Unlike the gentle, almost tender tone of Shinzan's voice, her imposing aura grew increasingly sacred and torrential after she finished speaking.
"Prove something? No, proving anything has never been my goal."
"I will become a Triple Crown winner. Any obstacle in my path, no matter who—"
"I will cut it down."
Dream Weaver murmured, her gaze fixed on the other's amber eyes flecked with gold.
The instant her words fell, a buzzing sound, like ten thousand blades being drawn, reverberated through the racecourse.
The blood-red aura, akin to an Asura's battlefield, sharpened into a fierce blade of light that shot toward Shinzan.
Under this razor-sharp edge that seemed capable of cleaving a person in two, Shinzan merely tilted her head slightly, as if Dream Weaver's blade-light were nothing more than a speck of dust she could casually avoid.
"Impressive. Given how long you've been on the circuit, possessing such a Zone is truly unthinkable."
"But—compared to me, it's still far too immature."
Shinzan remarked casually. She didn't even bother to counter with her own Zone, as if an assault of this level posed no threat at all.
"Is that so?"
Dream Weaver narrowed her eyes slightly. The fighting spirit in her gaze didn't diminish in the slightest because of Shinzan's words.
"Then why did you dodge?"
The moment those words were spoken, several Uma Musume who had just been introduced by the announcer suddenly changed expressions, as if sensing something utterly terrifying.
They flinched and shifted their bodies as though evading something, their eyes brimming with uncontrollable fear.
At that moment, commentator Kimura's voice from outside the track halted briefly, resuming only after a few seconds.
"Urgent announcement! A competitor in the athlete tunnel has suddenly taken ill and has withdrawn from the race early!"
Hearing this, the faces of those fearful Uma Musume turned even paler.
They looked back toward the athlete tunnel with eyes mixed with relief and dread, their lips trembling uncontrollably.
They had dodged Dream Weaver's sharp blade-light just now.
But in the athlete tunnel, several other Uma Musume, caught off-guard and unable to withstand that cutting edge, had already chosen to withdraw.
She hadn't even had her name announced, and yet the Kikuka Sho was already over for her.
Thinking this, the few Uma Musume swallowed hard, their throats painfully dry, a subconscious thought chilling them:
If they hadn't dodged just now, would they have ended up... like her?
After a glance at those panic-stricken Uma Musume, Shinzan turned her head, fixing Dream Weaver with a profound gaze.
To be... stronger than I anticipated?
She thought, observing the six-pointed star crown ornament pinned to Dream Weaver's bangs.
Progressing faster than I imagined. If I were to...
Before Shinzan could finish her internal monologue, Dream Weaver's low voice cut through her thoughts.
"You won't dodge the next one."
Hearing this, Shinzan's lips curved into a slight smile, showing no sign of being rattled by the earlier scene.
"Then come. Let's see if you can truly cut me down."
With that, no more words were needed. Neither of them was one for excessive chatter on the track.
Once they set foot on the course, everything would be decided by the race itself.
Victory and defeat held a power far greater than any words.
They stood in place, silent, motionless, simply closing their eyes and quietly awaiting the moment to come.
Their auras, accumulating in the stillness, grew stronger and more terrifying by the second. Yet for both of them, the pressure emanating from the other was nowhere near enough to shake their resolve.
For the other Uma Musume in the Kikuka Sho, however, it was a different story.
This time, the European Racing Association hadn't bothered to dispatch other Uma Musume to block Dream Weaver's path to victory.
They probably thought Shinzan alone was more than enough.
Thus, the competitors who came to this year's Kikuka Sho were all here to challenge the strong, to make their names known to the world.
Really, what in this world could make one's name resonate across the globe more than defeating Dream Weaver and Shinzan?
The answer was: nothing.
One was a peerless genius who led the global tide, breaking through every encirclement and blockade.
The other was a divinely chosen king who had long stood at the world's summit, hailed as the ultimate weapon of the European system.
If any Uma Musume could defeat one of them, her name would echo across the world within mere hours.
That's exactly what Star Dancer was thinking.
As one of Dream Weaver's earliest rivals, she who had once sought to make a name for herself in the Royal Ascot, elevate her status, and become a core European genius, naturally wouldn't let this opportunity slip by.
Several months had passed since the Royal Ascot, and Star Dancer was confident she was no longer the same runner she had been back then.
Not only had her physical abilities improved tremendously, but she had also sensed the existence of that mysterious, elusive Zone realm.
She needed only one more step to awaken her own Zone and become a true powerhouse.
So this time, aside from wanting to find an opportunity to prove herself amidst the duel between the two titans, Dream Weaver and Shinzan, her other major goal was to awaken her own unique Zone under the pressure of these two powerhouses.
Those cookie-cutter training camp Zones were never what Star Dancer desired. Even if their holders were esteemed Triple Crown winners, Star Dancer was confident she could surpass them one day.
She aspired to be like those truly top-tier Uma Musume, awakening a Zone that was uniquely her own, bearing her personal imprint.
For this, she came to the Kikuka Sho, to the Kyoto Racecourse.
Unlike last time, when she aimed to defeat the Triple Crown contenders and claim the Royal Ascot title, this time Star Dancer held no such deep obsession with victory.
What a joke—facing a Dream Weaver who could break through the defenses of five Triple Crown Winners, and a Shinzan who had long stood before the world.
Even with all her confidence, Star Dancer didn't think she stood a chance. Even if they fought to a mutual standstill, she didn't believe she could defeat either one.
She just wanted to prove herself; she hadn't run herself stupid.
Convinced she had made a rational judgment and set a reasonable goal, Star Dancer stepped onto the track with determination.
But before she could even officially set foot on the course, while still waiting in the athlete tunnel, Dream Weaver's single blade of light had already made her break out in a cold sweat.
Watching the fellow competitor beside her, whose spirit had shattered as she fled the track, Star Dancer instinctively swallowed, her throat stinging.
She had already forgotten what she was thinking while waiting to enter, remembering only that her heart was pounding then.
Faster than it ever had before.
However, the moment Star Dancer truly stepped onto the track, she even forgot about that wildly beating heart.
Without even daring to look directly at the figures of Shinzan and Dream Weaver, she pulled the corner of her mouth into a bitter smile.
'They're both monsters...'
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 2 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!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.