After the baton exchange was completed, it was only after explaining the opening situation of the second leg that Kitahara began to notice something strange about how the race was unfolding.
"The second leg of the relay race is 3,000 meters long, and the surface is sand."
"Compared to turf or dirt, this kind of surface consumes far more stamina. However… the racing girls haven't deliberately slowed their pace."
In fact, even as he was saying this, he already felt that something was off.
During the preparation for this relay race, neither he nor Komiyama nor Yuzuhara had directly participated in the actual training.
Relay races were different from standard races to begin with. A trainer's guidance was important, and coordination between the horse girls could not be ignored.
The competitors all had solid talent, and many of them also had plenty of practical experience.
Rather than repeatedly stressing technical details, for a team of this level, internal coordination and tacit understanding were far more important.
That said, Kitahara and the others were not completely in the dark.
From their observations during inspections, the overall arrangements made by the horse girls had seemed fairly ordinary.
For example, as they had learned earlier, the second leg was supposed to take into account the stamina drain caused by the terrain, and in actual competition, a relatively steady, gentle pace would be adopted as much as possible.
The surface structure of sand was far looser than that of turf or dirt, causing the force of each step to disperse much more.
Soft sand was like sticky mud after rainfall—although it wouldn't cling to or wrap around the soles of one's shoes, the dispersing effect was even more pronounced.
This required the toes and the balls of the feet to exert more force with each step, while other parts such as the legs and torso needed to remain as relaxed as possible.
Only by running this way could one maintain sustained movement without easily losing speed.
The trade-off, however, was a much more moderate pace.
In other words, if one ran the second leg on sand in a normal way, the team's forward speed would visibly be much slower.
But in Kitahara's eyes at this very moment, the scene on the track was clearly not like that.
"…After a beautiful handoff, the first to surge into the lead—has now become Tamamo Cross!"
"In the previous leg, Maruzensky was the first to complete the handoff, followed by Mejiro Ramonu."
"At the very start, the positional order was Oguri Cap in front, with Tamamo Cross behind."
"However, perhaps due to strategic considerations, Oguri Cap soon allowed Tamamo Cross to pass, placing herself in second."
"But what's truly unexpected is—"
Kitahara paused, his brow slightly furrowed.
"After the position change, Oguri Cap did not choose the Pace chasing position she is usually best at."
"Right now, she's closely following Tamamo Cross on the inside. Compared to before, her decision-making this time is extremely aggressive."
"Following them are Super Creek and Mejiro Ardan."
"Bringing up the rear is Inari One."
"The positions of these three horse girls align very well with their usual racing habits. In mid-pack and from the rear, they can better bring out their strengths."
"It seems that, just like their senpais, the horse girls in the second leg have also adopted running strategies different from their usual ones."
At this point in the commentary, listening to the cheers of the crowd rising from below the helicopter, Kitahara could only think that way.
The longer leg, compared to ordinary races, did not dampen the audience's enthusiasm at all.
On the contrary, perhaps influenced by the thrilling performance in the first leg, the cheers not only failed to weaken but grew even more intense.
And as if by prior agreement, the name most frequently shouted by the majority of the audience was "Oguri Cap."
Under the unified roar, one could almost develop the illusion that the race currently underway was still the segment already completed by Symboli Rudolf.
This was not hard to understand. Anyone who followed horse girls knew that the Classic Triple Crown was the pinnacle of the URA Twinkle Series.
Winning even one race was enough to prove one's strength, at the very least allowing one to enter the top tier of popularity of their generation.
Precisely because of that, every race in the Classic Triple Crown was fiercely contested—victory was never easy.
Surrounded by powerful rivals, winning all three races not only proved one's ability but also etched one's name into history, becoming the focus of universal attention.
Not only did the horse girls themselves long for such feats, but the audience eagerly anticipated them as well.
Thus, just as the crowd once showed fanatical passion for the undefeated Triple Crown Symboli Rudolf, it was only natural that they were now just as enthusiastic toward Oguri Cap, who was closest to reaching that pinnacle.
Kitahara's line of thought followed this mainstream perspective.
Perhaps the relay race itself was not of particularly high status—indeed, since it was not part of the twinkle Series, it could hardly be said to have any status at all.
But the brilliant performances of the seniors earlier were something Oguri Cap and the others had certainly seen.
Along the track, there were screens broadcasting the race live. While waiting for their turn, they would not have missed their seniors' performances.
Symboli Rudolf and the others' displays were undeniable—far beyond the intensity of an ordinary relay race.
Such stimulation, combined with the crowd's fervent enthusiasm, made more proactive and aggressive performances understandable.
That was Kitahara's reasoning.
What he did not know was that the five horse girls racing down the track were thinking about something entirely unrelated to the previous leg.
