Chapter 88: I Still Can’t Figure Out the True Nature of McQueen’s Skill!

“This time of year has come again, hasn’t it?”

Hoshino Wilm, standing beside me, spoke with a voice tinged with deep emotion, her gaze fixed on the immaculately maintained turf of Kyoto Racecourse spread out below us.

Lately, she’s begun to carry herself with more gravitas.

…No—“gravitas” might not be quite the right word.

How should I put it? It’s probably closer to the presence unique to the truly strong—someone whose proven ability and unwavering confidence have finally aligned.

She’s always been good at wearing a mask, and even in the past, she often adopted that kind of persona during interviews and public appearances.

But recently, it feels as though that façade has started to merge with her true self… or rather, perhaps it’s more accurate to say that her true self has finally grown closer to that image.

Her daily training, the independent workouts she loves so much, the way she listens seriously to classroom lectures despite looking unmotivated.

And then there were the Satsuki Sho, the Japan Derby, the Takarazuka Kinen, the Kikuka Sho, the Japan Cup, the Arima Kinen…

All of that accumulated effort—every fierce battle she’s lived through—must be what’s given her that imposing, warrior-like presence.

…Well, whether all of that dignity is entirely genuine is another matter—but setting that aside.

Today, she gazed out over the racecourse with the unmistakable aura of a top contender. As if responding to that presence, Masa and Bourbon spoke with slightly tense expressions.

“The URA Finals… the day of the race that decides the strongest among our generation, where everyone has a chance.”

“The preliminary rounds, yes.”

That’s right.

It was late January.

The season of the URA Finals—now practically an annual tradition—had arrived once again.

---

The URA Finals are a series of all-out battles fought by Uma Musume nearing the end of their peak form, held from the very beginning of the new year.

In truth, this race doesn’t have a particularly long history. If anything, it’s remarkably short.

It was founded just two years ago, personally proposed by Chairwoman Akikawa herself—the de facto owner of the Central Training Center.

The concept was simple: a race that gives every Uma Musume registered in the Twinkle Series a chance, spanning all distances and all track conditions.

It’s a very “Akikawa-like” idea—one born out of genuine consideration for Uma Musume.

…That said, “giving every Uma Musume a chance” also means “granting every Uma Musume the right to enter.”

A massive race on the scale of hundreds of participants—something even my father once muttered might be impossible to realize.

But through Chairwoman Akikawa’s efforts—and the use of her own private funds—it became reality.

The only requirement to enter the preliminaries is being in one’s second senior year. Unlike graded races, there are no restrictions based on popularity or status, and any Uma Musume who wishes to can enter her preferred race.

From there, the top three finishers advance to the semifinals, then to the finals, steadily progressing through each stage.

In the app from my previous life, only first place could advance, so this is one area where things are noticeably different. Considering how brutal that system was, limiting advancement to the winner alone does feel a bit too harsh.

Additionally, while the finals feature eighteen runners, the preliminaries and semifinals consist of races with six to nine participants. In divisions with fewer entries, the preliminaries may not even be held at all. That’s another difference from the old app.

There are quite a few discrepancies, but… well, there are Uma Musume competing here who shouldn’t even exist in the app’s version of the URA Finals. When you try to adapt game mechanics into reality, some inconsistencies are probably inevitable.

…Which makes me wonder—was this world really based on the app? Or was the app based on this world? Or are they simply similar by coincidence?

In the end, I still don’t know.

Though maybe it’s not worth overthinking.

---

Anyway, back to the URA Finals.

With over three hundred Uma Musume divided by preferred distances and track conditions, they fight through three intense stages: preliminaries, semifinals, and finals.

For pre-open and open-class Uma Musume, this is a chance to overthrow graded-class competitors.

For graded-class Uma Musume, it’s a rare opportunity to challenge G1-level runners.

And at the same time, for G1-class Uma Musume, it’s the ultimate showdown to determine the one true champion of their generation.

That’s right—the sole entry condition is being in one’s second senior year.

This race marks a rare return to same-generation competition.

Generally speaking, G1-level Uma Musume stop competing strictly within their generation after the autumn of their Classic year—that is, after the Classic and Tiara races.

