Pict on the other side
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"Grass Wonder." At a certain training ground, Tojo Hana called out to the training Grass Wonder.
Grass Wonder stopped and looked back, her breathing still elevated from the exercise. She recognized Tojo Hana immediately, Team Rigil's trainer. They'd never spoken before.
What's this about? Recruiting me?
She dismissed the thought just as quickly. She didn't think herself particularly outstanding.
What would make Rigil Team notice me?
She'd fantasized about that all-star team. Originally before the practice race, she'd thought if she won, she'd try out for their test.
Looks like she'd overthought it. She still wasn't qualified enough.
"Come here for a moment." Tojo Hana beckoned to her.
Grass Wonder jogged over, wiping sweat from her brow. She calmed her breathing and said respectfully, "May I ask what this is about?"
"Why didn't you participate in today's test?"
First-rate trainers all had the right to apply to the Tracen Academy and hold the test for their team. Because they were first-rate, naturally many horse girls would sign up, hoping to soar to the heavens.
This was the difference between first-rate and rookies. When first-rate trainers wanted to recruit horse girls, horse girls lined up wanting to enter. Rookies had to grovel and beg. The circumstances were completely different.
Today was Rigil's Team test. But Grass Wonder hadn't participated.
"Hm?" Grass Wonder glanced at Tojo Hana, then lowered her head, her ears dipping. That Tojo Hana would personally visit, honestly, she was happy. It meant her abilities had received Rigil's Team recognition.
"I'm sorry Trainer-san. I haven't planned to choose a trainer right now. Please allow me to..."
"Why? Don't you want to get on the racetrack?" Tojo Hana cut in, as if knowing what she was going to say next.
She'd heard Grass Wonder didn't want to find a trainer after she lost. Originally she didn't believe it, but after the test ended without Grass Wonder showing up, she believed it completely.
Such a good opportunity to join the team, yet she didn't come. This meant she really had no intention of finding a trainer rightnow.
Grass Wonder felt somewhat flattered, but still said, "Um, I'm sorry. This should be my personal reason. I've also been thinking what a happy thing it would be to enter such a all-star team."
She paused. "But I can't. At least not now. I can't enter such a all-star team as a loser, it's my pride as horse-girl...."
Tojo Hana frowned. She didn't expect Grass Wonder's reason for not participating was actually stubborn pride.
"Just because you lost one race?"
"That's right."
"You can't accept a single failure?"
"No, it's not that I can't accept this failure. I just can't accept myself who lost but still accepts the invitation from all-star team." Grass Wonder's heart was conflicted, but this was her principle.
No matter what, she couldn't acknowledge that failure. Lost the race? Lost is lost. Turn unwillingness into motivation and win it back.
But if she accepted the invitation, wouldn't that mean she was willing to accept defeat?
First place wasn't important? No, to her it was everything.
Just because she lost one race, she wouldn't accept invitement?
Tojo Hana still couldn't understand this pride of Grass Wonder. She continued, "That was just a simulation race."
"To me, every race is the same." Grass Wonder's voice carried quiet conviction. "If you really want to recruit me, I can only say I'm sorry... Not now. Please wait until I can accept myself... I want to enter All-star team like Rigil as a victor not a loser..."
"No need. If you refuse today, there won't be another chance in the future." Tojo Hana waved her hand dismissively, already turning to leave.
"You think you can just come whenever you feel like it? What kind of place do you think Team Rigil is?
"Oh! Is that so?" Grass Wonder's hand stopped in mid-air, then dropped powerlessly to her side.
If she refused, she'd never have another chance in the future... That's right. No matter who it was, some trainers couldn't possibly accept such stubbornness horse girl.
Refuse such a perfect team? Or continue adhering to her principles?
Principles were important. The future was important. Was she really being too willful? Immature like a child.
Tojo Hana could see she was hesitating, conflict written across her face. "Give me an answer tomorrow. If you're coming, tomorrow morning at 8 AM, report to Team Rigil's training grounds."
After Tojo Hana left, Grass Wonder fell into conflicted contemplation, standing alone on the field.
Evening
After many attempts and training sessions, after repeating the motion until her body moved on instinct, Silence Suzuka awakened a skill, Deep Breath (Normal/Blue)
Deep Breath (Normal/Blue)
Upon entering the straight, will take a breath, becoming slightly less prone to fatigue.
On Silence Suzuka's data panel, a blue Deep Breath skill appeared.
"As expected. Every one of these skills has a specific condition for awakening." Hayato pinched his chin, deep in thought.
The awakening condition for this Deep Breath was: Take a deep breath when entering the straight during race.
After training, Silence Suzuka was now familiar with race. Deep Breath had become an automatically activating state. As long as it was long-race and she entered the straight, it could activate.
If she took a deep breath entering a turn, could it awaken a different skill?
Blue skills were all stamina and endurance recovery skills.
Silence Suzuka wasn't particularly strong at stamina management for long-race, so Hayato had no intention of piling on blue recovery skills. Rather than forcing stamina skill, it made more sense to stack speed instead. For the escape runners beginner, speed was what they lacked the most.
Like he'd said before, as long as horse girl speed completely crushed your opponents, no need to conserve stamina.
So later, he'd try to teach Silence Suzuka skills that increased speed. This skill was just the easiest one to awaken. He just wanted to test if the theory worked.
"Alright, that's it for today. Continue tomorrow."
Silence Suzuka jogged to Hayato's front, still gasping. "Trainer, I feel like I can continue. I can still..."
Hayato raised his hand to interrupt her. "No need. You've already mastered this skill now. Continuing won't have much effect. Better to rest more. Tomorrow there's new training content..."
Halfway through speaking, he looked at Silence Suzuka and paused. "Don't stay up late at night. Staying up late will affect tomorrow's training."
Originally Silence Suzuka wanted to insist, but seeing Hayato's serious expression, she gently nodded. "Yeah, I understand."
After Silence Suzuka left, her footsteps fading down the path, Hayato started jogging.
Adding 1 attribute point daily was pretty good. He'd gotten used to night running. His physical fitness had improved enough that running for an hour wasn't too tiring anymore.
At a certain training ground, Hayato encountered Grass Wonder looking up at the darkening sky and walked over to greet her. "Grass Wonder? Good evening."
Seeing Hayato, Grass Wonder smiled with narrowed eyes. "Oh my, it's you? Hello! Is something the matter?"
Among many trainers, Hayato was the one she remembered most clearly. That day when Hayato angrily confronted numerous veteran trainers was still vivid in her memory.