“If you don’t have the same resolve as me, then don’t try to scout Oguri Cap.” Yugi’s tone carried a clear hint of provocation.
But none of the trainers present dared to take him up on his words.
After all, “defeating Central” was something the Kasamatsu trainers wouldn’t even dream of.
===
After confirming that they couldn’t recruit Oguri Cap, the trainers of Kasamatsu Tracen Academy also left the scene, returning to the sidelines to await the start of the next mock race.
“Trainer…” Berno Light timidly asked Yugi, “If you and Oguri are going to challenge Central, then what about me?”
“That depends on Berno Light’s performance in this upcoming mock race,” Yugi shrugged.
“No matter the outcome, you are the Uma Musume I’m responsible for, so I’ll always find a way out for you.”
“The more I hear that, the more it sounds like Trainer doesn’t have much faith in me…” Berno Light pouted.
“Then I’ll have to work extra hard to surprise Trainer later.”
“Go for it.”
Yugi patted Berno Light’s shoulder, secretly muttering to himself, “I hope it’s a pleasant surprise, not a big meal.”
…After all the morning’s mock races had concluded, Yugi led Oguri Cap and Berno Light to the edge of the training ground.
“Ahhh!!!!!” Berno Light wailed.
It was clear her mock race results were not ideal.
“Looking at the ranking, it’s still good.
Berno Light, you managed to place fifth out of ten Uma Musume, which is quite respectable.” Yugi chose an angle to encourage her.
“But I lost to first place by nineteen horse lengths!” Berno Light knew that the talent she displayed in this mock race would generally not attract any trainer.
She looked up, her voice tinged with an undeniable mix of anticipation and plea.
“Trainer, can I still become a qualified Uma Musume?”
Yugi originally wanted to continue comforting Berno Light, but looking at the teary-eyed chestnut-haired girl crouching in front of him, he couldn’t bring himself to say anything insincere.
“I think it will be very difficult.
I can only try my best to ensure you win a few local races, but beyond that, whether your talent can reach higher is not something I can definitively say at this point.”
“As expected…” Berno Light rubbed her eyes.
“I still want to try my best.
Since I’ve come to Kasamatsu Tracen Academy, I still want to stand on the stage of the local series… even if it’s just once.”
“Then our goal will be to win one race in the local series,” Yugi said, echoing her vow.
“Then I’ll trouble Trainer,” Berno Light said softly.
“So, Trainer, do I still need to do any training after the mock race?” Oguri Cap asked him when she saw that Yugi and Berno Light’s conversation had come to an end.
Yugi turned to look at the gray-haired Uma Musume he had actively recruited.
“Oguri Cap, do you feel any change in me today compared to yesterday?”
“I feel like Trainer is a bit closer than yesterday?” Oguri Cap expressed her true thoughts.
“I don’t know why I feel this way.”
The young man’s heart secretly rejoiced.
“The intimacy bonus for Oguri Cap that I gained from the chase training in my dream is real after all!”
Yugi didn’t know if he could get other rewards in his lucid dreams.
“It would be great if I could get something that could permanently increase a Uma Musume’s abilities!” He was already fantasizing.
“Trainer’s expression is so strange… it feels like he’s fantasizing about something.” Berno Light pointed this out.
This statement also brought Yugi back to reality.
“Let’s get back to the main topic,” he scratched his head.
“Although today was a ‘mock race,’ it was still a ‘race’ after all, and Oguri Cap, your consumption was higher than usual—”
“It’s okay, I’ll make it up by eating more at lunch.” Oguri Cap quickly waved her hand, afraid that Yugi would use this reason to make her rest.
“No, no matter what, you can’t train anymore today.” Yugi saw through Oguri Cap’s little scheme and decisively refused.
“Health comes first.
After all, a Uma Musume’s racing career only happens once.
If injuries prevent your talent from being showcased, I can still wait for the next Uma Musume, but what about you, Oguri Cap?”
Without waiting for Oguri Cap to say anything, he continued, “So you must rest today.”
