Following Kurosawa's training plan, Fujiwara Shirayuki went to find Mihono Bourbon and asked to train together.
The doll-like, mechanical blue eyes looked at the white-haired girl in front of her. Mihono Bourbon nodded.
"Understood."
Then they would begin with the somewhat absurd twenty-lap endurance training.
Strictly speaking, as a filly, stamina was not especially important for Shirayuki. She did not need to conquer the three-thousand-metre Kikuka Sho, and her races would mainly range between mile and middle-distance events. Even the international Grade 1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe fell within that range. In other words, her weakness in distance aptitude was not especially fatal.
On top of that, Shirayuki's limit-distance test result was 2,800 metres, which was enough to handle the vast majority of races.
However, endurance training did not only increase stamina. It could also improve strength, and that was extremely important for Shirayuki. Whether it was the heavy European turf or the running style she used, both required powerful legs. Shirayuki needed to put serious effort into this area.
Not long ago, being forcefully pinned down by Grass Wonder had caused Shirayuki to lose confidence in her own strength. But after thinking carefully, leg strength and arm strength were completely different things. Grass Wonder might be able to restrain her with both hands, but if they competed with their legs, Shirayuki should definitely have the advantage.
Fujiwara Shirayuki comforted herself like that.
Closely following behind Mihono Bourbon, the two began their twenty-lap endurance training. Each lap was two thousand metres, so twenty laps meant forty thousand metres. Their speed was to be kept at a moderate level, without sprinting at full force.
Even so, this was still an extremely unreasonable distance. Ordinary Uma Musume would not be able to run this many laps.
"Onii-sama, what are Shirayuki-san and the others doing?"
A soft and sweet voice came from beside him. Fujiwara Chiya lowered his head and looked at Rice Shower, who had come to his side.
"Endurance training. Shirayuki is trying out Mihono Bourbon's training intensity."
Fujiwara Chiya had one enormous advantage. He could personally test other trainers' training content first. If the results were good, he could absorb the experience and teach it to his own Uma Musume. It was almost like leading from the front. Whether good or bad, he had to bear it himself.
But if he could find a more efficient plan, Fujiwara Chiya felt that these sacrifices were worth it.
"I see."
Rice Shower blinked and looked at the white figure on the training ground.
"Do you want to go too?"
"Mm. Rice wants to train too."
Seeing Fujiwara Shirayuki working so hard, Rice Shower's heart was also stirred. She no longer cared much about whether Shirayuki or she was Chiya's younger sister. To Rice Shower, she had already formed an irreplaceable bond with Onii-sama. She and Shirayuki now stood in different positions.
The reason she worked hard now was to become an outstanding Uma Musume, to become the ace of the team, and then to become the sharp weapon Onii-sama used to pierce through the racecourse.
A black blade.
Looking at Rice Shower's serious expression, Fujiwara Chiya could not help rubbing her little head. Then he said,
"Go, Rice Shower. Train seriously. I bought snacks for you, so come to my room tonight if you want some."
"Yes!"
Rice Shower curved her lips and answered happily.
Her Onii-sama would always be the gentlest and most wonderful person.
On the training ground, seeing Rice Shower catching up from behind, Fujiwara Shirayuki gathered her strength. She also liked Rice Shower very much, but as an Uma Musume, she was different from Chiya. Usually, she would think about Rice Shower's good points. But during races, the two of them were opponents who had to decide victory and defeat.
After the tenth lap, the difference in stamina and physique began to show. Fujiwara Shirayuki felt her legs gradually heating up. Along with that came the rapid accumulation of lactic acid, and her fatigue intensified. In contrast, although Mihono Bourbon and Rice Shower were also breathing heavily, their speed had not decreased.
By the fifteenth lap, Shirayuki was already drenched in sweat, and her speed began to drop.
No wonder Senior Kurosawa's training intensity was known as hell within Tracen. In the past, several Uma Musume had been unable to endure his high-intensity training and chose to terminate their contracts and leave. This had already exceeded the normal endurance range of Uma Musume.
However, those who managed to persist through this kind of training had all gone on to win graded races. Looking at it now, every achievement these Uma Musume obtained had been built up through hard-earned sweat.
Fujiwara Shirayuki's steps became slower and slower.
Rice Shower glanced back casually, then immediately turned her eyes forward again. In truth, her stamina was also almost depleted, but in order to become the team's ace, Rice Shower had to charge ahead of everyone.
She gathered her strength and closed in on Mihono Bourbon in front of her. Noticing that the person behind her had changed, Mihono Bourbon's eyes shifted. In the end, she decided to continue with her original training. She could not disrupt the plan just because Shirayuki had failed to keep up.
Still, this person...
Mihono Bourbon glanced at the small black figure and felt an inexplicable pressure in her heart.
Behind them, Fujiwara Shirayuki slowed into a jog and adjusted her breathing. Outside the training ground, Fujiwara Chiya noticed that when they reached the seventeenth lap, Mihono Bourbon's face was already covered in sweat. She was clearly approaching her limit. Even so, she maintained a considerable speed.
Her stamina was not far beyond everyone else's. She was simply using her powerful willpower to force herself to persist through the training.
Compared to her, Rice Shower's strong heart and small body actually gave her even better endurance. When the twenty-lap training ended, Mihono Bourbon wiped away her sweat and looked seriously at the black-haired girl still closely following behind her. There was no obvious fatigue on Rice Shower's face.
This made Mihono Bourbon become wary of her. Clearly, the other girl was not as fragile as she looked.
Half a minute later, Shirayuki caught up from behind, breathing heavily.
"Bourbon-senpai."
Shirayuki swallowed and asked Mihono Bourbon, who was walking slowly to recover.
"I saw it... When you run, your movements and breathing... follow a certain rhythm. Can you teach me... your breathing method?"
Many things were accumulated by Uma Musume over long periods of training. For example, what kind of breathing method paired best with what kind of running rhythm. Trainers could not teach these things to them. They could only rely on the Uma Musume themselves to accumulate experience.
Clearly, Mihono Bourbon had her own breathing pattern.
Hearing the white-haired girl's serious request for guidance, Mihono Bourbon lowered her head. After thinking briefly, she began explaining it to Shirayuki.
Meanwhile, Rice Shower ran excitedly back to Fujiwara Chiya.
"Onii-sama, Rice... can adapt to this kind of training!"
She had successfully endured the twenty-lap endurance training, and even had some strength left at the end. Clearly, Rice Shower's stamina had now grown to an astonishing level. Fujiwara Chiya saw in her the potential to defeat Mihono Bourbon.
Taking out a handkerchief, Fujiwara Chiya wiped the sweat from Rice Shower's forehead. Her adorable cheeks changed shape softly beneath his hand, like cotton.
"Hehe~"
She gently rubbed against Fujiwara Chiya's hand.
"Rice Shower, your next race has been decided."
Hearing this, Rice Shower froze slightly.
"The Grade 3 Niigata Kinen next month. A middle-distance race of two thousand metres."
This would be Rice Shower's first graded race.
"Win that race."
Rice Shower's eyes changed. Finally, she spoke with an unprecedentedly firm tone.
"Yes! Rice absolutely won't betray Onii-sama's expectations."