"Ha… ha…"
"Ikezoe... I-I think I've had enough... I-I'm really tired… Can you please get off my shoulders now?"
The bizarre training session finally came to an end as dusk began to descend. Orfevre, however, looked worriedly at Ikezoe, who had once again fallen off her back. Currently, Ikezoe was looking considerably more disheveled compared to his state earlier in the day.
He looked as if he had fallen off a mountain or something. He was covered in bruises and scrapes, and his clothes were tattered from repeated tumbles. Despite this, Ikezoe himself didn't seem to mind and even appeared to be quite happy.
Ikezoe's joy wasn't because he was a masochist, but because he now finally realized just how durable and strong his body had become after his transmigration. If he had his previous body, his first fall would've at least resulted in broken bones. But now, Ikezoe felt as if he was basically superhuman. He had fallen off Orfevre an uncountable amount of times today—from noon until dusk—yet he didn't feel injured at all!
However, while Ikezoe felt fine, Orfevre truly didn't dare to let him continue falling. After several hours, even Orfevre herself, the perpetrator, couldn't bear to see Ikezoe keep falling. She had advised Ikezoe to give up more than once, but he had only responded with nothing but encouragement for her to continue.
"Don't worry about me, Orfevre! You're doing great! The top priority right now is for you to quickly unleash your potential!"
"As long as you think this training method is effective, we will continue with it. We absolutely cannot give up until you run out of stamina. We must improve as much as possible!"
After that declaration, Ikezoe was once again abruptly thrown off the uncontrollable Orfevre. Even with his enhanced physique, the mental strain from the pain was starting to accumulate, but he still insisted on getting up from the ground and climbing back onto Orfevre's back. He was like a hero but in Trainer form, repeatedly thrown off, yet rising again despite his injuries to help his beloved Uma Musume.
But this time, his Uma Musume was unwilling to let him suffer any longer.
"ENOUGH—enough! Ikezoe, sit down!"
Finally, Orfevre erupted under constant pangs of conscience and guilt. She directly sat on Ikezoe, forcefully pressing his body down. Before Ikezoe could react, Orfevre was straddling his body, her eyes trembling slightly as she questioned him:
"What exactly are you doing?! I-I'm not worth all this! I just wanted you to help me train. Plus, I already wanted to stop, so why are you more persistent in training than me?! Is—is my potential more important than your own safety?!"
"…That's not it, Orfevre." Ikezoe, pinned to the ground by Orfevre, took a long time to react to her question. He then slumped to the ground as if relieved, his eyes fixed on the darkening sky as he spoke softly:
"Orfevre, the challenges you are going to face will be greater than any before… Haven't you noticed? Whether it's Trainer Imanami and Mejiro McQueen, or Trainer Wada with T.M. Opera O and Meisho Doto… As our strength and fame continue to grow, the challenges, the apprehension, and the pressure we face will also increase alongside it."
"T.M. Opera O has only achieved two of the Classic Triple Crowns, yet she has already faced so much malice from the public. And Orfevre, though you won't run for the Classic Triple Crowns until next year, do you think that when you get on the racetrack next year, the challenges we face will be fewer than what T.M. Opera O and the others are facing now?"
"The enemies we will have to face, whether it be other Uma Musume or outside forces, will be greater than we imagine, Orfevre... That's why we must seize the opportunity now and become as strong as we can as quickly as possible…"
Ikezoe's heart, besides relief that this training method was effective, was primarily filled with anxiety. His synergy with Orfevre had not progressed, and Orfevre's potential had not been unleashed at all. Ikezoe thought of Wada, who was currently under immense pressure, and Imanami, who was helping Wada strategize while also dealing with those who doubt his abilities. As the only Trainer in this three-Trainer team who had not yet achieved results—which was overlooked by the public—how could Ikezoe not feel pressured?
