Horse and the uneasy look in its almond-shaped eyes, her joy immediately turned to worry, and she added in a low voice:

"But...competing against such a powerful senior...is it alright, Anzu-senpai?" She leaned closer to Anzu, her face full of concern.

"Ah, this... I..."

Looking at Chunqiu Fen's concerned gaze, her almond-shaped lips moved slightly, trying to put on a fearless and confident smile as usual, and say, "No problem!"

Her lips barely twitched upwards before settling into a stiff and weak smile. All the words she tried to use to encourage herself stuck in her throat; in the end, she could only purse her lips tightly and unconsciously clench her fists.

This inexplicable sense of unease made her feel both unfamiliar and confused.

She knew clearly that her body was developing steadily, and Yasui and the others were certain that in about six months, she would be able to truly compete and stand on the debut stage she had always dreamed of.

For this reason, she never slacked off in training and study, and her sweat soaked through countless mornings and evenings.

During this period, whether she was undergoing arduous parallel running training with senior Xiao Bei or had the opportunity to practice with other seniors, she never backed down and was filled with excitement and eagerness.

But why, when she so desperately wanted to run, so desperately wanted to prove herself...?

But this time, upon hearing the word "competition," I felt this uneasy for the first time...?
This... doesn't seem like me at all...

A strange sense of unease settled over her. Almond-shaped eyes tried to dispel the feeling, but found it entwined her thoughts like vines, preventing her from shouting "I want to participate!" as decisively as usual.

While the three racehorse girls displayed their different expressions, Misuzu, standing to the side, also widened her eyes slightly in surprise.

Then, she smiled helplessly at her son and gently patted his arm:
"Honestly, Xiao Zhen, why are we suddenly talking about the competition again? Didn't we agree to relax and have some fun for a few days first? Your mind is always filled with training and competition!"

Yasui Makoto took in everyone's reactions, his face still showing a calm expression, but his mind was already rapidly weighing the options.

Although he came up with this idea on a whim, it was based on experience he gained from guiding the Northern Black Horse.

Other trainers may have their own ideas and styles, but for him, or for talented racehorses like Kita Genko and Almond, facing legendary predecessors is definitely a necessary and useful approach.

This approach is a huge challenge for any female racehorse, requiring her to step out of her comfort zone, especially for Anme, who has not yet made her debut, where the pressure is extraordinary.

But he knows even more deeply that the growth of geniuses often comes from such seemingly "advanced" experiences, and this has been reflected in the career of Northern Black Horse so far.

The key to this lies in striking the right balance.

We must neither let them back down completely out of fear, nor let them bear an excessive psychological burden due to momentary impulse.

So he spoke in a calm tone, as if he were talking about something perfectly ordinary:
"It's just an idea, no need to be so nervous."

His gaze deliberately swept over the somewhat uneasy almond-shaped eyes, and his voice naturally softened:
"No need to rush into a decision. My mom is right. We mainly came back to have fun. We can go to the Kasamatsu Stadium later to experience the atmosphere firsthand and see what an exhibition match is like before we discuss it further."

Upon hearing this, the youngest member, Chunqiu Fen, breathed a sigh of relief, patted her chest lightly, and muttered to herself:
"That's great... I didn't know that was necessarily true..."

Her almond-shaped eyes and tense shoulders did relax a little, but her slightly furrowed brows and the unconscious twisting of her clothes showed that she was still processing this sudden suggestion, clearly preoccupied with something on her mind.

Both Kita Genko and Kiko Misuzu looked at Yasui Makoto with thoughtful, probing eyes.

……

After chatting and resting for a while in Yasui Makoto's bedroom, it was already late.

Just then, it seemed that Alice and Yamato Akaki had almost finished their discussion with Yasui Hiroichi, so Yasui Makoto led Kita Genko, Apricot, Shunju, and Alice and Yamato Akaki's group to take their leave.

(End of this chapter)