Having trained real horses, why are we now training racehorse girls after time-traveling?

After a brief handshake with Wada, Tojo Hana said with a clear purpose: "Excuse me, Wada trainer, if you are unaware that Good Opera is the main racehorse girl in my team, I can let bygones be bygones and pretend that this never happened. We can still maintain a mutually beneficial relationship between senior and junior."

"But if you know that Good Opera is the horse girl in my team, and you still come to poach her while I, the trainer, am not here, then I will have to treat you, my junior, as a competitor."

At this point, Tojo Hana frowned slightly, looking more fierce. It was clear that she was a trainer with a bad temper and a harsh attitude.

However, the trainers of the strongest teams are right here. Generally speaking, no matter what field, the higher the level of a person is, the bigger their temper is. This is because their extreme confidence in their own area of ​​expertise makes them very reluctant to have their opinions contradicted, especially by those they consider "outsiders".

At this moment, in Tojo Hana's eyes, Wada was the "outsider." Although Wada ranked third in the written test and was one of the three trainers directly appointed by the central government to come to Treson, in the eyes of a veteran trainer like Tojo Hana, Wada was still an outsider.

Now this newcomer is trying to poach her team on their very first meeting. How can Tojo Hana tolerate this? Doesn't she have any pride?

"—Senior, I really didn't know beforehand that Good Opera already had a trainer, please forgive me for that."

However, compared to Tojo Hana, Wada seemed very humble and respectful of his senior. But before Tojo Hana's expression could even improve, Wada's tone abruptly changed, and he immediately said:

“But even if I had known beforehand, I would still have come. I want a good opera to be my calling, and I’m confident.”

"What is the source of your confidence? Your arrogance?" Tojo Hana frowned even more deeply and continued to ask.

Wada's response remained calm, but it revealed a determination that surprised Tojo Kazuto:

"No, it's my confidence in good opera."

"..."

Wada's answer left Tojo Hana silent for a moment, while Rudo, standing to the side, was also seeing someone dare to talk to his trainer like that for the first time. His trainer was highly respected wherever he went. Apart from Okino T, who was suspected to be his trainer's old flame, no one in the entire Treson Academy dared to confront Tojo Hana directly.

And now, this second candidate has emerged. Perhaps this is a case of youthful fearlessness?

As for the opera singer standing to the side, she had already been stunned by Wada's words. Her pink eyes shone with a hint of shock as she looked at Wada, her heart filled with mixed feelings, and she was speechless.

It was unclear how long the silence lasted, but finally, Tojo Hana's expression gradually calmed down, and she said to Wada in a low voice:

"Ryuji Wada, right?"

"—Let's find a quiet place to talk and discuss this issue properly. I hope you can give me a satisfactory answer."

Chapter 8: Is Wada going to be an enemy of fine opera?

"Clang."

In a rather secluded spot at Treson Academy, a place rarely frequented by racehorse girls, Wada and Tojo Hana could speak freely. Tojo Hana bought two cans of coffee, giving one to Wada and asking:

"Alright, let's get to know each other again calmly, Mr. Ryuji Wada."

Tojo Hana's demeanor was no longer as aggressive as before; she seemed more inclined to discuss things calmly. This time, she didn't include Rudolf's symbol and the air tank, nor did she bring the opera. Clearly, these were topics the two trainers needed to discuss privately.

"Perhaps my initial impression of you was somewhat subjective, but the confidence you showed just now really makes me think you have some extraordinary qualities."

"Your confidence in good operas surprises me a bit. Now tell me, how much do you actually know about good operas?"

"—Before asking that question, I want to ask you the same question now."

However, Wada posed the same question to Tojo Hana. Having arrived at this private meeting, and knowing that Tojo Hana hadn't resorted to any elaborate "smashing a cup as a signal, summoning three hundred swordsmen" tactics, Wada knew that Tojo Hana was a senior figure with whom he could discuss things. Therefore, he calmly asked:

"Since you are the trainer of the strongest team at Treson Academy, and even legendary racehorse girls like Rudol and Qichao were once members of your team, then, in your opinion, what is the quality of Good Opera?"

As Wada asked this, a hint of anticipation and curiosity flickered in his eyes, reflecting his expectation of Tojo Hana, the trainer of Treson Academy's strongest team.

In the original world of Hotan, good opera was not so popular; in fact, it encountered many setbacks from the very beginning.

Good Opera's bloodline is from the Anzai lineage. At that time, this bloodline did not have any famous offspring in Japan. However, when this bloodline proved its excellence, it had already taken over many excellent stud positions abroad, which is enough to demonstrate Good Opera's excellence in terms of bloodline.

Unfortunately, this bloodline, which shone brightly abroad, performed poorly as a stallion in Japan and was not popular. Because it did not perform well in Japan, Good Opera was treated as a horse of ordinary blood.

