"The day has finally come once again this year."
"The festival for Uma Musume! The Japanese Derby! Over one hundred and fifty thousand spectators have already gathered at the venue!"
"Several old rivals have made their way to the track, and among the eighteen chosen Uma Musume, which one will ultimately bask in the spotlight of victory?!"
"Now then, let's invite all the competitors on the field to enter the starting gates!"
"I declare!"
"The festival for Uma Musume, the Japanese Derby, is now..."
"Underway!"
Without any excessive elaboration, just those simple opening remarks, the moment the gates flew open, the instant the racers burst forth, the atmosphere at Tokyo Racecourse surged to a fever pitch!
"Who will take the lead?!"
"Will it be Seiun Sky, who has claimed both the Yayoi Sho and Satsuki Sho titles with her powerful front-running strategy?!"
"No!"
"King Halo... and Special Week are also closing in from the inner lanes!"
"All three are fiercely battling for the lead!"
Cheers for each favorite rose and fell in waves across the stands. On the track, King Halo glanced sideways at Seiun Sky and Special Week beside her. Seiun Sky wasn't going all-out to seize the lead.
Was she trying to recreate the scenario from the Satsuki Sho? That race was still vivid in memory.
As for Special Week, the Uma Musume battling them for the lead, she was genuinely fighting for it—this was likely her maximum speed already.
This wasn't arrogance on King Halo's part, but a clear awareness of the gap between herself and the other racers.
She could sense Seiun Sky's gaze turning toward her as well, seemingly anticipating her choice, ready to adjust her own strategy accordingly. Seiun Sky was a tactical racer, a true strategist.
Of this, King Halo, as an old rival, had not the slightest doubt.
But then, if she had ample stamina, wouldn't it be better to go all out from the very start?
The way to counter a strategist was to defeat her squarely with superior strength!
King Halo's feet drove powerfully into the ground, her speed suddenly surging as she shot straight into first place.
Faced with this, Seiun Sky, who had been 'contending' for the lead, chose not to give chase but settled in right behind her.
Special Week, wanting to fight for the lead, watched the two begin to pull away from her. Gritting her teeth lightly, she prepared to chase them down, but the gap simply refused to close.
She was already giving it her all, yet compared to Seiun Sky and King Halo, it just wasn't enough to make a difference.
At least hold this position, fight for a top-three finish in the Derby.
Amid her feeling of powerlessness, this thought flickered in her mind: maintain this pace, run like this, and give no chance to those behind!
"Whoosh!"
A faint sound of parting air brushed past her ear, stirring her already wind-tousled hair mid-stride. A figure in pink and white flashed by.
Special Week!
Another opponent she couldn't hope to match!
The gap between her and the three ahead didn't feel utterly insurmountable, yet she was already at her limit. Whether she could maintain this speed into the final straight was uncertain.
The three ahead—no, at least two of them—would definitely maintain this pace, even unleash a final burst, reaching even greater speeds.
Like Seiun Sky, she was a front-runner, yet there remained a vast chasm in both speed and stamina. This scene was more than a little disheartening.
"I can't use the running style I trained for with Taiki Shuttle this race."
Special Week, keeping close behind, sorted through her race strategy.
Even though Trainer Okino had given no specific instructions before the race, she wasn't the green rookie she once was; she had developed her own approach to running.
In regular races, the 'low-pressure pocket' method did conserve significant stamina.
But against runners like Seiun Sky and King Halo, falling behind would lead to a repeat of the Satsuki Sho—no matter how strong her final kick, she wouldn't be able to close the gap, unable to shorten the distance in a brief span.
What she needed now was to ensure the distance didn't widen, to guarantee that when they hit the final straight, Seiun Sky and the others would still be within range of her closing burst.
Based on past races, her Spica teammates had all concluded they couldn't count on Seiun Sky and King Halo tiring in the latter half.
Their stamina was sufficient to maintain that pace for the full distance, with energy to spare!
If the gap opened up from the start, among the current active Uma Musume, perhaps only Barbatos could close it on them with a final kick!
Now, she had to maintain the distance, unleash her kick at the very end, and shatter her own limits!
Mom, Suzuka-chan, everyone is watching this race!
"And there! Through the fourth turn, Seiun Sky! Seiun Sky is indeed choosing to start her sprint here!!"
"Is she going to catch King Halo?"
"She's caught her! Seiun Sky has drawn level with King Halo for the lead!"
"And now!!!"
"The gap isn't opening! King Halo is responding with her own surge!"
"Both of them, after pulling away from Special Week, still had something left in reserve. Is this the moment for the decisive showdown?"
"Special Week! Special Week is also beginning to close in on the two! Is the final straight showdown beginning early?!"
From the lead, King Halo could clearly hear the urgent footsteps of Special Week behind her, could see the slight panting on Seiun Sky's face beside her.
She herself still retained ample stamina, enough to unleash her final spurt at the last critical moment!
If this was already the limit for Spe-chan and Seiun Sky, then this year's Derby would be hers.
But…
How could that be possible?! For Seiun Sky to be panting from just this? Impossible! You're the opponent who beat me! The acting is flawless, the strategy sound, but save that act for Special Week.
Pretending to be winded, lulling the opponent into letting their guard down—Seiun Sky wasn't truly giving her all yet!
King Halo's analysis of her rival was razor-sharp; she had no intention of dropping her guard because of such a façade!
If you're not going to truly sprint, then I'll start first!
King Halo's feet slammed down with renewed force. The speed everyone thought was her limit climbed once more, pulling away from the position she'd held level with Seiun Sky.
Witness the bearing of the King!
With her yearning for victory, her unwavering dedication to training, King Halo's pupils seemed to fracture slightly, and the world before her eyes transformed.
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 2 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.