"One."
The voice emanating from the spectral image of the Maiden Goddess was nearly identical to Platinum's.
Anyone who knew Platinum would immediately think of her upon hearing that voice.
The only difference, perhaps… was an added layer of ethereal, divine authority, a filter of sanctity—as if Platinum had ascended into a divine form!
In the next instant, the arrow launched by the maiden goddess's phantom seemed to transform into a stream of infinitely dazzling light, shooting straight towards the outermost lane!
This wasn't a single, annihilating strike meant to pierce through all the Uma Musume like a meteor shower. Instead, starting from the count of 'one', it began to sequentially pierce every Uma Musume, one by one, from the outside lanes inward!
This was clearly—the silvery-white maiden in her goddess form, coldly conducting a roll call, then unleashing her… [Judgment]!!
The first to be pierced was the Uma Musume in the outermost gate, number eighteen.
And not far from her…
Within the leading pack, a significant number of Australian Uma Musume felt their hairs stand on end almost collectively.
Even Winx, who had activated her domain and unknowingly secured a leading position, her strides carrying her forward in leaps and bounds, was stunned by the scene.
Her first reaction was…
'So cool!!!'
This was even cooler than the images in the posters she collected.
It was the awe of the Pegasus Hall! It was the thrill of leading the charge!
It was the piercing strike that surpassed rivals! It was the roar of the crowd!
Indeed, compared to watching recordings or live streams, being a firsthand witness was far more valuable!
But… if given the choice, Winx certainly didn't want to be the fan shot by her idol!
'If Miss Platinum uses a closing-style running strategy, she shoots one with each one she passes.'
'And now, with a front-runner strategy, it's a 'roll call', it's 'Judgment'!'
'But thankfully, I'm in gate number three, which usually means my turn won't come until the final straight.'
'As long as I overtake Miss Platinum before that, it won't happen!'
The keenly perceptive Winx immediately thought of a solution… one that was practically the only solution.
If she could just overtake Platinum before Platinum's arrow reached her, wouldn't the problem be solved?!
Having already activated her domain, covering the vast grass track as easily as a wind-blown snowfall, the sharp glint in Winx's piercing eyes did not diminish in the slightest because her idol, Platinum, was present.
Wasn't the highest form of respect for one's idol to give your all in a race against them, even to surpass them?!
Besides, wouldn't falling too far behind in terms of horse-lengths be just too embarrassing?
This was a mere 1200-meter race, half the distance of the most popular and classic 2400-meter middle-distance race. Over such a short distance, the gaps between Uma Musume were usually much smaller.
Typically, in a middle-distance race, leading by over three horse-lengths indicated a performance on another level. In a short-distance race, a single horse-length was often decisive!
After all, over such a short distance, stamina wasn't the main factor. Even for an exceptionally talented Uma Musume, pulling ahead by a handful of horse-lengths was quite an achievement.
And now, Platinum, who had accelerated early and unleashed her domain, was already leading by five or six horse-lengths! That already exceeded the five-length lead she'd had over Daiwa Scarlet!
"Then… Miss Platinum, please witness my full power!"
The existence qualified to reign supreme over all Uma Musume in Australia, without ever needing to campaign abroad, was certainly not a reputation built on nothing!
That formidable snow-white figure now galloped freely across the leading section of the turf, also beginning an early charge!
In an instant, the race reached its most white-hot stage.
The three top favorites, the three with the highest popularity, had all, defying conventional wisdom, activated their domains in the first half of the race, initiating a three-way battle for supremacy!
After the first turn, approaching the position of the second turn.
Several soft cries of despair could be heard, rising incessantly.
"Whimper… judging by the order, I'm next to be shot by the Pegasus!!"
"So this is the legendary overtaking effect of the Pegasus? There's no escape! Getting passed is one thing, but getting shot too!"
"Truly a monster who possesses both the title of [Pegasus] and that of [Eclipse], rivaling the great Eclipse himself."
"Wait, not only did Platinum accelerate, but Winx and Black Caviar are disrupting their own preferred rhythms to keep up too?"
"Hold on, something's not right. Black Caviar, in second place, seems to have had her acceleration hampered, but… Platinum, at the very front, is [unaffected]??"
"Just how terrifyingly powerful is this monster? Here, you can have the championship, I'm out!"
Further back, many Australian Uma Musume watched wide-eyed.
