Chapter Summaries

Kitasan Black struggled to hold her lead as a pack of rivals closed in during the rain-soaked Final Straight, pushing herself past her limits. She crossed the finish line first and won the race.

• Mejiro McQueen and the other spectators urged Kitasan Black on as the commentator reported the pursuing racers closing the gap.
• Katsuno Stone, Sunday Silence, Clear Sky, Koushou Hayate, Satono Crown, and Duramente surged after Kitasan Black on the Final Straight.
• Kitasan Black ignored her pain and exhaustion, driving her legs faster as the finish approached.
• Kitasan Black saw a vision of herself running beyond her limits and chasing toward the finish.
• The commentator announced Kitasan Black as the winner.

Kitasan Black won the grueling Takarazuka Kinen after enduring a fierce late challenge, earning cheers for her Will of Steel. As the exhausted racers prepared for medical examinations, Duramente congratulated her and vowed to defeat her in the Japan Cup.

• The commentator praised Kitasan Black’s tactics and endurance as she crossed the finish line in first place.
• Almond Eye, Wang Ziding, Tokai Teio, Mejiro McQueen, and Anjing Zhen reacted to the intense race, and Anjing Zhen urged the group to arrange medical examinations for all the contestants.
• Kitasan Black acknowledged her exhausted opponents, including Toho Lone Wolf and Katsuno Stone, as they recovered from the race.
• Duramente praised Kitasan Black’s Will of Steel, then vowed to beat her in the Japan Cup with her Final Burst.

After winning the Takarazuka Kinen, Kitasan Black felt a strange surge of power and promised Duramente she would meet her at the Japan Cup and never lose. Duramente’s examination showed no abnormalities, easing the worries of Symboli, Tokai Teio, and Mejiro McQueen.

• After her victory, Kitasan Black felt an unfamiliar force awaken and promised Duramente she would be ready for the Japan Cup and would never lose.
• Duramente briefly saw Kitasan Black surrounded by a powerful aura, then congratulated her on winning the race.
• Kitasan Black waited anxiously for Duramente’s examination report and relaxed when it showed normal results.
• Symboli rushed over, checked Duramente’s report, embraced her, and insisted she get follow-up examinations and plenty of rest.
• Kitasan Black left the medical center and reassured Tokai Teio and Mejiro McQueen that her own examination results were normal.

Kitasan Black asked Tokai Teio and Mejiro McQueen about the strange feelings she experienced after the Takarazuka Kinen. She concluded that she ran for the expectations and dreams she carried, including those of her loved ones, rivals, fans, and Anjing Zhen.

• Kitasan Black asked Tokai Teio why Anjing Zhen had not arrived with her and Mejiro McQueen.
• Tokai Teio and Mejiro McQueen briefly mistook Kitasan Black's serious manner for a possible romantic concern.
• Kitasan Black described the strange sensations she had felt after finishing the Takarazuka Kinen and said she was beginning to understand them.
• Mejiro McQueen quietly left after Tokai Teio signaled her, leaving Teio to listen to Kitasan Black.
• Kitasan Black told Tokai Teio that she ran for the expectations and dreams she carried, including those of her family, friends, rivals, fans, and Anjing Zhen.

After Kitasan Black won the Takarazuka Kinen, Anjing Zhen watched her perform and heard Tokai Teio praise her maturity. Teio then proposed that Anjing and Kitasan explore international G1 races beyond the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, especially overseas races suited to Kitasan's strength in long-distance racing.

• Anjing Zhen watched Kitasan Black perform Endless Dream at the Winner's Stage and admired how much she had grown.
• Tokai Teio told Anjing that Kitasan ran to carry the hopes and dreams of her family, friends, fans, and him.
• Anjing said Kitasan had always cared about others, both in daily life and in racing.
• Tokai Teio revealed that she, McQueen, and other Horse Girls hoped Anjing and Kitasan would bring more possibilities to the Shining Series through overseas races.
• Tokai Teio suggested that Anjing consider international G1 races other than the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, since Kitasan was better suited to long-distance racing.

Tokai Teio urged Anjing Zhen and Kitasan Black to consider international long-distance G1 races as part of a broader effort to give Japanese Horse Girls more opportunities overseas. Anjing Zhen agreed to explore the possibility, while Tokai Teio and McQueen promised to help secure Association support.

