Uma Musume: Become a Legendary Trainer

Chapter 234 Emperor (5k)

There is a saying that to see a person's level, you have to look at who his or her opponent is. This also applies to Uma Musume.

The Yayoi Award, Satsuki Award, Japan Derby, Chrysanthemum Award, Emperor's Spring Viewing, Arima Kinen, and Takarazuka Kinen are all, without exception, the most classic and prestigious events since the founding of the Japan URA Association.

Even after the introduction of the system of international competitions, their status has not changed substantially.

There are quite a few horse girls who are talented and strong enough every year, but the number of contestants who can truly step onto these lucrative prizes can only be described as one in a hundred.

Bizenjin with 4 wins out of 4 games.

A bell-raising Mach with excellent leading ability.

The golden road for the contemporary long-distance masters.

The Sakura triumphs with outstanding performance in the middle and long distances.

Representative Qian Ming, winner of the classic triple crown.

The second triple crown winner in history and Shinzan's most outstanding junior, Miura Shinzan.

The much-anticipated bell parade of middle distance events.

If it were a different generation, they would definitely be able to leave their names on the list of more G1 championships.

But unfortunately, the era they lived in was called "Ludo Symbolism".

Defeated Bizen Nishiki consecutively in the Yayoi Sho and Satsuki Sho.

In the Japanese derby, he broke out of the encirclement and surpassed the leading Bell Mach.

He was crowned after Chrysanthemum Appreciation, 3/4 length ahead of Golden Road.

He repeatedly defeated Qianming representative in the Triple Crown Showdown.

The Sakura Laurel was awarded the 5th, 3rd and 2nd place.

The saying "Japan's Miura Shinsan lost to the world's Ludo symbol" was coined.

Among her peers, besides herself, Bell Parade was the only horse girl to win the G1 Takarazuka Kinen.

This is the generation called "Rudra Symbol".

He is so powerful that he has made absoluteness appear in the world of horse girls where there is no absoluteness. The dominance of Ludo in his generation is absolutely worthy of the name of "Emperor".

Rather than calling his opponent a strong foe, the actual result proved that the term "victim" was more appropriate this time.

Such a legend, even if she has moved from the shining throne to the position of the head of the Central Tresen Student Union, when she steps onto the field again, no matter what kind of field it is, she will tell everyone what the pinnacle of horse racing girls is.

"She is coming!"

"With the same terrifying power as the one who crowned her glory in the past... here she comes!"

"I'm chasing you, chasing you, chasing you!"

"The Ludo symbol is chasing us!"

"The Ludo symbol is chasing us!"

"The Ludo symbol is chasing us!"

This time, Kitahara finally understood why the commentator's excited words became so incoherent in many exciting and classic matches.

Even though it could be summed up in just one sentence, they kept repeating it over and over again, as if their professional qualities and exquisite rhetoric skills were of no use at that moment.

Because, it is indeed useless.

No amount of accomplishment or skill could express the emotions and thoughts at that moment. He clung to the side door of the helicopter without regard for his safety, forgetting that the whistling wind at high altitude would affect the sound of the microphone.

Kitahara just wanted to emphasize everything he saw in people's ears like a roar, so that they would not regretfully miss out on all the wonderful things on the track.

"Before the race reached the last section, the first runners chose to sprint forward. With the support of their legendary strength, they rushed to the finish line in the blink of an eye."

"Right now, right now!"

"The Ludor symbol that was originally at the end has caught up!"

“She surpassed all the competitors in front of her in one go and took the first place almost instantly!”

"What a terrifying leg strength! Is this the true strength of the 'Emperor'?!"

"but!"

"The Katsuragi ace and Chiaki representative on the outside are also starting to chase!"

"Two former rivals are also hot on our trail!"

"This is totally different from the speed and spectacle of a relay race. The unforgettable battle in Zhongshan is happening on this strange track at that moment, as if it were a parallel plane!"

"but!"

"The Ludor symbol is still in the lead!"

"The Ludor symbol is still in the lead!"

"Like an emperor who won't allow anyone to sleep soundly beside his bed, and who will never give up the throne once he wins it, Luduo is still in the lead!"

"Cheers! Cheers! All the audience are cheering!"

"For the figure galloping on the field in their hearts, thousands of spectators from all over Japan gathered on this summer beach. They may have shouted different names before, but at this moment, there is only one name in their cheers..."

