"Winning The Soul."
Taken literally, it means the soul of victory.
In terms of lore, this is a dance number that only an Umamusume who has claimed the Classic Triple Crown is qualified to perform. From its very first note, the soaring, aggressive melody seizes the listener's heart. The music builds layer upon layer, rising steadily—until, crowned with supreme glory, it explodes in a climax that feels like standing at the very summit.
The Emperor once delivered a performance of this song so powerful it overwhelmed the entire venue.
However the promotional PV for the game did something rather interesting.
The Umamusume who performed this song there included Agnes Tachyon, Tokai Teio, and Seiun Sky.
In reality, they were all two-crown winners.
Or rather—Phantom Triple Crown Champions.
Incidentally—
In Season 2 of the anime, when Tokai Teio wins the Japan Derby, the song she performs is also this one.
...
The version Garden Gale chose was a transposed piano arrangement.
For one simple reason.
She was afraid she couldn't carry the blazing intensity of the original.
If that was the case… why not pick a different song?
Because Tokai Teio had only ever taught her this one.
She had prepared this stage in advance.
Prepared a stage meant for the Triple Crown.
From the very beginning...
From the moment they first met before the debut race—Tokai Teio had believed in Garden Gale without the slightest doubt.
Believed that Garden Gale was the same kind of freak she herself was.
...
First of all, this was the piano-transposed arrangement, repeated countless times in rehearsal. So when the performance began, what filled the air was no longer a fiery orchestral opening, but a solitary piano note easing the song into life.
It carried a faint hint of Golden Hour.
A solo.
What a solo brought was immersion—and resolve.
After a day and night of endless noise flooding the mind, it felt as if a quiet sanctuary had finally appeared. Something began to grow there, silently pushing through the soil, sprouting tender shoots, drawing you in until you could not help but sink into the moment and savor its quiet beauty.
That was the magic of piano music.
When you are happy, you hear sorrow.
When you are drowning, you hear hope.
And as for resolve...
What was that?
It was the second theme of "Winning The Soul."
WINNING.
Victory.
Combined with the lyrics of the song, the meaning became unmistakably clear.
Garden Gale gripped the microphone.
Tightly.
So tightly that faint veins appeared beneath her pale skin. Her whole body tensed. She didn't believe she possessed much singing talent—but she wasn't tone-deaf either. As for standing on a stage this large…
She was simply doing the best she could.
All she could do was steady her heart.
And sing.
光の速さで駆け抜ける衝動は~
The impulse to gallop at the speed of light...~
A beam of light flashed.
In the reflection of the strings, Garden Gale's expression gradually sharpened into focus.
The moment she began doing the thing itself, the nerves vanished.
Fear faded.
Her body released cortisol, and calm slowly returned.
That first line was delicate.
Umamusume were treasures gifted by heaven.
Whether beauty or voice, they were masterpieces perfected by the Three Goddesses. There was no doubting that. Even with only modest singing technique, a voice like this could still make people stop in their tracks and listen.
And Garden Gale's beauty...
And her voice...
Both stood among the very finest even within the ranks of Umamusume.
If the heavens had given her a difficult personality, they had compensated her elsewhere.
何を犠牲にしても 叶えたい強さの覚悟~
...being resolved to obtain strength no matter what is sacrificed~
(No fear)一度きりの~
(No fear) Just this once,~
(Trust you)この瞬間に~
(Trust you) in this moment~
賭けてみろ 自分を信じて~
Bet on it, believe in yourself~
Under the piano's transposed arrangement, the message changed subtly.
It was no longer a fiery declaration of staking everything to become the best.
It sounded like the quiet reflection of someone who had stood atop mountains and fallen into valleys alike.
Someone who, after facing life's hardships once again, had reached a deeper understanding.
It was firm.
It was measured.
It was telling the story calmly.
From that calm came strength—quiet, but unyielding.
That was the meaning behind Garden Gale's singing.
