Chapter 5: Sakura Bakushin O
On the training field, as the victorious Uma Musume walked back to the sidelines, she was immediately surrounded by trainers.
"Sakura Bakushin O!"
"Join my team, I'll definitely make you a graded stakes Uma Musume!"
"Sakura Bakushin O, my team has produced a G1 champion. I've specially prepared a training plan for you. Join my team, and with your talent, we can aim for G1!"
"Your sprint just now was brilliant, Sakura Bakushin O!"
"Please!"
One by one, the excited trainers stood about two meters away from Sakura Bakushin O, extending their invitations.
Faced with so much praise from the trainers, the young Sakura Bakushin O couldn't help but feel a little proud, though she didn't show it on her face. She simply responded to each trainer's invitation with a polite smile.
But... as expected, no top-tier trainers came to watch the race, right?
Sakura Bakushin O felt a bit disappointed. She had hoped to perform well in this training race to secure a spot in a top-tier team, but none of the trainers present were elite.
Maybe wait for the next one?
After all, she had just begun her formal training not long ago, and there was still some time before her Debut Race. She could afford to wait a little longer.
If it really didn't work out, she could always go back and choose that elite trainer who had once nurtured a G1 Uma Musume.
Though she thought this way, Sakura Bakushin O's gaze had already drifted past the noisy trainers in front of her, scanning the crowd of onlookers. Soon, she found one—a top-tier trainer she had seen on the academy's official website.
Sakura Bakushin O immediately grew nervous because the trainer was holding a pair of binoculars, looking in her direction.
However, the perceptive Sakura Bakushin O quickly realized that the trainer wasn't looking at her but at a man walking toward her.
Who is this?
Sakura Bakushin O's eyes shifted to Kisei as he approached, and she suddenly felt his face looked familiar, as if she had seen him somewhere before.
Kisei stopped behind the crowd of trainers and silently watched Sakura Bakushin O, who was also looking at him curiously.
The other trainers soon noticed the strange atmosphere and gradually quieted down.
Before long, someone recognized Kisei.
Although he had only recently become an official trainer, Kisei's reputation in the trainer community was already well-known.
A genius admitted at the age of 16, the man behind the "Emperor," Symboli Rudolf!
"It's him! He's back!"
"Oh no, this guy is going to compete with us!"
"Don't panic, we came prepared. He's just a newcomer—the advantage is ours."
Listening to the murmurs of the other trainers around her, Sakura Bakushin O's curiosity grew even stronger.
This seems like a remarkable person?
"What's your name?"
Just as she was wondering, Sakura Bakushin O heard the man in front of her speak, his tone as calm as if he were asking about the weather.
An unexpected turn of events!
Sakura Bakushin O had never imagined that the other party wouldn't know her name. It wasn't that she was being arrogant—logically speaking, it was strange for a trainer wanting to sign an Uma Musume not to even know her name.
"Sakura Bakushin O."
"A beautiful name. I'm Hoshino Kisei, a trainer."
"Are you here to invite me too?" Sakura Bakushin O asked, genuinely uncertain. If this was truly an invitation, it seemed rather lacking in sincerity.
"Invite? No."
No?
For some reason, Sakura Bakushin O felt displeased, as if she were being looked down upon.
At that moment, Kisei continued speaking.
"I watched your race just now. Your abilities are impressive, and that final sprint was particularly brilliant."
Hearing Kisei's praise, Sakura Bakushin O felt a twinge of disappointment. Was this just another person who only knew how to spout empty compliments? Perhaps she really shouldn't have expected too much.
"..."
"Now that we've covered the strengths, let's move on to the weaknesses."
Before Sakura Bakushin O could even finish her incomplete "thank you," Kisei's words cut her off.
"During the race, at the fourth turn, when the three Uma Musume ahead of you chose to break through from the outside, a clear gap appeared on the inside. That position was completely exploitable, yet you still chose to overtake from the outside."
"If you didn't notice the gap, then your race analysis needs work, and your ability to seize opportunities isn't sharp enough."
"If you noticed it but still chose the outside path, it means you were either overly confident in your initial strategy or just plain stubborn."
"Could you tell me why you chose the outer lane?"
Listening to Kisei's blunt, almost rude remarks, the other Trainers' expressions shifted.
A rookie really is a rookie. With an attitude like that, how could he possibly sign an Uma Musume? It'd be a miracle if he didn't offend anyone.
While lamenting this, the Trainers also tried to recall the race scene, wondering if there really had been such a gap at the fourth turn.
Hmm... they couldn't remember.
Their attention hadn't been on that at the time.
"Because it rained last night."
Sakura Bakushin O looked calmly at Kisei.
"Rain? I see."
Kisei hadn't expected that reason. He'd only just returned today and didn't know about last night's rain.
But now he understood why Sakura Bakushin O had chosen the outer lane for her final sprint.
Rain makes the turf wet and soft, especially on the inside. Even half a day later, the effects linger. Not many Uma Musume would consider that.
"Alright, let's move on to the second point."
"Second point?" Sakura Bakushin O was also surprised. It was just a simulated race—had she really exposed that many issues?
Kisei nodded. "The pace-setter Uma Musume pushed the tempo too fast. You, along with others, were affected and forced to accelerate, consuming more stamina than expected. Judging by your running style just now, you excel at 'mid-to-late surge' tactics, correct?"
"Yes."
"Then here's the problem: if the pace-setter's tempo is too slow, the entire race becomes a slow-paced affair. By the final straight, everyone still has energy to spare. In that scenario, your explosive power advantage would be greatly diminished. Conversely, if the tempo is pushed too fast, you'd end up like today, wasting too much stamina keeping up in the mid-section."
"But I still won!"
Sakura Bakushin O felt somewhat indignant. In her mind, whether the pace was fast or slow, as long as she was stronger and faster than her opponents, wasn't winning all that mattered?
"Today was just a simulated race with mediocre competition, and only 2000 meters at that. You managed to overpower your opponents with your formidable final sprint."
"Imagine if this race were the Derby or the Kikuka Shō, and the leading Uma Musume was either too fast or too slow—could you still be as fortunate as you were today?"
Fortunate?
Hey now, is that something you can say? Calling an Uma Musume's victory mere luck?
The Trainers stared at Kisei in astonishment. If it were their own Uma Musume, such a comment might be fine, but this wasn't the case here. You're here to sign an Uma Musume—if you provoke her defiance, what chance do you even have?