"Rudo symbol!"

"They witnessed the absolute power of the emperor on the track, and shouted the name that symbolizes the highest level of the Japanese horse racing girls, playing the only concerto at the moment with their cheers!"

"It's like a vision, a large red flower set against a backdrop of military green, at this moment..."

“Blooming again!”

There was no further explanation. The hoarse commentary seemed to have exhausted all of Kitahara's energy. He did not continue to explain the order of crossing the finish line of the first leg.

However, both he himself, the audience present, and all the people outside the stadium who were paying attention to the event were very clear about the result.

Ludo symbolizes being the first to cross the finish line.

Even though she had some unknown struggles, she finally chose to give her all in this game.

The power that once ruled everything has not faded with the passage of time, but instead seems to have become stronger because of its sedimentation.

Her final sprint was as terrifying and unmatched as it was back then. In an instant, she defeated all the opponents she had defeated before, as well as her predecessors and successors.

Not only that, after crossing the finish line of the first leg, she still maintained her leading position, but her right hand, which had been waving evenly before, stretched straight forward.

The audience in the stadium was still immersed in the power of the final kick that had just crushed the enemy, and the name of "Symbol of Ludo" was still echoing in the open-air audience seats on the edge of the Nagoya seaside.

They were obviously misled by the intense and exciting game and completely forgot the essence of the game.

Even Kitahara, who reminded himself from time to time, neglected the important step of changing tracks in the relay race due to lack of oxygen in his brain.

Fortunately, he was not the only one responsible for the commentary.

"Be careful! The high speed of the first runner will be a big challenge for the second runner."

Like a child who has seen a fun toy, Akikawa Yayoi, like Kitahara just now, put on a headset and pressed her body against the driver's seat window.

At this moment, she was waving a fan and speaking loudly into the microphone in a shrill voice:

"The current order of crossing the finish line is Ludo's symbol, Chiaki's representative, and Katsuragi's ace. Maruzenski, who had shown a pressing posture earlier, and Mejiro Takamine, who only exerted his strength at the end, are at the end."

"But! But but!"

"With a handover distance of only 20 meters, the top three runners' sprinting speed was obviously too fast. It would be difficult for the younger runners to have the same speed as them."

“So, even though the outcome of the first leg has been decided, the entire game may have just begun!”

Yayoi Akikawa has been trying very hard to improve her voice, but her baby-like voice makes it less penetrating than it should be.

The cheers coming from below were still lingering on the exciting game just now. The scene that they had imagined countless times in their dreams was actually witnessed again with their own eyes, and the excitement generated by it was by no means something that could be quelled in a short time.

The audience's attention has not yet shifted to the next stage of the competition.

Fortunately, Kitahara, who was also a "temporary" commentator, reacted quickly.

He even felt that Akikawa Yayoi's words were hinting at him to adjust his mindset as soon as possible.

Regardless of whether this is the idea or not, he must immediately cheer up, confirm the game situation and complete the corresponding commentary.

"The handover in a relay race requires a very high level of skill, especially the high-level baton passing technique, which must be completed at a relatively high running speed."

In order to give his brain some buffer time, Kitahara concentrated his attention on the track conditions and explained some of the basics that he had mastered as a professional without hesitation.

"The 20-meter relay zone is limited in distance, so the shorter the time to complete the relay, the better."

"And in order to get off to a quicker start, the next runner is often 15 to 17 meters from the relay zone, which is actually only 3 to 5 meters away."

"This requires both the speed and tacit understanding of both parties to reach an extremely high level!"

If it was a human competition, Kitahara could add a few more explanations.

Even for the strongest human race walker, it takes more than 20 seconds to cover a distance of 2 meters at full speed, and the slowdown and handover in a relay race will add further time.

But for Uma Musume, a distance of 20 meters will definitely take less than 2 seconds, and including the handover it will only take about 2 seconds.

He had no time to continue explaining as the handover on the runway had already begun.

"The first to complete the handover... is Maruzenski!"

He quickly turned his thoughts to the actual situation on the field.

“Compared to his opponent, who adjusted his speed earlier, Maruzenski seemed to have a better grasp of the rhythm of the game.”

"After crossing the first runner's finish line, she didn't slow down at all and rushed directly towards the next runner."

