With a flourish, the dashing golden-haired maiden unfurled her signature [mantle]!
That seemingly heavy, reliable knight's armor was draped over Nearl's shoulders, making her seem like a true knight charging into battle, capable of tearing through any defensive line!
Not only that, the suddenly activated [Pegasus Hall] had updated to its latest version, featuring the most recently defeated legend, Easy Goer, causing a certain petite, red-haired young lady on the platform to turn stiff with shock.
And the maiden knight Nearl herself wore a look of intense focus, her pair of orange eyes blazing with light as she shifted her gaze entirely from Ruffian, who had been at her side, to the race track ahead.
Without a doubt, the Radiant Knight, who never slacked off, could never be satisfied with a mere one-length lead.
Nearl's [True Form] had been growing all along, meaning her already incredibly high ceiling could keep rising higher.
In every race, Nearl could feel her body becoming lighter, her strength growing greater.
And Ruffian was, without question, the strongest Uma Musume she had ever faced, bar none—even surpassing the third-generation Big Red Monster Easy Goer and the Dark Prince Sunday Silence!
Faced with such a powerful opponent, only by taking the fight seriously could she show proper respect to Ruffian and to the racecourse itself.
And so—
That figure of a golden maiden transformed into an unstoppable force, flying towards the third turn.
The Radiant Knight, Nearl, was unleashing her signature second burst of acceleration!
And the Tyrant, Ruffian, was unleashing her own transcendent third burst of acceleration!
Those two equally lightning-fast figures began their final chase and duel in the latter half of the race, holding the breath of the countless spectators, who watched with rapt attention.
But a race isn't simply a matter of three being greater than two. If it were, then [Giant Killer·Prove Out], with her scant few wins and many losses, could never have defeated the Triple Crown winner Secretariat.
Only the performance in that particular race, only the strength displayed there, can truly be the core of determining superiority and deciding victory.
And now, was the final moment of the epic battle between Ruffian and Nearl!
The two figures, like tornadoes capable of sweeping across the dirt tracks and the entire world of Uma Musume, continuously intertwined and vied for supremacy, until… one legend capable of defeating another was born!
[Incredible! From Nearl to Ruffian, they've unleashed unparalleled acceleration one after the other. You wouldn't even see such ferocious speed in the final stretch of a regular GI race!]
[Who says the final sprint has to be in the homestretch?!]
[Truly, the Ruffian who never bows her head! The Radiant Knight who never yields!]
[Will Nearl's one-length lead be reclaimed? Or will it hold steady? Or perhaps… will it even grow larger?]
[But this duel between the two of them has no room for two winners. Just who will be the final victor?!]
As the commentator's voice grew increasingly fervent!
The stands on both sides had reached a boiling point, every spectator feeling extreme excitement and anticipation for this life-and-death struggle that had reached its most feverish, intense stage.
"She's… accelerating too?!"
Ahead on the dirt track, the frantic beating of her own strong heart, quickened by the golden figure leading her by a length, caused a flicker of panic within her.
But that panic was erased in an instant, replaced by Ruffian's cold, indifferent gaze.
"Finally, Nearl has activated all her domain skills as well!"
This must be Nearl's peak, her full power!
If only she could close the gap!
If only she could overtake!
Then, this would be her best chance to secure victory.
'Let's decide this, Nearl!!'
Just as the fighting spirit ignited within the heart of the cold, aloof Tyrant, as she unleashed her final kick with all her might to erase that seemingly small length difference—!
Amidst the howling wind, Ruffian chose to drive her body without holding anything back, squeezing out every last drop of her strength, unleashing a speed that surpassed anything she had ever shown in any past race or training run.
Even Easy Goer and Sunday Silence in the stands, along with the Uma Musume who had lost to her in the Triple Tiara, were left utterly dumbfounded.
Her flying figure, the power with which she trampled the dirt, her incredibly clear shout!
Burning everything, giving everything, and combined with the domain skill that suited her best, after pushing beyond her full power and past her limits, Ruffian's super-high-speed run was faster than even she could have imagined.
But what was even more staggering was that, even at this nearly 'terrifying' level of speed, the Pegasus Nearl ahead of her, who had only been a mere length ahead… still couldn't be caught?!
The wind howled incessantly, like a bone-chilling, blade-like gale, seeming to whip against Ruffian's incredibly robust body until it felt like it might cry out in protest, her muscles aching faintly.
But how could mere wind make it hard for Ruffian to persevere? It was only… this state of running beyond her limits that could make even her physique feel the strain of being pushed to the brink.