—All of this was something that Ryuji Wada knew at the time. He was just a novice trainer, working with a horse owner who had bought a good opera horse at a low price, and the trainer Mr. Iwamoto. Together with him, a novice trainer, they formed a team with little experience. At that time, even Wada did not expect that this "low-priced horse" with "average bloodline" would actually be able to send him from the local area to the central government, and even to a position that could rival the "emperor".

By the time Wada realized all this, it was too late. He was young, inexperienced, and arrogant, failing to appreciate the exceptional horse that was Good Opera. Therefore, he now wonders if Tojo Hana, the trainer of Treisen's strongest team in this world, would have a different perspective on Good Opera.

Faced with Wada's question, Tojo Hana remained silent for a long time before taking a sip of coffee and stating objectively:

"...Good opera, she has great potential and won't drag my team down. After I give her the training, she has the potential to compete for GI."

“Some trainers think Good Opera isn’t that great, and that it’s too much of a stunt like her to join my team. But I think Good Opera has the potential to compete for GI.”

"This has nothing to do with bloodline, lineage, or surname. No one says that you can't succeed without excellent bloodline. Oguri Hattori proved this back then, as did Tamamo Cross. I believe that good opera can be just as good as any Uma Musume Pretty Derby."

Tojo Hana's words were also heard by Wada, and at this moment, Wada's eyes were filled with a mixture of regret and relief.

It's regrettable that someone of Tojo Hana's caliber couldn't truly grasp the potential of a great opera, yet it's also comforting that the world finally has a great opera that can be appreciated—even if it doesn't have all the potential.

“What if I said that ‘surpassing the Emperor’ is not just my wildest words, but my determination to create great operas? Ms. Tojo.”

This time, Wada looked directly at Tojo Hana and said with absolute determination and confidence:

"I think the potential of a good opera is far more than just hitting the G100 or being a Uma Musume no Uma Tsubasa who is considered a winner just by stepping onto the G100 stage. She is a Uma Musume no Uma Tsubasa who can dominate an era."

"She has the potential to win an undefeated triple crown and a number of GI titles that rivals the Emperor's—she's definitely going to win more than just one GI title."

"I will train her to become a racehorse girl who surpasses the Emperor, the next Undefeated Triple Crown winner, or even surpass the title of Seven Crown Winner, reaching an even higher level."

"I want her to leave her name in the central hall, so that everyone can see her shining honor and achievements."

Rather than belated achievements and talents discovered only later. Wada kept these words to himself, never uttering them aloud.

Finally, Wada took a step back, bowed deeply towards the slightly stunned Tojo Hana, and said with unwavering determination:

"So, Tojo-senpai—please make good opera my main focus, Uma Musume. I swear, I will never come back to see you with good opera until I win the Seven Crowns."

Seven titles represent the historical record of the Good Opera in Wada's memory. After the Good Opera retired and passed on its glory to a new generation, its record remained the same as "Emperor" Rudolf's seven GI victories. Wada is well aware that her youthful inexperience caused the Good Opera to miss out on more than just one GI victory. Even so, this record stood for more than a decade before being broken, which is enough to demonstrate the Good Opera's excellence.

This time, Wada is no longer the greenhorn he once was, nor is he the "accessory" of the Japanese jockeys who won the "Autumn Triple Crown" with his good opera performances. He won the GI, proving his strength and that he is now a rider worthy of the honors of the Central.

Although he may not be qualified or competent enough to teach opera well, it is his dream, and he wants to realize it himself so that opera can shine even brighter than before.

Perhaps this makes Ryuji Wada seem a bit selfish, but he really didn't want to give up, didn't want to just give up on good opera.

After all, he is the person in the world who understands good opera the most.

Facing Ryuji Wada, who was bowing deeply before her, Hana Tojo's expression was somewhat uncertain, showing struggle, shock, and surprise, but mostly disbelief.

She never expected that this young man would give such a big goal to an opera she considered "worthy of competing with GI". She was even more surprised that this newcomer would say that a good opera can dominate an era.

Could it be that she really misjudged the situation? Is there more to a great opera than just this?

However, after much deliberation, and with Ryuji Wada maintaining this posture for a very long time, Tojo Hana finally spoke softly:

"Daily Cup"

"Hmm?" Wada slightly raised his head, looking at Tojo Hana with some confusion.

"The next competition for Good Opera is the Daily Cup GIII Grand Prize in the second half of March. If she changes her team affiliation midway, it will affect her competition registration. I think none of us want to see that happen, right?"

Tojo Hana took a deep breath, finally pointing a finger at Wada Ryuji, and said, word by word:

"The Daily Cup Bonus in the second half of March, bring your favorite horse girl and come and compete with my great opera."

"I have enough confidence to make Good Opera win this competition. What you need to do is to make your role as Maiden of the Horse surpass Good Opera and win this big prize, proving that you are determined and capable, not just fooling me, and not hindering Good Opera's talent."

“If you can do that—then I’ll immediately have Good Opera sign a withdrawal agreement, and then hand the signed agreement over to you, and Good Opera will truly become your team’s racehorse girl.”

