The indoor training gym fell silent as Narita Brian abruptly halted her workout mid-lift.
She tilted her head, ears twitching as if catching a distant whisper.
Hishi Amazon, spotting her from the nearby bench press, lowered her dumbbells. "What's wrong, Brian? Hear something strange?"
"Amazon," Brian stood, gaze fixed on some far-off point. "Is there an important race today?"
"Important race... Let me think... Ah! Now that you mention it, Oguri Cap and Sirius Symboli are racing today."
"What time does it start?"
"Should be soon. Maybe in a few minutes?"
"A few minutes..." Brian repeated under her breath.
She'd intended to focus on training today, to stay away from the track—but now, it was impossible to ignore.
"I'm going."
"Going where?"
"To the racetrack."
"Eh?" Amazon blinked in confusion. "If you want to watch, can't you just catch it in your room? Or the cafeteria's public screen?"
"TV won't do," Brian shook her head.
"The screen can't show me her true presence."
"Her presence—" Amazon's thoughts raced. "Wait, you don't mean—!"
"Yeah..." Brian nodded slowly. "I've been hearing it since a moment ago."
A fierce, rhythmic pounding echoed in her ears—like a predator's warning.
Thump-thump… thump-thump…
Though distant, the sound set Brian's nerves on edge.
That Jet Black Uma Musume was here.
And her presence felt sharper, more dangerous than ever.
A razor-edged aura, cold and terrifying.
On the field, the wind itself seemed to whisper of battle; the air thrummed with the ghosts of fallen warriors, calling forth countless heroes.
Every fiber of Brian's being resonated with that sound—restless, itching for action.
After racking her weights, she wiped the sweat from her brow.
"If I leave now, I can make it before the race."
"You're serious?" Amazon stared, stunned by her urgency.
"But it's race day—it'll be hard to catch a cab nearby."
"A cab?" Brian narrowed her eyes.
"Who needs that?"
These legs are weapon enough.
She slapped her firm, powerful thighs, snatched her jacket, and swung it over her shoulders. Without another word, she strode out.
"Hey—wait for me!" Amazon called, scrambling after her.
--+--
Tokyo Racecourse buzzed with energy as the pre-race introductions began. A vibrant female announcer—the third in just a few months—filled the stadium with her lively voice, whipping the crowd into a frenzy.
One by one, the Uma Musume took the stage.
Their appearances stoked the audience's excitement higher and higher.
"In sixth place—Road Royal!"
A girl with shoulder-length hair and a delicate crown accessory stepped calmly onto the platform.
"A master of the front-running style, she leads from the start, controlling the pace beneath her—victor of the [Stayers Stakes], runner-up in the Autumn [Tennō Shō]! The pace-setting sovereign!"
Her eyes, sharp and determined, swept across the stadium. She'd already decided—this race would be run at her rhythm.
"In fifth place—Running Free!
After losing to Tamamo Cross in the Spring [Tennō Shō], she claimed victory in the [Fukushima Kinen]. Can she conquer this field today?"
A girl with long, dark, wavy hair stretched leisurely, confidence written all over her face.
"In fourth—Bold Northman!
With five wins in seven starts, she's stormed into this graded stakes race! A versatile performer, what stunning run will she deliver today?"
A short-haired girl smiled warmly and waved to the roaring crowd.
"And now—the moment you've all been waiting for! Our top three contenders!"
The stands erupted as the announcer's voice climbed with excitement.
"First, in third place—breaker of the Nakayama mile record, winner of the [Sprinters Stakes], the [Keiō Hai Spring Cup], and last year's [Mainichi Okan]!
With her stunning come-from-behind style, she surges past her rivals—the 'Noble Lady of the Stage,' Dynamu Heroine!"
A brown-haired girl poised with one hand on her hip, the other flipping her hair elegantly. Her cool gaze swept the crowd as if such adulation were only her due.
"Next, in second place—! She's taken on the world's best, triumphed in Europe, a pioneer for Uma Musume everywhere—the expeditionary warrior returned, the Derby star forever remembered, Sirius Symboli!!"
The crowd went wild, chanting fervently as the smirking brunette ascended the stage.
As if embracing the whole world, she stretched her arms wide.
"You've waited long enough, everyone—today, this stage finally shines bright—"
"SIRIUS! SIRIUS!! SIRIUS!!!"
The cheers washed over Sirius Symboli, filling her with deep satisfaction.
This was the reception she deserved.
But…
A flicker of irritation crossed her mind. She wasn't the top pick? So, there was someone the crowd favored even more?
Just then, the announcer's voice crescendoed, heralding the arrival of the main attraction.
"And finally—! In first place!!! Fifteen wins in seventeen starts, two second-place finishes, five consecutive graded stakes victories! The superstar from Kasamatsu—the unstoppable new force!
Give it up for the 'Gray Monster' of the turf—Oguri Cap!!!"
"WOOOOOOOOOAH!!!!!!"
The stadium shook with thunderous applause.
She'd come from nowhere, carving her place among Tracen's elite.
Her power seemed almost otherworldly; her chilling aura dominated the field.
The gray-haired girl stepped onto the stage, deafening cheers washing over her.
The [Mainichi Okan] was her ticket—her stepping stone toward the coveted [Tennō Shō].
No matter who stood in her way, Oguri Cap was determined to surpass them.
From a girl who could barely stand, she'd clawed her way here—driven by that pure, simple desire to run.
The scent of the grass, the roar of the crowd, the touch of the wind—it all moved her.
Her blood burned in the breeze—
This feeling, truly…
"It's exhilarating."
Outside the stadium, the black-haired girl murmured with a low, fierce smile.
--+--
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.