Some were personally stunned by Platinum's overtaking effect, others felt immense pressure or even a sense of futility under the influence of the three manifested domains.
That silvery-white Pegasus who commanded Terra's twin moons, vast as a lunar eclipse, now seemed as terrifyingly powerful as a nightmare, a scene forever etched into the nightmares of these short-distance Uma Musume!!
Reactions ranged from awe and shock to stunned, deafening silence, yet there remained those who gritted their teeth, determined to fight back and overtake.
The silvery-white maiden's clear eyes were filled with coldness, holding only the battle intent of someone wanting to finish work quickly.
This member of the Armorless Union, this 'wage slave', wanted to take no risks; she wanted a quick and decisive victory!
[Just what… is this breathtaking scene? It's already this intense before the final straight!]
[Under the profound and mysterious glow of the twin moons, that figure, like a hunting goddess drawing her bow, is hunting down one Uma Musume after another!]
[By now, the leading Platinum has long passed the halfway point, charging towards the nearby third turn. Only Black Caviar and Winx remain qualified to give chase behind her! A three-way battle for supremacy has completely formed.]
[In this race, destined to be recorded in the history of Australian and even worldwide Uma Musume racing, who will emerge as the ultimate victor?]
[Will it be Australia's great general, Black Caviar? Or Winx, with her streak of over thirty wins? Or perhaps… the Pegasus, Platinum?!]
As the commentator's voice continued, filled with astonishment.
At the very front of the grassy track, a scene unfolded that captured the attention of the entire audience, even locking onto the giant screens.
In the center, the radiant, silvery-white maiden galloped as freely as ever, her white coat and the dark wings behind her flapping fiercely due to her extreme speed.
Behind Platinum, to the left and right rear, Winx and Black Caviar were straining in pursuit.
These two Australian Empresses, without exception, had stern expressions, their jaws clenched, their postures resolute. Their overwhelmingly powerful auras proved they were not holding back in the slightest.
Both were giving their all, wanting to catch up to Platinum using their own explosive power, strength, and acceleration!
In terms of rich racing experience, forget just within Australia; even expanding to the entire world, including the European and American Uma Musume scenes!
Winx was definitely among the top two, if not the very top, in experience among active Uma Musume. Her sensitivity to the flow of a race was incredibly sharp.
And yet, now, Winx's heart sank completely, feeling a sensation she hadn't experienced since… her first year of racing: the feeling of impending defeat.
'My domain… Why? How can this be?'
'Even Black Caviar was 'gated' by me, her current efficiency affected, along with her subsequent acceleration.'
'But Miss Platinum… her efficiency hasn't declined at all, and her subsequent acceleration shows no signs of fading?'
Since her debut, through over thirty races large and small, this was the first time Winx had encountered an opponent she couldn't manipulate or weaken!
It had always been her who gave nightmares to others, but this time…
I'm afraid that in Winx's dreams, the figure of the silvery-white Platinum will now appear!
'This is… big trouble!!!'
'With my domain unable to close the gap, my final kick isn't as good as Black Caviar's, and my stamina can't match Platinum's.'
How to respond?
The answer was… there was no answer.
Winx was the first to foresee the outcome. At the very least, there was no way she could win.
But that didn't mean her fighting spirit would dissipate, that she would choose to give up.
This lonely, ever-victorious super otaku still wanted to see if she could prove her own prediction wrong!
'At the very least, I must fight for second place.'
'Either surpass my idol, or ascend to my idol's Pegasus Hall! I absolutely cannot settle for a mere third place!'
Either defeat Platinum, or be second only to Platinum!
Driven by that soaring, yet un-cooled fighting spirit, the snow-white, lonely otaku Uma Musume maintained her efficient acceleration, continuing to run along the inner rail!
"Six lengths?"
"No, that's not right, it's seven lengths!"
Black Caviar's wild eyes were fixed intently on the lone figure ahead.
In Black Caviar's view, such a gap was simply too large.
And now, she and Winx, far from closing in on Platinum, had actually fallen behind by a margin approaching a 'large difference'?!
As one of Australia's "Peerless Twin Jewels," and with short distance as her absolute forte, her advantages and performance should naturally be a notch above Winx's.
It wasn't a gap in talent, but one of specialization. So, her current lead of half a length to a full length over Winx was to be expected.
