What's the average human heart rate?
Sixty to one hundred, with an average around seventy-five.
And what about professionally trained athletes?
Between forty and fifty.
The stronger the athlete, the lower their heart rate.
Forty is pretty much the human limit.
However, for the Uma Musume, who need an even greater blood supply than humans, their heart rates sit between thirty and forty.
Looking across the entire history of Uma Musume racing, almost all Uma Musume maintain a heart rate within this range.
But, there are only three exceptions.
Their heart rates astonishingly reached the mid-twenties.
The sheer power of their hearts was dubbed by the medical world as the 'Athlete's Heart,' something only a very rare few possess.
One of them is the 'Emperor,' a name known to everyone in the horse racing world.
The second is Tamamo Cross, renowned for her seven consecutive major stakes wins and hailed as the 'White Lightning.'
And this third one!
Is that rare, dappled grey figure on the track right now, that rising star from the local circuits—!
Oguri Cap.
She possesses a powerful heart that belongs only to the truly strong!
This is Oguri Cap's unique, un-replicable [anomaly].
"With a heart like that, no distance should be a problem for you, right?"
The path before you seems so broad.
A barely noticeable smile appeared on his wrinkled face.
"The race is entering its final stages! Sirius Symboli is closing in on the track's leader! The Black Uma Musume has also broken free from her confinement, yet Oguri Cap remains trapped inside! Could it be? Will the undefeated legend of Oguri Cap since coming to the central circuits be broken today—!?"
The commentator slammed the desk and stood up.
She leaned forward, watching the track with burning anxiety.
Even from her high vantage point, she couldn't see any way for Oguri Cap to escape this predicament.
"The heart of a beast…"
Narita Brian's pupils contracted.
"Such a familiar rhythm. To think I'd hear it again after all this time."
The corners of her mouth stretched into a wide grin. Her whole body trembled as she stomped her feet repeatedly, forcing herself to calm down.
"Brian?"
Noticing the cracked floorboards under Narita Brian's feet, Hishi Amazon called out to her worriedly.
"I'm fine," the girl replied steadily.
She still remembered, during the [Japan Cup], fighting for the title of world's best.
The 'Emperor' had emitted this very same sound.
So now, for the wild Oguri Cap…
"The rear… is also a path—"
Her blue-grey eyes darted rapidly, and then Oguri Cap made a move that shocked everyone.
Her stride shortened, her speed decreased.
Gradually, she detached from the pack, falling to the back of the group.
"Oguri Cap is slowing down! What in the world is happening—!?"
The commentator furrowed her brow, yelling in confusion.
Was her stamina giving out?
No, apart from the initial clash with the Black Uma Musume, Oguri Cap hadn't expended excessive energy.
She surely still had reserves left.
So what led her to make this decision?
She had broken a cardinal rule known to every Uma Musume!
Never, ever slow down in the final stages of a race.
Once you slow down in the final stretch, facing opponents all sprinting at full speed towards the finish, your reduced pace will make it nearly impossible to catch up.
It doesn't save stamina, nor does it build an advantage for the finish; instead, it only widens the gap. All Uma Musume view this as taboo.
Could it be? Had Oguri Cap given up?
Thinking that continuing while boxed in offered no hope of victory, so she might as well let go here.
Is that what this means!?
The spectators couldn't help but wonder.
No!
That's completely wrong!
That dappled grey monster, the fire in her eyes burned brighter than ever.
Thump! Thump—!
Her powerful heart beat with unparalleled excitement at this very moment!
'Hey, Oguri—'
Fujimasa March had once thrown a punch her way.
'Go to the Central Circuits. Raise hell without any hesitation.'
And show the world.
Just what… a monster really is—!
BOOM!!
The turf whipped like it was struck, soil flying everywhere.
The dappled grey monster's feet dug deep into the ground.
She gritted her teeth, sweat flung from her brow.
Her taut ankles released all the power they had stored.
Now free from the opponents' encirclement, the right side was completely empty.
The entire track stretched out, vast and wide.
I see it—
That path leading forward!
Finally… I found it!
"Oguri Cap!! Was that slowdown just to escape the opponents' trap!? Does she still intend to chase them down under these circumstances—!?"
Amid the commentator's excited voice and the roaring cheers of the Tokyo Racecourse, the final trapped beast within the walls broke free at this moment.
The bones in her legs groaned, muscles stretching at an incredibly high frequency.
Oguri Cap's flexibility was now on full display.
BOOM—!
The ground was shattered by her supple ankles, a deep depression forming where Oguri Cap's foot landed.
As if dug out by a giant shovel.
"She's accelerating—!"the commentator screamed excitedly, "The Gray Monster, right now! Has begun her acceleration! This dazzling stage is not over yet—!!"
"Wooooooohhhhhhh!!!"
The crowd cheered ecstatically.
"The beast trapped in its cage has finally launched its counterattack!!"
"Oguri Cap!! Oguri Cap!!!"
Snatching victory from the jaws of defeat.
This was the power of a 'monster,' capable of shattering even the track's taboos.
Amid the crowd's cheers, Oguri Cap, riding a surge of momentum, began her pursuit.
Relentlessly closing the distance to the front runners.
"Oguri!! Yes, that's our Oguri from Kasamatsu! She's amazing!"
Wiping tears from her eyes, Norn Ace shouted at the top of her lungs.
She's out?
Sirius Symboli, having reached the front ranks, broke into an excited grin.
This one really is interesting!
"All three Uma Musume have broken free! The race is approaching its final phase! Just who will claim the laurels of this race—!!"
Is it Oguri Cap?
Is it Sirius Symboli?
Or perhaps, is it that Black Uma Musume!?
Behind Sirius Symboli, by about four lengths, the Black Uma Musume emerged and held a position in the middle of the pack. Another length back, Oguri Cap chased doggedly.
The 200-meter marker was now in sight.
Faster, I can go even faster!
'Lift your legs, Oguri Cap! Dig back, imagine the ground is pushing you forward!'
The voice of Trainer Musaka echoed incessantly in her mind.
Lift your legs! Lift your legs!
I understand!
I'm heading for those, even higher peaks—!
"Oguri Cap is closing the gap! One length, half a length, they're neck and neck! Oguri Cap is level with the Black Uma Musume!! Still accelerating, Oguri Cap is still accelerating—!!"
"Haha, I won't just hand this stage over to you!"
Hearing the footsteps rapidly approaching, Sirius Symboli also launched her final sprint for the finish line.
Deafening cheers erupted from the stands.
The two most popular powerhouses were putting on a simultaneous display of force.
However, just as Oguri Cap swept past the Black Uma Musume…
Her eyes widened slowly.
Why…
Why…
Oguri Cap ground her teeth together.
Why are you still smiling in a situation like this!!
--+--
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.