"Faster, I need to be faster. This current speed isn't enough—right now, I can't even reach Nearl's shadow."
That retreating back kept pulling further away in Suzuka's vision, and she knew it was because her own strides could no longer keep up.
"She's really strong. Those rumors weren't exaggerating at all—if anything, they undersold it!"
Silence Suzuka's eyes widened as both admiration and frustration spread through her heart.
"Behind me... Suzuka has actually kept up? Impressive. So far, she's the only one who's ever pressed me this closely."
Nearl briefly glanced back, her peripheral vision still catching the flutter of Suzuka's bright orange hair.
This was a genuine first for Nearl. In every race before this, even if she turned to look, she'd never seen another Uma Musume close enough to matter.
"It looks like pulling ahead by thirty lengths or more will be tough this time. My opening sprint's about to end—now comes my slow-start phase."
The fierce wind swept through Nearl's hair, scattering some of the heat from exertion, but it couldn't cool the excitement pounding in her chest.
"But it's fine. Victory is right here. Victory rests in these two legs."
Even with that confidence, though, Nearl's pace inevitably slowed as her opening skill's effect wore off.
To other Uma Musume, the change might have been subtle, but Silence Suzuka noticed it clearly.
"Nearl's slowing down? Is she trying to recover stamina while disrupting the rhythm of those behind?"
Suzuka tried to guess Nearl's plan. Was she taking a breather to save strength for the final spurt? Or had she truly lost that explosive power from the start? Both were possible.
"What do I do? The moment is slipping away, and I can't make a decision."
Silence Suzuka was still a rookie with only one official race under her belt. A judgment call like this was almost too much for her.
"This is exactly why I prefer to run in front. I really don't like having to think this much during a race."
Suzuka let out a labored sigh.
--+--
"The situation doesn't look right, Hana. Suzuka seems to have trapped herself in her own head."
Watching the live feed, Okino couldn't hide his concern.
"On the surface, things seem okay. Nearl suddenly slowed, and the others behind pose no threat. But now's the time she needs to decide her strategy fast. If she keeps running in confusion, this precious chance to catch her breath will go to waste."
"I may not like your usual laid-back attitude, but I have to admit—as a trainer, you're no less capable than I am."
Toujou Hana adjusted her glasses with a finger, her face as stern as ever, as if deeply dissatisfied with Suzuka's performance.
But a closer look would reveal the worry in her eyes.
"Suzuka has already lost her chance. The only window she had to fight back vanished while she hesitated. Now, all that's left is to face the bitter result."
"Is it really okay to call it this early? The race just reached the mid-point."
Hana shot Okino an annoyed glare, her eyes sharp.
"Save that kind of comfort for someone else. I'm Silence Suzuka's trainer. I know her abilities inside and out. Her stamina has already hit a critical point. From here, she has to slow down and conserve energy for the final sprint."
"And as for Nearl... Okino, let me ask you: what left the deepest impression on you about Nearl on the track?"
"..."
"You don't have to answer. I'll tell you."
Hana clenched her fist, tiny beads of sweat forming at her temples.
"It's her unimaginable ability to keep accelerating."
"I've watched most of Nearl's race records. Except for the earliest ones—too low-level to have footage, only reports—several later races had videos available."
"After some study, I realized something that shattered my assumptions about Nearl: what she truly excels at may not be leading from the start, but rather, coming from behind."
Silence fell after her words. Okino didn't look shocked as Hana expected—instead, he seemed deep in thought.
"So you noticed it too, Hana. I thought it was just my imagination."
"You figured it out as well? Well, you are a trainer, after all."
"No need to tease me now."
Okino shrugged helplessly. "In every race Nearl runs, she slows down noticeably around 500 or 600 meters. That point is also the slowest she gets throughout the entire race."
"After that, Nearl starts accelerating again, faster and faster, never stopping until she crosses the finish line. I've never seen anyone maintain such long-distance acceleration for a full race."
"Her final kick isn't outstanding—or maybe we've just never seen it. She doesn't rely on explosive bursts. Her speed is like a straight line, steadily rising."
"So she's actually a late-speed type. It's just that her explosive start always puts her in front early."
"That's why I say Suzuka has no chance left. She missed Nearl's only weak point—fleeting as it was."
As she said this, Hana shook her phone slightly.
"Look. Nearl's already starting to accelerate."
--+--
"Wow! As expected of Silence Suzuka! The gap between her and Nearl is now just two lengths! This is the first time an opponent has gotten this close to Nearl! Could her undefeated streak end in her very first race at the center?"
"Nearl-nee! Go for it!"
Everlamp cheered loudly from the stands, her eyes fixed only on her beloved Nearl-nee. Beside her, Oguri Cap remained perfectly calm, even feeling relaxed enough to reassure her.
"Don't worry. Margaret is strong—unnaturally strong. She will win."
"Of course I know that! I believe in Nearl-nee more than anyone, even more than the legendary Symboli Rudolf!"
"But that doesn't mean I won't cheer for her! If you don't speak your feelings, how will anyone know?"
Everlamp glanced at Oguri Cap's blank expression, then turned back, shouting with all her might:
"Nearl-nee! You've got this!"
'If you don't say it... they won't understand?'
Oguri Cap seemed to ponder something, her gaze fixed intently on Nearl's figure as she pressed her lips together.
'But... how should I say it?'
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! 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.