On the grounds of the Tokyo Racecourse, fragmented rays of sunlight slipped through the gaps in the clouds, casting shadows beneath Dream Weaver's long, delicate eyelashes.
The air, carrying the mingled scent of soil and fresh turf, brushed past the tip of her nose—this was the fragrance she knew best.
Though it wasn't raining, standing here still brought back a certain strange, familiar feeling.
She let out a deep breath. The heat radiating from her body after her heart's fierce pounding made every inhale feel scorching—a sensation she knew all too well.
It was the smell of battle, the scent Dream Weaver could only find on the racetrack.
Facing five opponents at once, all Triple Crown-level Uma Musume, Dream Weaver was confident she could defeat them.
If she went all out with Kindling Flames, she was ten out of ten certain she could leave those so-called Triple Crown racers in the dust. The path to victory lay clear before her eyes, yet she hesitated.
The Japanese Derby wasn't the end. After winning this race, the European racing world would surely send more and stronger Uma Musume to intercept her.
They would never allow another unexpected force like Shinzan to emerge under their watch.
For the upcoming Kikuka Sho, she couldn't go all out. Even with several months in between, Dream Weaver couldn't guarantee she'd still be able to compete after pushing Kindling Flames to its limit.
And yet, trying to defeat five Triple Crown Uma Musume without giving her all… wouldn't that be a disrespect to the very title of Triple Crown?
But there was no other way. Dream Weaver had to find that slim, nearly invisible chance hidden beneath going all out.
To find it, she had pondered long after speaking with Shinzan, but even now, she still couldn't pinpoint where that opportunity lay.
'Guess I really have to use it after all…'
Dream Weaver silently tightened her grip on the red cape resting on her shoulders.
This race outfit was actually carried over from the last scripted world.
Symboli Rudolf seemed to have mistaken it as a sign that Dream Weaver shared her taste, but the reason was simple.
This was the race outfit her mother had worn on the track. Wearing it made Dream Weaver feel strangely calm.
Since no other path to victory could be found, she would follow the original plan.
Another desperate, backs-to-the-wall battle—but Dream Weaver had long since stopped fearing such things.
She lifted her head, gazing toward the distant starting gates, focusing on the glimpses of emerald green visible through the gaps. Her skill, Intuition, activated instantly, almost immediately revealing the path to victory.
Only, the prerequisite for walking that path was to fully unleash Kindling Flames.
But compared to victory, the pain that would follow activating Kindling Flames meant nothing in Dream Weaver's eyes.
"You seem quite determined."
Just as Dream Weaver resolved to use Kindling Flames, an unfamiliar voice came from behind her.
Narrowing her eyes, Dream Weaver turned around expressionlessly.
As expected, standing before her were five tall, fair-skinned Uma Musume. They had gleaming golden hair, uniformly azure-blue eyes, and even the arrogance in their gaze was strikingly similar.
"Come to declare war? That's pointless, isn't it?"
Dream Weaver replied coolly.
Unlike any of her past races, pre-race declarations used to happen because both sides had a competitive spirit, each with reasons they absolutely couldn't afford to lose.
But in Dream Weaver's eyes now, these five so-called Triple Crown Uma Musume had no such reasons.
They were just puppets obeying the European Racing Association, having abandoned their own will. No matter how strong they were, Dream Weaver felt no interest in them.
Seeming to catch the contempt in her eyes, one of the Uma Musume furrowed her brows.
"It is pointless. Whether a declaration is made or not, your fate leads to only one outcome."
"Defeat!"
Before Dream Weaver could respond, the one at the front, who appeared to be the leader, raised a hand to silence the speaker behind her. She stared into Dream Weaver's calm eyes and spoke in a gentle tone.
"You are an Uma Musume on our level, possessing equal—no, greater talent than us. You should stand alongside us."
"I don't know why you refused Europe's invitation, why you turned down the chance to become stronger. But I hope you remember one thing after this defeat…"
"Young Uma Musume, don't be too impulsive."
At this, the Uma Musume smiled and extended a hand toward Dream Weaver.
"But then, the young are meant to be impulsive. Once you've suffered a setback and cooled your head, if you choose the right path, you can still stand by our side."
In her view, Dream Weaver's defeat was a foregone conclusion. These seemingly sincere words of advice clearly treated Dream Weaver as a rebellious genius in need of taming.
This leading Triple Crown Uma Musume seemed intent on crushing Dream Weaver's pride with a devastating track defeat, believing it would make her see so-called reality and obediently seek shelter under Europe's racing world.
This condescending attitude was like offering a stray lamb a chance to repent.
Looking at the hand stretched out before her, Dream Weaver couldn't even be bothered to swat it away. She simply lifted her head and said calmly to the arrogant Uma Musume looking down on her,
"A bunch of cowards dare speak to me like this?"
"How dare y—"
The Uma Musume who had mocked Dream Weaver earlier nearly lunged forward, only to be held back again by the leader.
"I'm afraid I don't quite understand what you mean."
The leading Triple Crown Uma Musume still wore a smile, but the atmosphere around her suddenly shifted, revealing a hint of danger.
"Did I say something wrong?"
Dream Weaver tilted her head, feigning confusion.
"I thought genuine Triple Crown-level Uma Musume would stay in Europe competing for top-tier race championships. Especially since you're originally from Europe—shouldn't that honor be even more special to you?"
"Yet for some reason, you gave up those top-tier races, the chance to compete against other Triple Crown-level Uma Musume, and chose to come to the Far East. You even had to form a group of five to muster the courage to block me."
"Isn't that being a coward?"
Dream Weaver raised her chin, a trace of disdain curling at her lips.
"Otherwise, why not try competing for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe? Is it because you don't want to?"
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T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
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If you guys wanna check it out.