"Oh?"
Kuroha was the first to react. He raised his head with interest and looked toward the private viewing box high above.
Beside him, Dancing Brave furrowed her elegant brows and spoke gravely.
"That's... the box Trempolino and the others are using."
After identifying the source, however, she only grew more puzzled.
What were Trempolino and the others doing?
As remnants of a bygone era, they should not be privately sizing up the competitors before the main race.
It would have been one thing if they had come to help with training or merely watch out of curiosity. Why were they allowing their auras to spread and affect the competitors currently familiarizing themselves with the course?
More importantly... how could that aura be so intense?
Although it could not compare to Show Dancer or McQueen individually, it was already approaching the level of Generous when she wielded her incomplete [World]!
As Dancing Brave voiced her confusion, a fluorescent glow flowed through Kuroha's eyes. He chuckled softly.
"Trempolino and her companions aren't the only ones up there. Nearly twenty legendary Umamusume have gathered inside that box."
"Twenty?"
Dancing Brave froze, her expression turning peculiar.
Weren't there only four of them when I came down earlier?
"And every one of them is famous," Kuroha added with a smile. "Secretariat, Ellerslie, Lightning, Luna..."
"Mm. Aside from Sea-Bird, practically every European legend who ought to be here has arrived."
"...What a dazzling gathering of stars."
Dancing Brave let out an exasperated sigh.
She rubbed her brow, wondering whether she should go upstairs and stop that group of troublemakers before they interfered too much with the competitors' training. Then she suddenly realized something.
She raised her head and stared strangely at Kuroha.
"Trainer Kuroha... can you actually see them?"
She had not noticed it earlier, but the floor-to-ceiling windows of that private box were made of one-way glass!
"..."
Kuroha's expression stiffened.
He had grown so accustomed to the divine vision granted by the power of his [Blessing] that he had momentarily forgotten how abnormal his statement sounded.
"...I can barely make out a few things."
You practically listed everyone inside by name!
Dancing Brave screamed inwardly and pressed her lips together helplessly.
At that moment, she could only feel that Team Chasing Light did not contain a single normal person, whether among its Umamusume or the trainer leading them.
Does Show really have any hope of winning?
The instant the combined aura of dozens of legendary Umamusume erupted from the private viewing box and soared into the sky, a trainer in his fifties was solemnly explaining something to Generous a short distance away.
The blonde girl beside him suddenly stopped and looked up.
She was not alone.
The dozens of Umamusume conducting their public training on the turf also halted, their expressions turning solemn as they raised their heads.
"Generous? What's wrong?"
"...Nothing. I merely sensed something interesting."
After a brief silence, Generous smiled and turned back to him.
She paid no further attention to the terrifying aura woven together by more than a dozen legends overhead.
Instead, she looked toward the two champions walking side by side in the distance.
The pressure from above was enough to leave more than a dozen nearby opponents dazed.
Yet those two continued forward with steady steps, completely disregarding the aura over their heads as though it did not exist.
"Very well. If nothing is wrong, let us continue."
The trainer named Paul nodded. He was about to resume explaining the important details of the course when the blonde girl softly interrupted him.
"That's enough, old man. I already know all of this by heart. There's no need to repeat it."
"...Is that so?"
Paul blinked before nodding agreeably. He closed his notebook and spoke in his usual calm voice.
"In that case, Generous, the rest of your time is yours to arrange."
As one of Europe's finest trainers, he naturally understood that when dealing with races involving supreme Umamusume like her, there were moments when a trainer absolutely had to intervene.
At other times, however, allowing events to unfold naturally was the best choice.
"Thank you, old man."
Generous smiled gently, turned around, and walked directly toward McQueen and Show Dancer.
When she reached them, the blonde girl offered a soft greeting.
"Good afternoon, McQueen, Show~"
"Generous."
McQueen responded with a gentle smile.
"Oh! Generous, it's been ages!"
Show Dancer also flashed a broad smile and waved energetically.
