The practice race ended in a dead heat!
Without a photo finish to prove otherwise, that was the singular thought echoing in everyone's hearts.
In the world of Japanese racing, the Uma Musume known as Symboli Rudolf was absolute—invincible.
Without photographic evidence to the contrary, no one would ever dare suggest she had lost a match.
Yet, paradoxically, they also felt in their bones that Barbatos hadn't lost either.
That final sprint had completely shattered their understanding of the sport. It had broken the world record for the fastest speed ever clocked by an Uma Musume; the sheer visual impact of that velocity was something words simply couldn't capture.
When these two conflicting realities clashed, their subconscious settled on a draw as the only acceptable outcome.
Deep down, they knew the real reckoning—the one that truly mattered—would have to wait until the Winter Dream Cup.
"I guess I still need to get stronger," Barbatos muttered, steadying her breath as she stood tall. She looked over at Symboli Rudolf, finding the result perfectly acceptable.
At the very least, she had forced Rudolf to show her hand. It was a "Battle Spirit" similar to what Grass Wonder had displayed during the Summer Dream Cup—something distinct from a regular Zone.
If a Zone could be explained through science or human logic, then this Battle Spirit was something unique to the very essence of an Uma Musume.
With both a Zone and Battle Spirit stacked together, Barbatos knew she would have struggled to cope if Rudolf had used them from the very start.
By the time the Winter Dream Cup rolled around, facing the "Emperor" at her absolute peak—dual-wielding both powers—would be a monumental challenge, especially if the distance wasn't a sprint.
But! Wasn't that exactly why her blood was pumping?
"That final burst..."
Rudolf's eyes were fixed on Barbatos's legs, which were still trembling ever so slightly, yet she noted the lack of any pain on the girl's face. "It was powerful."
"Of all the Uma Musume I've encountered—myself included—none have ever reached that kind of speed. I would even go as far as to say—"
"Holy crap!"
Rudolf was cut off mid-sentence by a sudden shout. A tanned arm hooked firmly around Barbatos's neck, dragging her head unceremoniously into a pair of soft "slimes."
"B-chan! You were holding out on us during our practice sessions, weren't you?" Hishi Amazon barked.
"I wasn't! I swear!"
Feeling the soft, warm pressure against her head, Barbatos waved her hands frantically. "Sis, let me explain!"
It wasn't even a question of whether the sensation was pleasant or not; her girlfriend was standing right there watching. Being coerced into such a compromising position was a one-way ticket to trouble.
Before Amazon could grill her further, Barbatos rushed to explain, "The pressure from the President was just too intense! Plus, after running with everyone for the last two months, I finally broke past my old limits."
"Besides, shouldn't you be asking our dear President about holding back?"
Barbatos deftly shifted the blame. Her logic was sound—Symboli Rudolf certainly hadn't shown a hint of that Battle Spirit in any previous races. Barbatos knew this from watching tapes of past Winter Dream Cups, and the legends who had actually run in them knew it even better.
"The President?!"
Amazon couldn't find a flaw in Barbatos's defense, so she turned her gaze toward the leader of the student council.
Still clad in her racing silks, Symboli Rudolf assumed a dignified air.
She pressed a white-gloved hand to her lips, cleared her throat twice, and spoke with her usual authoritative tone. "Everyone, return and pack your things. We head back to the Academy tonight."
The moment the words left her mouth, Amazon's first instinct was to obey, though she felt a nagging sense that something was off.
Step.
Step.
Narita Brian and T.M. Opera O stepped up, flanking Rudolf with their arms crossed. "Let's go again. One more round."
"It's not like we haven't dealt with 'Battle Spirit' before," Brian added coolly.
Symboli Rudolf: "..."
Her aura of majesty crumbled. She felt a hand drop onto her shoulder and, out of the corner of her eye, she saw a face adorned with sharp eyeliner. Rudolf's lip twitched.
"President... respecting the race and your opponents means giving your all."
Air Groove's voice was laced with a hint of resentment.
Rudolf opened her mouth to offer a witty excuse, but then...
She regained her usual composure. "Very well. I shall run with you all once more."
Despite their grumbling about Rudolf hiding her true strength during the Dream Cup, the "Emperor's" decade-long authority commanded respect.
Brian and the others weren't about to put her in a headlock like Amazon did to Barbatos.
As for the "one more round," it was really just a light group gallop. A practice race was one thing, but with the massive stamina drain and physical toll of opening a Zone, they weren't actually going to push for a full rematch right now.
Instead, they were all silently calibrating their plans for the Winter Dream Cup. That was where they would show their true peak forms.
It was the final day of the summer training camp.
After the dust settled on the race with Rudolf, Barbatos, Seiun Sky, and Minamizaka prepared to leave the Rigil training base.
Walking behind the two girls, Minamizaka sighed in awe. "So, that is the 'Emperor.'"
Who would have thought that the absolute peak of the racing world was still hiding a trump card like Battle Spirit?
As of now, no trainer had mastered a way to trigger it, nor had the few legendary Uma Musume who possessed it ever treated it as a standard tactic.
It was more of a "state of being"—a racing condition that defied verbal explanation or instruction. It was like running a Zone at full power, yet with almost no physical backlash.
"B-chan, don't put too much pressure on yourself for the Winter Dream Cup. You've already done brilliantly."
"Pressure? Honestly, I think I'm more excited than anything."
Barbatos's eyes shimmered with a certain light. "If the Emperor can reach that level, there's no reason I can't. Even if I can't tap into that specific Spirit, I can make up for it in other ways."
"I've only debuted for a year. This year's Winter Dream Cup, next year's... I still have room to grow. Meanwhile, she's already at her ceiling, waiting for me to catch up."
"I think the one feeling the pressure is the President."
She tilted her head back, spreading her fingers to shield her eyes from the blazing sun. "Besides, in an official race, everyone will be marking her. A real race isn't like a practice session."
A real race depended on more than just raw power; it was about the day's condition, track surface, strategy, stamina management, and timing.
One couldn't just run fast and expect to win.
"When you can no longer run exactly how you want, your performance changes compared to a simulation like today."
Of course, if your raw ability was overwhelming—like Silence Suzuka's legendary Great Escape or Barbatos's own massive lead tactics—those factors mattered less.
Remembering something, Barbatos turned to Minamizaka. "I'll be counting on you for the training schedule for the Sprinters Stakes, as well as the data on our opponents."
Even after standing toe-to-toe with the Emperor, she had no intention of underestimating the field for her next G1 challenge.
--+--
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.