"Awesome...! This is great, I can really push off hard...!!"
The new Shinzan steel, now renamed Rampage steel. Rampage was practicing with it. Since coming to Europe, she had been pushing off with even more power, and the old Shinzan steel couldn't keep up, but this was different. There was no problem pushing off with full force; in fact, she felt she could run indefinitely with it. It was hard enough to kick the ground firmly, yet soft enough to properly absorb the impact on her legs. Rampage was thoroughly satisfied with the strange duality of the horseshoes' feel.
"—I can run exactly as I want...!!"
Cornering, she aimed for the absolute edge of the rail, deliberately grazing it or coming just short, accelerating even further as she entered the straight. The sight was so unreasonably, violently fast. Above all, Rampage wore an expression of pure, unadulterated joy.
"Amazing, amazing~! You're amazing, best friend~!!"
Fine was ecstatic watching her, and Sue-chan couldn't hide her surprise at the unprecedented sharpness of Rampage's running. There was joy in the fact that Rampage's running still had room for growth, and that these new horseshoes had brought it to full bloom.
"Ah, how wonderful! Thank you for the update, Fine. You can have my share of snacks today."
"Yay ♪"
Pilsudski, who had arrived after receiving the update, shed tears of gratitude at the sight. To witness her idol, the horse girl she admired, running with such obvious joy... she had to thank the gods for this good fortune, or rather, thank Fine for the call... With that thought, she decided to offer up her snacks. From that perspective alone, it was a heartwarming sisterly relationship, but... the sight of the SPs behind Pilsudski recording with cameras added a touch of unfortunate regret that couldn't quite be shaken.
"Ahh, this is pure bliss...! Not a single tenth of a second of that run must be missed! Preserve it forever!!"
"Hmph! Leave it to us, Her Highness Pilsudski!!"
"It's lively, isn't it?"
"Big Sis's SPs are all so cheerful~ The other day, they were imitating poses from a Japanese anime. What was it called again? Something-something Sentai, I think."
While thinking about how amazing Japanese animation truly was, Ran returned.
"Welcome back. How were the horseshoes?"
"Beyond imagination... They're certainly heavy, but incredibly durable. If possible, I feel like running a race with these."
Ordinarily, such heavy horseshoes would only be a disadvantage, but Rampage felt she wouldn't mind even if that were the case. She felt so good that she could say she'd be perfectly happy to run a race, giving it her all with these horseshoes.
"You don't have to use those. We have Rampage steel specifically for races too."
"Eh, no way?"
"It's true. These ones seem even more amazing."
"Even more amazing"—those words irresistibly drew her in. The new horseshoes, still in their box, gleamed with the luster of newness, but their aura was distinctly different. Whereas previous horseshoes felt like tools to be used in races and competitions, these exuded the aura of true weaponry for a duel—a battle to the death. Rampage swallowed hard, and Sue-chan couldn't help but chuckle.
"You can tell, after all. These seem to be specially made. Do you know the regulations for horse girl horseshoes, Ran-chan?"
"Ah~... The rules about material and weight and stuff?"
"That's right."
Horse girl horseshoes were similar to, yet different from, racehorse horseshoes. Racehorse shoes were made of aluminum alloy, but the power of a horse girl couldn't be contained by that. After all, they possessed enough power to pull a 5-ton tire during training. Therefore, durability was paramount. Given the precedent of Shinzan steel, there were generally no weight restrictions, but lighter was usually better for a race. One could wear heavy horseshoes, but there was a clause stating that all consequences were the wearer's own responsibility.
"In short, as long as URA approves, there are basically no restrictions on horseshoes. Or materials. Most horseshoes now are probably magnesium and titanium composites."
"I thought it was something like that."
"And these horseshoes, you see—they were made by the same sword smith who made Shinzan steel."
"...Does that mean tamahagane was used as the material?"
"YES. Not entirely tamahagane, it seems, but a part of it."
It was no exaggeration to say they were Japanese swords in a different form. Japanese swords, blades that literally bore the name of Japan. Their gleam suggested the sharpness of a sword that should have been born, and the radiance seemed to question her: Do you have the resolve to wield me?
"Japanese blades!? Amazing, you can make horseshoes out of material like that!!"
"Horseshoes worthy of representing Japan, then."
Hearing her two friends' words, Rampage's lips curled into a smile.
"I'm beaten, this is delightful... I can't help but be thrilled. Sue-chan, can't I run?"
"No~ you can't ♪ Any more would be overdoing it. The fun is for next time."
"Tch... I have to obey my trainer's words."
Though she grumbled, she couldn't suppress her exhilaration. Yet, by looking forward to using them next time, her joy would only increase.
"I've worked up a sweat~ Fine, want to take a bath together?"
"Yay~ Bath with best friend~! Big Sis too!"
"M-me too!? N-no, that's too much honor...!?"
"Don't worry about it, I'll scrub your back, okay?"
"H-hahahah... A bath with Rampage-san—No regrets in my entire life...!!"
Having reached her capacity limit, Pilsudski collapsed with a look of utter satisfaction. Seeing this, the royal SPs cried out, "Your Highness!?" in a great commotion, bringing a stretcher from somewhere and transporting her to the infirmary. Watching this, Rampage and Fine headed for the bathhouse together.
"Sue-chan, aren't you coming~?"
"I am, I am, I am~! I'll be there soon, so wait for me~ Don't finish too quickly, okay~?"
"I know, I know."
"Sue-chan, hurry up too~"
Sue-chan waved goodbye to Rampage, who went ahead with Fine, then turned to look at the turf where Rampage had run. She saw Rampage's footprints, especially in the cornering section. These were points where she applied particular force, and the turf there was gouged out, revealing the ground beneath.
"Was it Oguri-chan, I wonder? There was talk of her leaving footprints in the Kasamatsu dirt... But this might be even more."
It was as if she had run through the turf into the ground below. Sue-chan felt a shiver of anticipation at what Rampage had done. There were only two races left to run in Europe, and she couldn't wait to see the results.
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