Although it wasn't the first time she had run ahead of Oguri, still…
Charging in first place, her ears flattened by the wind as she listened to the heavy footsteps behind her, Tamamo Cross vaguely felt cold sweat forming on her forehead.
So this is what that terrifying pressure feels like for the first time…
Is it because of what Creek and Ardan said earlier…?
Especially Creek…
After we got ready at the starting point, what exactly did you say to Oguri…?
Though she didn't look back, in Tamamo Cross's mind, the scene behind her had already taken shape.
Soft sand was being kicked backward by powerful strides, forming curtain after curtain of sandstorms behind that agile silver-gray figure.
Displayed before those curtains was a monster acknowledged by the world.
This monster seemed to be running the strangest race in history.
She wasn't using any of her previous running styles, nor did she resemble how she usually looked in training.
She had always been simple, never thinking too much.
This time was even more so—she gave the impression of having abandoned everything else, with only a single thought left in her mind.
To win.
This race… she had to win! …So Creek, Ardan, what exactly did you say to Oguri…?
This is a relay race—before everyone finishes running, is it really necessary to care this much about winning just this segment…?
A trace of helplessness surfaced in Tamamo Cross's heart, yet within her self-questioning, she felt that she already knew part of the answer.
She herself had missed the chance to participate in the Classic Triple Crown.
That had only been last year.
At that time, her trainer wasn't Komiyama Katsumi yet, but the old man she often mentioned—Old Man Mino.
During the old man's career as a trainer, he hadn't undergone much specialized training, nor had he studied abroad or attended workshops.
Among the horse girls he had coached, there weren't many truly outstanding ones either.
But Tamamo Cross believed that among all the people in the world who understood her best, Komiyama ranked second—Old Man Mino was first.
The old man had said long ago that her peak wouldn't come during the Classic year, but in the senior year.
Looking back now, the old man may have noticed that due to insufficient nutrition in her childhood, her physical condition was not particularly strong.
And that was indeed the case—she felt that it was only after reaching the senior year that she gradually became stronger.
She had even thought that if she hadn't encountered an accident on the track last year, and hadn't developed psychological issues because of it, even if she had competed in the Classic Triple Crown or similar races, she might still not have achieved outstanding results.
In short, for various reasons, she hadn't participated in the Classic Triple Crown.
But that didn't mean she didn't understand what that once-in-a-lifetime campaign meant for every horse girl.
For example, right now, she was also on a winning streak, just like Oguri Cap.
Looking only at this year's races, her win rate was exactly the same as Oguri Cap's.
Many reports even referred to her as "the strongest active horse girl of the senior generation."
Yet in broader public opinion, the focus of discussion was still Oguri Cap, not her.
She didn't feel jealous about this.
From the moment she first stepped onto the track, her dream had been to help the old man take care of her younger siblings.
The method was simple: win race after race and earn more prize money.
Improving her siblings' lives with tangible winnings, and giving her sisters—who also hoped to step onto the track—the same opportunities she had, was the most realistic goal in her eyes.
By now, that dream had been well realized.
As for fame and popularity beyond that, she honestly didn't care much.
Deep down and in her everyday demeanor, she sincerely congratulated and blessed Oguri Cap for everything she had achieved.
She also felt that the "jealousy" Ardan mentioned wasn't meant literally.
It was more like deep admiration—she believed that was what Ardan felt toward Oguri Cap.
As for her own feelings toward Oguri Cap, they were more like… excitement.
She had realized this after noticing that her prize earnings were already more than sufficient.
Perhaps due to a horse girl's natural instincts, she desperately longed to compete against powerful opponents.
Sometimes, she even felt a twinge of guilt when she realized that in the past, even when running for her siblings' sake, she had still yearned more for clashing with strong rivals.
On the senior circuit, the opponent she acknowledged most was naturally Inari One.
She believed that this annoying friend of hers was absolutely her strongest rival.
Even though she had beaten her many times, she never dared to let her guard down whenever they faced each other again.
As for the Classic year—and indeed all Classic-year horse girls of this generation—the only one she truly acknowledged was Oguri Cap.
This wasn't to say she looked down on other Classic-year horse girls, nor was she belittling her teammates Super Creek and Mejiro Ardan.
Rather, she considered herself practical. Through daily training and observation, she had already realized that the only one who could truly threaten her was Oguri Cap.
More importantly, she had a vague feeling.
Up to now, she and Oguri Cap had never truly met on the track in a Twinkle Series race.
Perhaps, if another world existed, the Oguri Cap there would be her true nemesis on the grandest stages.
She didn't know why she felt this way—she just did.
All of this made her certain that what Mejiro Ardan and Super Creek had said before the race had undoubtedly stirred something in Oguri Cap's heart.
She shared a similar feeling with them—that Oguri Cap lacked a firmer resolve.
