Uma Musume: Rising From the Countryside to Legend!!

After sending the two little ones back, Kuroha returned to the trainer's office and gave Fujimasa March a massage, fulfilling her "wish" before finally falling into a deep sleep.

...

The next day.

Another early morning.

After picking up Fujimasa March and Inari One from the dorms, the three of them had a quick breakfast and headed straight for the training grounds.

The morning atmosphere at Oi Training Field was the same as when Kuroha first arrived—nearly empty. He deliberately picked a more secluded area of the grounds.

As a result, at a glance, the entire training field had only the three of them.

"Starting today, your training will focus on the Domain."

Standing in front of his two horse girls, Kuroha's voice wasn't loud, but each word was steady and clear.

"The Domain is a power that transcends conventional limits."

"It is not a gift from an external force, but something born from the deepest desire and pursuit within your hearts. The first step to awaken it is learning to enter your Heart Lake."

Kuroha tapped his chest with a pen.

"Now, close your eyes and relax your bodies. I'll guide you into your Heart Lakes."

Heart Lake—just like the Domain—is a rather fantastical concept. Kuroha learned this as one of the methods of Domain awakening through information from the system.

His skill, Body and Breath Perception, not only let him determine the best breathing rhythm for Uma Musume while running, but also let him identify the breathing pattern that would bring them the greatest inner peace.

By guiding them into that rhythm, he could help calm their hearts.

From there, he would lead them to discover their deepest wishes, dreams—or in other words, their pursuit. That emotional seed would allow them to sink into their Heart Lake.

To put it simply—it was about discovering their reason to run!

Fujimasa March obeyed and closed her eyes, her silver-white hair cascading down like a waterfall as a gentle breeze brushed her shoulders.

Eyes shut, she listened to the steady and clear guidance of her trainer as he helped her shift her breathing rhythm.

Gradually, she felt herself falling into a deep abyss. All around her was a hazy glow—indistinct shapes and colors that she couldn't quite make out.

"March, what drives you to run to this point?" Kuroha's voice echoed in her mind.

"I want to win!" she declared.

Suddenly, a figure formed from the haze—Oguri Cap.

She had first noticed her because of the Tokai Derby, but it was during her debut race—when she felt the terrifying pressure of Oguri's closing speed—that a strange emotion had surged within her for the first time.

That emotion was unwillingness to lose. She pursued victory, longed for it, and held it in the highest regard!

And with that thought, she saw—

An endless racetrack, surrounded by a sea of roaring cheers, waves of applause crashing over her like a tide.

A golden trophy gleamed under the sunlight, and she stood atop the highest podium, basking in all the attention.

"Is it only victory that you seek?" Kuroha's voice called again.

The hazy glow in her Heart Lake only began to shape a third of the scene.

"What else... is there...?"

Standing upon the surface of her Heart Lake, a trace of confusion flickered in Fujimasa March's eyes.

Every Uma Musume seeks victory. But it's never just victory. And that's precisely why most of them can never reach the threshold of the Domain.

They can't see their true hearts.

Had Kuroha not been here, March would've ended up just like those Uma Musume who, by chance, once saw the Domain but could never take another step forward.

But there were no ifs...

"March, when you won those races back in Kasamatsu, did it make you happy?"

Kuroha stood before her, speaking softly.

At his words, March's Heart Lake rippled slightly. Beneath the podium, a few silhouettes began to appear.

"Yes! I was happy!" The crimson in her eyes lit up as she looked toward the crowd below the stage.

"I was happy too, March."

Buzz—

The blurry glow shifted, and suddenly she was back in Kasamatsu. Amid the thunderous cheers, those figures below the stage became clear.

Oguri Cap, Brand-new Brilliance, Noren Ace...

All the friends from Kasamatsu appeared beneath the podium.

That sense of being acknowledged—of being admired—was like sweet spring water nourishing her heart.

"I want to be recognized by everyone!"

Fujimasa March voiced her desire once more, clearer than ever.

The Heart Lake rippled again, another third forming.

For the final third, March didn't wait for Kuroha's voice. Her heart already held the answer.

Amidst all the noise and spotlight, she saw Kuroha.

He stood at the edge of the track, gaze calm and warm, eyes focused solely on her.

A faint smile touched his lips. He seemed to be cheering for her, proud of her.

In that moment, she felt a warmth and satisfaction beyond words. A burning emotion, like molten lava, surged in her chest—so intense it felt like it would burst from her body.

Waves surged across the Heart Lake. The final third completed.

Fujimasa March stepped across the lake's surface. A dazzling white radiance flashed from her pupils, trailing behind her like twin streaks of dreamlike light with each step she took.

...

While Fujimasa March was submerged in her Heart Lake—

Inari One appeared far more restrained.

She sat quietly, eyes closed, her expression stern, as if waging a silent inner battle.

Her Heart Lake didn't become clear like March's.

Victory?

Inari One didn't know. The glow around her didn't seem to accept that as the answer.

"What is my wish? Not victory? Not the championship? Not being the strongest?"

She stared blankly into the unknown emptiness before her.

"Inari, spacing out already?" Kuroha's voice echoed within her Heart Lake, tinged with a playful tease.

"Trainer, what is my wish?" Inari One asked, confused.

"That's not something you should be asking me."

Kuroha replied softly. He looked at the petite girl in front of him, barely 1.4 meters tall. That normally fiery and energetic face now showed a rare trace of weariness.

He let out a quiet sigh.

"Inari... Are you running for yourself?"

(End of Chapter)

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