"President Rudolf, have you ever seen a racer run the wide outside course before?"
Watching the black Uma Musume positioned so close to the spectator stands, Narita Brian asked the question.
Truth be told, even without asking, Narita Brian already knew.
Just starting from the outermost gate was a significant disadvantage for any Uma Musume. Not only was it difficult to secure a good position, but they also had to cover a much longer distance to reach the inner track.
Nearly every Uma Musume would choose to cling to the inside rail.
Because of the racecourse's vast turns, being just one meter wider on a curve meant running an extra six or seven meters—a wasteful drain of energy any Uma Musume would strive to avoid.
To prevent being bumped or forced wide by others fighting the centrifugal force, a safe distance of several meters was necessary during turns.
This meant that those on the extreme outside often ended up running dozens of meters more than those on the inside.
If a few meters could create such a gap, one could only imagine the sheer disadvantage of the wide outside course, the lane closest to the crowd.
It was a terrifying, barren ground every Uma Musume had to avoid.
Rudolf's fingers, crossed over her shoulders, tightened slightly.
"There's always someone better, a realm beyond our own..." she began, her voice low. "And today, I have seen it... another aspect of what it means to be an Uma Musume."
For the first time in a long while, Narita Brian felt it from the retired 'Emperor': a fierce, burning fighting spirit so intense it made even her wary.
The prestige of the 'Emperor' had not diminished in the slightest!
--+--
"The jet black Uma Musume on the untouchable wide outside course is passing her opponents—!!"
The announcer's voice roared through the stadium.
Where the black Uma Musume passed, a chilling wind pressure sliced against the spectators' faces like knives.
She was gone before anyone could get a clear look.
"You might not see her, but just now, the black Uma Musume raced right past me!"
Reporters clutching cameras, their recording functions active, exclaimed.
"Listen! The cheers! The Uma Musume that can't be captured on film is right there—!"
With a sharp crack from her fluttering cape, carrying an unstoppable momentum, she blew past the wall of racers trying to box her in.
"As expected... a top-tier contender capable of surpassing even Narita Brian!"
A grin of pure excitement spread across Hishi Amazon's face.
The arrow that had been aimed at her for so long was finally, at this moment, released from the bow.
'The scythe of the Reaper glowed with a blinding light. She swung it again and again, severing the spirits of the living. No one could halt her advance.'
'The hero has been cornered.'
"You've got to be kidding me—"
Biting down hard, Biko Pegasus gritted her teeth.
No matter how strong the enemy, I'll defeat them with my own running style.
"Because I am... Biko Pegasus!"
The hero of justice is here... now!
"Raaaaaahhhh!!!"
As if unleashing all the power within her, the petite girl let out a mighty roar. She lowered her stance, pushing her legs to their absolute limit against the fierce gale.
Her bones creaked, her body screamed in protest, and the taste of blood crept into her mouth.
"I don't care who you are—!"
Behind her, Hishi Amazon also poured on the power.
"Let's fight!!"
As if intent on burning her body to ashes, the dark heroine displayed her astonishing speed once more, relentlessly closing the gap on Biko Pegasus.
"The distance between Hishi Amazon and Biko Pegasus is shrinking! Four lengths, three lengths, two lengths, one length... they're neck and neck! The two are running side by side!!"
The announcer, shifting focus to the frontrunners, shouted with boiling excitement.
"Hero and anti-hero, clashing right now! Only two hundred meters remain until the finish line! Who's leading? Who will be the ultimate victor? It's—!"
Thump—!
Her heart hammered violently against her ribs.
This... can't be...
Turning her head in disbelief, Hishi Amazon met a pair of golden eyes, locked intently on her.
Black hair, black attire.
The corners of the other's mouth lifted slightly, exhaling a puff of white, frosty air.
In that moment, a single sentence echoed incessantly in Hishi Amazon's mind:
'That Uma Musume will definitely catch up.'
She saw it now—the sharp, claw-like hands reaching out for her.
Rumble—
A sound like rolling thunderclouds reached her ears.
Every spectator's eyes widened in unison.
The black Uma Musume shifted into a posture familiar to tens of thousands of fans.
Her body dropped so low it almost skimmed the ground, her feet digging deep into the turf, legs bent to the extreme, thighs and calves coiled tight.
And then, before the entire stadium, a black lightning bolt streaked forward.
The thunderstorm was here, displaying its full, heavenly might—!
BOOM—!!
The ground seemed to shake. That black Uma Musume, who had been a full seven lengths behind, was suddenly right on her heels.
It felt like a sharp arrow piercing her chest, shattering her heart.
She's here!
She actually caught up!
The power the girl was displaying now was even more terrifying than during the Derby.
"She's caught up!! The Nameless Black Phantom, with her sharp claws, has pierced through Hishi Amazon!"
"What an absolute monster..."
The girl's teeth chattered. A fleeting moment of fear rose in her heart, but was quickly consumed by the flames of battle.
"This is a duel between two deep closers! No one else is allowed to interfere—!"
Her blood-red pupils glowed with an unearthly, bewitching light. Hishi Amazon's heart felt ready to burst, her lungs were suffocating, her muscles swollen and aching. But only now, in this moment, was it a true one-on-one fight!
"Show me what you've got! I'm a rival worthy of Narita Brian—!"
The response was the sound of rapidly approaching footsteps.
She actually had the reserves to accelerate again, even in this state!
"Dammit... dammit all..."
Tears welling in the corners of her eyes, Biko Pegasus began to fall behind. Her body was on the verge of collapse, with no strength left to challenge the leading duo.
"Just how... are you supposed to beat someone like this...?"
An invisible black scythe swung towards her neck. The emblem of the 'Hero' was cleanly sliced in two.
"They've passed her! Hishi Amazon and the Black Phantom have overtaken Biko Pegasus! The gap is still widening, the gap is still widening! Only fifty meters left to the finish line—!!"
Her stride was shortening, her stamina long since depleted. Hishi Amazon now understood why Narita Brian had trained so desperately.
Because standing here was an opponent you had to burn your very life to contend with.
Her blood felt like it was boiling and breaking, the capillaries in her eyes engorged.
She cast everything else from her mind.
Amidst this scorching thunder, Hishi Amazon became the final offering on the altar of the racecourse, igniting herself completely!
Hey, black Uma Musume.
This... is my all!
"Raaaaaaaahhhh—!!!"
Her field of vision narrowed. All that remained before Hishi Amazon was the finish line, so tantalizingly close.
Thud!
Suddenly, that sensation of slow motion washed over her again.
Hishi Amazon's eyes widened.
Amber-gold eyes swept slowly over her, then looked ahead.
That figure passed by her side, moving further and further away in this near-frozen world.
The muddy turf felt like it was clinging to her feet, making them too heavy to lift.
Heh, so this is my limit too?
She thought bitterly.
What a... magnificent duel.
Don't you agree, my worthy rival?
The only answer was that unreachable black back.
Right before the finish line, the figure lowered its body and unleashed the final acceleration of the race.
"A hundred meters in twenty lengths, a miraculous comeback! The nameless black Uma Musume, in an unshakeable first place, crosses the finish line————!!!"
The entire Tokyo Racecourse erupted in thunderous applause.
--+--
T/N: ABSOLUTE CINEMA THIS IS WHY I KEEP TRANSLATING UMA MUSUME MC STORIES
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 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.