Bang!
The gates opened with a loud slam, and the turf below shook as I rocketed forward, immediately accelerating towards my maximum speed. I didn't know the length of this dream-like turf, but I didn't dare to slow down for even a moment.
And yet,
A chill crept up my spine as I felt my power suddenly increase—the telltale sign that {Competitive Spirit ◎} had activated. I glanced to my right, and my pupils shrunk. The phantom umamusume was right next to me, having also ran forward with the Great Escape as her opening.
No, she wasn't just matching me,
"Inadequate." She whispered as she took the lead, her eyes boring into mine like knives. "This is far from enough."
I didn't respond. I didn't need to. I just sped up, trying to make sure the lead she had taken wouldn't stretch any further. My legs were beginning to burn from the strain, but I kept running.
I narrowed my eyes as I grit my teeth. The first corner was coming up, and I took a quick breath as we began turning. I followed right behind her, still barely a length behind. Every step the phantom umamusume took shattered the turf below, sending chunks of dirt into the air, occasionally colliding with my cheeks.
I didn't let it bother me. Right now, the only thing I thought of was making sure the gap between us wouldn't stretch any further.
Soon enough we made it into the second straight, and I hissed. By my estimation, the first and second corner combined came up to 800m, or maybe even a whole kilometer. If this track worked similarly to those I was used to, then this whole race would easily surpass 3000m—comparable to the [Spring Tenno Sho], one of the longest races the URA had to offer.
In that case, I should really slow down. Abandon my Great Escape in favor of the more standard Frontrunning to save on some Stamina.
But the phantom umamusume didn't do that. She kept running forward, still accelerating even though they were in the middle of the second straight. And so I couldn't slow down. If I did the gap would grow far too large, and even with my Skills, my final spurt had never been my strongest point. Victory would become impossible in that scenario.
I know losing was fine. I'd still receive 120 SP from it—a SP reward far larger than even what I received when I won the [Oka Sho].
Yet-!
"Bracing for loss already?" She said, seemingly having read my mind. "How disappointing."
I grinned. "Took the words right out of my mouth!"
I'd already reached my maximum speed a while ago, but I pushed forward nonetheless. Forced out more speed than I should be able to, all so I could keep pace with the still accelerating phantom umamusume. Normally this wouldn't be something I'd do—there was just too high of a chance that I'd injure myself in some way. But this wasn't quite reality, and though I still didn't understand how or why I appeared here, I understood one thing in my heart.
Though her words were harsh, she wanted nothing more than me to run with all my might.
What else could I do but comply?
So I charged forward, each stomp I made causing the ground beneath me to bend, as if melted by some invisible source of heat. My legs burnt in protest as I forced myself past my limits, but I didn't listen to them. My legs moved with reckless abandon, abandoning any fear of the simple need to run.
Soon, we reached the third corner. I remained just a length behind her. My cheeks were covered in specks of dirt that I'd caught from running so close behind her, but I didn't let it deter me. I began slowly distancing myself from the railing, preparing for my spurt during the final straight.
On the other hand, the phantom umamusume was practically hugging the railing, running just an inch away from crashing into the track's border. It was something most umamusume wouldn't dare to do, especially during a corner when the pull gravity was at its strongest. But the umamusume didn't seem bothered in the slightest, as if the danger was a friend she'd danced with for a long time.
Then, as we reached the fourth corner, I felt it.
A crushing pressure; heavy and suffocating, as if a titan had reached down to press down the world itself. I gasped as all air left my lungs, and I glanced at my opponent.
"Chase me, Hero."
This dream-like world itself trembled from her words. Streaks of light gathered around her before coalescing together into her, causing her eyes to burn like the brightest of flames. Time seemed to freeze, before the phantom umamusume suddenly charged forward with impossible speeds, causing the turf below to tear apart.
For she was the {First Flame Of Tomorrow}.
I grit my teeth as our gap suddenly lengthened. 3 lengths, 4 lengths—the distance between us stretched at soul-crushing speeds. Most umamusume would feel despair at the sight, and I was no different.
But I didn't despair for long. I grit my teeth, and my eyes gleamed bright blue, glowing with the ethereal light of a fading comet.
