Uma Musume: Why Do We, Horse Trainers, Still Have To Train Uma Musume? Chapter 55 55: Meisho Doto's True Personality?

"Don't wait until the final straight... why is that Trainer?"

A week ago, during isho Doto and Wada's discussion about what they should do against T.M. Opera O, isho Doto clearly rembered Wada emphasizing this step. It was even more crucial than getting ahead of T.M. Opera O at the start.

But isho Doto didn't understand. Wasn't the best ti to unleash her final spurt during the final straight? With such a good opportunity, why should she accelerate on a Corner, which would affect her sprint? Wouldn't that be a net loss?

"isho Doto, your final spurt's explosive power is excellent. It can be said that you and T.M. Opera O, whether in speed, preferred styles, or strategies, are very similar. Your running styles and preferred distances are nigh identical."

Wada, having noticed isho Doto's confusion, spoke calmly, "isho Doto, do you think your final spurt can produce a stronger acceleration compared to T.M. Opera O's final spurt?"

"...No."

isho Doto opened her mouth, wanting to confidently say she could do it. However, thinking back to the Yukinayanagi Sho, where T.M. Opera O, still unfamiliar with the Pace Chaser style, relied solely on a single final spurt to close the wide gap with the first-place Uma Musu, ultimately winning by a third of a length... she recognized her own limitations.

"isho Doto, although your final spurt has progressed to the point of surpassing jiro McQueen's during this period of targeted training. But compared to T.M. Opera O, who's best quality is her final spurt, we are still a step below her."

Seeing that isho Doto had understood this point, Wada was greatly relieved. His biggest fear was isho Doto being overconfident, believing her final spurt could contend with T.M. Opera O's, and then not following his instructions when on the track, thereby letting the small glimr of victory slip away.

Competing with T.M. Opera O in a battle of final spurts might be possible after her peak period wanes, but she is still currently in her ascendant phase, capable of achieving a new final spurt record at any mont. At such a ti, competing with T.M. Opera O in final spurt... would truly be an idiotic choice.

But there was simply no other way to win without competing in a battle of final spurts. Wada thought for a long ti before finally coming up with a feasible solution.

"isho Doto, you need to unleash your final spurt earlier than T.M. Opera O. Before she finds a suitable spot to accelerate, quickly establish a large enough lead. This way, even if T.M. Opera O's final spurt can catch up to you after a while, we still have a chance to win."

"We have no chance of winning by competing with T.M. Opera O in a battle final spurts. Instead, let's try to create a gap. isho Doto, as long as you can create a large enough gap within a limited ti, T.M. Opera O might not be able to catch you."

This was an incredibly crude thod. If isho Doto was a Runaway Uma Musu like Silence Suzuka, then Wada wouldn't have to worry about T.M. Opera O catching up. Unfortunately, Doto's best running style is almost the sa as T.M. Opera O's.

If one had to describe it, isho Doto was a lesser version of T.M. Opera O—of course, such words couldn't be said in front of isho Doto; it would make her cry instantly.

But now, if Wada wanted to use this lesser version to defeat the better version, he absolutely could not fairly compete with T.M. Opera O in her strengths; that would just lead to a guaranteed loss. So, it would be better to use a strategy similar to a Runaway in the middle of the race, creating as much distance as possible. T.M. Opera O's final spurt also has its limits. As long as the distance created is large enough, even T.M. Opera O would find it difficult to catch up.

"But where should I accelerate?" isho Doto, hearing this, understood Wada's tactics but still asked with so unease:

"I don't know where T.M. Opera O will accelerate at all. How can I know in advance where I should unleash my final spurt to quickly create a gap?"

"—I know."

However, suddenly, before isho Doto's murmur faded, Wada's extrely decisive words made isho Doto instinctively flinch, staring blankly at Wada in front of her.

And the next mont, isho Doto saw a confident smile on Wada's face that she had never seen before... "Trainer really did it! He correctly predicted T.M. Opera O's acceleration point. The gap between and T.M. Opera O is constantly widening!"

At this mont, isho Doto, having unleashed all her power, was making her final sprint without reservation, pushing against the wind pressure. She had already passed the last corner and was now leading all the Uma Musu in the final straight!

"What an unexpected sight! isho Doto has unleashed an astonishing final spurt and is leaving T.M. Opera O behind!"

"Can she maintain this speed all the way to the finish line? T.M. Opera O hasn't caught up in ti. Is she still waiting for the correct ti?"

"This is... unexpected." T.M. Opera O also didn't expect isho Doto to unleash her final spurt early, attempting to win by creating a large enough lead.

The explosive power of a final spurt also has its limits. If it's during the final straight, she could most likely sprint all the way to the finish line. But if she starts sprinting on the final corner, even she had to admit that maintaining her speed all the way to the finish line was impossible.

