Everyone knew one thing: running on flat ground saved energy—a lot of it.
Without enough strength, accelerating on an uphill would drain your stamina rapidly and tire your muscles to the point of exhaustion.
On top of that, the speed at which Uma Musume ran was simply incomparable to humans.
For them, accelerating uphill wasn't just dangerous—far beyond mere thigh fatigue—it carried a high risk of breaking a leg.
That's why, when facing an uphill slope, even a gentle one, they adjusted their running style to protect their legs. This was a fundamental lesson every trainer had to impress upon their Uma Musume.
So why such emphasis? The answer, of course, was because slopes on racetracks were almost impossible to avoid.
Japanese racecourses were relatively flat by global standards. Many in Europe were built along hillsides, winding and undulating—as an Uma Musume, you simply couldn't avoid slopes there.
The reason was simple: money.
In the earliest days, races were little more than casual gatherings, nowhere near as formalized as they are now. The idea of earning prize money from competing was unheard of; even among those few wealthy Uma Musume, affording such expenses was difficult.
So where could you find vast open spaces to use? Certainly not in cities. The only option was sparsely populated areas, where roads were naturally hard to plan properly.
In short, it was a historical legacy.
Thanks to Japan's later development of Uma Musume racing, its tracks were in much better condition, but slopes remained unavoidable.
Nakayama Racecourse was a prime example. The steep slope just before the finish line had influenced the outcome of countless races.
Yet the straight after the first turn, with its gentle curve, was often overlooked. On that stretch, Uma Musume rarely made moves, mostly slowing down together.
But on that day, there was one unreasonable contender there.
Nearl was ready to begin her sprint.
'The grass underfoot is fine and soft, untouched by any hooves. The path ahead is clear. Now's the time.'
Leaning forward, letting gravity and momentum lend their aid, Nearl began to accelerate into a full sprint on that gentle slope.
Her speed was quick, growing quicker still—especially compared to the pack of Uma Musume maintaining a steady pace.
Visibly, Nearl gradually closed in on the group, picking up speed bit by bit.
"The Radiant Knight is charging forward! On this slightly sloping straight, she fears nothing, accelerating without a hint of fatigue! Truly worthy of her name—her stamina seems limitless!"
By the end of this uphill stretch, Nearl had gone from far behind to the front of the pack. Though leading, she was separated from the main group by several lengths sideways.
'She really caught up. Her strength is beyond words.'
Ryan's gaze drifted toward Nearl from time to time, watching as she cut through ten rivals to reach the front. All she could do was sigh in admiration.
And given Nearl's bottomless stamina, once she caught up, shaking her off again would be incredibly difficult.
'With endurance that breaks the mold, 2000 meters isn't even her stage. 2500, even 3200 meters—that should be her strongest battlefield. She'd probably leave everyone in the dust.'
Shaking her head, Mejiro Ryan felt a pang of worry for her family's future.
'The Mejiro legacy of endurance? That proud title might have to be handed over to someone else. At least, I don't think any of my sisters have what it takes to defeat Nearl in a long-distance race.'
"A stunning surge! On this uphill acceleration, Nearl has reversed all her setbacks in one go! Now she's at the front of the pack, pressing right behind the leader, Ines Fujin! Is this the clash between two front-runners?!"
The commentator's voice brimmed with excitement, but it drew a laugh from someone outside the venue.
"Hahaha, today's commentator is really clueless, huh? They need a proper professional partner."
Tossing her lush, chestnut waves, she radiated a confident, mature aura. The vibrant red outfit she wore would have overwhelmed most, yet on her, it looked perfectly fitting.
"I originally sensed such an impressive field and thought I'd drop by to see Nearl-chan. Never expected the race to turn out like this."
"What front-runners? Since when can a front-runner weave from the back all the way to first? It's just that everyone else is too slow."
With a faint, amused sigh, Maruzensky leaned forward against the railing, legs crossed and poised straight, her body forming a perfect "7." The contrast between her curves and slender frame exuded a captivating, alluring charm.
In that moment, her mature, stunning beauty outright stole the hearts of passersby who didn't know her true nature.
"So beautiful... ah!"
Clunk~
That day, a few more men clutched their heads by the streetlamps.
"Entering the second turn! Ines Fujin leads, but Nearl is right behind! The gap is narrowing, but Nearl is on the wide outside! Ines Fujin holds the inside rail. Even on a curve, this means Nearl has to run dozens of meters extra! Can she overtake?!"
'Wow, stop hyping me up! Do you have any idea what I'm going through right now?!'
Ines Fujin, running for all she was worth, felt like crying at the commentator's words.
'That pressure—do you get it? It's like hearing a train horn blare right behind you in a tunnel! I'm scared I'll be shattered to pieces by her momentum!'
But lamenting wouldn't change reality. Nearl's speed, built through prolonged acceleration, had now peaked. And she could maintain this sprinting pace all the way.
This race seemed unlikely to hold any surprises now.
"The Radiant Knight! She's charging ahead! Even on the wide outside through the turn, she shows no hesitation. Her speed is even faster than Ines Fujin's!"
"She's clear! The Radiant Knight takes first! Nearl reclaims the lead! Will the race now return to that familiar rhythm?!"
"All Uma Musume have exited the turn! The only obstacle left between them and the finish line is the final straight!"
"Now's the moment!"
The instant she emerged from the turn, Mejiro Ryan was ready. With precise judgment and expert lane-shifting, she maneuvered into an open space, unobstructed by any other Uma Musume.
"My training wasn't for nothing! Burn, my muscles!"
Channeling every muscle in her body, coordinating them to unleash explosive power, Mejiro Ryan launched into her sprint.
Like a sharp blade, she pierced forward, overtaking several Uma Musume in succession.
"Mejiro Ryan is accelerating! It's now a three-way performance at the front!"
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! 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.