Before Urara's debut race ever arrived, Urushihara Tōru received an invitation to a mock race instead.
That gyaru "senpai," Kurokawa Ayaka, said that her team had recently signed a newcomer and wanted to line her up against someone from the same cohort for comparison.
Tōru knew perfectly well that a rookie from an A-rank team would never lack for opponents. This was obviously Kurokawa Ayaka looking out for him.
But he did not refuse.
Partly because he felt he had earned it.
How many meals had that gyaru already squeezed out of him by now?
And partly because he wanted to see for himself how large the gap really was between Urara and other horse girls of the same stage.
After all, data in a textbook was still just data. Reality did not always behave according to the book.
That afternoon, Tōru and Urara, who had arrived early and were waiting at the training ground, finally met the newcomer Kurokawa Ayaka had mentioned.
She was a horse girl with chestnut twin-tails, an energetic look, and a dazzlingly bright smile.
"So you're the genius boy and Urara that Kurokawa's been talking about? Hi there! I'm Smart Falcon—just call me Falcon-chan. My dream is to become a horse-girl idol! If you want an autograph, I'm always open to it, okay? ☆~"
With that, Smart Falcon made a V-sign near her right eye and threw Urushihara Tōru a wink.
A horse-girl idol, huh?
To be fair, Falcon-chan's whole routine really did resemble the idols Tōru remembered.
And thanks to the unique youthful vitality that horse girls possessed, the effect hit with even greater force.
Still, this horse girl's personality felt somewhat similar to that of her trainer, Kurokawa Ayaka.
So Tōru responded in the same cold manner.
"Don't copy your trainer and call me genius boy. Just call me Urushihara."
Urara, on the other hand, was openly enthusiastic about this fellow horse girl's arrival.
"A horse-girl idol! That sounds amazing! I'm Haru Urara, just call me Urara! I love running most of all!"
The pink-haired horse girl grinned and bounced up to her, her round eyes sparkling brightly.
She's so pretty! And she seems so cheerful! Is Urara going to make a new friend?
"Ohhh! Running, right? I super love running too! When I run, I feel like the brightest star on stage!"
Smart Falcon hooked herself around Urara's arm without the slightest reserve, and the two of them grew friendly almost instantly.
So happy! Falcon-chan likes running too! Urara made a new friend!
Watching the two sunny-natured horse girls chatter away together, Urushihara Tōru could not help the slight upward curve of his lips.
"So then, genius boy—what do you think of my Falcon-chan?"
At some point, Kurokawa Ayaka had sidled up beside him. She nudged his side with an elbow and asked in a lowered voice.
Tōru searched his memory. He did not remember seeing this horse girl in the anime.
But that did not mean she was weak.
The anime had limited runtime, after all. It could not possibly squeeze in every outstanding horse girl.
Besides, he had only finished the highly praised second season back then and had not yet gotten around to watching the much more divisive first season.
Using the knowledge he had learned in this world, Urushihara Tōru carefully examined Smart Falcon.
From a horse-girl perspective, Falcon-chan had a very commanding build. The muscle lines in her legs were smooth and powerful at a glance—clearly the result of systematic training.
"She's strong."
That was his verdict.
"Judging by her muscle lines, she's probably the type who excels at running near the front. Both her power and speed look excellent. Her ability is probably no joke."
"As expected of genius boy!"
Pleased with the answer, Kurokawa Ayaka laughed and slapped him on the shoulder.
"Looks like your eye for talent is as sharp as ever. After all, my Falcon-chan is a super rookie personally selected by an A-rank trainer."
Urushihara Tōru did not respond.
His gaze had already shifted to Urara, who was still chatting away with Smart Falcon.
The mock race to come—that was the real focus of today.
After a round of greetings, the four of them moved to the starting point of the practice course.
Clockwise. Dirt, 800 meters. Track condition: good.
"Alright then, ready?"
Volunteering to act as the starter, Kurokawa Ayaka raised the signal flag in her hand.
Since this was only a mock race between two rookies, there were of course no starting gates involved.
"Ready!"
Smart Falcon answered with complete confidence.
"Urara's ready too!"
The pink-haired horse girl nodded hard, her pink eyes blazing with fighting spirit.
Falcon-chan looks really strong, but Urara won't lose either! I want Trainer to see how hard Urara's been working!
"Set—"
Kurokawa Ayaka drew out the word.
"Go!"
The moment the flag dropped, two figures shot forward.
No—more accurately, one figure shot forward.
Smart Falcon's start was practically perfect.
Like an arrow loosed from a bow, she had already surged ahead by several lengths the instant the flag fell.
That astonishing acceleration made Urushihara Tōru's eyelids twitch.
So this was the strength of a rookie from an A-rank team?
As for Urara, while her reaction off the start was not slow, the difference in acceleration meant that she was already nearly a full length behind right out of the gate.
So fast! Falcon-chan is so fast! But Urara can't panic—Trainer said I have to keep my own rhythm!
Urara did not choose to force a chase.
Once she realized she could not gain an advantage at the start, she settled into the back and maintained a steady rhythm.
