Unbelievable.
Rudolf's purple eyes watched the white figure surge up beside her, her expression one of surprise. It wasn't just her; Narita Brian, who was behind her, also widened her eyes. It was only then that she remembered the purpose of this joint training was for Shirayuki to practice overtaking, not just to reach the finish line.
The run had been more intense than she expected, and Brian had instinctively started running it like a real mock race.
However, she reacted quickly. By the time she started drifting to the inside lane, she knew something was wrong. But before she could move back to her original position, Shirayuki had already surged forward, taking the spot she had vacated.
It all happened in a fraction of a second, and in that fraction of a second, Shirayuki had seized her chance and broken through.
Is this girl really a rookie?
The same question that had crossed Gold Ship's mind now occurred to Narita Brian.
Her execution, her judgment, and her decisiveness were not at the level of a new student.
Brian had been asked to train new students before. Their skill level, to put it bluntly, was such that even if she left a five-second opening for them to overtake her, they would hesitate, too afraid to accelerate.
Compared to them, Shirayuki was on a completely different level.
So far, if one had to point out a flaw, even the strict Rudolf could only find one.
Her stamina was too poor.
The race had reached its critical point. After overtaking Brian, Shirayuki didn't have the energy for a sustained sprint. Her speed began to slowly decline—a classic case of losing steam before the finish line.
Normally, this would be the result of a poorly timed acceleration. But as per the goal set at the beginning, the objective of this race was to evade obstacles and seize opportunities. If it were a race to see who was fastest, Rudolf and the others would have already crossed the finish line.
After another glance at Shirayuki, Rudolf and Brian turned their attention forward. They began to increase their speed, and the gap between them and Shirayuki widened.
One horse-length, two, three... eventually reaching seven horse-lengths as they crossed the finish line.
Behind them, Shirayuki felt her steps growing heavier, as if she were wading through mud.
As the finish line drew closer, she tried to straighten her body, but she found that she couldn't lift herself up. The powerful inertia carried her forward.
It was then that she finally remembered the last and most important point about using that posture.
Third, this running form required the Horse Girl to have an incredible sense of balance.
Her legs gave out. The moment she crossed the finish line, Shirayuki's body pitched forward like a kite with its string cut.
Just as she thought she was about to get injured, a warm, soft arm caught her, absorbing the impact of her fall.
It was Symboli Rudolf.
She looked down at Shirayuki in her arms.
"Good work, Shirayuki-san."
Perhaps because she had just finished running, Shirayuki felt a warmth from Rudolf's body. It was a little damp, and there was a very pleasant scent.
Thump!
Her heart skipped a beat. She scrambled out of Rudolf's embrace, her face beet red.
"I'm sorry, President Rudolf!"
"It's alright, it's alright." She waved her hand with a smile. "It seems I underestimated you. I didn't expect you to have such skill. Have you had any training before?"
"No, today was my first time running."
Hearing this, Rudolf's expression turned strange. She glanced at Narita Brian, whose expression was much the same, her thoughts written all over her face.
Your first time running, and you can run like this? You must be kidding me.
But, it didn't matter.
Shirayuki had proven herself with her performance. Among this year's new students, she was definitely one of the top contenders.
Ruffling her hair, Narita Brian crossed her arms and praised Shirayuki, "Not bad."
"Strength is the goal that all Horse Girls pursue. One horse takes the lead, and the others fade into the background. Remember, to survive among Horse Girls, you must maintain a proactive and ambitious heart," Rudolf taught her earnestly. "And also, for this training session, you did well."
Having received praise from two Triple Crown winners, Shirayuki bowed her head and thanked them.
"Well, let's go report to Trainer Chiya," Rudolf said, the training session now complete.
"...Right."
The three of them walked over to Fujiwara Chiya.
"Trainer Chiya, we've finished the run," Rudolf greeted him. "Did you notice any problems?"
"Hmm..."
Chiya pretended to think for a moment.
"The problem, as expected, lies in her fundamentals. Shirayuki's timing is perfect, but her stamina can't keep up. Even if she can seize an opportunity, she can't make proper use of it. And that running form is too dangerous. If her balance isn't good enough, she shouldn't use it lightly. Future training will focus on balance and stamina. I'll revise her training plan when I get back."
"Yes, I'll be in your care, Trainer Chiya."
"I believe in your potential. Go rest for a bit, and we'll continue later."
Putting on a one-man show with two roles, Chiya displayed his acting skills in front of Rudolf and Brian.
"By the way, Trainer, why are you sweating so much?"
Narita Brian raised an eyebrow, unable to resist asking. His bangs were completely plastered to his face with sweat, as if he had just stepped out of a sauna.
"Well, your race gave me a sense of being there myself, as if I were personally on the track."
"Is that so..."
Looking at the drenched Chiya, Narita Brian silently pulled out a handkerchief and handed it to him.
"Thanks. I'll return it after I wash it."
"You felt the tension... that's good. As a trainer, you should be one with your Horse Girl," Rudolf said, pinching her chin and nodding repeatedly. Despite having just run 1800 meters, she could speak calmly. Even in retirement, 'The Emperor' was still the emperor. Her strength was unshakable.
It was almost impossible to surpass her with clever tricks.
"Well then, President Rudolf, you two should go rest as well. I'll need your help with the other girls."
As he wiped his sweat, Chiya thought to himself.
If everyone can get a few joint training sessions in, our chances of winning the mock race next week will increase significantly. Maybe I can use this opportunity to get the team's growth to snowball.
Just as he was feeling hopeful about the future, Meisho Doto suddenly came running over, pulling Rice Shower along, shouting, "Trainer Chiya, Rice Shower's foot is injured!"
"Pfft—!" Shirayuki, who was drinking water, spat it all out. Chiya froze on the spot.
What did you just say?!
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