November 26th, Tokyo Racecourse. Overcast, track condition: Firm.
For the relatively insular world of Japanese Uma Musume racing, the Japan Cup is a singular G1 event.
As the most internationally recognized invitational, it has been famous since its inception for drawing a prestigious crowd of overseas Uma Musume.
Of course, opening one's doors to the world comes at a price. The crown of the Japan Cup hasn't always stayed on the heads of those from Central Tracen.
Even the great Oguri Cap once fell short in this race against Folkqueen, the challenger from New Zealand.
It wasn't until Special Week reclaimed that glory for the nation that she was honored with the title of "Japan's General." For many years, the Japan Cup was a fierce tug-of-war between Central Tracen and the world.
But this year was an exception.
Equinox, Liberty Island, Titleholder, Panthalassa, Do Deuce, Stars on Earth, Danon Beluga, and Symboli Kris S—eight of the G1 contenders qualified for this year's Cup were homegrown.
The only G1-level entry from overseas was France's own Iresine.
This shift made the upcoming battle feel less like an international defense and more like a definitive clash to crown the strongest Japanese Uma Musume of the generation.
The history between Liberty Island and Equinox, in particular, had the local fans reaching a fever pitch.
Their rivalry had long outgrown the simple introductions in the Classic Uma Musume Forecast.
From the Racing Association and the Japan Cup organizers to every news outlet and independent blogger, the story of their connection had been blasted across every screen since Liberty Island's victory in the Shuka Sho.
Journalists had already dug up the old stories from Northern Farm.
The fact that both girls shared a deep connection with the former world-class star, Dream Weaver, added a thick scent of gunpowder to the air between them.
The Undefeated Triple Tiara versus the World's Number One.
The girl who had never beaten Equinox versus the one who had won everything but missed her chance at the Triple Crown.
These stories of pursuit and lingering regret didn't need a scriptwriter; the fans were already filling in the blanks with their own wild imaginations.
To the girls, this was the final stand to decide the true successor to their idol's legacy. But to the spectators, it was a clash of brilliance fueled by a messy web of emotions.
Under such circumstances, how could the crowd not be excited?
They flooded the venue in a heated frenzy until every inch of Tokyo Racecourse was packed to the rafters. A sea of people surged into the stands, joined by countless overseas viewers braving time zones and stream lags to fix their eyes on Tokyo.
Naturally, beyond the drama between Liberty Island and Equinox, people were mostly interested in one simple question.
Who was stronger?
This was a racetrack, after all. No matter how much history or baggage existed, the only thing that truly commanded respect was raw power.
An Undefeated Triple Tiara winner facing off against a world-class champion—the mere mention of the matchup was enough to spark endless debate.
"I'm telling you, Equinox is definitely stronger! Compared to her run in the Classics last year, her growth has been terrifying. She's a late bloomer; this is her hitting her absolute peak!"
A young man with spiky hair, looking like a college student, shouted to his friend while pointing toward the track. But before he could continue his lecture for his novice companion, a discordant voice cut him off from the side.
"Ignoring the Triple Crown is just dodging the point! No matter how you slice it, a miss is a miss. Liberty Island only debuted last year—how can you be so sure she's peaked now and isn't still climbing toward her future?"
"Besides, she hasn't lost a single race since her debut!"
"That's an undefeated record. Do you even understand the weight of being undefeated?!"
The spiky-haired youth turned toward the voice and found a young man with a center-parted hairstyle looking back with a haughty air. He looked remarkably familiar.
"Miles... I knew you'd be here."
"Hmph. Of course I am. Otherwise, I'd have to leave you here to brainwash this poor newcomer, Wright!"
The friend caught between them offered a strained smile.
Wright and Miles were the two pillars of their university's Uma Musume Research Society.
According to the senior members, the club had been thriving under their leadership until they hit a deadlock over a difference in opinion.
Now, neither would back down until the other admitted they were wrong.
Liberty Island or Equinox—who would take the Japan Cup?
"Wright, you're still so naive, using total win counts as your only metric." Miles spread his hands, shaking his head with an air of practiced exasperation. "But a championship isn't about the quantity... it's about the height!"
"The prestige of an Undefeated Triple Tiara is miles higher than some back-to-back Tenno Sho Autumn wins!" He let out a scoff, looking down at Wright as if he had already lost. "Wright, just give it u—"
"Objection!"
Before Miles could finish, Wright cut him off sharply. He hopped up onto his seat, slamming his hand against the backrest as he fired back.
"You keep using that 'undefeated' status as proof that Liberty Island is stronger, but I say your logic is flawed!"
"The defense presents its evidence!"
With that, he whipped his phone from his pocket, swiped the screen, and shoved it toward his bewildered friend.
"These are Equinox's career stats. You can see that since her debut two years ago, she has only lost twice: the Satsuki Sho and the Tokyo Derby. And in both, she finished exactly second!"
"This proves it! Equinox missing out on an undefeated streak was just a matter of luck. She has the skill of an undefeated champion, through and through!"
"Her five-race G1 winning streak starting from last year's Tenno Sho Autumn is all the proof you need!"
Faced with this undeniable data, the friend looked toward Miles, expecting him to be flustered. Instead, Miles merely gave a condescending smirk, wagged his index finger, and replied coolly.
"So what?"
"So what?! Miles, in the face of ironclad evidence, all you can do is quibble—"
"Objection!"
Mimicking Wright's earlier interruption, Miles snapped his arm out, pointing directly at his rival.
"I'm laughing because you actually brought out such common knowledge as 'evidence'! Data that any amateur could look up proves nothing!"
"Only a true professional—someone who truly lives and breathes the turf—can see the essence hidden behind the public stats!"
