Chapter 179: The Beginning of a King's Journey
Reflection aside, Makoto did not lose his rationality.
He wasn't sure what the atmosphere among trainers was like in other countries, but in Japan it could be described as extremely conservative.
There is a Trainer Academy, true, but what it taught were all very standard theories.
When it came to the countless details of actually guiding an Umamusume—or even what to be mindful of in day-to-day interactions—none of that was covered in class.
And yet, those things were precisely what mattered most.
For example, within an Umamusume's personality there existed a very particular category known as kishō—temperament.
Put simply, an Umamusume with "good temperament" was far easier to guide, both in training and in races. Especially during competitions, they could readily apply the trainer's pre-race instructions.
Conversely, an Umamusume with "bad temperament" was the complete opposite.
These concepts were mentioned in class, but there were no concrete methods for dealing with them, no case studies.
One way to compensate was to search out publicly available materials—papers, interviews, and the like.
But the efficiency of that approach was extremely low.
As a result, the Japanese industry's norm was a very traditional form of mentorship.
It wasn't about formal master-disciple relationships, but about a familiar senior personally guiding you step by step.
However, forming close ties with such seniors was something you couldn't accomplish within the academy alone. More often than not, it depended on family connections.
In a sense, Makoto himself existed within this atmosphere, and had benefited from it.
After all, his parents back home were both insiders in the field, and he had received relevant guidance from an early age—only that his family's connections didn't quite reach Tokyo.
Still, deep down, he felt that this approach was clearly detrimental to the development of the industry as a whole. He also felt there was no need for him alone to challenge such a system and invite trouble.
Because of that background, after coming to Tokyo he hadn't sought advice from anyone, nor did he intend to share particularly private insights with others.
When it came to Umamusume themselves, however, he didn't feel the same way.
Take Air Groove, for instance. When they first met, he hadn't said much at all, yet she had proactively shared many things—about academy life, about what to watch out for in training.
He, in turn, was happy to share his own insights with her, including taking the initiative to help look after Duramente these past few days.
By the same token, he didn't mind sharing things with Agnes Tachyon now.
After hearing what she had just said, after seeing that expression on her face, he found himself unconsciously willing to trust this Umamusume before him—someone filled with regret, yet stubbornly devoted to her dream.
"That goes without saying. My professional ethics are still reasonably intact."
A flicker of joy flashed through Agnes Tachyon's eyes. The corners of her mouth lifted slightly into a satisfied smile.
"Then my thanks, Yasui-kun. I'll abide by your conditions."
"Oh, right—one more thing, while I'm at it."
She pointed toward the door and tilted her head.
"Air Groove-senpai said she's already spoken with Almond Eye's parents on your behalf. The two of them would like to talk with you privately."
"That little one… kukukuku~ she really is quite something. Looks like you're planning to sign a contract with her."
"But matters like that aren't something I can help you with. You'll have to put in the effort yourself."
…
More than a week later, in the evening.
Mt. Mito Inn—Makoto's room.
The overhead light was bright, stretching his seated figure at the desk into a long shadow.
The desktop was piled high with training records. Several draft sheets lay scattered messily, and the trash bin by the desk was filled with crumpled paper covered in writing.
With a ripping sound, he tore a page from the notebook in his hands, casually crumpled it into a ball, and tossed it into the bin.
He closed the notebook, then picked up the topmost training report beside him.
The report was packed densely with data and annotations, recording Kitasan Black's training results for the day: progress in overload training, sprint stride speed, endurance duration.
As his gaze swept across the pages, Makoto gave a slight nod, and the voices of Almond Eye's parents from a week earlier surfaced in his mind once again.
"Yasui-san is young and accomplished—this is something widely acknowledged within the industry," Almond Eye's father said with a polite smile and a nod. "Especially the results achieved by Miss Kitasan Black; they are truly remarkable."
"However, I'm sure Yasui-san also understands that we have always planned Almond Eye's career around sprint and mile races."
"Judging from her current performances, as well as the medical report she has just received, she is indeed extremely well-suited to that path."
At this point, the middle-aged man frowned slightly and added in a more serious tone:
"Cases of successfully breaking through distance limitations… are not entirely unheard of, but they are exceedingly rare."
"It's not that I doubt Yasui-san's abilities, but… we are still more inclined to stick with our existing plan."
"Of course, if Yasui-san and Miss Kitasan Black are able to achieve even more astonishing results in the upcoming races, then many matters could naturally be discussed at length."
As those words echoed repeatedly in his mind, Makoto couldn't help but let out a silent, wry smile.
This kind of typically Japanese, indirect phrasing seemed considerate and flexible on the surface, leaving room in every sentence—but in reality, the refusal was already perfectly clear.
That couple had no intention of entrusting Almond Eye to him. As for the talk of "discussing it slowly," it was little more than polite courtesy.
When he thought about it carefully, it wasn't difficult to understand.
From an outsider's perspective, he had achieved outstanding results at a young age together with Kitasan Black, claiming major titles in graded stakes and even G1 races.
But there was never a shortage of prodigies among trainers—and even more countless were those whose brilliance lasted only briefly.
Kitasan Black herself could be seen the same way.
After all, the number of trainers was relatively small—only a few dozen passed the examinations each year—while thousands upon thousands of Umamusume debuted annually.
From Almond Eye's parents' point of view, if his current achievements were already his limit, and he were to collapse after the next race or the one after that, they naturally could not let their precious daughter take such a risk.
So, in the short term—at least within this year—changing that couple's mind was probably impossible.
With those thoughts in mind, Makoto turned to the computer on his desk. After a brief pause, he logged into the trainer backend system and opened the race schedule interface.
At present, he only had one trainee under his charge—Kitasan Black—so the entire schedule fit on a single page.
The listed races were the St. Lite Kinen a little over half a month away, and the Kikuka Sho two months later.
After lingering on those two races for a moment, his gaze shifted to the G1 event at the end of the year.
The Arima Kinen.
Within the Twinkle Series, the significance of the Classic Triple Crown was undeniable.
However, from the standpoint of overall evaluation, those three G1 races accounted for less than one-third of a racer entire career.
The Classic Triple Crown proved potential. What truly proved strength were the G1 races of the senior years—especially the middle- and long-distance G1s.
The Spring Tenno Sho, the Autumn Tenno Sho, the Takarazuka Kinen, the Japan Cup that faced the world, and the Arima Kinen.
In these top-tier events, every opponent was a battle-hardened racer who had survived severe trials.
Only by defeating such powerful rivals could one demonstrate that success in the Classic year was not a fleeting flash, but the beginning of a generation-defining powerhouse—or even the opening chapter of a king's journey.
Unlike other G1 races, all-star events such as the Arima Kinen and the Takarazuka Kinen—much like the Dream Trophy—were the only two that had no preparatory races and required selection through fan voting in order to run.
Earning enough votes to compete in the Arima Kinen meant that, in the eyes of the fans, that Umamusume was the finest of her generation.
Such voting placed no restriction on whether it was a Classic year or not; as long as the Umamusume was active, participation was possible.
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