Chapter 7: Friendship Training - Sakura Bakushin O

That morning, my trainer wasn’t around. Apparently, he’d gone on a business trip.

"Lux, you’ll be fine, right? Don’t overdo it, okay?"

"I’ll be fine, I’ll be fine! It’s not like I’m going to push myself too hard when Trainer’s not here!"

"I’d rather you not push yourself too hard even when I am here…"

He’d said that the day before while handing me the training menu. Overprotective much? You could trust me a little more, you know.

So, here I was, ready to train alone on the field—

"Fufun! It seems you’re in trouble! Leave it to me, the class representative!"

"Uh, um…?"

I’d somehow gotten myself involved with someone dangerous.

No, seriously. This was bad. The reigning sprint queen—Sakura Bakushin O. The first-ever champion of the URA Finals short-distance division, undefeated in the Dream Trophy Series short-distance events. A bona fide monster.

Why on earth is she talking to me?

"I heard there’s a promising new sprinter among the first-years! That must be you, correct!? I also heard your trainer is away and that you’re training on your own today! Well then, well then, well then, well then! Allow me, the class representative, to join you in training!"

"Ah—okay."

Her energy was overwhelming! Truly, the “Bakushin” name isn’t just for show. She’d been overpowering since the moment we met.

The situation might be absurd, but it was also an opportunity. Training with the short-distance queen herself could only help me grow.

"Now then, let’s start running! First comes Bakushin, second comes Bakushin!"

"B-Bakushiiin?"

"Excellent spirit! Once you’re ready, we’ll begin! Bakushiiin!"

…I wasn’t entirely sure what was going on, but it looked like we were about to run side by side. I strapped on my horseshoe shoes and lined up at the start.

After checking my legs, I was good to go.

When I glanced over, the smile that had been on Bakushin O’s face was gone. Her eyes were sharp, her expression deadly serious. The instant I saw that profile, a chill ran down my spine.

"Here we go!"

With a powerful thud, Sakura Bakushin O kicked off the turf, grass bursting upward as she rocketed forward.

That start… what the hell? The app has a skill called “Concentration,” but this was way beyond that.

I launched off as well, doing my best to keep up—but her acceleration was unreal. I was left behind in an instant.

"Bakushin, Bakushin, Bakushiiin! I can’t show my junior an uncool side!"

"Gh—seriously!? Even if I’m more of a chaser type, how’s the gap this big!?"

There’s no time to think about when to sprint. If I try to conserve energy now, I’ll never catch up. I dig deep and explode forward with everything I have.

And then—I saw the Queen.

The moment I started closing the gap, she turned her head, as if sensing my approach.

A sharp, electric gaze pierced through me.

"!"

Bakushin O glanced my way for just an instant before driving her legs again. The turf erupted behind her as she surged ahead.

"Here I go! Witness the running form worthy of a class representative!"

You’ve got to be kidding me—she’s still accelerating!? Bakushin O widened the distance again and blasted straight toward the finish line.

That’s the Queen for you.

"This is ridiculous!"

"Hahahahaha!"

And she even sounded relaxed!

She wasn’t going all out—not completely. Her form was serious, yes, but she still had stamina to spare. And mentally? Completely unfazed.

Actually, I’d checked her records before—this world’s Sakura Bakushin O doesn’t just win short races. She’s got mile victories mixed in too! A Bakushin O who can handle mile races? That’s just cheating!

I pushed as hard as I could, but the gap never closed. By the time I reached the finish, she’d already been there for several seconds.

"Haa… huff… wheeze…"

"Hmm! Quite an impressive final burst! When you sprint, you need to go grr! and bam!—then Bakushin! forward!"

"Uh… go grr, then bam?"

"Exactly! Grr! then bam! then Bakushiiin!"

I—I have no idea what that means. Well, I kind of do, but it’s all way too vague.

Couldn’t she explain it a little more clearly…?

"So, what exactly is… Bakushin?"

"Bakushin is Bakushin! Like this—see?"

Bakushin O—or rather, Bakushin O-senpai—stepped forward sharply. Hmm… is that supposed to mean something?

"Uh, Bakushin O-senpai?"

"Yes? What is it!"

"Would you mind if I roll up your hem a little?"

"Of course not! Feast your eyes on the class representative’s well-trained legs!"

I watched closely as she stepped again. Her leg extended straight like a steel rod, muscles tense and powerful.

"You’re not absorbing impact through the joints… You’re turning all that rebound into speed instead, huh?"

"Fufufu! Impressive, isn’t it?"

"It really is. As expected of Bakushin O-senpai."

Seriously, it’s incredible. No wonder her instantaneous power is off the charts. Of course, that must put insane strain on her legs—

—but she manages it perfectly thanks to her form and her intensely trained body.