Yugi turned his head and looked at Berno Light again.
“You too.
Both of you need to rest today.
I’ll arrange your specific training plan tomorrow.
If you want to do an independent morning run tomorrow morning, then just jog around the training ground.
Consider it a warm-up before the morning training.”
“Okay.” The two Uma Musume agreed in unison.
After watching Oguri Cap and Berno Light leave, Yugi then reunited with Kitahara-san.
“You’re really something, Yugi-san!” Kitahara-san patted his friend’s shoulder.
“Oguri Cap ran the 800-meter mock race in 51.4 seconds, which is a level that would surely win a debut race in the local series!”
“That’s why I didn’t let her continue training today, but sent her back to rest,” Yugi shrugged.
“It’s still too early to let her race according to her own whims.”
“Why do I feel like Yugi-san isn’t very satisfied with Oguri Cap’s performance?” Kitahara-san clicked his tongue, vaguely sensing Yugi’s “dissatisfaction.”
“It’s not dissatisfaction exactly…” Yugi didn’t admit it.
“After all, if Oguri Cap’s performance today was flawless, then it wouldn’t matter who her trainer was.”
“That’s true.
If you’re in charge of a flawless Uma Musume, there’s really nothing to do.
You’d just be a decoration.” Kitahara-san agreed with Yugi’s view.
“So I’ve also figured out how to scout Fujimasa March.”
“Then I wish Kitahara-san success.” The young man grinned.
“Once you’ve recruited Fujimasa March to your team, we can often schedule training races.”
“Haha~ Then, for Yugi-san to have a regular training race opponent, I have no reason to fail.” Kitahara-san laughed along.
…When it was time to leave work, Yugi promptly packed up his office materials, preparing to leave the academy.
As soon as he walked out of the office door, he saw Kitahara-san greeting him cheerfully.
“Looks like you succeeded?” Yugi raised an eyebrow, taking the initiative to ask.
“Of course!
As expected, Yugi-san’s idea was useful.
I specifically described to Fujimasa March some areas I thought she needed to strengthen, and also showed her my plans for her.
Fujimasa March quickly agreed to join my team.” Kitahara-san grinned at the end of his sentence.
“Although Shibasaki also prepared future plans for Fujimasa March, his weren’t as comprehensive as mine.”
“Kitahara-san, don’t just focus on being happy,” Yugi kindly reminded him.
“Since we made a promise to her, as trainers, we must fulfill it.”
Hearing his friend’s reminder, Kitahara-san’s smile faded, and he replied seriously, “I can’t possibly let a promising talent like Fujimasa March, who is so highly regarded by the academy, be ruined in my hands.
I will definitely do my utmost to train her.”
Yugi nodded silently.
In his half-year of acquaintance with Kitahara-san, Yugi could tell that Kitahara-san was definitely not the kind of person who would go back on his word.
“I should focus on my own side first.” He muttered to himself.
Back at his apartment, Yugi, who had casually eaten a meal of milk, bread, and a fried egg, sat down at his desk, ready to continue the work he hadn’t finished at the academy.
“I already made Oguri Cap’s training plan yesterday.
Next up is Berno Light’s training plan, and their race schedule after their debut this year.”
Although Berno Light suffered a crushing defeat in the mock race today, Yugi could see that she wasn’t entirely without ability.
A Uma Musume with absolutely no racing ability wouldn’t be able to enter any Tracen Academy.
In the debut year, Kasamatsu prepared mostly 800-meter races for debuting Uma Musume and maiden Uma Musume.
In Yugi’s opinion, these ultra-short distance races didn’t require any tactics.
It was enough to burst out of the gate, take the lead, and maintain the advantage to the finish line.
“So, the priority is to train Berno Light’s gate start and explosive power.” He wrote this sentence in his notepad.
As for endurance training, Yugi didn’t consider it at all.
After all, if a Uma Musume couldn’t even last 800 meters, it would be better for her to retire early and switch to something else.
