Chapter 25

At the training grounds, one group after another cycled through their drills in an orderly, efficient rhythm.

Fujimasa March and Inari One were sweating buckets out on the muddy track.

Monotonous training always came hand-in-hand with steady progress.

They couldn't see it themselves—but Kuroha could. On his system interface, the numbers were clearly improving.

But his attention wasn't on numbers right now. It was fixed on a particular entry on both Fujimasa March's and Inari One's status screens:

[Domain: Awakening]

He had seen this tag once before—on Obey Your Master during one of his park encounters.

The term Domain wasn't unfamiliar to Kuroha.

It had appeared in his previous life, in the Gray Cinderella spinoff manga centered on Oguri Cap. It was said to be a mysterious power that only top-tier Uma Musume could awaken.

But even in the manga, its explanation was vague.

Roughly summarized, it was an advanced ability awakened by Uma Musume with exceptional talent, under the right circumstances.

After reincarnating into the world of Uma Musume...

Kuroha had noticed something strange: none of the formal education or training manuals for trainers mentioned the Domain at all.

Only one cryptic sentence had ever come up:

"It is a power possessed only by Uma Musume who create their own era."

Which... basically said nothing at all.

But Kuroha was no ordinary trainer. He had a system.

BOOM—!

Hooves slammed into the mud. Both girls were laser-focused on completing the drills Kuroha had assigned.

Except—

"Inari One! You trying to accelerate already? Is that all the willpower you've got?!"

"AAAHHH!!!" Inari One shrieked in frustration on the track, struggling to ignore the occasional provocation from the girl running beside her.

"Mm, not bad."

Satisfied, Kuroha turned his attention back to the system screen.

With a thought, he tapped on the "Domain" tag under Fujimasa March's panel.

Suddenly, a stream of detailed information unfurled before his eyes, revealing the secrets behind the greatest power in the world of Uma Musume.

Domain — ZONE — Also known as the Divine Limit.

It requires an Uma Musume to possess overwhelming talent, technique, training, passion, and focus, and to awaken it only in moments of extreme hardship, adversity, or desperation.

Once triggered, it pushes an Uma Musume's speed, strength, reflexes, and field awareness past the limit—beyond 100%.

This is only the first step. In the manga, it's portrayed as "Mirror Fracture"—a moment where power floods the body, and a unique tracer glow begins to flicker in the eyes.

The second step, known as "Mirror Shatter," occurs when the Uma Musume's inner world and unshakable will merge with this power, creating a visible aura and terrifying pressure that envelopes her form.

The third step... is one only the greatest Uma Musume of a generation can reach. The power materializes into a real domain, cloaking the entire race track. Any competitor without a third-stage Domain will be brutally suppressed.

It's basically like constantly proccing red-class debuff skills.

That was Kuroha's conclusion, based on what he read.

Though Domain power was overwhelming—and essential for a top-level Uma Musume—it came with heavy costs.

Much like over-triggered True Blooming, this power demanded sacrifice.

And the cost of Domain was this:

Upon entering Stage 2, the Uma Musume would fall into a hyper-focused trance-like state.

In this mode, all tactics, strategies, and planning were discarded. The only instinct remaining was to fight head-to-head—pure, instinctive competition.

"That second step... really doesn't suit March at all," Kuroha muttered, shaking his head with a wry smile. "But it sure fits that hot-blooded idiot Inari One."

Domain active: brain off, fists up.

It perfectly matched Kuroha's impression of how Tracen Academy—both local and Central—prioritized raw stats over finesse.

That said, the side effects of second-stage Domain weren't entirely unavoidable.

In the original timeline—

In the 1988 Japan Cup, Obey Your Master entered her second-stage Domain and still managed to think clearly and execute pre-planned strategies.

That's how she defeated Tamamo Cross.

Though that was due to Obey Your Master's Domain having unique conditions:

A high-speed Japanese turf course.

Comprehensive intel on every participant.

A well-masked level of strength so no one targeted her early...

Still—Kuroha's system data gave him the tools to replicate that scenario.

"May 10th... That's when the South Kanto Triple Crown begins?" he murmured.

He hoped the local contenders could handle the pressure of facing a Domain-user.

"Alright—goal set: Fujimasa March's Stage One Domain—True Self State!"

Kuroha began scribbling in his notebook, outlining a Domain training regimen tailored specifically to Fujimasa March, and giving her Stage One Domain a name.

This was something only someone with Body and Breath Perception could achieve.

As for Inari One...

He'd deal with her later.

...

On the track.

Fujimasa March had just finished a set of shuttle runs, catching her breath lightly.

Her light red eyes flicked over to Kuroha, who was writing something in his notebook. Her cheeks flushed instantly, and she quickly turned away.

"A serious trainer really is... super handsome!"

Her silver-white ponytail swished, revealing the fluttering storm of emotions inside her.

"No—I can stare all I want, but I have to follow through with the plan he made! I won't let him down!"

She clapped her pale cheeks with both hands, reaffirming her resolve.

"I'm carrying Trainer's hopes—I won't lose!"

As she turned, her mind flashed back to the "reward" Kuroha had given her.

Training. Racing. Victory and dreams.

Just from the start of her run this time, she was instantly pulled back to that moment in the Keihin Cup—the feeling of Seiran Nichirin closing in from behind.

Under that powerful pressure—

A faint white glow flickered in the depths of her pupils.

...

"Hmm?"

Above, Maruzensky had been watching the training session from afar with great interest. But the moment the ash-gray girl resumed her run after a short break—her face changed.

"A glimpse of flow state... She's already seeing the Domain?"

Maruzensky's expression turned serious.

Just two months ago, this girl had been a nobody in the local circuit. Now, she had grown physically strong without relying on overactivated True Blooming...

And she was already brushing against the edge of the strongest Uma Musume power—Domain.

In all her years, Maruzensky had never seen—or even heard—of anything like this.

Then, her gaze shifted sharply to the trainer below—the one she'd been keeping an eye on the entire time.

That boy seemed to sense something and stopped writing. He walked over to Fujimasa March and gently called out to her.

Whatever he said—March closed her eyes for a moment.

And when she opened them again—

The faint tracer-light that had been flickering in her pupils suddenly stabilized.

Then Kuroha ruffled her hair gently—like encouragement—and the glow intensified?!

...?

...???

What the hell just happened?!

Maruzensky's sunglasses nearly fell off in shock.

She herself had been born with Domain ability, so she never truly understood how difficult it was to awaken one.

But even if she hadn't experienced it firsthand, she'd seen it plenty.

Over the years, she had watched countless prodigious Uma Musume. Most of them—not only failed to awaken a Domain, but didn't even see the tracer glint March was displaying now.

The few rare ones who did glimpse it—usually under life-or-death race conditions—struggled to ever reach it again.

Even someone as monstrously talented as Symboli Rudolf had trouble entering Domain again after unlocking it during the Japan Derby.

But this Fujimasa March?

She was treating seeing a Domain like it was as easy as eating breakfast!

Like the Emperor, her trigger had been the overwhelming pressure of a formidable rival.

So what was Fujimasa March's Domain trigger?

Maruzensky stared as March leaned into Kuroha's hand, smiling with her eyes closed.

And fell into deep thought...

(End of Chapter)

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