Uma Musume Girl, I'll tell you about my Santa Hat special move too?

The following day, at the Draco team's training ground.

Early in the morning, Stardust Illusion arrived as usual and began today's slope training with Miura Bourbon.

Beside the training field, Rudolf and the air tank were standing there, talking with Toyama Hikari, who was recording data.

"The exchange program with the French student team officially begins tomorrow. The prestigious family has already brought them to Japan, and they should be visiting the Mejiro family right now." The instructor, speaking to Toyama Hiren, gave her instructions.

"You absolutely mustn't do anything out of line, okay, Trainer Toyama? Leave the task of connecting with the exchange student teams to Trainer Tojo."

To be honest, Qi Cao really didn't want this reckless guy in front of her to be in charge of coordinating the exchange student team, but fortunately she did come up with a compromise:

Trainers Tojo Hana and Nishizaki Ryu, along with their current players, will temporarily join her team.

That way, even if Toyama Scarlet wanted to do something outrageous, she would have two reliable trainers to help stop her, right?

Thinking this way, Qisuo felt a little more at ease.

"Tch, I didn't want to do anything so complicated. If Ahua wants to handle it, then let her handle it." Toyama Hikari pouted, her eyes still fixed on the two running on the slope, and replied casually.

"However, I also have my bottom line - I must organize at least one training race so that my runners can experience world-class conditions."

"Are they really okay? The elite clans... that level of opponent, coupled with their domain-level demonic power and leading running style, make them arguably the most difficult opponents for Leading Horse Girl to face."

The gas tank hesitated, then turned to look at the symbol of Rudolf.

She felt uneasy at the thought of the two runners, who were focused on training, facing such adversaries on the track.

Can the powerful clan, the tyrant who destroyed the Arc de Triomphe dream of the Japanese horse racing world, really handle this?

"Don't worry, they're not such fragile runners," Rudolf replied, arms crossed, as he watched the two runners speeding along the track.

“When this runner first started to take the professional route, most trainers were not optimistic about her – she was small and thin, especially lacked core strength, and her parents’ lineage was not outstanding, so everyone thought she could at most barely participate in some third-rate races as a short-distance runner.”

"But Coach Toyama selected Bourbon like this and honed her to this level through grueling training... Now Bourbon must be able to handle tracks longer than 2000m, right?"

At this point, Rudolf symbolically turned his head to look in Toyama's direction, seeking her opinion.

"Hmph, Bourbon is focused on achieving great results and shining in future competitions. How could he possibly be aiming for short-distance races from the start? The classic three-time champion, the spring and autumn three-time champion, and as many middle- and long-distance G1 races as possible—"

"—That's why she's been carrying out every single one of my orders so relentlessly... Four times a day for the slope practice, she's been doing the Bourbon for three whole months now, a 2000m track? If she performs well, she can even run the 2500m Arima Kinen for you!"

Speaking of her proud runners, Hikari Toyama couldn't help but reveal a mouthful of shark teeth with a smug smile as she said, "There's no option for any runner trained under me to fall behind in physical fitness, Rudolf."

"Heh, but that kind of training does indeed cause damage to racehorse girls, right?" Rudolf chuckled and shook his head.

Although she didn't say it aloud, Hiiro Toyama understood Rudolf's meaning, and her face suddenly darkened:

"...Are you trying to say that Ennis's situation was caused by the training I arranged?"

“Of course not.” Rudolf shook his head. “I’m just an ordinary runner who has raced on the track. How could I possibly doubt Ennis’s feelings? But JRA… well, I’m not qualified to criticize other people’s training methods.”

"One horse leads the way, and all others fall silent. Perhaps your approach is the right one, given the school motto set by the school's chairman?"

"Tch, you don't need to tell me that," Hikari Toyama clicked her tongue.

"Then there's Stardust Illusion, the runner who debuted alongside the Emperor." The stamina gauge also turned its gaze to the brown-haired racehorse girl who had already begun her fourth practice run on the slope, and its mind went through all the information about her since her debut.

"In short, the nickname 'Oguri Hat 2.0' is truly fitting, both in terms of his running style and his dedication to victory," she commented.

