Fujimasa March walked off the track, her spirit shattered as she approached her trainer.
"I didn't win again... Trainer... I'm... I'm so weak..."
She sobbed, tears falling like rain.
"Pull yourself together, Fujimasa! You just need to get stronger. Your dream isn't over yet."
Shibazaki, walking alongside Yuzuki, tried to comfort the girl as she stood there, lost in her own shadow.
"My dream...?"
She looked down at her trembling hands.
"Winning the Tokai Derby... can someone like me really do it?"
The doubt ran deep.
She had been overtaken without a hint of suspense. She had watched her opponent charge toward the finish line while she could do nothing but stare at their back.
The powerlessness, the doubt in her own talent, the shaking of her resolve... it was all crushing her.
Yuzuki watched her. She was sobbing like a lost child. It was a painful sight.
He couldn't just stand by and watch her sink into depression. He had spent the last few months watching her train and grow. He knew exactly how hard this girl worked.
Failure was a constant in the world of Uma Musume. For every winner, there were countless losers left in the dust. But the gap created by raw talent was the most cruel reality of all.
It was a gap present from birth.
If a girl lost because she was lazy, she could accept it. But some Uma Musume were branded as failures before they even earned the right to try, simply because they lacked the innate gift.
Racing was that demanding. Fujimasa March had always believed her talent was decent, but after seeing a monster like Oguri Cap, that belief had crumbled.
She was being crushed by the shackles of talent. This was the tragedy of an ordinary Uma Musume born into the same era as a once in a century legend.
Right now, words wouldn't reach her. He had to act.
Yuzuki stepped forward. He reached out, grabbed Fujimasa March by the collar, and hauled her up.
"Is your dream really this fragile?"
The girl gasped, her eyes wide.
"The world is full of genius Uma Musume, as many as there are stars in the sky. But only a handful can stand on the highest stage, trampling others underfoot to reach the throne. I believe Oguri Cap has that potential. She can climb that peak."
He tightened his grip slightly.
"But you? You're her rival. And yet, looking at this pathetic display, you aren't even qualified to be her stepping stone!"
Fujimasa March trembled.
"If you still consider her your goal... if you want to keep chasing her, or even surpass her... then lift your head!"
Her body shook. Her eyes, previously hidden behind her hair, slowly rose. The hollow look in them began to flicker with a spark of life.
In her mind, this rookie trainer who always hung around Kitahara and Shibazaki was a kind man. Aside from his constant nitpicking about training methods, he was always smiling. He made people feel relaxed.
She had even taken his advice before. His methods were strange and eccentric, but the results were undeniably effective. It had made her wonder if he was actually a rookie at all.
"Failure doesn't mean you aren't working hard enough, or that you aren't good enough," Yuzuki said, his voice softening. "It's just a reminder that you need to persist. Don't give up, Fujimasa."
He let go of her collar.
"You are brave. You are strong. You have potential that hasn't been tapped yet. Believe in yourself. Believe in what you can do."
The words were clichés, but they needed to be said. Anything was better than silence. He couldn't let her drown in her own despair.
"Learn from this loss. Improve your skills. Refine your strategy. Then try again. Your dream is still alive."
The girl fell silent, her head bowed.
A light breeze swept across the track, fluttering her hair.
She wiped her eyes and slowly looked up, biting her lip hard.
"Seriously... you sure know how to give a speech."
She took a shaky breath.
"But... thank you, Trainer Yuzuki."
She looked toward the track, her gaze hardening.
"I'm staying. I want to keep running. I want to be out there with Oguri Cap and the others. I want to fight."
It worked.
Yuzuki felt a wave of relief. Mentioning Oguri Cap was the right move. Fujimasa March wasn't weak. Even in the original history, after finishing a disappointing fourth in the Tokai Derby, she had managed to pull herself together and keep pushing.
Beside them, Shibazaki let out a long sigh. He looked up at the distant sky.
"Hey... Yuzuki. Can I ask a favor of you?"
"Sure. What is it?" Yuzuki turned to him, curious.
"I want you to be Fujimasa March's trainer."
"..."
"Huh?!" Fujimasa's jaw dropped.
Shibazaki didn't wait for Yuzuki to respond.
"I want her to leave Kasamatsu. I want her to stand on a bigger stage and show the world what she can do, just like Oguri Cap."
He gave a self-deprecating shrug.
"I hate to admit it, but my abilities are only slightly better than Kitahara's. I've reached my limit. I don't think I can dig out any more of her potential or help her take that next step."
He looked Yuzuki in the eye.
"But I believe you can."
Shibazaki shook his head with a bitter smile.
"You haven't been here long, but I think you understand Fujimasa better than I do."
He gestured toward the girl.
"You're the right fit for her. An Uma Musume's career is short and precious. Choosing the right person to lead them is the most important thing a trainer can do for their athlete."
Yuzuki's mouth twitched. He looked at Shibazaki with a look of utter disbelief.
"Hey, hey... where is this sudden confidence coming from? You trust me that much?"
"Haha! A talent like yours is wasted as an assistant trainer. It's time for you to start your own journey, Yuzuki!"
Shibazaki laughed loudly and slapped Yuzuki on the shoulder with enough force to make him wince.
Yuzuki brushed the hand off, rubbing his shoulder.
Maybe he was right. It was time to actually start.
Fujimasa March might not have the monstrous talent of Oguri Cap, but among Regional Uma Musume, she was elite. More importantly, her fighting spirit and resilience were qualities Yuzuki valued. She was an excellent choice for a starting partner.
Since arriving in this world, Yuzuki had been wondering what he should do. He didn't have a system or a cheat code. What could he actually accomplish?
Then he came to Kasamatsu. He saw these girls up close. He saw them running, struggling, and pouring everything they had into their dreams.
He wanted to change things. He wanted to change her fate.
He wanted to use his knowledge to take an "ordinary" Uma Musume and lead her to the pinnacle. Even if the talent wasn't there, he would bridge the gap with effort and science.
That would be his goal in this world.
'And here I thought I was going to just slack off in Kasamatsu,' Yuzuki thought, mocking himself inwardly.
He looked at Fujimasa March. She was still standing there with her mouth slightly open, stunned by the sudden change in management.
Yuzuki reached out his hand toward her.
"Want to do it, Fujimasa? Let's climb to the top together."
Fujimasa March blinked, coming back to her senses. She stayed silent for a moment, then a small smile tugged at the corners of her lips.
"I give up on you two. You didn't even ask for my opinion."
She looked at Yuzuki, her eyes bright.
"But I trust you."
She stepped forward.
"After all, you've both been my trainers this whole time."
She reached out and firmly grasped Yuzuki's hand.
"I'll be in your care, Trainer-san."