Uma Musume: Become a Legendary Trainer

Chapter 301 Fear, Memories of Miracles
As she said this, Tamamo Jushi's usually pretty and lively face showed a hint of sadness.

Looking at that sadness, Xiao Limao, who always looked innocent in the past, forgot that he was still worried about the chrysanthemum viewing, and his mood became tense.

In fact, she just looks stupid, and looking stupid just means that she doesn't care much about things other than running, family, and eating.

Many times, she can understand the emotions and feelings of many classmates without having to look at them.

Not to mention that I am facing my good friends who I have been with for such a long time.

"Tama..." Oguruma murmured as he tentatively extended his hand towards Tamamo Cross.

"What? You're acting like something's wrong with us."

Tamamo Cross smiled instead, but when the corners of his mouth raised to reveal his little fangs, there was still a hint of sadness in his bright eyes.

"I'm fine, even though my sister was crying very sadly and said she really wanted to run with me."

"Whether it's the long Emperor's Spring Viewing, Emperor's Autumn Viewing, or the classic Triple Crown that we didn't have the chance to participate in, as well as Takarazuka and Arima Kinen."

"She also wanted to run away."

"But, indeed, she may not be able to do it."

"Hiruma-senpai is right. Many times, horse girls like us look glamorous, but the cruelty behind it is unknown to outsiders."

"I didn't really understand these things before, but recently..."

Finally unable to help herself, she sighed softly, "I understand now."

Xiaoyu...

This time, Oguruma didn't murmur aloud, but silently repeated his friend's name in his heart and was also thinking about his own things.

She is different from Tamamo Cross. Tamamo Cross was born in Central Tresen College, but she came from Kasamatsu.

But not all horse girls can run like her. Many of her former friends in Kasamatsu want to be like her, but now she is still the only one who can really stand out on a stage like the Central.

Others may have come to the central government but then had to withdraw, moving to local positions or retiring directly.

Some did not enter at all.

The more this happens, the more pressure there will be in the next game...

"Oguri should also feel the pressure, right?"

As if he could see through her thoughts, Tamamo Cross suddenly smiled, "Really? Really?"

“…Xiao Yu, what’s wrong with you…?” Xiao Li Mao was really confused now.

"How did you figure that out? It's very simple..."

Holding the back of his head with both hands and looking up at the starry sky, Tamamo Cross murmured: "Because, what I felt recently is what Xiaoli is feeling now."

"Although I'm not as strong as Xiaoli, who has won consecutive battles, I'm still very strong."

"Everyone is calling us the strongest horse girl in the ancient horse year. We must be very strong."

"But even with such strength, it doesn't look like he can keep running forever."

"It's not just us, the old man is like this too."

"He was fine when we parted last time, but when we met again, he looked like he had to be hospitalized."

"My sister is the same. She said she wanted to give me a surprise, but then..."

With the bright moonlight reflected in his eyes, Tamamo Cross sighed softly.

"Sometimes I suddenly feel annoyed. I want to try my best to beat the Emperor in the autumn viewing, but why do things like this and that happen suddenly?"

"I can't help but wonder if I will be like that too."

"I don't know why, but I suddenly couldn't keep running."

"I want Oguri, Xiaowan, and Aldan to experience a 3200-meter race just like us and Inari."

"You guys will definitely not be able to handle it, hehe, this is the advantage of the Ancient Horse Year."

"And Takarazuka, let's see, if it's you, Oguri, and we participate in Takarazuka together, will we win consecutive championships, or will you continue to win."

"There is also the Japan Cup, where the Emperor enjoys the autumn scenery."

"And Arima Memorial."

“I want to keep running with everyone.”

"No one is allowed not to come to that kind."

"But I'm scared. I'm scared for no reason. Suddenly I can't do it anymore. Suddenly I can't do it anymore."

“I can’t do any of it.”

Little Chestnut Hat said nothing and didn't think anything else.

It was very strange. She clearly felt that Tamamo Cross, whom everyone had always cared about, was not just being cared about. She herself had actually thought a lot about it and wanted to respond to everyone's concern.

One of the ways to respond, and perhaps the most important way, is to face yourself.

Face the fear that appears in your heart inexplicably without knowing why.