Beyond that point, most G1 races are mixed senior events, such as the Tenno Sho or the Grand Prix.

But whether those races truly determine the strongest of a generation is… debatable.

Just as the Satsuki Sho is often called “the race won by the Uma Musume who matures the fastest,” Classic races tend to favor early bloomers.

Which, conversely, puts late bloomers at a disadvantage.

Last year, Twin Turbo was a textbook example. Her full development came far too late, and as a result, she couldn’t even participate in the Classic races.

Of course, early maturation is also a legitimate talent for an Uma Musume.

Still, many wanted to see a true championship that included late bloomers as well.

The URA Finals were born from that desire. Even if late bloomers haven’t fully completed their development yet, the gap here is undeniably smaller than it was in the Classics.

For those reasons, the three URA Finals races are recognized as the third great generational championship, following the Classics and the Tiara races, and they boast immense popularity—on par with the Arima Kinen itself.

---

Naturally, as a trainer responsible for Uma Musume in the Twinkle Series, this is hardly someone else’s problem.

Next year, Wilm will almost certainly compete here, and the year after that, Bourbon will too. With that in mind, the entire team came to watch this year, hoping to learn something useful.

…That said.

Wilm’s tone, as though she’d been waiting for this moment her entire life, made it hard not to let out a wry smile.

“Wilm, you didn’t seem interested at all last year.”

“Eh—no, that’s not—!”

As Wilm fumbled in embarrassment, trying to cover it up, the other trainee and the assistant trainer beside her tilted their heads.

“Unexpected reaction detected. Status ‘Shock’ confirmed. Senpai wasn’t interested in races…?”

“I’m a bit surprised too. Hoshino Wilm seems like the type who’d enjoy watching races.”

Ah, right. That reaction makes sense.

These two don’t know what Wilm was like back then.

Once upon a time, Hoshino Wilm didn’t know how to enjoy racing—how to feel its heat, as she would put it.

She ran purely out of obligation… or more precisely, driven by the obsession that she absolutely must not lose.

Based on the policy I followed back then, I tried all kinds of approaches to help her enjoy racing.

And the biggest turning point—the moment that truly changed things—was probably that race.

The mock race last February, against Nature and Teio.

Looking back, that was one hell of a fateful pairing.

A mock race at the very peak of the generation—the so-called Three Stars of Wilm’s era.

It already drew a lot of attention back then, but if it were held now, the crowd would be unbelievable. …No, people would probably just say, “Make it an official race,” and the venue would end up overflowing.

After that mock race, Wilm’s motivation toward racing clearly skyrocketed.

Honestly, at the time, it was nothing but “Nature this, mock race that,” nonstop.

…Though that childish enthusiasm was kind of adorable in its own way, and it did bring us a lot closer, so I can’t complain.

In any case, the point at which Wilm became positive about racing—when she truly started taking an interest in the sport itself—was February of her Classic year.

She didn’t meet Bourbon until April, and as for Masa, it was late October.

There’s no way they’d know the Wilm who ran with frozen eyes, staking her life on every stride.

“This girl wasn’t a racing junkie from the start, you know. The Wilm I met back then was—”

Just as I was about to continue reminiscing—

“W-wait! H-hey, Ayumu, what do you think you’re saying?! You can’t just bring that stuff up on your own!”

Wilm cut in from the side, her face slightly red.

“Huh? It’s not okay?”

“Of course it’s not! Don’t casually dig up someone’s dark past!”

Dark past… was it really that bad?

I mean, sure, Wilm back then could be prickly—maybe a little intense—but “dark past” feels like a stretch.

Both the Wilm of now and the Wilm of then—narrow-minded as she could be—weren’t bad kids. Personally, I’d always found her likable.

…Or am I just biased because it’s Wilm? I have been treating her a bit too specially lately.

Well, I do understand the feeling of wanting to bury your face in a pillow when you remember how cringeworthy you used to be.

I’ve had nights where I remembered my own past failures and wanted to cry myself to sleep too… or did I? Honestly, I can’t quite remember anymore.

“Then let’s not dig too deeply into that.

Anyway, this is your first time properly watching the URA Finals too, right? Last year you were saying things like, ‘Shouldn’t we just go home and train instead?’”

