Yuzuki focused every ounce of his attention on Fujimasa March's training. The world around him narrowed down to the rhythm of her stride, until a voice shattered the silence.
"So that's it... breathing has such a marvelous use. As expected of you, Yuzuki-san!"
Kitahara appeared out of thin air, clapping a hand onto Yuzuki's shoulder. He leaned in, his face a mask of bewilderment and awe.
"Kitahara, for the love of god, make some noise when you walk!" Yuzuki's eyes narrowed. He fought the sudden, violent urge to plant a fist in the man's face.
Sneaking up like a ghost and then grabbing someone... if this were anyone else, Yuzuki would have shown them exactly why the flowers bloom so red.
"My deepest apologies! I just wanted to say hello, but then I saw something incredible. I got too excited and couldn't help myself." Kitahara pressed his palms together, bowing in a flurry of apologies.
He had been lurking nearby for a while. At first, he thought Yuzuki was just running a standard drill. But as he drew closer, the words Yuzuki spoke hooked him.
The Abdominal Breathing Method.
Kitahara had never heard of such a thing. But listening to the explanation and watching Fujimasa March's form, he realized this was something monumental.
It was common sense in the racing world. You build stamina and endurance through grueling, repetitive training. That was the law for both Trainer and Uma Musume.
But what if the world found out there was a shortcut? What if simply changing the way you breathe, deepening the intake of oxygen, could make running easier? What if it could artificially inflate an Uma Musume's endurance?
It didn't care about talent. It didn't care about bloodlines. Every Uma Musume could master it.
If this technique went public, the very foundations of the racing world would shake. Kitahara looked at his friend, feeling a chill. This man was a bottomless abyss.
If Yuzuki knew what Kitahara was thinking, he would have slapped him awake.
A breathing technique wasn't going to cause an earthquake. In reality, variations of this method were already scattered across the world.
In martial arts, they called it Sinking Qi to the Dantian. Some masters explained that very concept as Abdominal Breathing.
In Kendo, swordsmen were required to use it. Thoracic Breathing caused the shoulders to rise and fall, telegraphing a moment of weakness. It was harder to exert force while inhaling, and a sharp opponent would strike the moment they saw those shoulders move.
The applications were everywhere. Even among elite Uma Musume, some used it instinctively. They didn't understand the mechanics... they just knew that breathing this way made the run feel smoother.
Yuzuki suspected veteran Trainers had noticed it too. But they relied on "gut feeling" and "experience" to pass it down.
Experience was a fickle thing. It was stained by subjective bias and limitations. What worked for one Uma Musume might fail for another, and without a theoretical framework, it couldn't be taught on a mass scale. A Regional Trainer from Kasamatsu like Kitahara stood no chance of stumbling upon the secret.
But Yuzuki was different. He married experience with hard science.
He delivered knowledge through a systematic, objective lens. Rigor. Verifiability. Reproducibility. He provided a comprehensive foundation that left no room for guesswork.
By using science to help Fujimasa March understand the essence of the Abdominal Breathing Method, he tapped into her own analytical mind.
She didn't just learn a trick. She mastered the principle. Now, she could adjust and optimize the rhythm to fit her own body.
That was growth.
Yuzuki valued growth above all else. Every Uma Musume was built differently. The "perfect" breathing method didn't exist in a textbook... it existed in the version Fujimasa March would forge for herself.
"You seem to be in a good mood today," Yuzuki said, pulling himself back to the present. "Anyway, what do you want, Kitahara?"
Kitahara slapped his forehead, finally remembering his errand. "Right! I almost forgot. Yuzuki, your package is here!"
"Package... what package?" Yuzuki looked at him, confused.
"The thing you asked for last time. The Heart Rate Monitor. Oguri Cap found one!" Kitahara pointed toward a parcel sitting on the ground.
"What? She actually found it?" A jolt of excitement shot through Yuzuki. He nearly jumped.
"Not just that. Oguri Cap sent a letter and some local specialties from over there. Here, this one is for you and Fujimasa March." Kitahara lifted his chin with a proud, smug grin.
"No wonder you're so chipper today," Yuzuki muttered, half-amused.
"A letter for me, though?" Yuzuki picked up the envelope Kitahara handed him.
It looked like any other envelope, but as Yuzuki took it, a strange scent hit him.
It smelled of black tea... and laboratory chemicals?
'This didn't come from Oguri Cap,' Yuzuki thought. 'If it did, it would smell like a buffet.'
Who would send him something like this?
He tore the envelope open. There were only a few lines of text inside.
'Mysterious Trainer-san, I have sensed your talent. Science has guided our paths toward one another. This is destiny. Come to Central quickly. Let us explore the end of the possibilities sleeping within the legs of the Uma Musume!'
Yuzuki stared at the cryptic, rambling message. Then he looked at the signature.
Agnes Tachyon.
'Well, that explains it.'
Of course Central Tracen Academy had this kind of technology. It was developed by the "Mad Scientist" of the Uma Musume world.
She was the future "Phantom Triple Crown." Even though she hadn't debuted yet, her talent was already a terrifying shadow looming over the tracks.
In the future, she would be a monster. She would dominate the Trial Race for the Classic Triple Crown so thoroughly that her rivals would flee in terror. A race meant for over a dozen competitors would end up with only eight Uma Musume brave enough to stand on the same turf as her.
She would crush every opponent with effortless ease. And those she defeated? They weren't fodder. They were future G1 champions.
She existed on a different dimension from her peers. Though injury would eventually rob her of the final two crowns, her sheer power would conquer the hearts of everyone who saw her. Four races. That was all it took to earn the title of the Phantom Triple Crown.
And her obsession with research was just as potent as her speed. She was a creator of mysterious, powerful tools.
Yuzuki respected the hustle. Agnes Tachyon had that mad scientist spark, a relentless drive for discovery. But the potions? The experimental concoctions with side effects that could probably turn an Uma Musume into a toaster?
Those, he could do without.
Still, the equipment she'd sent was a godsend. It solved his most pressing issue right when he needed it most.
'If I ever make it to Central, I'll have to find a way to pay her back.'
It was a nice thought, but premature. He hadn't even put up real numbers yet. Central Tracen Academy was a distant dream, a peak he hadn't even begun to climb.
Shaking off the daydream, Yuzuki turned his attention to the package Kitahara had left on the floor.
*Skritch...*
The blade of his pocketknife bit into the heavy kraft paper, slicing through layers of packing tape. He gripped the cardboard flaps and yanked them apart with a sharp grunt.
He leaned over, peering into the shadows of the box.
His breath hitched.
Inside, nestled in the packing material, was...
~✦~ End of Chapter ~✦~
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