"The lead for Team Dream Girls has grown again!"
"We're heading into the final stretch! Team Sei-B-chan has been left behind by a staggering seven lengths!"
"Can Team Sei-B-chan close the gap even a fraction before the finish line?"
Toujou Hana stopped herself from wondering if a comeback was possible. It was a pointless thought.
Even if sports were unpredictable and a champion isn't crowned until the final second, a gap like this made the final stretch feel utterly meaningless.
Even with the combined forces of Barbatos and Seiun Sky, there was no path to victory.
This wasn't a race.
If this were a typical turf race, seven lengths would be a massive deficit, but with Barbatos's explosive late-stretch kick, there might have been a ghost of a chance for a miracle.
Running and volleyball both demanded athleticism and shared certain principles, but in essence, they were worlds apart.
"If the reporters saw this kind of technique, it would be trending on social media in heartbeat," Okino remarked, his interest piqued.
He wondered if Special Week could actually pick up a move like that.
It was a bit of a pipe dream, but if Special Week and Silence Suzuka could somehow win the Summer Dream Cup, he'd be able to laugh right in Toujou Hana's face.
"To beat Maruzensky, you'd probably need to be a standout even among professional volleyball players," Minamizaka mused.
He didn't know the exact skill ceiling of pro athletes, but Maruzensky was undeniably oppressive. Barbatos and Seiun Sky looked utterly hopeless.
Despite it being a two-person team, Taiki Shuttle, stationed in the backcourt, hadn't even touched a single ball. Not a single shot had managed to slip past Maruzensky's reach.
Minamizaka rose from his seat at the judges' table and headed toward Gold Ship's stall, planning to buy a couple of drinks for Barbatos and her partner.
That vegetable juice... let alone the Uma Musume, even the Trainers couldn't stomach it.
The aftermath of drinking that stuff wouldn't be any prettier for the humans than it was for the girls. As their Trainer, Minamizaka figured he should prepare for the inevitable defeat and have some real drinks ready to wash down the taste.
"One minute remaining!"
"Team Dream Girls leads by eight lengths!"
Sweat trickled down Barbatos's face. Physically, she was barely winded, but the sheer pressure of the match was making her break out in a cold sweat.
Maruzensky was an immovable object, an impassable wall.
At least in volleyball, there seemed to be no way to break her.
A holographic system panel flickered into existence at the edge of her vision, her gaze darting to the skill [White Lightning (Spell Thief)].
If there was any way to turn the tide, it would be using Spell Thief to replicate Maruzensky's "Zone."
If she could keep that Zone active, she might have enough stamina to coast through the rest of the Summer Dream Cup.
After the event, she could just use Spell Thief to copy someone else's Zone or find Tamamo Cross to grab White Lightning again.
It was her only play.
Whoosh—
Taking a deep breath, she returned Maruzensky's serve with a "Snake Shot."
This so-called "Zone" was actually a high-level volleyball technique that forced the ball to return along its original trajectory when the opponent hit it back.
It was fundamentally different from the "Zones" Uma Musume used on the track.
There was no guarantee Spell Thief could even copy it.
Ultimately, Barbatos decided against trying. The Summer Dream Cup was meant to be a fun event to build bonds; there was no need to resort to the system's power here.
She wanted to see if she could shatter Maruzensky's Zone on her own merit in these final moments.
Thump!
"Match over!"
The volleyball dropped beside Barbatos. Time had run out, and she didn't even reach for it.
Even with her high-intensity Snake Shots, she hadn't been able to force a single opening in Maruzensky's defense. She had only managed to keep the seven-length gap from widening further.
Both teams met at the net.
"Maruzensky-senpai, you're seriously incredible. We couldn't find a single opening," Barbatos admitted, conceding to her senior's prowess.
Between her Snake Shots and Seiun Sky's clever feints, nothing had been able to escape the gravitational pull of that Zone.
"You two were great as well," Maruzensky replied warmly. "You've only just started playing. By next year, I expect I'll have a much harder time."
The Summer Dream Cup had been a Rigil tradition for over a decade, meaning Maruzensky had years of experience. Barbatos and Seiun Sky reached this level as beginners; they were nothing short of monsters.
Well, if you didn't count Special Week.
"By the way, does the President have a Zone too?" Barbatos asked. "Uh, I mean that move where you sucked all the balls back to you."
"Ara, 'Zone'? That's a very fitting way to put it," Maruzensky giggled. "Yes, Rudolf can do it too. Actually, I used it just now hoping Special Week might be able to learn it by watching."
"Yikes!" Barbatos hissed, sucking in a breath. "If she actually learns that, she really will be a monster."
The mental image of Special Week stepping onto the court and instantly deploying a Zone was almost too much to handle.
If that happened, she'd actually be able to contend with Maruzensky and the President for the trophy.
Barbatos glanced toward Special Week, who looked as oblivious as ever.
With a sense of grim resignation, Barbatos and Seiun Sky walked toward the judges' table to face their "reward": the vegetable juice.
Toujou Hana pulled two bottles of the dreaded concoction from a cooler and set them on the table.
"Drink some carrot juice afterward if you feel sick," Minamizaka added, placing the drinks he'd bought from Gold Ship next to them.
He'd specifically chosen the high-sugar version to help neutralize the bitter vegetable taste.
Barbatos pressed her hands together in a prayer of gratitude. "Thank you for the life-saver, Minamizaka."
However, her hand hesitated as she reached for the vegetable juice. She looked toward King Halo, wanting to clarify one thing...
"King didn't say we had to drink it right here on the spot, did she?" Seiun Sky asked smoothly. King Halo wasn't the type to intentionally torment people; she'd likely provided the juice out of a misguided sense of health-consciousness.
"Right, you don't have to drink it here," King Halo nodded. She hadn't expected the Rigil seniors to chug it all down instantly despite knowing how foul it tasted.
Barbatos gave Seiun Sky a silent thumbs-up. Best wife ever!
She turned back to Toujou Hana, following Sky's lead.
"Um, actually, I'm not that thirsty right now, and I didn't use much energy. This juice is extremely precious, so I think I'll save it for when I really need to recover my stamina."
Toujou Hana was silent for two seconds before nodding. "Certainly."
Nice!
Barbatos let out a massive sigh of relief. Clutching her vegetable juice and the drinks Minamizaka had bought, she prepared to retreat to the safety of Team Canopus.
But the moment she turned around, several shadows loomed over her.
Hishi Amazon, Narita Brian, T.M. Opera O, Air Groove, and Fuji Kiseki stood in her path, their expressions unfriendly and their auras practically radiating physical pressure.
"Don't even think about running!"
"Barbatos, you brat, drink it! Right now!"
"Drink up!"
Barbatos froze, her body stiffening.
Seniors, where is your usual grace?
Where is your dignity?! You're legends! You're icons! I'm just a rookie who hasn't even been debuted for a year yet!!!
--+--
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.