“You’re digging into it though!? You’re totally saying it out loud!?”

“…Well, sure, it might be my first time really watching them properly, but what’s wrong with that? Can’t you let me soak it in a little?”

As she said that, Wilm deliberately puffed out her cheeks in an exaggerated sulk.

“My bad. Don’t get so grumpy.”

“Hmph.”

Wilm lightly punched me in the side in a cute, half-hearted way, and I couldn’t help but smile.

It might not be something a trainer should say about his trainee, but… she really is an adorable girl. Just when you think she’s grown and mature, she shows these childlike sides too.

Is this what they call gap moe? …Come to think of it, you don’t really hear the word “moe” much these days.

…While we were exchanging words like that, I suddenly noticed Masa looking at us with a rather indescribable expression.

“Hm? What is it, Masa?”

“…Nothing. I was just thinking you should explode.”

“Explode…?”

Oh wow… I’m used to being insulted by Masa, but “explode,” huh.

That’s a first. A fresh, innovative insult. Just like Wilm and Bourbon’s running, Masa’s vocabulary seems to be evolving day by day.

I should probably take notes and keep improving myself too. …Not my insult vocabulary, though.

---

Before long, the moment just before the race finally arrived.

To conquer the URA Finals, there are three races that must be won: the preliminaries, the semifinals, and the finals.

To account for the burden on the competing Uma Musume, each race is spaced a month apart, held in late January, late February, and late March.

Right now, in late January, several preliminary races were already underway.

The one we had come to watch this time was a long-distance turf race—3,000 meters—held at Kyoto Racecourse.

In this race, where stamina and sheer grit play a decisive role, the top three finishers would earn the right to advance to the next step toward conquering the URA Finals: the semifinals in late February.

Of course, it’s not as though any of these Uma Musume would settle for “as long as I place in the top three.” Every single one of them would be running with first place in mind.

…That said, the reason we’d come to watch this particular race was because the winner was practically already decided.

Below us, the Uma Musume began stepping onto the turf.

Among them, there was one ash-gray runner whose presence stood out overwhelmingly.

While everyone else wore the official training center tracksuit, she alone was clad in a chic racing outfit dominated by black, walking forward proudly as if following her own path.

『And here comes today’s main attraction onto the turf!

The overwhelming favorite, carrying the expectations of countless fans—showing her usual calm composure, the star of the turf, the Kikuka Sho champion, Mejiro McQueen!!』

That’s right.

Today’s long-distance turf preliminary featured Mejiro McQueen.

Of course, it wasn’t a coincidence that this race caught our attention.

When we decided to come watch the URA Finals, Wilm had suggested it herself.

“If we’re going anyway, let’s watch McQueen-san’s race. We’ll probably run into her at the Tenno Sho.”

From my perspective as well, scouting McQueen—someone Wilm might clash with in the spring, and whom Bourbon could face again this autumn—was more than welcome.

We even dragged Masa out of her increasingly work-filled routine, and the whole team came together to watch.

『Across fifteen races, she has claimed four graded victories and two G1 titles, and in last month’s Arima Kinen, she finished fourth behind Special Week, Hoshino Wilm, and Nice Nature.

There is no longer anyone who doubts her ability—she stands among the strongest in the middle- to long-distance category!』

『She’s an Uma Musume who employs the classic strategy of maintaining a strong forward position and pulling away with a long-lasting kick. The question is—can anyone keep up with her high pace?』

I noticed Masa glancing over at me.

It was the same look she used to give me every time we watched race footage back when she still lived at home. The sight felt a little nostalgic.

I could guess what she wanted to ask, so I answered before she even opened her mouth.

“No. There’s no one here who can beat her. Mejiro McQueen is on another level. In fact…”

A fully matured McQueen possesses stats and skills that truly deserve to be called elite.

I briefly turned my gaze toward the ash-gray runner, and the “app reincarnation” translated her abilities into numbers.

Mejiro McQueen

Speed: A+ 906
Stamina: S 1001
Power: A 819
Guts: A 895
Wisdom: B 630

…Yeah. Flawless.

