"The final turn is just ahead, but quite a few competitors are showing signs of exhaustion. What's going on?!"
The television was broadcasting the Kikka Sho race live. Just as the announcer described, many competitors were clearly exhausted.
But one look at the race times so far made it obvious why these competitors were in this state.
To counter the Black Assassin, the competitors in this race had all chosen aggressive pacing.
The result was faster speeds but drastically increased stamina consumption.
Even Taiki Shuttle with her Flash-rank recovery skill was wearing a pained expression.
She couldn't understand why, even with Bourbon sitting out, some frontrunner would choose to use a breakaway strategy on this track distance.
And if they actually had the confidence to breakaway all the way, that would be one thing—but that competitor had dropped off before even completing half the race.
Yet the race rhythm couldn't be recovered. Everyone was forced to continue running at this pace, and the result was that nearly everyone was exhausted before the final stretch.
She looked at the dark figure in the lead.
And despite this pace, Rice's stamina was still abundant.
Taiki Shuttle recognized once again how terrifying this peer of hers was. Indeed, Bourbon's decision to skip this race was absolutely correct.
She felt that at this track distance, probably only the strongest active long-distance competitor, Mejiro McQueen, would have any chance of competing with Rice.
"Entering the final stretch! Currently leading is Rice, who has already opened up a considerable gap over the others. She's running so comfortably!"
Though everyone had expected the Black Assassin to be the strongest competitor before the race began, thinking she had a good chance of winning without any upsets.
But the actual result was even more exaggerated than anyone had imagined.
Completely different from the Satsuki Sho and Japan Derby.
In those two races, the Black Assassin had seemed to need to give everything she had to win.
But in this race, the Black Assassin's rhythm was just too smooth—as if she'd returned to her home turf. There wasn't the slightest sign of struggle.
Running the whole way, victory seemed like the natural, expected outcome. That effortless form shocked many spectators.
"This is exactly like McQueen back in the day."
"No, wait—I feel like Rice is running even more easily than McQueen did back then!"
"This is incredible. Though we expected this result, I didn't think the lead would be this big."
"It feels like she has absolutely no competition..."
McQueen and Teio were also watching this race broadcast.
But at this moment, watching the Kikka Sho, they felt tremendous pressure.
That pitch-black aura seemed ready to burst through the screen.
And after this race ended, the Black Assassin would officially become their opponent!
So strong.
Mejiro McQueen pressed her lips together, her gaze razor-sharp—like a beast sensing its territory about to be invaded.
Though it was hard to believe.
In this moment, she felt that in terms of stamina specialty, she might be inferior to Rice.
She even felt that Rice posed a greater threat than Teio. If facing Teio's challenge, she still had considerable confidence in defending her title as the strongest in long-distance racing.
But after seeing Rice's performance in this race, she realized that if she faced Rice, she had no certainty of winning.
Because even now, she couldn't see where Rice's ceiling was.
A seemingly bottomless skill pool. Though Rice's skill loadout had been a weakness at first, her rate of evolution was simply too fast.
Add in the unknown ZONE effect.
And the physical stats she'd demonstrated—stronger even than the strongest long-distance specialist.
Why hadn't anyone noticed earlier?
That this child was abnormally strong!
At the race venue, in the spectator seats, Trainer Kuronuma and Mihono Bourbon watching the race had both fallen silent.
As I suspected, my earlier intuition was correct. This child's best distance is long-distance, but these numbers are just too ridiculous.
Trainer Kuronuma watched the race times, thinking to himself.
Mejiro McQueen's record had been broken.
After all, even that strongest active long-distance specialist couldn't possibly maintain that sprinting state through the entire 3000m, right?
No—the current Mejiro McQueen might be able to do it, since she was stronger now than back then.
But Rice already had this level of strength right now.
Would the throne of long-distance supremacy change hands at a shocking pace?
At this track distance, Bourbon can't beat this child—even if she completed my training program.
Trainer Kuronuma had completely abandoned any thought of having Bourbon compete against Rice in long-distance races. That wouldn't be a competition—it would be humiliation.
Just as he didn't think Bourbon could challenge McQueen in long-distance events, Rice now showed dominance in long-distance races comparable to McQueen's.
Stamina could indeed be supplemented through training, but there were limits to training effectiveness.
Even completing his remodeling training program, Bourbon would at most have enough stamina to normally complete the Kikka Sho. Against ordinary peers, there might be hope of winning.
But if it was a showdown against the strongest, there was absolutely no possibility of winning.
Let's shift the training focus to explosive power development.
Trainer Kuronuma thought about the Osaka Hai next March.
The 2000m mid-distance track was probably their best opportunity to challenge the Black Assassin.
Given Rice's demonstrated running style, he didn't think that newcomer would skip the Spring Triple Crown route, so Rice would definitely compete in the Osaka Hai.
If they couldn't win the Osaka Hai, that would leave only the Takarazuka Kinen afterward.
As for Tenno Sho (Spring), there was absolutely no hope.
Because Tenno Sho (Spring) was an ultra-long 3200m track.
That race would likely be a contest between Rice and McQueen—no other competitor would have a chance to participate.
Even Teio probably couldn't do it.
Though current public opinion said it was 50-50 between Teio and McQueen, Trainer Kuronuma completely disagreed.
Even if Teio had several more months to train, it wouldn't matter.
The stamina required for that track distance couldn't be supplemented through training, and the opponent was too strong.
He had a premonition that Teio's undefeated streak would end in that race, possibly by a huge margin.
But picking a winner between Rice and McQueen—that, he couldn't do.