This powerful horse girl in the eyes of the world had always raced rather "easily."
For that same reason, she truly felt that the Oguri Cap of this moment was exerting an unprecedented, terrifying pressure on her.
But that pressure only further fueled the excitement she had always felt.
Ah… terrifying. This version of Oguri…
Like this…
She's a living monster…
But…
Isn't that perfect?!
That's what makes this race exciting!
It's only 3,000 meters—Spring Tennō shō at 3,200 meters is even longer.
And it just so happens to be an unfamiliar sand track for everyone…
Then let me see it—this you who's been provoked by Ardan and Creek…
Just how terrifying are you, Oguri?!
Tamamo Cross wasn't the only one who sensed something strange among the racers.
Perhaps because she was running last and maintaining a relatively relaxed pace, Inari One had more time to think.
She felt that this sense of ease was influenced by the senior from the previous leg—CB.
Not only because they both specialized in closing runs, but more importantly, because of personality.
Inari One found it strange that despite rarely interacting with CB, she vaguely felt that if they talked more, they would get along extremely well.
In her eyes, CB didn't seem to be the same type of horse girl as herself.
She believed that whether in training or in races, she was always serious and proactive.
Even though she didn't understand much professional theory, as long as she listened and followed Ardan's instructions with all her effort, that was enough—that was who she was.
But the CB she saw wasn't like that.
In her impression, whether helping the Eisei Team or occasionally seen around campus or the student council, that senior always looked lazy and uninterested in everything.
It was hard to imagine someone with that personality giving their all in training and competition.
That impression quietly changed when she watched the live footage of the previous leg.
So even a lazy, salted-fish-like senpai, when encountering an acknowledged opponent or an interesting race, could display such unstoppable, astonishing momentum.
She didn't think calling a legendary Hall-of-Fame senpai a "salted fish" was inappropriate.
Nor did she think it was wrong to compare herself to CB.
She truly believed that.
She didn't think she was much worse than CB. Even without having participated in the Classic Triple Crown, her future performances wouldn't be inferior.
As for Tamamo Cross… how could that annoying woman be compared to President Rudolf?
Even though, like with CB Senpai and Rudolf Senpai, I still haven't truly beaten that woman…
But it's obviously not the same.
In any case, no matter what kind of race it is, I will—definitely—beat you, Tamamo Cross.
Even if it's this relay race!
Only…
Maintaining her familiar closing rhythm, watching the backs of the four companions—now opponents—in front of her, her gaze gradually focused on that one silver-gray figure. Inari One frowned slightly.
The way Oguri is running like this…
Is it really okay?
Like Tamamo Cross, she had also heard what Ardan and Creek said to Oguri Cap.
She also clearly understood the significance of the Classic Triple Crown to a horse girl.
In past races and training, the team's arrangements had always been tight.
Not constant training, but perfectly balanced between exertion and rest.
When to train, what to train, and when to rest and relax—everything was arranged flawlessly according to scientific principles.
One could even say it was too perfect, leaving no room to consider anything else.
However, perhaps because this training camp also counted as a long summer vacation, everyone had more opportunities to think and feel.
For example, Oguri returning to Kasamatsu and feeling support from her friends, wanting to deliver an even more spectacular performance.
Or Super Creek and Ardan's independent attempts in previous races, and the thoughts they had long kept in their hearts.
Perhaps it was precisely in these subtle, easily overlooked details that this not-so-formal relay race had actually changed quite a lot.
In the past, everyone knew that one day they would stand on the same stage, fighting desperately for a single championship—but it was never deliberately or directly stated.
This time, that reality had been laid bare.
And when that happened, it was only natural for some things to change.
Such as the words Creek and Ardan had spoken earlier.
And such as Oguri's somewhat abnormal running style right now.
Inari One felt that she should have understood these changes better and been somewhat mentally prepared.
After all, she had always been competing with Tamamo Cross.
And Creek and Ardan seemed to share that awareness—otherwise, they wouldn't have spoken so directly this time.
But Oguri…
Still staring at that silver-gray back, Inari One's brow furrowed even deeper.
Are you planning to try this now, like Ardan and Creek did…?
Just as that thought crossed her mind, her expression suddenly changed—she realized she no longer had time to think.
She had been watching Oguri Cap closely, yet her peripheral vision had not ignored the other opponents.
At that very moment, two other figures changed their running styles.
And in the next second after she realized this, cries of astonishment came through the broadcast speakers mounted on the temporary fences along both sides of the track.
"The race has now finished the opening phase and entered the middle stage!"
"The leader is still Tamamo Cross, with Oguri Cap close behind!"
"And Super Creek and Mejiro Ardan—"
"At the same moment, they've adopted more aggressive strategies and, without prior coordination, chosen to accelerate!"
(End of Chapter)