"So, this is it."
Her ears twitched, and Oguri Cap turned around to find Blossom Star walking towards her, a casual smile on her lips. "Star." She called back, more than used to Star somehow appearing in the athlete's tunnel just moments before she was about to head out.
Oguri clenched her fist as she glanced at the race course just outside the tunnel. "I have to win." She whispered, her pupils seeming to slant into something more animalistic. "For Kitahara."
Star hummed, not disagreeing. "He's been dreaming about winning the derby for a long time." She smiled fondly. "He's done a lot for us—it's about time we pay him back."
"Nn."
Star smiled silently, before she spoke. "Oguri."
She blinked and turned around. Star watched her with a stern look. "This is Kitahara's dream, but remember this." She gently poked her forehead. "More than anything, remember to have fun. Run as you like." She smiled as she gently patted Oguri's head. "Don't worry about anything else."
"Mm." Oguri was silent for a moment, basking in the comforting warmth. Then, once Star pulled her hand back, Oguri narrowed her eyes. "Star, I'm heading out."
Star smirked. "Go and win, champ."
Oguri nodded, and she walked out of the tunnel.
…
"It is the time of destiny!"
"The [Japanese Derby] shall start shortly!"
A symphony of trumpets blared, celebrating yet another coming of the long-awaited [Japanese Derby]—one of the most prestigious races the URA offered to Japan. The so-called second leg of the Undefeated Triple Crown, said to only be won by the luckiest umamusume.
On this day, the Tokyo Racecourse was entirely packed-, no, beyond packed. While the normal seats were full as always, the VIP seats—which normally had a few empty seats due to the increased price—were entirely filled. An occurrence that had only happened a handful of times in URA history.
The reason was simple,
"The third favorite—No.7, Yaeno Muteki!"
Muteki silently closed her eyes. The third favorite—no doubt caused by her performance during the [Satsuki Sho]. She didn't mind however. After all, it wasn't as if their belief was wrong. Compared to a few of the other umamusume participating in this year's [Japanese Derby], she didn't seem all that impressive. That was fine.
She opened her eyes, as she made her way to her gate.
She just had to prove their beliefs wrong.
"The second favorite—No.1, Dicta Striker!"
Dicta sighed. Ugh, to think she got the first bracket of all places. She would've preferred to be at the outer brackets, but this wasn't the worst. She just had to slightly adjust her plans a little.
That aside,
She grinned fiercely as she took a deep breath. The smell of the fresh turf was intoxicating, and her blood was already pumping. Her legs were in exceptional condition today—she practically felt like she could take off. She wanted nothing more than to begin running.
But more than anything,
She wanted to bring down the Beast herself.
"And lastly—the winner of the [Satsuki Sho] herself! Our favorite to win--"
"No.4, Oguri Cap!"
The entire stadium shook with cheers as Oguri Cap stepped onto the race track. Eyes turned her way as she approached, but many quickly looked away as they saw the fierce look she carried. Her blue eyes seemed particularly beast-like as she headed for her own gate, her ears twitching slightly as the gate closed behind her.
She closed her eyes as she suddenly shook her head. She remembered what Star had told her; there was no need to think about anything complicated.
She was here to run in the [Japanese Derby].
And she was here to win.
"All runners have entered their gates!"
"The 55th Japanese Derby will soon begin…!"
Silence fell upon the Tokyo Racecourse. The seconds ticked by, waiting for that fated moment.
And then-
Bang!
The gates slammed open. All runners charged forward, determined to get into their desired positions.
All but one,
"No.4, Oguri Cap is in dead last!"
"Did she have a late start!?"
Dicta, having taken 3rd place, smiled grimly. "Serious from the start, huh." She whispered as she slowly prepared to take the lead.
As she'd predicted, the worst-case scenario had arrived. It was clear Oguri Cap was planning to copy what she'd done during the [Satsuki Sho]. Her soul-crushing late surge would once more be shown to the world, and all she could do was prepare as much as she could before The Beast began her hunt.
She wasn't alone in this realization. Every umamusume had seen the recordings of the most recent [Satsuki Sho]. While an umamusume being in the last place would normally be a sign of victory for others, it was anything but when it came to Oguri Cap. For she was, in a way, the direct opposite to Blossom Star.
If Star charged forward with an incredible Great Escape.
Then Oguri would crush whatever lead they had with her Great Chase!
"Eh...!?"
"All runners have begun accelerating already!?"
As the announcer said, all racers had begun to accelerate despite having only entered the second straight.
All umamusume but Oguri Cap, that was.
Excited murmurs began spreading through the crowd as they realized what Oguri was trying to do. Most of them had been there in-person to see Oguri's crushing victory during the [Satsuki Sho], and so it didn't take long before they realized that the circumstances matched what was happening back then one-to-one.
