Meanwhile, in another corner of the academy—the Team Spica office—the atmosphere was entirely different, oppressive enough to make breathing difficult.
Not long ago, the Trainer had been thrilled by Silence Suzuka joining the team. He believed her tremendous strength would unquestionably rescue Spica's reputation and had even begun imagining the ideal Classic Triple Crown route for her.
Special Week's sudden emergence shattered that beautiful vision.
"No. With that kind of strength, Suzuka can't defeat Special Week at any distance beyond 2,000 meters!"
Nishizaki Ryuya paced the corridor, considering where Suzuka's limits lay.
Her middle-distance performance was also top class, but her stamina remained a weakness. Against other opponents, it might not matter. Against Special Week, Suzuka's current stats offered absolutely no hope!
"But should I put her through a special training program and aim for a variant Triple Crown instead?"
He scratched his head fiercely. The tactical pen in his hand struck the desk with repeated taps, as though pounding directly upon his anxious nerves.
Beside the window, Silence Suzuka sat quietly with a newly delivered package in her hands.
The Trainer had applied for it in advance, and it had been sent from her hometown. Inside was a brand-new race outfit—the honor worn only in GI races!
She gently stroked the delicate green stripes running across the fabric and examined the fine silver trim along the hem. The outfit continued her usual fresh style. A deep-purple bow decorated the collar of its white blouse, while silver patterns resembling a flowing river of stars crossed the cuffs of the green, open-front cardigan and shimmered softly in the light.
Her eyes rested upon the outfit, but her thoughts drifted to the girl who had just shocked Japan in her debut race.
"Special Week..."
Suzuka murmured the name.
Special Week's completely unrestrained running had affected her profoundly. That willingness to abandon everything and run only toward what lay ahead was exactly what Suzuka had always desired—yet had never dared release fully because of tactical restrictions.
"I want to run too."
She stood, determination entering her eyes.
"I want to enter a race."
With that thought, she took out her phone, logged into the Association's website, and searched for Special Week's account.
As expected, Special Week's profile now displayed the notice: "Entered: Hopeful Stakes."
The moment Suzuka saw it, an idea came to her.
...
"No! I absolutely refuse!"
Back in the Spica office, Nishizaki slammed his palm against the desk so hard that the sparrows outside the window scattered in fright.
"Suzuka, do you understand what you're saying? The Hopeful Stakes! It's a GI, and Special Week has entered too! Your current stamina can't support running in front for the entire race!"
Silence Suzuka stood straight before the desk without the slightest trace of retreat on her face.
"Trainer, I know it's dangerous. But..." She paused. Her voice remained soft, yet carried determination that admitted no dispute. "If I don't challenge her, what meaning does my running have? I want to run toward my own 'scenery' in front of Special Week."
"This is absurd!" Nishizaki's face reddened with anger. "Do you know what condition Special Week is in? She's as strong as a monster! You want to lead in front of her? That's suicide! You'll get hurt!"
"I'm not afraid of being hurt." Suzuka looked directly into her Trainer's eyes. A flame called fighting spirit burned within her own. "I'm only afraid of giving up before I begin running."
Nishizaki clenched his teeth.
He looked at the seemingly delicate but impossibly stubborn girl before him. He remembered the restrictions Rigil had placed upon her, the price she had paid for freedom, and the promise he had made when signing her.
"I'll let you run happily."
...
Nishizaki sighed helplessly, dropped back into his chair, and covered his face with both hands.
"You really are... a troublesome fool."
After a long time, he lowered his hands. His eyes had changed. The helpless resignation was gone, replaced by the resolve to stake everything on one attempt.
"If you've already decided, then we'll gamble."
He stood, walked to the tactical board, and wrote the character for "Runner" with a heavy stroke.
"Suzuka, if we're doing this, then we go all the way! Not merely an ordinary lead—an all-out Great Runner strategy! Leave Special Week far behind from the very beginning!"
"Starting tomorrow, I'll create a hellish stamina program for you. I'll force your stamina reserves to their limit! The instant the race starts, you'll charge ahead, abandon everyone behind you, and keep going until the finish line!"
"It will hurt. You may even overdraw your body. Are you afraid?"
Silence Suzuka shook her head, and a faint smile appeared on her lips.
"I'm not."
If anything, this was precisely how she had always wanted to run.
The other girls exchanged looks.
Gold Ship had even forgotten the snack in her hand. She could already envision the long and hopeless training period ahead.
Did anyone think this Trainer would put only Silence Suzuka through special training? Wrong. He would unquestionably use it as an excuse to drag every team member along as her training partner!
Gold Ship looked expressionlessly at the two companions beside her.
Their faces appeared inspired by the fighting spirit of Suzuka and the Trainer. Gold Ship's heart filled with pity.
*My dear sisters, you're still too naive.*
...
News that Special Week and Silence Suzuka had entered the Hopeful Stakes was soon noticed by attentive observers.
Some media reporters logged into the Association's website at fixed times every day to monitor popular runners.
Special Week and Silence Suzuka were the hottest rising stars of the past two years.
Suzuka required little explanation. Her breathtaking running style was guaranteed to draw attention the instant it appeared.
Special Week had generated even more news. Rumors said she had defeated the Empress, while her debut performance had demonstrated an exceptionally rare degree of dominance.
A genius and a frontrunner might both dominate the rhythm of a race, but the nature of that dominance differed.
The Great Runner strategy was more visually spectacular. Even so, producing such a crushing result with the Leader strategy unquestionably revealed more of an umamusume's raw strength.
Over the following days, Tracen Academy seemed divided into two worlds.
One side consisted of fanatical supporters anticipating the approaching battle between stars. The other was the subtle, silent confrontation between its two central figures.
Silence Suzuka and Special Week shared a dormitory room, yet scarcely spoke.
Special Week remained a loner. Outside necessary training and meals, she spent nearly all her time in the library and on the training grounds. She offered no opinion about Suzuka's race outfit and barely looked at it.
Suzuka was not someone who initiated conversations either. She simply observed Special Week in silence, watching the girl repeat training so monotonous and severe that it bordered on madness.
Sometimes, Suzuka returned late at night and found Special Week still studying race recordings beneath her lamp. That intense concentration brought Suzuka an inexplicable reassurance, while also creating tremendous pressure.
*She's strong,* Suzuka admitted to herself. *Stronger than anyone.*
But—
"I won't lose either!"
Spurred onward, Silence Suzuka trained even more desperately.
...
During the later stages of training, Suzuka ran with such intensity that she seemed ready to burn herself away. Nishizaki Ryuya felt both proud and distressed. His hands trembled whenever he finished explaining the day's program.
Medical examinations and physical therapy became essential.
If Suzuka wanted this race so badly, he could not disappoint her.
But allowing her to suffer an overtraining injury before the competition would be disastrous.
Such injuries were not rare. As her Trainer, all Nishizaki could do was work, monitor her, and pray.
Fortunately, their preparations were thorough. The doctor warned him afterward to be far more careful and never repeat training of such intensity, but the special program ended in complete success.
Silence Suzuka finally possessed the strength to fight that monster!
...
The day of the Hopeful Stakes.
Tokyo Racecourse once more received a sea of spectators.
All twelve participating umamusume were elites of the new generation.
Besides the two headline runners, Special Week and Silence Suzuka, none of the others could be dismissed.
Crimson Blaze: a fiery personality known for her "burning finishing kick" and one of the favorites for victory.
Sea of Blue Skies: calm and skilled at finding opportunities from the middle of the pack, earning her the title "Cool-Headed Hunter."
Royal Glory: noble-born and supremely confident that the title belonged to her.
Gale Wings: extraordinarily fast and skilled at sprint finishes.
Scattered Stars: gentle in personality but possessing a unique sense of rhythm and strength that could not be underestimated.
Iron Will: true to her name, she possessed tremendous determination and never surrendered.
Dance of Phantom Mist: an unusual runner skilled at finding opportunities amid chaos.
Golden Dawn: a balanced all-rounder, the archetypal "hexagonal warrior."
Storm Rider: a proud, aloof runner from the north who excelled at late bursts over long distances.
Silence Suzuka: renowned for the Great Runner strategy, astonishing speed, and elegant form.
Seiun Sky: lazy in temperament, but with unfathomable ability.
Special Week: the monster who shocked Japan by winning her debut without relying on a skill activation.
All twelve had arrived with the determination to win.
The pre-race interviews were filled with gunpowder.
"Confidence? Hmph. Today's race is only a warm-up for me." Crimson Blaze rotated her wrists as she spoke carelessly. "Once I sprint at full strength, no one will keep up."
"I'll prove through my strength that I am the strongest umamusume of this generation." Sea of Blue Skies adjusted her glasses, her voice cold. "Anyone who stands before me will be crushed."
"Special Week? Silence Suzuka?" Royal Glory elegantly brushed her hair aside, a confident smile on her lips. "They are certainly strong, but there can be only one winner. I will show everyone what true 'Royal Glory' means."
Every runner declared her certainty of victory before the cameras.
Their statements brought the venue to a fever pitch, and the fans screamed with excitement.
