What situation would plunge a horse girl's fans into absolute despair?
Of course, it's when their oshi— their one and only favorite— falls into a hopeless predicament, losing all chance at victory.
But what's even more dreadful, even more worthy of screaming out loud?
It's precisely the scenario unfolding right now at Europe's own Irish Champion Stakes:
Helplessly watching as two elite European Uma Musume are desperately challenged by an American horse girl hailing from Japan.
When Gotham Song charged out to the extreme outer path, when the commentator's voice shook with stunned disbelief, the roaring stadium instantly fell silent.
Outside acceleration— a term simultaneously familiar and alien to most Uma Musume fans.
Familiar why? Because there had always been debates about whether such extreme maneuvers could truly be executed when there was no other hope of breaking free from being boxed in.
When a horse girl is hopelessly blocked, unable to break through, the last, desperate hope is to burst outward, then accelerate from the wide outside path to somehow soar to victory.
But!
But outside acceleration was known for its severe consequences. Just the slightest misstep could ruin a race entirely, placing the user at an overwhelming disadvantage.
Because the very first obstacle when attempting an outward acceleration is— interference penalties.
Veering outward, if it obstructs another horse girl's racing line, is penalized severely, possibly even causing collisions and ending with both competitors hospitalized.
But Gotham Song had pulled far enough ahead that her dramatic outward shift posed no such risk.
But still!
The real obstacle, the true reason why outside acceleration never became mainstream, remained distance.
The track is wide. To successfully bypass the blockade, the runner must swing so wide that she immediately loses at least one or two hundred meters compared to the leaders.
Even worse, Gotham Song had chosen the absolute widest path right as she entered the corner— while not slowing down at all! A normal horse girl would have to nearly halt completely to change direction, then desperately restart her race from scratch.
At their high speeds, abruptly changing directions without deceleration— only legendary Uma Musume had ever achieved that. And who was the most recent legend known for such feats?
Twilight Song.
Then, what exactly caused the shocked disbelief plastered across the faces of commentators, spectators, and even the runners behind her?
It was…
Gotham Song, after shifting outward at an unbelievable speed, leaned impossibly low toward the ground, executing an inconceivable high-speed drift. She effortlessly completed a sharp turn— and then, impossibly, accelerated even further!
Everyone watching this race knew, at least vaguely, Gotham Song had absurd cornering skills. Yet witnessing this maneuver firsthand still plunged the entire stadium into stunned silence.
Wasn't this… precisely her technique? No— judging from this execution, it was far beyond. More polished, lighter, swifter— completely effortless!
After such punishing strain on her legs, Gotham Song was still accelerating through the corner?
How could she possibly maintain such a low, streamlined posture?!
No, something's wrong here. This…this isn't right at all. It shouldn't be possible— it's a terrifying running style that doesn't belong in this era…
"Twi—Twilight… Gotham Song! Gotham Song completed the turn on the far outside! She broke free, she… she's returning like lightning!"
The commentator was too overwhelmed to even call the race properly, blurting out instinctive words, even slipping up and calling Gotham Song by another's name.
"Unbelievable! Is this a monster? It must be! This is Japan's racing demon? Why are the Japanese still struggling?! By the Three Goddesses, is this Twilight Song's divine punishment for those disrespecting her homeland?"
"Gotham Song is closing in! She's still accelerating, showing no signs of slowing down— still speeding up! She's moving like pure lightning! She's already drawn even with Astronomer and Fantastic Light!"
"How can this possibly be real?! She swung out instead of cornering normally, accelerated wildly from the outside— and she's now battling evenly alongside the frontrunners? Wasn't this maneuver just theoretical?!"
"Three runners neck-and-neck— can this stalemate possibly hold? Gotham Song's legs must be at their absolute limit after such an intense maneuver! Will Astronomer counterattack? Will Fantastic Light accelerate and defend her title?"
The commentators' urgent cries resonated across the racetrack. Astronomer and Fantastic Light, naturally, heard every word clearly.
Unlike Fantastic Light— wholly focused, step by step, on maintaining and slowly increasing her pace— Astronomer, sandwiched between two runners, felt something else entirely. She sensed a frighteningly intense presence from beside her, as if she was being eyed by a predator savoring blood.
Out of the corner of her vision, Astronomer saw Gotham Song running closely alongside her.
Her smile was wild, her posture absurdly low, almost predatory— utterly monstrous.
Can I really defend my lead against this? Can I even face such a challenge?
The commentators didn't understand; they weren't on the track— they had no idea…
In a flash, Astronomer felt a deep, instinctive terror born from her racing experience. She could hardly believe it herself, yet reality couldn't be ignored.
