—"I will shatter the rain."
Standing serene amidst the howling wind and torrential rain, completely unbothered by the downpour, the silvery-white girl strolled casually towards the starting gate!
It was as if she had already experienced far more terrifying battlefields and witnessed arenas countless times more dangerous than this.
The sight of Platinum, bow and arrows on her back, walking calmly in the rain, accompanied by her domineering retort, was burned completely into the view of Stradivarius and Kyprios.
Kyprios, arms crossed, wore a stunned expression, her gaze fixed on that silvery-white figure making her leisurely entrance in the rain.
'Even with the vast difference between long, middle, and short distances, she's still this calm and confident?!'
'Is this... this the confidence of a Pegasus, born from absolute talent and strength?'
One had to understand, this sudden rain from an hour ago had left other world-class Uma Musume, even those with major wins and GI achievements, looking tense, grim, or gloomy when they arrived in the paddock. Staying calm was nearly impossible.
Some were even more nervous, so much so that a few had chosen to withdraw, directly abandoning the race.
The original eight contestants had now been reduced to seven!
And Platinum had no intention of becoming the second withdrawal.
The next second, Kyprios cracked a smile, stood up, walked to the doorway, and watched Platinum's receding figure.
"Hmph, Pegasus. You'll regret this."
An icy cold reply instantly reached her ears.
"I, Kyprios, am the strongest on turf."
Kyprios, famous for being arrogantly unrestrained, was seeing an Uma Musume even more audacious than herself for the first time.
And that Uma Musume was a 'rookie' challenging European long-distance for the very first time!
"Then, I'll just have to defeat you here, Pegasus!"
On the other side, Stradivarius, her expression cool, couldn't help but murmur words of admiration after watching Platinum's act of entering the fray, an absolute refusal to avoid the fight.
"Strong and potent! Strong and potent indeed!"
But...
She could handle it!
As a Sea family Uma Musume, and a three-time consecutive winner of the Goodwood Cup, she had no reason to lose to the young Kyprios, or to Platinum, who was facing overseas long-distance for the first time!
In this clash of the three titans, the one who would ultimately win... could only be her!
--+--
The voice from the commentary booth spread freely across the bustling, packed stands.
[No one could have predicted that the clear sky forecast would turn into this pouring rain!]
[It's been falling non-stop for the past hour! This is one of the heaviest, most waterlogged tracks in the history of the Goodwood Cup!!]
[An unexpected, unprecedented turn of events is unfolding in this already unprecedented edition of the Goodwood Cup.]
[Will the Pegasus reign supreme on this turf? Or will the Sea family's long-distance dominator, Stradivarius, continue her winning streak? Or perhaps the current strongest active long-distance runner, Kyprios, will overpower the entire field?]
[The race is starting! Let's welcome, the top favorite, contestant Platinum!!]
In the heavy rain, the silvery-white girl carrying a bow and arrows advanced towards the starting gate as calmly as if she were on a leisurely stroll.
Would the crowd's focus be on the reigning king defending her throne? Or would the expeditioning Pegasus, the Eclipse, achieve a feat surpassing all others?
The answer... was about to be revealed!
As Platinum chose to ignore the pitter-patter of the rain, indifferent to the drops falling on her, and strolled towards her gate...
Soon, the commentator's voice continued.
[Next, let us welcome the contestant hailed as 'The Longest River', 'The Strongest Contender for Historical Long-Distance Supremacy'... Stradivarius!]
[Not only is she the Uma Musume with the most Goodwood Cup victories in history, she is also a member of the famed 'Sea family', known for their prowess on heavy ground. No one doubts her adaptability.]
[On this long-distance battlefield, practically a swimming pool of a track, can she maintain her past divine might? Let's wait and see!]
This exceptionally steady, tall, and elegant lady calmly entered her starting gate.
Next, the third favorite, the equally popular contender Kyprios, made her entrance.
--+--
A short while later.
All the Uma Musume on the field had entered their gates.
"Tch... Third favorite really doesn't feel that great."
Kyprios was not satisfied with the popularity ranking she'd received.
After all, she was the current strongest in long-distance races! She had just won the long-distance G1 prior to the Goodwood Cup, defeating other top long-distance talents head-on.
How could mere third place satisfy Kyprios?
"Then... as long as I win this race, I'll be the eternal number one in any long-distance race from now on."
Kyprios stared toward the middle gates, her gaze full of fighting spirit fixed on that shining silvery-white figure.
'I can take her place!'
Her eyes were filled with sharp intensity! Her soaring fighting spirit was terrifying to the extreme.
[Finally, all the Uma Musume have entered the gates! The countdown begins!]
[10!]
[9!]
Inside gate number four, the silvery-white girl's eyes flashed like lightning, her imposing manner so startling others dared not meet her gaze.
She allowed the pattering rain to fall upon her winner's costume, and upon the large bow and arrow accessory she carried.
