"Huff… huff… Hushan, how is it?"
Hands on knees, Stardust Mirage gulped for air.
It was the morning of her second day at the academy.
From the moment she started at the training ground, she'd done one thing: run—600-meter sprints back and forth on the training track.
At Trainer Hushan Feihong's command, she ran at half speed, stored-speed, slow jog—various paces over that distance for Hushan to watch.
"Something's odd. Based on the tests, your 600-meter sprint is around 38 seconds, which is decent. But judging from yesterday's training race, it shouldn't be this speed…"
Hushan had been scribbling on her tablet from the start, occasionally pausing to think.
Hearing Stardust Mirage's question, she finally looked up and revealed a positively fiendish smile:
"Looks like you need to run some more. We're only just getting started. Keep going!"
Do all you trainers love this bit?!
Stardust Mirage complained inwardly. Old Man Roppei had been like this, and now Hushan too.
They drove her to near exhaustion, then claimed it was only the beginning—just to see her limits.
And this trainer—mature, cool onee-san yesterday—turned into a demon the moment training began. All blood and tears gone, facial control out the window, showing her terrifying side whenever she pleased.
Complaints aside, Stardust Mirage obediently eased her legs on the track, relaxing her muscles.
She didn't know what Hushan was logging, but guessed it was using paces to compute her physical metrics.
After all, the old man had said that for a formal trainer, grasping your horse girl's basics was paramount. Only then could you analyze strengths and weaknesses and set targeted plans.
Another standard 600-meter sprint done, Stardust Mirage wiped sweat from her forehead and walked back.
"That's about enough. We'll stop the data collection here… Maybe you're a race-type. Continuing tests like this won't be too useful."
Hushan put away the tablet and tossed her a clean towel.
"You said your goal is the Classic Triple Crown, right? Under the old man you only did base sprints? Any other focus?"
Drying off, Stardust Mirage answered:
"Pretty much just pacing Oguri Cap for sprints over and over… Oh, right, and two paired runs a day. Does that count?"
"Two paired runs a day, and that's it?"
Hushan blinked, a bit stunned.
Judging from how she'd mimicked Oguri yesterday—even grasped Oguri's Unique—Hushan had assumed the old man had used special step-training. And yet… only paired runs?
Do horse girls today learn a top runner's Unique in a few paired runs?
"Forget it. Set that aside. The old man told me to focus your current training on base attributes. After watching yesterday's race and this morning's test, I basically agree. What you need most is to raise your bodily functions."
Hushan tapped her tablet with her right index finger, apparently thinking through the plan.
Moments later, she said:
"I think we should start with Power and Stamina, but there's no rush. Come with me to the campus hospital this morning for a physical workup."
She turned and left the track.
A bit confused, Stardust Mirage jogged after her and asked casually:
"By the way, why haven't I seen Miho Bourbon training? She's also your horse girl, right?"
"I've already laid out Bourbon's program."
Hushan's expression turned complicated. She explained:
"That kid is a bit peculiar. As long as I give an instruction, she completes it. I don't need to watch her. I just provide her a detailed daily plan. So I can focus on you these days."
Training that doesn't need a trainer—an automatic cyber horse girl?
Stardust Mirage clicked her tongue inwardly.
They left the training area, passed several exquisite buildings, and arrived at a standalone complex.
A huge sign in flourishing script hung over the door: "Central Tracen Academy Hospital Headquarters."
On the way, Hushan gave an overview. The hospital rivaled any top hospital in Tokyo, with two southwest branches elsewhere on campus—lavish equipment and teams. You could shoot several seasons of White Tower and Doctor-X here without issue.
Its main task: treat horse girls' ailments. It also researched sports science and nutrition/health sciences for horse girls—removing back-end worries for all the horse girls here.
"How is it? Not bad, right?" Off the field, Hushan's attitude was decent. She led Stardust Mirage up to the third floor of the left building and into a room labeled "Horse Girl Sports Science Lab."
"Who—oh, it's Sis Hushan." A chubby girl in a lab coat started to bluster, then, seeing who it was, snapped shut her manga and replaced it with a fawning smile. "What brings you here today? Need something?"
"Cut the crap, Ito." Hushan curled her lip and pulled Stardust Mirage in. "We've got the whole morning. Give her a full physical capacity test."
"This is your new horse girl, right? Hello, I'm Ito. Let's get started."
On the job, Dr. Ito was serious. She had Stardust Mirage measured for height, weight, wingspan, leg length, and other basics, then ECG, lung capacity, X-ray—the usual.
Then came dynamic ECG on a treadmill with electrodes on limbs and chest, full-body MRI, bone density scans—an entire battery that took nearly two hours.
They sat with a pile of results in Ito's office, sipping tea.
"Your body has no major issues, all within normal ranges. But that still doesn't explain the old man's training logs…"
Hushan held several sheets in both hands, with her tablet open in front of her, eyes scanning.
"Based on this, your Power and Stamina aren't outstanding. We'll need to strengthen them. Your Speed looks fine… Honestly, from the data alone you're still some ways from challenging the Triple Crown."
"But Teio probably isn't much stronger than me right now, right?!" Stardust Mirage blurted, worried at hearing she wasn't yet qualified to challenge the Triple Crown.
"You're talking about Tokai Teio?" Dr. Ito had just returned with two cups of tea and a plate of senbei. Hearing the question, she said, "She's in Ward 4 on the second floor. Want to visit?"
Teio is here—and hospitalized?!
"What happened to Teio? Is she hurt?!"
Stardust Mirage's red-based white ears sprang upright. She forgot all about training talk, turned, eyes sparkling, and looked pleadingly at Hushan.
"If you want to see Tokai Teio, go. I'll put your training plan together."
Head still bent over reports, Hushan waved her off without looking.
"Be back in an hour. We've got afternoon training."
This trainer isn't bad at all!
Door thumping shut behind her, Stardust Mirage grinned.
The next second, she sprinted toward the second-floor ward!
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