I Just Wanted a Quiet Life... So Why Am I an Uma Musume Trainer?!

The stadium roared, a sea of anticipation. "Here it is—the next hurdle after the cherry-blossom path: the towering oak wall of the 2400-meter Oaks! Eighteen chosen Uma Musume face this grueling challenge! Will Air Groove, crowned in the Ouka Sho, claim the second jewel of the Triple Tiara and achieve a 42-year mother-daughter Oaks legacy? Or will one of the seventeen lurking contenders steal her thunder? The Oaks begins!"

The announcer's voice boomed. "The toughest leg of the Triple Tiara is upon us! This year, all eyes are on the undefeated Ouka Sho champion, whose mother triumphed here decades ago. Can she seize the same crown? Let's meet the eighteen Uma Musume tackling 2400 meters!"

Air Groove stood in the tunnel, her heart steady. Strange… I'm calm. No tension gripped her body, no stiffness in her limbs. She'd trained for this moment, forging herself to match her mother's legacy on this stage. All those days obsessing over today, and now? I'm almost too relaxed.

The announcer's voice surged. "Next, the undeniable favorite! The overwhelming top pick, gate 7, number 15—Air Groove!"

The crowd erupted, a tidal wave of cheers.

Air Groove's ears twitched, but her focus held. The commentator chimed in. "What a sight! Not just her form, but her trainer's iron will to see her win shines through. She's in peak condition!"

"If she takes this," the announcer added, "she'll claim the second Tiara crown, joining the sole Uma Musume to achieve an undefeated record. Can Air Groove make history?"

Outside the waiting room, Hachiman met Air Groove's gaze. "You're looking solid. Keep that up, and you'll run your race."

"No issues," Air Groove said, her voice steady. "I'm so calm it's almost unnerving."

"Good," Hachiman said. "Stay that way. Don't chase if someone bolts early—you don't need to. Stick to our training. If you get boxed in, go inside. That's our play, right?"

"Right," she said, her eyes blazing. "I'll show them I'm number one."

"That's the spirit," Hachiman said. "Go get 'em."

Air Groove nodded, striding toward the gate.

In the stands, Hachiman slipped into his seat. "Sorry for the wait."

"No worries!" Dyna Car said, waving it off. "Being a trainer's tough business."

"It's fine," Hiratsuka-sensei added, her voice warm. "We were swapping old racing stories—kept us plenty entertained."

Dyna Car grinned. "You trained under someone incredible, Hikitani-san! Most trainers couldn't hold a candle to you."

"Of course," Hiratsuka-sensei said, smirking. "He's my first and finest masterpiece. No one else could top him."

Dyna Car's eyes widened. "Really?"

"Absolutely," Hiratsuka-sensei said. "I tried mentoring others before him—plenty with potential. None lasted. A month, tops, before they buckled."

Hachiman shifted uncomfortably. Her Spartan methods scared me half to death. No joke.

"But Hachiman endured," Hiratsuka-sensei continued, her voice proud. "That's why he's here. His skills aren't just textbook—they're different, forged from what I taught him. Sure, I've got the credentials, but I only gave him the basics. The rest? I drilled my real techniques into him. That's why he's unlike any trainer out there. You won't find another with his practical and analytical eye for Uma Musume."

Hachiman flushed. "Sensei, cut it out… I'm not used to this." His cheeks burned.

"Still so shy," she teased. "Adorable as ever."

Hachiman groaned, his face redder. She always wins.

"Oh, almost forgot," Hiratsuka-sensei said, pulling out her phone. Her fingers danced across the screen. "Here, Hachiman. Your turn."

"Huh?" Hachiman blinked.

Pring!

A gruff voice exploded through the phone. "Hey, you! What time do you think it is!? Only an idiot calls in the middle of the night!"

Oh, right. The Professor. Hachiman winced.

"Uh… hello? Professor?" he said, tentative.

"What!?" The voice softened instantly. "That voice… Hachiman!? Don't you dare hang up! It's you! No need to cut this short—we've got catching up to do! Let's talk!"

Hachiman sighed. "Alright…"

Hiratsuka-sensei chuckled. "As lively as ever when it comes to you."

Dyna Car leaned in, curious. "Who's that on the phone?"

"My apologies," Hiratsuka-sensei said, smiling. "Let me introduce her. The voice on the line is Man o' War—America's greatest Uma Musume and my mentor."

Afterword

The Oaks is here, and Air Groove's ready to storm the track! Hachiman's in the stands with Dyna Car and Hiratsuka-sensei, but the real bombshell? The Professor is Man o' War! A century-old legend, 21 races, 20 wins, and now Hachiman's mentor! Air Groove's chasing history, Hachiman's blushing under praise, and Man o' War's voice is shaking the phone. Will Air Groove claim the second crown? And what's next for Hachiman's growing legend? The turf's on fire—charge!