The way Uma Musume looks at me is so scary!

What does this really mean? The audience, too excited to think, was now simply trying to vent their excitement with shouts and cheers.

Even disregarding all the aforementioned factors, this was still an incredibly exciting and dramatic match, and as spectators, they naturally had to cheer for the winner.

As she watched the audience surge like a mountain collapsing and heard the cheers that echoed like thunder across the Tokyo Racecourse, a cold, mechanical voice interrupted Xiu Xingmeng, who was waving to the audience.

Phase 1 Task Completed

[Rewards have been distributed]

Hearing the notification sound in her ear, Xiu Xingmeng suddenly realized that she had completed the first stage of the mission: defeating the Golden Master head-on.

Before even leaving the field, Xiu Xingmeng, filled with anticipation, silently recited it in her heart.

"System, open the item interface."

As Xiu Xingmeng had a thought, a blue, semi-transparent screen appeared in her field of vision.

The inventory, made up of grids, still contained several training items that hadn't run out of durability. Xiu Xingmeng glanced at them and immediately spotted the stage reward for the first stage of the mission.

With a thought, the information about the prop with the medal icon appeared in Xiu Xingmeng's eyes.

Challenger Badge

[Description: A reward for those brave enough to challenge formidable racer girls. Each medal symbolizes a thrilling story. When facing an insurmountable foe, all attributes will receive a certain increase.]

Medals do not need to be equipped; they will still function when placed in the inventory.

[The definition of a formidable opponent is based on the difference in basic attributes between the opponent and oneself. If the opponent's attributes exceed those of a major grade, such as from B to A grade, by more than three, then they can be considered a formidable opponent.]

Note: "There's... nothing to be afraid of anymore." — The golden twin-tailed racehorse girl said happily.

Upon seeing the reward item, Xiu Xingmeng was initially taken aback, but then immediately realized how useful it was.

Given the rate of improvement that Golden Master showed in today's match, her fundamental abilities will widen the gap between her and Embroidery Dream even further in the next Japanese derby.

Even with her expertise and numerous skills, Xiu Xingmeng dared not say she was absolutely certain of victory.

Now, with this Challenger Medal, the gap between Embroidered Star Dream and Golden Master can be narrowed. Although the exact value of this "certain amount" is unknown, it's better than nothing.

It seems that my choice was correct. If I had followed Chizuru Haibara's advice and chosen to avoid the Satsuki Sho match, things might have been much more difficult for me during the Japanese derby.

It's worth noting that the Japanese Derby is 2400 meters long, 400 meters longer than the Satsuki Sho race. If the current attributes of the two champions were to compete against the Gold Master in the Japanese Derby, it would be hard to say who would win.

Thinking of this, Xiu Xingmeng silently clenched her fists.

The joy of victory is enough; now we must consider the Japanese derby in just over a month.

"Ah Meng! Look here! Look here!"

Just as Xiu Xingmeng was pondering, a familiar shout came from above. She subconsciously looked up and found that it was Nan Yejin who had unknowingly bypassed the audience in front and come to the audience seat closest to Xiu Xingmeng.

She wasn't alone; Kasamatsu Tresen's group, as well as Tagami and Akasaka Rin, also came here.

Just as Xiu Xingmeng was still somewhat confused, Haibara Koutarou suddenly burst into tears on the field, saying with snot and tears streaming down his face.

"Ah Meng! I knew you could win! This is Kasamatsu Tressen's first G1 championship, you will always be our pride!"

Seeing the principal, whose hair was half-white and who was crying so miserably, Xiu Xingmeng panicked a little. She waved her hands wildly and said something.

"Calm down, Principal! I... I shouldn't be the first one. There was also Senior Oguri Hat before!"

"Oguri is of course Kasamatsu's pride! But she had already moved to Central Treson when she won G1, so strictly speaking, Ameon, you are the first G1 winner from Treson!"

"And it's such an important Satsuki Prize! Even if I die, it will be worth it to witness this!"

Seeing Haibara Koutarou pounding his chest in tears, Xiuxing Meng was at a loss and didn't know what to do.

Xiu Xingmeng could not imagine the immense pressure that the old principal, who had almost single-handedly shouldered the burden of Kasamatsu Tressen, had endured during those days when there was no assistance and no hope.

After so many years of hard work, I finally had a chance to let loose on this Satsuki-sho day.