"So, Ryuji Wada, do you have the confidence to compete with me and a good opera?"

Faced with Tojo Hana's challenge and the opportunity to realize his dream, Wada Ryuji answered without hesitation this time:

"I will."

Chapter Nine: The Famous General Nutao, the First Horse Racer of Wada

Wada eventually said goodbye to Tojo Hana. Tojo Hana even invited Wada to have a drink later when she was in a good mood, but Wada politely declined. At this moment, Wada wandered aimlessly on the streets of Treson Academy, thinking about his conversation with Tojo Hana.

Wada had to admit that he had gotten a little carried away and made some overly confident statements—not that he lacked confidence in himself, but rather that Tojo Hana had mentioned competing against Good Opera in the GIII Grand Prize Mainichi Cup.

Wada understands the capabilities of a great opera, but it is precisely because of this understanding that he felt immense pressure after making his bold statement—it was a great opera! "The Overlord of the End of the Century"!

Wada used to win races effortlessly by riding Haogeju. In terms of racing experience, it could even be said that Haogeju taught him race by race. When the two were teammates, they were inseparable, but now that they are rivals, Wada feels the same pressure as when he was riding Wufeng.

What's even more frightening is that he is well aware of the strength of good opera, which is completely different from the blow Wu Feng suffered at that time, making the pressure even greater!

But what could he do? The boast was already out, and there was no going back. His opponents weren't just the combination of the great opera "The Last Tyrant of the Century" and "The Trainer of the Strongest Team at Treson Academy," but he was currently only a GI jockey, and he hadn't even secured his own racehorse girl role yet.

"Oh no... I bragged too much, now I'm in trouble..."

Feeling utterly exhausted, Wada plopped down in a shady spot, frantically grabbing at his hair—an effective way for him to relieve stress.

"The opponent is Good Opera. Even if Tojo-senpai hadn't discovered Good Opera's potential, I reckon that after what I said today, she'll start to take Good Opera seriously again. If I had known that earlier, I wouldn't have bothered talking about it. What's the point of talking? I could have just used the Daily Cup as a wager..."

"How am I supposed to beat Good Opera now... I can't even find a racehorse girl to represent me... How am I supposed to train a racehorse girl who can run the Daily Cup in two months... I can't just conjure up an Emperor of the East Sea on the spot to race Good Opera—by the way, are there racehorse girls of the Emperor of the East Sea in this world?"

For some reason, Wada couldn't help but think of the Eastern Sea Emperor. Perhaps it was because the student council president was a symbol of Rudolf. Wada suddenly had a whimsical idea: if he asked the president to let the Eastern Sea Emperor be his horse girl, he might have a chance to win the opera.

After all, the East Sea Emperor is the most famous descendant of Lu Duo, so the guild leader must know the East Sea Emperor's location.

—Forget it, considering the timeline, the East Sea Emperor shouldn't be at the age to run for debut right now. And even if the president really knew the East Sea Emperor's whereabouts, it's unlikely that he, as a newly debuted trainer, would get a chance. Shouldn't the East Sea Emperor be receiving better treatment?

Thinking about it this way, Wada fell into silence again. What he was most worried about now was breaking his current predicament of not even having a racehorse girl, and this racehorse girl could not be an ordinary one.

To win a good opera, you need a horse that has the potential to win GI races, otherwise you have no chance at all...

"That... trainer Wada?"

At that moment, Wada suddenly felt his sleeve being gently tugged by a small force. He slowly raised his head and what he saw first was not the girl's face, but two enormous... "hearts" that were particularly noticeable because of her drooping body.

Upon closer inspection, it's truly enormous; it's incredibly impressive. What kind of horse could possess such a robust physique? It's absolutely breathtaking!

“Trainer Wada…”

"Ah, sorry, I was a little lost in thought just now." Wada was immediately pulled back to his senses by the soft voice. He looked up at the timid racehorse girl whose face was still flushed with embarrassment, and only then did he realize what had happened.

"You are... that racehorse girl who was with the opera singer back then..."

"Yes, yes, Trainer Wada still remembers me..."

The timid horse girl seemed a little happy that Wada still remembered her, and said in a small voice, her tone slightly joyful but still nervous, "I think trainer Wada's attention was completely on the opera singer... I thought you didn't notice me..."

"Um, Trainer Wada looks so down. Did the talks with Trainer Tojo not go well?"

"Not going smoothly... I wouldn't say that, but it's definitely more difficult than I imagined."

Wada patted a spot next to him, indicating that the other person could sit there. After some hesitation, the timid racehorse girl did not refuse Wada's request and obediently sat down next to him, listening to the complaints of the new trainer who had left a deep impression on her at their first meeting.

"I think I convinced Tojo-senpai, but Tojo-senpai made me compete against Good Musical in the Mainichi Cup. Only if I won would he agree to let Good Musical become my main horse girl."

"Sigh... Do I have to beat the opera student? That's... that's going to be very difficult."