Chapter 247: The Pack Falls Into Chaos
On the racetrack, the tall Umamusume with silver-gray long hair and bright red Signature Racewear surged forward like a storm—like a massive battleship cutting through the waves.
Carrying a golden tide with her, she kept advancing, overtaking one opponent after another.
Every step she took struck the ground as if she meant to break the track apart, producing deep and powerful thuds.
Her momentum resembled a roaring ocean—wave after wave crashing forward, pushing relentlessly toward the runners ahead.
Feeling the overwhelming pressure surging from behind, the runners closest to Gold Ship gradually felt their determination erode.
Some instinctively clenched their teeth, tension and resolve mingling across their faces.
Their leg muscles tightened as they pushed forward desperately, trying to stabilize their rhythm amid the impact, refusing to be swept away by the tide.
Others began breathing faster and heavier, their chests rising and falling violently.
Each breath produced thick clouds of white vapor in the winter air.
Their eyes widened as they stared ahead, as if trying to see straight through the track before them—searching desperately for even the smallest chance to break through.
Their arms swung wildly, driving their bodies forward with every ounce of strength, as though carving a path for themselves through the mounting pressure.
There were also runners whose movements remained light and agile, their eyes filled with unyielding determination.
Facing Gold Ship's fierce assault, they showed not the slightest intention of retreating.
Instead, they adjusted their positions flexibly, using every subtle shift in the track and race situation to attempt flanking maneuvers—hoping to slip past other competitors from the side and avoid Gold Ship's thunderous frontal charge.
Their movements were swift and precise, like a leopard weaving through mountain forests, searching for its opportunity within the chaos.
Under Gold Ship's unstoppable advance, the tension across the racetrack grew thicker and thicker.
The roaring cheers of the crowd collided with the heavy pounding of hooves, echoing like thunder above the stadium.
And the runners at the very front of the field felt this grand, opening-like atmosphere just as strongly.
From the very beginning, her attention had never left the back of the pack. The moment Gold Ship accelerated, Lovely Day unconsciously frowned slightly.
Her gaze sharp as a hawk's, she quickly scanned the track, trying to find a response to the gradually descending chaos.
She knew Gold Ship's terrifying strength all too well—especially the explosive power she displayed during the final sprint.
Once that opponent caught up, pulling away again would become nearly impossible.
'I have to increase the pace… I can't let Gold Ship succeed!'
With the decision made in an instant, she fixed her full attention on the path ahead, hoping to rely on her rich experience and stable performance to lock onto the road to victory.
Marialite had also noticed Gold Ship's move, a trace of tension flashing through her eyes.
Although the defensive line ahead had spread out, it still blocked her path.
She had already been racking her brain trying to figure out how to break through, and Gold Ship's action only made the situation even more complicated.
She clenched her teeth, frustration filling her heart.
'This race… I can't let Gold Ship throw everything into chaos like this!'
Silently warning herself, she quickly forced herself to calm down.
She knew that panic would only make things worse. She had to remain composed and search for an opportunity in this grand year-end event she had fought so hard to enter.
With her ears angled backward and her eyes fixed ahead, she desperately monitored the movements of the runners around her. Her leg muscles tightened as she pushed forcefully against the ground, deciding to hold her position for now and wait for the right moment.
Meanwhile, Sounds of Earth suddenly felt her eyes light up.
She had originally been trapped behind two runners ahead, completely surrounded and unable to find a path forward.
But Gold Ship's sudden acceleration had instantly thrown the entire pack into turmoil.
Keenly sensing the opportunity, excitement flickered in her eyes even as quiet delight stirred within her.
'A variation in the rhythm…'
'Now is the moment!'
Without the slightest hesitation, she seized the brief moment of confusion around her caused by Gold Ship's charge and darted out of the encirclement at top speed.
The instant she broke free, she quickly adjusted her stride and surged forward.
'Now… the real race begins!'
Locking her gaze on the very front, she couldn't help but curl her lips into a smile.
Feeling the presence rapidly closing in from the very back—and the turmoil it caused—both Gold Actor and Lia Fail had their expressions change at the same time.
A trace of annoyance appeared in Gold Actor's heart.
She had always maintained her own racing rhythm and strategy, and this Arima Kinen was no exception.
After finally finding her rhythm in the early phase, her next step had been simple: stay close behind Kitasan Black and look for a chance to overtake.
Gold Ship's sudden move had clearly disrupted that plan.
But along with that frustration, the stubborn determination in her eyes burned brightly.
As she rounded the turn, she glanced sideways at Gold Ship and clenched her teeth.
'I absolutely can't… let her pass me like this!'
Making the decision in her heart, she drew back her gaze and took a deep breath.
Adjusting her breathing, she suddenly quickened her pace.
Having changed expression alongside Gold Actor earlier, Lia Fail now also accelerated almost instinctively.
Her heart was filled with tension and panic.
The shadow left by Kitasan Black's lightning-like overtake in the Kikuka Sho had not yet faded—and now came the pursuit of a senior competitor of Gold Ship's caliber.
Her breathing grew uncontrollably fast and uneven, and her mind went blank.
Her heart pounded violently in her chest, as if it might burst out. Anxiety and confusion flooded over her completely.
Yet beneath that storm of emotions, one thought stood firm like an unshakable rock in her heart—
'I must… I must win!'
With that unwavering determination, her legs accelerated again and again, each step like a struggle against the fear within and the pressure around her.
As she sped up wildly, she suddenly realized with surprise that the black-and-gold figure ahead… was getting closer.
Closer!
Now… they were side by side!
Startled and delighted at having caught up with Kitasan Black, she couldn't help but turn her head for a glance.
In the very next moment, she froze in shock.
At this point, the entire racetrack had descended into chaos because of Gold Ship's charge.
The commotion from the back, the overlapping thunder of footsteps, blended into a chaotic sea.
And the massive battleship that had triggered all this—carrying an unstoppable momentum—was crashing forward like a tidal wave.
Yet at this very moment, Kitasan Black… radiated an almost unbelievable calm.
Lia Fail was stunned.
She simply couldn't imagine how Kitasan Black could remain so composed under such intense circumstances.
Whether it was Lia Fail herself successfully catching up, the sudden turmoil erupting behind them, or even Gold Ship—who had already surged into the middle of the pack like a golden storm—
It was as if Kitasan Black hadn't noticed any of it at all.
She was simply… running with all her strength.
Those crimson eyes were fixed straight ahead, unwavering and focused.
Her strides were steady and powerful, every step landing firmly as if carrying out a mission she had long resolved to complete.
Her breathing was calm, her rhythm even—without the slightest trace of panic.
Her expression was as tranquil as the surface of a lake, not a ripple disturbing it.
Chaos raged just behind her, yet she remained completely unfazed.
The bearing of a champion?
Suddenly, that very description slowly surfaced in Lia Fail's mind.
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