Chapter 872: with translation of chapter title

Title: "NO. 241: If the comet chose me"

Nakayama Racecourse, autumn, slightly heavy rain.

It is one of the five major racecourses, qualified to host several G1 races, and moreover the venue of the classic Triple Crown's first leg, the Satsuki Sho, called the starting point of legend.

And at the end of September, this midpoint of the year, it still becomes the 'beginning of legend'.

Only because today's short-distance horse girl championship is the first battle of the new format G1.

"Jumping from 1800 meters to 3100 meters, the gap is too big… almost touching the limit of past middle-distance races."

Before the race starts, the audience admission segment.

Bi Ze, already seated, was shaking his leg and biting his nails, as if he had only just begun to formally pay attention to the race reform standards.

Hearing that from Bi Ze beside her, Akane turned to look at Suzi beside her: "What is the limit of past middle-distance races?"

"3400 meters," Suzi, adjusting her noise-canceling earphones without looking up, said lightly, "For us horse girls who never aimed for short-distance development, that's fairly normal."

"Horse girls with a bit more potential can challenge the average time in their first year," Xizaki Feng, seated beside Bi Ze, sighed, "Just as Emperor renewed the record at this year's Jidong Derby by 11 seconds, it's actually understandable why the association made this change."

"Although each year's competition remains fierce, if the finish time keeps getting shorter, the audience finds it rather subtle," Pipa Chen Guang, seated beside Narita Bai Ren, said, "In the student council documents Bai Ren processed these past days, there are clear indications of each year's students' average running speed increasing."

"Is there?" Bai Ren wondered.

"I've already handled it, and you still don't even look?!" The office-worker sister snapped at her sister's slacking.

"Since big sister already handled it, there's no need to look," the sister shifted her gaze, "I trust big sister."

"Do you think saying that will get you by?!"

"What a terrible sisterly relationship…" Zhouri Ningjing gave a sideways glance at the two bickering guys, "Though I never expected that annoying guy not showing up would be fine, and even free up a ticket."

"Explanation: Bureau Chief Bijutikusu is also involved in Master's operation over there," Bourbon said.

"Why explain this? I didn't expect that woman over there could still pass the ticket; with that ability, why not pass Aomo's…" Zhouri Ningjing said, glancing at Chazuo wearing earphones, then added, "Why not pass that Aomo guy along?"

Moreover, why would that tiger woman know Pipa Chen Guang? From the perspective of her former employer, she should have given those few people from Penguin Logistics, shouldn't she?

At least they carried out this mission…… Zhouri Ningjing finds this extremely incomprehensible.

"They're still grinding Guinea Pig-kun as a boss over there, how do we pass it?"

After the adjustment, Ailisuzhi shoved it back into one ear and complained.

"Yeah, Xiao She earlier told me he thought this commission was like the Jie De Ultraman movie, and he could barely play the third male lead, but now…" Akane shook her head.

"But the third male lead turning into the final boss is also quite reasonable."

"... I think the trainer is just a mid-boss," Chazuo suddenly joined the discussion, pulling off one earphone, "He will probably… drive that Leblondo away."

"In the end we'll definitely fight Leblondo," Akane smiled, "By the way, have you guys ever encountered an earthquake or something before?"

"An earthquake?" Bai Ren glanced over two seats, "The oppressive feeling when Aomo was possessed earlier?"

"Although it feels somewhat related, it's not the same; the models in my room are all askew, and the disposable monster cards in the display case are also not in their previous positions."

"Maybe a localized quake just happened to cover your area," Pipa Chen Guang interjected, "There have been quite a few of these lately, seemingly all involving that…"

"Negative energy." Chazuo whispered.

Although whispered, it's more than enough for the horse girls, unless both their ears are covered by earphones, and moreover noise-canceling ones.

For example, that person sitting in the rear tier seat, currently lowering their head to tap their phone, Zhenjiling.

Likewise paying attention to Aomo's battlefield, and having a good rapport with Shinjo Akane, she nevertheless had no intention of paying attention to that group's conversation below.

{Curren: Still okay? }

{Vega: Still okay}

{Curren: Brother… might not make it in time for your entrance}

{Vega: I know, I'm listening, the situation doesn't look optimistic yet}

{Curren: ……Can't wear it when entering the gate}

{Vega: When it's time to train, I've trained seriously; just give him the result and that's enough}

{Curren: Didn't you win victory for your little sister? }

{Vega: Still the same, offering victory to my little sister will also turn the running…

…into prayer}

……

In the dim lighting of the changing room, Aimu Zhiji, already fully dressed and having re-fixed her ear covers and ornaments, thereby meaning she had taken off her headset.

She both awaited the announcement to go out and gazed at her reflection in the mirror.

She had already expressed a determination in her online chat with her roommate, and now, looking at her mirror image clad in the victory outfit, she involuntarily recalled the previous time.

Last time, facing such herself in the mirror, her mindset was completely different.

The visible younger sister, running as if unburdened, finally called out the trainer.

She looked at the screen where she was accompanied by another girl whose appearance was nearly identical, and her smile appeared more naturally than in any previous practice.

It's fine.

Whether someone came to watch the entrance or not doesn't matter.

Even whether she saw herself on the racecourse doesn't matter.

But the trainer…

In the headset just taken off, there still echoed the urgent shout of Mr. Sai Luo as he inserted the card.

Can it go smoothly?

Aimu Zhiji lowered her head, looking at the ear-mounted microphone placed on the desk.

The horse girl's narrow, long ears twitched slightly, as if she could still hear the shout reverberating within the thermoplastic TPE material.

Even with Chazuo's classmate's approval, she still didn't know what that world was like, thinking that compared to the battle on the racecourse, the true meaning of battle is truly ever-changing and dangerous.

In such a battlefield, her own worries are meaningless; all she can do is trust him.

But what if one cannot manage to believe completely?

Then let's pray.

This is the way of responding that belongs solely to Aimu Zhiji.

"Sister, go for it! (o? ▽?)o"

——

Third-place popularity, Aimu Zhiji, has entered our field of view!

She seems to be in pretty good shape; it looks like the rumors, as usual, can't affect her.

So… the first battle of the blue comet unlike before and the new format! Can she again on Central Mountain's soil win the crown she missed at the Satsuki Prize?

As expected, the cheers were not unanimous.

Many people harbored ill will, and many expressed concern; even the talk of those who hadn't even seen the trainer appear spread among the audience seats.

She raised her head, facing the season's common gentle drizzle, letting it wet her cheeks and seep into her brown hair.

She didn't look toward the stands, even though she sensed that over there were familiar gazes, like those of a troublesome roommate and also like those of a troublesome classmate.

She simply walked quietly into the gate.

Whether it's the praying meteor or the burning comet, one must focus.