For gate starts, Kasamatsu Tracen Academy already had starting gates, which he could borrow for Berno Light and Oguri Cap’s training.
For explosive power, Yugi planned to use barbells for Berno Light.
“If I were still on the West Coast Tracen Academy, those guys would definitely advise me to use drugs on the Uma Musume.” He sighed inwardly after writing down the short-term training plan.
Yugi admitted that using certain drugs on Berno Light would indeed show significant results in a short period, improving her abilities.
However, doing so would have endless repercussions.
Drugs would disrupt hormone secretion, easily leading to heart failure, inducing poisoning, and so on… “As a trainer, I am merely a companion to the Uma Musume on a segment of their life’s journey.
How can I destroy their future for the sake of my own performance?” He shook his head, casting off the actions of his West Coast former colleagues from his memories, and refocused on his work.
“In any case, let’s stick to proper training methods.”
After finalizing Berno Light’s training plan and temporary race schedule, Yugi glanced at the clock.
“It’s only eight o’clock.
Enough for me to continue,” he mumbled, pulling out the schedules for this year’s Japanese Twinkle Series and various regional series from the bookshelf beside his desk, preparing to arrange races for Oguri Cap.
Central Uma Musume must wait until after the Japanese Derby each year to debut, because only then will the Twinkle Series establish New Horse Races that allow Uma Musume of their debut year to register.
Local Uma Musume can debut earlier.
Starting from early May, Uma Musume of their debut year can register for debut races.
“If possible, I want to acquire the capital to challenge Central as soon as possible, while ensuring Oguri Cap’s health and safety.” With this premise, Yugi first confirmed Oguri Cap’s debut race arrangements.
“Trusting Oguri Cap’s ability, I’ll schedule her to participate in a debut race in the first week of May.”
If she wins smoothly, instead of continuing to train at the academy or “racing as training” at Kasamatsu with a one-week interval, Yugi would prefer to arrange for Oguri Cap to go to Hokkaido, adapt to the local track, and prepare for the G3 Hokkaido Yushun Himba in August.
As the first G3 major race that local Uma Musume can challenge in their debut year, the entry threshold for the Hokkaido Yushun Himba would definitely be fiercely competitive among trainers.
The young man knew this well.
“So, Oguri Cap also needs to accumulate enough capital to register at Kasamatsu first… Perhaps after winning the debut race, she could consider challenging the Uma Musume in Nagoya.” Yugi frowned, adding a local race between the “debut race” and the “Hokkaido Yushun Himba.”
“In short, if all goes well, I hope Oguri Cap maintains a state of approximately one race every two months.” He put down his pen.
“Let’s arrange these three races… The specific race schedule after that will depend on Oguri Cap’s performance.”
After going to bed and falling asleep that night, Yugi, not unexpectedly, found himself in the dream world again.
“Aren’t you continuing to ride Oguri Cap for training today?” After seeing Sagami Masayuki display the racehorse he was responsible for training today, Yugi quickly asked.
“It seems you really like that fellow?” Sagami Masayuki raised an eyebrow.
“But yesterday I told you to be serious when you were riding for training, so today it only needs to casually circle around to relax a bit, and you aren’t needed for that.”
“I just think that child is very pleasing to my eye,” Yugi touched his nose, responding indifferently.
“If possible, I hope that this child’s future training and races can be entrusted to me.”
Sagami Masayuki could see that Yugi had feelings for Oguri Cap, and was happy for the new apprentice jockey in his stable to get good resources, so he simply made a half-promise.
“Training rides are no problem, but the jockey for races must be decided by the owner.
I can only put in a few good words for you.”
“That’s enough!” Yugi quickly bowed deeply at the news.
“Just give me one chance, and I will definitely let Oguri Cap show her talent!”
“Since you’ve said so,” Sagami Masayuki grinned, “I’ll let Oguri Cap sleep a little longer.
Go ride all the horses you need to train today, then come back and circle the training ground a few times with Oguri Cap to warm up and build some chemistry.”
