Uma Musume: Why Do We, Horse Trainers, Still Have To Train Uma Musume? Chapter 116 116: The 1200-meter Showdown, A Runaway Style?

"But facts are facts: she hasn't perford that well in her last two races, especially that tenth-place placent in her previous race. An appropriate analogy for her is like a girl that peaked during middle school. So why are you this fixated on her, Sky?"

Mr. C.B. also found it a bit peculiar. Though Seiun Sky used to be quite arrogant and lazy, she had improved sowhat after becoming her disciple, especially in the personality departnt and how she conducted herself.

Seiun Sky's talent among her generation could only be considered upper-middle class. However, she possessed a natural desire for "freedom" that was very similar to her own, which was why Mr. C.B. chose Seiun Sky as her personal disciple, hoping that she might be able to achieve her unfulfilled dream of beating the "Symboli Rudolf" of this era.

However, at least across the Uma Musu she had seen so far, Mr. C.B. had not sensed the presence of the "Symboli Rudolf" of this era. Though, there was T.M. Opera O, who had already won two of the Classic Triple Crowns, whom she hadn't t in person yet due to ti constraints. Plus, her "Overlord" nickna was quite similar to Rudolf's "Emperor" title.

Even just through watching T.M. Opera O's races during her spare ti, Mr. C.B. did acknowledge that T.M. Opera O was likely a candidate for being a "Symboli Rudolf." However, she already had her "challengers" of this era, plus there was a whole year separating them, which severely limited their chances of racing against each other. Therefore, that "Overlord" is disqualified from being the person Seiun Sky would challenge. And by the ti Seiun Sky reaches her peak, T.M. Opera O's peak period would've most likely passed by then, and even if Seiun won against her, it wouldn't be a fair victory.

A true battle, a true revenge match, should be when both parties are at their peak strength, to achieve a dignified, complete, and undeniable victory! At least, this was Mr. C.B.'s belief, and it was also why, even if she and Symboli Rudolf were to et, they would still get along well despite their rivalry still being present. She had lost against Symboli Rudolf fair and square. Both she and Symboli Rudolf had clashed at their peaks. She was simply not as skilled or powerful as her, and there was nothing more to say about it.

But having said all that, in reality, although Seiun Sky had improved her ntality a lot, she still possessed so arrogance. From what Mr. C.B. had understood of her disciple, she usually would've targeted soone like Tokai Teio—a rising star at Tracen Academy who was already showing great promise despite not debuting yet. Logically, Seiun Sky should not be interested in so diocre Uma Musu, let alone one that ran in sprint races, which she had no aptitude for. Why would she so insistently co to watch this Orfevre girl race? Just because she lost to her that one ti? Mr. C.B. didn't think that Seiun Sky would be a narrow-minded person.

"N-no! It's just that she didn't feel like winning in those previous two races! She didn't even let out a sliver of that Aura she showed during our Debut Race!" (T/N: Sky is Orfevre's biggest glazer)

This ti, Seiun Sky absolutely trusted her judgnt. Her eyes sparkled as she stared at the currently trying-not-to-fall-asleep Orfevre, completely unconcerned by her seemingly bad condition. Because what she felt from Orfevre was an Aura, the sa Aura she experienced during her Debut Race—an Aura befitting that of a tyrant! Seiun Sky was now completely sure that Orfevre was going to do sothing big this race; she was also definitely stronger than she was during her Debut Race!

"Hurry up, Orfevre, let see your strength now! You're definitely going to surprise everyone!"

As Seiun Sky excitedly talked about Orfevre to the point of gushing over her, she didn't notice Mr. C.B.'s increasingly strange gaze towards her… Was her disciple perhaps in love with Orfevre? Or, after that Debut Race, had this disciple awakened sothing within her because Orfevre scared her that badly?

..."The Uma Musu have begun to enter their respective gates! Now, only the first-favorite Curren Chan and the seventh-favorite Orfevre have yet to enter. It seems that they're having a pre-race chat."

"Hehe, Orfevre, looks like this will be our first ti competing against each other. Are you nervous?" Curren Chan showed her usual smile and approached Orfevre while also passive-aggressively talking to her as if she were concerned about her physical condition: "Can you even walk like this? You seem to be in quite bad shape, huh, Orfevre?"

