The news of that black Uma Musume's reappearance at Tokyo Racecourse finally let the Central Committee Chairwoman in her office release a breath she'd been holding.
These past few months, the Central Association had been turned upside down. Just the issue of local Uma Musume gaining the right to compete in central races had required no fewer than a dozen meetings, big and small.
It had stirred up quite a bit of discontent among central insiders, who felt she was undermining the Association's authority.
With that once-insurmountable divide now broken, who knew how many mediocre fillies would come flooding into the central circuits?
But compared to those old fossils who could only nitpick without offering any practical solutions, the Committee Chairwoman basically let their words go in one ear and out the other.
She had already done everything in her power to mitigate the negative impact caused by the black Uma Musume.
In contrast, all the various management departments, who claimed to have the central organization's best interests at heart, shoved the responsibility onto the racecourse managers, treating it as a problem for individual venues, nothing to do with them.
This kind of short-sighted thinking infuriated the Central Committee Chairwoman, yet there was little she could do to change their minds.
After all, her authority wasn't great enough to gag these people and force them to work.
The central world, for all its prosperous appearance, had its own hidden, rotten side.
And bridging the gap between central and local interests was already the utmost effort the Chairwoman could make within her purview.
Furthermore, the follow-up matters requiring handling weren't likely to decrease in the coming months.
What Symboli Rudolf had said… she understood it perfectly well.
The reason she had agreed was simply that the Chairwoman hadn't yet thought of a better approach herself.
But now, facing this Uma Musume who had repeatedly intruded upon the racetrack, the Central Committee Chairwoman had decided to employ a special method.
For this, she had been waiting for the right moment for the other to appear.
She had waited for months, and finally, today, she received news of her.
The Black Uma Musume had shown herself again at Tokyo Racecourse.
At last, she had her chance.
No longer straining to rush to the scene herself as in the past, the Central Committee Chairwoman picked up the phone and called several media outlets.
"Yes, we already know the true identity of that Black Uma Musume. We have eyewitnesses on site," she told the reporters she knew from various organizations.
After hanging up, the Chairwoman let out a sigh of relief.
She wasn't about to foolishly wait for someone to defeat the black Uma Musume on the track, as Rudolf had suggested.
Wasn't that black Uma Musume fond of appearing at race venues, drawing everyone's attention?
Then let her have her wish. Let everyone's focus converge upon her.
Except, this attention wouldn't be coming with much goodwill.
The losses the Black Uma Musume had inflicted upon the central organization—the Committee Chairwoman would make her pay back every last bit!
Run.
Because this will be the last race where you can run wild in the central circuit.
--+--
On the track, the breathing of the assembled Uma Musume gradually quickened.
As Road Royal seized the lead, the pace of the race firmly fell under her control.
Adjusting her stride, Road Royal steadily increased the tempo.
Using her front-running style, she aimed to disrupt the others' stamina and ruin their timing for acceleration with the method she excelled at most.
Yet, this very rhythm offered the only way out for the Musume stuck in the back of the pack.
Razor-sharp claws, like scythes, were pressed against their necks.
As the claws dug deeper, a stinging pain spread across their skin.
The Black Uma Musume was launching her assault.
Her golden eyes were locked intently on each one of them.
The wind howled. In the stands, the voices of the crowd grew increasingly noisy.
The green grass of the ground grew taller and lusher, gradually rising past their knees until every step felt like wading through a muddy swamp.
This… this was no racetrack…
Lush branches and entangled shrubs surrounded them.
That beast was closing in on them, step by step.
That terrifying, murderous aura was grinding away at their will.
In this hunting ground from a primordial age, there were only two ways out.
Fight or die.
"Dammit—!"
Dynamu Heroine was the first to react.
Gritting her teeth, she glanced back at the Black Uma Musume maintaining her distance, constantly applying pressure.
Fear and rage, the two emotions overlapping, forced her to make a choice.
She knew it well…
In this world, first came the performer, and only then, the stage.
The stage is built for the performer, the spotlights gather for her.
And right now, she stood at the center of that stage.
