"Belno Light crosses the finish line first!"
Dicta Striker stood in complete silence, her eyes wide with shock after seeing whatever the hell that was. Her jaws opened and closed for a moment, before she ultimately collapsed back onto her seat just as the audience around her exploded into cheers. "Holy shit." She whispered.
"...language." Mejiro Ardan whispered, though she looked just as shocked. Beads of sweat trailed down her forehead as she watched the other runners finally cross the finish line, with some of them even collapsing onto the ground from sheer exhaustion.
Sakura Chiyono O stared with her jaws wide open, her celebratory fans she'd been waving to support Belno Light having fallen onto the ground. She was swaying slightly as she stared forward, still remembering that terrifying sensation she felt when Belno threw that spear forward.
Super Creek's eyes trembled, and the hands over her lap were clenched into fists. She could still feel the lingering pressure lingering in the air, and she couldn't help but shiver slightly as she felt that white and black mass occasionally whisk by.
Only Yaeno Muteki seemed unsurprised, though she instead had a pained expression, as if seeing that divine spear Belno had thrown had brought back some painful memories. And to be fair, that wasn't wrong. After all, she'd been subjected to Belno's enthusiastic testing several times in the past few days.
"Yeah, whatever." Dicta shot back, before she pressed a fist onto her lips. "No-, seriously. What the hell? That was a Domain, wasn't it? I wasn't drunk or anything, right?"
"I…believe we all saw it too." Ardan eventually said, before she paused and raised an eyebrow. "Wait, how do you know what being drunk feels like?"
"Not important." Dicta quickly said, her eyes sharpening as she began analyzing what she'd seen.
She was fairly sure what Belno had done was a Domain, but it felt different compared to the ones she'd seen during the [Japan Cup]. It lacked a sort of…how to put it? There was a lack of gravitas, she supposed? That spear, as amazing as it was, lasted only for a few seconds—completely different to the constant pressure that turned the [Japan Cup] into a mythical warzone. But if it wasn't a Domain, then--
"An incomplete Domain…?" She whispered to herself, mulling the idea over. She wasn't some expert, but something like that didn't sound too impossible. But then a different thought struck her, and her eyes widened.
Did Belno find a way to consciously unlock her own Domain!?
"Dicta?"
"Huh?" She blinked, and realized she'd stood up again without realizing. She cleared her throat as she sat back down. "Sorry 'bout that." She muttered. "Got a little too excited."
Super Creek giggled. "Who wouldn't be?" She gazed fondly as Belno finally seemed to notice the audience's cheers, her lips curling into a shy smile as she waved at them. "Belno has accomplished something incredible. I don't think I've ever heard of an umamusume who awakened a Domain so early."
Secretly, Creek herself couldn't help but feel somewhat envious. Oguri Cap and Blossom Star were already so brilliant that they were being compared to Seniors, which left Belno Light as the only approachable goal of Team Kitahara. But in just one single race, that preconception had been thoroughly shattered.
But just seconds later, Creek's eyes dimmed. The envy quickly melted into shame, and she could only chide herself for ever thinking of Belno in that way.
"She wins with a lead of 2 lengths!"
Kitahara stared with dull eyes, his mouth wide open as he stood frozen amongst the roaring crowd. Really, it was an unflattering image—the man looked no different to a gaping fish.
But this time, Musaka didn't bother calling his foolish nephew out.
"So she did it." He whispered, a grin growing across his lips. "What a crazy girl."
When he first found out that Belno had been practicing on her own late at night, he'd been so angry that he nearly popped a vein in his head. But after Belno frantically explained why she was doing so, he began understanding why she was pushing herself despite it being so close to the [Champions Cup]. It didn't make him any less angry, but he at least understood.
And in truth, he preferred the method Belno had taken in regards to achieving her Domain. Awakening a Domain was a majestic affair, but it was always a messy one. Take Tamamo Cross as an example; even if she'd come out of the [Japan Cup] relatively uninjured, it took her several days of rest before she could begin training again. It was only her incredible endurance that allowed her to bounce back so quickly.
Instead, Belno's method was far safer. Not only did it allow her to manifest a Partial Domain, but it also meant her Limit would be far more susceptible to future damage, which meant accessing that state of enlightenment became easier and easier with every attempt she made.
He subtly glanced at the still shell-shocked Kitahara, and he couldn't help but huff. "Lucky bastard." He whispered.
Really, the luck Kitahara had was insane. Just two years after he received his regional license, he would end up with three trainees that had shaken the entire country, and he practically did it without raising a finger. And not only that, but the team he'd created had refused to leave him behind, allowing him to advance to Central when many others would've been cast aside.
…tch. Must've been a saint in his past life. That was the only way his luck made sense.
"Fleetsreet Dancer takes 2nd, and Time Paradox takes 3rd!"
Belno Light took a few mouthfuls of air as she waved at the cheering audience. Her eyes were bright, and despite the painful burning in her legs, she couldn't help but smile widely.
Because she'd done it! She'd actually managed to poke a hole in that monolithic wall, and using what little had slipped through, she managed to partially awaken her Domain.
Alas, this was only the first step. Her {Spear of the Divine General} was far from complete; if it was, then the pressure her Domain exerted wouldn't have dissipated so quickly like it did. She needed to continue widening the gap she'd created in that wall until it eventually collapsed for good.
Taking another deep breath, she turned towards the other runners, and she smiled wryly. Many of them had fallen onto the ground, gasping as they tried to recover from her Domain's effects.
A Domain really was terrifying. Those that'd been pierced by her spear looked like they'd just ran a marathon instead of a Mile-length race. Of course, Belno herself was quite tired from using her Domain, but at least she could still stand.
Though, it really was rather dramatic, wasn't it?
Her smile shriveled slightly as her cheeks turned red. She was barely conscious during it, but she could vaguely remember what she did. Creating that divine spear from pure energy and then throwing it like a javelin—she knew Domains were incredible, but that was a little much, wasn't it? And how did she even throw that spear in the first place!? She'd never practiced javelin throwing before!
…aah, whatever. She'd just chalk it up to the Three Goddesses' blessing and move on.
"You…you're insane…" She suddenly heard someone say, and Belno turned to see Fleetstreet Dancer slowly approach her, face pale with exhaustion.
Belno chuckled shyly. "I have to catch up to someone else, after all."
"...yeah, I guess so." Dancer whispered, no doubt thinking about how dominating Oguri and Star were. "Bloody hell, your team's damn scary." She grinned self-depracatingly. "I guess it just wasn't meant to be, huh…"
"Fleetstreet-san…"
"Now, please head to the stadium for their Winning Concert!"
A series of groans echoed from the still-exhausted runners, and Belno couldn't help but giggle. "Sorry, everyone." She said, though she herself was quite reluctant to do her Winning Concert, especially with how tired she was. She really needed a good shower and a nap right now.
Dancer stared at her for a moment, before she sighed and straightened herself. "Alright, alright. Enough complaining, you lot." She forced a grin onto her face. "Come on. We can have our nap after we're done."
A weak chorus of agreement sounded for everyone, and after everyone managed to stand up, they slowly began making their way to the stadium.
.
.
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AN: R.I.P. Gentildonna. May you find peace in Honse heaven.