• Anjing Zhen asked Tokai Teio whether other senior Horse Girls shared her long-held views on overseas racing and why she had chosen him and Kitasan Black.
• Tokai Teio explained that she, McQueen, Katsuragi Ace, and Symboli Rudolph wanted juniors to have broader opportunities, arguing that Japan's increasingly distinct tracks made domestic victories less meaningful as measures of international strength.
• Tokai Teio praised Kitasan Black's growth and Anjing Zhen's unconventional tactics, saying they had the potential and courage to succeed internationally.
• Anjing Zhen thanked Tokai Teio and promised that he and Kitasan Black would explore competing in Overseas Races.
• Tokai Teio recommended international long-distance G1 races and offered to work with McQueen to help the pair overcome Association procedures and obtain support.

Anjing Zhen met Kitasan Black and Almond Eye in Kichijoji to discuss their future plans after the exams, but found them making Tanabata wishes with Agnes Tachyon and Daiwa Scarlet. Kitasan Black explained that she was praying to pass her difficult math final, and the chapter ended with her asking Anjing Zhen to believe in her.

• Anjing Zhen waited until he had arranged training and racing plans before making an appointment with Kitasan Black to discuss what came next.
• Anjing Zhen traveled to Kichijoji and bought Japanese sweets before arriving at the family restaurant where Kitasan Black and Almond Eye were waiting.
• Anjing Zhen discovered Agnes Tachyon and Daiwa Scarlet were with Kitasan Black and Almond Eye, folding paper cranes for Tanabata.
• Kitasan Black told Anjing Zhen she was worried about her math final and had come to pray for success, then insisted she had studied hard and asked him to believe in her.

Anjing Zhen worried that Kitasan Black might fail her exams, but Almond Eye and Daiwa Scarlet offered to help her study. He then revealed that he wanted to discuss an overseas race with Kitasan Black, leaving her and the others focused on what it could mean for her future.

• Anjing Zhen worried that Kitasan Black's weak performance in math and other sciences could lead to a failed exam and disrupt her training plans.
• Almond Eye offered to tutor Kitasan Black, and Anjing Zhen thought Daiwa Scarlet could help as well.
• Agnes Tachyon teased Kitasan Black about needing help, then comforted Daiwa Scarlet over her stalled doctoral thesis and resumed folding paper cranes.
• Agnes Tachyon asked whether Anjing Zhen and Kitasan Black wanted privacy, and Anjing Zhen explained that he had come to discuss Kitasan Black's possible overseas race.
• Kitasan Black asked why Anjing Zhen had not mentioned racing overseas before, and he described his earlier conversation with Tokai Teio and said her training camp might need to be planned around the idea.

Kitasan Black considered Anjing Zhen’s proposal that she pursue overseas races and the Hall of Fame, recognizing that the challenge would demand careful preparation and a commitment to winning. She agreed to think it over while they tested overseas training during Training Camp, and Agnes Tachyon reacted with surprise to their ambitions.

• Kitasan Black reflected on the expectations she had taken on and wondered whether she could handle the demands of racing overseas.
• Kitasan Black said she wanted to try racing outside Japan but needed time to prepare and had not decided whether to pursue the Hall of Fame.
• Anjing Zhen agreed to arrange related practice during Training Camp and planned to help Kitasan Black with her final exams first.
• Agnes Tachyon questioned Anjing Zhen about the plans and remarked that the Hall of Fame goal was especially unexpected.

Agnes Tachyon proposed joining Kitasan Black and Anjing Zhen’s seaside Training Camp to support Daiwa Scarlet’s research on overseas races and gather practical data. She also offered to help Kitasan Black with her exams and planned to invite other friends, leaving Anjing Zhen to decide whether to accept.

• Agnes Tachyon asked Anjing Zhen where he planned to hold the Training Camp, and he said they were considering the seaside to simulate overseas racecourses.
• Daiwa Scarlet explained that she wanted to research overseas races but lacked enough cases and was still struggling to settle her thesis topic.
• Agnes Tachyon revealed that she had begun an application to assist with the Training Camp so Daiwa could gather research material.
• Agnes Tachyon offered to invite friends and help Kitasan Black prepare for her final exams, while encouraging Daiwa to collect detailed data for her paper.
• Agnes Tachyon asked Anjing Zhen what he thought of her proposal.