But why…
Why was there such a huge gap of nearly six lengths between her and Platinum before she even activated her domain and went all out with her acceleration?
And now, as Platinum was already on the third turn, not far from the fourth, she hadn't managed to reclaim even an inch?!
Furthermore, during that time, because a certain Winx had activated her domain, she had been forced to let her acceleration drop slightly, so the gap had actually widened a bit more.
"Just what… is this creature…"
The short-distance Uma Musume who carried the highest hopes was now sweating profusely.
Black Caviar had always held absolute confidence in her own power and acceleration. In her view, talent was one thing, but effort was another.
Her innate talent for short distance was already extremely outstanding, and she had put in immense effort to achieve her feat of dominating the short distances, remaining undefeated so far.
Coupled with her absolute adaptation and home advantage on the 1200-meter peak course.
Therefore, Black Caviar believed that even if Platinum's talent was somewhat superior to her own, it would be offset by the negative condition of this being Platinum's "first attempt at a short distance."
Being a legend in middle distance didn't automatically make one a legend in other race lengths. Even a grade schooler understood that; it was common sense among common sense! With that balancing out, she should still have a chance to win!
So why…
The tall, wild maiden, drenched in cold sweat, gritted her teeth, still refusing to admit defeat.
The final straight… it hadn't even arrived yet!!
"Giving up like this would be too boring."
The tenacious, wild maiden lived up to her "Empress" title!
Trailing by seven lengths, as she watched Platinum about to enter the final straight, within her incredibly powerful physique, besides fighting spirit, what remained was…
Stamina! Or rather, reserve strength!
"Australia's glory cannot be allowed to be taken by an outsider!"
"Platinum, I'm no pushover! Show me your full power and let's settle this!!"
In the next instant—!!
The figure, still racing with ultra-high efficiency, achieved a new breakthrough: her second burst of acceleration!
[Before that Pegasus who seems capable of dominating everything, all conditions, all distances, seem to make no difference?!]
[Even when her opponents are Black Caviar, a European GI winner! And Winx, the active Uma Musume with the longest winning streak in the world!]
[Seven lengths! Platinum, attempting a short distance for the first time, reaches the final straight first! Without a doubt, she is the number one monster in the history of Australian campaigns!]
[But… short distance isn't that simple! Black Caviar has unleashed her final kick, her second acceleration!]
[Will the duel between the Pegasus and the Empress continue?!]
Under the commentator's increasingly astonished reporting and explanation…
A second acceleration in a short-distance race was a completely different concept from one in a middle-distance race!
No one doubted the power emanating from Black Caviar!
And the silvery-white Pegasus maiden had already set foot on the final straight.
"It's about time."
Although she had activated [Pegasian Sight] early on, that didn't mean she was going all out.
Due to the unique effect of the [Memento], the longer the interval before activating a skill next, the stronger its enhanced effect would be. Therefore, she had specifically reserved some short-term burst-type skills.
And now—!
The time had come to get serious and face a strong opponent!
--+--
[(Fearless): When only one other Uma Musume is nearby, fighting spirit is moderately increased, stamina recovers slightly, strength and acceleration increase slightly…]
[(Holiday Storm):…]
[(Twilight):…]
[(Overload Mode):…]
[(Eternal Hunt):…]
[(Blazing Dawn):…]
--+--
No numbers, just pure abilities!
This very moment was the ultimate instant!
The moment Platinum fully revealed her edge and went all out, her already swift footsteps seemed to break past their previous limits as if they had never had a ceiling!
The peerless Pegasus, with her silvery-white form and derived black wings, seemed as if she might truly take flight in the air at any moment?!
But this was a racing track, and the form Platinum displayed was… another burst of acceleration beyond ordinary imagination!
Behind her, Black Caviar, who had exhausted all her ingenuity to barely narrow the gap back to five lengths, immediately felt her pupils contract, looking ahead with an expression of disbelief.
"No… Impossible!!"
Black Caviar was wide-eyed with fury, her pupils filled with shock. Was she still unable to catch up even after giving her all?
So, when she had mustered her full strength for that second acceleration, closing the gap to the five lengths equivalent to "Daiwa Scarlet"…
The Platinum she was facing… still wasn't at full power?!
The gap… it couldn't just be in stamina, could it?!
In her line of sight, the spectral image of the Maiden Goddess seated high on the throne at the finish line grasped the final arrow from her quiver.