That’s right, Tamamo Cross’s tone was very light, and there was a sigh, as if she was sad, but Oguruma felt that she heard it very clearly. What Tamamo Cross said was the inexplicable fear that she had felt during this period.

Unlike the fear of being injured or sick, which are visible and tangible, this fear is an illusory and unknown one.

It is precisely because of the unknown, because you don’t know what is happening, that you suddenly can’t run, which makes it even more terrifying.

"……perhaps."

Looking up at the night sky, the bright moonlight was reflected in his eyes, and suddenly Xiao Limao laughed.

"Perhaps in a certain world, on a certain racetrack, there are also horse girls named Tamamo Cross and Ogururo Hat."

"Perhaps something really happened suddenly in that world and on the field. Maybe it was Tamamo Cross or Ogururo Hat. Suddenly, they couldn't continue running."

"That's how you feel, right?"

"Ah, you're not as dumb as you look, Oguri."

The corners of his mouth curled up, revealing his pointed little canine teeth, and Tamamo Cross curved his eyes, "Maybe there is such a world, I think so too."

"Perhaps in that world, Tamamo Cross and Oguri Hat are different from Tama and Oguri here."

"They may have played many games together, very exciting games."

“Even more exciting games.”

"But there are a lot of regrets, maybe more regrets than for Xiaoyu and Xiaoli here."

"So, Xiaoli, tell me, which world is better, this world or that world?"

"I don't know." Little Limao smiled, "If there really are more exciting games in that world, maybe that would be great too."

"but……"

She lowered her head and looked gently at the horse girl beside her. In the deepest part of her gentle eyes, there was an indescribable determination.

“I don’t know which is better.”

"I still prefer Xiaoyu and Xiaoli in this world."

"In this world, we can run together, keep running, keep running."

"must."

He also shifted his gaze away from the moon and looked at Oguruma's eyes, which were brighter than the moonlight. Tamamo Cross was quiet for a rare moment, and suddenly smiled and talked about something else.

"Oguri, there was a sand park in your old home in Kasamatsu, right?" "...Yes, there was. It was right next to the old apartment where you lived before you moved."

Although he didn't know why Tamamo Cross suddenly asked this, Oguruma nodded and answered.

"That's it. It seems that I didn't remember it wrong."

Putting his palm horizontally on his waist, Tamamo Cross said softly: "When I was about this young, I...actually saw Xiaoli there."

"No, I should say that it's also about this tall, little Kuriruri."

"...Huh?" Oguruma was stunned. His mind quickly recalled, but it seemed that he did not have the impression that Tamamo Cross mentioned.

"It was when mom took us around looking for a house."

Tamamo Cross continued softly, "Oguri should know that at that time, our family was very poor and could not afford to live in a better apartment."

"It's hard for my mom to find a job, so she has to move around a lot."

"I finally found a suitable one in Kasamatsu. My mother told the landlord that I like running very much and wanted to give me a place suitable for running."

"I really liked it there at the time. The sand park next to it was really good for running."

"But unfortunately, the apartment is full..."

"what!"

Little Chestnut Hat suddenly screamed, "I remember now!"

"Mom said that one day when she was hanging clothes on the balcony, she saw a crying and noisy child outside, and she dragged him away..."

"Please keep your voice down when you say such embarrassing things. We don't want to be laughed at, Xiaoli."

Although he said these words with some complaints, Tamamo Cross's face was all smiles.

"I'm sorry, Xiaoyu, I..."

"Okay, okay, I don't really blame you. Really, you're so serious at a time like this..."

He waved his hand at the apologetic Kogurashi with amusement, and Tamamo Cross was silent for a while, then laughed again.

"Well, Xiaoli, you remember, that crying and making a fussing child was me when I was a child."

"Then you may also remember that when I was being dragged by my mother, I ran away on my own."

"Well, I remember now," with a smile that was either sad or warm, Little Chestnut said softly, "That day, I was shoveling sand in the sand park."

"I got so dirty playing that my mom scolded me when I got home."

"Mom said that if you don't pay attention to hygiene, you'll be kicked out like that kid this afternoon."

"As far as I can remember, when we were shoveling sand, Xiaoyu was dragged by her mother."