Outstanding stats with virtually no weaknesses. It almost makes you wonder whether her trainer can see numerical values too.

Well, McQueen’s trainer is even more of a veteran than Teio’s trainer. This is probably the result of years of accumulated experience rather than any special ability.

Her speed even surpasses Special Week’s, and when combined with her exceptional stamina and guts, she’s perfectly suited for long-distance races. As a frontrunner, her power is more than sufficient.

If there’s one thing you could point out, it’s that her wisdom is slightly lower—but she’s the type who forces her own pace onto a race. Unlike Sky or Nature, she doesn’t rely on high tactical intelligence.

The phrase “among the strongest” fits her perfectly, without exaggeration.

If the race flow had been just a little different… or rather, if she hadn’t been dragged wide by Sky’s lead, she might have even won that Arima Kinen.

Stat-wise, she’s unquestionably top-tier.

And at the same time… her skills are first-rate as well.

Most of them are tailored for long-distance and front-running, and they’re well-balanced overall.

…The problem is, there’s one among them that even I can’t quite make sense of.

Skill

Mejiro’s Creed

…What exactly is that?

To be clear, the existence of this skill itself isn’t particularly strange.

In this world, there are these kinds of unique abilities… though calling them “unique skills” gets confusing, since that overlaps with the app terminology from my previous life.

For convenience, it’s probably better to call them “special skills.”

I already knew that such things existed.

Spe had skills like “Bottomless Appetite” and “Dream-Fulfilling Final Kick,” and Suzuka had “Maximum Focus” and “Runner from Another Dimension.”

Sky also possessed several skills I didn’t recognize. At first, I thought they must have been powerful skills added after I stopped playing the app in my previous life…

But it seems that in this world, exceptionally strong Uma Musume can acquire skills that are truly their own.

My guess is that they’re refined versions of general techniques—skills that the Uma Musume themselves elevate into something uniquely personal… though unfortunately, I don’t even know if that theory is correct.

What is certain is that only a select few elite runners can acquire special skills.

So the existence of such abilities isn’t strange at all. And when it comes to an elite like McQueen, it would almost be stranger if she didn’t have one.

The real problem is… you can’t tell what it does from the name.

“Bottomless Appetite” is easy. It sounds like a recovery skill—probably an upgraded version of Glutton. I mean, the name is ridiculous, but still.

“Dream-Fulfilling Final Kick” is likely an even higher-tier version of Full Throttle—a supercharged finishing burst. It is a final kick, after all. And honestly, the name is insanely cool. I love it.

“Maximum Focus” practically screams “upgraded Concentration.” Wilm losing at the start of the Arima Kinen was probably because of that skill.

“Runner from Another Dimension” is clearly an evolved version of Escape Artist. Combined with her unique skill—her domain expansion—that’s exactly why Suzuka achieved such overwhelming results.

And then there’s—

Mejiro’s Creed.

…What even is that?

Mejiro’s… creed? A skill with the family name in it? I don’t remember anything like that from the app. If it existed, McQueen would’ve had it back then too.

Hmm. McQueen’s skills… creed… wait.

Could it be an evolution of “Vanguard’s Creed”?

In my previous life, I mostly trained escape-type runners, but McQueen was easy to use as one too, so I raised her quite a bit. I still remember how badly I got crushed at the Spring Tenno Sho early on because I underestimated stamina.

And there was a reason I kept running her as an escape-type and grinding inheritance factors.

She had the same skill as Sky.

“Vanguard’s Creed”—a speed-boost skill that activates in long-distance races when you’re in first place during the mid-race with a lead of at least three lengths.

…Looking at it now, that’s obviously a skill meant for escape runners, right? So why did a primarily pace-pushing runner like McQueen have it?

Well, in the end, that skill made me think, “Wait, maybe McQueen can run escape,” which is why I started training her that way—so it all worked out.

Incidentally, at least back when I played, that skill was basically a dead skill. Due to the game’s mechanics, it almost never activated.

There was no such thing as a “great escape,” and if you got too far ahead, you’d inexplicably slow down… yeah, the system was weird.

But… even if this is an evolved version of Vanguard’s Creed, can McQueen actually activate it effectively?