This left Xiu Xingmeng feeling both saddened and at a loss for what to do, as her experience did not include comforting a principal who had persevered for many years under pressure.

Just as Xiu Xingmeng was at a loss, Kitahara Yutaka smiled and patted Principal Haibara on the shoulder, saying to Xiu Xingmeng.

"Let the old guy vent his anger. Of course, we should celebrate the young man's victory more happily."

"Who are you calling an old man! Kitahara, you bastard, I'm not the principal of Kasamatsu Tressen if I don't get you drunk tonight!"

Seeing her teachers bickering, Xiu Xingmeng finally breathed a sigh of relief. Just then, Nan Yejin, who had been watching for a long time, suddenly spoke up.

She poked Haibara Chizuru's waist and said with a smile.

"I told you she wouldn't let me lose."

Upon hearing this, Chizuru Haibara, unable to bear seeing her so smug, immediately brought up the scene from before.

"Who was that person who just asked me who would win?"

"Who is it? I don't know them at all!"

Looking at the two who were pointing at her for no reason and then bickering for no reason, Xiu Xingmeng tilted her head in confusion.

Chapter Ninety-One: King of Expectations

Ignoring the two pairs of people, one old and one young, who were bickering for no reason, the members of Kasamatsu Tresen also offered their heartfelt congratulations to Xiuxing Meng.

"Congratulations."

Oguri Roman smiled and clapped as she spoke. Before Xiu Xingmeng could respond, the next person started clapping as if taking over.

"Congratulations."

"Congratulations."

"Congratulations."

First came the saddler Suzune, then Nishimoto Makisoba and Kobayashi Kaze. After the Golden Ship finished clapping, Akasaka Rin and Takanori, who were standing behind them, also clapped and congratulated them.

"Thanks--"

"Do you think I would say that!"

Xiu Xingmeng first feigned a smile to deceive the observer, and then, taking advantage of the Golden Ship's momentary lapse in vigilance, she delivered a swift chop to the woman's round head.

"Guwa——"

"Why did you hit me? So many other people did it!"

Looking at the Golden Ship, who was clutching his head and complaining, Xiu Xingmeng smiled coldly, completely ignoring the guy's sophistry.

Based on Xiu Xingmeng's understanding of these people, how could they possibly know what the New Century O-Sound Warriors were? It must have been that golden ship that instigated them to do this. Xiu Xingmeng really didn't know whether she should be glad that they didn't surround her in the audience.

"You've been using the 'high Omega' meme all along, so at least stick to it."

"What's the difference between them, they're all super robots!"

"Leaving aside whether Unit-00 counts as a robot or not, High O has nothing to do with Super!"

"What about Moonlight Butterfly and Martial Arts Legend?!"

"How could someone who spends all day mimicking Char's speech say something like that!"

Now, the number of bickering pairs has increased to three, and what Xiu Xingmeng and Golden Ship are saying is even more incomprehensible, leaving everyone else in the audience looking at them with puzzled expressions.

Only Tagami touched his chin, seemingly thinking that the scene before him was worth reporting, and picked up his camera to take a photo of the two of them together.

At this moment, the Gold Master, who had already waved to the audience, looked at the lively scene and walked back to the contestants' tunnel without saying a word.

Apart from Hide Star Dream still playing with her friends outside, the other racehorse girls had already left the contestant tunnel early due to the immense pressure they were under during the competition. Therefore, only Golden Master was left in the tunnel at this time.

Footsteps echoed on the cold ground, creating hollow sounds that reverberated through the enclosed passage. The Golden Master's glassy eyes appeared somewhat dim in the room, and even his signature blond hair looked grayish due to the lack of sunlight.

Failure is a very distant concept for the master of gold.

Only when she was young did she fail many times under the training of countless sparring partners. As she grew older, the rapid development of her physical qualities after becoming a professional master meant that the Golden Master had not failed for a long time.

Especially in today's match, even though she had pushed herself to the limit and even unleashed the power of her domain in the last few hundred meters, she still lost to Xiu Xingmeng.

Sad?

Actually, it's alright. Although the Golden Master carries the expectations of many people, the Arc de Triomphe is the most important thing for her. It's just a Moon Appreciation, especially since she lost to someone like Xiu Xingmeng. The Golden Master doesn't feel disappointed at all.

For some reason, ever since the competition ended, she has felt as if a heavy stone was pressing down on her, a silent weight that almost made the Golden Master unable to breathe.

