The time for the gate-in had finally arrived. One by one, the girls stepped into their stalls, with Flora being the last to enter the outermost gate. When she had first seen the draw, she couldn't help but smirk. It was a familiar sight; Rampage had often been consigned to the furthest outside stall. Most would offer sympathy for such a disadvantage, calling it poor luck, but for a runner of her caliber—a master of the "Grand Escape"—the extra distance was nothing but a minor detail.
I want to share in that luck today, Flora thought, her heart steady.
『The G1 Japan Cup is… NOW! They're off! A clean start across the board, but wait—one, no, three girls are surging forward! It's Twin Turbo! The Triple Tiara winner and Queen Elizabeth II Cup champion has taken the lead with a spectacular start, just like last year! Hot on her heels are the Iron Lady, Ikuno Dictus, and the Great Flower, Agnes Flora! Ladies and gentlemen, this is a sight that mirrors Mejiro Rampage's legendary run!』
As expected, Turbo bolted. To Flora, it was an endearing sight. Turbo looked up to "that person" as a master, mimicking her style of the Grand Escape. While Flora could have easily sat on Turbo's heels, she knew better. Turbo's pace was even more frantic than Rampage's; Flora had to stay disciplined, or she'd burn out before the stretch. Behind her, she could feel the presence of Ikuno Dictus. Even here, she thought, the history of Rampage and her rivals repeats itself.
『In fourth is the veteran of the Autumn Tenno Sho, Mejiro McQueen, followed closely by the Absolute Emperor, Tokai Teio, and Legacy World. A slight gap back to Rice Shower, Nice Nature, and Machikane Tannhauser. Then we find Elgutz and Alternative Seven holding their positions, with Star Prince, Ghost Chance, and Winning Ticket trailing. But as expected, any race featuring these runners is turning into a blistering, high-speed gauntlet!』
Turbo was the metronome of this race, and her tempo only knew one setting: "Ultra-High." To the international runners, this looked like a suicide mission—a lead so large it seemed they weren't even saving energy for the final spurt. They had heard that Japanese racing didn't use "rabbits" (pacemakers), but looking at Turbo, they wondered if they'd been lied to. Yet, the memory of the Tyrant who had conquered the world with that very same style haunted them. Since Rampage's debut, the "rabbit" who actually stayed in front to win the whole thing had become a terrifyingly common occurrence in Japan. They couldn't afford to look away.
『Wait! The foreign contingent is making a move! We haven't even reached the halfway point, but they're increasing their pace to catch the lead group!』
『Understandable,』 the commentator added. 『With Twin Turbo at the helm, the world's perception of escape runners has shifted thanks to Mejiro Rampage. They aren't taking any chances.』
Correct in theory, but oh, how naive, Flora thought, the corners of her mouth twitching upward.
They wanted to catch Turbo, but by making their move so early, they were cannibalizing the energy they would need for the final stretch. Their finishing kicks would be neutered. Only those who had never stood on the track against Rampage would make such a mistake. The rest of the field—the domestic veterans—stayed silent and steady, clinging to their own pre-set rhythms.
『We're under 1000 meters to go! Twin Turbo still holds the lead! Behind her are Agnes Flora and Ikuno Dictus. Rice Shower moves up to fourth, McQueen drops back a slot, followed by Tokai Teio. Legacy World is right there, with Nice Nature, Machikane Tannhauser, Elgutz, Alternative Seven, and Winning Ticket in pursuit!』
The pace was beginning to take its toll. The international runners who had tried to close the gap too early were already fading, their bodies unable to keep up with the brutal tempo. Only Alternative Seven and Elgutz remained in the hunt, their experience on the world stage keeping them afloat. But then, one runner bared her fangs—a girl running for the grandmother watching from the stands.
『Alternative Seven is moving! She's surged into third place! Can she catch the leaders at this speed?!』
At the final corner, Olta made her move. She threaded the needle through a microscopic gap that opened as the pack swung wide. But she wasn't the only one ready to explode. Sensing the challenge, Turbo let out her own battle cry.
"True... DOKKAN TURBOooo!!"