In the next instant, it transformed into a brilliant stream of light, crushing all hope into dust as it pierced through the body of yet another excellent Uma Musume!
"Why… Why is there someone who surpasses me in domain, stamina, AND explosive power?!"
"Just how strong is this monster?!"
The proud, confident Empress of short distance, Black Caviar, felt her fighting spirit crack, though it didn't completely shatter. Yet, her feet, accelerated to their limit, simply could not gain an inch on the Pegasus ahead!
Instead, after exhausting all her strength, she could only watch as that Pegasus widened the gap further and further!
Seven lengths!!
Eight lengths!
Nine lengths!
By now, Platinum was only just flying down the second half of the final straight.
The soaring Pegasus, with the imposing manner of a king forging her own path down the inner track, unimpeded, galloped towards the finish line!
[Ten lengths! A 'large difference' is achieved!!]
[Incredible! To witness a 'large difference' performance, rare even in middle- and long-distance races, in a top-tier short-distance race like The Everest?!]
[The Pegasus leads! A massive lead! Without a doubt, she is flying!]
[The Turf Titan has arrived in Australia! Even on a short-distance track in a foreign land, the world's towering Titan… remains a Titan! She is the Eclipse that rivals the great Eclipse!]
The sheer disbelief in the commentator's voice was palpable to all!
And it wasn't just the commentator!
From the local spectators in the stands, many of whom had hoped Black Caviar and Winx would defend Australia's and short-distance racing's honor, to the Pegasus's fans from all over the world!
To the commentators on the Japanese broadcast, the collective staff of the URA, the Uma Musume of Tracen Academy, and even the Uma Musume and fans around the globe who had been conquered by Platinum's previous campaigns!
They all held their breath, witnessing the final sprint of the silvery-white Pegasus!
Under Black Caviar's almost desperate gaze, her confidence utterly shattered…
The finish line was right before that silvery-white figure!!
[Eclipse! Pegasus! Flashing past, leaving the dust behind!]
[Flawless! This is perhaps a once-in-a-lifetime race for everyone!!]
[This single race proves she is not just a legend of middle distance, but a true legend of short distance as well!]
[It is already undeniable, Eclipse and the great Eclipse shine together! There is no gap between them! But before that…]
[Let us congratulate—the solitary Pegasus, for crossing the line first! An astonishing, overwhelming victory by a full twelve lengths!!]
As the commentator's exclamations of praise concluded, the silvery-white Pegasus surged across the finish line, accomplishing the great feat of winning the race with an overwhelming victory!
Australia's premier race, The Everest, whose attention now far surpassed even the Melbourne Cup, had found its champion.
The foreign commentator unconsciously had shifted from hoping for a Black Caviar or Winx victory to being completely conquered by Platinum!
Pegasus! Eclipse! Turf Titan!
A name might be mistaken, but a nickname never is!
Therefore, the title of [Titan of the World's Turf] uttered by the Japanese commentator after the Arima Kinen, and the nickname [Eclipse] bestowed by the outside world, were now fully embraced by this commentator in his excited state, and he roared them out!
And now—!!
To the widely known honors of the Pegasus, Platinum, another entry would be added!
Namely—[Short-Distance GOAT], [The First Short-Distance Legend in History]!!
"Platinum!! Platinum!! Platinum!!"
"Sob, even someone as powerful as Black Caviar can't escape the fate of entering the [Pegasus Hall]?"
"Is this the proof of being the strongest? Achieving overwhelming victories on both turf middle distance and turf short distance?!"
"I never thought that I, who always only liked Australian Uma Musume, would completely fall for this Pegasus."
"Sob sob, our great hopes, Black Caviar and Winx, have fallen before Platinum!"
"Pegasus!! Pegasus!! Pegasus!!"
Suddenly, the cheers from the tens of thousands of spectators in the stands reached an unprecedented fever pitch!
Even the ascent of the Pegasus Hall following Platinum's finish couldn't dampen the excitement and passion in the hearts of the countless spectators.
Some dedicated short-distance racing fans outright declared their new allegiance.
"You know, I've been a fan of Platinum for a long time; she's just unbelievably strong. As for Winx and Black Caviar, I wish them the best."
"I'm not going to argue that Platinum is better than Black Caviar, but facts are facts!"
The name Platinum resounded throughout the short-distance paradise!
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
There should be... around 70+ advanced chapters?
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.