Surely Oguri would charge forward during the final straight, overtaking all the other runners as she did back then!
Or, at least, that was what everyone thought.
Because just as most of the runners reached halfway through the second straight, a cold presence filled the air. A sickly feeling spread amongst them, as if the blood within their veins were being drawn out by some invisible force.
And far behind, a mist-like darkness seemed to swarm around Oguri's calves, as if preparing to absorb the light that normally pulsed whenever she charged forward.
Then,
The ground shook. Dirt was flung into the air. And all seventeen runners positioned far ahead felt terror gripping their hearts as they heard the awakening of a previously slumbering Beast.
"Oguri Cap begins accelerat-!"
Before the announcer could even finish her words, Oguri charged forward at speeds that was both terrifying and awe-inspiring. The turf, carefully prepared to handle the force of an umamusume, was thrown about like sand on the beach. The power behind Oguri's legs was simply too strong for the ground to handle.
At that moment, halfway through the second straight, Oguri was in 18th place.
"The gap is shrinking!"
"So fast! Oguri's running-, SO FAST!!"
The Beast's steps were growing louder by the second, and at that moment, a few umamusume quickly reached an understanding. They quickly spread out to form a wall; a last-ditch attempt to block Oguri's acceleration.
Oguri Cap saw the wall and simply swerved to the outside, uncaring that it added a few hundred more meters she'd need to cross.
By the time they entered the third corner, Oguri was 11th.
"I-It's the third corner!"
"Oguri Cap continues to a-advance…!"
The announcer had run out of breath due to excitement, but it went unnoticed due to the crowd's explosive cheers.
Dicta Striker grinned widely. "So you're here, monster!" She shouted, and with a joyful laugh, power exploded through her legs as she accelerated forward. Her own acceleration was also quite impressive, and the umamusume running behind her found themselves terrified as they watched Dicta Striker vanish forward.
Yaeno Muteki silently narrowed her eyes as she too began accelerating, continuing to shadow Dicta Striker as she'd been doing from the race's start.
By the time they entered the fourth corner, Oguri was 4th.
"We're entering the fourth corner…!"
"O…Oguri Cap is 4th-, no, she's in 3rd…!"
Oguri was still going faster. Her acceleration had yet to end, despite the insane speed she'd now reached. Her face remained terrifyingly blank, offset only by the bestial look in her eyes. The sunlight glared harshly at her, but the air around her seemed to be darker than normal, as if the sunlight was being absorbed by the dark mist that clung to Oguri's legs.
By the time they entered the final straight, Oguri was 3rd, and only 3 lengths behind Yaeno Muteki.
"We've reached the final straight-!"
"The gap is closing-! Will Oguri take the lead!?"
It was time.
Muteki hissed as she leaned forward, and forcing all the power she had left, she swerved slightly left as she began accelerating. Dicta's eyes widened as she saw Muteki approaching from her side. The gap between them was now shrinking, and if nothing happened, Muteki would soon take the lead!
Dicta grinned widely. "You're awesome, Yaeno Muteki!" She laughed cheerfully, and then smiled with teeth as she forced out the last dregs of stamina she had left, charging ahead towards the finish line.
And just as the two began their desperate final acceleration, Oguri was swiftly approaching from the outside.
"200 meters left!"
"Dicta Striker remains in the lead, but she's neck and neck with Yaeno Muteki!"
"Oguri Cap is still accelerating!"
By that point, the race belonged only to the three of them. Dicta Striker was in the lead, with Yaeno Muteki just a neck behind her, and Oguri Cap under a length behind them both.
But then, just as they passed the 100m mark--
Oguri's foot slammed into the turf, and the earth itself shook as Oguri launched forward with another mind-boggling last spurt.
Oguri Cap's infamous second spurt just occurred!
Dicta Striker grit her teeth. Her legs were burning, but she didn't dare to stop. "COME ON, YOU MONSTER!"
Yaeno Muteki roared as she charged forward. "I WON'T-, FALL!!" For a moment, her eyes seemed to glow amber as she charged forward, barely managing to take the lead.
Alas,
The wind broke apart, and a gray blur shot right past them. Their valiant efforts failed, and they could only watch as Oguri crossed the finish line.
"Oguri Cap finishes first!"
"Not only that, she's set a new speed record!"
"She is, without a doubt, the strongest umamusume of this generation!"
.
.
.
[The predestined Fate has shifted!]
{Unique: Triumphant Storm}
After starving herself from the joy of running, Oguri Cap burns with intense power, awakening the Slumbering Beast. Significantly increases Velocity and Acceleration when placed in back of the pack. This Skill's duration is slightly refreshed with every runner passed.
Current Level: 1