Turbo had finally mastered the "Dokkan" style, a chaotic, theory-defying acceleration that she now controlled with perfect intuition. It was a burst of speed that would leave an average G1 runner in the dust—but the girls gathered here were anything but average. McQueen, Teio, Rice, Nature, Tannhauser, Ticket... and Ikuno. They all ignited at once.
『They're in the homestretch! Twin Turbo is still in front! Can she pull off the miracle? Will she win back-to-back G1s?! No! Alternative Seven is closing the gap with incredible power! She's showing the world the strength of an Arc de Triomphe runner! She moves into second—wait! Elgutz is coming too! The Arc winner is fighting to reclaim her glory! But the Japanese runners aren't yielding an inch! The gap is vanishing! Can Turbo hold on?!』
Flora's vision narrowed. She saw three figures ahead: Elgutz, Olta, and Turbo. She burned their movements into her mind, analyzing their strides, their breathing, their shifting weight. In that moment of peak synchronization, she closed her eyes. For a heartbeat, she felt a surge of power that defied explanation.
She opened her eyes and saw four runners. The three leaders... and one more, further ahead. A chestnut-maned silhouette with a tail like a golden flame. The moment she saw that phantom, Flora let her soul run wild.
Ultimate Skill: The Longed-For Great Flower
『Elgutz has done it! She's overtaken Twin Turbo! No, Alternative Seven pulls ahead! It's a battle of the giants! Elgutz fights back! Turbo is fading—her time at the front is over! Is it Elgutz or Alternative Seven?! Wait—LOOK! SHE'S THERE! The rival of the Tyrant! Agnes Flora! AGNES FLORA IS SURGING!! Ikuno Dictus is coming up! Machikane Tannhauser is exploding from the back! Teio and McQueen are fighting tooth and nail! Legacy World is screaming forward! AGNES FLORA! SHE'S CAUGHT THEM! SHE'S PASSED THEM! AGNES FLORA HAS THE LEAD! CAN SHE HOLD IT?! SHE'S HOLDING! SHE'S DOING IT! SHE'S ACROSS THE LINE! GOAL!! AGNES FLORA HAS RECLAIMED THE JAPAN CUP!!』
Flora crossed the finish line having given every ounce of her existence. She had surpassed the winners of the Arc de Triomphe. As a thick, heavy fog of exhaustion settled over her brain, a voice cut through the haze.
『And the time... 2:21.9!!? She's beaten Tokai Teio's record of 2:22.1! Agnes Flora has come within arm's reach of Mejiro Rampage's World Record! What a spectacular display from the Rampage Generation!!』
She had done it. She had produced a time that challenged the world record set by Rampage herself. In that moment of realization, tears began to stream down Flora's face. She looked up at the sky, a brilliant smile breaking through her exhaustion, and waved toward the spectator stands.
She looked toward one specific spot.
"Well done, rival," a voice muttered.
There, waving back with a grin, was Mejiro Rampage.
That was all Flora needed. In that moment, she was finally, completely whole.
Character Profile: Mejiro Raptor (Colt)
The tenth foal of Mejiro Rampage. His sire is Mayano Top Gun. His name comes from the association of "Top Gun" with fighter jets (Raptor).
Small in stature with a gentle, clingy personality, he was a "mama's boy" who constantly hovered around his mother and his grooms. Many doubted he had the temperament for racing. However, the moment training began, a hidden wildness was unleashed. True to his name, he showed a predatory ferocity on the track. He swept through the ranks from his debut to the Satsuki Sho (2000m), where he narrowly placed 2nd.
In the Tokyo Derby, he channeled his mother, winning by a massive margin with a "Grand Escape." Then, in a complete reversal during the Kikuka Sho (3000m), he stayed at the very back of the pack before unleashing a thunderous late charge to win—perfectly inheriting the "chameleon" racing style of his father, Mayano Top Gun.
Jockey: Mizusoe (who also rode his mother). He notes that Raptor has a "little devil" streak, knowing exactly when to act cute and when to be professional—a calculating trait Mizusoe attributes directly to his mother's genes.
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