When victory is fated to belong to only one Uma Musume, when even if you run with all your might there is no chance of ever catching up—will there be a moment, even the briefest moment, when the thought of giving up takes hold?
Even if it is only for an instant, a fleeting breath, will you want to abandon everything and say...
She's too strong. My opponent is too strong. She's a monster.
Can such an opponent really be defeated?
Maybe, here and now, it would be better to give up.
Maybe shrinking back at this point would be wiser.
If you abandon victory when it's already within sight, maybe you'll be scorned.
But if hope of chasing her never existed to begin with—
Then giving up now doesn't seem so shameful, does it?
After all, the opponent is Gotham Song.
That legend.
That existence so powerful you can only look up, never touch—
Where even seeing her feet clearly feels like an achievement.
Just the name alone could terrify a flock of timid, faint-hearted Uma Musume into despair.
That must be true… right?
What a joke…!
How could such a thing ever happen?! As long as you are an Uma Musume, how could a name alone be enough to scare you into losing the courage to run?!
Even if the Eclipse, the legend among legends, is running ahead…
Even if the miracle Gotham Song herself is blazing before your eyes…
That is not why Uma Musume are called Uma Musume! Not because they simply run faster than ordinary mares—what a shallow, ridiculous reason!
What truly separates an Uma Musume from an ordinary horse?
There is a simple answer. A straightforward one.
The moment she becomes an Uma Musume—
The one who runs ceases to be human.
Faster than anyone.
More competitive than anyone.
Bearing desire fiercer and more absolute than anyone.
Pushing everything, every fiber, to its utmost limit.
Even at the ends of the world, she cannot stop her stride.
That is what makes an Uma Musume different.
Uma Musume are monsters of emotion.
Beasts of passion.
Terrifying existences who will never retreat in this arena, but like a flood of despair keep surging forward, crushing everything.
If the one blocking the way is herself, or another Uma Musume—
Then destruction is still the only answer.
So—
What of the older legend?
What of Gotham Song?
What of her being Twilight Song herself?!
Even a filly just making her debut would give the same answer, if asked whether to give up.
Absolutely not! Never—!
"Can't be beaten"? What an absurd thing to say. I don't even understand those words!
The air on the racetrack remained searing, heating higher and higher with every pounding stride.
Before them burned that raging silver fire, spreading to engulf the entire course—
But not one of them retreated.
For an Uma Musume who can stand on the stage of the Arima Kinen, there is nothing more shameful than running away.
Flames? So what?
Watch us—fly high above them!
Wall after wall of fire, layers upon layers, obscuring the road ahead until nothing could be seen.
And yet, every Uma Musume gave the same answer.
They smashed through the curtains of fire one after another.
The gusts they kicked up made the silver flames sway and droop, only to snap back to form the instant their figures vanished through.
None of them cared about being burned.
Or rather—
For anyone who had reached this circle of fate, who had gained even the faintest hope of chasing the legend ahead—there was only one belief in their hearts:
Chase her. Surpass her. Twilight Song or not—
I will prove I too can fight!
But no matter how they fought, the figure beyond the fire curtain remained blurred.
Gotham Song's slender form, distorted by the heated air, seemed larger and larger, looming vast, inhuman.
The Uma Musume were but knights, charging in vain.
And the distant moving figure before them was no windmill—but a true giant.
Yet the knights charged on, even to death.
"The group at the rear can't hold back either! Has the Arima Kinen finally entered the range of every Uma Musume?! Who will be the first to accelerate from the back? Is it—Nice Nature, who was left behind at the start?! But isn't it too late now?! The flames are still burning, completely blocking the path forward!"
"And as if in answer, the front pack has moved as well! El Condor Pasa—she's accelerating again?! Even without any advantage in position, she's launching yet another challenge against Gotham Song?! But her stamina—she can't possibly have any left!!"
Stamina? Such a thing does not exist.
El Condor Pasa knew exactly how ruined her body was.
To be blunt, the fact she hadn't already collapsed unconscious was a miracle in itself!
Her body burned, the air around her was heavy, suffocating.
She could truly hear crackling sparks in her ears.
And yet—El could not accept defeat.
How could she? How could she possibly?!
Defeat—? I, El Condor Pasa, will never acknowledge it!
So what if I'm about to pass out?
As long as I haven't fallen to the ground, I can still run, can't I?!
I will chase victory.
Unless death itself stops me—
And even then, I will not stop for the reaper.
Unless she catches up to me herself…
And cuts my throat!
The body has reached its limit? Then so be it.
If I haven't fainted, I can still run.
As long as my stride hasn't halted, nothing else matters!
If the body can't endure, then I will make up for it with will!
Body—
I command you: you must not stop.
Even if you collapse, collapse running,
bury yourself into the earth in full stride!!!!
"Uaaaaaaahhhhhh!!"
El's hysterical roar burst forth.
Her speed exploded anew.
Her body glowed with crimson light, and the silver flames around her were forced back.
But even then—she did not gain better position.
