"Ready—" Air Groove waved her flag-holding hand, and the three competitors assumed their starting positions. "Go!"

Asakusa moved instantly, the breeze beating like drums.

Taiki Shuttle took the lead, a half-length ahead of Special Week and Seiun Sky.

This was her preferred short-distance track.

It's worth noting that last year, Taiki Shuttle won two G1 races: the Mile Championship and the Sprinters Stakes.

"So fast!"

Special Week and Seiun Sky exclaimed inwardly, their gazes instantly serious as they looked at the figure ahead. They lowered their centers of gravity and pursued closely.

This wasn't the mid-distance race they usually ran, so their timing for conserving stamina for a sprint wasn't precise. They could only choose to stick close to Taiki Shuttle.

The three maintained a small gap, locked in a stalemate, until about 100 meters from the slope, when Taiki Shuttle suddenly accelerated.

She seemed to hit her stride, entering her comfort zone. Her pace and cadence increased, yet she looked exceptionally light, as if she were about to fly.

Her sudden burst instantly broke the balanced stalemate, sending her onto the slope ahead of the others.

Lu Jue observed carefully from outside the railing, feeling the changes in Taiki Shuttle's rhythm.

"Amazing!" Uralala's cheering also stopped abruptly at this moment, unable to help but marvel at Taiki Shuttle's speed.

"Anyone who can participate in a G1 and win it is no ordinary Uma Musume," Lu Jue said.

In lower-level races, some Uma Musume would always be overtaken before the finish line, shouting "Oyster~ Oyster~" when passed, but there's no such situation in G1-level races.

...

The race was still fiercely underway, with Seiun Sky and Special Week entering the slope one after another.

But they felt that Taiki Shuttle's figure was insurmountable, and the gap seemed to be widening.

"She can maintain her original speed on a slope? How is that possible...?"

Seiun Sky fell into self-doubt.

Special Week also anxiously searched for a way to break the deadlock in her predicament.

"Da da da—Da da da—"

The urgent sound of footsteps was like a frenzied rain, striking their hearts. Almost immediately, both remembered Lu Jue's guidance from yesterday.

Seiun Sky was the first to observe Taiki Shuttle's stride, and she mimicked it quite well, synchronizing with her rhythm.

Special Week followed closely behind.

The two pushed with all their might, continuously narrowing the gap with Taiki Shuttle on the slope.

"Not bad at all!" Feeling the renewed pressure from behind, Taiki Shuttle dared not slacken, sprinting forward with all her might.

Past the slope, directly facing the finish line.

Seiun Sky and Special Week, in hot pursuit, ran desperately, but they had fallen too far behind earlier, making it impossible to turn the tide.

Ultimately, the two lost by less than one length.

...

After resting, Taiki Shuttle proactively walked towards Special Week and Seiun Sky. "Amazing! Both of you are incredibly strong!"

Special Week and Seiun Sky were still catching their breath.

The shorter the distance, the more it tests explosiveness, acid tolerance, and speed.

After this run, both felt more tired than if they had run 2000 meters.

However, it also indirectly proved that Special Week and Seiun Sky's strength was already capable of facing G1-level Uma Musume.

"How do you feel?" Lu Jue walked over with Uralala and Silent Suzuka.

"Trainer, I know what you wanted us to understand from your funny behavior yesterday," Seiun Sky quipped, deadpan.

Special Week also mimicked Seiun Sky, quickly changing her tone. "I learned a lot from Big Tree... Tree senior."

"That's good. Lu Bao and Uralala should understand too, right?"

Shifting the blame.

Immediately, everyone's gaze focused on Silent Suzuka.

Silent Suzuka was too embarrassed to meet anyone's gaze, quickly looking away and clutching one arm with her other hand.

Seiun Sky was displeased.

Only one race had passed, yet she felt like her home had been stolen? Before the race, Lu Jue hadn't called Silent Suzuka "Lu Bao."

Uralala honestly said, "I understand, it's the 'da da da' rhythm, right?"

"Ah, yes." Lu Jue nodded, unluckily meeting Seiun Sky's resentful gaze, and touched his nose in a feigned attempt to cover up.

If glances could kiss people, there would be no such thing as a fleeting touch, but rather a deep absorption.

Just then, Tojo Hana also walked over. "I hope it didn't dampen your confidence."

"Of course not. If they get the chance, they'll definitely win it back next time," Lu Jue said, speaking for Special Week and Seiun Sky, while also encouraging and comforting them.

"That's good. I look forward to the next simulated race, Xiao Lu. I hope you can also bring me some benefits." Tojo Hana still thought highly of Lu Jue.

After Tojo Hana left, Taiki Shuttle looked at Lu Jue.

The straightforward girl was now somewhat bashful, likely still due to the impact of that "Tree" nickname.

"Trainer Lu, does your pre-race promise still stand?"

"Of course." Lu Jue mimicked Taiki Shuttle's tone. "You can come this weekend, with Grass Wonder."

Taiki Shuttle smiled, then asked, puzzled, "Xiao Cao?"

"Yes, this time it's Xiao Te's celebration party. I invited Grass Wonder before."

When he said the words "celebration party," Lu Jue subtly glanced at Seiun Sky.

His concern for her was evident in this unintentional backward glance. Seiun Sky also seemed to sense it, returning a smile, which finally put Lu Jue at ease.

"OK~ I didn't expect Xiao Cao to be secretly eating behind my back!"

"Ah... Mm-hm, you just come with her then."

What does "secretly eating" mean?

Lu Jue suddenly felt he had misjudged Uralala and Nimble Beret. This phenomenon of misusing words was apparently so common.

...

After the simulated race, they trained for a while longer, then Lu Jue let everyone go home.

Special Week and Silent Suzuka had arranged to go out for a big meal and were eager to go back and shower, so they left the lounge first.

On the way, Special Week asked somewhat puzzled, "Suzuka, why weren't you very supportive of me doing this simulated race before?"

"Because... I was afraid you would start to dislike running."

It was normal for Silent Suzuka to have concerns, after all, her opponent was a G1-level Uma Musume. She was afraid that Special Week's fighting spirit would be shattered.

"Thank you for your concern, Suzuka, but this is just a simulated race, I don't mind losing."

Special Week's thinking had a slight problem.

If a simulated race was no different from ordinary training, then Lu Jue wouldn't have bothered to arrange it specially.

After winning the Yayoi Sho, her spirits had been high, even a bit carried away.

Regardless of today's big meal, Special Week had been eating late-night snacks every night recently.

Silent Suzuka couldn't stop her, and Lu Jue hadn't noticed.

"Oh, by the way, Suzuka, why... did Trainer call you 'Lu Bao' just now?"

"Nothing..." Silent Suzuka, feeling a bit shy about the topic, had intended to gloss over it, but her words suddenly paused.

Strange.

Why was Xiao Te also so concerned about this?