As the raindrops dripped and slid over the cold, sharp bow, a chilly glint was revealed, yet it didn't seem to hinder her carrying it at all.
Not only that, Platinum's snow-white Winner's Outfit, though clearly showing signs of being soaked, didn't seem to make her body feel significantly heavier.
In the gates around her, some other world-class Uma Musume, when drenched by the rain, saw their originally formidable aura noticeably diminish; the effect on them was quite evident.
This was no exaggeration, for this was no [good going], but heavy ground worsened by constant rain into [waterlogged going], a terrible environment that future generations might jokingly call a "swimming pool"!
This was a predicament most world-class Uma Musume might not encounter once in their entire careers! Any Uma Musume, no matter how skilled, ought to be struggling to stay calm.
Yet this silvery-white girl, Platinum—who wasn't particularly tall, perhaps even described as petite by European standards—remained perfectly composed, the aura she emitted not diminishing in the slightest.
It was as if the storm's arrival was no negative factor for this Miss Pegasus at all!
This scene made the nearby Stradivarius and Kyprios take note, but they still shifted their gazes forward to the gates ahead.
[3!]
Before they knew it, the countdown had reached its final moments.
[2!]
[1!]
The next instant, the gates flew open simultaneously.
All the Uma Musume on the field burst forth together, all striding out and flying forward, competing for the leading positions.
Whether on the inside rail, the outside, or those like Platinum caught in the middle, the choice of every Uma Musume on the field was remarkably unified. This swift and spectacular scene erupted abruptly!
"The best position, I won't give it up!"
"Even on good going, a forward position is valuable, let alone... this, the heaviest of heavy ground!"
"Lucky I've got an inside draw, a chance to maximize this advantage!"
And Kyprios, with her inside draw, secretly rejoiced at her position.
The number of Uma Musume qualified to challenge long-distance G1s wasn't high, not because the entry requirements were strict, but because they all possessed ample self-awareness.
In long-distance, this special race format that severely tested endurance, strength was strength; there was rarely any of the so-called "one-hit wonder" or "fluke" situations.
The scenario of suddenly being strong for one race, then performing poorly in other long-distance races, was unlikely to play out. Strong meant strong!
It was like the Japanese Uma Musume, Rice Shower, once called an "assassin" by fans precisely because... she struggled to meet fan expectations, winning a major long-distance race decisively, then suffering repeated defeats in middle-distance races afterwards.
But the moment she returned to long-distance, Rice Shower could display excellent form again! That was the mark of true ability.
And here, in the world's top international long-distance race, the Goodwood Cup, existed simultaneously [Current Long-Distance Strongest - Kyprios], [Historical Long-Distance Strongest - Stradivarius]!
And also... [Historical Strongest Short-Distance Uma Musume], [Historical Strongest Middle-Distance Uma Musume], [Historical Strongest Dual-Surface Specialist], [Eclipse], [Pegasus]...the titles and epithets for Platinum were almost too many to count!
The countless titles and epithets were enough to make an ordinary person unfamiliar with Uma Musume say, "There aren't enough seats for all these people here!"
Thus, the field for this Goodwood Cup was exceptionally small, a mere seven contestants. All who dared to compete were confident powerhouses.
After the gates opened, not a single one was slow to start.
And they all, right now, understood the importance of seizing position right out of the gate!
"Yes!!"
Kyprios, from gate two, fully utilized her advantage, dashing to what she deemed the best forward position.
A position that was both swift, and slightly to the middle of the inside track, not the very innermost part near the rail.
Because after the rain soaked the soft turf, water would pool deepest on the very inside, making that area extremely heavy and dangerously bad.
Kyprios launched into a confident, almost gambler's sprint, precisely positioning herself in the middle-inside track—a spot that avoided the worst conditions yet still held an advantage over the outside lanes.
In theory, in a race with so few contestants, single digits, gate position and start shouldn't severely impact the race.
This wasn't like Japanese races or the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe with fields of twenty or more, where a slow start or getting boxed in could drastically hamper a runner's performance over middle distance.
Long-distance, in theory, had a lower frequency of coincidental mishaps; it was the speciality that most tested pure, hard strength.
But... this was waterlogged going on top of heavy ground, a terrible rainstorm enough to turn the track into a swimming pool!
The sprinting of the frontrunners would churn the ground, making it uneven and full of holes. Those staying further back would face higher risks and gradually find it more taxing.
And Kyprios, at this moment, was not only in a forward position, but also on the advantageous middle-inside track, luckily avoiding the riskiest spots.
Start, positioning ability, luck, judgment...
In an extremely short time, combining all these aspects, Kyprios had delivered a nearly perfect answer sheet right from the start, worthy of her titles as the current strongest and a potential challenger for the historical long-distance crown!
Her powerful footsteps sank into the soft, rain-soaked ground, leaving faint trampling marks on the turf, with traces of mud and grass splashing about.