But more painful than any physical ache, the true pain in Ruffian's heart at this moment was… the gap between herself and Nearl!
She, even under her own acceleration, had failed to catch up to Nearl!!
'How… How can this be?!'
Ruffian stared fixedly at the golden figure ahead that had already entered the third turn, her heart feeling as if it were being buffeted by that bitter wind.
Ahead of Ruffian, that golden figure, once so close at just a length away, seemed to still not have reached her limit. Her charge-like stride began to appear incredibly light as she unleashed a despair-inducing burst of speed.
That one-length gap was gone, but not because she had closed it… but because the distance was gradually increasing!
Why? She was running with all her might, had used her domain and even her domain skills at the first opportunity, all to try and overtake Nearl before the homestretch, to build an advantage…
But now, forget overtaking Nearl to establish a lead, she couldn't even close that measly one-length gap, couldn't even run side-by-side??
This so-called bitter wind was the nightmare brought on by the cruel reality of being unable to catch Nearl, the terror born from being unable to approach that shining, radiant figure.
Full of bitterness, full of shock, and then covered in a sense of powerlessness, it made the proud Ruffian's heart swell with violent emotional turmoil.
This challenge she had issued, this specially chosen 2200-meter distance, should have been the one where she had the best chance of fulfilling her promise with Dr. Lin…
How could she possibly be willing to let this long-cherished wish, and her own prolonged efforts, come to nothing? She wanted to fight on!
But even as Ruffian pushed with all her might, discarding everything in her acceleration, surpassing her own limits, driving her powerful yet aching legs in pursuit—!
'But, my legs… they're so heavy!'
Ruffian ultimately couldn't escape that cruelest of facts: the terrifying speed of that golden, radiant maiden knight showed not the slightest sign of being diminished!!
That presence, fearsome as a deity, like a true Pegasus, her flying acceleration was like world-shattering lightning! A storm capable of sweeping across the world!
Ruffian's own powerful, imposing, and fierce body burned like a candle in the wind, utterly unable to sustain her current speed and extreme exertion.
The sensation from her legs finally surpassed the boundaries of 'fatigue' and 'ache,' seeming to approach the level of [searing pain] at any moment!
That level of exhaustion made the gritted-teeth expression on Ruffian's face twist with intense bitterness; she knew in her heart that this was likely her absolute limit.
'I… can't catch up anymore—!'
Ruffian could no longer force her body to surpass its limits, could no longer burn everything for the super speed needed to chase that golden, radiant maiden's form.
Now, she had burned everything to ashes, had completely… consumed herself in the pursuit of the Radiant Knight Nearl, with no more [fuel] left!
It was like a lit match—its heat could never compare to a volcano!
The aloof Tyrant hadn't slowed down, it was just… she could no longer produce a more efficient acceleration! She could only watch helplessly as Nearl instantly widened the gap from one, to two lengths, then to three lengths! Then four!
That dazzling, shining figure was unbearably brilliant!
'Could it be that Nearl… not only can maintain this acceleration, but can even keep it up all the way to the finish line?!'
Knowing deep down that she was about to bow out, that she had no strength left to fight, Ruffian could only watch with final, disbelieving eyes as that golden back receded further and further away.
And the words Nearl had spoken before the race, in response to her challenge, suddenly echoed vividly in Ruffian's mind.
"The long night should also come to an end."
At this very moment, the radiance emanating from Nearl was thoroughly illuminating the vast racecourse and Belmont Park, proving the truth of those words she had spoken before the race!
The darkness brought by Ruffian was being illuminated by the light that chased the night, being utterly dispersed by Nearl!
'Everything Nearl said… will it all come true—?!'
And Ruffian still didn't choose to stop, didn't choose to abandon the race.
Even though she knew it was no longer possible to overtake, even though she had accelerated to her absolute limit, she didn't want to give up halfway in this one-on-one duel.
She wanted to witness it with her own eyes… whether Nearl's words would come true! Just how strong Nearl truly was!
She wanted to witness that scene as a true rival, not as someone who stopped the race or a spectator who had withdrawn.
'Nearl, let me… let the whole world see!'
'Just how many lengths can you win by?!'
[After the third turn, Ruffian, who had been locked in a life-and-death struggle with Nearl since the start, stabilized her speed and did not accelerate further.]
[Ahead of her, Nearl in first place was expanding her lead at an unprecedented rate!]
[Four lengths! Five lengths! Six lengths!]
