The Tokyo racecourse was buzzing with energy today. The tense voices of the commentators and race callers echoed across the stands.
"So fast, Platinum is so fast! She's far in the lead, incredible! She's about to lead from start to finish!"
"The race has entered the final stretch now. Cerulean Splash, currently in second, is still four lengths behind Platinum. Can Cerulean Splash close the gap and overtake Platinum at the last moment to seize the victory?"
"Or will Platinum dominate all the way to the finish line with an unstoppable front-running performance, turning this race into her solo show?"
"They're out of the final turn! Led by Platinum, the leading Uma Musume have all exited the last bend. Now, before all the competitors lies no more turns, no more slopes—just the final straight, roughly five hundred meters long."
"At this point, all tactics become irrelevant. On this final stretch, only the Uma Musume with the strongest stamina and the fiercest closing speed can prevail!"
Whoosh...
Platinum's nostrils flared. She could feel her lungs burning like bellows. And soon, those burning bellows would send oxygen rushing to every limb, and then...
It would ignite. Platinum was about to unleash her final burst.
The final straight... It seems no one can catch up now.
Platinum thought to herself, the sound of other Musumes' horseshoes pounding the dirt still distant in her ears.
...It might sound a bit ungrateful, like boasting after having an easy time, but—
"This feels almost too easy," Platinum muttered under her breath against the wind.
After being thoroughly beaten by Symboli Rudolf, then racing neck-and-neck with Tokai Teio, and competing against Agnes Tachyon—facing nothing but top-tier opponents who each piled on immense pressure—she had almost forgotten...
She herself was among the best.
"Cerulean Splash is pushing! Cerulean Splash is sprinting! Can she close the distance on Platinum? Does Platinum have enough left in the tank to withstand Cerulean Splash's final kick?"
Ha, someone's starting their sprint.
Come to think of it, it's about that time, isn't it?
Platinum glanced toward the stands, catching a glimpse of a few familiar figures waving at her. But she didn't have time to see clearly.
This race had even more spectators than her debut. Nearly three-quarters of the seats were filled. 'Truly the world of Uma Musume,' she thought, 'horse racing is a national obsession.'
But Platinum had no time to dwell on that now. Regardless of who these spectators came to see—
Right now, they all had no choice but to watch her.
Platinum lowered her center of gravity, her legs suddenly tensing. Her right foot dug into the turf, the heel sinking deep into the soil.
In Platinum's perception, time seemed to slow. She could feel the air flowing through her windpipe, the soft sensation of her toes pressing into the grass through the horseshoes, the sweat on the back of her neck evaporating in the wind.
Maybe it was an illusion, but she could even sense the electric impulses in her nerves, the pores on her skin contracting, the light refracting in her pupils.
It was a feeling that could easily become addictive.
A pity it lasted only for a fleeting moment, receding like a tide. In that next instant, her senses returned to normal, and everything resumed its ordinary flow.
The only difference was that Platinum's acceleration was very real. So, she felt an unprecedented, fierce wind whip against her face, as if the entire world was rushing toward her in an overwhelming surge.
"..." Even the commentator fell silent. All eyes were fixed on Platinum.
"No, I can't—" A tearful cry came from a Musume behind her, but even that voice grew increasingly distant.
In contrast, Platinum could hear her own heartbeat with perfect clarity—growing louder and clearer. As everything else seemed to fall away, only the finish line charged toward her.
"...And the winner is Platinum!"
After a brief silence, the commentator erupted with excited praise.
"What an unstoppable finish, what demonic power in those legs!"
"No one could challenge her pace. She led from start to finish; not a single competitor ever stood before Platinum!"
"On this field today, all other competitors could only watch her back."
"This is true dominance, leaving the rest in the shadows! Let us cheer for the birth of the Queen of the Saudi Arabia Royal Cup!"
Facing the stands, seeing the roaring crowd, Platinum couldn't help but feel a surge of self-satisfaction.
'Well, look at that. I'm actually pretty good at this. So all those past struggles weren't really my fault—it was the environment.'
So she trotted along the track, smiling and waving to the stands, looking thoroughly pleased with herself. The joy of victory made her feel light-headed, enough to overshadow her fear of the dense, dark mass of people.
This time, in the stands, she definitely spotted Team Spica. They were all there, including trainer Okino, with Gold Ship sticking her tongue out at her.
Shifting her gaze next to Spica, Agnes Tachyon was there too, wearing that thin, not-quite-genuine smile as she clapped slowly.
The moment she saw Agnes, Platinum's heart sank halfway, like a mouse caught by a cat. She immediately ducked her head and scurried off the track in defeat.
Slipping back into the resting area—finally, individual rooms for everyone, no more worrying about everyone crammed together, pushing and shoving while changing clothes.
But as soon as she opened the door, Platinum couldn't help but facepalm. Agnes Tachyon was already sitting comfortably on the sofa, looking at her with an amused expression.
"Platinum." Tachyon spoke softly.
"Yes!" Reflexively, Platinum immediately stood at attention.
No helping it. Bowing to authority was a necessary step for the weak to gather strength for a counterattack.
'Someday, when I'm strong enough, I'll make Tachyon do this and that, this and that...' though, realistically, what could she even do?
The thought made Platinum slump again.
"Winning a G3, and I see you're getting cocky again. If your opponents today were even slightly stronger, you wouldn't have won so easily."
"Your early and mid-race pacing was a mess. How did Okino teach you to handle the turns? You didn't retain any of it. No matter how much you practice, you forget everything once you're on the track." Agnes crossed her arms as she critiqued.
"I was just nervous," Platinum mumbled, hanging her head.
Agnes stood up and walked over to Platinum, the crisp sound of her heels echoing in the room. Platinum's ears drooped limply, her expression dejected.
"But aside from that, you performed far beyond my expectations." A smile tugged at the corner of Agnes's lips as she gently patted Platinum's shoulder.
"Do you know how far you left the second-place finisher? A full ten lengths."
Platinum's eyes lit up again.
"Your final three furlongs were perfect, absolutely perfect. So go ahead, hold your head high with pride and take your place on the Winner's Stage. You are the undisputed champion."
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T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 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!
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If you guys wanna check it out.