The double bombshells of Sakura Laurel's Arc de Triomphe challenge and Narita Brian's undefeated Triple Crown declaration had left Japan in a state of perpetual fever. While some critics dismissed the idea of a Classic-class runner tackling the Arc as "utterly reckless," others held their breath; after all, Laurel was the protégé of Mejiro Rampage, the only Japanese horse girl to ever conquer the French soil. Self-proclaimed experts filled the airwaves with their theories, but the public largely ignored them. They wanted to hear from the only people who truly mattered.
Naturally, the spotlight fell on two legends: Mejiro Rampage, the "Dictator of the Turf," and Speed Symboli, who had served as an acting trainer during the overseas campaigns. However, getting an appointment with a consultant for the prestigious Symboli family was an impossible task for a common journalist. That left one target: Rampage.
Rampage, however, was notoriously selective about her interviews. Knowing a direct approach would fail, the press looked for an opening—and found it in the debut of a new talent: Mayano Top Gun.
It was June, the season of "Make-Debut" races. A light, persistent rain had been falling since morning, turning the Kyoto Racecourse into a heavy, sodden track. Today, the 2000m turf debut featured Mayano Top Gun, a member of Team Pleiades under the supervision of Mejiro Rampage.
As expected, Rampage was there. And so were the vultures.
"Mejiro Rampage-san! Give us a comment on Sakura Laurel's Arc announcement at the Derby!"
"Is her challenge reckless or visionary?!"
"There are rumors you'll be traveling with her as a trainer! Is it true?!"
The cameras and microphones were shoved in her face with zero regard for the surrounding fans. Rampage's face twisted. Minamisaka had apologized in advance for the media storm he'd caused her, but experiencing it was another matter entirely. As the reporters clamored, Rampage was staring at the track, her mind elsewhere.
(The turf is heavy, the rain is steady… typical June. Well, not that she needs to worry, but still…)
"Please! Just a comment!" one reporter barked, his voice rising in frustration.
"Shut your damn mouths, all of you!"
The roar that erupted from Rampage was louder than any of the reporters combined. They recoiled, stunned. Rampage ripped off her sunglasses, revealing eyes sharp enough to cut glass and a prominent vein throbbing in her forehead.
"What the hell do you think you're doing here?" she hissed. "I'm here for Mayano's debut. These fans are here to watch a race. This isn't a place for you to scream and act like self-important brats. You don't even have the basic manners to realize that? This is why I don't take your interviews. I've memorized every one of your company names. Keep it up, and I'll expose every single one of you on my next livestream. Consider yourselves warned."
She slid her sunglasses back on. The reporters tried to rally, but the atmosphere had shifted. They realized the crowd was staring at them with cold, judgmental eyes. Some fans were even filming the reporters' behavior on their phones. Realizing they were now the villains of the story, the press corps slunk away before the race even began.
Once they were gone, Rampage removed her glasses again and turned to the crowd, bowing slightly.
"Everyone, I apologize for the disturbance. I'll ensure they're dealt with properly later. For now, please forgive me. I am here today simply as Mayano Top Gun's trainer."
There were no jeers. Instead, cheers of "Don't worry about it!" and "That was awesome!" echoed from the stands. The fans knew that a trainer's priority should always be their girl's debut. As the atmosphere settled into one of shared excitement for the race, a man on crutches hobbled up to stand beside her.
"Same as ever, I see. I don't think I could ever pull off a stunt like that," he said, looking a bit weary.
Rampage blinked. She had invited him, but she hadn't been certain he'd make it. "You actually came."
"Of course. I wouldn't miss Maya's debut for anything. I got the doctor's permission."
"I appreciate it... Trainer Sakahara."
This was the man who was supposed to have been Mayano's trainer. He had scouted her, seen her genius, and prepared to run the Twinkle Series by her side—until a freak accident left him hospitalized for long-term rehabilitation.
"I can't thank you enough, Rampage-san," Sakahara said, looking toward the paddock. "Teaching her until her debut... it must have been a handful. That girl is a genius, but she gets bored so easily."
