Gold Legend stood quietly in her starting gate, gently moving her body.
It wasn't any advanced or profound technique, just simply letting her body loose.
"I heard that excellent Uma Musume will shake their bodies before a race to reach their best condition. Is that our situation right now?"
[Hua]'s tone was as light as ever.
"Best condition? We can't be considered in our best condition right now. If anything, it's terrible."
[Yu]'s phrasing was as calm as ever.
"Indeed."
Gold Legend was noncommittal.
Since transmigrating, Gold Legend had always maintained a regular daily routine.
Staying up late or anything like that was a first.
The negative status caused by sleep deprivation for an Uma Musume was much greater than expected, and Gold Legend felt extremely sleepy.
Normally this wouldn't be a big deal, but whether it was a competitive spirit or something else, Legend's emotions were somewhat heightened at this moment.
Coupled with the buff Gold Ship gave to Legend, various factors made Legend's state at this moment feel off.
"It's like having drunk some very strong alcohol."
Gold Legend said these words again.
"In this state, we can't control our body well."
[Yu] sighed.
For Gold Legend, there were actually many things to pay attention to when running.
Thanks to this inherent talent, Legend needed to pay special attention to her running form and exertion of power, otherwise, it was easy for problems to arise.
If not careful, it was easy to get injured from using too much force.
Even though this body was constantly getting stronger, it still couldn't keep up with her full power.
Every race was like dancing in shackles for Legend.
"In our current state, we can't open our Domain, right? Without the Domain, we'll easily cross the line."
The Domain was a key; it allowed an Uma Musume to break shackles and surpass limits.
But for Legend, it was more like a shackle; the limit of the Domain was her own upper limit.
This was also the reason why Legend had never completed [Overflow], because after overflowing, the Domain would start to transform into something else, and this shackle would disappear.
For Gold Legend, that would be putting the cart before the horse.
"And can we properly pay attention to others right now?"
Racing and training were not the same; there was a lot to pay attention to.
Position, positioning, the situation, timing—everything needed to be monitored.
"It doesn't matter." Legend breathed gently. "If reason cannot hold onto all of this, then I will leave everything to instinct."
"Heh, finally made up your mind?"
[Hua] seemed to have heard something very interesting, her happy emotions evident.
"...If that is your judgment, then fine."
[Yu] said flatly.
"No need to care about victory or defeat, for victory is already in my hands."
"No need to care about strength or weakness, I will grant them an equal defeat."
"Although I don't know if the thing in Golshi's hand is real, it doesn't matter."
"I've had enough of the red tape. This is a rare opportunity, so let's indulge."
As soon as she finished speaking, the starting bugle music stopped abruptly, and the gates in front of her opened instantly.
In an instant, the Uma Musume shot out like arrows released from a bow.
Then, Gold Legend took her first step.
...
"Gold Legend had a slow start!"
The Commentator's sighing voice echoed across the track.
"Legend's condition is indeed very poor."
The Trainer said with some annoyance.
Although Gold Legend had always been a difficult starter, falling behind by about 8 lengths right from the start was still too much.
An average Uma Musume could already be considered finished.
"Is Legend's stride a bit strange?"
Tokai Teio ignored the Trainer's annoyance and watched the Uma Musume on the track intently.
"Is Legend-san's running form usually like this?"
McQueen was also watching intently.
...
"Occupying the leading position is Nijino Rainbow!"
Lifting her head, casting everything behind her, Nijino Rainbow took the lead.
"Behind her is Anye Jinghua, who excels at leading, having silently seized the inner rail."
Nijino Rainbow glanced back slightly and saw that ghostly black shadow.
"Tsk, this girl is as troublesome as ever. Trying to mark me to death?"
But it didn't matter; a so-called Front Runner never needs to care about what's behind them.
As long as I lead to the finish line, I will be the winner.
"Anye Jinghua is currently in second place, Huiyi Yishi is in third, with Magician and Xiuluoxia following closely behind. Oh my, Shenyou Tingquan has moved to the front..."
The Commentator calmly reported the positions.
Phosphophyllite listened calmly.
"Gold Legend is in last place."
She hasn't caught up?
Phosphophyllite had watched Gold Legend's races before and had even competed against Gold Legend in reality.
What Gold Legend was most famous for was that explosive escape speed like a gale.
But Phosphophyllite knew that Gold Legend was someone who had difficulty leaving the starting gate.
Her escape style actually involved relying on overwhelming speed after exiting the gate to secure the lead position.
She had originally prepared to block others, even intentionally occupying a middle position for that purpose.
"Is she planning to run from behind?"
Phosphophyllite analyzed calmly.
Gold Legend's running style had never been fixed; thanks to that heaven-sent talent, she could adapt to any position, which could be described as ever-changing and free.
Under normal circumstances, if Gold Legend didn't take the lead, she would go with the flow to find a suitable position, start lying in wait, and then, when everyone let their guard down, teach them a lesson with her pride-and-joy finishing kick.
She had already experienced this situation herself.
"This is troublesome; I can't determine her position."
Phosphophyllite had a bit of a headache. Even though she had given up the leading position and intentionally moved to the closing pack, she still couldn't lock onto her?
