The severed marionette tumbled behind the stampeding horses as the Silver Dancer stepped out with impeccable grace.
For a moment, the crowd was stunned.
They had clearly seen the crimson serpent strike. How could it vanish without a trace in the blink of an eye? Could they have truly imagined it?
"Wait, that's impossible, right?" A bewildered thought flashed through their minds.
"Oh, the King herself has deigned to confront me personally? I'm truly flattered."
The radiant Caesar Rose stood high above, gazing down with a regal air. Her golden hair shone even brighter now.
"I was wondering what you'd changed. So that's it. Though it was only for a moment, I did see it."
Kousei smiled, neither confirming nor denying.
"Lurking in the chaos, waiting for your moment to strike. You completely exploited Cloud and the others' arrogance. It's commendable, but it just proves you're merely cunning, not truly brilliant."
"Is that so? Then what will the King do?"
"If you want my head, show me your true face. I have no interest in a victory won by stepping on fools."
"I despise kings like you, so no."
"Very well, then let me awaken you, beast."
In an instant, the wind and clouds shifted, and crimson mist blotted out the blazing sun. This time, not just the racetrack but the entire racecourse was enveloped in the crimson fog.
An inexplicable dread gripped Kousei, and the air reeked of blood.
Ominous.
Shadowy figures intertwined within the mist, their crimson forms shifting erratically, their footsteps agile and elusive. The dancer on the track repeatedly tried to break through, but the domineering king always anticipated her moves, blocking her path at every turn.
Even when Kousei focused her hearing on the feints, the king saw through them instantly.
This feeling of utter confinement only reinforced Kousei's conviction: Caesar Rose possessed eyes that could see the future!
Tch!
This development caught Kousei off guard. After all, Caesar Rose's recordings hadn't revealed any such ability.
A pseudo-god's talent, after all. How could it ever compare to a true god's power?
Eyes that could pierce through all illusions deserved to be called divine. This mere power of foresight alone suffocated Kousei, leaving her breathless.
Did my mother really compete against a monster like this back then?
The perfect Umamusume from the video reappeared, her indistinct figure overlapping with Caesar Rose's.
"Perfect! Let me sink my teeth into your throat!"
A low, guttural growl rumbled from her throat, and blood-red vertical pupils flared. This was no illusion—the beast had bared its fangs!
The Mist grew violently agitated with the beast's arrival, transforming the racetrack into a swirling vortex that threatened to engulf everyone present.
Heavy hooves pounded the ground, sending clods of earth flying, mixed with metallic fragments.
A crimson shadow streaked past, and Caesar Rose's golden eyes blazed as a violent gust of wind tore past her ear.
The strike missed, and the blood-red eyes vanished back into the Mist.
East, south, west, north—multiple figures materialized simultaneously. Caesar Rose surveyed her surroundings with practiced ease, when suddenly the Mist behind her shattered, and razor-sharp claws lunged from within.
Caesar Rose whirled around, but the menacing shadow vanished the instant it reached her. The Red Serpent erupted from behind, its brilliant, savage form revealed in full glory. Caesar Rose remained calm, conjuring thorny vines that coiled around Kousei's radiant legs. The thorns pierced her flesh, greedily draining her blood until a blood-red rose bloomed from the wounds.
"You haven't forgotten I can use Gate Techniques too, have you?"
Caesar Rose remained composed, the golden light fading from her eyes as she gazed triumphantly at her trophy.
"Howl for me, beast."
Unexpectedly, her words were met with a low growl. Bloodred eyes glared at her from behind, their gaze unwavering.
Here it comes!
Caesar Rose tried to move, but it was too late. The eyes that opened in the mist burned with an intensity even greater than usual. Flame-haloed crimson orbs pierced through her body, reaching straight to her soul, unstoppable.
A violent collision, like a tiger pouncing on its prey. Caesar Rose's face twisted in a grimace as she staggered backward, her once-radiant and robust form transformed into a feral beast that pinned her to the ground.
"What's wrong?! Without those eyes, can't you even glimpse the future anymore?!"
Humiliation. An unspeakable humiliation.
Not every Umamusume is named "McQueen." The Red Serpent tightened its coils, slowly strangling the King.
"Insolent wretch!"
Responding to the Flame-Haloed Eyes, Caesar Rose fully unleashed her own, flooding the area with golden light.
"I will obliterate your future!"
In the next instant, a golden crown materialized above Caesar Rose's head, and royal authority descended!
Her radiant legs sank into the ground, an invisible pressure enveloping the surroundings. Her heart raced, her breathing labored. For the first time, she felt the same overwhelming will she had once sensed from Symboli Rudolf.
Is this... the royal authority of the Kings?
Excellent, absolutely excellent!
A nameless beast had invaded the Forbidden Zone, a place where every step was a struggle. The golden Kingdom shone brighter than the sun, and the charging beast felt a power unlike anything she had ever experienced, as if something were calling out to her.
"Thirsty, so thirsty! Need... blood!"
A roar that shook heaven and earth, a ravenous hunger gnawing at her stomach—everything stirred her primal instincts.
As she took a step forward, the earth swallowed her hooves. Though trapped, her stance shifted dramatically. Her body coiled low, joints creaking as if storing infinite power. With a furious bellow, the people finally abandoned their hesitation.
The figure was unmistakably resembling Narita Brian!
The Monster from the Shadows!
Endless wildness surged through her like a tempest. With anchor-lifting demonic hooves, the frenzied demon god threw back her head and howled. At that moment, a colossal, black shadow materialized as if summoned.
Symboli Rudolf turned back in astonishment, only to see Narita Brian behind her, her face twisted in a ferocious snarl, fangs bared.
A predatory aura radiated from every inch of her being. She yearned to stand on the track.