While speeding along at high velocity, this proud young long-distance queen scanned her surroundings with excited, cold eyes.
Kyprios had checked the records; Platinum had only run two or three long-distance races, all of them in Japan with questionable prestige.
A long-distance race on heavy ground? This was her first time facing it!
"Pegasus, how do you plan to catch up now?"
--+--
The middle of the pack.
The silvery-white girl, after leaving the gate, sensed six arrows materialize within the quiver on her back.
The number of arrows... was small, making Platinum feel a slight pang of regret.
Having left the gate, she hadn't strained to seize position like the European fillies, and found herself, for seemed to be in a long time, at the very rear.
Her amber eyes instantly locked onto two figures ahead of her.
One was the monster Kyprios, sprinting on the middle-inside track.
The other was the super talent Stradivarius, calmly planning her race on the outside track.
Typically, Uma Musume employing a late-running style were destined to position themselves behind one or two specific runners, a disadvantage that also allowed for marking tactics.
But Platinum... wasn't particularly interested in marking anyone.
These foreign fillies weren't true knights, after all.
It was still incredibly early, not even reaching the first turn.
But Platinum's sharp assassin's instinct told her not to maintain the conventional tactics of an off-the-pace or closer, saving her final burst of speed for the very end.
The longer one stayed back on this heavy ground, the more sluggish and taxing it would become—not a good choice for an assassin.
Relying on intuition and insight, Platinum instantly made her decision.
"Then, let's start accelerating."
The next moment—!
Having made her decision, Platinum's cold amber eyes flashed with an icy, intimidating light.
--+--
[Pegasian Sight: Activate]!
[Unlocking at least three exclusive zone skills most suited to the current situation...]
[Passive (Auto-sustain): Slightly reduces own speed, moderately increases power and enhances stride frequency...]
[(Pegasus Not of This World): Activatable when track condition is 'Yielding', 'Heavy', or 'Waterlogged'. Recovers stamina and reduces stamina consumption based on severity of track conditions, while slightly increasing speed.]
[(Speed Shooter): The closer you are to the Uma Musume ahead, the faster your speed increases...]
[(Knight Killer): The more Uma Musume you cumulatively pass, the faster your speed increases...]
--+--
The next second, from within Platinum's body erupted a world-shaking aura that overwhelmed the entire field, reaching the level of a Zone in one go!
This earth-shattering spectacle unfolded completely in the sky above. The weather, originally overcast with rain clouds, a sunless darkness...
Suddenly revealed the sun again, only for it to be seemingly swallowed whole the next instant, replaced by two moons—one bright, one dim!
The sun had been instantly replaced!
It was as if the gloomy daytime had been reversed into nighttime.
Terra's unique twin moons actually materialized as Platinum activated her Zone!!
The twin moons hanging high in the sky, the vast Colosseum of Kazimierz covering the racecourse... it all became an absolute realm within the rainstorm, deeply shocking the countless watching Uma Musume.
Terra's Twin Moons!
Blotting out the skies and hiding the land!
The Kazimierz Knight Colosseum!
Under this shocking scene, with her Zone deployed and accelerating early, Platinum effortlessly overtook a nearby Uma Musume who was close at hand.
And at the finish line, a phantom image of a youthful goddess seated high on a throne materialized.
Her form and even her features were identical to the racing Pegasus, Platinum, yet more solemn and divine. In the posture of drawing a bow, she calmly uttered a number of judgment.
"One."
The next moment, the arrow released by the youthful goddess's phantom shot towards the first Uma Musume overtaken by the Pegasus.
The arrow transformed into a stream of light, like a single meteor, dazzling, vast, and terrifying!
Under the watchful eyes of the entire audience, it pierced through a girl at the very rear of the trailing pack.
This scene was clearly witnessed by most of the Uma Musume.
Only Stradivarius, further ahead in the leading pack, and Kyprios, at the very front on the middle-inside track, couldn't see the arrow's special effect clearly.
But to Platinum, it didn't matter. She would ensure every Uma Musume equally experienced the feeling of being passed and shot!
'Long time no see, hunting season.'
The silvery-white Pegasus, under the steady rain, allowed a faint, long-absent smile to touch her lips.
For a long time, she had switched to a front-running style.
In that style, the overtaking effect manifested as calling out names one by one, taking shots based on gate position.
But now, coming from behind, she was once again unleashing that hunting-style special effect. The Uma Musume overtaken by Platinum... were about to be pierced!
In the dark rainstorm, the dance of the silvery-white Pegasus's sprint! The image of shooting down strong rivals with her bow! It all transformed into the most dazzling and shocking extreme scene.
It was nothing less than—the moon goddess, bow in hand, hunting her prey.
Platinum would not only shatter this storm, she would also strangle the championship dreams of Kyprios and Stradivarius!
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
There should be... around 70+ advanced chapters?
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.