Uma Musume: Become a Legendary Trainer

Chapter 389: Run a race without regrets
While passing by the noisy audience during the warm-up team, Maruzenski paused.

He ran forward a few more steps and felt that he was not mistaken. Then he ran a few steps diagonally outside the team, stopped, and turned around.

Then he turned back to the audience seats.

Compared to the Japan Cup, the upcoming International Exchange Cup is just as popular.

In some aspects, it is even better.

For fans, who is the strongest Uma Musume is a matter of debate that can last for a long time without a clear conclusion.

There is no doubt that everyone who loves Uma Musume has a figure in their heart that brings them a different kind of excitement.

The footprints, glory and regrets left by those figures on the field are naturally the most shocking when witnessed in person.

But it will not fade with the passage of time, but will become deeper and clearer.

For this reason, many older fans are looking forward to this event more than the Japan Cup.

Some people even came to the Tokyo stadium from all over the place just for the upcoming competition.

With this kind of emotion, even before the game started, the cheers from the audience were comparable to the climax of the Japan Cup.

After all, the purpose of many people coming to the scene is to see the figures in their memories appear again on the green runway.

Even if it is just a warm-up now, it has already fulfilled part of this wish.

It is quite difficult to recognize familiar figures in such a lively audience.

But after spending so much time together and working together, even if he could see that the figure running towards him was disguised, Maruzenski was still certain that he would not make a mistake.

"How did you get away from those reporters and staff, Lu... cough."

With a puzzled smile on his face, he returned to the place he had passed before, maintaining his running posture. Maruzenski tilted his head, spoke halfway, coughed dryly, and changed his words.

"Luna."

Among the crowd, the person who climbed over the guardrail of the audience seats, wearing a hooded sweatshirt, sunglasses and a mask, and standing outside the fence at the edge of the grassland was none other than the symbol of Ludo.

There were quite a few spectators who came to the scene specifically for Maruzenski's comeback, and there were obviously quite a few seats in the audience behind the two horse girls.

Many people had already noticed that Maruzenski had left the warm-up team and was approaching, and was now waving and shouting excitedly.

Smiling and waving to his fans, Maruzenski was about to ask further questions but was interrupted by the Rudo symbol.

"Ahem, keep your voice down. Some fans... still know my nickname..."

Although Bai Wanshan was cooperating with his disguise and did not call out his name, Lu Duo still lowered his voice and looked around through his sunglasses inconspicuously.

"After all, many of the audience who came to watch the game this time are obviously older... Let's go to the front first..."

Raising his chin in the direction where Maruzenski was warming up, Rudo fiddled with his sweatshirt hood and sunglasses awkwardly, then walked over quickly.

Although he felt somewhat confused and amused, Maruzenski cooperated and did not say anything.

He waved to his enthusiastic fans again, pretended to continue warming up, and first jogged two steps towards the runway.

Soon, she came alongside Rudra, who seemed to be strolling along the meadow.

"Why, are you itching?"

It felt like this place was much farther from the auditorium and there were fewer spectators. Maruzenski couldn't help but joke with a little excitement.

"I understand, I understand~
"Oh, it's a pity that you can't play this time~
"look."

She stopped, closed her eyes, raised her head slightly, and opened her arms.

First, look towards the audience and take a deep breath.

Then he faced the entire runway and took another deep breath.

"You should be able to feel it, right, Luna?"

With his arms spread out as if he was going to embrace the stadium, and his back to the Rudo symbol, Maruzenski acted a little mischievous, a little boastful, and a little emotional.

"again.

"Once again, step onto this grass.

“It’s not a training match.

“It’s not like I’m just playing with the juniors or helping them with running drills or anything like that.

“But…

"This is a competition, Ludo."

As he sighed, he became dazed unconsciously and his eyes opened involuntarily.

Looking blankly at the yellow-green grass that had turned a little yellow due to late autumn within his sight, Maruzenski forgot to help Rudo cover up his symbolic act and blurted out the other's name.

"You can feel it, Ludo."

She spoke the first words, but in a completely different tone of confidence than before.

Then, as if losing control, she murmured.

“I originally thought that I would never have the chance to run like this again.

“You know why after I retired, I didn’t care about endorsements or programs, but I never liked accepting various running programs.