Anjing Zhen accepted Agnes Tachyon’s offer to help with tutoring and Training Camp planning while Kitasan Black and Satono Diamond prepared for final exams. After both girls passed, Kitasan postponed their crepe celebration to answer Tokai Teio’s invitation.

• Anjing Zhen accepted Agnes Tachyon’s proposal and began revising the Training Camp and race plans while arranging tutoring for Kitasan Black and Almond Eye.
• Kitasan Black and Satono Diamond checked the posted results and discovered that they had both passed every final exam.
• Kitasan Black celebrated by hugging and spinning Satono Diamond, drawing attention from the other Horse Girls.
• Kitasan Black noticed that Satono Diamond had earned perfect scores in math and English, and Diamond began to say something before changing the subject.
• Kitasan Black received a message from Tokai Teio, postponed her crepe outing with Satono Diamond, and hurried off to meet her.

Kitasan Black met Tokai Teio at Tokyo Racecourse, where Teio invited her to run a casual 2,400-meter race. The two launched into a spirited contest, with Teio following closely behind Kitasan Black.

• Satono Diamond watched Kitasan Black sprint away and worried that she was only good at academics before Mejiro McQueen called her.
• Kitasan Black hurried to Tokyo Racecourse and found families enjoying the grounds on a non-race day.
• Tokai Teio gave Kitasan Black strawberry daifuku as a reward for passing her final exams, then invited her to run.
• Kitasan Black accepted, set the daifuku aside, and prepared to race Tokai Teio over 2,400 meters.
• Tokai Teio flicked a coin to start the race, and Kitasan Black surged forward with Teio close behind.

Tokai Teio and Kitasan Black raced together at Tokyo Racecourse as spectators watched and cheered. Kitasan Black treated the run as practice for the Japan Cup and prepared to use her acceleration as her best chance to beat Teio.

• Tokai Teio tested Kitasan Black on the track, admired her growth, and tried to close the gap through a turn.
• Spectators recognized Tokai Teio and Kitasan Black and began cheering while debating their pace and chances.
• Kitasan Black felt a new desire to defeat her admired senior and assessed the 2,400-meter course as a model for the Japan Cup.
• Kitasan Black reached the cruising phase and prepared to accelerate, feeling power surge through her legs.

Kitasan Black and Tokai Teio raced fiercely, with Kitasan Black pushing herself to the limit as Teio caught up near the finish. After the race, Teio gave Kitasan a coin and told her she would definitely surpass her.

• Kitasan Black pulled ahead of Tokai Teio and wondered why Teio had not made her move.
• Tokai Teio launched her final sprint on the downhill stretch, and Kitasan Black fought to hold her lead.
• Kitasan Black kept running past the finish line until Teio called out to her, and the two stopped to catch their breath.
• Tokai Teio found a coin she had dropped and gave it to Kitasan Black.
• Tokai Teio praised Kitasan Black's run and told her she would definitely surpass her.

Kitasan Black excitedly recounted her close race with Tokai Teio as Anjing Zhen considered arranging another race to help her vent and improve. The group arrived at the seaside training camp, where they met Agnes Tachyon and Daiwa Scarlet, and Anjing explained that formal training would begin the next day.

• Kitasan Black enthusiastically retold how she nearly tied with Tokai Teio, who had said she might someday surpass her.
• Anjing Zhen considered having Kitasan Black race someone to channel her excitement and recalled Tokai Teio’s assessment of her progress and potential.
• Anjing Zhen, Kitasan Black, and Little Anzu arrived at their seaside inn for the training camp.
• Agnes Tachyon and Daiwa Scarlet greeted the group, and Daiwa Scarlet gave Kitasan Black and Little Anzu shell bracelets.
• Agnes Tachyon asked about the day’s training assignments, and Anjing Zhen said the group would get accustomed to the surroundings before training began tomorrow.

Anjing Zhen consulted Agnes Tachyon and Daiwa Scarlet about Kitasan Black’s overseas adaptability and her ability to enter the Zone. Agnes withheld judgment on overseas training until she could observe Kitasan Black and proposed that a Zone trigger might help explain how the ability could be mastered.

