It was the day of the Aisong Novice Stakes. The sun was bright and blindingly clear.
In the pre-race lounge, the air was cold and tense. Yorozuya Eiyuu sat on a long bench, her eyes fixed on Hyuuga Sakikawa as he pulled a flask from his silver case. He shook it, and the green, bubbling liquid inside sloshed around ominously.
The flask looked like it had been salvaged from a swamp.
"Your expression tells me you're not in the right state of mind," he said, handing her the so-called "neurotrophic supplement."
The familiar smell of rotting seaweed and mud hit her nostrils, a scent that now triggered a Pavlovian response in her gut. She was going to have to get on stage after drinking this?
He then retrieved another mixture, this one green and viscous, and poured it into her cup. With a practiced motion, he swirled the two together, then pushed the concoction towards her. "You need to fill up your tank before you can hit the road. Or else you'll break down halfway."
"I... my body..."
The daily "physical conditioning" sessions, which felt more like torture, had left her feeling like her body was no more than a collection of spare parts held together with tape. The pain was real. But the feeling of her body growing stronger, bit by bit... that was real too.
That power was addictive.
Without a word, she took the cup and downed the foul-smelling liquid. The familiar burning sensation spread through her, and she grimaced.
"Ugh..."
A wave of nausea hit her, but she forced it down. Sakikawa watched her, his expressionless face like a stone carving.
"Hold it together," he said. "Your finish line is right in front of you. Just like a headless fly, just go for it. If you get scared, just go back to the dirt track and practice your head-butting some more."
Her hands, which had been resting limply on her knees, clenched into tight fists. She stood up, her eyes burning with determination.
"I will win."
Sakikawa just grunted in response and turned away.
The race was about to begin. The announcer's voice, full of passion and flavor, echoed through the stadium.
"Welcome, friends, to the Aisong Novice Stakes! Our first contestant to enter the field is the crowd favorite, No. 1, Zero Time!"
A handsome horse girl with short, blonde hair trotted onto the track, waving to the cheering crowd.
"The winner of today's race will not only receive a hefty prize but also the attention of the strongest trainer in the area, Fuji Kiseki! Rumor has it that her trainer has said today's dirt track is the perfect stage for a body built for strength!"
The crowd went wild. The announcer then cleared his throat and looked down at his notes.
"And next... we have No. 7, Yorozuya Eiyuu! A complete newcomer!"
A hush fell over the crowd as Eiyuu walked out, her posture a little stiff. She ignored the murmuring onlookers and fixed her gaze on the black-haired man standing by the track.
In the stands, a girl with fluffy chestnut hair was devouring a large box of takoyaki, her cheeks puffed out like a squirrel's. "Mmmph," she mumbled, offering a piece to the girls next to her.
Kitahara and Saki politely declined. They were too busy staring at the track with worried expressions.
"That's Ogu-chan," Kitahara whispered to Saki. "She's also in Fuji Kiseki's dorm."
"I hope Eiyuu can run normally today..." Saki muttered, her hands clasped together.
Before the starting gate, Eiyuu took a deep breath, adjusting her breathing. The man was watching. She knew he was.
Clang!
The gates flew open! The race began!
In the instant the race started, Yorozuya Eiyuu's body exploded with power! It was the raw, untamed force of the "Bedrock Dragon." Her feet dug into the dirt track with a heavy thud, the impact sending a tremor through the ground.
From the sidelines, Sakikawa watched the data stream on his virtual screen. "Good," he muttered. "The dirt track data is increasing. Leg strength enhancement, core stability... perfect threshold." He gave a slight nod. "This is science."
The crowd, however, saw something else entirely. "She's lapping the other horses! What is this, a massacre?!"
"Go, Eiyuu! Go!" Saki screamed, her voice hoarse.
Kitahara was speechless, her jaw hanging open.
Just then, the side effects of the "Phantom Dragon" kicked in. The world around Eiyuu dissolved into a blur of light and a roar of sound. A wave of sensory overload crashed over her. She gritted her teeth, the familiar pain a hellish symphony that she had learned to endure. She pushed the chaos that was raging in her mind down into her legs, converting the pain into fuel.
Her speed didn't decrease. It increased.
In the stands, the chestnut-haired girl's chewing slowed. She watched Eiyuu's running form, her eyes sharp and analytical. Eiyuu's movements were awkward, uncoordinated even. But they were powerful. It wasn't a technique. It was pure, raw, natural force.
"Unbelievable!" the announcer screamed into his microphone. "No. 7, Yorozuya Eiyuu, has taken a massive lead! She's ten lengths ahead of the pack! Is the race even over?!"
Eiyuu could hear nothing but her own ragged breathing. The pain from her screaming muscles was intense, but the joy she felt from the sheer speed was even greater. She was no longer burdened by her body; she was the power itself.
She rounded the final turn, a silver blur of overwhelming force, and unleashed one last, explosive burst of speed. She crossed the finish line.
The entire stadium fell silent for a a second. Then, it erupted.
"An overwhelming victory!" the announcer roared. "This is the birth of a new monster at the Aisong Novice Stakes!"
Eiyuu stumbled to a halt, her body finally giving out. Sakikawa calmly walked onto the track, past the stunned onlookers, and stood before her. He looked her up and down, his face a mask of disappointment.
"Just so-so," he said. "Your pacing was a complete mess."
Eiyuu looked at him, too exhausted to speak. Her violet eyes, however, were shining.
"But," he continued, a rare hint of something other than annoyance in his voice, "you didn't fall on your face, so I'll give you a passing grade. You won't have to be reforged. For now."
Yorozuya Eiyuu felt a wave of relief so powerful it almost made her collapse. The pain was real, but the recognition from him, however slight, was also real.
From afar, the young girl with the blank expression watched them, her eyes, usually so empty, now filled with a strange mixture of curiosity and an indecipherable intensity. A system notification appeared in Sakikawa's vision.
[Bedrock Dragon initial adaptation is stable. Unlocking the next stage of gene optimization—[Dragon Heart]: Endocrine Stress Response.]
The young girl tilted her head.
That trainer...
And that horse girl...
Just who are they?
-------
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