The Central Committee members had thought Sunday Silence's appearance was the peak of surprises.
But Tokai Teio's arrival left them utterly unable to stay seated. It wasn't just the Committee; tens of thousands in the racetrack were stunned.
"What's going on? Didn't Tokai Teio admire Rudolf more than anyone? Why is she standing against her now?"
"Wait a minute... Could Teio also be connected to the foreign faction?"
The crowd erupted in discussion. From the moment Teio stepped onto the track, she became the center of attention.
Rudolf, however, seemed to have anticipated this. She simply said calmly, "You're here."
"Of course."
"Kousei has already seen the world through her own eyes. What about you?"
"Isn't the answer right here?"
Rudolf smiled knowingly. The two juniors who had once trailed behind her had now outgrown their admiration. A good thing, she thought.
She pulled out the glove Teio had once thrown down and declared before the crowd, "I accept your challenge."
An uproar swept through the audience. The situation had taken an utterly unexpected turn.
If it's Tokai Teio...
The dissenting voices gradually faded as people began to adopt a neutral stance. For the year-end grand stage, no one was more fitting than Tokai Teio. A successor no one could object to, the original star of her generation had returned to the spotlight.
"Appearing at this exact moment... She must have planned this all along! The athlete's tunnel should have been guarded. How did Tokai Teio even get here?" a Central Committee member muttered, completely baffled.
The reason no one had stopped Teio was simple: the Committee's own people had been intercepted.
"Miss Hayakawa... Mr. T..."
A large group of guards found themselves blocked by just two individuals, exchanging nervous glances as cold sweat dripped down their faces. One was the Director's Secretary, the other the recently prominent Mr. T—essentially the Central Committee's acting agent. The appearance of these two second-in-commands here was enough to make anyone's mind race.
"Thank you for your trouble, but please return the way you came," Mr. T said with a smile.
"But Mr. T... we saw Tokai Teio..."
"It's fine. You were just following orders. I'll take responsibility for everything, understand?"
The guards were already considering retreating, and Mr. T's words tempted them further. Still, for various reasons, they hesitated to leave.
"We can't, Mr. T. This is our duty."
"Ah, I remember you," Mr. T said, his gaze landing on the speaker. "You've always been very diligent."
"Ah? I-I'm just doing my job," the guard stammered, flattered by the unexpected praise.
"You work so hard, striving for promotion... I imagine you must have certain needs."
Mr. T slowly approached, a cryptic smile on his face, and pressed something into the guard's hand. "Take this. Unlike the Central Committee, I'm quite generous."
The guard glanced at the object and hastily pocketed it, his demeanor shifting instantly.
"Then I'll take my leave, Mr. T," he said, bowing respectfully before departing.
"If any of you have needs," Mr. T announced to the remaining guards, "you know where to find me."
The guards exchanged glances, weighing their options. With Miss Hayakawa here and Mr. T offering his guarantee, there's no way the blame will fall on us. It's just a job. Why get so involved?
With that, the guards who had been pursuing Teio all withdrew.
"With you here, Mr. T, there's truly nothing to worry about," Miss Hayakawa teased.
"It's thanks to you being here, Miss Hayakawa. I doubt I could have persuaded them on my own."
Having worked together for so long, this kind of banter was routine for them.
"They shouldn't cause any more trouble, right?"
The Central Committee's side was handled, and Rudolf had already ordered the Student Council not to interfere. Yet, some members had still turned back, taking advantage of Narita Brian's momentary lapse in vigilance.
Brian's aloof nature meant she rarely got involved in such matters, which gave these opportunists their opening.
Most of them were Umamusume who supported the Central Committee; it was no surprise that the Student Council had been infiltrated. They rushed back, determined to stop Tokai Teio's intervention.
In the bright light ahead, two imposing figures blocked their path. A closer look revealed them to be Kousei and Mejiro McQueen.
"Kousei? What's she doing here?" the lead Umamusume asked, suddenly tense.
The two were no longer the same as they once were. The Mejiro clan was now the most powerful in Central, and as its Clan Head, McQueen's words carried immense weight.
"Where are you all headed?" McQueen asked, feigning ignorance.
"McQueen, Teio is disrupting order. As Student Council members, we must stop her," the leader replied. Though she knew McQueen was playing dumb, she forced herself to patiently engage with her.
"She's just going on stage to say a few words. That hardly counts as disrupting order. Besides, isn't Teio also a member of the Student Council?"
"Since Teio is a member of the Student Council, this is an internal matter. It would be best if you didn't interfere, McQueen."
"Oh, dear." McQueen had never been one for verbal sparring, so her faltering was no surprise.
"I'm sure you all understand in your hearts that Central is no longer what it once was. Teio is going on stage to change that. Is the Central of today truly what you hope for?"
"We only follow the rules. Nothing else matters." The Student Council members were completely unyielding, like oil and salt that refuse to mix. No matter how McQueen tried to persuade them, their only response was, "We follow the rules."
"McQueen."
Kousei suddenly stopped her. She took a step forward, catching both sides by surprise.
Kousei's eyes blazed with Flame Wheels, instantly setting the entire corridor ablaze. The others gasped for air, collapsing to one knee under the pressure. Wherever the fire snakes slithered, they left horrifying scars. A Red Mist filled the air, twisting Kousei and McQueen's silhouettes into demonic shapes. A single glare was enough to silence these so-called elites.
"Leave. There won't be a second warning."
The Red Mist dissipated, leaving no trace behind. The entire spectacle seemed like a mere illusion. The Student Council members shakily got to their feet, their hearts still pounding with fear.
"Is that the Gate Technique? She's like a monster!" the leader couldn't help but tremble. Kousei had overwhelmed them with sheer presence alone.
Kousei and Mejiro McQueen—the pinnacles of both the World and Central—were here. From the very beginning, there had been no room for them to interfere.
"In that case, we'll take our leave." With those words, the group scurried away in defeat.
Kousei glanced at McQueen. "See? Simple, wasn't it?"
"Of course it's easy to scare them," McQueen replied.
"I think they were just taking advantage of your kindness," Kousei said.
As they matured, McQueen's temper mellowed while Kousei's grew more volatile. This amplification of their temperaments was a common issue among most Umamusume.
"Your Gate Technique has become so refined," McQueen remarked. "I doubt anyone can compare to you now."
"Of course," Kousei declared with a grin. "I am the King of the Arc de Triomphe, after all."
They exchanged a knowing smile. Having reached the pinnacle of the World, their brilliance was too sharp to be concealed. How could they possibly hold back now?
"Everything is ready," Kousei announced. "It's our turn to take the stage."