“It was just a show, Rudo.

“What kind of competition is that?

“It’s just that the script was written in advance, who would run on the show and how to get the most ratings, who would win the game and how to win the game to get the most ratings.

“How can that kind of performance be considered a competition?

“It’s still fun here.

“Well… there are also pre-written scripts, I mean, for real competitions like this.

"Escape, get ahead, lag behind, chase, how to deal with each opponent, various cornering, overtaking situations, and end-of-line handling...

“No matter how bad the horse girl or trainer is, they will rehearse the ‘script’ like this before the race.

“Actually it should be called running tactics.

"because……"

Slowly, she turned her head, her habitual smile had disappeared without her knowing when, and her pupils shrank and swayed like burning red flames.

“In a real game, the outcome can never be written in advance.

"Right, Lu... Ahem, sorry, I should call you Luna-chan now~"

She suddenly returned to her usual relaxed and casual smile.

It was as if the scorching momentum that just flashed by had never existed.

"Well, so, Luna-chan, why are you so free all of a sudden that you came all the way to see me..."

She joked, "Or am I being too sentimental? Are you just here to inspect the competition?"

While Maruzenski was talking to himself, Ludo Symbol remained silent.

Only then did she sigh heavily beneath the mask that was used to conceal her features.

"I will remember what you said to me today, Maruzen."

Her tone was slightly depressed and sour.

"When the time comes that I can play and you can't, I will return these words to you intact."

"...You really don't like to admit defeat in any aspect, you."

After being stunned for a moment, Maruzenski quickly laughed again, "But that's true.

“With your strength and the honor you have received, you should be able to say this.

“Speaking of which, this game would definitely be more interesting if you participated.

"So you really came here just to see me?"

Feelings aside, jokes aside, Maruzenski was well aware that his colleague was a very calm person and would not come to chat with him casually.

Especially since this game has attracted a lot of attention, whether it is the association, the board of directors or the journalists and media, the work responsibilities on each side will not be small.

In this case, if the other party really came to see you on purpose, then it must be something very important.

But contrary to Maruzensky's expectations, Rudo first shook his head and then nodded.

"As you said, my main purpose is indeed to inspect the stadium, but I dressed like this to avoid being blocked by fanatical fans."

As he spoke, Lu Duo pulled his hood up unnaturally, "But I was passing by here and saw you, so I suddenly wanted to come and see how you were doing. "Please help me with the two people who are fighting over there, and Miura, I still need to talk to them for a while."

She pointed to the warm-up team.

Although there was indeed such an inspection mission in the student union's work schedule, Maruzen always felt that Luduo's arrangement this time was a bit strange.

At least the impression is that the latter rarely do this job in such a disguised way.

But when I think about it, it doesn't seem like a big surprise.

Given the special circumstances of today's audience, if Lu Duo really dressed as usual, even with the help of staff, he would still be stopped by enthusiastic fans, which would be troublesome.

"I see. It seems that I am being overly sentimental. However, I am not completely overly sentimental~"

After dispelling his doubts, Maruzenski waved his hand towards Luduo, "Then I will assume that you are here to cheer us on."

As she spoke, she looked at the team warming up on the track.

In this draw, in addition to Maruzenski, it seems that they are destined to go to the Japan Cup. Representative Chiaki and Katsuragi Ace are also among those who will leave Umamusume.

Apart from that, the only Japanese horse girl is Miura Kamizawa.

Due to their previous habits, Maruzenski had always warmed up with Chiaki and the others in a similar position.

She also knew that, as if recalling the confrontation on the field that year like herself, Representative Chiaki and Ace Katsuragi treated the upcoming game as the Japan Cup, and had agreed on what would happen on the field and after the game since before the warm-up.

While finding this interesting and funny, Maruzenski also felt a little regretful.

She does have good friends from the same period.

She has a good relationship with her seniors who debuted earlier than her, such as Tesco Gabi, Shidian, Lingsu of the same period, and juniors who debuted later, whether during school, before and after debut, and after retirement.

But deep down, she felt sorry that she didn't seem to have the ability to defeat a strong enemy that she could only defeat with all her strength, or even possibly not.

Because of the regulations that restrict Uma Musume, the number of competitions she can participate in is very limited, and the number of opponents she can face is also much smaller.