• Agnes Tachyon observed Kitasan Black’s exceptional energy and physical gifts, and recognized how Anjing Zhen’s training had developed her potential.
• Anjing Zhen agreed to have Kitasan Black complete simple training so Agnes Tachyon and Daiwa Scarlet could gather baseline data.
• Anjing Zhen brought his training plans and data sheets to Agnes Tachyon and asked for advice about overseas racing and the Zone.
• Agnes Tachyon said she needed to observe Kitasan Black before advising on overseas adaptability and could offer only ideas, not a definite method, for mastering the Zone.
• Agnes Tachyon introduced the hypothesis of a Zone trigger and said Kitasan Black had already shown evidence of one.

Agnes Tachyon explained that Anjing Zhen lacked the experience and precision needed to fully understand Kitasan Black’s Zone, then proposed beginning training to gather better data. The group arrived at the Academy’s turf track, where Agnes Tachyon decided to run alongside Kitasan Black and Almond Eye herself.

• Anjing Zhen described the data he had gathered about Kitasan Black’s Zone, and Agnes Tachyon criticized the limits of his experience and research ability.
• Agnes Tachyon said they should begin training, and Anjing Zhen agreed to consult Kitasan Black and Almond Eye and confirm several details at the track.
• Anjing Zhen brought Kitasan Black and Almond Eye to the Academy’s turf track and instructed them to warm up before running according to turf 2500 standards.
• Agnes Tachyon handed her research equipment to Daiwa Scarlet and announced that she would join the run to verify the track and collect data.

Agnes Tachyon joined Kitasan Black and Little Anzu for a training run so she could assess their performance firsthand. After observing Kitasan Black’s racing technique, she proposed adjustments to improve her power efficiency and said further data was needed to investigate how to trigger her domain.

• Agnes Tachyon accepted the invitation to run with Kitasan Black and Little Anzu, while Daiwa Scarlet agreed to help with data collection.
• Agnes Tachyon warmed up with the juniors and joined them at the starting line for a side-by-side run.
• During the run, Agnes Tachyon observed Kitasan Black’s stable stride, efficient cornering, and technical control of the lead.
• After the run, Agnes Tachyon told Anjing Zhen that Kitasan Black might improve her power output efficiency by engaging her core muscles earlier.
• Agnes Tachyon said that triggering the domain might be the key, but she needed real-time monitoring data to investigate further.

Anjing Zhen and Agnes Tachyon discussed Kitasan Black's training when Satono Diamond and Satono Crown arrived with their classmates. Satono Diamond asked the experienced seniors and Anjing Zhen to judge and guide a 3,000-meter turf race, revealing that she and her classmates were preparing for the Kikuka Sho.

• Satono Diamond and Satono Crown arrived at the grounds with several classmates and greeted Agnes Tachyon, Daiwa Scarlet, Anjing Zhen, and Kitasan Black.
• Anjing Zhen reassured the Satono Sisters that they had not interrupted the training session.
• Satono Diamond asked the seniors and Anjing Zhen to judge and guide a race with her classmates.
• Satono Diamond announced that they planned to race 3,000 meters on turf, prompting the group to realize she was preparing for the Kikuka Sho.

Anjing Zhen and Agnes Tachyon agreed to hold a three-thousand-meter Simulation Race after Mikki Rocket asked Kitasan Black to run with her. As the participants prepared, Kitasan Black advised Almond Eye on pacing, and Almond Eye resolved to judge the right moment to sprint.

• Mikki Rocket asked Kitasan Black to race with her, explaining that T.M. Opera O had inspired and supported her.
• Agnes Tachyon and Anjing Zhen agreed to the race as a chance to gather data, and Anjing Zhen invited Almond Eye to join Kitasan Black and Mikki Rocket.
• Anjing Zhen confirmed the hooded Horse Girl's name as Mikki Rocket and arranged the Simulation Kikuka Sho.
• Satono Crown took charge of supplies while Daiwa Scarlet asked the Horse Girls using the track to pause for the race; they agreed and moved to the Rest Area.
• Kitasan Black told Almond Eye to conserve stamina and follow the pack, and Almond Eye said she would judge her opponents' stamina to choose when to sprint.