As soon as Tokai Teio finished speaking, Kitahara Sota's body instantly stiffened.
Though, from his memory, he hadn't done anything to boost her affection levels, and thus shouldn't have activated the skill [Monopolization], Tokai Teio's sudden, dangerous-sounding remark still startled him.
It shouldn't have triggered... right?
Kitahara didn't respond immediately, maintaining his forward gaze while glancing cautiously from the corner of his eye. Fortunately, the situation didn't seem as dire as he feared.
Although Tokai Teio's words sounded ominous, her expression appeared perfectly normal.
Holding her favorite honey-flavored energy drink, her eyes still bright, she seemed genuinely curious rather than menacing.
Seeing her act this way, Kitahara breathed a sigh of relief.
Exactly, I haven't raised her affection levels at all. There's no way Monopolization would trigger.
Tokai Teio's next action further reassured him of his conclusion.
"Trainer-san? Trainer-san, are you listening? Don't tell me you've fallen for her at first sight?"
She blinked innocently, waving her little hand in front of his eyes, her expression simply puzzled.
"What nonsense are you thinking at your age?" Kitahara replied irritably, glancing sideways at her.
"I'm just curious," he added, casually finding an excuse. "She looks so gentle—can she really handle bodyguard duties properly…?"
Thankfully, Tokai Teio seemed unaware of his deception.
"Trainer-san, haven't you heard the saying? You can't judge an Uma Musume by appearances."
Teio finished her honey drink in one go, narrowing her eyes thoughtfully at Grass Wonder.
"I haven't interacted much with her, but trust me—she's much more dangerous than you realize."
Then why hire her as a bodyguard?! Kitahara internally retorted, though outwardly he just nodded calmly. "Alright, noted."
With the casual conversation wrapped up, Kitahara completed Special Week's tests, then spent additional time finishing Oguri Cap's assessments. He informed Oguri Cap that she could pick up her new training plans and three corresponding running methods along with Special Week the following Monday.
Having finished Oguri Cap's tasks, Kitahara thought about it and decided he'd done enough work for today. Since his other two Tantous didn't need his assistance, he lazily pulled out his phone, intending to relax.
But just as he did, a small hand snatched the phone away.
It was Eclipse.
"Did you forget something?"
Eclipse stared at him calmly.
Kitahara maintained his forced smile and feigned innocence. "Did I? I don't remember forgetting anything..."
But under Eclipse's unrelenting gaze, his expression quickly crumbled.
"Fine, fine, I'll train."
Of course he remembered his promise to Eclipse about resuming his previous training plan, but he'd still hoped he might feign ignorance and slip by unnoticed.
Now that Eclipse had called him out directly, avoidance was futile.
"So, what's the quota this time?"
He was free anyway. Extra exercise might come in handy down the road.
Seeing him comply, Eclipse briefly glanced at something invisible in the air before listing a lengthy series of demanding training requirements.
Kitahara wasn't surprised; they'd previously agreed to increase his workload by half. Prepared for this, he quickly agreed and headed towards the training grounds.
For some reason, Tracen Academy strongly encouraged trainers to exercise regularly—even setting up a special area in the training grounds specifically for them, right next to the Uma Musume training facilities.
But despite good intentions, very few trainers actually used the trainer-exclusive area.
Studying, certifications, socializing…
Preparing training plans, managing data, soothing their Tantous' moods, and sometimes even landing in the hospital…
Not every trainer was as leisurely as Kitahara. In fact, most trainers at Tracen had little to no free time.
And when they did have rare free moments, most preferred relaxation or rest. Their jobs were exhausting enough; without occasional rest, they'd eventually collapse from stress.
Consequently, when Kitahara arrived, there weren't many trainers around. Most were just there briefly, fulfilling mandatory requests from their Tantous. When Kitahara started earnestly training, he immediately stood out.
Standing out meant attracting attention.
Not long after Kitahara began jogging, the four Uma Musume (excluding Eclipse but including Grass Wonder) in the training area noticed him in the trainers' zone.
"Trainer Kitahara, what are you doing?" Oguri Cap stopped nearby, tilting her head with genuine confusion.
"Exercising," Kitahara answered while jogging.
"I can see that." Oguri Cap nodded slowly. "But why are you exercising? Aren't you a trainer?"
"Trainers need exercise too, you know. A healthy body is fundamental to a good life," he responded casually as he jogged further away.
Oguri Cap had just finished her own set, so after thinking briefly, she decided to stand where she was, watching Kitahara exercise.
Soon, a slightly tired Tokai Teio approached as well, sitting down next to Oguri Cap, eyes sparkling with curiosity and holding another honey drink.
Special Week, also intrigued, joined them shortly after, Grass Wonder quietly following. Now, four Uma Musume—five counting Eclipse standing aside—gathered, watching Kitahara train and chatting idly.
"He runs really slowly. Is that even effective?"
"Special Week, Kitahara-san is human, not an Uma Musume. Don't judge him by our standards."
"Ah, you're right. Plus, he doesn't eat much either."
"You definitely shouldn't measure his appetite by your standards either..."
Listening to their chatter, Kitahara felt a strange sense of déjà vu.
Why does it feel like our roles are reversed? Shouldn't I be the one watching them train?
Fortunately, this odd sensation didn't last long.
After resting briefly, the girls returned to their own exercises, no longer solely watching him.
Even so, they occasionally glanced curiously as they passed, since trainers voluntarily exercising was a rare sight.
But gradually, as time passed, they began noticing something strange.
When they finished their first set, Kitahara had just started running.
After their second set, Kitahara was still running.
And by their third break, he was still running—and even slightly faster.
Though his speed was laughable compared to an Uma Musume, for a human, it was impressive.
More importantly, he hadn't stopped running at all throughout their three sets. His breathing remained steady, and he wasn't even sweating much.
It wasn't just the girls noticing. Other trainers nearby were already staring at Kitahara, astonished by his remarkable endurance.
How is this guy's stamina so extraordinary?
Ignoring the staring eyes, Kitahara calmly finished Eclipse's demanding training goals without a break, then smoothly moved onto other exercises.
Sweat slowly increased on his skin, yet his gaze remained clear and steady.
This wasn't his first day training like this.
Long before meeting Eclipse, he'd already spent considerable time wandering. After picking up Eclipse, his travels only intensified.
Most of his income ended up in Eclipse's stomach. To save money, he avoided transport and mostly relied on his own feet.
While Eclipse, being an Uma Musume, could handle long distances easily, Kitahara was just an ordinary human. To keep up, he had to improve his endurance somehow.
Standard training methods yielded minimal improvements due to inherent human limitations.
So he improvised—applying Uma Musume running techniques to himself.
Breathing patterns, movement precision, running form, muscle control…
Using his unique talent and experience as a trainer, he developed a personalized regimen. Over time, it evolved beyond mere running into every aspect of his daily life, becoming almost second nature.
Thus, while he couldn't match Uma Musume in strength—even a random Uma Musume could pin him down effortlessly—his stamina, agility, and reflexes could easily rival even Symboli Rudolf herself.
Finally feeling exhausted after finishing several exercises, Kitahara sank onto a nearby bench, glancing at the four mesmerized faces.
"Oi, how long do you plan to keep watching? Aren't you going back to training?"
Snapped out of their trance, Tokai Teio and the others hurriedly scattered back to their practice.
Yet, as they trained, they couldn't help whispering among themselves.
"Hey, do you guys think our trainer is actually human?"
"I feel like maybe he's from the same planet as Gold Ship, the rumored alien…"
"I agree."