Chapter 314: Kita, You're Truly Amazing
As Kitasan Black was deep in thought, the atmosphere at the training grounds grew increasingly heated.
The cheers, applause, and whistles of the crowd intertwined, surging like a roaring wave.
Almond Eye was still bouncing up and down at the edge of the track, shouting at the top of her lungs:
"Kita-senpai! Go! Charge forward!!"
Her small face was flushed red with excitement, her eyes locked tightly onto Kitasan Black on the track—as if she could pour strength into her senpai through sheer will.
Makoto, meanwhile, gripped the railing tightly, saying nothing. His mouth hung slightly open, eyes wide, his gaze following Kitasan Black without wavering.
His breathing rose and fell with each of her steps, his chest moving in sync with the black-haired girl's.
He could tell—since entering the middle phase of the race, Kitasan Black had been trying to imitate California Chrome.
She seemed to be carefully observing every single movement of her opponent, attempting to bring together all the experience and techniques she had accumulated through past training, and apply them as much as possible on this unfamiliar dirt track.
She kept adjusting herself, trying to adapt to the unique rhythm of this entirely new kind of race.
From a professional standpoint—especially from the perspective of dirt racing—there were flaws everywhere in the running style Kitasan Black had adjusted into.
That was only natural.
She had always run on turf. Dirt had only ever been a supplement before her debut, or part of heavy-track training—it was not her specialty.
If she could truly master dirt running techniques in just about a minute, that would be nothing short of a miracle.
But for a practice race like this, her current level of adjustment was already more than enough.
Not enough to guarantee victory, but enough to demonstrate something far more important: her talent, her mindset, and her fundamentals.
Under unfamiliar and unfavorable race conditions, she quickly recognized the issues in her running form and rhythm. Based on her opponent's performance, she rapidly analyzed the key elements of the required techniques and running style—then decisively adjusted her stride, cadence, and power application.
Not every Umamusume could make such real-time adaptations.
And having that ability means nothing without putting it into practice.
Without a stable, composed mindset, and without the solid foundation built through consistent, disciplined training—absorbing knowledge and refining it to a high level—there would be no way to even begin applying it.
But Kitasan Black not only possessed this adaptability, she also had the mental stability and fundamentals to support it—and in this practice race, she had actually put it into action.
"Kita… you're really incredible…"
Murmuring to himself, Makoto's heart swelled with pride and satisfaction. To him, this alone was already enough.
At the same time, his grip on the railing tightened even more.
Because even from this distance, he could faintly sense a powerful aura emanating from that black-haired girl.
And that aura… said only one thing:
Not enough.
Kitasan Black… was thinking about how to win.
Meanwhile, out on the track—
More clearly than anyone else, California Chrome had also noticed the change behind her.
After cutting smoothly into the first turn with her familiar running style, and exiting the second turn ahead of the field, she had been certain she had shaken Kitasan Black off.
Not only that—having taken the lead so effortlessly for more than half the race, she had assumed this practice match would be an easy victory.
But as she continued running, she keenly felt the pressure from behind growing stronger.
She didn't need to look back to know—
The one chasing her could only be that black-haired Umamusume from Japan.
From the very start, she had already noticed it.
Not only did her opponent share her preference for front running, she also possessed a level of power that had genuinely surprised her.
After all, in America—where dirt racing dominates—strength is essential. California Chrome had seen countless friends and rivals with exceptional power.
And she herself possessed that same elite level of strength.
The power of that black-haired girl—was something that, even in America, would rank near the very top.
A front runner with exceptional strength, capable of keeping up behind her—it wasn't surprising at all.
So the growing pressure from behind… wasn't because of that.
As they passed the first turn for the second time, California Chrome caught a glimpse out of the corner of her eye—and instantly understood why.
Though she looked disheveled, though she trailed by more than three lengths, every single step she took was filled with strength—firm and unwavering.
Seeing those steps, and then naturally noticing her posture, breathing, arm swing, and other details, California Chrome immediately felt a sense of familiarity.
In the next instant, she realized—
That familiarity… came from herself.
The moment she noticed that, she couldn't help but meet the crimson gaze coming through the curtain of mud and sand.
And in that gaze, the blazing determination shining within made her hesitate—just for a moment—to look directly at it.
California Chrome felt a jolt of surprise… followed by delight.
She had never expected that this Umamusume from Japan could, in such a short time, adapt to dirt by observing and imitating her—adjusting into a running style that suited herself.
She had seen powerful Umamusume before—she herself was one. From the very first moment she saw Kitasan Black, she had sensed that same kind of presence.
But she had never seen someone with this level of real-time adaptability.
More importantly—
That adaptability had a clear goal:
To defeat her.
To defeat her—a dominant, world-class force on dirt tracks in this generation.
She truly hadn't expected that.
But from the determination she had just witnessed, she was absolutely certain of it.
And precisely because she hadn't expected it—
She felt excited.
With that excitement, she slowly turned her head forward again.
A slight smile curved her lips, her eyes gleaming with exhilaration, as California Chrome murmured silently in her heart:
"How interesting… Miss Black, from Japan."
"It's been a long time since I've met an opponent this intriguing… this challenging."
"And just so happens—3000 meters isn't exactly my strongest distance."
"In that case…"
Her gaze sharpened, her smile widening.
"Let's have a real match, Kitasan Black!"
The moment that thought fell—
California Chrome's muscles, which had carried a hint of looseness before, suddenly tightened all at once.
She drove her legs powerfully, and her already fast speed instantly surged to another level.
Like a golden cheetah, she shot forward in an instant.
The visible gap between her and Kitasan Black expanded once again.
At that exact moment, watching California Chrome's every move, Kitasan Black was startled.
Her body instinctively prepared to accelerate in pursuit—her legs tensing even before her mind fully registered the intention.
But in the next instant, countless thoughts flashed through her mind. Reason overpowered impulse, and she forcibly held herself back.
To chase now would be too reckless.
Her opponent was a seasoned champion of dirt racing. Even if she had just begun to grasp the basics, she was still an outsider.
She couldn't fall into her opponent's rhythm.
If she did, given the gap in their mastery of dirt racing techniques, she would very likely lose the only chance she had to win.
That's right—
She wanted to win.
She wanted to defeat California Chrome in this practice race.
And more than that—
She believed she had already found the one possibility that could lead her to victory.