“Is that so? I think Stardust Illusion is just Stardust Illusion.” Toyama Scarlet refuted the gas tank’s statement. “Compared to that Ash Illusion, her running style seems to be exactly the same, but the underlying principles are completely different.”

"A fundamental difference?"

"You mean the feeling of running?" Rudolf explained to the gas tank. "Oguri-hat's running style is to gamble everything on the last three waves of the race. During the race, her last step is like a wave, crushing all her opponents one after another."

“But Stardust Illusion focuses on leading, which is quite different from the approach of starting strong and finishing weak. Why do people think she is similar to Oguri Kazumi? It’s because this runner has completely learned Oguri Kazumi’s final-leg burst – but that’s where her real potential lies.”

Rudolf looked at the girl on the slope, his tone tinged with emotion: "Why is it that the leading racehorse girl is able to learn Oguri Hat's last step? I haven't figured that out either, but what I do know is... what's truly terrifying about this racehorse girl is her extraordinary learning ability."

"Do you remember her run during her first debut match, her stamina bar? How does she compare to every match since then?"

As someone who studies every game's video recording, she recalled every detail she had seen before, and then suddenly it dawned on her:

"...Ah! Stardust Illusion seems to be performing better each time! His stats haven't fluctuated at all, except for that time when he was overtaken by the three leaders, when he showed some restraint in the mid-game—"

For runners, this kind of straight upward data curve usually only appears during the initial learning stage. Once the beginner stage is completed, the only way to improve is through persistent training and learning.

By gradually accumulating changes and approaching your body's limits, and then breaking through them, and repeating this cycle completely, you can improve your physical condition.

However, because everyone's condition fluctuates, even familiar running techniques can change slightly for various reasons. Therefore, it is common for some runners to break records during training races but fail to do so in actual races.

Stardust Illusion, on the other hand, is completely different. This runner's improvement seems to have no end in sight. Every race and every day of training has steadily improved her physical fitness and running skills, in addition to the last race and the battle aura she has begun to master...

Thinking of this, Rudolf nodded: "This is what intrigues me most about her right now—the Stardust Illusion. Where exactly is this runner's ceiling? I want to see her limits."

"Oh, by the way, I'll be taking you to meet the Noble Family at noon today, don't forget!" With that, Rudolf waved to Toyama Scarlet and turned to leave with the energy tank.

"You came all this way just for this? Do I need you to point out my runner's strengths? Rudolf, that guy..."

Hikari Toyama waved goodbye dismissively, then turned and walked toward the two runners who had finished their training.

"Cheer up!" she yelled at the two. "Don't stop, Stardust Illusion! Walking slowly is already a rest! Next up is cornering practice. Eagle will be here soon, hurry up and get the cones ready!!!"

Chapter Sixty-Seven: It doesn't matter, I will take action.

After morning, the sky gradually darkened, and a light drizzle began to fall.

In front of Zhuo Fu and Cai Zhigao was a huge bronze pot.

The broth in the pot was bubbling and gleaming with an enticing golden hue, boiling like lava and emitting a rich aroma.

The pot was piled high with various ingredients, bulging like a small mountain, including pork, beef, mushrooms, green vegetables, tofu, and more.

Zhuo Fu brought her face close to the pot, inhaling the aroma with relish, her face full of curiosity:

"Hey, what's this called? The Album Came Back to Life?"

"Is it sumo hot pot?" Saitoshi raised his glass, took a sip, and answered uncertainly, "It should be a type of hot pot that sumo wrestlers eat, a sport unique to Japan?"

"Eh—" Upon hearing this, Zhuo Fu looked at the various meats and vegetables in the pot, her mouth watering. "Did the noble family bring us here to eat this because it's delicious?"

"No, it seems like the people from Japan are here? But it has nothing to do with us. The noble family lord, Rudolf, and other high-ranking officials here will talk in a private room. Come to Zhuofu, have a piece of meat to try."

Cai Zhigao picked out a slice of meat, carefully blew on it to cool it down, and then brought it to Zhuo Fu's lips. Watching the petite and adorable racehorse girl obediently open her mouth and eat it, he smiled with satisfaction.

