Though the commentator had reacted swiftly, pointing out Tony Bianca's unusual condition almost without pause, it was nowhere near as fast as the other three rivals on the track, who were straining to maintain their Domains.
Domains press against each other—when one wanes, another waxes. That's why Uma Musume with Domains are extremely sensitive to each other's conditions.
Just a moment ago, Tony Bianca's Domain had begun to shrink without warning.
In such an intensely competitive situation, once a Domain contracts, it's nearly impossible to expand it again.
In other words, Tony Bianca had already dropped out of the race for first place.
Both Tamamo Cross and Obey Your Master turned back in surprise, only to see Tony Bianca's resigned expression.
Unexpectedly, she showed no bitterness or complaints, calmly accepting the reality.
Her left leg had fractured.
'What rotten luck. Such a high-level race, and I couldn't push its prestige even further.'
Her Domain had vanished completely, and even her running form had turned cautious and awkward.
Tony shifted her weight to her right leg, trying to spare her left as much as possible.
But the pain barely eased, cold sweat still streaming down her face, leaving her ghastly pale.
'My mistake—I knew the turf in Japan was harder, but when I accelerated just now, I instinctively used my usual force. My left leg just couldn't take it.'
Noticing the gazes from the strong rivals ahead, Tony tried to act as if nothing was wrong, though the act was paper-thin.
'I haven't admitted defeat yet! Even if victory is out of reach, I'll keep running this race to the end. My pride won't allow me to give up!'
Enduring the sharp pain in her left leg, Tony pushed forward with a bounding motion—a testament to her resolve, the persistence of a champion.
Whoosh!
Oguri Cap's figure swept past Tony, chasing after the two ahead.
"Tony Bianca! Her running form looks off—could she be injured? But she's still pushing on!"
"Oguri Cap seizes the chance, instantly overtaking Tony Bianca! She's now in third, and her sights are set only on the two in front!"
'What a shame—a rival like this, a race like this. Who knows when I'll get another chance.'
Tony's eyes lowered regretfully, while the frenzied Moonlight Lunacy chasing behind her watched with concern.
"Bianca…"
The outcome on the field seemed all but decided—the top three would undoubtedly be the Domain users. The only question now was who would take first.
Thunderous roars and playful energy still filled the air, but now an aura of monstrous intensity joined the mix—the three powerhouses converging!
"Oguri Cap, she's catching up."
Without even turning, Tamamo Cross could feel the shrinking distance between her and Oguri Cap through the clash of their Domains.
"She's been conserving stamina since the start, unleashing it only in the final stretch. And now this Domain, mastered who knows when… There's no gap left between Oguri Cap's strength and mine."
The finish line drew nearer—less than two hundred meters away. Everyone was now sprinting with every last ounce of strength.
"But it's too bad—this time, victory will be mine! Oguri Cap, your final surge was still mistimed!
Just fifty more meters, and the result might've been different. But now! The Japan Cup champion will be me!"
"Raaaaah!!!"
Tamamo Cross let out a furious roar, forcing herself to stride forward.
Neither muscle cramps nor a parched throat could hold her back now.
"Tamamo Cross! Tamamo Cross is still fighting! She's overtaken her! By a neck—she leads Obey Your Master by a neck!"
"But Oguri Cap—Oguri Cap is charging forward! Her acceleration hasn't stopped! Only half a length behind, she's still closing in! But the distance—just fifty meters left! It's not enough!"
Watching now, the commentator's heart seemed to stop along with the race. This was a historic Japan Cup.
If a Japanese-born Uma Musume could triumph over so many elite rivals, it would be an immense honor!
"Can she catch up? Can she? She can't! There's not enough distance! Let's congratulate—"
"It's too early for congratulations."
Obey Your Master spoke softly. In the stands, Nearl sighed—a mix of pride and sorrow.
"She learned it after all… Using it at this moment—it's checkmate. Sorry, Tamamo-senpai, Oguri."
'Thanks to Nearl's occasional demonstrations of Domain control, I managed to pick up a trick or two by imitating what I saw—like this!'
Her pupils sharpened abruptly. In an instant, Obey Your Master compressed her Domain completely, pulling it back into her very body.
That momentary void caused Tamamo Cross, closest to her, to involuntarily let her own Domain spill out, filling the empty space.
"Now!"
In less than a blink, in that fleeting opening, Obey Your Master bared her fangs.
She shaped her Domain into a needle-like form, thrusting it straight into Tamamo Cross's Domain.
Taking advantage of Tamamo's momentary panic, she broke through the outer layer and disrupted her rhythm entirely.
"How?!"
It was only a split-second of confusion—one that wouldn't have mattered if her opponent had full control over her Domain.
But Obey Your Master was gambling. She bet that Tamamo Cross hadn't yet mastered her Domain with instinctive precision.
This time, she bet right.
In this final sprint, the slightest lapse could be a fatal flaw—even a momentary loss of rhythm.
And Obey Your Master had executed it in the last few dozen meters, leaving Tamamo Cross no room to recover.
The outcome was sealed.
"They've crossed the finish line! The winner of this unprecedented Japan Cup Grand Prize is—the ultimate assassin from the United States, Obey Your Master!!"
"She wins by a neck over Tamamo Cross!! As for Oguri Cap, the margin is too close—we'll need to review the photo finish. Please wait a moment!"
"In fourth place, Tony Bianca jogs across the line, but her condition seems off—medical staff are approaching!"
"Fifth place goes to…"
The commentator rambled on from the stands, though few in the audience were likely listening.
The cheers had completely drowned out the commentary.
Though it stung a little that a foreign Uma Musume had taken the victory, the race had been far more thrilling than anyone had anticipated.
Especially that life-and-death struggle in the final stretch—three competitors locked in a battle too close for the naked eye.
The constant shifts in momentum had tied the spectators' hearts right to the Uma Musume on the track.
At this point, all that was left was to offer cheers and flowers—nothing else mattered.
"Incredible… All three of them were amazing!"
McQueen's heart raced uncontrollably. The image of rivals striving together toward a single glory was now etched in her mind.
She truly believed, deep down, that a worthy rival was more precious than anything.
--+--
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.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.