[Eight lengths!! Just before the fourth turn, facing such an excellent, Undefeated Triple Tiara rival, Nearl had seized a lead approaching a 'large margin,' and was poised to achieve an even more terrifying lead?!]
[Just what… what kind of fearsome being is this? Can Nearl keep sprinting?!]
The commentator's voice was filled with nothing but exhilaration.
One must remember, in the past, the victories of Man o' War and Seabiscuit in their one-on-one matches against Triple Crown Uma Musume were called great triumphs, the margins of victory they achieved were both [single-digit] lengths.
And now, the homestretch had only just begun, and Nearl's lead was already completely on par with those two legendary predecessors!
It seemed it would continue to grow even further?!
Could this one-on-one duel truly become the greatest singular match in all of history?!
[Until the end of the race, there's still an entire turn and an entire homestretch remaining!]
[Does Ruffian have any strength left to accelerate? Can Nearl achieve a crushing victory with a massive margin?]
[Without a doubt, this once-in-a-century legendary duel is drawing to a close!!]
Under the commentator's utterly unrestrained, excited, and exorbitant words.
Nearl, still racing relentlessly without the slightest hint of slowing down, continued her run!
The Radiant Knight had already taken the lead for first place, and even Ruffian's figure had completely vanished from sight. But that didn't mean she would let out a sigh of relief and lower her guard.
On the contrary, as a knight taking a powerful enemy seriously, Nearl's orange, imposing eyes were fixed intently on the finish line far ahead in the homestretch.
Since setting foot on the battlefield and fighting through countless races, unlike a certain Pegasus lady or the great Platinum who barely trained, Nearl, with her unfolding True Form and constant growth, only grew stronger and stronger!
And the racecourse was the stage where Nearl could fully display both her effort and her talent! Only by facing strong rivals on the track could Nearl feel so… focused, excited!
'She's truly worthy of being Ruffian, chasing and dueling with me for over half the race! This is a first in a long time!'
'But the race should also draw to a close now!'
Such a strong rival, such a performance from Ruffian, of course brought joy to Nearl, who craved battles against powerful opponents!
And now, with her condition stimulated to an unprecedented peak, what arose in Nearl's heart was the desire to…
Win—!!
Behind the Radiant Knight, with the knight's armor draped over her, the black cloak on her back fluttered and snapped violently in the wind and light due to the intense acceleration!
Transcending everyone's expectations, after entering the fourth turn, the Radiant Knight proceeded to expand her lead even further!
Nine lengths!
Ten lengths!
On the homestretch, Nearl was the first to achieve a 'large margin.'
The instant her hooves touched the homestretch, she could still unleash an even more pronounced, dazzling acceleration! Causing Ruffian, staring fixedly at her back from behind, to nearly lose focus entirely!
The heated racecourse, the unprecedented duel, had stimulated the stands to a level of anticipation and shouting that knew no bounds.
This legendary battle was enough to go down in history, the pace of the race already incredibly fast.
What was utterly astonishing was that the leader's advantage wasn't being narrowed in the slightest; instead, that terrifying margin was continuously growing!
Currently, Nearl, having achieved a large margin, saw Ruffian behind her unable to close the distance even with her utmost effort.
When the Radiant Knight was the first to set foot on the homestretch, she actually still had one final burst of speed left in her, and could go even faster! Under the watchful gaze of the aloof Tyrant behind her, she continued to race like a meteor, accelerating!
"What, what kind of monster is this? Is she really an Uma Musume?"
"Are we even the same species?"
And from the commentator's booth, an extremely excited voice rang out once more.
[Nearl is racing in a class of her own! With a large margin advantage, she continues to accelerate and fly down the homestretch!]
[Even though Ruffian is giving her all, facing Nearl seems like facing… a true Pegasus! A deity made manifest!]
[Twelve lengths! Thirteen lengths! Nearl is showing her truly 'legendary' side! She's surpassed the margins of Seabiscuit and Man o' War!]
[The Radiant Knight's momentum doesn't diminish even now, crossing the halfway point of the homestretch. On this long final stretch, will she create a miracle never seen before?!]
"As powerful as a deity, this margin has already reached the combined total of Man o' War and Seabiscuit's victories!"
"Don't give up, Ruffian, you're an excellent talent too!"
"It looks like she's leading by… fourteen lengths now? Astounding!"
"Just how many lengths will she win by?"
"Is this the fabled [Eclipse First, The Rest Nowhere]? This proverb has been made manifest!"