What a troublesome woman.
"So, what kind of surprise are you preparing now?"
Unconsciously, anticipation welled up in Phosphophyllite's heart.
...
"Legend's running form is so strange."
In the spectator stands, Maruzensky watched Legend, who was trailing at the back of the pack, with confusion.
"How should I put it? It's rigid? So clumsy."
"It's like a beginner," Mr. C.B. said.
"Are you kidding me..." Inari One watched Legend's strides with dissatisfaction and turned to complain to Tamamo Cross, "That kind of posture is simply not what an Uma Musume should have!"
"..." Oguri Cap watched Legend's strides thoughtfully.
"Do you know? There is a very famous story, though it's a bit embarrassing for me to tell it."
Symboli Rudolf suddenly spoke up, her tone ethereal, as if she were reminiscing, and also as if she were recounting something.
"?"
The group of Uma Musume turned their heads, looking at Rudolf with some curiosity.
"That was back when I went on an expedition to the United States."
Ignoring the gazes of the others, Rudolf spoke to herself.
"At that time, I had achieved rare accomplishments in the history of Uma Musume, full of spirit, feeling that I had already stood at the pinnacle of Uma Musume, Invincible under the heavens, looking down on everyone..."
"I know that; Rudolf was super scary back then..."
Mr. C.B., who had interrupted Rudolf's story, was frightened by the terrifying glares of the crowd and swallowed her words back.
"Everyone knows that because I was in poor condition, I lost, and was even injured because of it."
"But I have never said why I was in poor condition."
Rudolf spoke in a flat tone, but everyone could feel the surging emotions beneath the calm.
Even the usually carefree Mr. C.B. and Maruzensky didn't speak.
"I remember that night; newly arrived in the United States, I couldn't sleep due to excitement, so I chose to go out for a night stroll to vent on the training track."
She understatedly revealed behavior that a Student Council President shouldn't have had.
"And then there, I met that person."
Rudolf still couldn't forget that night, on the empty training track, the bright red hair like raging flames, and the nearly perfect figure.
She was running on the training track, her strides like a beginner learning to run.
Yes, just like now.
...
"Hey, what are you doing?"
Symboli Rudolf stood proudly at the edge of the training track and asked the Uma Musume in the field.
"Hm?"
The Uma Musume stopped her steps, looking at this arrogant young person.
"This awkward pronunciation, are you an Uma Musume from abroad?"
"Answer my question, what are you doing?"
Rudolf didn't respond to the Uma Musume's question and asked on her own.
"Hm? Ah, as you can see, I am running." The Uma Musume didn't mind Rudolf's rudeness; she smiled, "Or rather, learning to run?"
"Learning to run? With that posture?" Rudolf laughed in anger.
Uma Musume were born to run; running was their innate talent.
For Uma Musume, running was an instinct; born as masters of racing, how could they ever have such clumsy strides?
Let alone learning to run.
Such a running form was an insult to the Uma Musume race!
"You are not running at all! Stop running; such a posture is not worthy of being an Uma Musume!"
Rudolf said in a condescending tone.
"Interesting, what kind of posture is an Uma Musume's posture? Can you teach me?"
The Uma Musume smiled and asked with great interest.
"Stubborn!"
How dare you provoke me?
Rudolf was angry.
"Come run a lap with me, and I will let you know what an Uma Musume's posture should be!"
Then, Rudolf lost miserably.
Until she collapsed on the grass from exhaustion, Rudolf still couldn't understand.
"This is impossible..."
Rudolf muttered to herself.
"You are not bad; at such an age, you have actually reached this point, almost catching up to me."
The Uma Musume twisted her neck relaxedly and praised her sincerely.
"Why? With such strides, with such running, how could I not catch up?"
"Before that, you should think about whether you really know how to run."
"I am an Uma Musume!"
Such words, among Uma Musume, were no different from pointing at someone's nose and cursing their mother.
"Then let me rephrase: do Uma Musume really know how to run?"
The Uma Musume shrugged and said indifferently.
"...I haven't lost yet!" Rudolf said hoarsely, "I still have my domain! I haven't given it my all!"
"Give up. In your current condition, activating your domain will shorten your lifespan."
A vast domain suppressed the domain Rudolf was about to unfold, forcefully pushing it back.
"...!" Rudolf was shocked.
"Oh my, young people these days are really not calm. Can't mess with them, can't mess with them. Time to slip away."
The Uma Musume leaned over and smiled at Rudolf, draped her tracksuit jacket over Rudolf, and then turned and left.
"With such power, who exactly are you?!"
"Just a regular Uma Musume."
The red-haired Uma Musume waved her hand stylishly and disappeared into the darkness.
Later, Rudolf learned her name—Secretariat.
...
"Rudolf?" Maruzensky's worried words brought Rudolf back to consciousness.
"Ah, sorry, I zoned out." Rudolf waved her hand, signaling that she was fine.
"Tsk, that girl's strides are so unpleasant to look at!" Inari One scratched her head irritably.
"Don't rush, Inari One, this is only temporary." Rudolf watched Legend's strides with nostalgia.
