Special Week's debut race was on Wednesday.
So, no high-intensity training for her on Monday and Tuesday.
But everyone else continued as usual.
Especially Seiun Sky; now that she was under Lu Jue's care, there was no way she could be lazy anymore.
As long as she wasn't drenched in sweat from training, Lu Jue would push her to her limits!
Of course, Seiun Sky didn't slack off; she even started competing with Silence Suzuka.
The two of them would lead separate teams during training warm-ups.
But after multiple training sets, by the last set, both of them would be fiercely competing for first and second place.
Lu Jue, of course, was delighted by this.
He liked to take photos of their gasping, contorted expressions during their final sprint...
It was the sprint when the two of them were about to reach the finish line.
Then he would turn them into memes and share them in online chat groups.
...
The night before the race.
Inside the team's training room.
Lu Jue finally had Special Week's winning outfit ready.
"Xiao Te, this is your winning outfit. Put it on."
"Huh, is this for me...?"
Before this, Lu Jue hadn't informed Special Week.
So, she was incredibly surprised the moment she received the clothes.
"Trainer, does joining the team also come with a winning outfit?" Seiun Sky once again had her eyes on a winning outfit.
She hadn't received Lu Jue's welcome gift for joining the team yet, as it was custom-made and required some time.
"Of course not. Your winning outfits are all custom-made by yourselves; they should have special meaning to you."
"But Xiao Te hasn't had time to customize her own winning outfit, and her debut race is imminent, so I prepared one for her first."
Lu Jue knew Special Week's background.
Her birth mother passed away shortly after giving birth to her, and she was then entrusted to a human for upbringing.
She stayed in a remote rural pasture for over a decade, without systematic training, without seeing other Uma Musume, and even without friends her age.
While her economic situation wasn't particularly impoverished and could cover monthly food expenses, buying a custom-made winning outfit was likely impossible.
Lu Jue was afraid that if he didn't prepare one, Special Week wouldn't spend the money even if she realized she needed one.
In the anime, her winning outfit was also prepared for her by Nishizaki Ryu.
Since she had joined his team, he had to take good care of her.
"Trainer, thank you." Special Week held the clothes to her chest, moved.
"I can't let you envy others."
Lu Jue's casual remark made Special Week pause.
A smile also appeared on Seiun Sky's face beside her.
Silence Suzuka was genuinely happy for Special Week.
Only the simple Uralala seemed like an outsider, still mumbling, thinking about what to eat for dinner.
"Go back tonight and try it on. If you win the championship this time, I'll take you personally to customize a set."
"Alright, tomorrow's training is canceled. Everyone will go watch Xiao Te's race."
...
The next afternoon.
Lu Jue drove the entire team to the racecourse.
Although it was just a new Uma Musume debut race, there were still quite a few spectators.
Before even reaching the parking lot, Lu Jue had to drive slowly.
"So many people."
Special Week, participating in her first race, was very nervous.
Although she had seen more lively scenes, this was incomparable.
Because back then, she wasn't the protagonist.
"Xiao Te, relax. You just need to run with all your might." Silence Suzuka comforted her.
"Silence Suzuka is right. Although you've only trained for a few days, you should have a general understanding of your own rhythm and limits. I have no tactical requirements for you; when you feel the time is right, just charge forward."
Knowing the outcome, Lu Jue was not flustered at all.
He looked at the four people squeezed in the back seat, wondering if it was time to get a bigger car.
...
"Welcome everyone to today's race!"
"In this new Uma Musume debut race, who will be the protagonist? Let's wait and see."
"Next, we will introduce the ten Uma Musume competitors participating in this race."
...
The commentator's broadcast had already begun.
And Special Week had just put on her winning outfit and walked out of the entrance tunnel.
The one Lu Jue gave her was not the one from the anime, because he couldn't remember the exact details of the style, only that the main colors were pink and white.
White symbolized new life and beginnings, while pink symbolized innocence and romance.
It was somewhat like the color scheme of a legendary, mythical unicorn.
It conveyed Lu Jue's good wishes and praise for Special Week's inherent qualities.
Before entering the gate, Special Week looked towards Lu Jue and the others in the spectator stands.
"Xiao Te, go for it! If you win the championship, we'll go to Trainer's house for a big feast!" Uralala shouted at the top of her lungs.
Silence Suzuka couldn't shout, so she could only give her an encouraging look.
Seiun Sky encouraged her with a smile.
Finally, Lu Jue.
The moment Special Week's gaze fell on him, he unfurled a banner.
On it were four grand, flowing characters: "Japanese Number One."
"Mm, I definitely can't lose!" Special Week clenched her fists and walked into the starting gate with determined eyes.
...
"Alright, all Uma Musume are now in the gates!"
Just as the race was about to begin, Special Week was listening to the broadcast, ready to burst out of the gate at any moment, but a provocative voice came from beside her.
"Crush you!"
Special Week looked to her side; it was a white-haired Uma Musume wearing an eye patch who had spoken.
She didn't respond but secretly paid attention to the other party.
Because Lu Jue had told her to pay attention to this Uma Musume named Nimble Beret.
...
"The race begins!"
"All Uma Musume had excellent starts!"
...
The cautious Special Week did not go for a Great Escape like Silence Suzuka right from the start but stayed in the middle of the pack, while ensuring she didn't fall too far behind the leading Uma Musume.
She closely followed an Uma Musume in front of her, using her to reduce her own wind resistance.
"It's indeed much easier."
Special Week recalled something Lu Jue often said: "As long as you stick with my training regimen, you'll continuously get stronger and break through your own limits."
Whether it was confidence in Lu Jue or confidence in herself, Special Week only felt her steps were much lighter, and her pre-race nervousness had completely dissipated.
Just as she was running the first half of the race at this pace, she felt a sense of pressure from behind her, along with an irritating sound.
"Get out of the way, get out of the way! Everyone get behind me!"