With a clang, the gates opened, and the race began. A blue figure shot out first.
"Turbo engine, full throttle—!!"
At an incredibly exaggerated speed, she pulled away from the lead group by three horse-lengths within the first two seconds.
"What is that? She's running a mile race at a sprinter's speed!?" Chiya was shocked.
"The current leader is Twin Turbo! Close behind is Mihono Bourbon, and in third place is Mejiro McQueen. Half a horse-length behind are Biko Pegasus and Royal Cherry, and in sixth is Rice Shower..."
The announcer described the race situation. The leading Twin Turbo was pulling further and further away from the front pack, soon reaching a five-horse-length lead.
"What's that kid's name again, Booster...?"
"It's Twin Turbo," Nase Fumino corrected.
"Sorry, my mistake. Twin Turbo." Chiya watched her intently. "Tracen has such an amazing student. She doesn't look tired at all. Is she planning to run at this speed to the finish line?"
"Impossible."
Chiya's experience couldn't tell, but Nase Fumino knew that her arrhythmic running style was completely reckless. She didn't even need to think of a counter-strategy; she would slow down on her own due to exhaustion in the middle of the race.
The key to this race was still between Mejiro McQueen and Mihono Bourbon... well, maybe add Rice Shower to that. Since Trainer Fujiwara was so confident in her, she might actually have a chance to win.
On the track, Rice Shower nervously watched Twin Turbo, who had pulled away by seven horse-lengths.
So fast! How can she run so fast? Isn't she afraid of running out of stamina?
She couldn't understand her running style at all.
It wasn't just her; even Mejiro McQueen and Mihono Bourbon in the front couldn't understand it.
"This kid... how is she so reckless?"
"Target behavior: unknown. Phased analysis: running randomly. Counter-strategy: maintain speed," Mihono Bourbon said in a emotionless voice.
"Wakaka! I'm gonna lead from start to finish! Victory belongs to me, Twin Turbo!!!"
The other girl tilted her head back and let out a boisterous cry.
"It's Twin Turbo, it's Twin Turbo! Twin Turbo is far ahead—!"
As the race entered the second turn, Twin Turbo, who had been running rapidly at the front, suddenly slowed down as if she had run out of gas.
"Twin Turbo is out of steam!!"
"Twin Turbo can still run! Twin Turbo's... engine is still at... full... throttle..."
She went completely silent.
"Twin Turbo is finished! The new leader is Mihono Bourbon!" Hishi Amazon immediately continued her commentary without a moment of grief for her departure.
"Twin Turbo has speed, but her stamina isn't enough to finish the race," Nase Fumino said quietly.
Her power exertion posture was wrong, her rhythm was wrong, and she was talking while running. She was making it as hard as possible for herself to run.
"Although she lost the race, at least she ran with style," Chiya chimed in.
Knowing that another team had a kid with the same character as his own team, he suddenly felt a sense of balance.
The race had now reached its latter half.
On the track, Rice Shower was panting as she followed behind. She felt like her breathing could no longer keep up with the other two's pace. Both Mihono Bourbon and Mejiro McQueen had sweat on their faces, but their speed hadn't slowed down. This final stretch was a battle of wills.
At this moment, Rice Shower's heart was pounding like a V8 engine. Her breathing became faster and faster, her lungs felt like they were on fire, unable to get enough oxygen, yet desperately craving it.
There were only 200 meters left in the race.
In the preparation area, Shirayuki, Gold Ship, and Meisho Doto were shouting her name.
Her vision was starting to blacken, narrowing. This was a sign of excessive stamina consumption. Although she had been careful enough, she had still been bumped by two people when leaving the gate. Although it wasn't a heavy blow, those two bumps had cost her a lot of stamina.
She was currently in fourth place, three horse-lengths behind the leader, Mihono Bourbon.
This distance was already very difficult for her to overcome.
At this moment, she remembered what Chiya had once taught her.
"If you feel like you can't overtake your opponent, then don't look at them. Look at the finish line. Just think about crossing the finish line."
Recalling these words, her gaze shifted from Mihono Bourbon and fixed on the white line of the finish.
Rice... will cross the finish line at the fastest speed possible!
"The current leader is Mihono Bourbon, closely followed by Mejiro McQueen, and in third is... Rice Shower! Rice Shower is catching up—!"
What?!
Feeling a very strong presence, Mejiro McQueen turned her head and saw a pair of purple eyes staring straight at the finish line. Even though she was so close, it was as if she wasn't even in her field of vision.
This girl! It won't be that easy to pass me!
McQueen gritted her teeth and used the last of her strength to cross the finish line.
"Finish line—!"
A loud voice echoed through the stadium.
"After photo-finish judgment, first place is Mejiro McQueen, second place Mihono Bourbon, third place Rice Shower, fourth..."
Exhausted, Rice Shower wobbled on the side of the track. She had no strength left.
So tired, so thirsty... I want to sit down, but Onii-sama said it's bad for the body to sit down right after a race.
"Rice Shower!"
At that moment, Gold Ship and the others from the preparation area rushed out and surrounded her.
"You were amazing, Rice Shower! I'm impressed," Gold Ship said nonchalantly.
"You ran... with so much spirit, Rice Shower-san!" Meisho Doto said with an admiring expression.
"I always believed that you were an amazing kid," Shirayuki said, deeply moved.
"Did... Rice win?"
With a dazed expression, she asked.
She couldn't hear anything when she crossed the finish line.
"Third place."
"Third place... Rice still lost."
"Third place is amazing too! All the contestants in this race were tough," Gold Ship comforted her.
"Rice lost the race, so I can't get Onii-sama's reward anymore..."
"As for the reward, I think he might still give it to you," Shirayuki said from the side.
"Trainer Nase, what do little kids usually like?" Chiya suddenly asked from the spectator stands.
"Little kids?"
"You know, the kind who have started school but are still a bit clueless."
"I'm not too sure, but kids at that age usually like cute things, right? Like dolls, storybooks, or snacks."
"I see..." Chiya thought about how to reward them when he got back. Just then, a figure appeared beside Shirayuki.
"It's finally our race! Let's have a battle, Shirayuki-san!"
Special Week tightly gripped her hand.
-------
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