The weather was gloomy and damp, yet Dream Weaver suddenly felt as though a blazing fire had ignited behind her.
She turned to look and, as expected, found Tokai Teio staring intently at her.
"I quite agree with what the commentator said just now."
Meeting Dream Weaver's gaze, Tokai Teio spoke slowly.
"On the track, the only one who can help you is yourself. No matter how much cheering you receive from outside, once you're on that course, you fight alone."
"You have many supporters, but on the track, we're all solitary. There's no difference."
These past few months of training seemed to have changed Tokai Teio considerably—almost to the point where Dream Weaver hardly recognized her.
Faced with what sounded like a declaration of war from Tokai Teio, Dream Weaver offered no rebuttal, only giving a slight nod.
"Understanding that truth shows how much you've grown."
This was something Dream Weaver had long known, but she hadn't expected Tokai Teio—once hailed as a once-in-a-generation genius—to grasp it so quickly.
Perhaps failure and setbacks really are the fastest ways to make someone grow?
If that's the case, and if she continues to develop like this… should I act a bit more "arrogant," as she put it?
Dream Weaver pondered inwardly. She could guess the reason behind Tokai Teio's seemingly transformed demeanor.
She herself was too strong—so strong she didn't belong in this generation.
If Tokai Teio still refused to give up on the Triple Crown, she had no choice but to force herself to grow at a breakneck pace.
Dream Weaver wasn't entirely sure whether such rapid growth was a good thing.
After all, she too had become powerful under immense pressure. If acting "arrogant" could motivate Tokai Teio, perhaps that was the kind of salvation that suited her best.
"I don't like the look in your eyes."
Facing Dream Weaver, whose gaze had drifted off as she was clearly lost in thought, Tokai Teio said softly.
"But I remember it wasn't like this when we first met."
"What changed you?What turned you into an Uma Musume so arrogant that even when facing an opponent, you're still thinking about how to do what's best for them?"
Tokai Teio's words made Dream Weaver pause instinctively.
She tried to recall how she felt during her debut race—had she really changed that much since then?
"Perhaps I really have changed. But what's wrong with that?"
"If I possess this kind of strength, I should use it to do something."
Dream Weaver raised her hand in front of her face, then suddenly clenched it into a tight fist.
Peering through the gaps between her fingers at Tokai Teio, she said, "If my victory—"
"Win the race first before saying that!"
Before Dream Weaver could finish, Tokai Teio suddenly growled.
Her azure eyes, set against her crimson cape, seemed to flicker with a reddish light. Those pupils, as if burning with flames, fixed on Dream Weaver.
"The Satsuki Sho hasn't even started yet, and you've already locked in victory?!"
"That's too arrogant!"
Tokai Teio tugged fiercely at the collar of her shirt, her body bending slightly from the force. With eyes now tinged with scarlet, she roared at Dream Weaver,
"I'll use everything I've gained these past months to prove to the President, and to you! I, Tokai Teio, will never lose to you as easily as those other Uma Musume!"
"The outcome of this Satsuki Sho isn't decided yet! Between you and me—"
"There's still suspense!"
There isn't.
Dream Weaver responded silently in her heart.
She knew the extent of her own abilities—a chasm so vast that no amount of effort from Tokai Teio could ever hope to bridge it.
She didn't voice this aloud. If Tokai Teio was driven by what she called "arrogance," perhaps that wasn't a bad thing. Revealing such a hopeless truth outright might shatter Tokai Teio completely.
"What I despise…"
"is precisely that look in your eyes."
Though Dream Weaver said nothing, Tokai Teio seemed to have already understood.
After delivering that final sharp remark, she strode past Dream Weaver and headed toward her own starting gate.
A crimson cape, just like her own, swept past the corner of Dream Weaver's vision, reflected on the translucent blue screen only she could see. Her expression didn't waver in the slightest.
She had endured so many desperate battles, faced so many races where hope seemed almost invisible. A few harsh words from Tokai Teio couldn't shake Dream Weaver at all.
Dream Weaver turned back, continuing to wave to the spectators. The translucent blue screen at the edge of her vision vanished.
Just before she closed the panel, the following data had been displayed clearly:
--+--
[Uma Musume Training System – Status Panel]
Character: Dream Weaver
Speed: SS+ [Supreme Tier] [Limit Break]
Stamina: SS+ [Supreme Tier] [Limit Break]
Power: B [Elite Tier] [Locked]
Guts: SS+ [Supreme Tier] [Limit Break]
Wit: B [Elite Tier] [Locked]
--+--
Surface Affinity: Turf A, Dirt C
Zone: [Divine Blade/Murasame]
Skills: Intuition (Purple), Nirvana (Purple), Burning Embers (Purple), Seeing the True Self (Purple), True Monster (Purple)
[Hidden Skill: Tokyo Swift (Purple)]
--+--
After the Hopeful Stakes, where Dream Weaver first unveiled her terrifying strength to the world, the skill [True Monster] granted her enhanced training efficiency.
Under its effects, her three core attributes had all reached the breathtaking SS+ tier.
Even with Power and Wit locked, these stats were still unimaginably fearsome—far beyond what any Uma Musume should possess during the Classic Triple Crown races.
And even more exaggerated: aside from these overwhelming attributes, Dream Weaver possessed six purple-tier skills.
Apart from [True Monster], which only boosted training efficiency, the other five each granted her even greater power on the track.
Not to mention her evolved Zone, [Divine Blade]. Dream Weaver had no doubt that the moment [Divine Blade] was unleashed, it would crush the fighting spirit of every Uma Musume present.
Even Tokai Teio—she didn't believe she could withstand its sharpness.
This was everything Dream Weaver had accumulated to reach this point.
It was also the source of what Tokai Teio saw as arrogance.
Right up until the official start of the race, just before the announcement for all contestants to enter the gates, Dream Weaver remained standing before the spectator stands, smiling and waving to all the fans who held expectations for her.
"All contestants, please enter the gates!"
Finally, Dream Weaver heard the commentator's announcement.
With one last wave to the crowd, she made her way toward her own starting gate.
Her steps were light, as casual as fetching a glass of water from the kitchen.
For Dream Weaver, securing victory was no more difficult than getting a drink from the kitchen.
Now, she was going to claim her championship.
--+--
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.