"Guess you've gotta hand it to Dicta Striker, huh? That explosive final kick they call the 'bullet shot'—no matter how many times you see it, it still sends a chill down your spine."
Ardan spoke with a grave expression.
As she watched Dicta Striker thundering down the track, she couldn't help but imagine herself in that position and wonder what the outcome would have been.
"No chance of winning at all."
That's right—not a glimmer of hope.The reality left Ardan frustrated.
Yet, at the same time, she had to acknowledge Dicta Striker's sheer power. Her legs were like coiled springs, each stride delivering tremendous force.
Naturally slender and long, her legs covered extraordinary distance with an unusual cadence, all of which combined into that nearly unstoppable final kick.
An end-speed that seemed unbeatable.
A few days ago, Ardan would've thought exactly that.
But now, most of her attention was fixed on Centaurea, who was lagging far behind, and her heart swelled with confidence.
'Even in a situation like this, I believe in Centaurea's strength. If she sets her mind to it, she won't fail.'
On the track, Dicta Striker had now opened up a lead of twelve lengths—and it was still growing.
--+--
Skill: Body and Soul.
Skill: Desperate Resolve.
Skill: Gust Slash.
Skill: Sudden Squall.
--+--
If this were a game, those rare skills would probably be flashing above Dicta Striker's head right now.
But the power she relied on most now was her Zone.
[Bullet Kick]
With her Zone now active, she could feel her body moving without restraint.
Her legs no longer ached—they responded perfectly to her will.
If she wanted to accelerate, she could keep accelerating.
Her vision narrowed from the speed, and the roar of the wind drowned out all other sound.
But none of that mattered!
All she needed to do was run, to push herself to the limit, and with her Zone, she could unleash limitless power.
The track beneath her felt solid, her breathing was ragged but she could still sprint, and though racing without a proper uniform was uncomfortable, nothing could hold her back now.
'Just 400 meters left. I'll seize this victory and teach that little rookie a hard lesson!'
Her lips curled into a fierce grin, and her sharp, intense eyes began to redden.
Lost in her Zone, Dicta Striker charged forward like a woman possessed.
"So scary."
Sakura Chiyono O hugged her own arms and shivered. Right now, she couldn't handle Dicta Striker's ferocious aura.
"Did I really race against someone like this before? It feels completely different…"
Instinctively leaning closer to Ardan, a chilled Chiyono muttered fearfully.
"Yes, it's as if Dicta Striker has been reborn these past few days. I wouldn't say she's a completely different person, but she's operating on another level now."
Comforting the shaken Chiyono, Ardan kept her eyes calmly fixed on Centaurea, who still hadn't shown her full power.
'Soon, Centaurea-chan. The moment for your final push is almost here—right at the 400-meter marker.'
"400 meters to go, huh."
After a glance at the marker ahead, Centaurea's expression remained unreadable.
The distant figure ahead didn't fluster her—she was entirely in her own world.
But this calm was about to end.
A wisp of intangible dark aura spread across the track, flowing along the path of the race and vanishing toward the sky.
A cold, colorless tide washed over the ground, slicing through the passion and cheers, leaving only pure intent behind.
"Zone Activation."
[Star of Long-Lost Shadows]
Centaurea's form wavered slightly.
Activating her Zone wasn't a burden in itself, but the sensation reminded her of the pain of being confined to a sickbed in her past life—that's what she truly despised.
"This feels disgusting."
A clear look of irritation crossed Centaurea's face as she complained under her breath, almost as if she wished she could switch to a different Zone.
'Let's just get this over with. I don't want to use this Zone a second longer.'
--+--
Skill: Killer's Intent.
Skill: Final Kick.
Skill: Straight-line Acceleration.
Skill: Gilded Memory, Gleaming White.
--+--
"Target locked. Beginning acceleration."
The moment she spoke, Centaurea's speed exploded. While Ardan, watching from outside, took it in stride, Sakura Chiyono O, seeing Centaurea's acceleration for the first time, reacted with visible discomfort.
"What's going on? The visuals feel so… disjointed…"
Chiyono rubbed her eyes, feeling uneasy.
Centaurea's acceleration had been too abrupt—the shift from steady pace to extreme speed was instantaneous, overwhelming Chiyono's ability to process what she was seeing and leaving her dizzy.
By the time she adjusted and looked back at the race, the scene made her eyes widen in disbelief.
"A-Ardan… Centaurea-chan, she…"
Trembling, she pointed at the now surreal track, feeling as though her common sense had been shattered.
"What is that?! How can she be that fast? She's closing Dicta Striker's lead so quickly!"
"Mm, that's exactly why I have such faith in Centaurea-chan."
Gently stroking Chiyono's head to soothe her, Ardan's eyes gleamed with a brilliant light.
"Centaurea-chan possesses acceleration unlike anyone else. She can go from preparation to full sprint in under a second, launching straight into top speed."
"I swear on the Mejiro name—there isn't a single Uma Musume in this world with a faster final kick than Centaurea-chan. Not even Dicta Striker with her so-called 'bullet shot' can match it."
"Unless you build an insurmountable lead early on, this is what happens."
"You can only watch, helpless, as she gradually closes in, stealing away any hope of victory."
"This time, Dicta Striker is going to lose the one thing she took most pride in—her unbeatable final kick."
Out on the track, Dicta Striker still hadn't noticed a thing. She continued to push forward with everything she had, the finish line feeling tantalizingly close.
'Almost there… just 200 meters left. This race is mine!'
'Why is it still so quiet behind me? Did I leave that girl that far back? Was all that big talk just ignorance and bravado?'
Even as she sprinted, the thoughts crossed her mind.
'I should apologize to her afterward. I even used my Zone in this race—it'll probably leave her with some trauma.'
'If it makes her doubt herself and affects her future performances, that'd be a real shame.'
But shortly after these thoughts arose, her sharp ears picked up the faint sound of footsteps behind her.
--+--
Killer's Intent: Effect – Designate one Uma Musume as the target; a portion of the speed they gain is transferred to the user.
Gilded Memory, Gleaming White: Effect – Each time the user passes another Uma Musume, their own speed increases and negative status effects are cleared. Speed-reduction skills instead have the opposite effect.
--+--
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.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.