In Fujimaru Ritsuka's eyes, Norn Ace, Ludi Lemo, and Mini Lady belonged to a specific category: those who had encountered a crisis in life, didn't know how to handle it, and decided to "lie flat" entirely.
To put it bluntly: they were stuck in limbo—unable to move up to the big leagues, yet unwilling to sink any lower.
Most regional Uma Musume were like this. They knew they lacked the strength to transfer to Central, meaning they were destined to spend their entire lives circling a dirt track. That realization was a crushing blow, leading them to slack off out of either resentment or sheer resignation.
Ritsuka felt this mindset was detrimental, but he didn't blame the girls themselves. What they saw every day were crumbling tracks, empty stands, lackluster commentators, and a cold, hard reality.
Anyone would feel burnt out in such an environment, let alone an Uma Musume who might never see results even with maximum effort.
Even so, Ritsuka still wanted to tell them: As long as you don't stop walking, the path will continue to extend.
So, he decisively reused his old trick. He invited the trio to act as Oguri Cap's training partners so she could better experience the rhythm of a real race.
"Huh? Why should we—" Seeing Norn Ace staring intently at Fujimaru Ritsuka, Mini Lady purposely made a loud noise to snap her friend out of it. She really couldn't understand why Norn was staring like that. Sure, Ritsuka was good-looking, but wasn't their friendship more important? Is this girl really choosing a guy over her friends?!
Fujimaru Ritsuka understood the principle that "if you want the horse to run, you have to let it eat the grass." He held up his right index finger and proposed: "One carrot cake for every completed training session. How does that sound?"
"I—" Mini Lady started to protest, only to have her mouth clamped shut by both Ludi Lemo and Norn Ace, whose eyes were practically glowing.
Mini Lady's heart was in shambles. They'd been best friends for years—did these two not know her personality? Or were they worried she'd make things worse the moment she opened her mouth?
What she actually wanted to say was: I wanted to loudly rebuke him, but he simply offered too much.
It was sweet, delicious carrot cake, after all. It wasn't that they couldn't afford it, but if someone else was treating, and as long as Ritsuka's demands weren't too outrageous, they were more than happy to oblige!
Afternoon arrived.
Watching the three "suspicious" Uma Musume, Double Bell Light felt like they were only there to cause trouble. Her ears were pinned back in a wary slant.
However, the trio chatted with her cheerfully, showing no obvious signs of malice, which eventually allowed Light's guard to lower.
Then, she witnessed various "shouting and screaming" tactics designed to interfere with an Uma Musume's start.
Though Ritsuka explained this was specialized training to prevent Oguri from missing the break again, Double Bell Light couldn't help but lose her composure. She realized there was a reason these three looked like "bad news"—they were far too skilled at being mischievous.
Under their combined efforts, Oguri Cap finally understood the various "accidents" that could occur on the track. As the training progressed, Oguri's reaction time and adaptability improved significantly. She even tried to summarize it for herself:
No matter what anyone says, I cannot be distracted. As an Uma Musume, I only need to look at the opponent in front of me and the finish line that lies even further beyond.
But today, Fujimaru Ritsuka chose to block that very path.
He called the trio over and whispered to them, which made Oguri incredibly curious. Her silver-gray ears twitched incessantly, trying to catch what Ritsuka was saying.
Strangely enough, she couldn't hear a thing. Instead, she saw Mini Lady give her a "malicious" grin that seemed to say: "The end for you is here!"
Oguri couldn't understand it. She thought it over seriously: I don't know what's happening, but a smile usually means goodwill. So, the training shouldn't be a problem... right?
For some reason, Oguri felt a tiny bit unhappy.
Moments later, Fujimaru Ritsuka stood outside the track, his cerulean eyes quietly observing the five Uma Musume.
The rules were simple: Norn Ace was the lead runner and had to keep her lead. Ludi Lemo and Mini Lady's task was to stop Oguri from overtaking them to reach Norn Ace. Oguri had to break through their blockade and overtake Norn Ace within 1,200 meters.
As for Double Bell Light, she was just there to run at her own pace.
Double Bell Light was a little miffed; she wanted to shock everyone. But she couldn't say that out loud—after all, the trio's strength was undeniably above hers.
The five girls nodded in unison, signaling their understanding.
A fire of competitive spirit burned in Norn Ace's eyes. She remembered the defeat in the previous test all too well; she was going to win this time and strike back!
"Ready—GO!"
The moment the command fell, Norn Ace shot forward. Her start was once again excellent. Her plan was straightforward: pull away early to give Ludi Lemo and Mini Lady enough space to set up their "defensive line."
Oguri Cap followed close behind but immediately felt an unusual pressure.
Ludi Lemo was firmly positioned to Oguri's front-right. Her stride was massive, every step heavy and stable, reminding one of a moving fortress wall. She didn't just block Oguri's path to overtake on the right; she radiated a suffocating sense of presence.
On the left, Mini Lady stuck to her like a ghost.
The petite girl utilized her smaller frame to the fullest. She didn't plan on clashing with Oguri head-on. Instead, with a dizzying series of micro-adjustments and lane shifts, she precisely blocked every single one of Oguri's attempts to move left.
"That coordination..." Double Bell Light, watching from behind, let out a low gasp.
Oguri Cap was likely falling into a genuine, coordinated trap for the first time.
She tried to accelerate, but Ludi Lemo matched her speed instantly. She tried to shift left, and Mini Lady reacted at the exact same time, a light sidestep cutting off the angle.
She considered forcing her way through the gap between them, but such a narrow space at high speeds was suicidal—any slight collision could lead to a serious accident.
400 meters passed. Norn Ace still held a significant lead, even having enough leeway to adjust her breathing and tempo.
Oguri Cap's breathing began to grow heavy. However, this wasn't due to physical exhaustion, but rather a psychological agitation sweeping through her body. She found this kind of running stifling. She didn't like it.
Ludi Lemo and Mini Lady's cooperation was seamless—one suppressing with power, the other blocking with finesse, perfectly executing the essence of the "Side-by-Side" tactic. Oguri Cap felt like a fly caught in a spider's web; the more she struggled, the tighter the constraints felt.
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