"Actually, it was easy," Rampage shrugged. "She understands everything the first time you explain it. So, I just built a menu where even if she understood the logic, she couldn't physically pull it off on the first try. The frustration of failing made her motivated. She started thinking for herself, coming to me for advice on how to improve."
Sakahara laughed. "Building a menu specifically to bait her competitive spirit... you really are something." His expression was clear, devoid of any bitterness. "Truly, thank you. I was the one who was supposed to do this for her, but I ended up pushing the responsibility onto you."
"Don't worry about my 'trouble,'" Rampage muttered. "Are you really okay with this? Me being her official trainer?"
"Yes. It's what's best for her." There wasn't a trace of regret in his voice—only the pure joy of a fan seeing his favorite talent finally reach the stage.
"Rampage-san! Maya's gonna do her—oh! Trainer-chaaan!"
Mayano Top Gun emerged from the underground tunnel and spotted them. When she realized Sakahara was standing there, her face lit up like a sunbeam. She sprinted over, ignoring the race officials for a second.
"You came! You really came!"
"I did. Rampage-san sent a car for me. I was a bit surprised when a Mejiro limousine showed up at the hospital, though."
Rampage looked away. "I just thought a smooth ride would be better for your injuries."
"Yay! Thank you, Rampage-san!" Mayano beamed. Having both her trainers there seemed to complete her mental state.
Sakahara looked at her seriously. "Maya, I know my injury made you anxious. I know you were scared about whether you'd ever get to debut. But look at you—you're standing on the big stage now. From here on, I'm your Number One fan. Show me what it looks like when you become a star."
"Mhm! Leave it to me! Hey, hey, Rampage-san! Let's do that!"
Rampage cleared her throat as Sakahara tilted his head in confusion.
"Mayano Top Gun. I give you only one regulation for this flight."
Mayano stood tall, her eyes sparkling. "Only one regulation—Fly it to the end! Mayano Top Gun, taking off!"
With a playful spin and a wink, she dashed toward the starting gates. Sakahara couldn't help but chuckle. "You two really get along. I'm relieved."
"Now you just need to get healthy," Rampage grunted. "Once you're back, Maya will be unstoppable."
"Oof. Rehab is tough, but I think I just found another reason to work hard."
The race began.
"Coming into the final stretch, the leader is—here comes Mayano Top Gun! She's surged to the front! The moment they hit the straight, she exploited a gap in the marking and blasted past the field!"
Being from Team Pleiades, Mayano was the heavy favorite and had been tightly marked throughout the race. But the other girls were rookies; their marking was sloppy. Mayano had waited with the patience of a veteran, and the moment the formation crumbled at the final turn, she used her small frame to slip through.
"Afterburners ignited! Mayano Top Gun, moving out!"
"What a burst of speed! Orb Jewel, Masquerade Eye, and Castle Neo are giving chase, but she's in a different league entirely!"
"No way! We can't catch her!" the other racers cried out in despair.
"Gyuun-gyuun-gyuun!" Mayano chirped as she pulled away.
"This is a massacre! Mayano Top Gun—is this the power of Rampage's Pleiades?! She crosses the finish line! A stunning victory for her debut, but look at that margin! It's over ten lengths back to second place! A total blowout! A brilliant debut for Mayano Top Gun!"
"I did it! Trainer-chan, did you see?! Maya did it!"
She bounced with innocent joy, but the crowd was in awe. She hadn't even looked winded. Kyoto Racecourse erupted in cheers for the birth of a "Supernova." The Twinkle Series was about to get even hotter.
"Incredible..." Sakahara whispered. "I really have to do my best now."
"I'll introduce you to a good Mejiro hospital," Rampage said, watching her trainee celebrate. "My personal doctor is world-class when it comes to human treatment, too."
Sakahara smiled, his eyes bright with hope. "Haha, thank you. Alright... let's do this!"
-------------------------
If you enjoy this story, you can read 70+ advanced chapters on Patreon!
Webnovel will keep getting 1 new chapter every day but Patreon readers can stay far ahead.
Maybe it's not a big deal now… maybe it will be later.
[email protected]/Greyhounds
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"