"And the next player on her team..."

"It's the little chestnut hat!"

"She was able to keep up with the senior's speed, and she did it!" "At a distance of about 15 meters, she completed the starting position the moment she saw Maruzen-senpai, and started at the right time."

"It was very good. She completed the speed increase in a very short time, which was not a problem for her with her excellent explosive power."

"This way, she has a speed that is almost the same as her predecessors, and the handover was completed very smoothly!"

Perhaps it is because Oguruma's popularity has reached an extremely high peak, or perhaps it is because Kitahara's voice is more penetrating than Akigawa Yayoi's.

In short, the audience who originally cheered the name of "Rudo Symbol" gradually began to shout the name of "Little Chestnut Hat".

Gradually, they came to realize that what was being held was not a classic event like the Arima Memorial, but a dreamlike competition that seemed to fulfill a wish.

During this gap, Beiyuan had quickly explained the handover situation.

"The player who completed the handover right after Maruzenski's team was Mejiro Mineko!"

"The next player on this team, Tamamo Cross, is as strong as Oguruma. Even though her senior, Guma, is more experienced, she has an advantage that the latter cannot match."

"Her handover looked even better than the other teams!"

"Then there will be the team represented by Rudo, the team represented by Chiaki, and the team represented by Katsuragi Ace."

"It's not that there's any problem with the strength of the three leading batsmen."

"Perhaps it's just the opposite. It's precisely because they are too strong that the next generation has less time to prepare!"

“Mejiro Altan, Inari Ichi and Super Kobayashi are also excellent players and have all performed well in major tournaments.”

“But facing seniors with more experience, skills and abilities, they spent more time and physical strength to synchronize their speed.”

"This is when the Luduo players slowed down significantly."

Before the handover process was finished, the horse racing ladies in the second leg had already rushed out of the 20-meter handover section.

This position is still too short for Uma Musume, it is almost fleeting, and it is impossible to complete the commentary in this moment.

Fortunately, the start of the second stage was different from the first, and the players in this part did not have any "revenge mentality".

At least not yet.

Therefore, their speed was relatively "slow", which also gave Kitahara enough time to complete the introduction of the starting sequence.

As the opening commentary continued, the cheers from the audience below gradually turned into a new round of cheering.

Kitahara could also take the opportunity to introduce the situation in the prologue.

"Well, now that all the stages have been handed over, the leaders are Oguruma and Tamamo Cross."

“Perhaps they will adjust their positions according to the needs of the game and tactical arrangements, but their positions are very close and there is no obvious lead.”

"Following closely behind are the Mejiro Altan and Super Cove."

“Compared to the two leading opponents, they have a certain degree of adaptability to leading, but taking the lead is what they are best at.”

“This location is perfect for them.”

"I don't know if it's because of the influence of our senior, Representative Chiaki, but Inari seems to be very relaxed."

"She was not far behind when she came out of the handover range, but now she is at the end of the pack and it looks like she is not trying her best."

"But chasing from behind is her best running style. I think this position is more conducive to her playing to her strengths."

"So what kind of competition will unfold in this 3000-meter stage on sand? Let's wait and see."

Having said that, Kitahara exchanged a helpless look with Akikawa Yayoi beside him, signaling the chairman to speak up for him for a while.

There was no way. The scene of Luduo symbolically crossing the finish line was still lingering in his mind, and the soreness in his throat caused by shouting at the top of his lungs was still lingering.

He doubted whether the commentators all had iron voices, otherwise how could they shout so many times and still be able to continue shouting next time.

But regardless, he felt he needed a break.

It's not just him who needs a rest, there are also the five horse racing girls jogging on the track below.

Bathed in the cheers and gazes of the audience on both sides, like an emperor who has finished his declaration at a grand ceremony and is leaving for inspection, Ludo symbolically ran slowly along the edge where the road and the beach meet, smiling and waving his hand gently.

"Ah-ah...ah! I lost to you again, ah ah ah-Ludo..."

Behind her, there came a drawn-out voice of resentment and unwillingness.

Without looking back, Rudo Symbol knew that it was Katsuragi's trump card.

He could even imagine that his good friend and rival had a pair of long black ears folded in the opposite direction and stuck tightly to his head.

Then he put his hands in his trouser pockets, pursed his lips, tilted his head, and swayed from side to side, kicking the stones on the roadside.

