...
"Taking the lead is Silence Suzuka! Silence Suzuka! Her form is truly elegant, and she's pulling away from the pack with an overwhelming advantage!"
"They've entered the second turn, and Eishin Flash and Nice Nature are consciously battling for position!"
"Grass Wonder has caught up as well, while El Condor Pasa remains on the outer side towards the rear of the middle pack!"
"Which horse girl will be the first to start accelerating?"
...
At the Hanshin Racecourse, the G2 Daily Crown race over 1800 meters was in full swing.
The participation of several ultra-popular competitors had raised the excitement for this race to unprecedented heights.
The members of "Dream" were all present, standing in the front row of the spectator seats to cheer for Silence Suzuka.
"So fast..." Lucian accurately pressed the stopwatch as Silence Suzuka passed the 1000-meter mark, the time freezing at 56.75 seconds.
This was currently Silence Suzuka's best 1000-meter record during a race.
Lucian put away the stopwatch, his solemn gaze returning to the track.
The moment she crossed the 1000-meter mark, Silence Suzuka in his eyes was instantly covered in a bluish-green glow, with visualized flower petals and leaves swirling around her as if swept up by a hurricane, propelling her forward.
"Has Suzuka already mastered this power?" Lucian pondered.
Only then did he realize that Silence Suzuka's remark the other day about "being in great form this year" wasn't just empty words.
...
In the stands, Symboli Rudolf and Maruzensky had also arrived at the scene.
"The juniors these days are truly remarkable," Symboli Rudolf said, watching Silence Suzuka's figure with undisguised admiration.
Maruzensky nodded, "It seems she might even reach the level we were at back then... if things go smoothly."
Symboli Rudolf gripped the railing, Lucian's figure surfacing in her mind—this was the first time she'd gained a deeper understanding of this young Trainer.
Just like the fabled pairing of a swift horse and its discerning master, she considered Lucian to be an outstanding Trainer.
...
On the track, Silence Suzuka wasn't thinking about any of this.
She simply felt her physical condition was at its absolute peak.
Every breath, every contraction and relaxation of her muscles, the rhythm of each stride hitting the ground... these faithful subjects assisted the sovereign that was her body in the grand undertaking of "running."
United against external challenges, perfectly coordinated!
"I can go even faster... faster!"
Her speed didn't decrease, showing subtle signs of increasing instead.
...
"Only 400 meters left! Grass Wonder is the first to start accelerating!"
Grass Wonder's leg injury had only recently healed. She had intended to use this race as her return to competition, never expecting to encounter so many formidable opponents.
She could clearly sense that Silence Suzuka was much stronger now compared to her time at "Rigil."
"I have to accelerate here, or there won't be another chance!"
Summoning all her strength, Grass Wonder accelerated past Nice Nature and Eishin Flash ahead of her.
She continuously narrowed the gap with Silence Suzuka, striving to catch up to that figure.
But even as her frantically pounding heart pumped her legs dry of strength, she could only watch Silence Suzuka's back, unable to close the distance any further.
What seemed like a short gap might as well have been an insurmountable chasm.
...
"Nice Nature and Eishin Flash are starting their sprints too!"
"Nice Nature has overtaken Eishin Flash!"
Nice Nature launched into her final sprint. Seeing Grass Wonder slowing down ahead, she focused like a predator locking onto prey, "Third place is secure now. I just need to pass Grass Wonder to take second."
...
"The final 200 meters! Nice Nature is closing in on Grass Wonder."
"Is Grass Wonder losing speed because of Silence Suzuka's influence?"
"Wait! On the outside! El Condor Pasa is charging through from the outside! She's overtaken both Eishin Flash and Nice Nature in one move... the monstrous bird dancing across the turf!"
...
The race between the eagle and the deer escalated into the most intense chase of the entire event.
"This is what world-class horse girls are like!" El Condor Pasa stared intently at Silence Suzuka's retreating figure. "But... I'm a world-class horse girl too!"
Accelerate, accelerate again! Sprint, sprint harder!
El Condor Pasa displayed astonishing closing speed in this final pursuit.
The entire audience erupted with excitement as a result.
However, in Lucian's eyes, the outcome wasn't nearly as suspenseful.
During the final sprint, the dreamlike aura surrounding El Condor Pasa was clearly visible—so vivid that it could be said to rival Seiun Sky and Special Week's.
But compared to Silence Suzuka, El Condor Pasa's momentum was inferior, gradually crumbling under Silence Suzuka's relentless pace.
This realization made Lucian reflect on the two coaches, Toujou Hana and Nishizaki Ryo.
Though they didn't possess abilities similar to his, their training methods could still unlock the potential within their team's horse girls.
...
As they approached the finish line, the race's conclusion became clear.
After giving her all in the final sprint, El Condor Pasa found it impossible to catch Silence Suzuka. Her fighting spirit and passion gradually drained away, replaced by panic.
Meanwhile, Grass Wonder, who had been in third place, lost speed due to exhaustion and was ultimately overtaken by Nice Nature, finishing fourth.
When they finally crossed the finish line, the leading positions remained unchanged:
1st: Suzuka
2nd: El Condor Pasa
3rd: Nice Nature
...
"She won! Trainer! Suzuka won!" Special Week jumped up excitedly, seeming even happier than if she'd won herself.
But she received no response from Lucian. Turning around, she realized he had already disappeared. "Huh? Where's the Trainer?"
"He probably already went to the exit tunnel," Haru Urara said, holding a large bag and slurping on a popsicle, smacking her lips.
Rice Shower stood beside Haru Urara, also sucking on a popsicle that left her little mouth glistening and moist.
The two had just returned with snacks since Silence Suzuka had a performance that evening and needed to replenish her energy.
"When did that happen? And where did Seiun and Teio go too?" Special Week looked around again.
"They must have gone with the Trainer. Spe-chan was way too focused on the race," Haru Urara said with a laugh.
"Okay~"
Silence Suzuka had been Special Week's inspiration and role model when she first started her career, so her feelings toward her were genuinely deep and sincere.
...
(Just to clarify, the descriptions of the race aren't meant to be fantastical. The timings are based on actual races—it's just a stylistic choice to enhance the narrative.)
First Stage: Using anime-style visual effects as reference, representing the initial awakening of potential. Manifested as an enveloping radiant glow.
Second Stage: A transitional phase where the body unconsciously and passively coordinates all aspects (including rhythm, breathing, mindset, etc.) to serve the act of running, attempting to take control of the overall situation. Manifested as the glow taking physical form.
Third Stage: Can be understood as the "Zone" seen in manga and anime (Cinderella Gray). The ability to actively coordinate the entire body, born from accumulated training and the explosive willpower under extreme pressure. The depicted scenes will draw inspiration from the horse girl's title or name.
Feel free to share any thoughts or feedback in the comments!