Therefore, T.M. Opera O always chose to unleash the power of her final spurt when she had covered about a quarter of the distance in the final straight. This allowed her to maximize the power of her final spurt, quickly close the gap, and ultimately win by a small margin—this was how T.M. Opera O had been winning her races.

Although Hana Toujou, as her Trainer, knew T.M. Opera O's tactics, on one hand, Hana Toujou wouldn't tell Wada T.M. Opera O's tactics. And on the other, even Hana Toujou herself didn't know where T.M. Opera O's acceleration point was.

A Trainer can only set tactics and determine running styles; timing, however, can only be grasped by the Uma Musu themselves. An Uma Musu's timing for when they accelerate is based from their own feelings, insights, or even a sudden instinct. No one other than the Uma Musu themselves could know where or when they would accelerate.

But now, this rule had just been broken.

"Wada... do you understand even better than I understand myself?" At this mont, a bitter smile appeared on T.M. Opera O's face. She suddenly felt a sense of powerlessness... this feeling of being read like an open book, with all her actions being completely predicted... But even so, T.M. Opera O only felt helpless, not angry. And soon, an inexplicable sense of pride and arrogance deep within her began to brew.

—But, as the Overlord, I WILL NOT GIVE UP VICTORY LIKE THIS!

T.M. Opera O suddenly opened her eyes wide. As she rounded the corner, all the muscles in her legs tensed, her gaze fixated on isho Doto in front, and, like a spring coiling and launching, she surged forward!

"T.M. OPERA O IS GOING FOR IT! SHE IS GOING IT! HER ACCELERATION IS UNBELIEVABLE! THE GAP BETWEEN HER AND ISHO DOTO IS QUICKLY CLOSING! THREE LENGTHS!"

"!"

The comntator's voice undoubtedly ignited the atmosphere of the entire stadium to its peak. isho Doto's heart also skipped a beat, but at this mont, her final spurt had reached its limit, and there was still a short distance to the finish line.

She felt tired, her entire body was feeling as if it was on fire, her legs and feet ached, and even breathing caused a sharp pain in her lungs... How could this be? It was an 1,800-ter turf race; she hadn't even struggled this much in the 2,000-ter mock race. Why did she feel so exhausted this ti?

However, despite this, she did not give up. She wanted to keep running!

"ISHO DOTO! DO YOU FEEL IT?! MY FULL POWER AS THE OVERLORD!"

Behind isho Doto, T.M. Opera O, who was quickly closing the distance, also shouted breathlessly, "Now— you, who block the path of the Overlord, FALL!"

As soon as T.M. Opera O's words fell, an unprecedented pressure surged towards isho Doto. This was T.M. Opera O's long-hidden final trump card—the Aura of the Overlord.

A few exceptionally talented Uma Musu naturally possess an Aura that makes other Uma Musu feel fear. This Aura, with continuous training, will steadily increase, thereby exerting imnse psychological pressure on other Uma Musu on the track. For example, Symboli Rudolf, the Emperor, Air Groove, the Empress, and Narita Brian, the Shadow Roll Monster. The Aura they emit naturally were enough to make other Uma Musu nervous, with their Auras on the track being even more oppressive. (T/N: It's literally just Conqueror's haki)

Of course, a few Uma Musu can also unleash Auras as powerful as them under special circumstances. T.M. Opera O knew that an Uma Musu called Orfevre had such potential but had simply not found a suitable training thod to unleash it.

T.M. Opera O also possessed this ability though it was still largely incomplete, and she would usually never use it. But now, for victory, to uphold her pride as the Overlord, she chose to use it. Because she knew this was also isho Doto's weakness. isho Doto was much braver on the track than in daily life, but if the pressure exceeded isho Doto's stress level, she would unintentionally reveal her timid nature.

It was the cause of her defeat back in the mock race. isho Doto should have won against jiro McQueen, but due to Tokai Teio's sudden intrusion, she panicked and dropped from first to third place. And now that T.M. Opera O had used her final trump card, it also indicated that T.M. Opera O was truly giving her all; she had no more moves left to employ.

Just as T.M. Opera O thought her Aura could affect isho Doto, she saw isho Doto in front involuntarily tremble. However, the next second, isho Doto gritted her teeth tightly, squeezing out aggressive words that shocked even T.M. Opera O.

"DON'T— GET IN MY FUCKING WAY!!!"

Accompanied by isho Doto's unprecedented roar, suddenly, the faint phantom around isho Doto, which had been slowly dissipating, beca even clearer. T.M. Opera O even heard a roar from that phantom, as if angrily venting its fury, glaring aggressively at T.M. Opera O.

At this mont, isho Doto's mind was instantly filled with many... inexplicable things.

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This literally just Blue Lock bro.

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