"And I shall call forth a witness! A veteran of the track whose authority on the strength of Equinox and Liberty Island is beyond reproach!"
Seeing Miles so full of confidence, even Wright felt a bead of cold sweat roll down his face.
His expression faltered as he wracked his brain, wondering who this "witness" could possibly be. What lead had he missed?!
"It's Dream Weaver," Miles said, a sly grin playing on his lips as he rested a finger against his temple.
"If Equinox's potential was truly greater than Liberty Island's, how could a world-class star like Dream Weaver fail to see it? When she became a trainer, she didn't choose to scout Equinox. She chose Liberty Island. That is the ultimate proof!"
"Or are you suggesting... that you have a better eye for talent than Dream Weaver?!"
Wright turned pale. He stumbled back, nearly falling off his seat. If the space hadn't been so cramped, he likely would have collapsed right there.
Miles was right. Wright was just an ordinary college student who loved racing; he was an amateur. Who was he to compare his insight to that of a world-class legend?
Wright grit his teeth so hard they nearly cracked. He didn't want to admit it, but he had lost...
But just as he was about to concede, a curious voice drifted from his side.
"Wait, something about that sounds off."
It turned out the heated debate between Miles and Wright had attracted quite the audience. An Uma Musume who happened to be passing through the aisle had stopped, stroking her chin thoughtfully.
Wright didn't have time to wonder why this girl with the fluffy white hair looked so familiar. He latched onto her doubt like a lifeline and sprang back up.
"Objection!"
"Miles, I've found the hole in your argument!"
An emboldened Wright pointed at a now-stiffening Miles.
"I admit your leading questions were clever. You forced a comparison between me and Dream Weaver so that I'd mistake the gap in our knowledge for the gap between the two racers. But your timeline is wrong!"
He snatched the phone back from his friend, swiped frantically, and held it up again.
"The evidence is right here! This is Equinox's debut date and the date of Dream Weaver's final race!"
"Equinox debuted in August two years ago. At that time—"
"Dream Weaver was still preparing for her final Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe! She wasn't a trainer yet, so it was impossible for her to sign Equinox as her trainee!"
Miles's face darkened instantly.
Of course he knew about the time difference; he just thought he could use leading language to trap Wright in a logical maze. He hadn't expected the other man to snap out of it and find his bearings so quickly.
"Wright... I underestimated you."
"But don't get ahead of yourself. I have other evidence that will crush you!"
"Bring it on, Miles! No matter how much evidence you have, I'll turn it all around!"
Hishi Miracle, who had just been passing by, watched the two go at it with wide eyes, even muttering a few "oohs" and "aahs" at the spectacle. But just then, a hand of fate grabbed her by the back of the collar and hauled her away.
"I wondered why I couldn't find you when the race is about to start. Turns out you were busy watching people argue."
Dream Weaver spoke as she dragged Hishi Miracle toward their seats.
Unlike before, Dream Weaver was now officially part of the "behind-the-scenes" staff.
Since the crowd was hyper-focused on Equinox and Liberty Island, she had taken her seat in the stands without much fuss.
"But their debate was actually really interesting!"
Ignoring Hishi Miracle's protests, Dream Weaver shoved her into her reserved spot.
"You're back. Where did Miracle run off to?"
"She didn't sneak into someone's VIP lounge for snacks, did she?"
Seeing Dream Weaver return with Hishi Miracle in tow, Sugar Lights and Agnes Tachyon—who had been holding their spots—couldn't help but tease.
"She was busy watching a court case," Dream Weaver deadpanned as she pushed Miracle into her chair.
"A court case?"
"In the stands?"
Agnes Tachyon and Sugar Lights blinked, unable to reconcile those words with their current surroundings.
"They were just debating who's stronger, Equinox or Liberty Island. You hear that everywhere, but those two had a... unique style," Dream Weaver shrugged, gesturing vaguely around them.
Indeed, the stands were filled with the buzzing voices of fans arguing over the two favorites. The duo she'd seen were just more creative about it.
"So, who do you think is stronger?"
A familiar voice came from her side. Without even looking, Dream Weaver answered instinctively.
"I don't know. I'm not the one on the turf deciding the outcome anymore."
"What a passive answer. I thought for sure you'd say Liberty Island is guaranteed to beat Equinox."
"There are no guarantees on the track."
"But weren't you a 'guarantee' whenever you stepped onto the turf? Well, except for the Arc, of course."
Dream Weaver looked up. That wasn't something Agnes Tachyon or Sugar Lights would say, and it certainly wasn't Hishi Miracle. The person talking to her wasn't part of her team.
It was Sea the Stars.
Sea the Stars, who had appeared before Dream Weaver at some point, tilted her head and pointed at a random spectator sitting to the right of their group.
"You. Out of that seat."
"Me?" The fan looked up, bewildered. Sea the Stars nodded as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"Go to the first VIP suite upstairs. I've already spoken to the staff; you'll watch the race from there."
The fan, suddenly upgraded from the bleachers to luxury seating, stood up in a daze. Before he could even process his joy, a staff member appeared to escort him away.
Having cleared the spot, Sea the Stars sat down next to Dream Weaver.
"I spent ages looking for you in the VIP rooms. Why are you sitting out here?"
"I'm more used to these seats. Besides, I don't think I need to file a report with you about where I sit, do I?"
Sea the Stars turned her head away with a huff and fell silent.
Beside them, Agnes Tachyon and the other two—whose only memory of Sea the Stars was the tense standoff during the Japanese Oaks—began making frantic, wide-eyed signals to Dream Weaver.
But Dream Weaver, who had already heard about Sea the Stars' "other side" from Symboli Kris S, simply shook her head, leaving her three teammates to their shock.
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.