The stands erupted once more.
From the moment this girl had burst into the [Japan Derby], she had brought endless surprises.
That unprecedented chase with Narita Brian, leaving all other competitors far behind. And now, a month later, accelerating from the far outside to seize victory by a five-second margin.
Without a doubt, she was an Uma Musume destined for the history books.
What was her name? Where did she come from?
He wanted to know, he needed to know all of it!
On the stadium's giant screen, a gray-black mist stood before the finish line. As always, people's phones and televisions failed to capture her image.
It was as if she had shattered the wall between reality and illusion. This dreamlike, black figure stood before countless spectators.
"Haha, hahaha!! I knew it—!"
A reporter with black-rimmed glasses let out an excited cry.
By the mid-point of the race, many spectators had already expressed doubts about her, thinking that no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't possibly win this race like she did last time.
Some had said that switching from a front-running style to a come-from-behind tactic between races was like trying to change your dominant hand—it was impossible, and she was doomed to fail this time.
Before her acceleration in the final turn, the majority in the stands had been predicting her downfall.
But when she moved to the far outside, their voices changed.
They became excited, astonished, utterly enraptured.
Because everyone could feel it—that black Uma Musume was about to deliver a performance of epic proportions.
In the final hundred-meter straight, that black lightning bolt captured the gaze of every spectator.
She shattered all conventional understanding of an Uma Musume's acceleration, closing a gap of three lengths in a single, impossible stride.
What kind of power, what kind of flexibility, must reside in her calves, her ankles, her very feet?
And then, just before the finish line, with a miraculous final kick that seemed divine, she overtook the dark champion by half a length.
But this was a half-length that held more weight than most victories in racing history.
His fingers trembled with excitement, so much that he could barely press the camera shutter.
Not that it would have mattered; even if he had taken a picture, it wouldn't have captured her likeness.
Why was that? No, forget the 'why'—how could he convey her story to others? How could he bring the astonishment of this race to the world?
With words alone? Words in a news article felt pale and inadequate. Photos, videos—the things that could capture reality clearly—none of them could preserve her image.
If only… if only he could speak to her directly…
Gritting his teeth, he climbed over the spectator barrier.
But the black Uma Musume didn't linger at the finish line. Just like last time, after appearing suddenly and snatching victory, she began to slip away silently.
"Wait! Don't go—!"
He shouted.
Oh, sovereign of the racetrack, who are you?!
"Everyone, stay off the track!"
An employee of the racecourse in a blue uniform stopped him. Soon, more staff emerged from the passages beneath the stands, blocking the reporters who had ventured onto the track.
They had their orders: no one was to disrupt the order of the venue, and absolutely no one was to approach the black Uma Musume.
"Just a moment! Let me ask her a few questions, that's all!"
But the staff ignored his pleas, stubbornly blocking his path. He could only watch helplessly as the figure receded into the distance.
--+--
"Where do you think you're going?"
A voice came from behind the black-clad girl as she shuffled slowly forward.
One by one, several figures appeared.
The Central Committee Chairman had rushed off to deal with the media and wouldn't be back for a while.
But aside from her, almost all the staff responsible for operating the Tokyo Racecourse were here.
Not just them; personnel dispatched from the Central office were here too. Over ten people in total, blocking the black girl in the middle of the participant's tunnel.
To prevent her escape, the racecourse had even stationed security Uma Musume known for their robust physiques at the tunnel exits.
"Repeatedly disrupting race discipline, ignoring competition rules—you have seriously violated Central regulations."
They listed her offenses one by one.
"You need to come with us."
Given the circumstances, a lifetime ban from all competitions would be the lightest punishment.
The damage to Central's reputation was immense. Plummeting ratings, complaints from investors... across the nation, even internationally, people were raising doubts about the integrity of the [Japan Derby] and other classic races.
Besides issuing a public apology, she would have to compensate Central for all the losses incurred.
The leaders of the group stepped towards her.
The girl stood there, head bowed, neither avoiding nor resisting, like a lamp that had burned out its oil.
Just as everyone thought this farce, which had thrown Central into turmoil, was finally over—
Screeeech—!
A piercing sound ripped through the tunnel, a sharp noise that grated against everyone's eardrums.
The physiologically uncomfortable high-frequency wave made them instinctively cover their ears.
On the wall, a glaring crack appeared, as if clawed by some monster.
People stared wide-eyed as the crack grew larger and the sound became even more earsplitting.
As if responding to the noise, a fierce wind sprang up without warning in the corridor, sealing off the inside from the out.
Dust settled on the floor swirled up, becoming a pervasive cloud floating on the violent gusts.
A sharp sting hit their eyes, and the staff unanimously covered their faces.
These ghostly phenomena caught everyone completely off guard.
In the confusion, the black Uma Musume slipped past the crowd and continued on her way.
"Don't let her get away...!"
Ignoring the dust in his eyes, the racecourse manager forced his stinging eyes open, tears streaming as he shouted.
His yell snapped the disoriented group back to their senses.
But as they moved to pursue, their feet seemed to trip over something unseen, and they tumbled to the ground.
Clop... clop... clop...
The sound of iron-shod hooves moved forward slowly, rhythmically.
Squinting, the manager saw several employees who had somehow fallen flat on level ground. He nearly burst a blood vessel in his fury.
Writing off the incompetents on the floor, he quickened his pace, chasing after the retreating figure.
He had to deliver a result to Central today, or his position as manager was finished.
Clop... clop... clop...
Her hunched form looked like it would topple at a touch, her stiff movements as if she were being pushed by an unseen force.
The sheer weirdness of it all made the manager's heart pound.
The black shadow was right there in front of him, yet he couldn't seem to close the distance.
In the participant's tunnel, the unnatural wind continued to blow, carrying with it sounds like shrieks and mocking laughter that steadily eroded his composure.
Then, in a seemingly empty spot, the manager slammed hard into something invisible.
Swish, swish, swish...
He heard the sound fading away past him.
No matter how frantic he was, he couldn't ignore the abnormality of his surroundings.
Then came more sharp, grating noises—from the floor, the ceiling, the walls—like the sound of millions of rats gnawing, drilling into his ears.
What's happening? What in the world is going on?!
Fear began to seize his mind. The manager felt a chill from head to toe, as if the very air he breathed was filled with ice chips.
His blood felt like it was freezing solid.
He saw the black shadow turn into a rest room amidst the cacophony, while the other staff were finally catching up behind him.
Fear and anxiety warred within him, staining his reason.
Finally, he remembered the ultimatum from the Central Committee Chairman.
Gritting his teeth, suppressing the overwhelming urge to flee, the manager pushed open the door to the rest room.
His pupils then constricted violently.
There was no terrifying ghostly face from his nightmares, no blood-curdling howls.
The lights flickered slightly. A chair spun quietly.
The room was empty. Not a single soul was in sight.
--+--
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.