Mejiro McQueen, a daughter of the prestigious Mejiro line, possessed a refined touch for nearly every sport.
While she might not reach the superhuman heights of the Rigil members, her athletic prowess sat just a tier below professional human athletes.
She could tell at a glance that Twin Turbo was a total volleyball novice; their match was supposed to be nothing more than casual fun between classmates.
But that last shot...
Was that a calculated ploy by Seiun Sky? It felt almost impossible to believe, yet that comment from earlier didn't seem like a coincidence.
It meant that even if Twin Turbo was a beginner, she had "backseat coaching" on her side. McQueen realized she couldn't underestimate them—she had to give it her all!
And so...
Even with Barbatos and Seiun Sky tossing out distracting conversation topics to bait McQueen, and even with Gold Ship's focus occasionally drifting, McQueen and Gold Ship ultimately secured the victory.
Strategy is merely a tool to tip the scales, after all; in the end, sports are decided by raw skill.
Much like Seiun Sky's own tactics, her schemes were the "cherry on top" during a race.
Without the underlying strength to back them up, she never would have been able to overcome Special Week and King Halo to seize the crowns of the Satsuki Sho and the Tokyo Yushun.
Soon, the Uma Musume from Spica and Canopus who weren't participating in the Dream Cup all joined in for some 2v2 recreational matches.
Even Barbatos and the local legends jumped in.
Since there was no risk of the dreaded "Experimental Vegetable Juice" penalty, the games were relaxed.
They played in a 2v2 format, pairing veterans with novices.
Without the terrifying threat of that juice hanging over their heads, Barbatos felt the atmosphere lacked the "war-zone" intensity of the Dream Cup.
At times, Barbatos herself—and even the legendary racers—served up some absolute "low-lights" and clumsy blunders. The entire beach was soon filled with the bright, infectious sound of laughter.
The day slipped away quickly.
By evening, the bonfire flickered. Urara had a phone strapped to her head with the camera running.
On the screen, the masked figure of El Condor Pasa stood with hands on her hips, boisterously recounting her exploits of tearing through the G1 circuit in France.
The rest of the girls sat huddled around the fire, watching intently.
"I'm telling you, the G1s over here just don't have the same prestige. The competition is so weak!"
"If I'd known, I would've waited until after Summer Training to head to France."
El's voice was a mix of pride and regret—pride in dominating the French turf, but regret over missing out on the Summer Dream Cup.
Hishi Amazon's face, which almost blended into the night, crinkled as she flashed a row of snow-white teeth. "Haha! Overseas races can't compare to the prestige of our Japanese circuit. If you ask me, those foreign girls should be the ones coming here for the Japan Cup."
Air Groove gave her a flat, speechless side-eye. "Then why don't you go ahead and actually bring home a victory from the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe?"
To date, no Japanese Uma Musume had ever won the Arc.
The staggering difference in the turf conditions and the sheer physical gap made it incredibly difficult for them to adapt to international stages.
"I'll do it! You think I'm scared of Montjeu?"
Air Groove stopped arguing with Amazon.
While Legendary Uma Musume were technically allowed to enter regular domestic races, they rarely did so to avoid "bullying" the younger generation; the gap between a true Legend and a standard racer was a total disconnect.
However, when it came to international events, Legends were strictly barred from entry.
At that level, it was no longer about personal glory, and the racing associations wouldn't allow it.
Otherwise, what if another country sent their current generation only to face Japan's "Greatest of All Time"? It's not like other nations lacked their own Legends, after all.
Even the "Emperor," Symboli Rudolf, was the absolute peak of Japan—not necessarily the world.
"Montjeu is definitely the opponent you need to watch out for, El. She is world-class. If you don't get there early to adjust to the turf and the pacing, there will only be one outcome."
Air Groove spoke with dead seriousness. Charging into the Arc was El Condor Pasa's choice, but as a senior, she had to give fair warning.
El might be breezing through French G1s now, but Montjeu did the exact same thing.
Many considered her the best in the world. Even Air Groove, a Legend herself, felt that even with perfect preparation, beating her would be a tall order.
In France, Montjeu was essentially...
Inadvertently, Air Groove's gaze drifted toward Barbatos, who was currently sharing whispers with Seiun Sky.
Yeah, she thought. Montjeu in France is just like Barbatos in Japan—a seemingly invincible existence.
The only difference was that Barbatos still had Silence Suzuka and El Condor Pasa to challenge her in Japan. In France, Montjeu stood alone at the top of a massive cliff.
Furthermore, Barbatos had never competed internationally.
Whether her domestic dominance would translate to the global stage remained to be seen. Adapting to different grass and different racing systems put immense pressure on any Uma Musume going abroad.
"Correct. Montjeu will be a formidable foe."
Symboli Rudolf wore a faint smile, radiating her natural "Student Council President" aura.
She agreed with Air Groove, though her tone carried the warmth of a senior acknowledging a junior's path rather than someone looking for a personal rival.
"Of course! It wouldn't be any fun if the Arc was easy," El Condor Pasa chirped, her confidence unshaken by Montjeu's reputation.
"Just you wait—I'm going to win the Arc and become the Number One Uma Musume in the world!"
As she spoke, El looked toward Barbatos through the screen. Because of the front-facing camera, the angle was a bit awkward, but she could just make out where Barbatos was sitting.
"And when I get back, I'll make sure you get a real taste of what 'World Class' feels like, Barbatos!"
Before the words even settled, she whipped around to look at the Spica corner. "And you too, Suzuka! We still haven't settled who's faster!"
Her tone was certain. Despite the Arc being two months away, she spoke as if the results were already written in stone.
Silence Suzuka gave a soft, gentle smile. "I'm looking forward to our showdown, El."
"I remember Suzuka is entering the Japan Cup, right? I'll be back from my victory at the Arc just in time for the Japan Cup schedule!"
"Barbatos, you're joining too, right? Let's settle this once and for all!"
Seeing El's brimming confidence, the corners of Barbatos's mouth curled into a smirk. "So, what you're saying is... even without going to the Arc, if I beat you, I become Number One in the world by proxy?"
"! Hey, we don't know who's winning yet!"
"Oh?"
Seiun Sky narrowed her eyes with a playful grin. "El's opponents aren't just Suzuka and Barbatos, you know..."
"That's right! I'm entering the Japan Cup too. I want to run with everyone!" Special Week pumped her fist.
Despite her setbacks in the Satsuki Sho and the Tokyo Yushun, her resolve was burning. She had promised her mother she would become the best in Japan.
"El, don't tell me you've forgotten my 'Regal' running style already?"
Sitting in her wheelchair, King Halo refused to be left out.
Her injury would likely keep her out of the Kikuka Sho, but she would definitely be ready by the time the Japan Cup rolled around.
Caught up in the electric atmosphere, the eyes of Nice Nature and the others shimmered.
They looked toward the Japan Cup with longing, itching for the chance to stand on the same track as El and the rest.
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.