Uma Musume Pretty Derby: From Getting Knocked Ten Meters Away [57]

Conversely, insufficient bursts of speed also posed problems.

The conditions of a race were incredibly complex, and there were only limited moments ideal for accelerating.

If the timing wasn’t right, speeding up would consume more effort and stamina—another kind of waste. And if an initial burst was insufficient, you'd have to make up for it later, which was just as detrimental as overexertion, again risking the chance at victory.

Still, Yasui Makoto wasn't worried.

It wasn’t something that could be resolved overnight; consistent training over a long period was the only way.

And in this regard, Kitasan Black had never once slacked off—though she herself hadn't yet realized it. The poses and gestures she practiced morning, noon, and night were slowly compensating for her weaknesses, quietly bringing noticeable results.

Besides, analyzing, strategizing, and providing instructions that maximized her strengths and minimized her shortcomings during races was a trainer’s core responsibility.

Yasui Makoto already had solid confidence in this, having incorporated it fully into their daily routine.

The black-haired girl running alongside her senpai on the training field, however, remained unaware of these thoughtful preparations.

“Finish line! Alright, that's it for this set. Take a quick break—next set starts in five minutes!”

Passing the temporary finish line marked by Yasui, Kitasan Black slowed down, steadied her breathing, and turned to nod enthusiastically.

“Hai! Understood, Trainer!”

Then she turned to Daiwa Scarlet and Vodka running ahead, bowing deeply.

“Thank you very much, senpai!”

“Oh my, how many times do I have to tell you, Kita-chan, there's no need to be so formal!”

Smiling warmly, Daiwa Scarlet waved a hand dismissively as she walked over to the fence, grabbing a towel to wipe the sweat from her face. Then, tossing one towel each to Vodka and Kitasan, she called out cheerfully:

“Here, catch!”

“Thanks, Scarlet.”
“Thank you very much, Daiwa-senpai!”

Gratefully catching the towel and wiping her face, Kitasan watched her two senpai chatting casually, before biting her lip and stepping forward hesitantly.

“Um…Senpai, can I ask you something? What exactly am I still lacking…?”

As she spoke, her eyes unconsciously glanced toward Yasui Makoto, who was busy outside the track compiling training data.

“Lacking?” Vodka looked over, puzzled. “Lacking in what?”

But Daiwa Scarlet immediately caught on, thoughtfully nodding.

“Kita-chan, you want to know how you can win against me and Vodka during our practice races, right?”

“Ah, uh, well…”

Embarrassed, Kitasan Black rubbed her cheek awkwardly.

“I just thought… we've been training like this for days. I should at least be able to win once, shouldn’t I?”

As she continued, her voice gradually trailed off into discouragement.

A week ago, Daiwa Scarlet had just taken on administrative duties and had been busy, leaving Vodka as her sole training partner.

They’d been practicing in segments—starting gates and initial acceleration, cornering, mid-race cruising, final sprints, positioning, and overtaking maneuvers. Each session had multiple sets, each focusing on different elements.

Once Daiwa Scarlet settled into her role, she gradually rejoined training, and their routines shifted toward complete mock races.

Today's race distance was precisely 1800 meters—the same as the upcoming Spring Stakes this weekend.

In those previous segment-focused sessions, Kitasan felt she'd given her absolute best, occasionally even outperforming her senpai. Whenever that happened, she'd been thrilled, earning enthusiastic praise and encouragement from Yasui and Vodka.

Yet recently, during these full mock races, she had never once managed to cross the line ahead of her senpai.

Though she believed she was still giving her best and still received praise after each session, doubt lingered in her heart. She wondered whether Yasui and her senpai were merely comforting her, concealing the truth.

In her mind, to truly confirm her progress, she felt she needed to win—even just once—against her senpai.

What she didn't expect was that Daiwa Scarlet would immediately see through her feelings.

It wasn't just Daiwa Scarlet; Vodka stood stunned for a moment before breaking into a knowing grin, clearly understanding Kitasan’s inner thoughts as well.

Ugh… What should I do? Did I upset my senpai with such a question…?

Just as she fretted internally, two thumbs suddenly appeared before her eyes.

“Eh…? Senpai, you…”

Simultaneously raising their thumbs toward Kitasan, and then simultaneously retracting them, Daiwa Scarlet and Vodka exchanged glances and proudly rubbed their noses.

“Not bad at all, Kita-chan. You’ve only run two official races and you're already determined to surpass us. Should we call this ‘youthful ambition,’ Vodka?”

“No kidding. We've trained alongside other juniors before, but Kita-chan’s definitely the first to say something like that. As expected from our junior.”

After delivering these playful yet sincere words, Daiwa Scarlet stepped forward and ruffled Kitasan’s hair affectionately.

Then she closed one eye, wagging her finger playfully.

“However, while your courage is commendable, aren’t you perhaps underestimating me and Vodka just a bit?”

Kitasan Black froze momentarily before frantically shaking her head.

“Ah! N-no, that's not what I meant at all!”

But as she quickly clarified, Kitasan suddenly realized her senpai had a point.

Yes, she’d won two races, but she'd been enrolled for less than half a year and training under Yasui Makoto for only three months.

Moreover, those two races—although recognized officially by Central Tracen—weren’t even Open class yet.

Compared to her, these two senpai standing before her had battled through countless graded stakes, each winning numerous elite-level G1 races.

In comparison, just as her senpai had pointed out, her youthful eagerness and boldness did seem a bit naïve.

But before she could think of how to properly explain herself, Daiwa Scarlet folded her arms seriously and began speaking earnestly.

“Relax, Kita-chan. Vodka and I understand what you meant.”

“Our earlier teasing wasn’t meant to belittle you. You genuinely are different from other newcomers we’ve trained with.”

“At your current stage, most rookies wouldn’t even consider surpassing us—they probably wouldn’t dare imagine it yet.”

“In this respect, you already possess something incredibly valuable.”

“No matter who your opponents are, no matter how strong they might be, you're always thinking of how to win—not shrinking back in fear.”

Kitasan Black stared blankly, completely stunned.

She hadn't expected Daiwa Scarlet to interpret her feelings that way.

Yet, upon reflection, she realized she'd indeed never once doubted if she could beat them.

She'd only earnestly wondered when she’d finally beat them, and how.

“You might not fully understand what this attitude means for your future career yet,” Daiwa Scarlet continued gently.

“But trust me, as long as you hold onto that precious mindset, your future won't disappoint anyone.”

“As for your original question—how to surpass us two, well…” Daiwa Scarlet grinned playfully, rubbing her nose as she glanced outside the track.

“That’s his job over there.”

“But if you're still curious, feel free to ask again—once you've finished all of today’s sets with us, alright?”

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This is a fan translation of 赛马娘：从被撞飞十米开始 by 百升飞上天 All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!