Among the horse girls who debuted at the same time, her strength is obviously in a class of its own, so there is no question of her having any strong rivals.

He finally had the opportunity to participate in the Arima Kinen with an unrestricted status, but had to retire due to injury.

But such regrets were soon forgotten.

No matter how much you cling to the regrets of the past, you can't change them.

This peak cup is a new beginning.

This was just the opening international exchange cup, but the team of horse girls that had gone out was already the best lineup that he had ever experienced or even seen.

It is conceivable that there will be endless opportunities to fight against such strong people in the future.

So, what is there to be clinging to about the regrets of the past?

Thinking of this, Maruzenski unconsciously took a deep breath just like he had just embraced the stadium.

"Okay, where's your refueling? I've received it."

Stepping towards the runway, she smiled and waved to Lu Duo again, "Wait here for a while, I'll go find Qianming and the others."

"Well, I'll wait."

As if he had come specially to cheer, Lu Duo smiled and waved his hand.

And when Maruzenski walked a little further away, she suddenly spoke again.

"Hey, Maruzen."

"……what?"

Thinking that Luduo had something else to say, Maruzenski turned around a bit confusedly, "What's wrong...?"

"Well...it's nothing actually, or maybe it can be considered a blessing."

Lu Duo also waved his hand.

"I hope you can have a wonderful game that you will never regret whenever you think about it."

"what……"

Although he didn't understand why Luduo suddenly said that, Maruzen still smiled and nodded.

"Don't worry, even if you don't tell me..."

Walking towards the runway, she turned her back and gave a thumbs up, "I would do the same."

Leaving his blessings and watching Maruzenski return to the warm-up team, Luduo lowered his head, pressed the hood on his head, looked left and right, and walked straight back to his seat in the audience seats.

She did not stay near the stands, but walked along the passage along the edge to a secluded corner.

He looked around again.

There were not many people around, and the excitement was all in the auditorium, making this side even quieter.

Once again, as if she was unaccustomed to the hood, she tugged at the brim.

Then he pressed his hands to his ears and whispered to himself.

"I feel like this is enough..."

A moment after she finished speaking, a faint, doubtful voice came from the hood.

"This... seems to be different from what we agreed..."

Hearing this voice, Luduo chuckled.

"Heh... So, Kitahara, you really don't understand Uma Musume's mind."

It's not just talking to myself.

The reason why Luduo wore a hood was, on the one hand, that he didn't want to be recognized by fans and attract unnecessary attention, and on the other hand, he wanted to be able to communicate with Maruzen.

On the other hand, this was because she was wearing headphones in her ears under her hood when she was communicating with Maruzen.

On the other side of the headset, she was talking to Kitahara.

The doubtful voice came from Kitahara, who had been eavesdropping on the conversation between Luduo and Maruzen.

Being teased at this moment, Kitahara on the other end of the phone became even more confused and a little helpless.

"…I'm sorry, I really don't understand, it's just…"

"I know what you want to say."

Before Beiyuan could finish his words, Luduo suddenly held up his hood and walked towards the other side of the backstage of the audience seats.

“Indeed, what we agreed is that it would be best to discuss with Maruzen to see if she can accept your guess or strategy for this match.

"I also know that even though the game is about to start, it is very risky to come up with any guesses or tactics at the last minute.

“But since you’re the one who proposed it, it’s not like Maruzen can’t accept it.

“What I originally wanted to do was to explain this to her.

"But, Kitahara, you know..."

The sentences paused, and the steps paused.

Turn to one side, like Maruzenski just did, with your arms outstretched.

Opposite Luduo is a passage leading to the audience seats facing the stadium.

But in Luduo's eyes, the view from this exit of the passage was the same as the exit of the underground passage that belonged to Uma Musume in his memory.

“The moment I saw Maruzen and heard her say those words, I understood.

“At this moment, she doesn’t need such speculation or tactics.

“I’m not saying that your guesses or tactics are wrong or useless.

“On the contrary…

“Because, what Maruzenski thinks is exactly what you want to tell her.

"So..."

Lu Duo suddenly chuckled.

"You really don't understand our thoughts, but...

"You know exactly what we want."

(End of this chapter)