This was the tactic Urushihara Tōru had emphasized over and over during training.
For a horse girl without a speed advantage, blindly chasing would only waste stamina for nothing.
It was better to keep her rhythm and wait for an opportunity to sprint in the final phase.
The race entered its middle stage.
Smart Falcon continued to hold the lead. Her running form was light yet powerful, every step landing in exactly the right place.
Her chestnut twin-tails danced in the wind like the brightest star on stage.
Urara, meanwhile, clung stubbornly to the rear, the gap between them holding at about two lengths.
Just a little faster… if I go just a little faster, I can catch up…!
Urushihara Tōru could feel the impatience in Urara's heart.
But he also knew that this was already the limit of what Urara could currently do.
The final corner.
"Here it comes!"
There was excitement in Kurokawa Ayaka's voice.
Almost the instant she entered the last turn, Smart Falcon's posture changed.
It was a running form that looked as though she were trying to flatten her entire body parallel to the rail.
And the astonishing acceleration generated by her powerful legs let her keep perfect balance even in such an exaggerated posture.
At the same time, Urara, running behind, began her own sprint.
Now! Urara's going after her!
The pink-haired horse girl clenched her teeth and ran with every ounce of strength she had.
Her expression was more serious than ever before, and a fire of refusal to lose blazed in those pink eyes.
Thanks to the correction Urushihara Tōru had drilled into her, Urara's running form had now become more or less standard.
As the top student of the trainer course, he could stake his name on it: Urara had already achieved the best she was capable of at this moment.
And yet—
The gap widened at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Three lengths.
Four lengths.
Five lengths.
Smart Falcon was simply too fast.
That was a realm Urara could not yet reach.
Six lengths.
Seven lengths.
By the time Smart Falcon crossed the finish line first, Urara was still desperately chasing after her.
A gap of seven lengths.
That was the final result.
"Whew… what an exhilarating run!"
After crossing the line, Smart Falcon did not stop at once. She gradually slowed, jogging lightly while waving toward Kurokawa Ayaka and Urushihara Tōru.
"Trainer, did you see that? The way Falcon-chan runs? If you want to take your eyes off Falcon-chan, I won't allow it, okay?"
"Huff… huff…"
Urara crossed the finish line more than a second later, breathing hard, but she still wore a bright smile on her face.
"Falcon-chan is so fast! Next time Urara will definitely catch up!"
Saying that, Urara moved over to Tōru almost out of habit.
"How was it, Trainer? How did Urara run?"
There was not the slightest sign of disappointment on that smiling face.
Even though I really tried to run exactly the way Trainer taught me, the gap was still this huge… will Trainer be disappointed?
Urushihara Tōru reached out and gently rubbed Urara's head.
"Good work, Urara. You did well."
"Really!?"
Urara's eyes lit up at once.
Trainer said Urara did well! So happy!
"Of course really. Your finishing sprint had more power than it did during training before. Keep building on that."
"Okay! Urara will keep working hard!"
Just as Tōru was soothing Urara, Kurokawa Ayaka walked over.
"So then, genius boy—what do you think?"
The gyaru trainer wore a meaningful smile.
"She's strong."
Urushihara Tōru did not deny it.
"Smart Falcon's strength really did exceed my expectations."
"Of course it did."
Kurokawa Ayaka raised a brow proudly.
"But I should tell you—that still wasn't Falcon-chan's full strength."
"…What?"
"Today was just a mock race. Falcon-chan wasn't going all out. If she got serious, the gap would probably be even bigger."
Kurokawa Ayaka patted Tōru on the shoulder.
"So, genius boy, do you understand now why I said what I did before?"
After saying that, she lowered her voice and leaned close to his ear.
"I know you really like Urara. I like that girl's personality too. But the world of horse girls is cruel in the end. Don't you think dragging that child into a world like this, no matter what, is a very cruel thing to do?"
Urushihara Tōru fell silent.
A seven-length difference—and that still had not been the other girl's full power.
So that was the level of a rookie from an A-rank team?
And within Tracen, how many A-rank or even higher teams were there?
He lowered his eyes toward Urara, who was now saying goodbye to Smart Falcon.
The pink-haired horse girl was still smiling brightly, as though the defeat just now had not affected her mood in the slightest.
But Urushihara Tōru knew her heart could not possibly be untouched.
He had heard every trace of frustration hidden behind that smile.
He was able to stay certain only because he had seen the anime and knew that as long as Urara kept going, she would one day become a legend.
But what about Urara herself?
When faced with a gap this enormous, how had this tiny horse girl gotten back up again and again, gritted her teeth step by step, and pushed onward until the day her talent finally bloomed?
"Thanks for the warning."
Urushihara Tōru withdrew his gaze and gave Kurokawa Ayaka a nod.
"But it won't change anything."
"Huh?"
"Urara is going to get stronger. No matter how big the gap is now, someday she'll catch up."
His tone was calm and steady—not only because he knew she was a horse girl who appeared in the anime and therefore believed in her future, but also because—
"She's my horse girl."
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