In one corner of the interview area sat two particularly anticipated umamusume—Silence Suzuka and Seiun Sky.
"Silence Suzuka, what state of mind have you brought to this Hopeful Stakes?" a reporter asked first.
Suzuka dipped her head slightly. Her characteristic tranquil smile rested upon her face, but her gaze was unusually determined.
"I hope to run my own race. No matter who I face, I will give everything I have and run toward the 'scenery' ahead."
"We understand you'll be using the Great Runner strategy. That approach is exceptionally rare in a middle-distance GI. Aren't you worried about exhausting your stamina?" another reporter pressed.
"I believe in my Trainer, and I believe in myself."
Suzuka's voice remained gentle but contained tremendous strength.
Beside her, Seiun Sky yawned and interjected lazily.
"Whew~ This Great Runner business sounds exhausting. But if Suzuka says she can do it, she must have her reasons."
"I'd naturally prefer to win without working too hard." Seiun Sky stretched, sounding completely unconcerned. "But with Special Week and Suzuka here, I doubt they'll make it that easy."
Silence Suzuka glanced at Seiun Sky.
She knew that despite Sky's lazy appearance, her ability could never be underestimated.
"That will be enough questions," Nishizaki said as he stepped forward.
Suzuka nodded to the reporters, then turned toward the competitors' tunnel.
Seiun Sky shrugged and followed at her leisurely pace.
Yet every fan and reporter was profoundly disappointed by one fact—
Special Week never appeared before the interview ended.
No matter how often the host called her name or how widely the cameras searched, the girl who had repeatedly shocked the racing world remained absent from the interview area.
"What's going on? Special Week isn't even attending the interview? We lined up early to get a place at the front!"
"Damn it! I came all this way for a chance to see her!"
The fans were plainly dissatisfied, but there was nothing they could do.
Deep inside the competitors' tunnel, Special Week leaned alone against a wall with her eyes closed.
The noise outside, the media's excitement, and her opponents' provocations were all shut beyond the doors of her heart.
Her breathing was deep and even. Every cell in her body longed to run.
"A GI..."
As though sensing something, she slowly opened her eyes and looked toward the other end of the tunnel.
Silence Suzuka approached quietly, her vivid race outfit visible against her body.
Seiun Sky, following behind, began raising a hand to greet Special Week. Halfway through the motion, she sensed the atmosphere and stopped.
"Whoa..."
Special Week and Silence Suzuka's eyes briefly met.
There were no words and no sparks—only the mutual understanding and vigilance unique to powerful runners.
Suzuka nodded slightly, then turned toward the course.
Special Week withdrew her gaze. A nearly imperceptible curve touched her lips.
"You want to challenge me? Interesting. Then let me see how far your 'scenery' truly extends."
The race preparation bell rang.
Twelve courageous umamusume emerged from the tunnel and appeared behind the gates on the course.
Special Week walked last. Her steps were light, and not a trace of tension or pressure could be seen upon her.
The instant she appeared, nearly every eye in the venue—including those of the other competitors—converged upon her.
Special Week's expression did not change. She released only the slightest trace of her aura.
The invisible pressure made the surrounding air feel several degrees heavier.
The other runners' gazes shifted repeatedly.
Curiosity. Wariness. In some cases, difficult-to-read hostility.
Then the commentator's voice rang out, filled with anticipation and tension.
"The Hopeful Stakes is about to begin! Every outstanding rookie of the year has gathered here, each a star of hope. Which one will become the brightest star today? Let us watch and discover!"
"First, our third favorite, runner number three! An international student from the Empire, bearing the distinguished blood of a noble racing family. She has remained undefeated through three races since her debut—not counting the debut race itself for the continuing career record. Two Pre-OP regional races and one middle-distance GIII, all won by more than five lengths! A runner of unquestionable strength!"
Royal Glory could not suppress a proud expression.
The moment she remembered that she was only the "third favorite," however, dissatisfaction returned to her face.
"Damn it. I should be number one!"
The commentator continued.
"Next, our second favorite, runner number ten—Silence Suzuka! In her first appearance before this GI, she unveiled the Great Runner strategy and displayed breathtaking dominance. She is unquestionably one of today's star competitors!"
Hearing her name, Silence Suzuka merely raised her head calmly.
At that moment, the commentator paused for two seconds, and the spectators fell silent as if by agreement.
"Finally, our number-one favorite, runner number twelve—Special Week!"
No promotion was necessary. The instant her name was spoken, the audience that had just fallen quiet erupted with a roar like a collapsing mountain and a surging sea.
...
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