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[Naruto: Starting Out By Making Money!]
"Welcome to Kyoto Racecourse! The stage of the Tenno Sho (Spring)!"
The commentator's voice, piercing enough to cut through steel, was like a spark to a fuse, instantly detonating the passion of the tens of thousands in attendance.
"A full 3,200 meters, an infernal course known as the 'Sea of Stamina'!"
"Right now, eighteen Uma Musume carrying countless dreams and honors have already entered the gates, waiting for the start!"
"Who will seize the glory of the long-distance crown? Let's watch together!"
"Now, G1 Tenno Sho (Spring), turf, 3,200 m— the race is about to begin!"
On the track, the air seemed to solidify.
Inside the gates.
Ardan's lapis-like eyes were calm as water, her center of gravity slightly pitched forward, adjusted into the most perfect ready stance.
Not far from her, Creek exhaled softly. Her gaze looked gentle, but the corner of her eye was locked tight on that blue-and-white figure.
There could be no slack, Creek understood. This would be her final battle.
And so…
"Go all out, and chase glory!"
The next second.
Click.
The sound of the gate latch popping open rang out with crisp clarity.
The lights shifted!
In an instant, all the gates at Kyoto Racecourse snapped open together!
"They're off!"
The commentator's voice exploded at once.
"Sixteen Uma Musume burst out almost simultaneously! No delay at all—this is a textbook-perfect start!"
Dada-dada-dada—!
Hooves thundered like rolling lightning, shaking every blade of turf.
Dust and clippings flew. Eighteen silhouettes shot forward like arrows loosed from a bow, and to claim the most advantageous position, the first fierce round of jockeying began immediately.
And within that chaotic pack—
Two figures were like meteors in the night. Even in the confusion of the opening scramble, they were dazzling, impossible to ignore.
Almost the instant they broke from the gates, Ardan and Creek displayed astonishing synchronicity.
They did not fight for the Front Runner position, nor did they drop back to store power as Late Surgers.
As if they had agreed in advance—
Left and right, they forced their way through other Uma Musume trying to pin them in, and steadily claimed the first group.
The gap in physical ability and positioning instinct made it nearly impossible for the others to contend with the two of them.
No matter how unwilling they were, they could only yield.
In this chaotic contest for early position, Ardan's figure appeared almost solemn.
That was Ardan.
She simply stepped, accelerated, adjusted her center.
And her whole body flowed lightly along the inner rail with no unnecessary sway, no wasted stamina.
"Tenno Sho…"
On the track, the gale roared. The wind of speed blew her bangs apart.
Ardan controlled her breathing and ran in quiet focus across the turf, feeling the feedback from the course beneath her feet.
"This is the stage I've dreamed of. For this goal, I've worked for three full years!"
The lapis-eyed girl narrowed her eyes slightly. Pale-blue arcs of light leapt wildly in the depths of her pupils.
The intuition granted by her always-on "True Ego State" let her sense a presence at her side with perfect clarity even without looking.
"Creek…"
The greatest variable in this race!
Beyond running technique, her physical ability, race sense, and even her toughness of will were all at the absolute pinnacle for an Uma Musume.
Even her Domain—after being healed by her trainer two days ago—seemed like the last afterglow of a dying sun, yet still shone with a presence not inferior to those Uma Musume who pursued radiance.
In Ardan's view, speaking of Domain alone—
Only Inari One's exaggerated, extreme "World" from last year's Arima Kinen, which practically covered the entire course, could crush her one hundred percent.
Creek had already become the endpoint of what a "conventional" top-class Uma Musume could reach, across every kind of power she was able to touch.
And yet, even so, a long-missed heat began to kindle in Ardan's chest.
"Creek-san, come."
"On this track, we will carve out a brilliance that belongs to us!"
A length behind them.
Creek lowered her head slightly, shadow covering most of her face.
Only a pair of dazzling eyes burned with astonishing fighting spirit.
…
In the stands.
Ramonu's beautiful eyes narrowed. Her previously languid expression now carried a trace of seriousness.
"In a long-distance race like this, your choices are often more important than speed. Go too early, and the rhythm will drag you down."
"They're both… waiting for the other to make the first mistake?"
And… Ardan…
You've grown…
Ramonu murmured quietly, full of feeling.
Even with her pride, just watching the brief opening jostle was enough for her to clearly sense it: the two on the track possessed a kind of overwhelming strength that surpassed the obvious.
They were not inferior in the slightest to her own peak.
Or rather, even at her peak, she had no confidence she could defeat the Creek and Ardan of this moment.
"It's started…"
At Ramonu's side, Fumino watched the scene below with her arms folded. Her fingers tapped unconsciously against her shoulder as she muttered under her breath.
She knew it. In absolute running technique, their Creek was not as good as Ardan's.
Or rather, among the Uma Musume under Kuroha's banner, there was not a single one whose technique was weak.
If it were purely about "how to run," Creek would lose without question.
But… Uma Musume races had never been purely a contest of running technique.
…
Watching the subtle shifts in expression on the two lovely faces beside him, Kuroha's lips curled into a smile, and his gaze returned to the track.
…
"Eek—!"
If there was anyone on the track who could feel the terror of two top-tier Uma Musume most clearly, it was the one currently leading.
Right now, the leading Uma Musume—Flash Forest—had only been out in front for a short while in the opening phase, yet cold sweat poured down her back, her heart seized by dread.
All she could feel was that two terrifying shadows, like demons and specters with gaping maws, were prowling right behind her.
As if in the next instant, the entire "Cosmic Strike" would be swallowed whole by the two of them!
"Damn it!"
She snarled and forced her body to steady.
This is a G1!
I refuse to believe that as fellow graded-stakes Uma Musume, I'm that far behind them!
(End of Chapter)
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