Chapter 24

[500PS!!]

Five days had passed since the Keihin Cup.

Kuroha had been quite busy during that time.

In addition to the usual training sessions with Fujimasa March and Inari One, he occasionally bumped into Obey Your Master during his walks and found time to give her a few pointers too.

And since that day, Fujimasa March had been acting like she'd been unshackled.

Her training remained as serious and focused as ever, but afterward, she loved sticking close to Kuroha. So much so that Inari One sometimes didn't even want to come to his office to slack off anymore.

...

Central Tracen Academy.

In the student council president's office.

A tall figure sat at a desk, closing a file and setting it on the corner.

Following the direction of her outstretched arm, one could see a plaque hanging on a pristine white wall. Upon it, Central Tracen Academy's motto was engraved:

"Lead the pack—leave the rest in shadow!"

The door opened, and a chestnut-haired Uma Musume stepped in. Even in the academy's standard uniform, her exceptional figure was impossible to miss.

She walked up to the desk, holding a stack of documents.

"Yo, Rudol—done with work?"

"For now."

The Uma Musume, referred to as Rudol, took the documents and nodded in thanks. "Appreciate it, Maruzensky."

Maruzensky chuckled softly as she caressed her cheek, as if something amusing had come to mind. From behind, she pulled out a folded newspaper.

"By the way, Rudol—did you hear about the Keihin Cup at Oi the other day?"

"The Keihin Cup?"

The girl at the desk paused for a moment, accepting the paper.

Symboli Rudolf—the peak of Uma Musume. The first undefeated Triple Crown champion in the history of Central Tracen Academy.

To the younger generation, she was revered as the "Emperor."

"I vaguely remember hearing about it. Something about a dark horse defeating the champion of the Yunotori Sho?" Rudol replied offhandedly as she unfolded the paper.

"Keihin Cup champion..."

Her voice gradually trailed off as her gaze settled on the photo of the conspicuous ash-gray Uma Musume.

"Fujimasa March?"

The Emperor's memory was as sharp as ever. Instantly, she recalled the name and matched it with the one on the page.

"Won by... five lengths?"

Maruzensky added gently, "She's the same one who fought for the title against Oguri Cap in a local race a few months back."

"Mm."

Rudol set the paper down, lacing her fingers on the desk as she fell into thought.

"The Yunotori Sho champion—Seiran Nichirin—I've watched her race. While she's burned some of her future potential, she definitely has the strength of a Central-tier Uma Musume."

"As for Fujimasa March," Maruzensky smiled, "I snuck over to Oi Tracen Academy yesterday. Her body's in perfect condition."

She cut off the unspoken assumption in Rudol's tone.

"No injuries, then?" The Emperor's interest was piqued.

Right now, Central racing was in a bit of a slump. Before Oguri Cap's rise, the entire generation had felt listless and uninspired.

So as the president of Central Tracen Academy, Rudol was desperate to find a new star—a disruptor to shake the system.

Any Uma Musume with Central-grade strength, she wanted to steal away for herself.

"But if it's only been a couple of months since that race, how could she have grown this much without burning out her future?"

Rudol rose from her seat, walked over to the file cabinet, and pulled out a dossier.

It was a list of Oi Tracen Academy students who had transferred circuits for the South Kanto Triple Crown.

As president, Rudol had access to certain privileges granted by the Central URA Association.

And with Oi Tracen also located in Tokyo and known as the strongest local academy, she always had access to firsthand information.

"Fujimasa March... She transferred teams before switching circuits? Got a new trainer."

"Kasamatsu... then a crushing win by five lengths in the Keihin Cup. I see."

Rudol gave a quiet nod to herself.

"You noticed even before I said it... no surprise there, Rudol," Maruzensky said with a smile.

"You went to Oi Academy yesterday. What did you think?" Rudol asked, sliding the file back into place.

Maruzensky thought for a moment before offering her judgment. "He's a very capable trainer."

She paused, then added with conviction: "Better than most of the trainers in Central."

They were both legends of their generation.

As Uma Musume themselves, they could tell—Fujimasa March's seemingly abnormal improvement was largely due to that trainer.

"Well, Rudol? Are you going to recruit him?"

Maruzensky knew how eager Central Tracen was for new talent and asked plainly.

Rudol didn't answer right away. Instead, she walked to the window, pressed her palm against the glass, and gazed out at the Central campus.

After a moment, she shook her head slowly.

"If it were just an Uma Musume, we could bend the rules. But the trainer's position is... too politically sensitive."

"Central regulations aren't something we can bend. He'll have to pass the exam and enter on his own."

"That so? What a shame..." Maruzensky sighed softly. Her mind drifted back to what she'd seen yesterday.

...

Oi Tracen Academy.

Maruzensky, wearing a cap and face mask, strolled casually along the outer edge of the training grounds.

She held a newspaper in one hand, occasionally peeking inside the fences like a mischievous tourist.

"To train so hard in pursuit of a former rival... all for the chance to meet again on the track. Ahhh, what a youthful story~"

She looked down at the photo of Fujimasa March printed on the paper and whispered softly with warmth in her voice.

After wandering past several training zones, she finally stopped.

"Oh, there it is!"

Inside the grounds, Kuroha was in the middle of directing training for Fujimasa March and Inari One.

(End of Chapter)

[Check Out My Patreon For +20 Extra Chapters On All My Fanfics!!][www.p@treon.com/zaelum]

[+500 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter]

[Thank You For Your Support!]