"But you can't deny it, that running style is seriously cool. It's like light refracting between mirrors—clean, sharp, dazzling, and totally eye-catching."
Waving her hands dismissively at Symboli Rudolf, Mr. C.B. argued her point fervently.
"Yes, I won't deny that. It does have a unique kind of beauty."
Rudolf readily admitted it.
"But I'll say it again: it's far too damaging to an Uma Musume's ankles. If Nearl didn't look completely fine right now, even speeding up, I would've stepped in and stopped her myself."
"Wow, typical tyrant."
Mr. C.B. stuck out her tongue playfully.
--+--
Up in the commentary box.
"All the Uma Musume have now cleared the first turn, and still leading is the top favorite, Nearl! How dominant—the gap hasn't shrunk after the turn; it's actually grown!"
"Even from here, I can sense the despair among the competitors. With such a perfect rival right in front of you, how could you possibly beat her?"
"Nearl is still accelerating nonstop. It's insane—doesn't she need to conserve stamina at all?"
"The Uma Musume behind her are clearly struggling. Southern Maiden looks like she's about to cry. Dancing Traveller is still stuck at the back of the pack; she doesn't seem to have found a way through."
"What nonsense."
Trainer Musaka Ginjirou let out a dismissive snort.
"That girl's gaze is steady, her expression isn't panicked, and her stride is still maintaining a steady rhythm. She's clearly waiting for her moment. How is that 'not finding a way'?"
Beside him, Nase Fumino nodded in agreement.
"True. Those two commentators aren't paying close enough attention."
"Now, now, don't be so hard on them. It's just a local race, after all."
Komiyama, standing between them, tried to smooth things over. Meanwhile, the old man in martial arts attire stared intently at the properly seated Sakura Chiyono O.
"U-um, is there something you need?"
Chiyono O asked nervously, her tail wagging wildly and irregularly behind her.
"Hmm…"
The old man folded his arms and continued watching in silence until Chiyono O was on the verge of tears. Then, slowly, he extended his right hand.
Resting on his palm was a piece of candy.
"Here. Want one?"
"Huh?"
Looking at the candy, then up at the old man's still stern and intimidating face, Sakura Chiyono O felt a strange urge to laugh.
"Pfft, haha… Thank you."
Suppressing a laugh, she took the candy from his hand, unwrapped it, and popped it into her mouth. Instantly, her whole demeanor became more lively, no longer as stiff as before.
'So sweet! It's apple-flavored!'
As she swirled the hard candy around with her tongue, Chiyono O's eyes narrowed with delight.
Seeing her pleased reaction, the old man gave a nod, reached into his bag to get another piece for himself, and put it in his mouth, his expression as stern as ever.
--+--
"Watching it live really gives you a different feel compared to just reading reports, don't you think, Ardan?"
"Mhm. Being here, you can really see how strong Nearl is."
Dicta Striker and Ardan chatted as they watched the race.
"Her initial speed was fast, but not unbeatable. I know a few senior Uma Musume who could've gone faster early on. But that doesn't really matter."
Resting her cheek on her hand, Dicta Striker studied Nearl's running form carefully.
"She's been accelerating since the start, right? Except for maintaining her speed in the turns, she's been increasing her pace the whole time."
"That's the scary part. There's no way to counter her on the track. Even if you threw morals and pride aside to box her in, it wouldn't work."
"Because of her seemingly bottomless stamina?"
"Yeah, exactly. She's the type to force her way on the outside lane. Her stamina seems limitless. How do you block that? Form a line? Don't make me laugh—anyone would see through that."
"And that constant acceleration... I'd say unless it's a short race like 800 meters, there's basically no hope of beating Nearl."
"Dicta, are you saying she could lose within 800 meters?"
"No, just that it's possible. But theory and reality are two different things."
Pulling her cap brim down, Dicta's face suddenly filled with envy.
"Ugh, I'm so jealous. What kind of physical gift is that? Both sisters—one has insane stamina, the other an unbelievable final kick. Looking across the entire Twinkle Series, they might just dominate the entire era horizontally."
"Come on, you'll probably be retired by then anyway, right? So it won't affect you."
"...Ardan, I never realized you were so bad at comforting people."
Dicta Striker was utterly speechless.
--+--
"Here it is, the second turn! After this, it's a straight shot to the finish. This is the last chance to change positions!"
"Alright, and it's still Nearl who enters the turn first! It's just unavoidable—the skill gap is too vast. The other Uma Musume can't even catch a glimpse of her; the lead has stretched to over 20 lengths!"
"Still with that crisp, efficient form, forcing the turn from the far outside. You can really see the power—she's kicking up clods of dirt from the track! The maintenance crew will have their work cut out for them after this."
"The following pack hasn't even reached the turn yet. All I can say is this gap can't be closed just by navigating the turn well."
"Even though we haven't seen Nearl make any sudden bursts of speed, she's somehow steadily pushed her pace to this incredible level. I wonder if this kind of relentless, gradual acceleration is even more demoralizing than a blazing final kick."
"Hard to say. They're both terrifying in their own way."
The commentators bantered casually in the booth, while on the track, the Uma Musume were busy calculating their own moves.
'The second turn!'
Southern Maiden, still holding a leading position among the rest, ran with all her might, determined not to let her pursuers catch her.
'If I can stay in front after this turn, I can at least place in this race! Come on!'
With that thought, she quickened her stride even more.
But from her position at the front, she couldn't see what was happening behind her. The Uma Musume who had been biding their time all race were now beginning to stir.
'If I can't beat that monster, can't I at least beat the rest of you?' *N
The Uma Musume began to accelerate in unison. The previously stable formation started to break apart as everyone poured on the speed, with no energy left to worry about who was behind them.
The moment had come.
Dancing Traveller's eyes sharpened with focus.
--+--
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.