Dorm Room.
Seiun Sky sat curled up in front of her computer, scrolling through the updated training plan Minamizaka had sent over after the victory celebration for the Oka Sho.
Even before the Oka Sho, she'd been following Minamizaka's regimen for hill training, but the results hadn't been particularly dramatic. That was precisely why he'd gone back and refined the plan.
After reviewing the entire schedule, she tilted her head to glance at Barbatos, who was immersed in a League of Legends match, livestreaming as she played.
It felt just like last year.
Hmm. It had been two months since Barbatos's last stream—back in February, during the Chinese New Year.
With all the relentless training, League of Legends streaming had naturally fallen by the wayside.
Leaning back in her chair, Seiun Sky could clearly see Barbatos's focused expression reflected in her eyes. She was genuinely into it, radiating a real passion for the game.
If not for the desire to run, if she weren't an Uma Musume, perhaps Barbatos would have become a professional League of Legends player?
Who knows how much time passed—could have been ages.
On the monitor, the Nexus exploded. The word 'VICTORY' sprawled across nearly half the screen.
Barbatos let out a slow, relieved sigh. It had been so long since she'd played League; her mechanics had gotten rusty. Esports, after all, demanded constant practice to maintain peak competitive form.
But now, her competition was running. It was about winning the Spring Tenno Sho, winning the Triple Tiara, winning this year's Winter Dream Cup!
Her viewer count had dipped a bit due to the long hiatus, but she didn't mind. She knew what really mattered now.
"That's all for today's stream. Next time will be after each race."
"Thanks for the support, everyone. I'll do my best to win the Tenno Sho."
"May you all get top-tier teammates in your ranked games, and may your ten-pulls in Genshin be blessed with 5-stars!"
"See you later."
It was just past ten o'clock—barely the start of nightlife for most young people. But for Barbatos, who'd cultivated a strict routine and poured nearly all her energy into training, it was already time for bed.
She reached up, removed her headset, and stretched.
Today had been packed: the Oka Sho, the Winners' Stage, the victory party, and the League of Legends livestream. Even for an Uma Musume, it was tiring.
Just as she was closing the streaming software, the LINE icon on her computer flashed. A familiar profile picture popped up in the bottom-right corner.
"Did Tamamo Cross-senpai reply?" Seiun Sky asked, turning her head.
Minamizaka and the others might not have immediately guessed which Uma Musume could offer Barbatos advice, but Seiun Sky figured it out right away: it had to be Tamamo Cross.
They were on good terms, after all. And Tamamo Cross was the first Uma Musume in history to achieve consecutive spring and autumn Tenno Sho victories, once hailed as Japan's finest.
Even though Seiun Sky had faith in Barbatos's current abilities, whether she could beat Tamamo Cross in her prime was hard to say. Stat-wise, they were probably on the same level—it would come down to performance on race day.
"Yeah, we've set a time. Meeting tomorrow to talk about the Spring Tenno Sho."
Even though she believed she currently had an edge over Mejiro Bright, thorough preparation was still essential. That was the only way to keep winning.
If you stayed still while others kept improving, you'd eventually be left behind.
Besides the Spring Tenno Sho, there were two other reasons for seeking out Tamamo Cross.
One was to thank her for the training help before the Winter Dream Cup. The other was…
At that thought, Barbatos glanced at Seiun Sky.
It was almost mid-April now. April 26th wasn't just about the Spring Tenno Sho…
--+--
The next day.
The clash between two modern prodigies, Barbatos and El Condor Pasa, had concluded with the Oka Sho.
Though online discussions about the race were still heated, the top trending topics in the Uma Musume sphere had already shifted.
The classic-grade races, which typically drew even more attention than the Triple Tiara, were now being discussed more fervently.
The three-way rivalry between Seiun Sky, Special Week, and King Halo was about to unfold.
Similarly, Barbatos's entry into the Spring Tenno Sho was generating just as much buzz.
Even though Barbatos had never run a long-distance race before, and even though the second-favorite, Mejiro Bright, was riding a strong winning streak…
No one could quite imagine how Barbatos might lose.
When her opponents weren't contemporary prodigies or legendary Uma Musume, how could Barbatos possibly lose?
Even before the race began, most people online seemed convinced it was a foregone conclusion. The betting odds for a Barbatos victory were so low there was hardly any profit to be made.
Yet, both the three-way Satsuki Sho rivalry and Barbatos's Spring Tenno Sho campaign were overshadowed by one major headline:
The "Phantom Bird" El Condor Pasa would withdraw from the remaining Triple Tiara races and head overseas to challenge the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in France—the honor every Japanese Uma Musume dreamed of.
Victory there would crown her the world's best.
News from Team Rigil sparked intense debate.
Some were optimistic, others skeptical. Some believed El Condor Pasa was strong enough to win the Arc. Others wondered if Barbatos might have a better shot.
The fierce online debates didn't concern Barbatos.
At that moment, she was in a café, listening as Tamamo Cross shared insights and personal experience about what to expect in a long-distance race like the Spring Tenno Sho.
--+--
Elsewhere.
Her wavy hair damp with sweat, Mejiro Bright finished a training round and was catching her breath. Scrolling through her phone, the relentless 'Barbatos is unbeatable in the Spring Tenno Sho' chatter began to gnaw at her.
She pressed her lips together lightly.
That deep-seated hunger for victory, the pride of the Mejiro family, surged within her. She wanted to train harder, to absolutely defeat Barbatos in the Spring Tenno Sho.
"Bright…"
A voice, aged yet authoritative, sounded beside her.
Mejiro Bright stiffened, her turbulent emotions interrupted. She knew who it was the moment she heard it.
"Grandmother."
"I've seen the online talk. Don't let it affect you."
Mejiro Bright lowered her head in acknowledgment. "Yes."
She had indeed been shaken by those comments. If that carried into the race, it could disrupt her rhythm.
"Don't fixate on Barbatos. Remember the story of the Tortoise and the Hare I read to you when you were little?"
"Yes."
"Do you remember why the tortoise won in the end?"
"The hare was watching the tortoise, but the tortoise was focused on the finish line?"
"Exactly."
Apart from the 'Emperor' herself, no Uma Musume was invincible.
No matter how strong Barbatos was, she lacked experience and natural aptitude for the Spring Tenno Sho's distance. Stamina could be trained; distance aptitude was far harder to overcome.
Focusing on Barbatos would only throw off your own race pace.
"Grandmother, I understand. I will not lose!"
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.