"So I lost after all…"
With a towel draped over her head, Oguri Cap soaked in the hotel's specially prepared grand bath, styled in a strongly Roman fashion. Little by little, she sank lower beneath the water, blowing bubbles with a quiet blub blub.
From the beginning, she had already considered the possibility of losing to Xingyun Liuge, so she was not especially dejected. Instead, she was seriously thinking about how to grow even stronger.
When that strange gravity had crushed down on her, Oguri Cap had felt as though she had brushed against some peculiar switch, a sensation that seemed to tell her: If I can just press it, everything will get better.
At the time, she had naturally reached for it without hesitation, ready to smash down with her fist.
Even if that pressure had filled her mouth with the metallic taste of blood, even if it had made her feel as though her whole body were about to fall apart, if it meant becoming stronger, she would never hesitate.
And yet, it was as though some invisible pane of glass stood between her and that switch. No matter how hard she reached, she could not touch it—just like how, no matter how desperately she pumped her legs, she could not close the distance between herself and Xingyun Liuge.
The training race had ended there, and afterward she could no longer find that sensation again. It troubled her deeply. Instinctively, she wanted to ask Xingyun Liuge for another race right away, but she had been utterly exhausted, so drained she could barely lift a finger. There was no way she could arrange another practice run anytime soon.
And after that, Xingyun Liuge would be preparing for the Preakness Stakes. As one of Xingyun's closest friends, how could Oguri possibly interfere with her training?
So all she could do was soak alone in the bath, thinking of other ways to improve.
There came a splash as another horse girl stepped into the bath and sat down.
She had short ash-gray hair and an air of sharp elegance, though her features and expression were far gentler.
"March?"
Oguri Cap recognized her immediately, a flicker of delight rising in her voice. Then, almost eagerly, she blurted out, "Do you want to come to Central?"
The moment the words left her mouth, Oguri realized how abrupt that sounded, and hurriedly waved her hands in explanation.
"I mean… it's because you've gotten a lot stronger. It really feels like you could handle Central's tracks now. And you're my rival, March. Don't you want to see the view from Central? I promise—you'd see something amazing there."
In their training race, Fujimasa March had finished only half a length behind her. Oguri sincerely believed her old rival now possessed the strength to run freely on Central's stage, which was why she had spoken up.
After a long silence, Fujimasa March finally said, "…That was Xingyun's doing."
Scooping up a pool of hot water in both hands, she watched it slip away through her fingers.
She had a very clear understanding of her own strength. The moment she realized she had obtained an extraordinary new power, she immediately thought of the green juice Xingyun Liuge had given them.
Its taste had been so terrible it felt like being hit head-on by a freight truck, as if every cell in her body had screamed in protest. But that "price" was completely negligible. She had only gone about her daily training as usual, and yet her strength had advanced by leaps and bounds, as though she had just finished her growth phase all over again.
But a horse girl only underwent that great growth phase once in her life.
She had long since passed it.
So Fujimasa March refused to claim that strength as her own. Once again, she murmured, "It was Xingyun's doing."
Which was why she intended to refuse Oguri's invitation.
The conflict between Xingyun Liuge and the JRA was common knowledge by now. How could she possibly transfer into the JRA's camp after everything Xingyun had done for her? That would be an act of pure ingratitude.
But Oguri was simple-hearted, and Fujimasa March did not want her to feel burdened by any of that. So instead, she curled her lips into a teasing smile and said in a provocative tone, "If I went to Central, then I wouldn't get to run with Xingyun anymore, and I wouldn't be able to watch her races in person. Oguri, this time I'm one step ahead."
Oguri Cap did not understand why March was smiling, not at all. But when she imagined Fujimasa March freely running beside Xingyun Liuge on foreign soil, leaving her far behind, it felt as though something had settled heavily over her chest. Even breathing became difficult.
What was this feeling?
Oguri Cap could not understand it.
Fujimasa March, however, saw the confusion on Oguri's face and found herself even more delighted.
"Haha. Oguri, you just need to keep running. Xingyun has me over here."
