The race was nearing its end, all competitors pushing their limits.
Finally reaching the position she excelled in, Admire Vega dug her hooves into the ground, leaned low, and began her acceleration.
In such a fast-paced race, she couldn't claim to have abundant stamina left, but it should be enough to carry her to the finish line.
And at that very moment, Narita Brian unleashed her speed without any reservation.
Boom—!
A heavy, explosive sound erupted at the center of the training ground. A chunk of earth was torn away as if struck by a cannonball, and Narita Brian shot forward.
Carrying immense momentum, Narita Brian rapidly closed in on Silence Suzuka, reaching a position where she could now see the other girl's profile.
Clear eyes, devoid of any desire, were fixed on the finish line—no… on a point even further beyond the finish line.
Just what was she looking at?
The spectator stands, the sky, or perhaps somewhere beyond that sunset, a place unreachable by sight.
Narita Brian didn't know, and it didn't matter. She simply wanted to surpass her.
A faint, jarring stiffness echoed from her ankle. The injury left over from her last race hadn't fully healed, and whether it ever would was still unknown.
But Narita Brian didn't care.
For her, a race was nothing but an outlet for desire. To fight stronger opponents, to charge forth with fervent passion, to fail, to grow, and ultimately, to seize victory.
Nothing… was more thrilling than this!
Another hoof pounded the ground. Narita Brian lowered her body.
The stiffness in her ankle prevented her from leaning as low as before, and her explosive power wasn't as fierce as it once was. Yet, Narita Brian, her heart burning with passion, charged at Silence Suzuka anyway.
Closer! She was so close now!
Just as Narita Brian felt she was about to catch up, an intense chill shot up from behind her.
This extraordinary sensation made her hair stand on end, an undeniable fear rising from the depths of her heart.
This is…!
Narita Brian's eyes widened. Her body reacted with instinctive responses to a perceived threat.
Fear. Stiffening limbs. Chaotic thoughts. Loss of control.
A sharp, piercing sensation slid up her spine to the nape of her neck.
An originally formless, intangible aura was being concentrated and shaped by her opponent's will.
Green Grass!
A slender figure abruptly materialized behind Narita Brian, pressing forward with relentless, unyielding strides.
And two lengths behind Green Grass, Admire Vega also chose this moment to close in.
"Four runners are charging toward the finish line! So fast! Each one of them is incredibly fast! Is this the power granted by their fervent wills? The result of letting their emotions burn freely?!"
"Motivating each other like this seems way more effective than regular training—maybe Tracen Academy should regularly host these kind of infernal battleground matches from now on!"
"Currently leading is Silence Suzuka! The remaining three are closing the gap on Silence Suzuka! Can they possibly catch up to her!?"
Shink!
The sound of a dagger whistled past her ear. Then, a 'thud'—a sharp pain blossomed in her chest.
Her highly-strung nerves, stretched taut the moment Green Grass arrived, finally snapped to their limit.
Her brain, out of control, frantically sent signals. Blood violently surged against her heart, bringing Narita Brian a wave of intense, cramping agony.
So that's it!
Narita Brian gritted her teeth.
So this was why Green Grass insisted on staying right behind her opponents from start to finish…
Luring them unconsciously onto her wavelength, applying constant pressure.
Bodies already in intense motion, now burdened further mentally, until their hearts could no longer withstand the strain of blood flowing at super-high speeds, crying out in pain.
The pressure itself… was the blade!
Enduring the pain in her chest, her iron-shod hooves sank deep into the soil.
A true warrior, even at death's door, would stand upon their enemy's corpse, even if it meant drinking their own blood!
Her lungs let out a ragged whistle. Narita Brian's muscles erupted with astounding heat, as if about to burn her body to ashes.
The dagger had been thrust, but Narita Brian's speed didn't diminish as one might expect.
Green Grass realized her blade could hardly harm a beast that grew fiercer with battle, bathed in blood and aflame.
This creature was charging forward with all her might, completely disregarding her injuries.
Her own strides… could close the distance no further.
Green Grass's strategy had been torn apart by Narita Brian's brute force!