"Could it be that Bakushin O-senpai, you’re good at balancing on one leg with your eyes closed?"

"Ooh, sharp observation! I can run even blindfolded!"

"Wait, seriously?"

"Shall I show you? It’s one of my proudest techniques—Trainer praised me for it too!"

"No, please don’t. That sounds dangerous…"

Even while transmitting the full impact through her legs, she somehow managed to keep her body from breaking down.
That’s the kind of mastery you’d never notice just by watching a race—the mark of a true champion.

"Did you find this helpful?"

"Yes, very much so. Um, could we run side by side again?"

"Of course! As many times as you like!"

"Ah, and Bakushin O-senpai—about your outfit—"

"Trainer made sure I brought spares in case I get dirty!"

"R-right… shorts, too?"

"Naturally!"

This time, I had her change from her tracksuit into shorts before we ran side by side again.
From behind, I’d be able to carefully observe Bakushin O-senpai’s legs as she ran.

"Alright, let’s go for our second run! Stay sharp and keep up, okay?"

"Y-yes, ma’am…!"

And so, the joint training began.

Bakushin O-senpai’s leg muscles moved as though they were alive—shifting, tensing, rippling beneath her skin.
During acceleration, during cornering, during her speed maintenance—I focused on each movement, doing everything I could to stay behind her while studying every detail.

"Behold the acceleration of your class representative!"

"Gh—this is insane! Trying to observe her while keeping up is suicidal!"

"Can you keep up with my speed?"

No. Absolutely not.
When she hit her final burst, she widened the gap instantly. What kind of acceleration is that!?

"Huff… wheeze… gasp…"

"Um, are you alright?"

"I’m fine, Bakushin O-senpai… just—give me a sec, then we can go again…"

"Oho! Such fighting spirit! Very well, one more round! Any requests for the next one?"

"Uh, well…"

Sakura Bakushin O’s acceleration—that must be Sprint Turbo. The short-distance acceleration skill from the app.
There’s no way I could replicate it perfectly, but if I focused on the key elements…

"Like this?"

"Ooh, excellent acceleration! At this rate, you could be the next class representative!"

"Haha… ahaha…"

Still, I could feel the strain in my legs. I could only mimic her form so far before risking injury—it was a dangerous technique if done wrong.
That said, my legs were fairly strong, built for sprinting. A light imitation shouldn’t be an issue.

If I had to name it, I’d call it Sprint Gear—a lower-tier version of Sprint Turbo.
And if my guess was right, this technique wasn’t limited to short distances. No… it could work for both short and mile races—a short-mile hybrid skill.

"One more time! Can we run one more time!?"

"Hmm! Alright, one more run it is! Let’s use that slope over there next!"

"Got it!"

Watching Bakushin O-senpai run ahead, I tried to absorb everything I could from her technique.
We repeated that again and again. Before long, the sky had turned reddish, and the other Uma Musume were starting to leave the training grounds.

"Oh my, it’s already this late! I once got scolded for breaking curfew, so I need to head back before Trainer’s thunder strikes again!"

"Yikes, that’d be bad."

"That’s that, then! Let’s wrap it up for today! I had a wonderful time, Lux-san!"

"Same here—it was really productive."

After parting ways with Bakushin O-senpai, I cooled down and started heading home.
It really had been an incredibly valuable training session. Now, I just needed to let my body internalize everything and keep training until I could use it effectively in real races.

To reproduce that kind of acceleration, I’d need a perfectly conditioned body. Technique alone wasn’t enough—form and physique had to work together in complete harmony.

And I had to master it fast. That burst of speed would be essential for my upcoming showdown against Mihono Bourbon.

"Haah… still a long road ahead…"

The queen, Sakura Bakushin O—this was my first encounter with her, and the beginning of a long, long friendship.

Incidentally, the joint training with Bakushin O-senpai turned out far more intense than I’d expected.
The next day, I was writhing in muscle pain. And when Trainer found out, I got thoroughly scolded for pushing myself too hard while he was away.

A male soul within an Uma Musume.
Her fate accelerates, pulling those around her into its unstoppable momentum.

Her very existence stirs a once-stagnant world, giving rise to whirlpools of events no one could have foreseen.

The Three Goddesses rejoiced once more.
A world where everyone is happy is a beautiful sight—but one without change soon grows dull.

What they desire is a world where joy and unpredictability coexist—
a world ever in motion, alive with possibility.

The Uma Musume bearing a male soul, Mithialx.
She is a being who does not truly belong to this world,
and yet her presence shatters its stillness, sending it spiraling toward unforeseen, yet ultimately radiant, destinies.

The Three Goddesses smiled warmly, content with the chaos she would bring.