"Four imperfect Zones." Symboli Rudolf's voice carried across the private viewing box, quiet but weighted with something that might have been awe. "I've never seen anything like that in my entire career."
"Yeah, and all four within centimeters of each other at the finish." The response came from beside her, Maruzensky, leaning against the railing with her usual elegant posture. "That Narita Taishin girl... her Zone was completely manifested, and she still lost."
Rudolf's eyes tracked King Halo down on the track, watching her strike her victory pose for the swarming photographers. "King Halo was much stronger today than a few months ago."
She paused, and when she spoke again, there was something rare in her voice, genuine admiration.
"She might truly be a genius if someone knew her potential."
Maruzensky's eyebrows rose slightly. This was probably the first time she'd ever heard Symboli Rudolf give such high praise to a junior uma musume. Rudolf didn't throw around words like "genius" lightly.
"Under those circumstances," Rudolf continued, her gaze never leaving the track, "with Narita Taishin in a complete Zone state, with all four of them pushing past every conceivable limit... for King Halo to win in that chaos, even by centimeters, she deserves this evaluation."
Maruzensky turned to look down at the four uma musume below. "That final stretch. All four of them in the Zone state, all burning everything they had." She exhaled slowly. "If it were me at their age, in that race... I honestly don't know if I could have won."
The admission hung in the air between them.
"You're afraid of Late-Surger and End-Closer types in medium race," Rudolf noted. It wasn't a question.
"Always have been." Maruzensky's smile was wry. "As long as they conserve stamina properly, their late acceleration is stronger than mine ever was. That's just the reality of different running styles."
They stood in silence for a moment, both watching the scene unfold below. King Halo is basking in her victory. The three defeated Uma Musume stood together, exhausted but still processing what had just happened.
Rudolf checked her watch, then glanced toward the exit. "I should go. I have a meeting with the racing committee in thirty minutes." She straightened, adjusting her jacket. "But this race... It's given me a lot to think about."
"Running away from the reporter swarm?" Maruzensky teased lightly.
"Strategically relocating," Rudolf corrected with the ghost of a smile. "There's a difference."
She started toward the door, pausing just before leaving. "That trainer of King Halo's... keep an eye on him. If he can develop uma musume like this, the racing world might see another golden era."
Then she was gone, the door clicking shut behind her.
Maruzensky stood alone for maybe ten seconds, still processing Rudolf's parting words, before a familiar voice cut through her thoughts.
"Yo, when did this old auntie become so lacking in confidence?"
The voice came from behind her, Saint Lite appearing seemingly out of nowhere, a teasing smile on her face.
"Who are you calling auntie?!" Maruzensky spun around, composure shattering instantly. "I'm only thir—uh..."
Unlike some uma musume who didn't give a damn about age, Maruzensky cared very much about it. And Saint Lite knew exactly which buttons to push.
"Hmph." Maruzensky flipped her long hair, placing one hand on her hip. "Saint Lite, why are you here? You're not exactly young yourself either."
"Why can't it be me?" Saint Lite moved to stand beside her at the railing, looking down at the track. "I wanted to see this year's juniors perform. Especially with Narita Brian's older sister debuting, I was curious if another Triple Crown uma musume might emerge."
Her gaze drifted down to the track, to where Biwa Hayahide stood with the others.
"Unfortunately, a bit disappointing on that front. Hayahide's already lost her chance at the Triple Crown with that third place." Her eyes shifted to King Halo. "But then I heard Rudolf call someone a 'genius' from all the way down the hallway. That made me curious enough to come see what the fuss was about."
She glanced at Maruzensky with amusement. "And then I caught the tail end of your conversation. You saying you might lose to these juniors? I don't believe that for a second."
"After being immersed in the racing world for so many years, outstanding juniors are bound to appear," Maruzensky said with a practiced smile. "That's just how it works in this world."
The racing world's last golden era had been Rudolf's time. Two Triple Crown winners emerging back-to-back, Rudolf herself and Saint Lite herself as the first triple crown winners.
After that, years of dormancy before the Gray Era finally arrived with Oguri Cap.
They were all looking forward to seeing outstanding juniors emerge again. Hoping for another golden generation.
"Even so," Saint Lite pressed, "those words don't sound like something you'd say. The Maruzensky I know doesn't admit weakness easily."
"Can't I praise a junior I like?"