Just like a kid who loses an arcade game to his friends.

It was just like the moment after the Arima Kinen that year, when I passed her at the finish line and looked back at her from behind the finish line.

"…I say, although this isn't a formal competition, you should still take the 'cooling down' phase after strenuous exercise seriously, Katsuragi."

Still maintaining a polite yet dignified attitude, while waving to the audience on both sides, Lu Duo tilted his head slightly and said helplessly:
"What's that position?"

"If you don't jog properly, your muscles will be sore and your legs and feet will be numb tomorrow. Don't blame me for not reminding you."

"The 'cooling down' phase..."

"Hey, hey, it can speed up blood circulation, bring nutrients, remove waste, reduce discomfort, and prevent injuries. It's very important, right, squad leader?"

With a tone of indifference, he even brought out the title that Luduo used to symbolize in the class. The attitude of Katsuragi's ace seemed to be not about the former's words, but his body was very honest.

She started jogging, pursing her lips and humming:
"Really? It's exactly the same as it was back then..."

"I mean, whether it's in competition or in the academy."

"How can it be the same?"

Subconsciously, just like the "problematic horse racing girl" in the education class, Luduo couldn't help but correct her, "After all, this is not a formal competition..."

Before he could even utter the word "Sai", he was interrupted.

"He showed his domain-level strength at the start, and his finish line was no different from the previous year. Lu Duo, you really have the nerve to say that this is not a formal competition."

While speaking teasingly, Representative Qian Ming had already run to the side of the symbol of Luduo.

“But that’s what makes it fun.”

"At first I thought you really had to try your best, otherwise it would be boring."

"As a result, I almost caught up with Katsuragi-chan, but you still hadn't arrived. I thought you didn't plan to play this game together."

"Fortunately, fortunately, you finally rushed up."

"Well, although it's frustrating to lose to you again, I'm satisfied to run like this again."

"Oh, if I'm not mistaken, there should be many opportunities like this in the future, right?"

"Then I'm looking forward to it. After all, even though I've never beaten you before, who knows, maybe I'll win sometime in the future?"

Gradually revealing a carefree smile, Qianming representative casually poked the arm of Rudo's symbol with his elbow.

When his running method in this race was revealed, Luduo blushed slightly.

She was still a little embarrassed.

At the beginning, she did not intend to use her full strength.

It's not that she doesn't want to respect her past and present opponents and long-time friends. She is just worried that if she goes all out, the next kid might not be able to keep up with the pace.

In the pre-match training, she specially trained with the team for this purpose and was aware of the difference between the rhythm in the plan and her performance.

This was equivalent to going back on one's word, and in front of the younger generation. That's what she thought.

Although she didn't tell anyone about this idea, she always strictly required herself to avoid going back on her word and breaking her promise.

She felt a little embarrassed when no one exposed her, but now that it was said to her face, even though she knew no one knew what she was thinking, she couldn't help blushing.

She was never willing to make excuses, so she fell into silence, feeling a little overwhelmed.

But as if seeing through her embarrassment, a voice casually changed the subject.

"From this perspective, it seems that the handover between Gao Feng and I was smoother."

Smiling easily, looking at the Mejiro Peak beside him, Maruzenski nodded his chin while jogging.

"Hmm...how should I put it?"

“It’s a bit regrettable that I didn’t follow the pace of the official game, but it seems that I have always been associated with regrets.”

"But I kept that pace, which seemed to be beneficial to the overall victory."

"And if the next baton is Xiaolimao, I think she will not let my efforts go to waste."

"Gao Feng, don't you agree?"

“This kind of thing…”

Mejiro Kogen's speed gradually slowed down. Not only her, but the other horse girls also gradually felt their physical condition improve and slowed down a bit.

"Actually, compared to that kind of thing, I would rather take a bath and take good care of my tail."

As if she didn't care about the game at all, she frowned slightly, pulled the ponytail behind her with an amused expression, and stroked the wet roots.

"I really don't want to lose, but since I've tried my best, there's nothing much to say."

"And on the other hand, Maruzen, your handover and my handover are both good..."

"My two sisters in Luduo's team will face great challenges next, right?"

“But I believe in them.”

"So, you guys wanna go take a bath together and do a set of tail treatments, it's my treat?"

(End of this chapter)