Chapter 439: 551

Thirteen races, thirteen victories.

McQueen, conqueror of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and the Aurora of the Heavens, had effortlessly crushed the Japan Cup and now set her sights on the Arima Kinen.

By the day after the race, news of McQueen's victory had spread everywhere.

The momentum surrounding her, which had briefly subsided after Teio completed her Triple Crown, surged to even greater heights.

This time, however, McQueen was not the one troubled by her embarrassingly grandiose title.

The ones truly suffering were Central's many top active racers.

Central Tracen Academy.

A group of seven strolled leisurely along one of the academy's paths, admiring the scenery at the end of the year.

"Sorry to trouble you, Ryan."

Kuroha was carrying Sea the Stars in his arms, while Suzuka, Brian, Bright, and Dober followed silently at his feet.

Ahead of them, an energetic short-haired girl turned around and continued guiding them while walking backward.

"Haha! I just happened to run into you. It's no trouble at all."

Ryan laughed heartily, then flexed her well-defined biceps.

"It's my day off, and I was already planning to hit the gym and crush a workout."

"I had nothing else to do, so I might as well be your guide."

"Trainer Kuroha, it's been a long time since you properly explored the academy, hasn't it? A lot has changed recently."

Kuroha nodded noncommittally.

Two months ago, Ryan, who had remained at Central, might genuinely have known the academy better than he did.

After all, Kuroha had spent most of the past two years accompanying his horse girls on overseas expeditions.

Whenever he had free time, he was busy with his own affairs.

Even when he had nothing to do, he generally remained at the villa or the Mejiro training grounds.

As far as the academy was concerned, the only route he still knew well was probably the one leading from the front gate to the student council office.

Of course, that only applied to Kuroha before his ascension to godhood.

Now, a single sweep of his gaze could give him a god's-eye view spanning entire oceans and continents.

A small academy was nothing by comparison.

As for why he had personally brought these young horse girls to explore the academy today...

The main reason was yesterday's Japan Cup.

Central Tracen had declared a short vacation immediately after the race.

Although classes had been suspended, the teams could not afford to neglect their training.

Therefore, aside from McQueen, who was resting, the other active horse girls, such as Bourbon, were still sweating on the training grounds.

Sea the Stars and the other young racers had yet to enter their racing prime, so naturally, they could not train as fiercely as their seniors.

With nothing else to do, they had clustered around Kuroha in a small group.

On a whim, he decided to bring them to explore the academy.

Apart from Brian, none of the others had even entered the elementary division yet.

Naturally, they were extremely curious about the school they would attend in the future.

Along the way, Ryan enthusiastically introduced the new buildings and facilities constructed over the past two years, along with the horse girl-friendly admissions policies recently enacted by the administration committee.

"...Still, I heard these policies made the exams much harder. Very few trainers have managed to earn a Central license in recent years."

"That's made things difficult for many horse girls who want to join a trainer's team."

"Even my trainer still has several open slots."

Ryan walked with both hands behind her head.

Then, seemingly remembering something, she turned toward the young girls following Kuroha.

"Come to think of it, Bright, Dober, how have you two been lately?"

"Trainer Kuroha's team has the best support staff imaginable."

"Ryan-oneesan..."

Dober hesitantly replied, "Trainer-oniisan treats us very well, and all our senpai get along wonderfully."

Bright casually caught up to Ryan, her little tail swaying behind her.

"Dober and I have been training very seriously too."

"Someday, we're definitely going to surpass you and McQueen-oneesan!"

"Oho, that's quite the ambition."

Ryan did not take offense. Instead, she looked up at the sky and sighed emotionally.

"Surpassing me is perfectly normal, but surpassing McQueen..."

"Trainer Kuroha, McQueen has officially decided to compete in the Arima Kinen, hasn't she?"

She looked back at Kuroha.

Kuroha was gently rubbing Sea the Stars' remarkably soft head. When he heard Ryan's question, he looked at her and seemed to understand something.

He chuckled.

"Ryan."

"Do your best."

Ryan froze for an instant before the corners of her lips lifted.

"Of course!"

A moment later, however, she scratched her head.

"Still, being encouraged by my opponent's trainer really does feel strange... Ahaha..."

Before long, they completed a full circuit of Central Tracen Academy.

As they approached the academy gates, Ryan tucked one younger relative beneath each arm and carried Bright and Dober along with her.

"Ryan-oneesan, put me down! This is so embarrassing!"

Dober was clearly unaccustomed to being publicly displayed like that. She hung stiffly from Ryan's arm.

Bright, on the other hand, giggled continuously.

When they reached the front gate, they found themselves facing an enormous bulletin wall covered in all kinds of posters.

Some displayed upcoming race schedules, while others advertised clubs seeking new members.

Kuroha's gaze paused briefly on one particular poster.

It depicted McQueen.

She wore a pure white racing outfit and stood sideways on the track of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

Glow sticks and spotlights spread across the gloomy background, forming an immense sea of stars.

A line of gold-embossed text appeared beneath the image:

"The Pure White Wings That Transcend the End: McQueen, the Aurora of the Heavens."

A smaller line followed underneath:

"Thirteen Consecutive G1 Victories! Conqueror of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe! Entry into the Arima Kinen Confirmed!"

Ryan looked at the familiar figure and shook her head with a soft laugh.

She put Bright and Dober down, then turned toward Kuroha and the others.

"Well, Trainer Kuroha, I'm heading off to train. If you need anything, feel free to call me!"

Once Kuroha nodded, she waved and jogged away.

Sea the Stars, who had remained silent throughout their entire walk, watched her departing figure and suddenly spoke softly.

"That oneesan has no chance of defeating McQueen-oneesan..."

Kuroha looked down at her and smiled.

"Yes, I know. In fact, every one of them already knows how the race will end."

"Then why do they keep trying so hard?"

Curiosity flickered in Sea the Stars' eyes.

Kuroha gently pinched her cheek.

"You're still young. You'll understand when you're older."

Within his field of vision, Ryan was not the only one working tirelessly.

All across the academy, top active Central racers such as Taisei, Bright Rock, Mill Wakaba, and Fujin were desperately pushing themselves forward in their own ways.

They were the many challengers of an era defined by one overwhelmingly dominant champion.

At that moment, each of them was striving desperately to improve.

All for a glory that remained beyond their reach...

Kuroha silently observed them and sighed inwardly.

The true weight of an era was never carried solely by the one standing at its summit.

It lived within the gazes of those who continued looking upward, yet refused to yield.