"With Holy King family bloodline, having that kind of late acceleration ability is pretty normal, isn't it?" Saint Lite's tone was casual, but there was an edge of genuine curiosity there.
"Normal?" Maruzensky's laugh was sharp with amusement. "Oh, I see. You don't know about that Uma Musume's situation before debut, do you?"
Saint Lite's expression shifted slightly, interested now.
"That uma musume," Maruzensky continued, her voice taking on an edge, "experienced nine consecutive losses in simulation races before debuting."
The silence that followed was heavy.
"If anyone says King Halo's success relies on bloodline," Maruzensky said quietly, "they'd be completely wrong."
She still remembered the discussions among trainers after those simulation losses. Some had still wanted to recruit her despite the record, but others had written her off entirely.
"Because of bloodline?" Her laugh was bitter. "Isn't that laughable? Why does everyone only see bloodline and turn a blind eye to their effort? To the work an uma musume puts in to overcome their weaknesses?"
Her hand tightened on the railing.
"I've long thought bloodline theory should be thrown out completely. 'Narita Brian won the Triple Crown, so her older sister definitely will too'? 'Grays can't win debut races'? 'Central uma musume are definitely stronger than local ones'? I'm sick of hearing it."
The passion in her voice was real.
"I was always bothered by how I couldn't participate in the Classic line back then. URA had too many areas where they were stubborn and inflexible. My trainer knelt and begged the organizers for just one outermost slot... Even didn't need the reward just for joining the race," Her voice dropped. "They still weren't granted permission."
"One of racing history's great tragedies," Saint Lite murmured, understanding now.
"Why?" Maruzensky's smile was sharp. "Afraid the Triple Crown would be taken by a foreign uma musume? You were the first domestic uma musume to achieve it, after all."
Saint Lite said nothing, letting Maruzensky work through old wounds.
"Nine consecutive simulation losses, then four straight wins after debut, and now winning the Satsuki Sho with four simultaneous Zones Uma Musume?" Saint Lite's voice carried genuine disbelief now. "That sounds like a fantasy story."
"The trainer has King Halo's file. If you don't believe it, go look or ask directly. I'm too lazy to explain further."
The absolute certainty in Maruzensky's tone made Saint Lite pause. Maruzensky had no reason to lie about this.
So what was actually going on?
That speed, that control, that perfect execution in the face of three other Zone-state uma musume, none of that had anything to do with bloodline?
Throughout the entire race, King Halo had been completely calm, running with ease, as if she'd believed from the start she could win. How did such an outstanding Uma Musume grow so quickly from nine consecutive losses?
Not knowing King Halo before today, Saint Lite had now mentally listed her as a strong contender for the Classic Triple Crown. Maybe even the Undefeated Triple Crown.
But Maruzensky's revelation made her reconsider everything she'd just watched.
"Just looking at you, I know you're not very informed about recent Tracen news, right?" Maruzensky's tone carried obvious disdain. "You're clearly so free, yet never around when interesting things happen."
"You know about the runaway Trainer, right?"
"Oh, I do know about that one." Saint Lite smiled, looking toward where the host booth was. Hayato, who should have been there, had already disappeared. "I read the monthly magazine. He even made the cover once. Trainers who make the cover shouldn't be simple."
An interesting trainer who'd apparently escaped before the reporter swarm. Smart man.
"He has the ability to develop Uma Musume's potential," Maruzensky said quietly.
"Hm? What does that mean exactly?"
"It means that any uma musume has undeveloped, unawakened potential lying dormant inside them. And he can develop it. Draw it out."
Saint Lite's eyes sharpened. "What kind of potential are you referring to? Zones?"
"Not Zones." Maruzensky met her gaze steadily. "Something more fundamental than Zones. The capacity to enter them, maybe. The ability to push past limits you didn't know you had. King Halo went from nine simulation losses to this glory." She gestured down at the track. "That's not bloodline. That's development."
Saint Lite looked back down at the track, watching King Halo surrounded by cameras and admirers, while the three defeated uma musume stood together nearby.
Four simultaneous Zones. A finish decided by centimeters. And at the center of it all, an uma musume who'd lost nine times before finding her path.
"Interesting," she murmured.
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*As usual, the illustration is commented on.
Saint Lite Illustration, the info from https://umamusu.wiki/Saint_Lite