"That's because you never attended any of the public training sessions over the past few days," Generous teased, dipping her head with effortless elegance. "McQueen and I have been seeing each other quite often."
"Uh... I had some things to take care of."
Show Dancer scratched her head, her gaze shifting between Generous and McQueen.
A subtle sense of disharmony suddenly arose in her heart.
The two girls in front of her were both daughters of prestigious families. One was the refined young lady of the illustrious Mejiro family in the Far East, while the other was a former European champion from an equally distinguished lineage.
Both carried themselves with grace and dignity, naturally exuding the refined air of proper young ladies.
As for her...
Uh, yeah. I really don't fit in with them at all.
She felt strangely out of place.
Wait. No!
Show Dancer's mind raced.
If they were elegant royal princesses, then naturally their opposite should be a dashing wandering knight like me!
I'm their destined rival. This makes perfect sense. There's absolutely nothing wrong here!
After successfully convincing herself, Show Dancer leaned toward Generous with a grin.
"So, how did it go, Generous? After shutting yourself away for so many days, did you come up with a strategy to defeat McQueen?"
"Why don't you tell me about it so we can compare notes?"
"...What strategy could I possibly have?"
Generous sighed helplessly.
"If I truly had to name one, I suppose I can only hope that you and McQueen wear each other out badly enough for me to steal the championship."
McQueen could not resist covering her mouth as she laughed softly.
"Such defeatist words hardly suit someone of your standing, Generous."
"What standing do I have left...?"
The blonde girl shook her head self-deprecatingly.
"After being defeated by both of you in succession, I no longer have the right to issue a challenge and demand another contest."
Show Dancer giggled and patted her shoulder.
"Nothing is ever absolute in racing. Who knows? Maybe you'll surpass yourself again in this race! Isn't that how all of us fought our way this far?"
The three chatted familiarly for a while before Generous naturally brought up the astonishing aura that had just erupted from the viewing box above.
Show Dancer glanced upward and curled her lips dismissively.
"Tch. It's just a group of retired old-timers gathering together to watch the excitement!"
"Brave-onee-san said that practically everyone who was supposed to come has arrived."
"Whatever. We'll run our race, and they can watch. What are they going to do, jump down here and steal our starting gates?"
"..."
McQueen paused, her expression turning rather peculiar.
If Trainer gave every one of them a [Blessing], they really might come down here and fight us for a starting gate...
Beside her, Generous quietly observed the two girls.
At that moment, they seemed completely different from the overwhelmingly distant figures they became on the racecourse.
They looked so easygoing, lively, and real.
"Why don't we... run a lap together?"
She suddenly made the suggestion.
When the other two looked at her in surprise, Generous added, "Just one slow lap together. We won't time ourselves, and there won't be a winner or loser."
"What would be the point of that...?"
Show Dancer tilted her head in confusion.
Faced with McQueen and Show Dancer's puzzled expressions, the blonde girl slowly exhaled and explained in a lighthearted tone.
"I want to know what it feels like to run beside the two of you."
"Otherwise... once the actual race begins, I may never have another opportunity to keep pace with you."
"..."
McQueen and Show Dancer both froze.
They looked into Generous's slightly dimmed eyes, then exchanged a glance and fell briefly silent.
As Umamusume who were on the verge of overwhelming their entire era, they understood the meaning behind her words better than anyone.
Generous knew that her current strength was no longer enough to keep up with them.
Soon, however, the two champions nodded simultaneously.
"All right!"
Show Dancer put away her joking expression and spoke earnestly.
"Let's run a lap together, Generous!"
"But this will not be the final time we run together, Generous," McQueen said softly.
The final public training session before the race came to an uneventful conclusion.
One week later.
October 6.
It was also the first Sunday of October in France.
As an impassioned entrance march began to resound throughout Longchamp Racecourse, the entire world turned its gaze toward that emerald course.
The pinnacle of international G1 racing, the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, had finally arrived!
(End of Chapter)
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