While viewers in the livestream were panicking for the host, they heard the bard mutter, "We can't head to the main road, there are people there!"
The words struck a chord, and some fans even started fumbling with their phones to dial emergency services.
Even if they weren't sure if a call from home could reach Japan, or exactly where this Bard was, they felt they had to do something—anything—to help.
Watching the screen, it seemed like the bard had a decent shot at outrunning the swarm.
But instead of leading the hornets toward the open road, she chose to stay in the thicket to keep other Uma Musume out of harm's way, likely planning to sprint through the brush all the way to the coast.
That choice, however, meant a massive hit to her speed.
Early viewers knew that while there were trails in the woods, they were nothing compared to the easy stride of pavement.
"She's really doing this... I'm actually tearing up over here," one comment read.
As fans scrambled to call for help, spamming "She's too kind" in the chat, or reaching for their wallets to send donations of support, another voice came through the feed.
"I'll count to three. We'll trigger our Zones together and see if the pressure can knock them out!"
A sea of question marks flooded the chat.
It wasn't that they doubted the host; they doubted their own ears.
For the newcomers who weren't familiar with Uma Musume or hadn't seen Barbatos race, "Zone" sounded like some strange new concept.
Even those who had followed her for a while mostly thought of the Zone as a mere speed-boosting technique.
Only those who had stood trackside at a race and felt the atmosphere shift in person could truly understand what Barbatos meant.
"One! Two!"
"Three!"
From a perspective the viewers couldn't see, arcs of white lightning, swirls of emerald wind, and a crimson surge of raw power instantly intertwined around Barbatos.
A terrifying aura swept outward, making the very air feel heavy and stagnant.
Back during the Arima Kinen, when Tamamo Cross unleashed her Zone, even the "monsters" of the G1 circuit felt suffocated by that presence, losing the will to run for a fleeting second.
If legendary racers could be shaken like that, what hope did a bunch of hornets have?
With four Zones stacked together, the pressure became a physical weight, crashing into the pursuing swarm like a tidal wave.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
A series of faint impacts followed as the hornets dropped from the sky.
They hit the forest floor, wings twitching uselessly, their bodies reduced to nothing but raw instinct as they slipped into unconsciousness.
"Phew, and that's a wrap!" Barbatos exhaled. "If I knew they were that easy to scare, I wouldn't have run in the first place."
This was Barbatos's first time facing a swarm head-on, and she realized she'd slightly underestimated herself and overestimated the bugs.
Of course, if Seiun Sky hadn't been there and if she wasn't livestreaming, she wouldn't have bothered running at all.
Her toolkit wasn't just about speed; she had plenty of offensive options she'd never touched.
She imagined how satisfying it would have been to grab a branch and wipe them all out with a single [Alpha Strike].
She and Seiun Sky deactivated their Zones.
Picking up the phone again, Barbatos began explaining what happened and thanked the fans for their concern.
The viewers were left reeling from the sudden turn of events.
Seeing the two girls standing there without a hair out of place, some wondered if those hornets had been dangerous at all.
But the proof was right there on the ground behind Barbatos—not just the hornets, but even a few birds had been knocked out of the sky by the pressure.
Pictures can be faked, but a live feed like this? Not a chance.
Besides, Barbatos was already topping the charts on Bilibili despite her long hiatus; there was no need for a scripted stunt. And who would use live hornets for a script anyway? That's just asking for trouble.
The chat exploded with questions. Barbatos skimmed through, picking out the most common ones: how they did it and what exactly a "Zone" was.
"We took care of the hornets using our Zones. It wasn't a physical hit; we just knocked them out with our presence," she explained.
"A Zone is a special state for us Uma Musume. When it's active, it creates a powerful aura. If a top-tier racer unleashes it right in front of you, even an adult might find themselves unable to speak for a moment from the sheer pressure."
"Though, if you're exposed to it long enough, you'd probably get used to it."
"Why didn't I use it from the start? Because while the Zone is powerful, it puts a lot of strain on our bodies. Using it too much can actually shorten a racing career."
"Is every Uma Musume in Japan as strong as me? Well, if we're not counting those who have retired or aged out, there are actually quite a few at my level. But I suppose I am in the upper tier of active racers."
In truth, if age wasn't a factor and everyone was at their peak, Tamamo Cross would be right there with her—maybe even a bit stronger. It was hard to say.
Hearing her modest self-assessment, long-time viewers started dropping laughing-crying emojis.
"'Upper tier' she says, while literally being Rank 1 in Japan!"
"May the Anemo Archon bamboozle you!"
Barbatos and Seiun Sky shared a laugh at the comments. Livestreaming really did have its charms.
"We've got our beetles, so let's head out of the woods before our hornet friends wake up. Since we're live, I'll take you all to see the village next to our summer training camp beach. Hehe~"
"If you visit Japan, can you hang out? I'm usually stuck in training, so I might not have time. My rivals are working way too hard for me to slack off."
"If I come to China, will I treat you to Lanzhou Beef Noodles? Why stop there? If I'm treating, we're going all out at the Shaxian 'Grand Hotel'!"
Chatting as they walked, the scenery shifted from the forest road to the quiet streets of the village.
There weren't many Uma Musume out at this hour. Most were using the summer break to catch up on sleep or relax.
Not every girl at Tracen Academy was a debut-level athlete yet; between the retirees and those who hadn't started their careers, the culture of "competitive morning practice" hadn't taken hold here.
Seiun Sky carried the plastic box with the beetles, which were still out cold from the Zone's pressure.
Barbatos led her toward the shop they'd visited the day before to say hello to the old shopkeeper and grab some of those coconut cookies.
As they approached, they saw the shopkeeper's grandson playing with a ball out front.
Inside the shop, Maruzensky and Taiki Shuttle were already there, chatting away with the old woman.
Just then, Barbatos saw the boy chase his bouncing ball right into the middle of the road.
--+--
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.