{In Body and Mind}, {Front Runner Savvy ◎}, {Leading Charge} activated together, and I rocketed forward as I chased after her. My speed reached dangerous new heights, breaking past any records I'd previously set.
Yet it still wasn't enough. Though our gap was slowly closing, it wasn't fast enough. I could see the finish line in the distance; there was maybe 400 meters or so before the race ended. And at the rate I was closing the gap between us, I wouldn't catch up to her in time. Defeat was practically inevitable.
But--
Chase me, Hero.
"I-"
"WON'T-"
The fabrics of my racing outfit began to spark. My bronze-colored pauldrons seemed to glow a bright orange, similar to the burning glow of the sun itself.
And the air around my feet bent as I stomped down.
"-LOSE!!"
Impossibly, I surged forward again. Something that only Oguri had ever managed, suddenly I was able to do. But I didn't dwell on the impossibility of the scenario. Instead I focused only on running forward, chasing the ethereal figure that had run in front of me throughout this whole race.
The gap shrunk.
4 lengths. 3 lengths. 2 lengths.
The finish line quickly approached. A meager 200 meters were left between Victory or Defeat.
I screamed as I ran forward, struggling through the burning agony I felt in my lungs and legs. I'd long pushed beyond what I should've been able to do, and though this was a dream, my body warned me that pushing any further would only worsen my condition, rendering me immobile permanently.
Alas, I'd never been born with the instincts an umamusume would normally have, and so all I needed to do was scream in pain as I charged forward.
2 lengths. 1 length. Half a length-!
There was just 50 meters left. The cheers of the invisible crowd reached a new crescendo, excited to see which runner would claim victory.
Would it be the umamusume who burnt like flames, as if bearing the weight of tomorrow?
Or would it be the umamusume who shone bright, as if powered by the light of the sun itself?
And then-!
Both our legs seemed to cross the finish line at the same time. The crowds cheered wildly, wondering just who it was who'd truly claimed victory. No announcer followed up on the race's finish, but had this been in the world, there was no doubt they'd go back to review the footage to see who'd truly won.
But I already knew the moment I crossed the finish line.
[Mission Failure!]
[Rewards: 120 SP]
I panted as I read the floating panels only I could see, before a choked laugh left my lips. The world began to spin, and I groaned as I collapsed onto the track, fully drained of any energy. "Wasn't…enough, huh…?" I whispered weakly, gritting my teeth to stop the tears in my eyes from falling.
"No, it wasn't." The umamusume coldly said, red eyes burning into mine. I didn't bother to retort; not that I could, since I had no energy to respond.
But then the umamusume smiled. "But I have never been your goal, has it?"
I blinked slowly. "What…?"
For the first time, her ruby-colored eyes softened into a fond look. "Blossom Star, for what reason did you embark on this journey?"
…the reason, huh?
I glanced at the sky of this dream-like world, and inevitably, I thought back to that invitation Oguri had given me back in Kasamatsu, next to that river we used to meet at. "I'm going to attend Kasamatsu Tracen soon." She'd said back then, wanting nothing more than to run. "Will you?"
I smiled gently. "My reason?" I gave her a playful grin. "You should already know, right?"
Kitahara Jo being left behind in Kasamatsu,
Belno Light leaving behind her own dream to follow Oguri,
Oguri Cap's descent into despair as she bore the brunt of Japan's expectations,
"If I can change their fates, then why shouldn't I?" I boldly said.
The umamusume smiled gently. "Indeed." Her eyes gleaned with approval. "Destiny is a road we ourselves shape."
I chuckled. "Seems like that's something we share." I could feel my eyes drooping, exhaustion finally beginning to pull my consciousness away as the edges of my sight began fading to black.
"Sleep, Blossom Star. You have done well."
I smiled tiredly, and my consciousness fell away as I fell into a deep sleep.
"Run bravely, ████."
.
.
.
{Unique: Starlit Crown}
Drawing power from deep within her heart, Blossom Star charges forward, significantly increasing her Velocity and Acceleration when faced with a great challenge, at the cost of increased Stamina consumption. This Unique Skill can be triggered [once] during a race.
Current Level: 1