Liberty Island came skipping up to Dream Weaver, the yellow flower pinned to her hair bouncing along with every step.
Much like the radiant smile on her face, it seemed to catch the sunlight, blooming with a stunning brilliance.
"Train—er!"
Liberty Island winked mischievously, deliberately popping each syllable out of her mouth.
"No matter what kind of training we're doing today, little old Liberty can handle it!"
As she spoke, she puffed out her chest with a touch of bravado, clearly thinking it made her look more endearing.
Seeing that smile—one even brighter than the midday sun—the lingering frustration Dream Weaver felt from her earlier conversation with Agnes Tachyon began to melt away.
Without thinking, a smile tugged at the corners of her own lips.
"So confident? Don't come crying to me when I start turning up the heat."
Liberty Island let out a couple of dismissive huffs. She planted her hands on her hips and tilted her head back with pride.
"Hmph! I just ran Dr. Sugar Lights' ST-2 until the machine started smoking! A little training session? Easy-peasy!"
As if she hadn't acted arrogant enough, she struck a pose and let out a theatrical, villainous "Wah-ha-ha-ha!"
The act was meant to be menacing, but coming from Liberty Island, it was unexpectedly adorable. Dream Weaver could only shake her head with a soft laugh.
While she enjoyed this lighthearted atmosphere, Dream Weaver knew that for the sake of Liberty Island's future, she had to steel herself and steer the conversation toward a heavier topic.
She gave a light cough, letting her smile fade into a mask of professional gravity. "The Oka Sho is over, which means we only have a month left until the Yushun Himba. Are you ready?"
"Don't you worry, Trainer. I'm going to win the Triple Tiara for sure!"
Dream Weaver didn't argue. She simply pressed further. "And... what about Equinox?"
As expected, the moment that name was uttered, the confidence drained from Liberty Island's face.
She struggled inwardly for a moment before gathering her courage. Clutching the hem of her shirt, she spoke up firmly.
"Didn't you say we were going to win the Triple Tiara together and take our second victory over Equinox? I believe in you, Trainer!"
"As long as I'm with you, I have the confidence to win—even against Equinox!"
Seeing that Liberty Island no longer shrank away in a fit of self-loathing at the mere mention of Equinox like she had six months ago, Dream Weaver nodded with satisfaction. But she had to keep pushing.
"What if she teams up with a world-class Uma Musume? What if the gap between your training teams is completely erased?"
Liberty Island froze. It took her a few seconds to process the words before her jaw dropped in disbelief.
While she was still stunned, Dream Weaver pulled her phone from her pocket, searched for the news article Agnes Tachyon had mentioned, and held the screen out for Liberty Island to see.
"Equinox's performance at the Dubai Sheema Classic caught the eye of a world-class Uma Musume, Sea the Stars. She's willing to mentor Equinox as a senior."
"With the full support of Tracen Ireland, your biggest advantage over her will vanish almost overnight. When the time comes, you'll be facing an Equinox whose physical stats and racing experience far exceed your own."
"Knowing this... do you still have the resolve?"
Dream Weaver had already made up her mind: if Liberty Island hesitated for even a second, she would do everything in her power to convince her to postpone the showdown.
The higher an Uma Musume's physical floor, the harder it is to improve through training.
If they played the long game, the gap would eventually close, and Liberty Island could face Equinox as a true equal one day.
But Liberty Island's reaction caught Dream Weaver completely off guard. After reading the news, there wasn't a trace of hesitation on her face.
She listened quietly to Dream Weaver's warning, then gave a sharp, decisive nod.
"I believe in my Trainer."
This time, her voice wasn't loud or overflowing with bluster. Instead, Dream Weaver felt a surging, quiet wave of absolute trust.
"I see..."
Dream Weaver closed her eyes, murmuring to herself. When she opened them again to look Liberty Island in the eye, her dark gaze held no more room for retreat.
If her trainee trusted her this much, how could she possibly fail that trust? Liberty Island had shown her resolve; now, it was Dream Weaver's turn.
"You remember the 'Zone' I told you about, right?"
"Of course. I've experienced it countless times in the VR pod when facing strong opponents."
Liberty Island nodded, sensing where this was going.
"Every Uma Musume's Zone has a completely different effect. If we want to beat Equinox, awakening a Zone that specifically counters her is our best shot."
Dream Weaver didn't give a straight answer to the girl's theory. She simply shook her head slowly.
"No. What you felt in the VR pod... that doesn't count."
As Liberty Island looked on with confusion, Dream Weaver continued.
"Virtual is virtual. By definition, it can't perfectly replicate reality. The Zone effects you experienced in the pod were just data I gathered from interviewing other girls, which Sugar Lights then coded into the program."
"Unless someone manually inputs it, the VR pod can't even comprehend what a Zone is. Even now, the system just treats it like a high-level skill in a video game."
"But a true Zone isn't like that."
Dream Weaver looked up at the sky. The spring sun was bright but lacked the biting heat of summer.
A few lazy white clouds drifted across the blue expanse, taking minutes just to move an inch.
"In the eyes of an Uma Musume, a powerful Zone possesses the strength to rewrite the very world around them."
"To shroud the entire heavens... or even to slice the sky in two.It is entirely possible."
A hint of daze flickered in Liberty Island's eyes.
She couldn't even begin to imagine a power like that.
The Zones simulated in the VR pod were straightforward: either they gave the runner a massive burst of speed, or they exerted a heavy pressure that slowed opponents down.
Liberty Island had always assumed the flashy visual effects were just things the VR pod added to help her visualize the "feeling" of the race.
In her mind, an Uma Musume's Zone was just like the "flow state" or "the zone" described in sports manga—a psychological peak performance that felt supernatural only because of an Uma Musume's incredible physical gifts.
As for Dream Weaver's claims of changing the world or cutting the sky... Liberty Island simply couldn't wrap her head around it.
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.