After the commentator finished his brief introductions of all the competitors—
"The racers have now entered the starting gate."
Close-up shots of the sixteen competitors flickered rapidly across the screen. In the next instant, the gate's signal light flashed on, and the entire venue fell silent.
BANG!
The gates flew open!
"The race has begun!" the commentator called out. "And the first one out is Kitasan Black!"
The moment the gates opened, a sharp light blazed in Kitasan Black's eyes. To end this race as quickly as possible, she'd decided to go all out from the very start.
She'd never said she hadn't mastered gate-boosting skills or opening-phase burst techniques. She simply hadn't used them before because she hadn't seen the need.
Even she felt her own strength was frankly absurd. If she brought everything to bear, her races would turn into one-sided massacres.
Golden light blazed through the downpour.
The thunderous sound of her footfalls detonated through the curtain of rain like a bolt of lightning.
The shockwave from Kitasan Black's sprint seemed to rip through the rain itself. Water parted before her, and her terrifying presence surged forward in a straight line across the turf.
From the very first moment, her figure had already broken free from the pack, seizing first place at blinding speed—far beyond what anyone had imagined.
The racers behind her stared in shock. What was that rocket-launch start? She had gate skills like that this whole time?
(So this is Japan's strongest newcomer—the monster who stepped on the Tyrant to claim the throne and usher in a new era. No surprises there—she really is incredible!)
The overseas competitors finally experienced Kitasan Black's power firsthand. The pressure radiating from that monster was even more terrifying than what they'd seen on video.
But don't underestimate me!
The Arc de Triomphe third-place finisher gritted her teeth and activated a skill, pushing herself to keep pace with the monster on this unfamiliar track. She secured second position.
Kiwami followed expressionlessly behind the Arc veteran, completely unbothered by the mud and filth kicked up by the runner ahead.
The difficulty of a heavy track wasn't just that the footing was worse—it was that the wrecked surface sent dirty water and mud spraying everywhere as racers ran.
On a normal rainy day, accidentally stepping in a puddle was bad enough. A heavy track, with its endless slurry of mud and standing water, was incomparably worse.
But as the filth flew toward her, Kiwami only took care to keep it out of her eyes. Anywhere else it landed, she simply didn't care.
Neither the Arc veteran nor Kiwami were satisfied with their current positions. They wanted to contest the lead against that monster.
Skill light flashed beneath their feet in quick succession—golden gleams cutting through the rain—and both surged forward with a gust of wind.
Kitasan Black sensed the movement behind her. Her expression didn't change, but in the next instant, multiple bursts of light flared beneath her feet in rapid succession.
Blue and gold intertwined, skills activating almost instantaneously. No one could count how many she'd used.
All they knew was that Kitasan Black's speed at this moment was unimaginably fast.
In a game, you'd see an entire chain of skill icons flashing across her status bar one after another.
This was Kitasan Black's true strength. When she got serious, no one in this world could take her position.
What happened last race was a fluke—an accident that would never repeat itself.
And the truth was, Kitasan Black had never truly gone all out. Not even now.
To her, this kind of race felt like a martial arts master bullying a defenseless child. It was genuinely hard to take seriously.
How seriously she raced only determined how far ahead she'd be when she crossed the finish line.
So let's just end this quickly.
Kitasan Black's gaze went hollow in that moment.
Flow—activated, smooth as breathing.
For Kitasan Black, who possessed her senpais' memories and experience, mastering this state wasn't particularly difficult.
The Arc veteran and Kiwami were both stunned by Kitasan Black's sudden burst.
They stared at the figure in front of them, faces painted with disbelief.
In the instant Kitasan Black had pulled away, they hadn't even processed what was happening.
That kind of acceleration—there was no way they could react in time to counter it.
(What was that?)
The Arc veteran's expression turned to pure incredulity.
That burst!
That speed!
It was absolutely broken.
She'd never seen anyone demonstrate this kind of explosive power during the opening phase.
But what she didn't know was that this still wasn't Kitasan Black's full power.