Were they truly racing evenly side by side?
No…perhaps more clearly: was Gotham Song even forced into running at their pace?
In truth, the monster alongside them— the one who had surged from the outside, the one who should have exhausted herself utterly— was not being forced to stay even. She had deliberately chosen to linger there.
Astronomer timidly glanced into Gotham Song's eyes— eyes seemingly scarlet, dripping blood.
What did those eyes convey?
Astronomer saw only one message there:
So, challenger— are you satisfied now?
Was this Gotham Song's speed limit? No. Absolutely not. Not even close.
Gotham Song was staying at her side solely for one reason:
She was answering Astronomer's earlier challenge. She was mocking Astronomer's confidence. She was crushing… utterly crushing the undefeated arrogance of this European top contender.
A legend, are you? You dare demand my full power?
This monster could accelerate at any instant, utterly surpassing their current pace and obliterating all expectations— yet she was deliberately playing with her prey.
Astronomer knew this clearly. But even with pride, with her honor and spirit as a near-legend burning furiously in her chest—
Still, still… when she realized just how terrifying this monster truly was, Astronomer's heart flooded helplessly with despair.
How could something this horrifying possibly exist?
Is this truly something a horse girl can achieve?
Astronomer dared not meet her gaze again, fearing she'd lose all courage to continue running— exactly like Fantastic Light, who desperately ignored reality, squeezing out every last ounce of strength to surpass her own limits. Astronomer drew a deep breath, forcing herself onward.
She couldn't possibly surrender, not during a race! Even against a monster, she refused to give up— how could she?!
"The three runners remain neck-and-neck! They're exiting the corner now— could the winner really remain undecided until the final 200-meter straight? Gotham Song took the far outside path, yet she's still keeping pace! Are Astronomer and Fantastic Light really aiming to decide victory in the final stretch?"
"Will we see it now? The ultimate spectacle— a 200-meter showdown at the Irish Champion Stakes?!"
Would they see it? An interesting question indeed. But well… this wasn't a race for Gotham Song's fans, right? She was only third-favorite here.
Tsk, honestly… it's slightly—or rather, very… extremely irritating.
Gotham Song lightly bit her tongue and made her decision.
In that instant, the world seemed to pause before her.
I've had enough playing around. It's no longer time to humor children.
Since your fans eagerly await a dramatic 200-meter finale— let me shatter those naïve expectations.
Spectators who'd briefly regained hope from the commentators' cries watched carefully, readying their cheers as Gotham Song suddenly fell half a length behind Astronomer and Fantastic Light.
But before those cheers could erupt—
That horrifying scene unfolded in full view.
A breakthrough? An overtaking? No— complete annihilation!
No longer paying any attention to Astronomer's expressions or condition, Gotham Song once again summoned her terrifying, unstoppable self. In an instant, she entered the [Zone]— her vision simplified completely:
The track. Herself. The finish line.
Nothing else mattered. The only thing eliciting even the faintest emotional ripple was the howling wind blasting fiercely against her, solid like a wall.
But even so—
Whatever blocks me, I'll tear right through it. Wind alone won't stop me. Even if the Three Goddesses stood before me now, Gotham Song would not slow her pace!
BOOM—!
With a roar echoing through the air, Gotham Song exploded forth, leaving an impossible blur behind her. In a heartbeat, she left Astronomer and Fantastic Light far, far behind.
Everything happened too suddenly. Fans just about to cheer for what seemed Gotham Song's defeat found those cheers frozen solidly on their faces.
Astronomer saw only a blurred shadow speeding away, her whole body shivering as the reality sank in.
Gotham Song's wild smile was truly demonic, her malice pouring out unrestrained across the track. And the cruelest part, the thing that made Astronomer tremble uncontrollably?
The very instant Gotham Song lost interest in her—
Failure struck down with crushing inevitability.
Astronomer had no strength left to resist.
None whatsoever.
"This… the final corner is complete, and Gotham Song is suddenly accelerating again?! Her earlier maneuver didn't drain her at all? That earlier astonishing move wasn't even her top speed?! It's already over— no one can challenge her now! Astronomer, Fantastic Light— both left behind! This race is finished; there's no suspense remaining!"
"We…can only offer our applause to this outsider…!"
The commentators fell into silence, but still guided the crowd.
Yet the crowd— stunned and confused— was nowhere near ready.
Gotham Song stood proudly, arms crossed, facing the silent crowd without complaint.
After all, this was her gift:
The gift of absolute despair and shattered expectations.