The rain gently fell upon me as I stepped onto the racecourse. The skies were dark, covered in murky clouds. Yet, despite the dowry weather, the audience that'd come to watch us race was just as enthusiastic as ever—their cheers louder than the falling rain, shaking the entire stadium
I took a small breath as I walked forward.
I wasn't unfamiliar with conditions like this. The heavy track was no doubt burdensome, and I probably could only use my Great Escape during the first half of the race to conserve stamina. But that was fine; honestly, it'd probably be easier compared to the wet tracks I'd run across back in Kasamatsu. At least the turf here remained somewhat firm, unlike the dirt track that immediately melded into mud under a light rain.
"Our top favorite—No.14, Blossom Star!"
The 14th bracket, was it? That was essentially the worst-case scenario for a Frontrunner like her, and I could see the other runners eyeing me as they heard the announcer's words.
I just smirked as I headed straight for my gate.
As I was about to enter my gate, I glanced to the side. I could see Sakura Chiyono O just in front of the 7th gate. Naturally, she was the 2nd favorite for this race; her strong showing in both the [Yayoi Sho] and the [Satsuki Sho] elevating her above the average umamusume.
The gates slammed close behind me, and I closed my eyes as I let the rest of the announcer's words fade into the background.
In truth, there was a small dilemma I was facing. Since I'd recently awakened my Unique Skill, should I use this race as a test? That'd mean showing my hidden card, but at the same time, it'd inevitably get out at one point; why not just do it on my own terms?
Of course, that was assuming the Skill could even be triggered at all. The issue with my Unique Skill was that it followed the same rules as {Competitive Spirit ◎}—activating only when I'm faced with a great challenge.
I suppose I could only wait and see.
"All umamusume have entered their gates!"
But enough about that. There was no need to think about anything else.
I just had to win.
After all, I had a promise to keep.
"The 50th [Japanese Oaks] is about to begin…!"
The cheers fell silent. The seconds slowly ticked by. A few umamusume gulped nervously as they glanced at me, no doubt preparing themselves for the moment when I would shoot forward.
And then-!
Bang!
The gates slammed open, power flooded my legs, and I immediately shot past everyone else.
"The gates have opened!"
"Blossom Star immediately takes the lead!"
As the crowd began to cheer, I began moving towards the inner lanes to better conserve my stamina during the upcoming corners. The runners behind me quickly scrambled to get into position, all while I continued charging forward, lengthening the lead I'd easily secured.
But someone quickly stood out from the crowd.
"S-Sakura Chiyono O is accelerating!?"
I narrowed my eyes. We hadn't even reached the first corner, and she was already trying to shorten the gap between us?
No, that wasn't right.
I discreetly glanced back. As the announcer said, Sakura Chiyono O was now second, her speed increasing as she charged forward. Her eyes were fixed right onto me, and for a brief moment, our eyes met.
And I understood what she was planning.
I smirked. "Interesting."
"Blossom Star and Sakura Chiyono O have entered the first corner!"
"They're both over 9 lengths ahead! Is Sakura Chiyono O also attempting a Great Escape!?"
As if. Sakura Chiyono O was mainly a Pace Chaser. A runner who shadowed the umamusume she thought was the strongest.
She just happened to have marked me.
Certainly a bold technique. It essentially meant she'd have to run a Great Escape like I was. Most would call her foolish, but the look in her eyes had screamed confidence. It was clear that she felt that she had enough stamina to back up this new tactic of hers, and from the looks of it, enough strength to even power through the wet turf.
A burning warmth lit within my chest, but I grit my teeth as I forced it down. Not yet, I told myself. It was still far too early for that.
"They've already entered the second straight!"
"Right now, this is a race for two!"
I took a small breath as I relaxed slightly, letting my Great Escape relax into a more standard Frontrunning style. My speed slowed slightly, though not enough for Sakura Chiyono O to confidently attempt to take the lead.
Slightly driven by what the announcer said, I began speaking.