At full strength, Kitasan Black could also deploy Demon King Aura—terrifying focus, overwhelming burst speed, plus a full-range super interference skill.
If Kitasan Black unleashed everything, the sheer power she displayed at the start alone would be enough to make every other competitor despair.
The commentator's voice finally caught up—he'd been stunned silent by the intensity of the opening exchange.
"The racers are clear of the gate!"
"But the most astonishing thing is that Kitasan Black exploded out with incredible force, opening up a gap from the rest of the field almost in the blink of an eye!"
"That explosive power is absolutely terrifying!"
According to the on-screen computer measurements, within just the first 100 meters from the gate, Kitasan Black had already built a three-length lead over second place.
It was staggering.
This was burst power on an entirely different level!
"She's running out front with a commanding lead!"
"Besides Kitasan Black going full throttle from the start, this race's second surprise is the Tyrant and Gold Ship!"
"Just like in past races, both of them had slow starts! They're currently at the back of the pack—but can they really afford that?!"
In previous races without Kitasan Black, a slightly slow start and falling to the rear wasn't a major problem.
A slow start came with penalties, sure, but if you had the ability, there were always opportunities to close the gap later.
But with Kitasan Black in the field, that calculus changed completely.
Her previous races had made it clear: this racer's style and power were unprecedented.
She'd forcibly elevated the pace and records of every race by several tiers.
Against a Kitasan Black like that, if other racers weren't fighting for position—if they dared fall behind at the gate—
Then those racers had only pushed themselves further from any hope of victory.
Because racing against Kitasan Black meant that even the smallest mistake was fatal.
Challengers had to give absolutely everything just to get closer to that monster's back.
Orfevre heard the commentator's voice.
Her expression darkened with impatience.
The moment she'd seen that figure flash out of the gate like a bolt of lightning, she'd known Kitasan Black's condition today was different. She didn't need anyone to tell her—if she ran the way she always had, she'd lose again. But now…
Could she really turn it around? Could she really catch up?
Gold Ship, running beside her, caught the Tyrant's indecisive expression and felt a sudden flash of recognition.
(Orfevre, you're scared, aren't you?)
Because the opponent was too strong. Doubting whether you could actually win. Hesitating mid-race until you couldn't even bring out half your real ability. Gold Ship knew this state intimately—Orfevre had entered her own decline.
Gold Ship shook her head internally. She felt a twinge of sympathy for Orfevre, but this was a race. The great Gold Ship-sama wasn't about to show mercy!
(Alright! My start was a bit off, but now the great Gold Ship-sama is fully in the zone!)
Gold Ship surged forward!
She couldn't afford to stay at the back in this race—that would mean a humiliating loss.
Last race, even when Kita-chan had been boxed in, Gold Ship still couldn't place. If Kita-chan was going full throttle from the start and Gold Ship didn't change her approach, the result would be just as ugly.
It might sound arrogant, but the great Gold Ship-sama… really did want to win gold.
And even if gold was out of reach, getting lapped or finishing with an outside placing—even she couldn't stomach that!
Gold Ship hated racing on tracks like this, true. Even with her exceptional heavy-track aptitude, she couldn't accept it emotionally. But—!
Right now, she wanted to win even more. Once she entered this state, even the great Gold Ship-sama would catch fire!
Golden flames erupted around Gold Ship's body. After synchronizing with the Tyrant's state in the previous race, she'd subsequently figured out the first two stages of ZONE awakening on her own.
Light blazed beneath her feet.
Gold Ship began her charge!
"Gold Ship is making her move!"
The commentator called out in surprise.
Gold Ship's long legs carried her forward in rapid strides, blowing past one competitor after another.
Some tried to block her, but Gold Ship's raw power surpassed even Gentildonna's—ordinary racers had no hope of stopping her.
(This girl—!)
An American racer couldn't believe she'd lost a physical contest to Gold Ship. That girl didn't even look like someone who hit the gym!
"Incredible! Nobody could stop Gold Ship's charge! She's rocketed from second-to-last all the way up to sixth!"
