"Who's that Umamusume? Who sent Golden Crown Eagle to the hospital? Does she even know any other Umamusumes this skilled?"
Mejiro McQueen asked, puzzled.
"Come to think of it, I've had a feeling something was off. Before almost every new competition, she always manages to quickly pull out a strategy guide for us. Like with Takarazuka Kinen before, the climbing methods she taught us were definitely things other Umamusumes had tried and tested over and over again."
"But I don't see any Umamusumes in our academy using the same climbing methods as us, which is really strange."
Seeing Mejiro McQueen's sudden realization, Maruzensky found her adorable silliness amusing but was secretly overjoyed.
"Seriously, thank goodness I came today, otherwise I wouldn't have encountered such an interesting situation."
Maruzensky's lips curled into a wide smile, once again feeling grateful for her decision to come with Sakura Baimu.
"Maruzen-senpai, could you tell me the name of the Umamusume who beat Golden Crown Eagle?" Mejiro McQueen asked.
"That's a shame. Symboli Rudolf is also very curious, but unfortunately, we don't know either."
"I see…" Mejiro McQueen nodded. "Then let me ask one more question. Maruzen-senpai, you mentioned before that Trainer-san paid a high price. So what kind of price did she pay? Did she buy it, or something else…?"
"I don't know; after all, I haven't seen that Umamusume fight many times," Maruzensky said with a smile, then reminded Mejiro McQueen before leaving:
"Anyway, this guide is a good thing. You know that Sakura-san went to a lot of trouble for you."
"...."
Mejiro McQueen responded to Maruzensky's reminder with silence.
After watching Maruzensky leave, she gently wiped the cover of the booklet a few times. The corners of her mouth, which had been turned down, slightly curved into a smile.
--
The following day, Tracen Academy held a farewell ceremony for the Umamusumes of Pluto Academy.
And Golden Crown Eagle, who had been absent for a long time, finally appeared before everyone, with her arm in a cast.
While the injury wasn't as severe as Rice Shower's, many Umamusumes who disliked her and Pluto Academy felt a surge of satisfaction upon seeing her.
Just as the Pluto Academy group was about to leave the Tracen Academy lecture hall, a voice drew everyone's attention.
"Golden Crown Eagle!"
Everyone turned to look in the direction of the voice and saw Mejiro McQueen, with long, light purple hair, walking solemnly towards the crutch-wielding Golden Crown Eagle.
"I will defeat you at the Japan Cup!"
Golden Crown Eagle scoffed upon hearing Mejiro McQueen's words. "You?"
"Me," Mejiro McQueen declared loudly.
Although Golden Crown Eagle's confidence had been shattered by Sakura Baimu, she showed no fear facing Mejiro McQueen, a former active-duty opponent.
Furthermore, after learning from Obey Your Master that Sakura Baimu wasn't actually an active-duty Umamusume, her disappointment at being crushed lessened considerably.
Sakura Baimu was merely bullying the weak; with a few more years of training, she could definitely beat her.
As for Mejiro McQueen…
"Heh, just a defeated opponent. You only managed to jump around a bit while I had a broken bone."
Golden Crown Eagle made no attempt to hide the disdain in her tone.
Although Mejiro McQueen was Sakura Baimu's Umamusume, she noticed that Sakura Baimu wasn't present today.
Therefore, her tone became even more arrogant.
"Just you wait. Watch me defeat your Japanese Umamusume in your Japanese tournament."
Golden Crown Eagle sneered, then left the lecture hall and began walking with the group out of Tracen Academy.
But just as Golden Crown Eagle reached the lecture hall entrance, preparing to board the bus that would take them to the airport, she caught a glimpse of two figures out of the corner of her eye. Her movement to board the bus abruptly froze, and she nearly tripped.
The first figure she saw was, naturally, the source of her deepest fear these past few days—Sakura Baimu.
Golden Crown Eagle had thought that seeing Sakura Baimu again would no longer evoke the same fear as before.
However, at this moment, she discovered that the shadow Sakura Baimu had cast over her was far deeper than she had imagined.
But...
What shocked Golden Crown Eagle the most wasn't Sakura Baimu.
It was the Umamusume beside Sakura Baimu, a girl with long black hair, bangs covering half her face and eyes, a dark blue hat adorned with light blue roses, and a slightly petite figure.
This was Rice Shower, known as the Black Assassin.
"Rice Shower?! She...was discharged from the hospital?!"
Golden Crown Eagle was shocked, then she suddenly realizing something was wrong.
Her gaze shifted slightly downwards, and her pupils constricted sharply when she saw Rice Shower's long, straight, and unblemished legs beneath her uniform skirt.
"Rice Shower can walk already?! She can actually walk! How long has it been since Takarazuka Kinen? Less than two weeks!! And her injuries? Not even a scar?!"
According to Golden Crown Eagle's original estimate, Rice Shower's overexertion in using her Zone, coupled with the fall while maintaining its speed, should have resulted in at least a comminuted fracture.
Walking wouldn't be an option; even recovery would be problematic.
She might be confined to a wheelchair for life.
But how long has it been?
A little over a week.
She had witnessed Rice Shower fall at Takarazuka Kinen, leaving a long trail of blood on the ground, and being carried away by paramedics.
She's already recovered enough to walk?!
Judging by this recovery speed, it seems Rice Shower will have no problem continuing to run in the future.
Doesn't that mean she essentially raised Rice Shower's Zone level by one tier for nothing?
Rice Shower's appearance also shocked everyone at Pluto Academy, including Obey Your Master, as well as all the Umamusumes at Tracen Academy.
"Rice Shower has recovered? I heard her injury was very serious!"
"Yeah, I heard that too. Rice Shower suffered a severe injury that might have prevented her from running for the rest of her life, and now she can walk?"
"Isn't that the Japanese Umamusume who fell at the Takarazuka Kinen before? She can walk again?!"
The Umamusumes from Tracen Academy and Pluto Academy were all incredulous at Rice Shower's miraculous recovery.
Ignoring the surrounding whispers, Rice Shower walked straight to the wide-eyed Golden Crown Eagle.
"Miss Golden Crown Eagle!"
Looking at Golden Crown Eagle, who held such a deep impression on her, Rice Shower called out in a rarely heard high-pitched voice:
"Miss McQueen will win the Japan Cup."