"We'll just eat and drink to our hearts' content, after all, it's Neon Treson's treat—"

"kindness!"

Zhuo Fu picked up her glass and took a big gulp of sparkling wine. Then, with a happy expression, she picked up her bowl and, together with Cai Zhigao, picked up various cooked ingredients from the steaming hot pot and ate heartily.

The two were enjoying their meal when they heard a conversation gradually approaching from a distance:

"Bourbon, what do you think is wrong with my cornering? Why does it always feel like something's missing?"

“Stardust Illusion, your movements are still not up to standard. First, your arm swing is 2cm too high, and then your body's center of gravity tilts a second too late when you turn…”

"Oh, never mind, Bourbon, your requirements are too detailed. It's impossible to achieve this with such detailed data. I'm not like you, able to execute every movement at full speed with precision... Sigh, if only Oguri Hat were here, she always explains things to me so clearly."

"?!"

Zhuo Fu's ears suddenly stood up, and she abruptly lifted her head from the bowl, looking in the direction of the sound.

From the conversation just now, Zhuo Fu clearly heard a name that she had been thinking about day and night recently: Stardust Illusion!

"Master said that Stardust Illusion, you belong to the intuitive school, which is different from my training method."

The chestnut-haired racehorse girl, Miura Happen, with an indifferent expression, was talking to the short-haired brown racehorse girl next to her. As they talked, they walked toward their neighboring seats.

At this moment, Zhuo Fu could see nothing else.

She was certain that the grinning brown-haired racehorse girl not far away was the runner she had seen in the race video: Stardust Illusion, the one with the explosive running style!

"Hey!" Zhuo Fu immediately stood up and waved vigorously at the two of them. "Hello! Can we talk?"

--------------------------

When the four of them sat down again, the number of hot pots in front of them had increased to four.

The intelligent, muscular blonde racehorse girl's face twitched as she looked at the four volcanoes piled high with ingredients in front of her:

"Isn't this too much? I heard that this kind of hot pot is the portion size of a Japanese sumo wrestler. One is enough for me and Zhuofu."

“Well, Stardust Illusion will require about two pots plus 70% more,” Miura Buron, sitting on the other side, calmly replied.

"Huh? Really? They ate more than us??"

This was the first time Cai Zhigao had encountered this type of racehorse girl, and his face was full of curiosity.

This Miura Bourbon couldn't possibly be some newly developed mechanical racehorse girl from Japan, could it?!

"You must be Stardust Illusion?!" Beside the two people talking, Zofu leaned forward towards Stardust Illusion, who was sitting opposite her.

Watching her devour her food, Zhuo Fu's eyes gleamed with excitement: "That competition on the videotape, it was you, wasn't it!"

"I'm Zhuo Fu! I came to Japan specifically to witness your running! I want to have a competition with you!"

“Zhuo Fu…” Stardust Illusion looked at the girl in front of him and quickly swallowed the food in his mouth.

The petite figure and passionate, pure eyes of the racehorse girl in front of her reminded her of another runner with similar qualities: the Emperor of the East Sea.

"If I can become a professional racehorse girl, make a name for myself in G1 races, and earn enough bounties, then Grandma Hyde won't have to work so hard now."

"Therefore, I will not lose to you!"

"..."

Are you running for your grandmother's sake, hoping to win the reward?

I used to think the same way, running away to supplement my family's income... But my awareness was too weak, which is why I lost to the East Sea Emperor in my debut battle.

But after that, many people taught themselves to have a greater awareness and to devote themselves more fully to running.

And it is precisely because of this that this increasingly heavy burden makes her stronger.

This girl, who seemed to have been forgotten by gravity, was also haunted by Stardust Illusion ever since he saw that video, and he wanted to compete against her with all his might on the field!

Let me remind her anyway.

Thinking of this, the Stardust Illusion looked at the girl before it, sighed, and said:

“I won’t lose to you either, Zoff. Because it’s not just you, I also have many reasons not to lose: my family, my teammates, my trainers… and I myself will not allow myself to lose any match.”