"Ran-chan, are you ready?"
"—"
In the jockey's changing room at Ascot Racecourse, the silence before the imminent race was so profound it was almost eerie. It was a silence so absolute that Speed Symboli instinctively held her breath. Only one sound continued to echo quietly through the room.
"...Hah... Hahh..."
A regular rhythm of breathing: inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale. That was the only sound. At the center of it was the horse girl—Mejiro Rampage—seated on a chair, head bowed, not moving a muscle. It was as if she were asleep.
"Ran-chan?"
"—Ah, sorry, Sue-chan. My mind wandered."
Slowly, she rose, the strength within her eyes now fully present. Rampage lifted her head, utterly calm. The tempestuous intensity that had characterized her training up until today was gone, replaced by a perfect stillness. And as she stood, Speed Symboli gasped.
"—You're in peak condition, beyond what I imagined."
"Who knows... I'm just a little fired up."
She draped her coat over her shoulders and walked out, Speed Symboli deliberately watching her retreating back instead of following immediately. The long coat swayed in the wind, and a fleeting glance over her shoulder revealed eyes that met hers.
"I'm off."
"Yes, go on."
At this moment, Speed Symboli would later write in a book chronicling Mejiro Rampage's overseas expedition:
There was never a time when I witnessed her latent formidable power as much as then. There was still something unfathomable about her, and I believe it was then that it was fully unleashed. As proof—her eyes glowed red, as if illuminated by blue flames.
"Her last race was the Dubai World Cup. The only horse girl in this field who has faced that tyrant, Stahl Armekoa. Her ability to run on both turf and dirt, just like her, demands attention—and she seems to have arrived at last."
The horse girls emerging from the underground tunnel were already appealing to the spectators in their own ways. Overseas races, compared to Japan, are generally more open and entertainment-focused. Whether in the paddock or elsewhere, it's crucial to showcase how captivating and strong you are. Al, having just finished her greeting in line with this tradition, finally heard it. Footsteps from the underground tunnel. One more, an indispensable horse girl for this race, was finally coming.
"Her last race, like Stahl Armekoa, was the Dubai World Cup. Having conquered it, she holds 25 crowns, truly deserving the titles of dictator, tyrant. The horse girl who embodies an unprecedented undefeated myth has come from the land of the samurai, Japan. Her goal: to conquer both turf and dirt undefeated! Her gate number, too, is an omen, the innermost Gate 1! Having overcome Japan's turf, dirt, and Dubai's dirt, she has finally arrived in Europe! Will the undefeated myth continue, or will it be shattered!?"
When her figure was revealed, the racecourse trembled as if struck by a great earthquake, consumed by a roar of applause.
"25 wins in 25 starts! The 2400m turf world record holder!! Mejiro Rampage!! She makes her magnificent entrance onto the track!! Her aura today truly screams seriousness; the composure at the press conference seems to have been entirely for this moment!!"
Standing at the epicenter of that tremor was Rampage. Those who knew about the press conference incident would be astonished by the stark difference in her demeanor. Not a trace of the playful confidence remained; instead, there was something akin to a killing intent. She simply, silently, advanced toward the gate.
"—She's incredibly tense, isn't she... Was my 'thing' really that scary?"
Al, standing alongside her as they prepared to enter adjacent gates, sweat trickling down her forehead, asked the question. Her trainer had thoroughly analyzed the Dubai World Cup specifically for today, and it had become clear that Rampage had indeed been affected by Al's trump card. After its activation, Rampage's normally unyielding pace had clearly been disrupted. This meant Al had a definite chance to win, a conviction she had honed through continuous training. Everything was for today, this very day. But—
"Ah, yes, it certainly shook me."
Al broke into a cold sweat at the casual affirmation.
(You're messing with me, damn it...)
For once, she wished she could curse her trainer's information-gathering abilities. He had said Rampage's herbal cigars were a mental stabilizer, and her use of them before the press conference clearly indicated she was lacking composure and not truly at ease... And he was right, Rampage had truly been on the verge of breaking. But—
(Those kinds of people, they're terrifyingly strong... This might have turned into a troublesome situation...)
This wasn't the face of someone aiming to win; she had been smiling, confident in how far she would win by... but that smile was now a grimace, and her body began to tremble. While chastising herself that it was just battle-shivers, she understood.
(What is that...? Is she some kind of monster or demon!?)
"Trainer, they call that an 'Onigami,' don't they?"
"Yes. Perhaps the tyrant, hailed as a dictator, felt death's presence and was further refined... Truly, an Onigami."
The horse girl, standing there for information gathering—no, for the pure desire to witness her rival's running live—spoke as if she could see into Al's mind, and her trainer followed suit.
"Booby, watch her run carefully. Without a doubt—she is a horse girl worthy of the title 'world's fastest'."
"To surpass that, let's imprint it on our minds."
Her own breathing and heartbeat echoed ridiculously. Like the engine of some hero, or rather, despite being able to hear the surrounding sounds, it was as quiet as silence... Lost in a strange sensation, she was urged into the gate. Was it starting already? Time felt strangely fast. That was fine; she would simply ride the current.
"Alright, the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes, they're off! Mejiro Rampage with a rocket start!! She leaps into the lead with the best start possible!! Already three, no, four lengths ahead!! Will she make her signature runaway move!?"
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