His pressure didn't come from thinking his two Uma Musume were underperforming, but from himself—from his inability to help Wada or Imanami. After all, even he would slip up sometimes when facing the media, so how could he help them? He could only do his part: make Orfevre and Curren Chan as strong as possible and thereby silence those doubts completely!
Ikezoe knew Orfevre could do it. After T.M. Opera O challenged the Classic Triple Crowns, he would be next. And if Orfevre failed to unleash her potential before she challenged the Classic Triple Crowns next year… then the external doubts would only grow. Ikezoe didn't want to see Orfevre experience such a thing, which is why he was so anxious about Orfevre's growth. Dominating races in Japan alone wasn't enough; they had to defeat many foreign Uma Musume, not just in the Japan Cup, but also in international races!
"Does it really have to go this far?" Orfevre bit her lip slightly, asking with great incomprehension: "Who exactly are these 'enemies,' Ikezoe! Tell me! Just how many of them do we have to defeat before we can be recognized?!"
"…We'll probably have to defeat every single Uma Musume from your generation in Japan." Ikezoe smiled bitterly, relaxing his pinned body, and replied feebly: "Even then, that'll probably still not be enough. Even if T.M. Opera O reaches the same heights as Symboli Rudolf, people might still not recognize her… We must prepare for the worst. Only by breaking out of Japan and onto the world stage can we gain true recognition from everyone. Before that, we'll have to contend with many, many forces…"
Yes, the ones who were causing them trouble with that whole media spiel were most likely not foreign organizations seeking to undermine Japan, but rather Japan's URA branch and Shadai themselves. These organizations were filled with old fogies who refused to let certain myths made by their members be broken and so are unwilling to see stronger Uma Musume emerge. Therefore, only by breaking out of Japan and reaching international fame can they truly make a change to the current Japanese Uma Musume scene. Only by completely conquering everyone and everything can they make them align their opinions and stand with them.
"Breaking out of Japan, huh…"
At this moment, Orfevre also fell silent. She knew how stupidly grand Ikezoe's goals were, but she hadn't expected just how much faith he had placed in her. Not just the Classic Triple Crowns, but also breaking out of Japan… That means… she might have to race in other places like her oldest sister? Where? America? China? Or… the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe?
But no matter where, these goals were incredibly distant for Orfevre right now. Despite that, she still felt unconfident about whether she could even achieve such a feat as she unconsciously fell into silence and began to contemplate...
It wasn't until night fell that Ikezoe returned to his team office. Just as he turned on the light, he noticed some items and a note on his desk. Ikezoe picked up the note and saw some words written in rather cute handwriting. It was quite clear that it was Curren Chan from how it was written.
"Ta-da! Congratulations, Onii-chan, on receiving Curren Chan's first-ever letter! ╰(°▽°)╯"
"Mine and Orfevre's promised race is about to begin, but Onii-chan has been busy teaching Orfevre and has forgotten all about little cute me! Hmph, Curren Chan won't forgive you that easily, you know. You have to eat sweets with Curren Chan and go shopping together to be forgiven! o(≧口≦)o"
"—Just kidding, hehe. Onii-chan, you must be tired, so rest well. Curren Chan brought you a bento and some medicine. Remember to use them all well. (○｀3´○)"
"Also, you can't try such dangerous training methods next time! But Curren Chan really wants to try it~ Although Curren Chan thinks I'm more suited to riding Onii-chan~ (ー ー゛)"
"—As expected of Curren Chan, always appearing when I need her most."
Ikezoe felt his heart begin to heal again after being constantly verbally abused by Orfevre. Looking at the anti-inflammatory medicine, iodine, and alcohol for external wounds that Curren Chan had brought, he felt a warmth spread through him. And now, the long-anticipated grudge match between Curren Chan and Orfevre, which had long lost its meaning, was not far off…
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╰(°▽°)╯o(≧口≦)o (○｀3´○) (ー ー゛)
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If you spot any errors, feel free to comment about it and I will fix it as soon as I can.