The lights swayed restlessly, sweeping over one competitor after another.
"You… you savage creature with no conscience…"
There is only one protagonist on this stage, and that is her!
The king who broke the mile record!
The noble lady with a sword!
How could she allow this thing to run wild before her eyes?
Screech—!
The iron sword in her hand parried the opponent's claw.
Under the gaze of those golden pupils, the young lady on the stage broke free from her restraints.
"She's accelerating! Dynamu Heroine is accelerating!! She's overtaken number six and is keeping to the front of the pack! Is Dynamu Heroine, known for her closing style, changing her strategy mid-race—!?"
Up in the commentary box, the host loudly announced the shift in the race's flow.
Changing running style mid-race is a significant test for any Uma Musume.
Especially for Dynamu Heroine, whose build was relatively delicate compared to others.
Moving into the fiercely competitive front ranks meant she could easily lose stamina from collisions—for her, this was practically stepping right into a disadvantageous position.
What was she trying to do? Why suddenly accelerate?
The crowd was baffled.
Hearing the discussions from the track, Narita Brian snorted dismissively.
Ignorant.
You only see the surface of the race.
In truth, the battle had already begun, silently, in the early stages of the race.
Only the true beasts could survive in this primeval forest!
"She's been driven into a corner…" Musaka Ginjirou, who had been closely watching the race, suddenly spoke.
"A corner? What corner? Uncle Musaka, the race just started!" asked Kitahara Jo beside him, confused.
"Hmph, that's why I say you're still miles away from being ready for the central circuit!" Musaka felt like knocking on his head to see if it was hollow.
From the early stages of the race, Musaka had noticed that the runners ahead of the black Uma Musume had more or less developed issues with their stride frequency.
Among them, Dynamu Heroine was the most obvious.
Perhaps, being accustomed to a closing style, she wasn't familiar with the pressure of being the one pursued.
A gaze, an action—they can fully convey one's emotions, and these emotions, in turn, affect the receiver.
The more sensitive the person, the greater the effect.
In this situation, Dynamu Heroine instinctively accelerated, trying to create distance, to build an advantage and ease her psychological burden.
"I originally thought Oguri Cap was the one being targeted in this race. But now it seems their aim is very clear."
Their attention was completely focused on the Black Uma Musume.
"Uncle Musaka, just how strong is that one, really?" Kitahara couldn't help but ask.
Although he hated to give the enemy any credit, still—
Musaka tightened his grip on his cane.
"At the very least... she's the strongest I've seen in my entire life."
--+--
Thump!
Her arteries expanded violently, powerful surges of blood pumped by her heart to every part of her body.
Thump!
The heartbeat was so clear, even the Uma Musume beside her could hear it.
This was a monster trapped within an Uma Musume's frame, possessing a strength that seemed to transcend boundaries, unlike anyone else.
She harbored an [alien quality] that others could not replicate.
A 'monster'... a beast.
ROAR—!!!
In the primeval forest, a dappled grey figure reared up, emitting an earth-shattering roar.
Using her formidable frame, she firmly clamped down on the opponent's sharp claws.
Two beasts, locked in a test of strength.
Thud!
A foot slammed heavily onto the ground.
The Black Uma Musume shifted outward.
Thud!
Another foot also stamped the earth.
Oguri Cap also began moving outward.
The two Uma Musume had simultaneously, unintentionally, made the same move.
They lowered their centers of gravity, legs coiling with power.
The cheering spectators held their breath.
The racetrack was a battlefield.
Cold-blooded and merciless.
Golden eyes burned with blazing fire.
The black-haired girl stared at the dappled grey monster before her.
'Hey, for what reason do you run?'
It was a question from the soul.
Was it for yourself?
Or for others?
Or perhaps… you haven't found your reason yet?
Whatever it is, it doesn't matter.
'Don't you dare bore me, Gray—'
BOOM—!
The earth erupted beneath them simultaneously, chunks of turf flying through the air.
In the audience's nearly suspended breath, the two beasts collided with their full might!
--+--
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.