For those ahead had reasons just as great, just as unyielding.
Burning her life away, Eagle only inched closer to the pack before her, relying on grit that would not allow her feet to stop even if she died.
But—
At this moment, what Uma Musume ahead of her would fear death?
Twin Turbo had long since been drenched in sweat—yet curiously, her body was dry.
Not from her racing outfit, but because the silver fire instantly baked and evaporated it away, again and again.
In a way, she almost felt grateful—at least sweat wouldn't blur her eyes.
But even so, her body trembled.
Each step stabbed pain into her soles, sharp as nails.
And still—!
Even in this state, Twin Turbo bit hard into her lip.
The taste of blood dried in her mouth, and she ran on.
To have come this far—how could she accept failure now?!
Twin Turbo-sama was running in the Arima Kinen, under the gaze of the whole world.
Twin Turbo-sama was shining before all eyes!!!
Her roar rang out, even louder than El's.
Her voice, usually high and thin, now sounded like a beast's bellow.
It was the roar of one who could never accept defeat!
By contrast, the one before her—
Manhattan Cafe, running with steady acceleration, showed almost no signs of exhaustion.
She hadn't yet been consumed by fatigue.
She simply sank into the thrill of pursuit, smiling her ghastly smile as she crept ever closer to Gotham Song.
But that wasn't enough. Not nearly enough.
All this time, the younger sister running ahead of the elder—how could such a thing not be strange?
Song, oh Song.
I am glad to be your elder sister.
But now—I must do something you will not be glad of.
I will chase you, with all I have.
I will surpass you.
And then it will be me, running in front, to be pursued.
If the usual Manhattan Cafe saw her own expression now, perhaps she would be shocked—
for it was utterly unfamiliar.
Would Manhattan Cafe ever truly bare such a savage, bloodthirsty face—
A face that longed to devour every opponent ahead, to pin Gotham Song to the ground beneath her?
But there was no mirror here.
And Manhattan Cafe felt nothing wrong at all.
An elder sister must protect her younger.
So the younger should be caged behind the elder, shouldn't she?
Hee… I'm coming.
Song—!
"Manhattan Cafe in third place—she doesn't even look tired?! She started accelerating long ago, but her speed is still rising?! Can she catch Gotham Song, can she grind down the fire that burns and spreads with her lead?!"
"Manhattan Cafe—! She's nearly caught up to Mejiro McQueen ahead! Will McQueen answer that challenge? She must—ohhhh! She's accelerating too! Both of them are locked in contest, chasing forward! Will second place be decided between them—or could they truly mount a challenge against Gotham Song herself? The distance left to the finish is dwindling fast!!"
But in truth, McQueen and Manhattan Cafe's first targets were not Gotham Song.
She still towered far ahead, like a tyrant allowing only her back to be seen.
No—what they had to chase first were Sunday Silence and Phantom Ruka.
The two ghostly Uma Musume had already decided their order.
Sunday Silence, with experience, had the advantage.
Phantom Ruka, with raw power, tried again and again to break free.
It happened countless times, but in the end the black ghost no longer hindered her junior's attempts.
The reason was simple.
She too had to chase.
She too had to crush the silver flames beneath her steps, to make Gotham Song bare that astonished face—
Heehee, hahahaha—
Song's shocked expression would be delicious.
Utterly delicious! I want it, I must have it!
Sunday Silence no longer looked back.
She burned her existence away, her body itself growing translucent, as she lunged forward.
I will win. I will win.
Even if only for a second—to make Gotham Song show surprise.
The undefeated legend—if she were truly left behind, her face would shatter with the collapse of her world.
Hahaha, heeheehee—
I will have it!
"The black ghost is the first to challenge! She's truly the one able to catch up?!"
"So fast—can such speed really be born of flesh? She's mounting a desperate challenge against Gotham Song, a challenge strong enough to cause trouble! The distance is shrinking—the flames can't even obstruct her anymore!!"
Why could the flames no longer stop Sunday Silence?
Because flames take time to spread and burn.
Even if they were the embodiment of Gotham Song's wish—
They still obeyed the form of fire in this world.
They had to burn, to expand.
But under Sunday Silence's deadly pursuit, pale light consuming her blackness—
The gap between her and Gotham Song had narrowed to where she could clearly see that back.
Sunday Silence even felt she could reach out, pat Gotham Song's shoulder,
and whisper a "Hi" to startle her.
I've caught you, little one.
Number One. Forever Number One.
Sunday Silence's feelings were tangled, heavy.
But before she could act, in the very next instant—
She saw Gotham Song glance back.
For the first time ever on the track, Gotham Song looked behind.
She saw Sunday Silence, dissolving like smoke—and then turned her head forward again, focus unbroken.
And she accelerated once more.
So you've already burned yourself to your limit? Good.
Then I… shall get more serious.
The Caesar of the racetrack cast off her chains at last, unleashing her whole self.
---
T/N: oooh urge to cliff hang
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Say thank you to Maomao guys