Even a normal walk gives you the illusion of wanting to breathe after running desperately.

The Gold Master instinctively opened his mouth as if to breathe, but then quickly closed it again—a gesture unbecoming of a king.

Failure has already tarnished the crown of kings; let us not add further filth to it with this humiliating method of breathing.

The goldsmith simply found a wall to lean against, hoping to use the cold wall to suppress his sluggish heart and increasingly high body temperature.

There was no one else in the contestant tunnel. Now that the Golden Master had stopped, even the sound of her footsteps had disappeared. All she could hear now was the beating of her own heart.

Thump, thump, as if conveying something, the Golden Master listened in silence for a while and finally understood what his heart wanted to tell him.

"Not reconciled."

Yes, the Gold Master finally understood where the heavy feeling in his chest came from.

That was the resentment and frustration that came from the defeat, raging and roaring in his chest, venting his dissatisfaction.

Mingming had previously mocked the local racehorse girl's wild ideas in front of reporters; Mingming had gone to Xiuxingmeng's place before the race to refute her words face to face; Mingming had expressed his appreciation for Xiuxingmeng with the proud tone of a superior during the race; and Mingming had confidently announced that he would win the race after activating his domain.

Despite the accumulation of so many factors, he still lost.

"How ugly... Master of Gold."

She pressed her forehead against the cold wall and whispered.

For some reason, the Gold Master suddenly remembered his past self at this moment, a past self whose talent had not yet been discovered and who had not gone through so much arduous training.

Before he became a master of gold, the Golden Master did not have such dazzling blond hair; instead, he had almost reddish brown hair.

Back then, she was not only unable to elevate the glory of the Golden Family, but she was also somewhat timid when speaking to outsiders. Only when she was with Meng Zhilu and the others did she resemble her current self.

The difference between the inside and outside is due to the existence of love.

Because the young goldsmith could feel the love her family had for her, she was able to act recklessly in front of them.

Unable to feel love from the outside world, she naturally becomes indifferent.

But ever since the day his talent was discovered, everyone's gaze toward the Gold Master has changed.

They were first shocked, then overjoyed, and finally, after witnessing the terrifying speed of the Golden Master's progress, their eyes, filled with hope and expectation, remained fixed on him.

She interpreted this as love.

As a racehorse girl who carries the love of others, she must of course put in her own efforts to live up to those expectations.

As time went by, amidst the admiring and expectant gazes of everyone, the Gold Master gradually shaped himself into the invincible king in their hearts.

She is Japan's hope, the pride of a prestigious family, and a goldsmith who will surely break the Arc de Triomphe curse and elevate the name of the Gold Family to the pinnacle of the world.

She should be a dazzling, proud, and noble queen.

That's the kind of goldsmith people expect.

Now, what remains trapped before the cold walls is merely a remnant soul from the past.

Once she leaves this place, she will become the goldsmith that people have been waiting for.

Chapter Ninety-Two: A Legendary Past

After winning the Satsuki Prize, Hidehoshi didn't rush back to Kasamatsu. Instead, she defeated the proud Gold Master as a prestigious racehorse girl, and this shocking news attracted a lot of attention, much like pollen.

What followed was a flood of interview programs and a dazzling array of advertising invitations.

To test whether this would improve her approval rating in the main storyline, and also to help Kasamatsu Tresson's financial health, Xiu Xingmeng chose to stay in Tokyo for a while longer.

During this time, she certainly couldn't have stayed in a hotel, as Kasamatsu Tresen wasn't that wealthy.

Central Teresa mainly invited Xiu Xingmeng to stay temporarily in the school dormitory during this period.

Despite the difference between the central and local branches, both being from Treson, Hideyoshi is still a racehorse girl from Treson, and her ability to break the monopoly of prestigious families on G1 is something that the central Treson is happy to do.

In addition to this, Central Tressen had another idea.

That is, during this period, make Xiu Xingmeng leave a good impression on Central Teresen, so that it will be easier to recruit Xiu Xingmeng to Central in the future.

The members of Central Treisen were very confident about this. They had previously brought Oguri Hat from Kasamatsu to Central Treisen, and had also selected many talented racehorse girls from the local areas.

Friends of Xiuxingmeng, wasn't Oguri Roman, who also came to the Central Arena, discovered in the same way?

Although Oguri Roman hasn't come to Central Tressen yet, everyone believes that the two of them will definitely come here.

Are they going to stay in Kasamatsu? That's impossible!