“I will work hard!” Yugi bowed again, reiterating his attitude.
He secretly thought to himself, “I wonder what kind of reward I’ll get when I wake up this time?”
===
Waking up, Yugi looked at the new message on the checker and shook his head helplessly.
“The result is the same as after waking up yesterday.
Only a little of Oguri Cap’s intimacy was given.
It seems training in dreams is just like that.” He realized that he couldn’t rely on dream rewards to improve Oguri Cap’s abilities at the moment.
“However, the intimacy has now reached 62 points… I don’t know what the maximum value is, or what changes will occur…”
Thinking to the end, a “terrible” thought suddenly popped into Yugi’s head… He quickly shook his head to clear away the distracting thoughts.
Coming back to his senses, Yugi glanced at the clock.
It was exactly 5:30.
“After washing up and grabbing breakfast, it’ll be time to head to work,” he mumbled, rolling out of bed.
While Yugi was in the bathroom washing up, Oguri Cap had already changed into her sportswear and stood on the training ground of Kasamatsu Tracen Academy.
“Ha—” After taking a deep breath, her eyes sparkled.
“I feel in great shape right now!”
But before Oguri Cap took a step, she remembered her trainer’s instructions from yesterday.
“The trainer said that if I do morning exercises, I should only jog in circles.” She bit her lip, resisting the urge to start sprinting at full speed… By the time Berno Light arrived at the training ground, Oguri Cap was already drenched in sweat.
“Oguri Cap, how long have you been running?
Wouldn’t it be better to rest for a bit?
We still have to meet with the trainer this morning.” After greeting her, Berno Light frowned and suggested to her teammate with concern, “There’s no need to work so hard for morning exercises.”
“I feel fine.” Oguri Cap waved her hand.
“I’m full of energy right now.
Even if the trainer asked me to run a few more laps at full speed, it wouldn’t be a problem!”
Seeing her friend working so hard, Berno Light sighed deeply.
“Then I’ll join in too.”
She knew her talent wasn’t as good as Oguri Cap’s, so she didn’t want to lose to her teammate in terms of effort.
When Yugi arrived leisurely at Kasamatsu Tracen Academy with the materials he had organized last night, he unexpectedly saw Oguri Cap and Berno Light running alongside each other in circles on the training ground.
“How long have they been running in circles?” Yugi was utterly confused.
“At this speed, how could Berno Light and Oguri Cap be drenched in sweat?”
“No, if they keep running like this, my training plan for today won’t be able to proceed.” Realizing this, he hurried over.
“Yugi-san!” Kitahara-san, who had just arrived at the academy entrance, was about to greet his friend, but only received a gust of wind stirred up by Yugi in response.
“Goodness… Yugi-san is full of hidden talents.
He runs faster than any athlete I’ve seen.” Kitahara-san was dumbfounded, muttering to himself.
In fact, Yugi had heard Kitahara-san’s greeting, but having already started running, he didn’t have time to respond.
“I’ll greet him back later,” Yugi reminded himself.
Arriving at the edge of the training ground, he came back to his senses and called out the names of the two Uma Musume he was responsible for.
“Oguri Cap!
Berno Light!
You two can stop!”
Making a “stop” gesture, Yugi frowned, staring at the two Uma Musume who had stopped their morning jog and were walking towards him.
“Trainer…” Berno Light, who had been smiling, wiped away some sweat.
Noticing that Yugi’s expression wasn’t very bright, she honestly lowered her head.
“Tell me, how long have you two been running in circles?” Yugi glanced at Oguri Cap, then turned his gaze to Berno Light.
“Just over an hour…” Berno Light mumbled softly.
Since they had already run, Yugi couldn’t say much more.
He could only sigh, then reminded them again, “On the morning of the day I’m giving you training lessons, please don’t waste your physical reserves.
This afternoon, I will give each of you a calendar.
Please act according to the text on it.”
“Then are we still training this morning?” Berno Light glanced at the hesitant Oguri Cap beside her, raised her hand, and asked in return.