"It's almost the final stretch; Legend is about to accelerate." Oguri Cap said calmly.
...
[What are we running for?]
[Feather]'s question made Legend fall into deep thought, as if she had never thought about this question before.
"At this point, why are you still asking this question?"
I've already answered it many times, haven't I?
[It's not the same.]
[Feather] said.
[The meaning of those questions is the reason we embarked on this path.]
Their meaning is to interpret the reason for Gold Legend's existence.
[But what I am asking now is the reason we are moving forward now.]
Uma Musume Gold Legend, what is she running for?
"What is it for?"
To become everyone's hero?
I do have that thought, but it doesn't seem to be the whole reason.
Is it because of the fighting instinct and the heart that doesn't want to lose?
That doesn't seem right either.
Is it curiosity about the road ahead and a desire for knowledge?
That's even less right.
Her brain, dominated by sleepiness and fighting spirit, thought tiredly.
Recalling the scenes after waking up.
Recalling the memories before waking up.
Recalling everything from her past life.
Legend suddenly smiled.
Not for others.
Gold Legend is just a selfish person.
Nor is it for comparison.
Gold Legend never cared about winning or losing, nor was she striving to reach the pinnacle.
Gold Legend was never the type to pursue strength.
"Because, I am an Uma Musume."
Neither gold nor Legend, just an Uma Musume. That is all.
...
Gold Legend's stride changed. The legendary Uma Musume in the spectator stands noticed it keenly.
"Did she slow down?" Tamamo Cross tilted her head.
"No, she is accelerating," Mr. C.B. said.
What kind of stride is that?
You can see every one of her steps. From the motion of her gait to the trajectory of her movement.
Tamamo Cross rubbed her eyes in discomfort.
"What is going on?"
...
"The combination of movements deviates from the principles of muscle operation or physical laws; this is the ultimate 'Muscle Softening'," Invincible said, surprised. "Without a doubt, it is 'Force Dissipation'."
Where did she learn that?
"Tracen also has Trainers who graduated from White Horse Temple," Hayakawa Tazuna said, staring at Legend with a pointed look, her gaze sharp.
Force Dissipation isn't something you can learn just by being taught...
Invincible thought for a moment and said, "Internalizing oneself, proving one's enlightenment, placing one's emotions freely, reaching the pinnacle... This is completely beyond the realm achievable at this age."
What kind of monster is she, exactly?
"I don't know. Also, speaking of monsters, you're actually not much different," Hayakawa retorted.
...
"Now, from here we finally reach the decisive point of the third corner! The first to cross the checkpoint is Nijino Rainbow! Gold Legend is still in the back!"
The sound of chaotic footsteps came from ahead. Raising her head, Legend saw the long slope before her, four meters high and three hundred meters long.
Mr. C.B. had created a miracle here, shattering 'the impossible' and becoming a Pegasus walking among humans.
"Heh." A soft chuckle.
"Gold Legend, Gold Legend is accelerating!"
...
It's coming. Phosphophyllite felt something approaching from behind.
Accelerating at a time like this, should I say it's just like you?
Phosphophyllite quickly scanned left and right. Indeed, there was no better position than this.
On this long slope, no Uma Musume had the spare energy or ability to block you.
It's too dangerous!
No, I can't be reckless. If I accelerate here, I'll lose speed in the final stretch. I need to maintain my rhythm...
A golden figure brushed past Phosphophyllite.
Damn it! Charge!
Phosphophyllite gave chase.
...
Ignoring the Uma Musume behind her, Gold Legend ran on the open outer track.
There is no need to pay attention to those who have been surpassed. I just need to keep moving forward; they are only fit to look at my back from afar.
The condition of the outer track was excellent, and the turf felt as comfortable as ever underfoot. Her steps became unconsciously lighter.
A breeze brushed past, a thousand miles of pure joy. The bright moon hung high, the night was clear and bright. Flowers bloomed, dreamlike and illusory.
"That's right, that is..."
"The scenery in our eyes!"
The scenery ahead was so beautiful and silent.
This is the scenery that an Uma Musume should see.
...
"Coming from the outside! Gold Legend surging up from the outside! She has passed! She has passed Nijino Rainbow, who was attempting to lead all the way! Phosphophyllite follows closely behind, but cannot catch up at all!"
Nijino Rainbow looked in shock at Gold Legend, who swept past her.
"How can this be? So fast?"
"What...!" Anya Kyoka exclaimed in admiration.
"Graceful as a celestial being," Rudolf exclaimed in admiration.
"Is that... the realm above the domain?" Mr. C.B. murmured.
Even a simple movement allowed one to feel both restraint and composure at the same time.
It was as if she were stepping on water, moving through the air, dancing like a startled swan.
"The color of the bright pearl tonight..." A soft whisper seemed to ring in her ears.
The sky dimmed in an instant, as if the world were holding its breath, with only the full moon hanging high, bringing tranquility and serenity.
"Blooms with the full moon."
Under the full moon, a golden light flashed, drawing a line, and flowers bloomed in the world that had been split in two.
Then, silence fell, leaving only beautiful petals drifting in the night sky.
---------------------------------
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