...
The mountain road was funded and constructed by Tracen Academy.
Usually open to tourists, during training camps, signs would be posted to prohibit cars and large vehicles from entering.
However, most visitors came for the coastal area, and few ventured deep into the mountains.
To devise a reasonable training plan, Lucian had thoroughly studied the terrain and layout of the area beforehand.
Naturally, he had also conducted several on-site inspections, placing directional signs along some of the paths.
...
Lucian led the three teams of horse girls to the foot of the mountain for warm-up exercises.
Then, he brought out three small boxes.
Grass Wonder, El Condor Pasa, and T.M. Opera O—who had developed a fear of "Jue Juice"—felt a sudden unease upon seeing Lucian fiddle with three more small boxes.
The other horse girls also shrank behind their captains.
Was this another punishment?
Had the competition already begun?
"Don't be scared, why are you looking at me like that?" Lucian chuckled. "These are sports watches. The 'Dream' team already has them, and now I'm distributing them to the other two teams."
He opened the boxes, signaling everyone to come forward and collect theirs, then continued:
"First, train hard, but your safety is always the top priority. If you encounter any problems, notify me immediately via the watch."
For this training camp, Lucian had considered every detail meticulously, ensuring medical staff were stationed at key points.
"Wow, the 'Dream' team gets perks like this too? These watches aren't cheap, right?" Daiwa Scarlet adjusted her watch, raising her hand to examine it.
"Daiwa, mine looks better than yours," Vodka waved her watch teasingly.
Tokai Teio personally fastened the watch onto Symboli Rudolf. "President~ These were all paid for out of the Trainer's own pocket! And they're products manufactured by his family—super useful!"
"Trainer Lucian paid for and produced these himself?" Symboli Rudolf examined the watch, slightly surprised.
This kind of technology wasn't widely available yet.
"Trainer Lucian, I have a question," Gold Ship raised her hand. "Is this a gift for us?"
Lucian nodded.
"This watch is for monitoring your pace. I'm not asking you to run extremely fast because training isn't a one-time thing. I want you to master the rhythm of your running.
"Of course, it's also a little welcome gift for everyone."
...
"Trainer Lucian is seriously the best."
"Right? Skilled and so kind."
"He'd be perfect if he'd stop inventing drinks like that."
...
Amid the chorus of praise, Lucian straightened his back proudly, nearly losing himself in the compliments. The "Dream" team members also felt a sense of pride.
"Alright, alright, even if you flatter me, I won't go easy on you," Lucian motioned for everyone to quiet down. "Everyone got their watches on? Let's begin the morning training."
Since they were on the mountain, the training naturally revolved around the mountain paths.
Lucian had planned three routes of roughly equal distance, with task signs posted at specific points.
The signs indicated varying pace requirements for each segment—mixing fast and slow intervals—with sprinting only permitted in the final phase. This structure was more conducive to effective training.
"I've stationed staff at every checkpoint, so once you start running, their timers will begin too.
"Running too fast or too slow will count as a violation. Your final ranking will be based on your overall training performance for the day. If you exhaust all your energy now, how will you handle the high-intensity training in the afternoon?"
Lucian's explanation dashed any hopes Gold Ship had of cutting corners.
Besides, since this was a team effort, no one would want to hold the others back.
"Then, let the training begin!"
Lucian estimated that this round would take about an hour and a half—a true test of endurance.
He wasn't idle either, though his mobility was limited due to his leg. Instead, he rode an electric scooter, randomly following one of the teams to supervise.
...
Meanwhile.
"Gotta admit, Lucian sometimes comes up with pretty clever training methods. Gotta steal a few ideas," Nishizaki Ryo remarked.
"Shameless. As his senpai, you've already been surpassed by him in achievements," Toujou Hana said, watching the live drone footage monitoring each team's progress.
"That just proves Lucian is the talent I always believed him to be."
"And you have the nerve to say that, lazing around here instead of helping him out."
Nishizaki Ryo leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. "He's already riding an electric scooter—what, am I supposed to carry him and the scooter on my back?"
...
After completing the first segment, Symboli Rudolf, leading the pack, spotted the next sign.
"Pace change—everyone, keep up with my rhythm."
The winding mountain paths were far more challenging than flat ground. Even Symboli Rudolf would struggle if she had to lead the entire time.
The team's completion time depended on the last member to finish.
Thus, they had to rotate the lead position to distribute stamina evenly, ensuring a strong collective sprint at the end.
This also meant the lead runner had to maintain precise pacing—exactly what Lucian's training aimed to achieve.
"Suzuka, your turn," Symboli Rudolf slowed her pace, falling behind Silence Suzuka.
"Leave it to me, President."
After Lucian's long-term guidance, Silence Suzuka had mastered rhythm running to near perfection, hardly needing to check the sports watch constantly.
"Good, exactly how it should be—rotating leads to maximize team efficiency," Lucian called out from behind, one hand on the scooter's throttle, the other holding a megaphone.
Improving running techniques was essential, but as a Trainer, fostering teamwork and mentality was equally important.
Their growth shouldn't be limited to just running—it had to include their mindset.
"Grass, keep up, keep going. Do well, and I'll let you come to our lodging for a meal."
Toujou Hana had mentioned Grass Wonder's minor leg injury, but Lucian didn't bring it up. Instead, he encouraged her first.
"Rice-chan, learn from Suzuka. Later, take the lead confidently—this distance should be easy for you, right?"
"And Daiwa... I'll just call you that for now."
Though he'd mentioned her many times, this was Lucian's first proper interaction with Daiwa Scarlet. "Do your best. Think about your rival, Vodka. You don't want to lose, drink 'Jue Juice,' and get laughed at by her, do you?"
"Never! That absolutely won't happen!"
The more experienced runners didn't need such motivation, but when Lucian spotted Air Groove, he couldn't resist adding:
"Air Groove, if you don't want to hear bad jokes, run well."
Air Groove froze for a few seconds, caught off guard.
This Trainer was a bit of a tease...
At the front, Symboli Rudolf's ears twitched.
Bad jokes? Trainer Lucian likes telling jokes too?
She'd have to exchange some with him when she got the chance.
...