Uma Musume: From Being Knocked Ten Meters Away

Chapter 642 The Battle of the Three Generations
Not long after Alimee expressed her determination, Yasui Makoto and Kikunojo Mirei happened to arrive at the hotel together.

Upon learning of Apricot's feelings, Yasui Makoto's spirits lifted, and a look of relief flashed in his eyes. Meanwhile, Mirei's eyes immediately curved into crescents, and her face radiated undisguised joy and doting affection.

She stepped forward and affectionately pulled the still somewhat dazed almond-shaped eyes into her arms, giving her a quick kiss on the smooth forehead.

"Wow! Our little almond is amazing! That courage deserves a reward!"

Amidst her almond-shaped eyes instantly turning red and everyone's surprised gazes, Meiling proudly raised her chin and explained with a smile:

"That's a lucky blessing! Whenever Xiao Zhen was little and had to participate in a competition, I would give him this blessing, and he would always win!"

Upon hearing this, the gazes of the horse racing girls all turned to Yasui Makoto, their faces filled with surprise and curiosity.

Yasui Makoto suddenly felt a wave of helplessness, his ears burning slightly, and he couldn't help but rub his forehead:

"Please, Mom, it's not that exaggerated... Besides, those were things from my kindergarten days when I participated in origami competitions and jump rope competitions..."

"Isn't kindergarten a form of childhood?"

Misuzu immediately retorted, putting her hands on her hips and glaring at him with feigned displeasure:
"So you mean Mom is wrong? Or you think Mom's blessings are useless?"

Faced with his mother's "unreasonable" accusations, Yasui Makoto opened his mouth, but ultimately succumbed to the gaze of those eyes that seemed to say, "Try denying it then and there." He could only sigh helplessly and compromise:
"Uh... okay, you're right."

Seeing his completely lost composure in front of his mother, and his obedient surrender, Beibu Xuanju couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Alice and Yamato Akaki couldn't help but laugh, and even the still somewhat nervous Almond and the bewildered Spring and Autumn Fen joined in the laughter.

Over time, they had discovered that the usually strict and serious trainer was completely helpless when it came to his overly lively mother, a contrast that always made them feel warm and amused.

The pleasant breakfast time ended in laughter.
Driven by Yamato Akama, the group headed towards Kasamatsu under the guidance of Yasui Makoto and Kiko Misuzu, the two "local guides".

As the vehicle entered the Kasamatsu area, a more vibrant and unrestrained atmosphere, completely different from that of Nagoya city, immediately greeted the eye.

Colorful banners and balloons hung along the streets, and posters promoting the "Kasamatsu Horse Race Carnival" were everywhere.

The closer you get to the activity area, the denser the crowd becomes, and the air is filled with the aroma of various snacks and noisy laughter.

After parking the car and walking into the main square of the event, the girls were even more amazed by the sight before them.

The spacious square was bustling with people, lined with stalls of all kinds. Besides the usual snacks and souvenirs, the most eye-catching were the prominent posters advertising various fun activities:
[Eating Contest! Who can defeat the legend of the 'Hairy Monster'?], [Dodgeball Contest! A test of teamwork!], [Three-Point King Competition! An alternative race on the basketball court!], and many more—the variety of activities is dazzling.

Wow! So many fun activities!

The northern black steed's crimson eyes excitedly scanned its surroundings, its tail swaying gently involuntarily with its joyful mood.
"And what's more, Oguri Hat-senpai, Tamamo Cross-senpai, Super Little Bay-senpai, and Inari Ichi-senpai... they're all together again! The last time I saw them was also on such a lively occasion!"

"Yes, they've always had a good relationship."

Yasui Makoto's gaze also fell on the giant exhibition race poster in the distance, featuring the radiant smiles of several legendary racehorse girls, and he explained:

"They're probably mainly here to meet up with Oguri Hattori, or maybe they accepted an invitation from Oguri Hattori or Kasamatsu to help liven things up."

He paused, as if remembering something, and added:
"Speaking of which, Inari Ichi... she also left her mark on the Kasamatsu field back then."

"Eh? Inari-senpai also competed in Kasamatsu?" Kita Genkoma, Apricot, and Shunju all showed surprised expressions.

These three female racehorses had limited knowledge of the Shining Series, even the long-established Northern Black Horse; they weren't very familiar with some of the past races. Eriko and Yamato Akaki, on the other hand, knew those "legends" like the back of their hand. Seeing the expressions of their three juniors, the two exchanged a smile. Eriko lightly tapped her chin with her fingertip, a hint of reminiscence flashing in her eyes, and continued:

"Hmm... if I remember correctly, it was the All-Japan Elite Girls Invitational Tournament, an OP-level event. I think she came in second place?"

"Yes."

Yasui nodded in agreement and smoothly continued the conversation:

"After that competition, she attended the Tokyo Grand Prix."

"Then I transferred to the central government, first to run a race in the Subaru Championship, and then to the Hanshin Grand Prix."

"However, her results in these two events were not ideal, ranking fourth in one and fifth in the other. This also resulted in her ranking fourth in popularity when she participated in the Emperor's Spring Appreciation that year."

His tone was calm, as if he were narrating an ordinary piece of history:
"But then she achieved two consecutive victories at the Emperor's Spring Appreciation and the Takarazuka Memorial."

"Tamatsu and Takarazuka have won two consecutive victories?!"

Before the other racehorse girls could speak, Chunqiu couldn't help but gasp softly.

Then she looked at the energetic and passionate racehorse veteran on the poster, and then at the Northern Black Horse beside her, her eyes filled with admiration for her senior:
"This...isn't this the same as Senior Xiao Bei last year? It's really...it's just too amazing!"

Almond Eyes nodded vigorously, deeply agreeing: "To win two consecutive G1 tournaments, Inari-senpai is truly amazing!"

"Yes, that's what I meant!"

Chunqiu nodded like a chick pecking at rice, her little face full of longing. Then she looked at Yasui Makoto and asked curiously, following up on the conversation:

"Then... what happened after that? Inari-senpai should have continued his winning streak and won even more matches, right?"

However, as soon as she said those words, she found that the atmosphere around her instantly became somewhat subtle.

Not only did Yasui Makoto, Airi Soko, and Yamato Akaki fall silent for a moment, but even Kita Genko showed a complex expression on his face, a mixture of regret, respect, and emotion.

Spring and Autumn Equinoxes immediately realized they might have asked the wrong question, blinked their big eyes somewhat helplessly, and lowered their voices:
"W-What's wrong? Did I... say something wrong...?"

Yasui Makoto gave a soft "hmm," seemingly choosing the right words. He looked at Chunqiu Fen, his tone gentle but tinged with caution:
"Logically speaking, a horse that can win both the Amakasu and Takarazuka G1 races consecutively must have undeniable strength..."

"No, it should be said that she had reached the pinnacle of that generation."

"After all, out of the tens of thousands of female racehorses each year, only twenty or thirty can win G1."

"Having just arrived in the central region, he immediately secured two consecutive victories in G1. Inari Ichi was undoubtedly one of the top players of that era."

After emphasizing his point, he changed the subject, letting out a barely perceptible sigh:

"But... after the Takarazuka Memorial, her next match is the Daily Crown, which is known as the 'strongest G2'."

"And among the opponents in that match were those who also stood at the pinnacle of their era..."

"Little chestnut hat."

(End of this chapter)