Seeing that the timing was right, Fujimaru Ritsuka turned off the projector and looked solemnly at Oguri Cap. As his expression shifted, the atmosphere in the office changed with it, moving from pure technical analysis to something resembling a deeper form of spiritual guidance.
"Oguri," Ritsuka's voice was lower now, and his deep blue eyes seemed to hold an unfathomable depth. "Remember their traits and the tactics they might use. That knowledge will become your aid—your weapon."
He paused, placing his hands on Oguri's shoulders and leaning down slightly so that his eyes were level with hers.
"But knowledge alone is not enough to become a top-tier Horse Girl. In a real race, plans rarely keep pace with reality. When you step onto the Kawasaki track, you might find the situation is different from what we imagined today—perhaps different from every backup plan we've prepared. If a competitor brings out a surprise we never anticipated..."
Ritsuka stopped, his eyes burning with intensity as if brewing an emotion or preparing her for something else entirely.
Oguri Cap understood immediately. Her breathing grew heavy, but her blue eyes shone with a terrifying light.
The girl gave a small, firm nod, her voice steady: "I will adapt on the fly, use my intelligence, and make a split-second decision that I will never regret!"
"Ooh... Oh!" As soon as Oguri finished her sentence, a cheer erupted in the office, followed by a rhythmic "clatter-clatter" of applause. The trio and Double Bell Luster were stunned by Oguri's sharp insight and cheered for her.
A visible pale pink flush crept onto Oguri's face. She hadn't forgotten her teammates were there, but having them suddenly react like that made her feel quite bashful.
Oguri waved her hands frantically. "It's... it's all thanks to the Trainer's credit. This was his teaching. I..."
She wanted to say: I just remembered what the Trainer taught me and said it out loud.
Oguri didn't think there was anything to be proud of. If anything, she was proud of Fujimaru Ritsuka. She was immensely grateful to him for being her Trainer, for strategizing for her, and for taking care of every aspect of her life.
She believed: There is no better Trainer in this world than him. I must work hard to become a Horse Girl worthy of him!
Seeing that Oguri was being overly humble, Ritsuka didn't hesitate to use his large hand to pat the girl's head, even giving her ears a playful rub. He joked, "Oguri, excessive modesty is just another form of conceit. You should stand tall and accept everyone's praise. This, too, is a path every top Horse Girl must walk."
Ritsuka was very pleased with Oguri's memory and her resolve. Although he had emphasized the importance of split-second judgment more than once, no other Horse Girl had reacted as quickly as she did. He felt a deep sense of pride.
After praising Oguri, Ritsuka turned to the other girls. "Just as Oguri said: use your eyes and ears to capture the changes on the field; use your body to feel the speed of the wind and the rhythm of your opponents; use your intuition to judge the best path to victory. If an unconventional solution pops into your mind, don't be quick to dismiss it. Think about its feasibility. Sometimes, the long way around is the shortest shortcut. That is all."
Just as Ritsuka said, in the face of a sudden emergency, pre-prepared plans and backups often fail to keep up—unless they had reliable future sight to see every possibility before the race.
Since they didn't, they had to trust their instincts as Horse Girls.
He stood up straight, his voice returning to its usual stability, yet carrying a weight as if he were entrusting them with something monumental:
"In those moments, the only one who can help you seize victory is yourself."
These words were like a solemn proclamation, echoing through the silent room.
A moment later, the girls responded with a thunderous "Yes!", all of them feeling they had found the most reliable Trainer in the world.
After finishing the special session for Oguri Cap, Fujimaru Ritsuka provided special guidance for Eperlan as well. When facing Oguri, he had analyzed Eperlan for her; now, facing Eperlan, he chose to be impartial and analyzed Oguri for her in return.
"...Her immense power and terrifying closing speed are her winning weapons. If she has enough stamina left in the final leg, she will pose a massive threat to you."
However, the Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun was a mile—only 1,600 meters. Oguri, having undergone Ritsuka's comprehensive training, was unlikely to run out of stamina on such a course. She wasn't some greenhorn who could be easily baited into breaking her rhythm.
Therefore, unless Eperlan could open up a gap of more than ten horse-lengths before the final leg, she would likely face defeat.
A standard "Leader" (Senkou) style wouldn't allow Eperlan to gain such a massive advantage. Thus, her only option was to "Escape"—and not just escape, but a "Great Escape" (Oonige) from the very start, running to the ends of the earth so that no other Horse Girl could even see her tail!
Although Eperlan had already seen this possibility in the daily training schedule Ritsuka prepared for her, hearing him say it out loud still shook her deeply.
To be honest, while Eperlan had stubbornly insisted on participating in this race, she found herself at a loss after seeing Oguri's daily training and realizing the true extent of Oguri's strength. She felt lost.
Even though she completed her training goals day after day and even added extra practice, if she were on her own, she truly wouldn't know how to win.
Sometimes she thought: The Trainer and Oguri are monsters...
Eperlan didn't blame anyone. Her transfer to Kasamatsu had been an accident. Ritsuka had aimed for the Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun from the very beginning, and he had designed Oguri's training for total dominance. Eperlan was the interloper here.
Furthermore, normally, Horse Girls from the same stable would avoid racing each other. Since Oguri Cap was entering, Eperlan should have stepped aside, run a different race, or simply rested to avoid affecting Oguri's pace.
That was the Japanese way. In the West, it was more ruthless; powerful Horse Girls often had "rabbits" or "second cars." Their task was singular: use all their strength to interfere with other Horse Girls and pave the way—or even clear obstacles—for the star of the stable.
Ritsuka could have easily ordered Eperlan to be Oguri's "rabbit." After all, her relationship with him wasn't as deep as Oguri's, and neither was her strength.
