Forcing the Lead Could Mean Losing
While Almond Eye and Wang Ziding agonized over whether they had washed their hands in the restroom, Anjing Zhen had already spread out all sorts of training materials on the desk outside and begun discussing race strategy with Kitasan Black.
"Barring any surprises, this should be tomorrow's field," Anjing Zhen said succinctly, pointing at a list on the table.
"You, first in the voting results. Then Clear Sky, Ambitious, Toho Lone Wolf, Koushou Hayate, Duramente...
"And Adroit Labyrinth, Katsuno Stone, Tenka Yuiitsu, and the others...
"A lot of familiar names."
Looking over the list alongside Anjing Zhen, Kitasan Black nodded and said gravely, "And most of them took part in the previous Heavy Track special training, so..."
She paused.
"While I know them, they... know me just as well."
A trace of approval flashed through Anjing Zhen's heart.
He did not know what teaching styles other Trainers had, but he felt that his own style had become increasingly clear: fighting shoulder to shoulder with his Horse Girl, completely and utterly.
This shoulder-to-shoulder partnership did not merely mean working toward the same race together. It also included preparing together since last year, as well as training together recently.
Under this approach, he had clearly noticed that Kitasan Black's thinking was becoming increasingly synchronized with his own. He could also better anticipate what his Horse Girl wanted to say.
Just like now. He had been about to remind her that familiarity with one's opponents was a double-edged sword. It could be used to devise strategies against them, but they could also use it against her in turn.
Yet without needing his deliberate reminder, Kitasan Black had realized it herself.
"Exactly. So for this race, we need to take that into account and turn their plan against