Inside the coconut milk shop.
Maruzensky took a bite of a coconut cake, her expression softening with a wave of nostalgia. "No matter how many places I try, the coconut cakes here really are the best."
"Yes!" Taiki Shuttle chimed in, flashing an enthusiastic thumbs-up.
She had come here for dinner with Maruzensky the evening before, but they had eaten elsewhere; she'd just thought the fresh coconut milk here was delicious.
After finishing their morning practice today, they had intended to drop by for a refreshing drink, but she hadn't expected to find treats like these coconut cakes.
"Ho ho, I'm glad you like them, truly," the old shopkeeper laughed gently. In her generation, that "ho ho" was simply a sincere laugh, a fact Maruzensky understood well.
"If you're fans, you should come by often during your summer training camp. This old lady might even sneak you a few on the house."
As the years drifted by, most of her friends from the same era had passed away one by one.
These days, her social life was mostly limited to chatting with her young grandson.
Even though the shop was located near the beach, most tourists flocked to the big commercial chains. It was rare for anyone to sit and chat with her anymore.
Maruzensky was perhaps the person she knew best outside of her own family.
However, the old woman knew better than to bring that up in front of others; Maruzensky seemed to have become a bit sensitive about the topics of "maturity" and "age."
Such was the subtle difference between an Uma Musume and a human.
"Speaking of which, two little ones came by to buy things yesterday. You recommended them, didn't you?"
"Was it Barbatos and her friend?" Maruzensky admitted freely.
"She's a good kid. I suppose you could call her my student, in a way. I ran into them on the way back and pointed out a few decent shops."
"A student? She certainly was a polite little thing," the old woman said with a nod and a smile.
She hadn't caught the girl's name yesterday, but she'd heard the other girl call her 'B-chan,' so that must be it.
To think Maruzensky had started taking on students.
"Wait...?" Taiki Shuttle nearly choked on her cake, looking at Maruzensky with wide, disbelieving eyes. "A... a student?!"
Since when was Barbatos Maruzensky's student? She knew they seemed to be on good terms yesterday, but she never saw this coming.
"A driving student is still a student," Maruzensky said, her gaze flickering away momentarily.
To be fair, Barbatos had promised to learn, though she hadn't actually reported for duty yet. Given her racing schedule, it likely wouldn't happen until after her retirement anyway.
It took Taiki Shuttle a long beat to process that, finally remembering that Maruzensky held a position as a driving instructor at the academy.
"Ho ho." The old woman shook her head with a faint chuckle.
"That little one is very well-mannered. She looks to be about Taiki's age, so I assume she hasn't made her debut yet? I noticed her and her friend were quite thin. They need to eat more to run fast!"
"Maruzensky, since you're her teacher, if she has any trouble with her running, you should make sure to give her some pointers."
The old woman knew Maruzensky's caliber—she was an Uma Musume from her own era, after all—and Maruzensky had filled her in on Taiki Shuttle's impressive record during their chat yesterday.
So, she figured they could help the girl out.
The girl had been so polite, calling her 'Grandma' at every turn; she'd taken quite a liking to her.
"Barbatos... hasn't debuted yet?!"
A sea of question marks flooded the minds of both Taiki Shuttle and Maruzensky.
They struggled with how to explain that Barbatos was actually the best in Japan.
They had no idea how the old woman had arrived at that misunderstanding, but the look on her face when she learned the truth was bound to be priceless.
Taiki turned her head away, suppressing a grin as she prepared to break the news. At that moment, out of the corner of her eye, she saw the old woman's grandson playing with a ball.
The ball slipped from his hands and began bouncing toward the road outside.
Watching the toddler waddle after it to fetch his toy, she couldn't help but think how cute children were.
Beep! Beep! BEEEEEP!
A series of frantic, piercing honks erupted. A car was hurtling down the road from the other direction, the driver clearly panicked by the child suddenly darting out.
The roar of the engine intensified. Instead of slowing, the car's speed surged as it bore down on the boy who had just picked up his ball.
Taiki Shuttle's pupils contracted; her entire body went rigid.
Something's going to happen!
The moment that thought flashed through her mind, she dropped her coconut cake.
Her legs exploded with power, channeling the same desperate burst of speed she used for her final sprint in the Yasuda Kinen.
I have to make it!
The shopkeeper and Maruzensky noticed a split second later.
An invisible, crimson flame seemed to ignite around Maruzensky as she bolted toward the center of the road.
But given the car's sudden acceleration, even the "Supercar" Maruzensky wouldn't make it if she was a single second late.
Beep! Beep! BEEEEEP!
The urgent honking caught Barbatos's attention. Everyone watching her livestream saw a car barreling toward them in the distance—the relentless blaring of the horn a sign of the driver's total helplessness.
In the middle of the road, the boy who had just retrieved his ball froze, paralyzed with terror as the car bore down on him.
"Holy shit!"
The hair on the back of Barbatos's neck stood up. The road wasn't even that narrow and the initial speed wasn't that high—all the driver had to do was swerve or hit the brakes!
But the only response was the violent, mechanical scream of the engine.
Looking at the middle-aged driver's face, Barbatos saw pure, unadulterated panic.
Damn it, did he mistake the gas for the brake?!
She dropped her phone and the box containing the stag beetle. White and green light began to intertwine around her!
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Taiki Shuttle's heart was hammering against her ribs.
Known as the "Mightiest Miler," the racer currently closest to the throne of the Mile, she felt agonizingly slow. Her original plan had been to scoop the child up and clear the danger before the car hit.
But the roar of the engine was still accelerating! The driver was still flooring the gas!
At this rate, even she wouldn't be fast enough!
There was no time to think. Seeing the inevitable about to occur, she threw everything into one final leap, wrapping her arms around the child, intending to throw him to safety!
The roar of the engine was right in her ear—impact felt imminent. There wasn't even enough time to throw the boy.
At least I can brace him... I can take the hit for him...
BAM!
Her vision blurred.
Suddenly, an unspeakable, primordial terror surged through her mind, forcing her body to scramble frantically to the side in a blind panic.
[Devastating Charge]! [Onslaught of Shadows]!
A colossal crash echoed through the air.
Two abilities Barbatos had never used since acquiring them were unleashed in tandem.
Backed by the [Highlander] dose, the Hecarim-inspired skills transformed into a terrifying physical force at her limit speed.
The tires shrieked and smoked, the engine wailed, and the front of the car crumpled inward under Barbatos's impact.
The rear of the vehicle pitched upward, the entire chassis tilting forward!
The sound of rubber grinding against pavement was deafening, yet the car could not move an inch further because of Barbatos's hold.
CRACK!
The concrete beneath Barbatos's feet splintered into a web of fissures.
She let out a guttural roar of frustration.
"Dammit! How long are you going to keep your foot on the gas?!"
--+--
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.