"Hum~ hum~ hum-hum-hum~♪"
Maya skipped through the hallway, humming a light tune while the star-shaped medal fluttered on her chest. It was the prize Trainer Sakahara had personally crafted and presented to her after her triumph in the Hopeful Stakes. Although making a proper medal from scratch usually took time, Sakahara had poured his heart—and a painstaking amount of needlework—into creating this makeshift star ribbon just for her. The endeavor had cost his fingertips a liberal coat of adhesive bandages, but seeing the radiant beam on Maya's face made every single prick worth it.
Since the official, high-grade medal had to be custom-ordered to attach properly to her racing outfit, Sakahara simply hadn't wanted her to wait. Naturally, the real order was placed through Rampage, who promptly delegated the design work to Goodbye Halo—a move that yielded an immediate, fiery response:
"So! You've finally recognized my artistic genius! Leave it to me—I've got direct contacts in the US Air Force, so I'll design a medal that's nothing short of perfection!!"
Having had all her previous design proposals completely ignored, Goodbye Halo threw herself into the task with terrifying enthusiasm. Rampage could only force herself to accept it, muttering that the girl was, technically speaking, an ultra-first-rate designer.
Unaware of the chaos brewing behind the scenes, Maya burst through the team room door.
"Rampage-saaaan! Look, look~! Trainer-chan made this for me~!!"
It was a masterclass in calculated charm—a flawless strike of strikes combining a sharp spin, a practiced tilt of the head, and a squeal of pure delight. Both Sakahara and Kamizuru were completely mesmerized on the spot.
"It really suits you, Maya. Going with the star design was definitely the right call."
"Mmm... I know she's playing up the cute act on purpose, but there's zero pretense to it. It's just purely adorable... She's dangerous."
While her trainer and Kamizuru offered glowing praise, Maya only truly cared about Sakahara's smile. But as she looked around, she noticed the crucial lack of a reaction from Rampage. She wondered if the senior was even present, only to catch sight of the world-renowned tyrant slumped over a table, head buried in her arms.
"R-Rampage...-san?"
Maya's voice wavered with concern, but Sakahara and Kamizuru instantly brought their forefingers to their lips, flashing her a quiet shh. As Maya clamped her mouth shut, she caught the faint sound of soft, steady breathing.
"She's exhausted. Let her sleep."
"Looks like your run in the Hopeful Stakes really fired her up," Kamizuru added softly. "She said seeing a junior pull off such an amazing race made her realize she needs to step up and act like a proper senior for this team."
The explanation didn't quite click for Maya. Was Rampage not already an incredible senior? Before she could ponder it further, a gentle knock sounded at the door. Sakahara gave permission, and Minamizaka stepped inside.
"Pardon me. I brought back something Rampage-san left behind... Ah, I see she's out cold again."
"Again?"
"I assigned her one final trial the other day. She only just cleared it."
"Which means—"
"Yes. Rampage-san has officially reclaimed the full strength of her peak."
Maya's eyes drifted back to the sleeping form. Her peak... The terrifying power she wielded when she swept the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and the Breeders' Cup Classic. Just how strong was that? And more importantly—did that mean all those mind-boggling runs Rampage had displayed up until now were still far from her absolute prime?
As if reading the question written across her face, Minamizaka put down his packages and explained.
"When an athlete retires, they naturally settle down, for better or worse. Rampage-san had grown considerably gentler. Re-sharpening that edge was an immense struggle... To be completely frank, I thought it was impossible."
"If you thought it was impossible, then no one else on earth could've done it... Still, what on earth was this 'final trial' you gave her?" Kamizuru asked.
"I requested the cooperation of Mejiro Monsnie, Sunday Silence, and Unbridled. Rampage-san had to run three consecutive mock races against them—and win every single one."
"Cruel..."
"Is that not just straight-up torture?"
"Isn't that way too reckless?!"
Kamizuru, Sakahara, and Maya blurted out their reactions in sequence—reflexive, analytical, and baffled. Minamizaka let out a wry chuckle, nodding in agreement.
"I don't blame you. Truthfully, I designed that trial so she would give up. Rebuilding one's mental drive is far harder than physical conditioning, so the standard approach is to work with the hand you're dealt. But Rampage-san refused to compromise. She insisted on regaining her true peak—because she knows that without it, winning the Legend Race is an absolute impossibility."
"Is the gap really that definitive?" Sakahara asked, raising an eyebrow. "I mean, I know the lineup for this Legend Race is completely unhinged, but... wait, wasn't it crazy last time too?"
"Last time was absurd, but this edition is on a whole different level," Kamizuru noted. "The influx from the Dream Trophy League is insane this year. Since there's a strong rumor this might be the final tournament, heavyweights like Symboli Rudolf, Mr. C.B., and Mejiro Ramonu are all jumping into the fray. It was originally meant for retired runners, but this lineup is so stacked it's practically absurd."
"To beat a lineup like that... she really had to go through all of that?" Maya whispered.
"I can guarantee you that without this breakthrough, she wouldn't stand a chance," Minamizaka stated plainly. "Especially against someone like Flora. Flora essentially forced her way to an Arc victory by letting her sheer mental fortitude overrule her body's physical limits."
That name brought an immediate silence over the room. The gap between Rampage and Flora had narrowed to almost nothing; they practically stood on the exact same plane. But Flora was still active, possessing far more recent overseas experience, making their matchup an absolute stalemate on paper.
"And then there's Ikuno Dictus," Minamizaka added. "Her camp has been drilling specialized anti-Rampage tactics into her. Though, to be fair, Ikuno has been Rampage's natural counter from the start."
"And Flora is another natural counter in her own right..." Kamizuru muttered, shaking his head in disbelief. "When you think about it, this tyrant has spent her entire career beating two natural counters back-to-back. Is she even human?"
"That's precisely why they call her a tyrant," Sakahara smiled faintly. "To her, her own will is the absolute law."
To face those monsters, the necessary preparations were complete. Rampage had not only reclaimed the strength of her glory days—she had surpassed it.
Maya swallowed hard, a shiver running down her spine. Just what kind of race was about to unfold? With the Finals and the Legend Race drawing near, the wait suddenly felt painfully long—and agonizingly thrilling.
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