She really is a genuine 'monster'…
Even Green Grass, who didn't want to admit it, couldn't help but sigh in acknowledgment at this moment.
"She hasn't overtaken her! Green Grass, in hot pursuit, hasn't caught Narita Brian! It's now a duel between Narita Brian and Silence Suzuka! Who will claim victory?! Narita Brian, or Silence Suzuka?"
Two hundred meters from the finish line, staring at Silence Suzuka so close yet just out of reach, enduring her pounding heart, Narita Brian kept driving her hooves forward.
From beginning to end, the girl running at the forefront hadn't looked back once.
As if everything happening behind her was of no concern.
Ahead, and even further ahead—
It seemed her eyes held only the world before her. Regardless of the raging battle behind, regardless of the roaring crowd around.
She simply gazed purely at the object of her longing.
Why?
No matter how she accelerated, Narita Brian always remained that short distance behind.
Why couldn't she reach her?!
She was right there in front of her, yet Narita Brian couldn't close the gap any further.
Unconsciously, her speed had reached its limit, but she still trailed Silence Suzuka by half a length.
"Can she catch up?! Can Narita Brian still catch up?! The distance isn't closing! Narita Brian can't close the distance—!!"
It seemed her stamina was spent.
"Silence Suzuka! Silence Suzuka leads the pack!"
She had maintained the lead from the very start.
Never once overtaken.
Amid the cheers of the crowd, the orange-haired girl crossed the finish line.
"It's Suzuka! It's Silence Suzuka—!"
"Woooooooh—!!"
After crossing the finish line, Silence Suzuka didn't stop.
She maintained her top speed, continuing to run until a hundred meters past the line, when her stamina finally reached its limit and her speed rapidly faded.
When Silence Suzuka finally came to a stop, she looked around blankly for the finish line. Realizing she had overshot it by nearly a hundred meters, it finally dawned on her.
The race was over.
Did I win?
The enthusiastic cheers from the people around her seemed to confirm her thoughts.
I won.
Silence Suzuka lifted her head.
It felt like a long, long time… since she had run so utterly absorbed.
As if she had returned to those days, not chasing rank, not minding the spectators, just running alone on the grass, searching for that most beautiful sight.
So pure. So nostalgic.
"Congratulations."
Just as Silence Suzuka was immersed in the afterglow of the race, a voice sounded beside her.
A familiar cadence instantly tugged at her memories.
A familiar black figure stood quietly there.
The Uma Musume who had guided Silence Suzuka onto the path of the Great Escape.
The Uma Musume who had shown her that incredibly proud running style.
Could it really be you…?
Turning her head, Silence Suzuka's lips parted slightly.
But there was only the shadow of a railing, cast by the slanting sun.
So… it was just my imagination.
Silence Suzuka smiled wryly to herself.
"Finally, finally! This duel has reached its conclusion! Everyone displayed their fierce determination. Even from afar, one could feel their unshakable will! I'm sure Cafe saw it all and has reached her decision in her heart! And so I declare, the winner of this race is—"
Just as Gold Ship was about to announce the eagerly awaited name…
Tap… tap… tap…
Under the blazing red sun, a long, narrow shadow, as if intending to split the racetrack in two, stepped into its center.
A black jacket, black trousers, a black mask.
The strange attire captured everyone's attention.
"How dreadfully cliché…"
In a voice only she could hear, the girl spoke. She had no desire to do something so utterly contrary to her own aesthetics.
And originally, she hadn't wanted to forcibly interfere with Cafe's affairs either.
But there was no choice.
If she stood by and watched Cafe get taken away, a certain someone would probably explode, and she couldn't handle the consequences of that.
However, her appearance here wasn't entirely without reason.
That person was also standing among the competitors in the race.
It was just that everyone in the stadium, including Cafe, couldn't see her.
So the true number of participants wasn't four.
It was five.
And the one who first crossed the finish line… was someone else.
This was a fair duel.
Precisely because of that, she could say these next words with a clear conscience.
"Cafe." Her voice carried to every spectator present.
"Come with me."
The girl stated.
--+--
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.