In this world, McQueen almost never runs as an escape-type.

She usually lets another runner take the lead, carefully controlling the distance while maintaining a strong forward position. That’s her standard approach here.

If that’s the case, then even in long-distance races, it’s hard to imagine a scenario where she’s leading by three full lengths in the mid-race.

…Unless the evolution into a special skill loosened the activation conditions.

That’s possible too.

Considering McQueen’s running style, if the conditions were relaxed… maybe something as simple as “increase speed when running near the front during the mid-race”?

If that’s the case, then yeah—it would be an extremely useful skill.

Hmm… She didn’t have it during the Japan Cup, so she must have acquired it sometime after that…

Still, when something introduces an unpredictable variable like this, it’s hard not to feel a bit uneasy.

“Brother?”

“Huh? Yeah?”

Masa’s voice pulled me back from my sea of thoughts. She—along with Wilm and Bourbon—was looking at me with slightly worried expressions. Well, Bourbon was mostly expressionless as usual, but even she seemed a bit concerned.

Ah… I guess I worried them. I must’ve been thinking too hard.

“What’s wrong? You were spacing out.”

“Ah—sorry. Just thinking.”

“I see. …You’re tired, aren’t you? When we get home today, make sure you actually sleep.”

“Yeah… today there’s no more work, so… well, we’re traveling too, so I kind of want to get things done early if I can.”

“No. You’ve already learned the hard way that working without proper sleep just kills efficiency, haven’t you?”

“…You’re right. I’ll get some proper rest.”

She nags a lot, but it’s not just sharp words—she’s always worried about my health.

And it looks like Wilm and Bourbon are worried too…

…Yeah. I really am lucky—with my family, and with my trainees.

I gave them a small smile to reassure them, then turned my gaze back to the racecourse.

“…Yeah. Mejiro McQueen really is strong. There’s no doubt she’ll win this race.”

“Well, it is McQueen-san. At 3,000 meters, there’s no way anyone but me could beat her.”

Wilm nodded confidently.

Having run alongside McQueen in the Takarazuka Kinen, the Japan Cup, and the Arima Kinen—and especially after their fierce battle in the Japan Cup—her evaluation of McQueen was extremely high.

Though their styles differ—Wilm’s outrageous great-escape strategy versus McQueen’s textbook pace-pushing approach—both are stayers blessed with immense stamina, perfectly suited for long distances.

There are probably many aspects Wilm can empathize with… and admire.

…Though the casual “anyone but me” does betray that unconscious arrogance unique to the truly strong.

In contrast to Wilm, who wore a smug, proud grin as if boasting about a respected senior…

The other trainee, Bourbon, looked somewhat troubled.

Well, “troubled” might not be quite right—she was still mostly expressionless—but her brows were drawn together just a little more than usual.

“…If it’s 3,000 meters…”

…Ah. Right.

The 3,000-meter course at Kyoto Racecourse is the same condition as the Kikuka Sho—Bourbon’s ultimate goal, and likely her greatest challenge.

Wilm’s words had unintentionally highlighted that.

It makes sense she’d start thinking.

But I can’t let my trainee worry.

Dispelling that doubt is part of my job.

“Don’t worry. As your trainer, I’ll take full responsibility and make sure you’re in peak condition for the Kikuka Sho.

That’s my job—as your trainer.”

“…Yes. Please guide me, Master.”

Mihono Bourbon’s eyes steadied, the wavering light within them fading as she looked at me with firm resolve.

…Her dream—the Triple Crown.

In my previous life’s history, it was tragically unfulfilled… blocked by aptitude limits, her tendency to overexert herself, and Rice Shower.

But in this world… as Uma Musume, their potential is limitless.

A future where the impossible can happen. Where the outcome is never certain.

I have to support her with everything I’ve got, so she can achieve the one dream she holds dear.

---

The URA Finals, turf long-distance division preliminaries.

The winner was Mejiro McQueen—an overwhelming victory, just as expected.

“I’m looking forward to the Tenno Sho. …Though before that, there’s the Osaka Hai against Teio.”

With that, Wilm flashed her usual mischievous grin—the kind that made it impossible to tell whether she was excited, confident, or both.