Before Kousei could react, the ferocious shadow slammed into her. She swayed violently, nearly losing her footing. Morgan had brutally rammed a path open. Kousei steadied herself and immediately gave chase.
The leading Umamusume suddenly felt a sense of unease as she ran. Glancing back, she saw a twisted black shadow clinging tightly to her tail.
"What—?"
The lead Umamusume froze in terror, her pace faltering for a split second. The black shadow shot past her side. Just as she thought the danger had passed, Morgan viciously rammed her as she overtook, sending the Umamusume careening into the guardrail.
Whoosh!
The sudden incident sent a wave of shock through the crowd. Physical contact was permitted within the rules, but typically, the stronger party was expected to ensure the other's safety. At high speeds, injuries sustained by Umamusume were almost irreversible.
Morgan clearly had no such concerns. She was recklessly disrupting the racetrack's order solely to satisfy her own selfish desires.
Kousei's assessment of her had been correct: Morgan was an Umamusume rotten to the core.
Morgan was exploiting the rules to ruthlessly "slaughter" any obstacle in her path, utterly indifferent to reason or decency.
"What do we do? Can't anyone stop her?"
A wave of unease spread through the crowd. The NAU competitors carried countless hopes on their shoulders. They had fought for this slim chance to stand on this stage; if they were injured here, the consequences would be unimaginable.
"Just as I thought. Your soul reeks of decay."
Just as despair set in, someone surged forward from the rear. Morgan whipped her head around, her smile twisting into something even more deranged.
"What right do you have to judge me, Executioner?"
Kousei's eyes turned cold, but Morgan pressed on relentlessly.
"Don't forget, you're the one who 'killed' Agnes Tachyon. Ah, what a magnificent feat—snuffing out that lightspeed that defied theory right on the racetrack. I truly admire you. Tell me, how did it feel to 'kill' a genius?"
Morgan relentlessly provoked Kousei, testing her limits.
"Not talking? Perhaps we should have a chat. I could tell you how I got rid of that meddlesome duo back in the day."
Kousei knew Morgan was taunting her, retaliating for how Kousei had shaken her earlier. But even knowing this, Kousei's rage was boiling over.
"I swear to the Three Goddesses, this will be your last race."
Kousei's chest burned with a rage she couldn't vent. She had never known a person could be so utterly vile. Morgan laughed wildly, her excitement growing with every flicker of Kousei's fury.
"Come on, let's fight to the death!"
Two auras erupted on the track—surging rage and twisted malice intertwining. An indescribable sense of unease filled the air. The path to the finish line no longer seemed to lead to dreams.
Like a blade tearing open the Nameless Alley, Morgan's powerful legs cut the pack of Umamusume in half in an instant. The headwind made a bad situation worse. For the other racers, every step was agonizingly difficult, their feet feeling as heavy as lead. Why did moving forward only bring them closer to death?
"Mediocre talent!"
In her empty domain, Morgan ran wild. Hidden fangs struck out. Fiery steps defied immense pressure, igniting a monstrous blaze against the gale!
"Watch me crush you!"
A crimson shadow pursued, a heavenly blade slicing through the black curtain, splitting the world in two. They entered an untouchable domain—a full-blown duel.
"Don't think you can shake me!"
In their high-speed clash, everything intertwined like a web. Kousei accelerated, trying to enter the turn first, but Morgan refused to let her. With a burst of leg strength, she cut off Kousei's plan.
"What's wrong? What's wrong? Where's that Gate Technique you're so proud of? Use it! Let me see it!"
The two battled fiercely, both understanding one undeniable truth: in terms of raw talent, Kousei was no match for Morgan. The Gate Technique Kousei usually relied on to gain an early advantage hadn't been used since the race began.
Why isn't she using the Gate Technique? Is she plotting something? Or maybe... Morgan's mind raced with suspicion.
She had learned about the Gate Technique from Caesar. She knew it consumed an immense amount of mental energy. This double-edged sword, if exploited correctly, could be turned against its user.
Morgan had repeatedly provoked Kousei, trying to bait her into using the Gate Technique to drain her stamina. While the technique was effective, Morgan was confident her own leg strength could break through its blockade.
So you won't use it, huh? Then I'd like to see how you plan to beat me. Morgan held the advantage; she had no reason to be impatient.
Entering the turn, Morgan secured the favorable position, restricting Kousei's entry. She planned to accelerate immediately after exiting the curve, forcing Kousei to push forward.
What?!
Morgan's heart leaped. A Phantasmal Dazzling Photon pierced her vision. A fierce gust of wind struck her face, followed by a crimson line carving a perfect arc.
Defiant against the wind, she shot a silent glance over her shoulder and pulled away.
Reversal Magic: precise and deadly.
Instead of following the traditional arc, she cut straight through. [Common Sense is the Enemy].
A brilliant idea, woven from nimble maneuvers. The Sommelier of the Waxing Crescent Moon intoxicated the heart.
"Interesting!"
Someone unbound by common sense, devoted to pursuing their own path—wasn't this exactly the person Morgan had been searching for?
"Excellent! Excellent! Let me test you again!"
A tidal wave of madness surged in pursuit. Ghostly shadows flickered—The Ripper was closing in!
A hurricane tore across the turf, sending blades of grass scattering into the sky. In this ultra-high-speed duel, they repeatedly brushed against forbidden limits. Cognition shattered.
Kousei displayed speed far beyond anything she had shown before. For a brief moment, Morgan couldn't catch up. The situation had developed unexpectedly, and the strange turn of events on the field was completely forgotten.
Morgan's restless heart was captivated by the thrill of the clash. She no longer cared why Kousei wasn't using the Gate Technique. All she wanted was to fight with everything she had, holding nothing back.
Morgan's malice intensified. She was malice incarnate, an indescribable terror.
Horseshoes dug into the turf, carving a long, deep gash. Morgan ran with a bizarre gait, her distorted black shadow poised to lunge for a fatal blow.
Her feet flashed, their lightness belying immense, surging power.
"Got you!"
Just as she was about to make contact, the figure dissipated like mist.
"You won't escape!"
Kousei shifted her footing, preparing to evade Morgan's charge from the right. Morgan surged forward, attempting to block her. But as Morgan advanced, Kousei took a step back.
"A feint?!"
Having shaken Morgan, Kousei cut into the inner lane and began to accelerate, pulling away.
Morgan pursued relentlessly, nearly catching Kousei within moments. Kousei changed her posture, seemingly intending to swing to the outside.
"The same trick won't work twice!"
Morgan caught the subtle shift in Kousei's posture, certain that her next move would be another feint. To avoid touching that mass of malice, Kousei constantly altered her footwork. Morgan focused intently, not missing the slightest change.
After several exchanges, Morgan had gradually deciphered Kousei's movements.
"The next step! It's here!"
But the determined figure vanished like a reflection in water.
"She's accelerating!" Morgan's pupils constricted. "A forced acceleration?!"
The tighter she grasped, the faster it slipped away. Visible but untouchable, the Phantom Beast in the Clouds spread its wings and soared.