"You really awesome, Sakura-san." Sakura Chiyono O blinked when she heard me talk, but I just continued. "This is the first time someone's genuinely tried to catch up to me from the very beginning."
Though what I really found amazing was the fact that she'd improved this much in so little time. Like, it'd only been months since Chiyono O had her debut, while I'd been racing for nearly a year by this point.
The divide in our talents was clear to see. I needed my System and the direct blessing of the Three Goddesses to get to this point, while Chiyono O had none of that.
"The third corner! They've reached the third corner…!"
"Is Sakura Chiyono O going to attempt to take the lead soon!?"
"You're going to go far, Sakura-san." I said genuinely. "You're strong—stronger than you think. I'm sure you'll go on to achieve even more in the future." I chuckled softly. "Just remember not to burn yourself out, yeah? There's no point in pushing yourself so hard if it means hurting yourself."
"Blossom-san…"
"The fourth corner! They're now in-!"
"Which is why I'm sorry."
"I have a promise to keep."
That warmth within my chest roared once more, and this time, I didn't attempt to push it back down.
The white fabrics of my G1 outfit began to spark, and the bronze pauldrons on my shoulder seemed to glow bright orange. The coldness from the rain faded, overtaken by a powerful growing heat. The air around my calves bent, and it almost looked as if the ground began to steam.
And before Sakura Chiyono O could even react to what I'd said, the ground beneath me exploded as I leapt forward.
"Blossom Star is accele-"
"She's already reached the final straight-!"
"She's going-, so fast!?"
A choked gasp left Chiyono O's lips. She didn't catch it all. I'd just been complimenting her, and the next thing she knew, I was several lengths ahead of her. She grit her teeth as she began accelerating as well, trying to catch up to the figure that'd left her behind.
But it wasn't enough. Even though she'd pushed forward with all her might, my back only shrunk as the gap between us widened. She could only watch helplessly as I faded into the falling rain.
And alas,
"Blossom Star crosses the finish line first!"
For a moment, the entire racecourse was silent. No one knew how to respond to what they'd just witnessed. I'd crossed the finish line with a lead of over 5 lengths, while the other runners were so far behind that the scoreboard couldn't even accurately display their distance.
I took a small breath as I slowed down completely. I then turned to the awestruck audience, and with a sharp smile, I raised two fingers into the air.
And then the world shook as the audience erupted into cheers.
…
"The girl's really done it this time." Musaka groused, though his wide grin belied his true feelings. "No one's gonna be able to talk about anything else."
Kitahara laughed cheerfully. "That's my Star!" He called out, though his words went unheard amidst the crowd's cheers. "You're not bringing her down that easily!"
Belno chuckled wryly at her trainer's enthusiasm, though she couldn't help but glance at Sakura Chiyono O. "She's amazing…" She whispered, her feelings genuine. After all, Chiyono O had followed me for nearly through the entire race, and it was only when I finally went serious during the final corner that I finally lengthened my lead.
Kitahara's enthusiasm faded as he heard her words, and he nodded slightly. "Yeah, you're right." He narrowed his eyes. "She's improved like crazy. We're going to have to watch out for her."
Musaka grunted. "Ain't a surprise. That's the one Maruzensky's had an eye on for a while."
Kitahara's eyes bulged out. "W-Wait, Maruzensky!? You mean that Maruzensky!?"
"Quiet down, you fool!"
Meanwhile, Oguri Cap remained entirely silent. She didn't even seem to notice the cheers around her. All this time, her eyes had remained focused on me, bright blue eyes glowing with manic desire.
Her stomach hungered, but this time not for food. Her fists clenched tightly as her lips began curling into a wide smile, all while a thin black mist began swirling around her.
She wanted to be down there. She wanted to race against me. Chase after the light I left behind as I raced forward and devour it whole.
But she restrained herself. This wasn't the time.
Not yet.
"Soon." She whispered, smiling fiercely.