To completely conceal one's aura, and to unleash it in full—two entirely opposing concepts, yet capable of achieving the same result.
Vanishing from perception.
Narita Brian had once sensed this from the Black Ghost.
The violent energy that had filled her being suddenly withdrew, and the opponent running beside her disappeared from Narita Brian's awareness.
This act of suppressing one's own nature, defying biological instinct, was something Narita Brian deeply disliked.
She saw it as a form of self-deception, which was precisely why she had clashed so fiercely with Green Grass.
And now, Silence Suzuka was giving her a similar sensation.
No hostility could be detected, nor any desire to compete—it was as if this person simply did not exist on the racetrack.
But Narita Brian understood the difference between the two.
The Black Ghost focused her attention to a single point, forming a crosshair aimed at her opponent, locking both within the same confined space until her blade pierced her rival, breaking that limitation.
During this process, the zone created between the two subtly shut out others, leaving Narita Brian unable to sense her presence.
Because the target was not herself, Narita Brian stood outside the event.
But Silence Suzuka was different.
To use a simple metaphor:
The air drawn into the lungs returns to the sky; rainwater flows from grass blades into streams; fallen leaves return to the earth, becoming nourishment.
Things that once left traces merge back into the formless environment, blending together, inseparable.
They are there, just beyond the observation of human eyes.
Such was Silence Suzuka's aura.
She was not sharp, not frenzied, not fierce—like the wind, quietly brushing past, only making her presence felt when flowing against one's cheek.
Yes, Silence Suzuka's Zone was not about focusing her spirit.
The moment she stepped onto the track, the instant her soles touched the ground—
The spectators vanished.
Her opponents vanished.
Even she herself vanished.
The green grass beneath her feet gradually turned into abstract symbols; the chaotic noises drowned in an endless night.
Only a single light emerged before her eyes.
A place farther than the distant horizon, a transcendent beauty beyond mortal gaze.
Silence Suzuka was treading a straight path toward the far end of speed, her heart undisturbed.
A state of Selflessness.
Within all of Tracen Academy—no… within the entire history of Uma Musume, only a handful had ever reached such a realm.
Free from distracting thoughts, Silence Suzuka no longer needed to think. Her body moved unconsciously, guided by experience.
Uphill technique, curve technique, running form, stride length—all shed external influences and merged together perfectly.
Symboli Rudolf could not tear her eyes away.
No matter how many times she witnessed it, it was utterly breathtaking.
Generally, a Zone was achieved by focusing attention on a single point, thereby gaining complete control over one's body.
The moment an Uma Musume entered her Zone, she would forget everything around her.
Opponents, spectators, the track.
All that was once visible would gradually fade from view, as if the whole world had shrunk to only herself.
A state of solipsism.
This was the realm reached by Uma Musume entering their Zone—even Symboli Rudolf herself was no exception.
Fully unleashing their potential, achieving control beyond physical limits.
This was correct.
But there existed something even more correct.
Like flowers blooming and wilting, the turning of seasons—unconscious action was the best interpretation of instinct, and also the best interpretation of running.
If a race was a problem, then without a doubt, Rudolf was the standard answer, while Silence Suzuka was the perfect answer.
Which was superior was clear at a glance.
However… it was a pity.
What this realm demanded was no longer merely effort. It tested an Uma Musume's talent, temperament, perseverance—it tested every aspect of her being.
Especially, it tested whether her body could withstand the extremes.
Symboli Rudolf revered Silence Suzuka's strength, yet because of it, she worried.
Would her legs be like fireworks in the sky—leaving behind dazzling, earth-shaking brilliance, only to vanish into the long night?
Perhaps… this was the ultimate fate of every Uma Musume…
"Silence Suzuka! Silence Suzuka still leads, what incredible speed! The race is about to enter the final turn—can Narita Brian and the others catch up!?"
Watching the intensifying race, Gold Ship grew excited, hopping onto a table to gaze at the track.
"How magnificent," Agnes Tachyon couldn't help but sigh beside Manhattan Cafe. "It's as if she were an artwork crafted by the Three Goddesses."
She expressed her admiration for Silence Suzuka without reservation.
"Both her realm and her running form are like that."
"Mhm," Cafe had to admit.
There truly was a beauty about her that seemed transcendent.
"Are you smitten?"
"Mhm."
…Mhm?
"Agnes Tachyon."
"Haha, sorry, just joking. Seeing you not even blink, I thought maybe you had feelings for Suzuka."
"Of course, if it turns out you're both into each other, I could even share a bit more of my room as a date spot—provided Suzuka comes to my room first to provide some physical data."
"Not possible. I have no interest in Suzuka, and I won't let her go to your room. Agnes Tachyon, don't you dare lay a hand on her."
"Such strong possessiveness. I wouldn't perform any dangerous experiments on her—I just want to feel her feet."
"Ugh, you creep…"
"Cafe, even I'd feel hurt being looked at like that. My 'feeling' doesn't mean anything on that level."
"On any level, letting others get close to you is dangerous in itself."
In any case, Cafe kept a close eye on Agnes Tachyon, preventing her from someday sneaking off to lure Silence Suzuka into her lab.
"To think that for someone I seemingly don't care about—Silence Suzuka—I'd one day be strictly managed by Cafe. Is this the allure of a perfect being? Terrifying, terrifying. But…"
Agnes Tachyon showed an enigmatic smile. "If we're really talking about Suzuka's running style, that person was the first case, wasn't she?"
That person?
"Yes, I still remember the words you inadvertently said when you first saw Silence Suzuka."
'She's like…'
Back then, Agnes Tachyon hadn't understood the meaning of those words. Only now did she realize what Cafe meant by 'like.'
Her 'friend' was someone who used that running form.
And it was a running style that person had consistently used even before Silence Suzuka entered Tracen Academy.
Silence Suzuka had merely written that answer onto paper in her own way.
The true solver of the problem was that existence whom only Cafe could perceive.
Cafe's 'friend.'
Isn't it strange?
Why did her running style change so drastically once it could be seen by others?
Was it her body, or her mind, that encountered a problem at some point?
Or was there another reason?
What were the full circumstances, and what was the truth?
Agnes Tachyon couldn't figure it out.
But a certain phrase had lingered in her mind for a long time, never spoken aloud.
Cafe… is your 'friend' still really your 'friend'?
--+--
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!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.