She wanted to describe the self who had walked out of the depths.
For her, this piano arrangement fit unexpectedly well.
The relentless training every single day.
Opponents she once thought unbeatable.
Narita Top Road.
Admire Vega.
She had defeated them all.
All it took was to...
Train with everything you have.
Stake every chip you possess.
Believe in yourself.
But do not rush.
Because victory is already waiting there.
Garden Gale continued expressing the theme she wanted most to convey.
Yes.
This feeling.
Exactly this feeling.
She began to sink into it completely, wanting to pour out every emotion—tell the story of the road she had walked.
T.M. Opera O and Admire Vega could only serve as backing dancers and harmonies.
The audience had nearly all fallen silent in astonishment.
As mentioned before—Garden Gale's greatest weapon was the atmosphere she created.
She could transform even the surrounding environment into her ally, drawing people into the world she built until they became immersed in its quiet serenity.
And now?
On the stage stood a fragile white-flower girl, singing a slow song—telling the story of the path she had traveled.
It stirred sympathy.
Compassion.
Reaching the level of emotional resonance—that was the most powerful thing of all.
And it still wasn't over.
走れ今を まだ終われない~
Run! The present hasn't ended yet~
辿り着きたい場所があるから~
Because there is a place you want to reach~
その先へと進め~
Advance towards the finish line~
Just before the climax, the song paused for a single second.
This was the arrangement's greatest trick.
After slowly drawing listeners in, right before the explosion of emotion—
It halted.
Only for an instant.
And in that instant, the anticipation multiplied tenfold, a hundredfold. The pull became irresistible.
Garden Gale then unleashed the soaring high note.
By now, the Umamusume had completely immersed herself in the performance.
...
"Hey… hey."
Symboli Rudolf murmured under her breath.
"No way…"
Her voice carried nothing but disbelief.
But no matter how one looked at it what stood before her eyes was real.
What the Emperor witnessed was a Winner's Live overflowing with infectious power. The impact was explosive. Garden Gale might rarely make a move—but when she did, it was the best possible one.
Her performance ability was almost on par with the time Symboli Rudolf herself had performed "Winning The Soul."
However their emotions differed.
Symboli Rudolf's version burned with passion for victory.
Garden Gale's slow piano arrangement conveyed unwavering determination.
To stake everything on moving forward toward a goal.
To refuse fear even when knocked down.
Because life offers only this one chance—you must strive with all you have.
It was difficult to capture the meaning in a few simple words.
What she wanted to express was the landscape of an ordinary person chasing a dream midway through life.
That journey held countless hardships.
Misunderstanding.
Failure.
But all of it would become invisible hands.
Pushing you forward toward your destination.
Towards your dream.
Not leaving you stranded here, drifting aimlessly until the end.
The blue world of those Shibuya streets had become a canvas painted by countless trials.
Garden Gale's voice, intertwined with the song's theme, felt like a gentle push behind every dreamer's back.
Because the one chasing that dream—was herself.
A pure, delicate girl performing a simple slow song, yet carrying such an inspiring message.
How could anyone dislike it?
How could anyone hate it?
Sometimes the simplest things were the best.
And... she was unbelievably beautiful.
Even Symboli Rudolf, who had seen countless people, found herself staring without blinking.
So when Garden Gale got serious, her Winner's Live performances were actually quite impressive…
Perhaps I should have Garden Gale do more public appearances in the future…
Let her become a face of the Umamusume world.
The thought quietly surfaced in Rudolf's mind.
Even the audience began waving their glowsticks more energetically, chanting louder and louder. They too had been completely swept up by the performance.
What the heck—sure, it was a huge contrast from her usual image, but this Winner's Live was truly dazzling.
After all, hardly any Umamusume had taken the pure, innocent style before.
And Garden Gale had executed it perfectly.
...
Effort turns into sweat.
And once enough of it has accumulated—you can exchange it for cheers.
---
T/N: AWOOOGA
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