"I told you not to say such ugly things..."

Although she refused verbally, Tamamo Cross still spoke of the almost unbelievable encounter with Oguruma that flashed through her mind like a fleeting glimpse.

"We also saw that Xiao Lili, she was very well-behaved... No, I should say she was very dumb. It seems that you have been very dumb since that time, Xiao Li, hehe."

"I really didn't expect that I was the little kid who was shoveling sand in the sand park at that time."

"The little kid who only saw it once."

"It turns out to be you, Little Chestnut."

"I... didn't expect that at all."

With a twinkle in his eyes, Oguruma said softly, "I took a look at that time and felt that the noisy child was you, Tamamo Cross."

"So, you have been noisy since you were very young."

"You're so quick to respond..."

Smiling, Tamamo Cross raised his head and looked at the moon again, "So, it must be."

"must……?"

"Have you forgotten what I just said? You can keep running, keep running, you can definitely keep running. There is still Xiaoyu and Xiaoli in this world, for sure."

"...Yes, definitely."

Similarly, Oguruma raised his head and looked at the moon again.

Not far away, little Luduo wiped his eyes as he watched the two outstanding juniors standing side by side with the winner of the Hikari.

“Wow… So you’re the type that’s easily moved, Luduo… Wow… That’s really unlike you… Wow… You’re usually so dignified…”

Hearing the senior's complaints, whether they were teasing or venting, little Luduo did not subconsciously try to maintain his dignity as the student council president and a legendary senior as usual.

Instead, he wiped the corner of his eye calmly again.

She heard what Tamamo Cross and Oguruma said, and Hiruzen Winner also heard it.

Not only her and the winner of the Rizhen, but also the younger generations such as the Emperor of the East China Sea who were a little further away heard it.

Maybe not as exaggerated as what Hikari showed, but looks of sadness and emotion, mixed with confusion, appeared on the faces of those younger generations.

Only then did Lu Duo begin to understand why he had the bad habit of slowing down after overtaking the first place in previous competitions.

And why, although both were good at handling various relationships, the Emperor of the East China Sea seemed to be better than himself.

She did not truly understand her predecessors, peers, and successors.

Eclipse First, the Rest Nowhere, leading the way, leaving no one behind. This was the motto she had been taught since before she entered school and when she was trained in her family. Unconsciously, she had developed a very subtle indifference.

Indeed, the world of Umamusume is very cruel. The glamorous ones are always only the most dazzling minority, and the vast majority, like the sister mentioned by Tamamo Cross, have no chance to shine.

Even the dazzling minority face cruelty.

Tamamo Cross was right. Many times, without any warning, one suddenly becomes unable to run and can no longer feel the speed of the wind. This is actually a very normal thing for horse racing women.

It's not even because of injuries or some visible reasons. Many times it's just inexplicable and I really can't step onto the field that I love and want to devote everything to.

She had already gotten used to and accepted these things.

Or maybe she just accepted it unconsciously, but that didn't matter. What mattered was that gradually, she had only this motto in her mind: "Eclipse First, the Rest Nowhere".

Only winning, only winning all the time, and becoming number one forever, is the real and only thing that horse racing ladies should pursue.

For this reason, everything else can be ignored, and this indifference will inevitably lead to absolute arrogance that even oneself is not aware of.

Being ahead is enough, there is no need to do anything else. Since you have been surpassed by yourself, all that remains is to welcome your victory. This is how any opponent should be.

This idea, which I haven't even realized yet, may have already become a creed.

Now, those beliefs are shaken.

It's just like the miraculous encounter between Tamamo Cross and Oguruma in their childhood.

And the promise to keep running.

There is also fear, and the relief after fear is also growth.

Horse racing ladies, is winning the race really the only thing worth cherishing...?
Confusion appeared in the eyes of Luduo's symbol, and determination also appeared.

"...Okay, senior, stop crying. Also, don't secretly rub your snot on my clothes. I saw it."

She sighed helplessly and with a hint of disgust, her eyes swept across everything happening on the training ground in the night, and finally looked up at the moon, muttering to herself.

"The weather is nice and refreshing in autumn..."

"Autumn has begun..."

(End of this chapter)