"...I'm fine."

Despite Orfevre's denial, her slightly hoarse voice clearly indicated that she was, in fact, not fine. She was indeed no longer sick, but it hadn't been long, and she was still in a weakened state because of it. Yet she still stubbornly ca to participate in this race—a race that, now that the misunderstanding between her and Curren Chan had been resolved, held no particular aning.

But Orfevre still wanted to race. She wasn't simply being her usual idiotic self; what she wanted to do was to prove herself in this race. Though her consciousness was very erratic right now, she had never felt an urge to race this strong before. She could feel that anxious sensation within her, a feeling very similar to what she felt during her Debut Race.

"I won't go easy on you this ti, Curren Chan."

"Hehe, what a declaration! That reassures a lot~"

However, Curren Chan narrowed her eyes slightly at her words and suddenly unleashed her Aura in response, which she had only ever shown to Orfevre. Although she had only released it for a brief mont, it was enough to make all the Uma Musu present start unconsciously trembling. They all felt a sense of unease wash over them, as if they had encountered a natural predator.

Upon feeling this Aura, Orfevre also instantly perked up. However, instead of trembling in fear like before, she rely frowned slightly and her pupils constricted a few tis, creating a truly demonic expression on her face.

"But Curren Chan won't hand over victory just because you're still weak~" Curren Chan's eyes also emitted a dangerous glint. Although she quickly reined in her Aura, that small amount of Aura still stimulated Orfevre's nerves. "Curren Chan is determined to win this ti. If you want to win, you'll have to go all out to beat Curren Chan."

With that, Curren Chan returned to her usual state and once again displayed her usual smile, as if nothing had happened, saying to Orfevre: "Then I will be going ahead. See you at the finish line, Orfevre~"

Curren Chan waved her hand and turned to leave. However, behind Curren Chan, Orfevre's frown remained as she pulled down her mask slightly, saying faintly:

"Provocation, huh? Did you really think so dumb that I wouldn't see you're deliberately provoking ? I might have fallen for it the first ti, but do you think I'd fall for it a second ti?"

Orfevre was indeed a bit dumb, and a bit stubborn too, but she wasn't a complete idiot. After she was convinced that Curren Chan didn't really harbor such great malice towards her, she had co to understand the reasons behind Curren Chan's actions. Curren Chan was simply helping her in a roundabout way, as this kind of provocation was way more effective at empowering Orfevre than gentle praise.

Orfevre also admitted that if she got angry, she would be able to release her potential, just like her current state. The more her rationality evaporated, the more she could release that ever-elusive potential of hers. But that wasn't a reason for others to treat her like a kid who didn't know better. She just perford better when enraged; she wasn't a Spartan warrior who only knew how to unleash Spartan Rage!

"Although I know she didn't an it... her provocation still really annoys ..."

"This ti, even if Ikezoe scolds , I'll show you... I'm not the kind of Uma Musu you can easily manipulate."

Orfevre muttered to herself, and at that mont, soone suddenly placed a hand on her back. It was a female staff mber behind her, seeing that Orfevre hadn't entered the gate after a long ti, who assud she was having trouble and began to guide her into her gate.

"Miss, please cooperate."

"Hmph—I'll go in myself, don't touch ."

Orfevre snorted coldly, not-so-gently telling the staff mber to let go before entering the gate by herself. She assud her running posture, recalling the key points of the race in her mind: 1200 ters, turf, sunny weather.

So that ant... all she needed to do was run as hard as she could all the way to the end!

"Clang!"

"And they're off! As expected of a 1200-ter race, these sprint Uma Musu all had perfect starts and already displayed good speed from the beginning."

"Oh! This is unexpected. It seems like Orfevre isn't employing her usual Pace Chaser strategy, but rather a Runaway strategy?! Does this 1200-ter distance pose no difficulty for her at all?"

----- -----

Curren Chan: Why I manipulate others and have no morals.

----- -----

If you spot any errors, feel free to comnt about it and I will fix it as soon as I can.