Because in this race, Rice's demonstrated strength was simply too terrifying.
Showing truly king-like dominance in long-distance racing—a presence no less impressive than McQueen the strongest.
"She's crossed the line!"
"Rice finishes with a massive lead!"
"The record has been broken!"
"What a brilliant race, what powerful running style! Winning the undefeated Triple Crown with such dominance—this horse girl is without doubt the year's strongest!"
The race ended.
Second place finished outside placing standards.
Taiki Shuttle stared at the timing board on the giant screen with immense regret.
Damn it, she hadn't expected that after finally getting second place, it would be outside placing standards. This was terrible.
She hadn't intended to compete with Rice for first place, but as long as you placed—top five had results and earned prize money.
But who knew that after finally getting second place once, it would be outside placing standards.
Even she couldn't laugh about this now.
But no one was paying attention to Taiki Shuttle anymore. Nearly all eyes in the venue were on Rice.
Too strong. In the final race of the Triple Crown, she'd finished with a massive lead over second place—outside placing standards.
This was something neither Symboli Rudolf nor Teio had accomplished.
And this race had made everyone truly realize that only in long-distance racing could you see the Black Assassin's true strength.
Stronger than at Satsuki Sho and the Japan Derby—strength so deep you couldn't see the bottom.
Okino, who had secretly come to watch the race in person, bit through the lollipop in his mouth, his expression somewhat panicked.
This is bad. McQueen's consecutive Tenno Sho wins might be in danger.
He had worked so hard to convince Teio to give up challenging McQueen this year, wanting both of them to accumulate career records.
And McQueen's final crowning race would naturally be next year's Tenno Sho (Spring).
Just one more win and McQueen would achieve the great feat of three consecutive Tenno Sho (Spring) victories.
As for Teio's challenge?
Honestly, Okino didn't think Teio really had a chance of beating McQueen in that race.
Though it wasn't completely impossible, the odds were too low.
But by that point, he wouldn't really care whether Teio won or not.
Undefeated Triple Crown, Takarazuka Kinen, plus the upcoming Victoria's Crown, Japan Cup, and Arima Kinen this year, then next year's Osaka Hai...
As long as Teio won all of these, she'd achieve eight G1 victories.
Not winning Tenno Sho (Spring) against McQueen would just be a small regret.
But as long as McQueen won one more Tenno Sho (Spring), she'd achieve three consecutive Tenno Sho (Spring) victories—becoming the true strongest long-distance competitor!
The thought that both of these Hall of Fame caliber champions were on his team made Okino smile in his dreams.
But now Rice's emergence made him sense tremendous danger.
Going forward, both Teio and McQueen might face Rice in their races!
And he didn't even know whether this Black Assassin would compete in the upcoming Japan Cup and Arima Kinen.
As this year's strongest competitor, fans would definitely vote for the Black Assassin to participate in both the Japan Cup and Arima Kinen—which overlapped with Teio's upcoming schedule!
And even if she didn't compete in those two races, next year's Spring Triple Crown—
He had a premonition that she would definitely not miss it!
Damn it. Teio's situation isn't too dangerous since the Black Assassin's mid-distance performance isn't as terrifying as long-distance. But McQueen...
Honestly, he couldn't think of any solution right now.
Because McQueen's training intensity was already very high. Pushing further would only increase injury risk.
Besides, McQueen's current strength had reached a plateau—not something that blindly increasing training could break through.
And he felt he might be worrying too much.
Though Rice's performance in this race was shocking, the matchup against McQueen was still 50-50. She hadn't shown the ability to suppress McQueen.
But unlike McQueen, Rice—having just debuted a year ago—was currently in a rapid growth phase.
The fact was that Rice's strength had improved quickly in recent races. This was Okino's biggest concern.
Because he didn't dare imagine how strong Rice would be by then.
After the Kikka Sho ended, things went just as Okino had predicted. In the voting for this year's Japan Cup and Arima Kinen, Rice's votes were extraordinarily high.
Almost catching up to Tokai Teio.
Facing this challenger coming up from behind, the atmosphere in Team Spica grew serious.
"Teio, are you confident you can beat that Rice?"
Daiwa Scarlet asked Teio, who was sitting nearby with a relaxed expression.
Having just easily won the Victoria's Crown, Tokai Teio replied calmly: "No problem. I will win. Before my showdown with McQueen, I won't lose!"
She was planning to accumulate winning momentum to challenge the strongest McQueen at Tenno Sho (Spring).
Losing before that would be ridiculous.
"If you're confident, that's good."
Daiwa Scarlet nodded.
She didn't think Teio was boasting. After all, Teio's strength was just that impressive.
Vodka chimed in from the side: "Don't worry. Rice's mid-distance performance isn't as terrifying as long-distance, and this is Teio's specialty."
Even the 2500m Arima Kinen was more favorable to Teio.
The reason Rice's performance at Kikka Sho had been so terrifying was entirely because it was a 3000m ultra-long distance track.
Within 2500m, Rice's performance wasn't that terrifying, and Teio—having undergone stamina enhancement—could now be called the strongest.
"Exactly." Teio smiled confidently.
If it had been that Kikka Sho, she might not have been certain she could win. But for the upcoming Japan Cup and Arima Kinen, she was confident of victory.
McQueen suddenly interjected: "Don't be too overconfident, Teio. You haven't forgotten that child still hasn't revealed her ZONE effect, have you?"
"..."
Teio stopped smiling at those words.
That was indeed a threat.
But—
"Don't worry, McQueen. I'll challenge you at my strongest. Because that's what we agreed."
...
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