On the boiling stands, countless eyes were fixed on Nearl's figure as she entered the homestretch, about to end the race.
Amidst the many voices full of awe, there was no lack of praise moved by Ruffian's effort, but without a doubt, Nearl was the one taking the lead, the monarch!
And more than anything, they waited to see Nearl cross the finish line, to witness the conclusion of this rare, once-in-a-century legendary battle, to see the champion of this one-on-one duel!
And on the dirt homestretch, where mud flew and the pace was as swift as thunder, Nearl, racing in a class of her own without pause, her eyes brilliant like electricity, watched the finish line not far ahead.
At this moment, Nearl, just like Ruffian in the first half, had no thoughts of yielding or slowing down, not even paying mind to the extreme drain on her stamina!
Under the thunderous charge of that golden, radiant body, her majestic and strikingly handsome black cloak continued to dance with her running!
Her orange eyes looked down upon the finish line not far away.
'Facing you in this duel was truly enjoyable!'
'But now, it's time to bring it to a close.'
Behind Nearl, the powerful, proud Tyrant who had dared to issue the challenge to her stood dumbfounded, staring at the space far ahead of her.
What she saw was… Margaret Nearl, in the form of an unprecedentedly powerful monarch, making her final, earth-shattering sprint! The finish line was right before Nearl!
'I—I lost?'
'Nearl… Nearl!!'
Ruffian's mind went blank; she didn't even have time to process it—
That golden figure, already deeply etched into history by this race, accelerated completely through the finish line, reaching the ultimate end!!
[——Sixteen lengths! Nearl crosses the line first!!]
From the packed stands, ear-splitting, fervent cheers erupted!
Any spectator with an interest in Uma Musume racing knew just how rare one-on-one duels were, and how exceedingly rare a Triple Crown winner was!
The sole victor emerging from this duel between two Undefeated Triple Crown winners, just what kind of extraordinary being was she!
And now, Nearl, with an unprecedented, invincible presence, had charged across the finish line, achieving a decisive victory in this rare, once-in-a-century one-on-one duel!
At this moment, no one could doubt that this might be the most shocking match they would ever see in their lives, bar none!
"Nearl!! Nearl!! Nearl!!"
"How fortunate to witness such a legendary race."
"This… this is even more shocking than Man o' War's hundred-length victory!"
"Well, the opponent was Ruffian, an Undefeated Triple Tiara winner, not some unknown graded stakes Uma Musume."
"I suspect Miss Nearl will find it as difficult to find rivals as Man o' War or Eclipse did from now on. Who knows, maybe she'll even achieve the myth of a hundred-length victory someday!"
"No, don't forget, there's still the second-generation Big Red Monster, Secretariat. She's the number one rival blocking Nearl's path to being the strongest!"
"If there really could be a race even more shocking, even more unbelievable than this one… then it would definitely be one created by Nearl herself!"
Even the commentator's voice was far from enough to suppress the stands, which were boiling over with excitement and noise!
[Nearl crosses the line first!!! She isn't just running normally, she's flying!]
[Let us celebrate! The Radiant Knight has achieved an unprecedented decisive victory in a one-on-one duel!]
[Without a doubt, this is the once-in-a-century legendary duel, and like her Belmont Stakes victory, this record is almost impossible to break!]
[Cheer to your heart's content! This is a battle destined to be passed down through the ages, one that completely matches, even surpasses, the famous one-on-one victories of Man o' War and Seabiscuit!]
Amidst that countless roar of voices!
The Radiant Knight, Margaret Nearl, came to a stop past the finish line. Her bright eyes, the slight upturn of her lips—everything testified to her joy in this victory.
This victory against an excellent opponent lifted Nearl's spirits immensely.
Having just won, she turned to look back at the dark-haired maiden's figure finally approaching the finish line.
Ruffian, truly a worthy opponent with the courage to issue the challenge, was a powerhouse that Nearl fully acknowledged.
When Ruffian's figure finally crossed the line, the dark-haired maiden nearly stumbled, almost collapsing to the ground, clearly having burned herself out completely.
Looking at Ruffian, Nearl took a few steps closer. The golden-haired maiden spoke her earnest, and for the first time from her own lips, praise.
"That was a brilliant race."
As Nearl's compliment came out, it caused Ruffian—whose mind was still a blank slate, not yet fully accepting the fact of her defeat—to immediately widen her eyes in shock.
"I think I'll remember you for the rest of my life, Ruffian!"
--+--
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.