Oguri instantly puffed out her cheeks, feeling as though March was bullying her.
"What's that supposed to mean? I'm Xingyun's good friend too. Xingyun was the one who encouraged me to go to Central in the first place. What you're saying is weird, March."
"Nothing weird about it." Fujimasa toyed with the ends of her hair and smiled lightly. "I just think this version of you is the best version of you. It's fine, Oguri. Just keep running. If you do that, you and Xingyun will meet again on the track."
Calling her "Oguri Cap" on the track but simply "Oguri" in private—surely that counted as proof of friendship too. Fujimasa March thought Oguri really ought to trust her a bit more.
While the two of them continued their odd back-and-forth—one of them increasingly speaking in riddles—Xingyun Liuge was inside the Wheel of Reincarnation Despair, studying the conditions of the track.
Soil composition. Wind direction. Wind speed. Weather.
And, most importantly, the tactics her opponents were likely to use.
Then came the most important part of all:
Simulation.
Although Winning Colors had lost to Xingyun Liuge again in their latest training race, Xingyun had a faint but growing sense that something about her was off—like someone who had suddenly mastered the power of a domain, yet was deliberately choosing not to use it.
At first, it had only been a subtle feeling.
But as the Preakness approached, that sense of dissonance became stronger and stronger.
So Xingyun began to pay Winning Colors special attention, and that attention took shape most clearly in the simulated battles.
Within the surging black mist, one horse girl illusion after another stepped into the gates. Besides Xingyun herself and Winning Colors, the rest were all famous veterans—Mam's Command, Lady's Secret, and many others among them.
Someone might be able to hide their true self in reality.
But not here.
Not in the simulations.
Under Xingyun Liuge's command, none of the phantoms could suppress their desire for victory. Even those the kind of horse girls who would normally start slacking the moment they believed first place was out of reach—could not disobey her orders.
Which made this the perfect place to gather intelligence.
Here, the truth had nowhere to hide.
As the surging blue flames once more ignited across the track, Xingyun Liuge understood at last.
So that's it.
So that's how that power can be used too.
Are you trying to surprise me, Winning Colors?
Wanting to quietly astonish everyone all at once?
Honestly, Winning Colors really was a mischievous one.
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught "Equilibrium"? l (Chapter 80)
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 178)
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 139)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League ( 126 )
TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter110)
Yu-Gi-Oh! — Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl (Chapter171)
"Is this chat group even serious?" (Chapter100)
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (Chapter184)
Can Playing Games Save the World? 65
Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 77
From Junkman to Wasteland 66
Weekly Refresh of Overpowered 31
I'm Grinding Proficiency Like 46
From Kiana, Lord Ravager, Onwa 168
Honkai: Is This Still the Prev 42
Elf: My Starter Pokémon Is Inc 65
Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 156
From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass 105
The Way the Umamusume Look at 68
Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 185
Naruto: Weaving the Future, Be 65
Zenless Zone Zero, but Kamen R 76
Multiverse Crossover: The Perf 66
My Cyberpsycho Girlfriend 65
Uma Musume: The Dark Trainer 160
Uma Musume: A Calamity Born fr 150
I, a Reincarnation-Loop Player 76
The Violent Girl Group Is Beat 97
Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 66
Uma Musume: From Beginner 116
Becoming a Horse Girl, I Will 75
Uma Musume: I Want All 93
I Can Copy Unique Skills 79
Summoning an Evil God, but the 55
Supernatural Multiverse 75
My Harem Is Indescribable 68
Jujutsu Kaisen: Heroic Spirit 70
"I'm just a Valkyrie passing through." 66
Uma Musume: Today Is Another Romantic Battlefield 69
Still playing traditional Honk 49
The Most Filial Son Under Heav 53
What Should I Do After Switchi 42
Reincarnated as a Demon, Skill 50
Hell-Difficulty Dungeon? 38
Transmigrated as Sukuna 35
Checking In in Demon Slayer 40
The Reincarnating Trainer of Tracen Academy 55
My patreon : patreon.com/queen_sin