Behind them, Orfevre watched Gold Ship's forward charge with surprise. After seeing Kitasan Black's performance just now, Gold Ship still wanted to challenge that monster?
Something seemed to click. A fierce blaze ignited in the Tyrant's eyes.
That's right—in a race, only victory matters!
Yes. Crush every opponent ahead of you and ascend to the supreme throne. That was her race!
She couldn't believe Gold Ship of all people had taught her a lesson.
The Tyrant snorted coldly and finally shifted into race mode.
I will reclaim the throne that belongs to me!
Ruffian—that seat is mine. You're merely keeping it warm.
In that moment, golden flames ignited around Orfevre, her blazing aura sweeping outward like a force field.
Several racers ahead felt a pressure that made their blood run cold. As the former strongest, the Tyrant's power was beyond question.
She'd already planted one foot into the realm of the world's strongest.
This was the radiance of a king—and it was overwhelming.
"Following Gold Ship's charge, the Tyrant is also making her move from behind!"
No sooner had the commentator finished than the Tyrant's fans in the stands erupted in passionate cheers.
Her last result hadn't been pretty—a newcomer named Kitasan Black had stolen her throne—but the king's popularity remained sky-high.
Kitasan Black felt the two currents of fighting spirit locking onto her from behind.
She paid them no mind. In Flow, her mental state was calmer and more focused than ever. Right now, she was perfectly channeling McQueen-senpai's mindset.
Nothing mattered except victory. Because victory was everything.
So her opponents' performance was irrelevant—unless they could actually threaten her. That would be a different matter.
Gold Ship and Orfevre reached the stalker group in succession.
By now, Kitasan Black had passed the 500-meter mark. The second turn was nearly behind her.
The gap to second place: over three lengths. Nearly ten meters.
That iron-wall distance filled the runner in second with bitterness and despair.
(Is she even stronger than Venus Paques?!)
The Arc veteran gnashed her teeth. She'd given everything she had, and the gap was still this enormous.
Sure, she wasn't performing at her best on this unfamiliar track—but was that girl somehow immune to the heavy conditions?
Why was the gap so huge?!
As the Arc de Triomphe third-place finisher, was she really doomed to stare at someone's back forever?
Damn it!
Damn it, damn it, DAMN IT!!!
Fine then—!
ZONE!
Forced awakening!
Accompanied by a violent stab of pain through her heart, a white arc of electricity flickered in the Arc veteran's eyes. She'd reclaimed this power she had once lost!
It was only temporary. But right now, she was strong.
Kitasan Black frowned slightly.
What's going on? She had no trace of ZONE before—how did she suddenly enter it mid-race?
And this doesn't feel like a fresh awakening, either. Can ZONE actually be forced open through some kind of method during a race?
The stray thoughts had barely surfaced before Flow's enforced calm swept her mind clear.
No.
It doesn't matter.
ZONE? So what?
In this world, no uma musume can surpass me.
Almost simultaneously, both racers erupted again.
Rainbow light appeared beneath Kitasan Black's feet.
The Arc veteran likewise unleashed a Flash-tier technique—and this time, even the glow of her skills crackled with electricity.
The surrounding racers stared at her in shock.
(What is happening with her?!)
Gentildonna, Orfevre, and the others sensed something wrong. That racer was clearly different from them—so how could she wield this power too?
Up in the stands, Symboli Rudolf's expression turned grave.
"She's gone desperate."
"Brings back some unpleasant memories."
Maruzensky's smile had faded entirely.
Unlike Orfevre and the others, these two veterans clearly knew something the rest didn't.
"Don't look down on me, rookie!"
Surprisingly, despite their near-simultaneous bursts, the Arc veteran's speed actually exceeded Kitasan Black's.
The three-length gap closed in just two or three breaths. Kitasan Black could hear the raw, burning confidence in her opponent's voice.
Monster? So what? You're still just a newcomer. This power is the proof of true strength!
Without this power, you can never beat me!
Watching Kitasan Black's back grow closer and closer, the Arc veteran was already savoring victory.
...
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