"Over here, Trainer Chiya."
When he arrived at the meeting room and pushed the door open, Fujiwara Chiya saw Hayakawa Tazuna waiting by the entrance.
"The meeting is about to start. Please find a seat."
"Got it."
He nodded and took a seat near the window.
There were about forty trainers in total, ranging from their twenties to their sixties. The ones seated at the front were elderly, their hair completely white. These were Tracen's veterans, all senior trainers who had produced countless famous Uma Musume.
"…That's a lot of people."
"It's a full trainers' meeting."
Someone answered from beside him.
Turning his head, Chiya saw a woman with shoulder-length hair and side-swept bangs. Her sharp, composed eyes were fixed on him.
"Trainer Nase."
She gave a small nod and sat down next to him.
This woman was his colleague, Nase Fumino. She had obtained her Central Trainer license at just eighteen and was known as a "genius trainer." Although they were close in age, this was already her fourth year working at Tracen. She was a senior trainer, leagues above a rookie like Chiya.
Their relationship had never gone beyond simple greetings.
"So… uh… you eaten?"
Her clear blue-green eyes looked at him calmly.
"Yes."
"…That's good."
And just like that, the conversation died.
"I heard you've taken on another Uma Musume."
It was rare for her to continue a conversation.
"Hm?"
"The white-haired girl. She's your trainee, isn't she?"
"That's right. Where did you see her?"
"At the training grounds," Nase spoke in a steady, almost effortless tone. "She has strong potential. With proper training, she'll become a solid runner."
"…Really?"
This was the first time Chiya had heard Nase speak so directly about someone's ability.
"How can you tell?"
Even Chiya himself had only noticed Shirayuki's strong ankles and clean movement. He knew she had talent, but he couldn't confidently judge her full potential like Nase could.
Nase replied without hesitation.
"Her hips and legs are very flexible. High flexibility means greater explosive power. On top of that, her base strength isn't low. If those two strengths are fully developed, she'll be quite exceptional."
She paused slightly.
"But that depends on one thing."
"Her body?"
"Yes. Specifically, the durability of her feet."
When an Uma Musume runs at high speed, the pressure on her feet can reach extreme levels, sometimes up to a ton. Because of that, the feet are the most critical part of the body. If they can withstand that pressure, the runner can push for greater speed.
If they can't, they have no choice but to slow down to avoid stress fractures or worse.
"In other words," Nase continued, "the body determines their upper limit. Trainers often call those with weak durability 'glass legs.' Just like the name suggests, their legs are fragile."
Even the most talented runner becomes useless if she's constantly injured.
Most of her time would be spent recovering, not racing.
"How do you tell if someone has 'glass legs'?" Chiya asked.
"Watch her during training," Nase replied. "If she frequently twists, stumbles, or shows signs of strain, there's a high chance. At that point, it's up to you whether to let her keep racing."
With that, she shifted her gaze forward, ending the discussion.
…Glass legs?
In the classroom, Fujiwara Shirayuki lowered her head and looked at her own feet.
There's no way, right?
This body was supposedly granted by the Three Goddesses. There was no way they would intentionally saddle her with such a drawback just to make things harder.
If she broke down after one race, how was she supposed to experience racing? How could she build bonds with others?
How could she truly understand Uma Musume?
A sense of unease crept in.
Looks like training needs to start properly. No more taking it slow like yesterday.
Chiya needed to find out whether this body was steel or glass.
"Shirayuki… Shirayuki?"
"Shirayuki, the teacher's calling you."
Special Week nudged her from the side.
Shirayuki snapped back to attention.
"Yes!"
She stood up abruptly.
"I've called your name several times already."
"Sorry."
"Do you know what we're discussing right now?"
"…Glass?"
"…Glass?" The teacher frowned. "We're talking about race classifications. Shirayuki, since you transferred from a regular school, you should pay close attention to this."
She pointed at the blackboard.
On the board were two race categories: conditions races and open races.
Ah. The Central race classification system.
Shirayuki understood immediately. This was basic knowledge for middle division students who hadn't raced yet. For someone who had passed the trainer exam, it felt almost childish.
Still, she kept her expression neutral and apologized.
"Understood."
"Good. You may sit. Now, let's continue."
The teacher cleared her throat.
"As first-year students, your initial goal is to compete in condition races. These include debut races, one-win class, and two-win class. Only after meeting these requirements can you advance to open races."
"This will be your focus for the entire year. Aim to debut as soon as possible and win your debut race. And for those of you without a trainer yet, do your best in the next mock race to attract attention."
"Sensei, when will the next mock race be held?"
Special Week raised her hand.
"It should be soon. Possibly…"
"Next week."
Two voices overlapped in Chiya's mind.
In the meeting room, Akikawa Yayoi stepped forward and addressed all the trainers.
"The mock race will take place next week."
She tapped her fan lightly.
"But this one will be different. In addition to the Uma Musume still under instructor supervision, trainers will also have their own trainees compete against each other. Show us the true strength of your teams."
She paused, then added:
"Of course, there is one condition."
She snapped her fan shut.
"All participants must be pre-debut runners. No one who has already debuted is allowed."