But Ritsuka hadn't done that. Upon learning Eperlan's true feelings, he had immediately agreed to her request and even adjusted her training to prioritize explosive power and stamina.
On the eve of the race, Ritsuka made the final preparations for her.
Looking at the black-haired young man standing so close, Eperlan couldn't understand. She opened her mouth and finally asked weakly, "Trainer... why?"
Why agree to her "reckless idea"? Why let her "duel" Oguri Cap in the Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun and even give her specialized training for it?
Oguri Cap was the one meant to achieve his goals, right? Oguri was his primary trainee. Why allow another girl to mess around like this?
But Eperlan couldn't voice those thoughts. She stammered, only managing that one vague question.
Perhaps she felt her own request was too demanding, making her feel ashamed. After all, if she hadn't forced her way into the race, things would have been much easier for Ritsuka and Oguri. She was a disruptor; what right did she have to act all "hypocritical" now?
The thought made Eperlan feel a surge of guilt.
Ritsuka saw the girl's hesitation. He let out a hearty laugh and patted Eperlan's shoulder kindly, offering comfort and encouragement. "Because El is also my Horse Girl. As a Trainer, it's only natural to support every Horse Girl in chasing her dreams, isn't it?"
To crush one girl's dream just for his own goals or the record of another? That wouldn't just make him unfit to be a Trainer—it would make him unfit to be human.
Thinking of this, Ritsuka was reminded of his old Director (Goredolf). He just wanted to say: Are you kidding me? I'm going to puke!
He didn't know what it meant to "love humanity" in some grand sense, but he certainly didn't think the Director knew how to love a person. That guy was just a traditional magus (a total creep). Of course, if you said that guy just wanted to open a "Lover's TV" channel, then everything Ritsuka knew about him made perfect sense.
Eperlan didn't know about Ritsuka's internal tangents; she only felt much better, almost to the point of tears.
And so, time passed day by day until the day of the race arrived.
The Kawasaki Racecourse was a roar of human voices.
Banners reading "Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun" fluttered in the winter sky. The stands were packed to capacity as Horse Girl racing fans from all over Japan waved signs and cheered, forming a noisy, almost boiling ocean.
Even Maruzensky, from Central Tracen Academy, sat leisurely in the VIP seats, scanning the track below with interest.
Since "The Emperor" had retired and no new Horse Girl had stepped up to take the mantle, Central's Twinkle Series had become somewhat underwhelming. The Student Council, led by Symboli Rudolf, was "striking out" in all directions to find new talent.
Symboli Rudolf had originally intended to come to Kawasaki, but Maruzensky had said to her: "Rudolf-chan, the Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun is a dirt race. The participating girls might not have turf adaptability. Its importance is far below the Hanshin JF and the Asahi Hai. If you want to pick good talent, you really have to look at those two races."
Furthermore, Central Horse Girls were generally considered stronger than regional ones. A regional genius moving to Central often ended up as just another face in the crowd.
Thus, Symboli Rudolf went to watch the Asahi Hai, and Maruzensky "reluctantly" came to Kawasaki to watch the dirt race.
Thinking of this, Maruzensky's lips curled into a smirk as she sighed softly, "You really are easy to fool, Rudolf-chan~"
The commentator's passionate voice boomed through the speakers, introducing each elite Horse Girl entering the field one by one.
"And next to take the field is this Horse Girl, the number-one favorite for today's race—the Gray Monster, Oguri Cap! As of today, her record stands at eleven wins in eleven starts! Can this undefeated legend continue her myth? Let's wait and see!"
As for the fact that "three Horse Girls from the same regional academy reached this top-tier race simultaneously"? That was already a legendary tale in its own right, needing no further words.
With a shift in the music, the twelve Horse Girls entered their gates, and the atmosphere rapidly grew heavy. Oguri Cap stood in Gate 7, shifting her body with excitement. She felt the rhythm of the great battle; her soul was already roaring!
However, the girl's blue eyes calmly scanned the opponents on either side, making one last pre-race observation. She didn't overlook Fujimasa March or Eperlan. Because this was the track—not a place for hometown sentiment or schoolmate bonds.
The other two felt the same. Simultaneously, they took deep breaths, scanned their rivals, and made their final preparations.
[1,600m Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun. Dirt. Sunny. Good track.]
As the signal lights switched, all twelve gates snapped open! The girls, their bodies coiled tight, instantly transformed into arrows loosed from a bow, charging toward the initial straight with a spirit of absolute resolve!
The air was compressed to its limit, emitting a thunderous boom!
This was a mile. If a Horse Girl messed up the start, they would likely be swallowed into a bad position and struggle to recover. It was an exaggeration, but taking the lead and securing a favorable position was half the battle won. Therefore, the fight for positioning reached a fever pitch from the very first second.
Volcanic Surge lunged forward with powerful explosive force, determined to seize the lead. Yodogawa Rainbow hugged the inner rail, giving no one else a chance. Snow Country Will steadily blocked the outer path, also eyeing the lead.
"Get out of my way!" "I won't let you through!" "The lead is mine!"
Some roared, others shouted. The girls gave no ground, and an incredible pressure swept across the field, making even the racing wind scream.
However, amidst this chaotic struggle, a single figure broke through the crowd with staggering speed. Like a scalpel precisely removing a lesion, she lunged toward the very front!
"The gates are open! The Horse Girls burst out in nearly a straight line! Every single one had a perfect start! They are giving no quarter—who will take the lead?!" In just a few short moments, the commentator spotted the one pulling ahead of the pack. She cried out: "Eperlan! It's Eperlan! She's surged from the far outside! She's taking the lead!"
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Musume: Oguri Cap Grand Order (122 Chapters – Ongoing)
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