Seizing the opening, Mejiro Dober surged to the front.
Good!
Chiya clenched his fist.
The hardest part was already over. Now all she had to do was focus on the final straight and carry that lead all the way to the finish.
"Go, Dober!!"
Chiya shouted at the top of his lungs.
Hearing his voice, Mejiro Dober pushed herself even harder.
It was strange. Normally, hearing a man's voice would make her tense, even afraid. But now, instead of fear, she felt a sense of reassurance.
She knew her trainer was watching her. Supporting her.
And because of that, she couldn't afford to show him anything less than her best.
Mejiro Dober gritted her teeth and sprinted with everything she had left. The runners behind her gave chase, closing in little by little.
At last, just before her stamina gave out, she crossed the finish line by a head.
After passing the finish, she didn't stop immediately. She turned and ran straight toward Chiya.
"Trainer…" she said between heavy breaths. "I did it. This race… I won!"
"You were amazing, Dober! I always knew you had it in you!"
"Yes!"
Meeting his gaze, Mejiro Dober smiled.
The remaining races no longer involved them. Standing near the edge of the track, Chiya watched quietly.
Blocking. Positioning. Fighting for space.
What had happened to Rice Shower was now repeating itself across different races.
This level of intensity was rare, even in official Twinkle Series events. Yet here it was, happening repeatedly among runners who hadn't even debuted.
It was an unusual sight.
In the final race, Seiun Sky took the lead early and ran uncontested all the way to the finish.
Chiya rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
Is the current trend… front-running?
No need to worry about tactics. No need to react to others. Just push forward at full speed from the very start.
Nearly half of the winners in this exchange meet had relied on a front-running style.
For a moment, Chiya seriously considered it.
Front-running Rice Shower… front-running Gold Ship… front-running Mejiro Dober…
It wasn't entirely impossible.
But it would depend on each runner's suitability. If they lacked the stamina or temperament for a front-running style, then no matter how aggressive the races became, they would still have to stick to their original approach.
After the races concluded, everyone was guided back to the conference hall.
Chiya gently set Rice Shower down in her seat, but she held onto his hand.
"I want to sit on Onii-sama's lap…"
"On my lap?"
"Mm." She nodded firmly.
"…Alright."
He lifted her up.
Despite their strength, Uma Musume weren't particularly heavy. Holding Rice Shower like this wasn't difficult at all. She felt like a large, warm, soft doll in his arms.
It probably helped that he trained regularly. Dealing with all these problem children required a certain level of endurance.
If he didn't take care of himself, he would have collapsed long ago.
With Rice sitting comfortably on his lap, Chiya listened as the officials began speaking.
"Thank you all for participating in this exchange event. We've carefully observed your performances, as well as the abilities of your runners. I'm sure you've already noticed that today's races were far from ordinary. The level of competition was significantly higher."
After clearing his throat, the official continued in a firm voice.
"That is precisely the purpose of this event. In future races, Uma Musume competitions will no longer be as restrained as before. Positioning, blocking, and contesting space will all become valid strategies for gaining an advantage."
As expected.
Everyone had already figured it out.
"Although it may not be my place to say this outright, from now on, as long as the rules are not violated, runners may use any method available to compete."
Contact during positioning. Forcing opponents outward. Cutting off their path.
All of it fell within the rules, yet it was rarely practiced in Japan due to concerns about sportsmanship.
But the results spoke for themselves.
This approach allowed runners to develop faster and gain real combat experience on the track.
For too long, Japanese Uma Musume had been held back by overly strict self-restraint. On the international stage, especially against European runners, they had consistently fallen behind.
It wasn't just a gap in physical ability.
It was a gap in mindset.
European runners understood the true nature of racing. They knew that without pushing their limits and using every possible advantage, victory was impossible.
That was why Central had decided to test this method through their own trainers first, then pit them against Tracen's students.
And the results were clear.
Once their approach changed, Central-trained runners gained a noticeable advantage.
Tracen's students struggled to keep up.
A harsher racing environment would inevitably produce stronger Uma Musume.
From now on, this philosophy would be introduced at Tracen as well, gradually reshaping the entire system in Japan.
"You new trainers represent the next generation. You are the future of Uma Musume racing, and the future of Japan itself."
The official's voice echoed throughout the hall.
"In the Japan Cup, in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, I sincerely hope to see you and your runners standing at the top as champions!"
The officials began to applaud.
One by one, the trainers stood and bowed.
Chiya considered doing the same, but with Rice Shower sitting on his lap, he decided against it.
Some things were simply more important than formalities.
With that, the exchange event came to an end.
Trainers and runners began making their way out.
Kiryuuin Aoi walked over.
"Chiya, I found out something."
"What is it?"
"Central has relaxed the eligibility rules. Returnee runners can now participate in the Classic races. Before, they weren't allowed, right?"
"Really? When did that happen?"
"Just today. It was approved earlier. Some internal trainers already knew, but it should be officially announced soon."
Previously, due to eligibility restrictions, returnee Uma Musume were barred from most major races.
Now, that limitation was gone.
"So once they enter the senior division, we're going to see a wave of new competitors?"
"Exactly. Though… it doesn't affect us yet."
None of their runners had reached that stage.
"I see. Thanks for the heads-up."
"No problem. See you tomorrow, Chiya."
With that, Kiryuuin Aoi left with Special Week, Seiun Sky, and Happy Meek.
Chiya turned back to his own team.
"Let's head back too. You all did well today."