“How dare you provoke someone from Tracen Central?!
Trainers!
What on earth were you doing?!” Staring at the several local Umamusume standing nervously before his desk in their tracksuits, the principal slammed his hands onto the desk and roared in fury.
“Do you even understand the gravity of this situation?!
Huh?!
If he reports what happened today back to Central Headquarters, our entire academy’s funding will be frozen for audit!
Do you have any idea what you’ve done?!” Earlier this morning, the principal had been happily watching a live race broadcast in his office, thrilled that a former alumnus from their school had won a local Open (OP) race.
Suddenly, an incoming call reached his desk from an unknown Central number.
The caller identified himself as a representative from Tracen Central.
He explained that a top Central Trainer visiting their school had found the atmosphere pleasant and intended to set up a friendly exhibition match between his trainee and the local runners.
He requested the principal’s assistance in coordinating with the local racing association for track access during off-hours.
Once the caller provided his Trainer ID, the principal quickly verified it on his office computer.
The moment the verification cleared, his jaw nearly dropped.
This Mr.
Kouki was the very Trainer who had recently taken over Silence Suzuka!
Suzuka’s recent 1,800-meter race had completely revolutionized the racing world’s understanding of the Great Escape style—setting a breathtaking new track record and establishing Silence Suzuka as one of the premier Umamusume in the nation.
As an educator, the principal understood the absolute importance of a top Trainer.
In the entire country, Nationally Certified A-Rank Trainers directly accredited by Tracen Academy were rare, elite figures.
An A-Rank Central Trainer!
If he could share even a fraction of his training insights with the local staff after the match, it would benefit their academy immensely!
Before the principal could even process his good fortune, the phone rang again.
This time, it was a senior member of the school board.
The moment he answered, he was blasted with a barrage of furious scolding.
He was ordered to resolve the situation immediately and apologize to Trainer Kouki to ensure the matter didn’t escalate—with the clear warning that if the school’s funding was affected, he would be fired on the spot!
Only then did the principal realize why Trainer Kouki had specifically insisted on hosting the race on an official track—he was planning to use the public exhibition to completely crush the bullies and vent his anger!
Tracen Central’s Umamusume were all handpicked elites chosen from tens of thousands of applicants nationwide.
What could his local trainees—girls who hadn’t even qualified for low-tier Graded races—possibly offer against them?
Superior numbers?!
Looking at the girls standing trembling before him, the principal’s blood boiled even higher.
He wanted to smash his laptop right at their heads, but forced himself to hold back—after all, the cost of raising a single Umamusume could buy dozens of laptops.
He had watched these girls grow up over the years.
Because of their solid athletic talent among local peers, even when he occasionally saw them acting pushy or arrogant from afar, he had turned a blind eye.
He had never imagined they would spark such a massive disaster today.
In that regard, he was partly responsible as well.
The principal let out a heavy sigh, beginning to wonder if he should strictly enforce a zero-tolerance anti-bullying rule in the school code from now on, with immediate expulsion for offenders.
“Um, Principal…
I think there might still be room to smooth things over,” the bald Trainer standing off to the side spoke up hesitantly.
He was Trainer Yamada, one of the two local trainers Kouki had chatted with earlier.
“How?” “Trainer Kouki…
I spoke with him earlier today, and he’s actually a very reasonable and polite young man.
If we bring the girls to offer a sincere apology, he’ll surely forgive them, right?” Trainer Yamada suggested softly.
“Hmph…
Since it was the trainees under your care who caused this mess, I’ll leave the resolution entirely in your hands.
You may agree to any reasonable request Trainer Kouki makes.
If his demands are too steep, contact me immediately, and I’ll submit a formal request to the school board to handle it,” the principal decided after a moment’s thought.
“Understood!” Trainer Yamada replied promptly.
“I won’t apologize!” One of the girls suddenly spoke up.
It was Shinjo Gyaru, the ringleader who had led the bullying against Rice Shower.
Standing before the principal, she had taken off her flashy accessories and zipped up her sports jacket, making her look relatively quiet—yet her eyes burned with defiance.
“If I have to lower my head and apologize to a weakling like Rice Shower, I’d rather quit!” she declared stubbornly.
However, her tightly clenched fists were trembling violently.
Protesting openly in front of the principal was clearly terrifying for her, yet…
why?
‘Why?
Why did a skinny, weak, useless girl like Rice Shower get everything handed to her?!’ ‘A famous retired Trainer was willing to come out of retirement just for her, using his lifelong connections to send her straight to Tracen Central.’ ‘And now, a brilliant A-Rank Central Trainer is treating her like a treasure, promising her a sparkling, glorious future!’ ‘Meanwhile, she was stuck in this small, rundown town that barely ever hosted turf races—forced to roll in the mud on dirt tracks every day, destined to never set foot in a G-class race for the rest of her life!’ ‘Why?!’ ‘Why did that girl get all the luck in the world?!’ ‘I refuse to accept this!’ “You!
Do you have any idea what you’re saying?!” the principal roared, his face turning red with anger.
“If your stupidity causes our school funding to be revoked, you will be expelled instantly!” “If you don’t want your racing life to end right here, get out there and apologize!” Looking at the girl’s burning eyes, the principal felt a cold pang of disappointment.
The principal knew Rice Shower’s background.
Although he didn’t manage day-to-day training details, he knew that if an Umamusume was scouted by two legendary Trainers in a row, she possessed hidden potential invisible to ordinary eyes.
Shinjo should have understood this better than anyone—it was impossible for her not to see it!
Yet right now, her heart was completely consumed by the toxic flames of jealousy.
Those flames had blinded her, masking her own ugly behavior.
‘What a tragedy…
Is this really all the ambition a local runner can muster…?’ The principal leaned back into his swivel chair, turning away from them as he said in a weary voice: “Go.
I will handle the venue arrangements with the racing association.
If any of you actually manage to prove yourselves and earn a spot in Central, you’ll have my blessings.” “Yes, sir!” the group answered in unison, bowing before leaving the principal’s office.
However, as Trainer Yamada was leading the girls down the staircase, his phone vibrated with a new notification.
It was a private email from the principal.
Trainer Yamada opened the message, and his eyes widened in shock: ‘Yamada…
if Trainer Kouki cannot be appeased…
then expel Shinjo Gyaru.’ The last few words were followed by a long trail of ellipses.
It was clear the principal was deeply conflicted, but for the greater good of the academy and the rest of the students, he was prepared to sacrifice one rebellious trainee.
Trainer Yamada’s heart sank.
To him, every Umamusume in the school was like a child he had raised with his own hands.
While some were headstrong or misbehaved, his decades of experience had taught him that such flaws naturally smoothed out as they matured.
Yet because of this incident—because they had crossed someone from Tracen Central—a young girl’s entire racing future hung on the brink of destruction…
“Hey, Yamada-san!
Why are you standing there daydreaming?!” one of the girls called out from ahead.
Even Shinjo Gyaru stood on the landing, looking back at him with a reluctant scowl.
“Ah, it’s nothing, nothing at all!” Yamada-san forced a warm smile and quickly tucked his phone away.
“Pfft, is your wife pressuring you to buy another designer bag again?
She’s really something—she already has so many, yet she’s never satisfied!” the dark-skinned Umamusume teased.
The girls resumed their casual banter.
Watching the smiles return to their faces, Trainer Yamada made up his mind.
‘Even if I have to drop to my knees and beg Trainer Kouki myself, I will protect these kids!’ ‘I’ll protect their future…
because I am their Trainer!’