"To everyone present: thank you."
A second edition of this grand spectacle had arrived. Its very occurrence felt like a miracle—one that many feared they would never witness again. Yet, as if to scatter those lingering anxieties to the wind, the proud opening of the tournament echoed across the venue, drawing a deafening roar of relief and excitement from the crowd.
The 2nd URA Finals.
Horse Girls who had fought their way through grueling regional qualifiers across Japan gathered here in Tokyo today to settle the score. In the historic inaugural tournament, only five champions were crowned—one for each category. But this time, a thrilling update shook the racing world: the Medium-Distance division was officially split into 2000m and 2400m brackets. It was a bold declaration that this stage would never cease to evolve.
People expected nothing less. After all, on this stage, absolute madness was the baseline. Last year saw regional underdogs systematically tear through central favorites, leaving Central's clumsy excuses sounding almost comical in retrospect.
Some sought raw excitement, some craved intense rivalry, some prayed for miraculous upsets, and others simply wanted the pure thrill of the chaos. Their desires differed, but no other race on earth could satisfy them all at once like this one.
"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for waiting! Broadcasting live from Fuchu's Tokyo Racecourse, I'm your familiar play-by-play host, Akasaka! And joining me as our color commentator today is a staple in Horse Girl racing commentary, a beloved MC, and an exceptional comedian—this man!"
"Hiiiii everyone, isn't this nice~?! Saito here! Looking forward to working with you all again this year! Man, I never in a million years dreamt I'd be sitting in this chair again! When the Tyrant herself sent me a direct offer, everyone around me nearly fainted from shock!"
"Let's interpret that as proof of the immense trust you've earned and celebrate it! Now then—a stage spoken of in legend, one that easily could have remained a one-time myth from last year, has returned! It's only been a few days since the Hopeful Stakes, but the fever in this stadium is nothing short of abnormal! That legendary stage is back—the URA Finals!!!"
Akasaka's words set Fuchu ablaze in a vortex of wild cheering, a wave of hype echoing across all of Japan. In Tracen Academies nationwide, students tuned into the live broadcast, praying with all their hearts for their regional representatives to triumph.
"I know you all know the rules, but allow me to state them once more! The URA Finals and the Legend Race bring together the absolute best who survived the nationwide qualifiers! But this year brings a completely new dynamic! First, the Medium-Distance category has been officially split into 2000m and 2400m! The official reasoning given: '2400m already has one foot in Long-Distance Territory!'"
"And I completely agree with that call! Honestly, the Long-Distance division starts at 2500m, so there was barely any difference before. If anything, people are already arguing that the Long-Distance category should be split up next!"
"We might very well see another rule revision by next year! Furthermore, this year saw a massive influx of international challengers! The regulations for the Finals and Legend Race permit foreign Horse Girls to participate provided they are studying abroad or staying long-term in Japan. Taking full advantage of this clause, absolute powerhouses from overseas stormed our regional qualifiers to stake their claim!"
"Now that is something that needs strict review... Even if studying abroad is permitted, the screening process ought to be far more rigorous! I mean, at this point, it's practically no different from an international G1! Forget the Japan Cup—this is turning into the Japan World Cup!"
While debate swirled over whether the next order of business would be long-distance reclassifications or stricter regulations on international competitors, she finally appeared.
To a thundering fanfare, a solitary figure emerged from the underground paddock tunnel. The absolute ruler, the Tyrant, the Horse Girl recognized by the world—Mejiro Rampage. But the moment the crowd laid eyes on her, collective breath caught in a hundred thousand throats.
"——"
That was not the familiar Rampage everyone knew. Everyone instinctively felt it: that was the true visual of the Tyrant.
Her unzipped jacket whipped violently in the wind. Beneath her brow burned a fiery blue aura, her crimson eyes piercing through the stadium like a apex predator. A microphone was gripped tightly in her hand. For a brief second, spectators hoped she would crack her usual grin and return to her casual self—
"Citizens. People gathered at Fuchu, at Tokyo Racecourse. And all of you bearing witness to me right now... I ask you: What is a race to you?!"
She did not soften. There stood the absolute Overlord, radiating unyielding dominance.
"Runners from countless countries and regions have gathered on this turf to contend for supremacy! The moment we step onto the track, our common sense, our ways of thinking, our languages, our backgrounds—everything about us is different! BUT—yes! It is precisely because we are different that we have fought our way to this precise spot! And yet, even among us, there exists one absolute truth we share equally! DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT IS?!"
A gust of wind surged across the turf with every roar of her voice, snapping her open coat behind her like a battle flag.
"Simple! The answer could not be more primal... IT IS THE RACE! EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US GATHERED HERE IS HERE TO FIGHT!"
Her voice reverberated through the speakers, carrying her words to the furthest stands.
"Borders, races, ideologies, languages—the elements that shaped us may differ, but the burning passion we pour into racing is both timeless and ever-evolving! YES! This passion is the flame of conflict dormant inside every living soul! A race is battle! A clash of scorching souls! You gathered here today because you were drawn to that heat, because you craved that blaze, because you wanted to ignite the fire of conflict within your own hearts! And above all, because you want to see what lies at the absolute end of that road! YES! WE ALL WANT TO SEE IT—THE LANDSCAPE THAT LIES BEYOND THE RACE! TELL ME, CITIZENS! ARE YOU NOT HERE TO SEE WHAT AWAITS AT THE FINISH LINE OF THE URA FINALS AND THE LEGEND RACE?!"
And then, she grinned. A fierce, predatory smile that bared her teeth.
"The world's greatest warriors have assembled, driven by a single desire: VICTORY! And victory belongs only to the absolute strong, to the run of a ruler, to the pride of an Overlord! BEHOLD THE ULTIMATE CLASH DRAWN BY THOSE WHO SPRINT FOR THE SUMMIT! Now then, ladies and gentlemen... Are you prepared?! Are you ready?! From this moment on, don't you dare blink—there is no turning back! THIS IS THE PEAK OF COMPETITION! NOW—BEHOLD!!!"
She violently hurled the microphone onto the turf, took a massive breath, and screamed with every fiber of her being:
"MEJIRO RAMPAGE HEREBY DECLARES... THE 2ND URA FINALS HAS OFFICIALLY BEGUN!!! NOW LIGHT THE FIRE! IN YOUR SOULS! IN YOUR PASSION! IN YOUR COMBAT SPIRIT! LIGHT UP EVERYTHING YOU HIDE WITHIN!!!"
(Man, that speech felt like a wild mashup of three or four iconic anime speeches thrown into a blender... The sheer sensory overload is hilarious.)
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