The results of the Eclipse Stakes and the Saint-Cloud Grand Prix had, without question, filled Japanese racing fans with even more confidence.
This was real, undeniable proof of the strength of Japan's horse girls.
It was different from the kind of hope and dreams Silence Suzuka's brilliance had once inspired. Offside Trap's victories in the Coronation Cup and the Eclipse Stakes, and even Shenying's narrow loss in the Saint-Cloud Grand Prix, were all hard results earned on the very stages Japanese fans had always yearned for.
So even though Shenying had failed to win in the end, the fans still gave her extremely high praise. The horse girl who had beaten her was Shijiaji, one of the hottest names for this year's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, and one of the best-performing turf runners in the world at the moment.
If Offside Trap had already gone from being a powerful horse girl to a Demon King who now awaited challengers, then Shijiaji was undoubtedly the Hero France had chosen to oppose her.
And their first clash this year would come directly on the turf of Longchamp, in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe itself.
When Terizumi Shinji returned to Central Tracen Academy in Japan with Offside Trap, the jubilant atmosphere was already waiting for them.
Even the training grounds had grown noticeably more intense. Every horse girl was throwing herself wholly into training, hoping that one day she too could challenge the world's greatest stage, just like Offside Trap or Shenying had done.
"This is Offside Trap's influence," Tazuna said with a smile. "A lot of fans adore her so much now, they can't even express it properly anymore."
At that joking remark, Shinji only laughed lightly. It was Tōjō Hana, standing nearby, whose expression shifted more noticeably.
Still, Shinji could sense the congratulations hidden in Tazuna's tone, so when she turned her face slightly away, he answered in a quiet voice,
"There's more to come. These fans are in for a good time. They chose to believe in a horse girl who, as long as they sincerely and wholeheartedly place their hopes in her, will never let them down."
Tazuna only sighed and shook her head helplessly.
She was not trying to contradict him. She just felt, once again, that beneath Shinji's outward calm, his nature still carried a great deal of sharpness — even a streak of ruthlessness.
"So where are you planning to run next?" she asked. "I heard you left Offside Trap at Paris Tracen Academy."
"Yes. For now, it looks like Hana-neesan's method really is more efficient, whether for a horse girl's recovery or for improvement."
Tōjō Hana rolled her eyes.
Some faint dissatisfaction stirred in her heart. The way Shinji had phrased it almost sounded like he was implying that even with the more scientific and efficient approach, Shenying still had not been good enough.
Without noticing Hana's expression at all, Shinji exchanged a glance with Tazuna. A complicated look flashed briefly through her eyes before she continued,
"Are you forgetting something?"
"Did I?" Shinji scratched his head, only then realizing he had not actually answered her first question. "I haven't completely settled on it yet. At first I was thinking of going straight to the King George, but then I remembered what Kuro-numa told me before — people can't keep running at full power all the time."
"In the end, I'll probably choose a race with a lighter schedule."
Tazuna nodded in approval.
Of course, she had no idea what Offside Trap's condition was like now. What she did know was that the girl had suffered three separate tendon injuries in the past. Offside Trap was a horse girl who had been tormented by injury for years, so to Tazuna, more time for recovery, conditioning, and rest was probably more important than anything else.
At last they returned to that familiar lounge.
Narita Brian and Saint Halo were already inside.
Both girls knew Shinji would be coming back today, so the moment they saw him, clear delight appeared on both their faces.
Tōjō Hana glanced at Narita Brian, then looked away.
Once, that horse girl had been one of her proudest treasures. Now, she had nothing to do with her anymore.
"I'm leaving first."
"Right. See you, Hana-neesan."
As Shinji answered, Tazuna followed Hana out. Once only the trainer and his trainees remained in the room, the poised smile Saint Halo had been maintaining finally faded.
Shinji could tell she was unhappy.
He had not celebrated her Takarazuka Kinen victory properly, and afterward, the Eclipse Stakes interview had stirred up yet another huge wave. The system's prompts had long since told him enough — Saint Halo had obviously watched the broadcast and seen how bold Offside Trap had been.
At certain moments, Shinji had even caught a kind of restless eagerness in Saint Halo's eyes.
Narita Brian, meanwhile, lowered her head slightly and spoke in a softened voice.
"You'll be staying a little longer this time, won't you?"
Back when she had first approached him, Narita Brian had been proud.
The coldness in her voice, the bearing that had never been put on and yet still carried a quiet pressure — to anyone sensitive enough, she might even have seemed slightly aloof.
