"…AAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!"
A howl tore itself from her throat—red-hot fury mingled with bitter resolve.
Narita Top Road's face was twisted with frustration. She refused to swallow her disappointment and weakness along with the rain. Instead, she ripped through the wind, cut through the downpour. Even on the uphill, even after wasting so much stamina earlier, none of it dulled her finishing kick.
If anything… she was even stronger now.
The race had become something that burned straight down to the roots of her spirit—and the strongest weapon an Umamusume had was always her will.
Garden Gale felt it clearly… Narita Top Road's aura was overflowing. Right now, she'd become the most dangerous Umamusume on the track. Garden Gale could vividly feel her opponent's desperate determination to win...
Narita Top Road's willpower… was stronger than anyone's here.
A chill crept down Garden Gale's spine.
It felt like the eyes of a predator had locked onto her, the overwhelming pressure suffocating her. Cold sweat trickled down her forehead, her breathing almost hitching into a choke. The oppressive atmosphere felt physical, like chains slowly coiling around her ankles, dragging her pace down.
It even began to affect Garden Gale's speed.
…And it wasn't just her.
Everyone on the track sensed Narita Top Road's blazing determination. Her presence was overwhelming.
Even the trailing pack unconsciously slowed, a chill seeping into their hearts.
No—!
I absolutely cannot let Narita Top Road's aura affect me.
Garden Gale forced that single thought to the front of her mind, even as the wind from the pursuer scraped against her back, violently whipping at her.
The demon of the track threatened to devour her whole.
However...
She accelerated again.
She believed—completely—
That she could run all the way into the future she wanted.
…So, not even her rival overflowing with absolute resolve could catch her now.
Garden Gale believed that she was better than everyone else. Nobody will be her match, let alone surpass her. Even the G1 champions—even the Emperor—she would stand among them someday. Right now, her arrogance was absolute, backed by an unshakeable faith rising from deep within her heart. It was an unstoppable will no one could shake.
She'd known this for a long time.
…When Garden Gale stepped onto the track, it was like another side of her surfaced—one with absolutely no fear.
Running… just feels so goddamn good!
That single thought drowned out everything else. When she ran, her lungs burned, sweat poured down her forehead, every part of her body screamed, lactic acid pain building unbearably—but even that felt amazing. When high-grade endorphins surged, a person forgot all earthly troubles and focused only on what was right in front of them.
Garden Gale had shut everything else out—there was no eyes on her, no pressure, no noise—only the track in front of her.
Freed at last from the anxiety that always tangled around her—no longer trapped in that self-made illusion—she broke through it and stepped into something real. With a speed no one could hope to match, she surged forward, almost airborne.
In the next instant—!
The sweat on Garden Gale's forehead was swept away by rain. The momentum radiating from her suddenly condensed, stalled for a heartbeat.
Then...
It exploded outward again, faster and even more powerful!
Fast! Faster than before! Blindingly fast! A second burst on the final sprint! Even climbing uphill, she had stamina left to explode forward as if her endurance were limitless. Her finishing kick was breathtakingly beautiful, her uphill performance absolutely perfect!
Narita Top Road's figure, which had been closing in moments earlier, began to fall away again. Even she could clearly feel that incredible burst of acceleration.
This was the...
SKY-HIGH TEIO STEP!!!
Her mind flashed back to when Tokai Teio raced Air Shakur—to that explosive step.
Garden Gale had become a chameleon, perfectly mimicking it. Even though her execution carried a hint of first-time awkwardness, she'd absorbed Tokai Teio's running habits and reproduced them cleanly—showcasing an ability that surpassed Narita Top Road. Not even her Road to Glory could catch her now.
"That's… my Sky-High Teio Step!" Tokai Teio shouted in astonishment, jumping to her feet. Wasn't that exactly her move? The ultimate ace skill she'd only just mastered, her strongest unique—how could GG-san possibly be using her Sky-High Teio Step!? What the heck is happening!?
Symboli Rudolf couldn't help glancing sideways at Tokai Teio.
Indeed.
How could that possibly be?
...
What the fuck—this is a debut race!? Isn't this more like some high-stakes race, or even a G1!?
This was crazy!
These two Umamusume—!
Even the random spectators felt a pang of sadness knowing one of the two—Narita Top Road or Garden Gale—would lose and fail their debut run. But before they could even properly sympathize, they were dragged back into the race, too enthralled to blink, terrified they might miss a single second.
…Because it was just that captivating.
They'd expected a casual debut race… not something this astonishing.
The whole venue fell into hushed silence, the only sound the commentator's voice echoing through the stands.
"Narita Top Road is catching up! Narita Top Road is closing in on Garden Gale! She's surging forward again! Even after leading the whole way, can Garden Gale's finishing kick hold out? The gap is closing rapidly, this is dangerous!"
...
"Garden Gale accelerates once again!!!"
...
"Garden Gale still has stamina left! She's unleashing even more power—another burst in the homestretch! My god! These two Umamusume are absolutely phenomenal!"
...
"The gap widens again! Garden Gale's speed is unbelievable! Narita Top Road can't close in!"
...
"The final fifty meters! The last fifty meters! Can Narita Top Road reel her in? Can she catch up? No, Narita Top Road can't catch her!!"
...
"It's Garden Gale! Garden Gale is about to cross the line!"
...
"Garden Gale crosses the finish line!!! A winner is born!!!!!!"
…
As she crossed the finish line, Garden Gale's blank mind could hold only one thought.
Thank goodness…
---
T/N: PHENOMENAL!!! hopefully this race was good :tired: