"Why?!"
"Why is it that even though her stats met the requirements, Nature can't enter the Japan Cup now?"
Twin Turbo was up on her tiptoes, her hands still unable to reach Minamizaka's shoulders.
All she could do was grab his upper arms and shake them back and forth.
She knew deep down that this wasn't Trainer Minamizaka's fault, but in moments like this, he was the only one who could give them an answer.
Barbatos and Seiun Sky exchanged looks.
Even with a head as sharp as Seiun Sky's, she couldn't pull an answer to this mystery out of thin air; if she could, she'd probably be calling herself "Great Detective Seiun Sky" by now.
Nice Nature, meanwhile, didn't let much show on her face. She simply watched Minamizaka, waiting for his explanation.
"It's because of the other entrants this year," Minamizaka sighed.
"This Japan Cup is going to be unlike any that has come before it. The Racing Committee had to make some last-minute changes to the registration rules—there really wasn't any other way."
When he first received the news, he had called the Committee immediately to demand an explanation.
As a trainer, he knew better than anyone how hard everyone had worked just to stand on that stage alongside Barbatos and the others.
Seeing Nice Nature, who had persevered to the very end, be told she was out of the running had infuriated even the usually mild-mannered Minamizaka.
But once he heard the Committee's reasoning, he realized their hands were tied.
"Is it because of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe?" Seiun Sky asked, piecing it together from just a few of his words.
The moment Seiun Sky mentioned the Arc, the logic clicked for Barbatos as well.
"Because El Condor Pasa won the Arc, the 'Kings' of other countries have all fixed their sights on the Japan Cup, haven't they?"
Listening to the two of them, Nice Nature, Ikuno Dictus, and Matikanetannhauser felt like they almost understood, but couldn't quite grasp the full picture.
"What? B-chan, Sei-chan, what are you guys even talking about?" Twin Turbo clutched her head with both hands, feeling like their conversation was some kind of cryptic riddle.
"Barbatos and Seiun are right," Minamizaka explained. "Because Rigil's El Condor Pasa won the Arc, France's 'Brood' and several others arrived in Japan during the Autumn Tenno Sho to register for the Japan Cup. On top of that, the Kings of America, Africa, Europe..."
"World-class Uma Musume have all expressed their intent to compete. This Japan Cup is going to be even more spectacular than the Arc. The number of overseas contestants has surged."
"Because of that—considering the track capacity and the starting gates—the number of slots for local Japanese runners had to be restricted."
At this point, Minamizaka's expression turned solemn as he looked toward Barbatos and Seiun Sky. His gaze said it all: this wasn't going to be just another domestic skirmish; it was going to be a war.
Feeling his stare, Seiun Sky let out a weary yawn and slumped onto the table, seemingly unbothered.
Barbatos, however, was the opposite. Her expression was exceptionally grave.
She locked eyes with Minamizaka for a few seconds before nodding. "It definitely sounds like a tough fight."
"So, Minamizaka... did the Committee drop any hints?"
"Huh?" Minamizaka blinked, a literal question mark practically forming over his head.
What did she mean by "hints"? The Racing Committee was always about being fair, just, and transparent. Why would they hint at anything before a race?
He opened his mouth to ask for clarification, but Barbatos beat him to it.
"Phew~" She patted her flat chest, looking immensely relieved.
"Minamizaka, you scared the life out of me! I thought the Committee was hinting that we should take it easy on the overseas runners—you know, not win by too much just to save their feelings."
She shrugged playfully. "After all, they're all big names in the international racing world. If we smack them down too hard, it might get a bit awkward."
As Barbatos spoke, the heavy atmosphere vanished.
The girls who had been feeling indignant for Nice Nature and worrying about the Japan Cup all burst into laughter. The training room was suddenly filled with a bright, cheerful energy.
Even the stoic Minamizaka relaxed, his face breaking into a smile as he joined the mood.
Perhaps he had been too tired from working through the night.
He had momentarily forgotten just what level Barbatos played at.
Sure, the overseas Kings were monsters, but the thing was... they had to face Barbatos.
Racing wasn't just a matter of statistics, but in Minamizaka's mind, if the current Arc winner El Condor Pasa went up against a Barbatos firing on all cylinders, the win rate would be 1:9.
And honestly, that "1" for El Condor Pasa was probably just him rounding up for the sake of politeness.
After a while, Minamizaka continued, "Alright then, let's go over the training strategy for this Japan Cup."
Once Barbatos and the others left the room to begin their specialized training, only Nice Nature and Minamizaka remained. Nice Nature bit her lip slightly before speaking up.
"Could you tell me the list of local runners who made the cut?" She really wanted to know.
If the Committee had decided to leave her out, she wanted to see who was deemed worthy, and whether the selection was based on fan numbers or something else.
"The local lineup, huh?" Minamizaka thought for a moment, the names surfacing instantly.
"Aside from Barbatos and Seiun Sky, there's Rigil's El Condor Pasa and Grass Wonder, Spica's Special Week and Silence Suzuka, and finally, the girl who ran the Derby alongside Seiun Sky—King Halo. Those are the seven local representatives."
"I see..." Nice Nature nodded. In terms of raw records, Grass Wonder and Special Week weren't miles ahead of her, but one had to consider the caliber of opponents they had faced.
Grass Wonder was a former Junior champion with a G1 title under her belt, capable of manifesting a Zone and a murderous fighting spirit that few could withstand.
Special Week might not have a G1 title yet, but she had placed in the top three of all the Classic Triple Crown races.
In the first two legs of the Triple Crown, she had been part of a genuine three-way battle for the top.
It was only during the long-distance Kikuka Sho that Seiun Sky, a master of stamina, pulled away—and even then, Special Week had fought off everyone else to take second.
With a lineup like that, Special Week was essentially the "gatekeeper" of the roster.
Every single Japanese Uma Musume on that list was equipped with the ability to enter the Zone. That was the bare minimum requirement to even trade blows with the Kings of the world.
"Minamizaka..." Nice Nature balled her hands into small fists, a spark in her eyes.
"I'm not going to slack off on my training. I want to tackle the Classic Triple Crown route next year and then challenge the Japan Cup again."
Next year! After the trial by fire of the Triple Crown, she would claw her way into the Zone and come back for her revenge at the Japan Cup.
--+--
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.