Now, hearing how much gentler her tone had become, Shinji pressed his lips together before answering.
"Yes. This time, I'm thinking of setting up a training camp. I'll use it to help both of you improve properly."
As he spoke, Shinji's gaze remained fixed on Narita Brian.
If there was no overseas campaign arranged for the second half of the year, then Narita Brian and Saint Halo would eventually meet each other on the track. That was exactly what Shinji did not want to see, and it was why he had started seriously reconsidering what Goodbye Halo had once told him.
Perhaps, after the Autumn Tenno Sho, Saint Halo really could be sent overseas, to begin preparing for a challenge at even greater honors.
As for Narita Brian, once Shinji had confirmed just how painfully slow her stat growth truly was, he had already settled on the Rune Bond he wanted to build for her.
Superstar.
A Rune Bond that could perfectly convert Narita Brian's popularity into power.
The only thing giving Shinji a headache was that Superstar's bond only activated under a 1/5 condition. That meant after buying Narita Brian one Superstar rune, he would need to save up emotion energy for a while longer, so that once the time came, he could buy all the Superstar runes at once in a single burst.
"A training camp?"
Both girls' eyes lit up at the same time.
They genuinely liked the feeling of a training camp. It did not matter if there were fewer people.
"Yes. So..." Shinji glanced out the window. The sunlight outside was bright and warm, soft enough to make anyone feel at ease.
"Go prepare your luggage today. We're leaving tomorrow."
join here to read ahead.
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 178)
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 210)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League ( 126 )
TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter110)
Yu-Gi-Oh! — Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl 285
"Is this chat group even serious?" (Completed)
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (Completed)
Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 77
From Kiana, Lord Ravager, Onwa (Completed)
Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 240
From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass Volume2/20
Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 305
Zenless Zone Zero, but Kamen R 76
Multiverse Crossover: The Perf 66
My Cyberpsycho Girlfriend 65
Uma Musume: The Dark Trainer (Completed.)
Uma Musume: A Calamity Born fr 154
I, a Reincarnation-Loop Player Volume5/8
The Violent Girl Group Is Beat 135
Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 67
Uma Musume: From Beginner 160
Becoming a Horse Girl, I Will 85
Uma Musume: I Want All 120
I Can Copy Unique Skills 125
Summoning an Evil God, but the 75
Supernatural Multiverse 180
My Harem Is Indescribable 110
Jujutsu Kaisen: Heroic Spirit 115
Uma Musume: Today Is Another Romantic Battlefield 120
Still playing traditional Honk 105
The Most Filial Son Under Heav 120
What Should I Do After Switchi 70
Reincarnated as a Demon, Skill 80
Hell-Difficulty Dungeon? 55
Transmigrated as Sukuna 140
Checking In in Demon Slayer 100
The Reincarnating Trainer of Tracen Academy 115
I Refuse to Become a Heroic 95
My Best Friend Into a Slime? 90
A Saiyan Stands Above Marvel (Completed)
What Do You Mean by Using a Lab Mod to Be the Hero? 95
Tanya Starts from Re:Zero 90
Why did they assign me to Uma 95
MYGO Beauties 80
DanMachi: Emiya the Giant Hero 100
The Gacha Merchant Who Started 135
Honkai's Otherworld? Wait—Who Are You People?! 150
Emiya Shirou, Determined to Slay Every Curse and Evil Spirit 70
The Uma Musume Who Became 75
I'm Definitely Not the King of 130
After Maxing Out Every Class 135
Honkai: World Modulation Mode 120
I, the Elden Sword Saint 70
Dio Brando Is Challenging FGO 65
No One Knows Pokémon Better 65
I, Sakazuki, Won't Go Down Tha 69
From Trilobites to Titans 65
Chainsaw Man: Contracted with 105
DanMachi: My Party Members Are 120
An Anime Heroine Darkened 60
Yu-Gi-Oh!: Duel Links 80
Honkai: The Fire Devil 115
Honkai Transformation Cards Volume2/70
Age of Heroes, I'm Just a Back 85
Uma Musume Has No Weird Fan Le 80
At age 8, she co-starred with 80
Honkai: Schicksal Media 81
An Extremist in a Slice-of-Lif 70
Chainsaw Man, but I'm Aatrox 60
Honkai Apocrypha: Are the Valk 60
An Extremist in a Slice-of-Lif 45
Morgan Shirou's Journey in Dan 43
DanMachi: Get to Work, Dimensi 70
Honkai: Star Rail—Kiana Cried! 36
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