On the Tracen Academy training ground in the early morning, the dew had not yet been evaporated by the morning sun, and the green grass shimmered with crystal light.
As a top Uma Musume academy located in the heart of Kyoto, every inch of this track carried glory and sweat, and today’s training ground was destined to undergo a different kind of change.
Ryo yawned, strolling leisurely along the edge of the track.
Her silver hair was loosely draped over her shoulders, and the red strands on her right side swayed gently with her steps, her eyes full of sleepy exhaustion.
“Anyway, I finished the basic running volume in the training plan last night, so it’s fine to relax a bit today, right?” She was born with extremely strong physical talent; even if she occasionally “slacked off,” her training results were never inferior to others, which led her to develop a small habit of taking it easy.
“I say, Little Ryo, your pace is slower than a stroll.
Are you planning to spend all your training time ‘admiring the scenery’?” Maruzensky’s voice came with a smile.
She stood not far away, arms crossed, looking at her friend’s lazy demeanor, her eyes full of amused interest.
On an adjacent track, Symboli Rudolf had already entered her zone.
Her deep brown figure moved through the morning light, every arm swing and every push off the ground as precise as a sophisticated instrument.
The white fur on her forehead was soaked with sweat, yet it couldn’t hide the focus and determination in her eyes.
Hearing Maruzensky’s words, she merely tilted her head slightly, glancing at Ryo.
She said nothing, but her pace unconsciously quickened a bit—for her, any second of slack was a desecration of victory.
“Relax?” A clear, icy female voice suddenly sounded from behind the three, carrying undeniable authority.
“On the Tracen Academy training ground, there are no ‘relax’ or ‘take it easy’ words, only ‘met the standard’ and ‘failed to meet the standard’.”
The three turned their heads simultaneously, only to see a woman in a black training uniform standing there.
Her posture was straight, her long hair neatly tied into a high ponytail, her face exquisite but covered with a layer of frost, her eyes sharp as an eagle’s, as if they could penetrate all laziness and perfunctoriness.
On the screen of the tablet in her hand, the past training records of the three were densely displayed.
It was none other than Trainer Tojo Hana, renowned throughout the academy—rumor had it she was preparing to establish a team called “Rigil,” known for its extremely strict coaching guidelines and terrifyingly precise data strategies, and was respectfully referred to as “Miss Hana” by other Trainers.
“Trainer Tojo Hana?” Symboli Rudolf was the first to react, giving a slight nod of greeting.
Tojo Hana did not respond, her gaze falling directly on Ryo, her tone cold and hard: “Ryo, yesterday’s basic running volume completion was 98%, heart rate fluctuation exceeded the preset range by 0.3, and you were 7 minutes late for this morning’s training.
Is this what you call ‘relaxing’?” She paused, tapping her finger lightly on the tablet.
“As a core member I invited to join Rigil, does this attitude of yours deserve the title of’strongest’?”
The lazy expression on Ryo’s face instantly froze.
Under that icy gaze, she inexplicably felt a surge of pressure, subconsciously straightened her back, and her sleepiness vanished instantly.
Maruzensky put away her playful expression and said seriously, “Miss Hana, Little Ryo just occasionally slacks off; you can be completely confident in her ability.”
“Ability cannot be an excuse for slacking off.” Tojo Hana’s gaze swept over the three.
“Symboli Rudolf, your training intensity meets the standard, but there is still room for improvement in the explosive power segment; Maruzensky, your tactical awareness is top-notch, but your endurance training needs to be increased.
Rigil doesn’t want ‘occasionally top-tier’ athletes; it wants ‘constantly top-tier’ powerhouses.
From today onwards, your training plans will be fully formulated by me.
Any questions or slacking will result in expulsion from the team.”
As her words fell, the new training schedule was sent to the three’s phones.
The densely packed items and arrangements precise to the second made Ryo’s mouth twitch—this was simply “devilish training.”
“Now, immediately return to the track and complete ten sets of sprints, four hundred meters per set, with intervals not exceeding one minute.” Tojo Hana raised her wrist to look at her watch, her tone brooking no argument.
“Timer starts.”
Symboli Rudolf rushed to the track without hesitation.
Maruzensky helplessly patted Ryo’s shoulder: “It looks like it’ll be hard to slack off from now on.
Let’s go, don’t get punished with extra laps by Miss Hana.” Ryo could only resign herself and follow, grumbling inwardly about the cold Trainer, yet she also knew that being a founding member of Rigil itself was the ultimate recognition of their abilities.
In the days that followed, Rigil’s training intensity was nothing short of “hellish.” Trainer Tojo Hana adjusted the plan daily based on the three’s physical data and race performance.
Every movement had strict standards, every mistake was precisely pointed out, requiring repeated practice until perfection.
Ryo’s “slacking off” was completely unfeasible.
Once, she secretly leaned against the railing to rest during a break, and just as she closed her eyes, she was startled awake by Tojo Hana’s voice: “Ryo, rest time is not yet over.
Add two more sets of core training.” She could only get up with a bitter face, but she had to admit that under such strict guidance, her explosive power and endurance were rapidly improving.
Maruzensky reveled in it, enjoying the thrill of surpassing herself, occasionally teasing the dispirited Ryo who had been disciplined; Symboli Rudolf, on the other hand, seemed to have found the most suitable mentor.
Tojo Hana’s precise strategies perfectly matched her formidable strength, making her train even harder and her fighting spirit even more fervent.
Tojo Hana appeared cold, but subtle details revealed an imperceptible concern.
She would quietly hand over sports drinks at just the right temperature when the three overtrained; she would subtly adjust the plan and give precise guidance when they were frustrated by a bottleneck; she would analyze race data alone late at night, customizing improvement plans for each person.
Maruzensky was the first to notice these touches of warmth, Symboli Rudolf gradually understood, and even the usually oblivious Ryo occasionally felt the thoughtfulness hidden beneath her icy exterior.
Days flowed by amidst rigorous training and occasional small incidents, and the Rigil trio began to make a name for themselves at Tracen Academy.
The three who were originally individually top-tier, under Trainer Tojo Hana’s integrated guidance, formed an unbeatable combined force, becoming the academy’s recognized strongest team.
As night fell, warm yellow light illuminated a common residence on the outskirts of Kyoto.
Inside the room, a young couple gently watched a small foal in a cradle.
The foal had soft fur, and its hairstyle was extremely similar to Symboli Rudolf’s, with the same striking patch of white fur on its forehead, but amidst the white fur were a few dazzling red strands, like sparks igniting a prairie fire.
(Little Teio’s setting was slightly changed)
The foal’s eyes were closed, its breathing even, and a faint smile seemed to play on its lips, as if dreaming of running and glory.
No one knew that this seemingly ordinary foal carried the genes of Ryo and Symboli Rudolf, a continuation of legend, a trace of destiny’s gears quietly turning in an unnoticed corner.
On the Tracen Academy training ground, Ryo, who had just finished her evening training, was stretching towards the moon.
Maruzensky was complaining about her inelegant posture, while Symboli Rudolf was reviewing today’s training data.
None of them knew that a dramatic shift in destiny, triggered by the flutter of a butterfly’s wings, had quietly arrived on the outskirts of Kyoto, and this little foal with red and white markings would one day enter their world, writing a new chapter belonging to “Teio” and “Legend.”