Yet, Twilight Song was also rapidly adapting to the track.
Her lack of raw strength was indeed her greatest weakness, forcing the petite filly to expend far more effort navigating this muddy track at full speed.
Even more clearly than ever before, she was visibly struggling.
Yet anyone watching closely could see—
This was merely a minor inconvenience.
Because despite everything stacked against her, Twilight Song was still accelerating relentlessly.
The distance between her and Dancing Brave steadily shrank—not suddenly, but surely enough!
Was Dancing Brave the attacker, leading since the start?
No—in truth, she was the one desperately defending her position, fleeing for her life.
She'd planned meticulously, using even the track conditions to her advantage. Against any other Uma Musume, Dancing Brave might have already clinched victory with these tactics—but!
Her opponent was Twilight Song.
Twilight Song!
Could even the most flawless plan truly work against her?
"She's catching up—at the first curve! She's done it! Ruka is accelerating even further! Our filly, who initially lagged behind, is now closing in! Through the first corner, perfectly executed! She's drawing closer, still closer! Will she overtake here? Will she strike down the legend right now?"
At Longchamp's first curve, the conditions had become dangerously treacherous, draining stamina at an alarming rate.
The ferocity of Twilight Song's pace sent her small frame burning hot, the rain striking her body instantly evaporating into an unstoppable white mist around her.
But that exact phenomenon highlighted an undeniable truth:
This was placing immense strain on her body.
As she approached the curve, Twilight Song felt a sudden, sharp pain tear through her chest, followed by a choking wave rising toward her throat.
This is it, she realized grimly.
The first and probably the last time something like this happens during a race—but I absolutely can't let it happen now, not in front of everyone!
What choice did she have?
Only one, really.
Almost at the exact moment she accelerated into the curve, Twilight Song made the decision she knew was inevitable—her last remaining option.
She'd always known she had a way to avoid any negative status during a race, a way to temporarily break free from the curse of coughing blood—
[Warning: Remaining lifespan critically insufficient.]
[Activation poses risk of immediate death. Confirm activation?]
Why are you still hesitating at a moment like this? If I don't do this now, even dying wouldn't bring peace! Activate it!
[Blaze Fiercely—My Life Itself Is Fuel!]
Twilight Song roared in fury—feral, fierce, a dying monster hidden within her tiny frame. What if her life was nearly extinguished?
Even if her brilliance lasted no longer than a shooting star, at least she'd once burned gloriously enough to light an entire era!
It's only life, right? It's only consciousness—if I can't preserve them, then I'll just let them blaze away without restraint! Someone, surely someone, will remember my existence, right?
Fire erupted violently, endlessly, wrapping itself around Twilight Song's body for all the Uma Musume to witness. The flames coiled, corroding her flesh, bringing searing agony.
Yet, the sensation of being consumed by fire became an inexhaustible source of power!
Face death to seize life—charge!
[Remaining lifespan rapidly decreasing.]
[Warning: Countdown mode initiated.]
Countdown mode? So this was the cost of burning life itself?
Who cares—let it burn! As long as I run fast enough, as long as I sprint forward with everything I have, it'll be enough!
Twilight Song accelerated further.
Or perhaps, accelerating was now all she could do—her only imaginable path.
Her life was already counting down, yet so much of the race still remained. Dancing Brave? Such an opponent had long since vanished from her vision; Twilight Song was no longer staring at her back!
Twilight Song raced forward as if flying low above the ground, carving through the storm at incredible speed. The once-shortening gap vanished in an instant!
Shock had barely crossed Dancing Brave's face before swiftly turning into despair and astonishment—
Because Twilight Song, in the blink of an eye, had surged past at a speed utterly beyond Dancing Brave's full power!
In ordinary circumstances, the winner should've been clear by now.
Dancing Brave's expression darkened, but she still grit her teeth and chased fiercely. She refused to accept such bitter defeat—not until the end!
"She's caught up—she's overtaken! Our new queen, our filly, Twilight Song, Twilight Song! Will history be written now? The first straight has ended—she's taken the lead! Is the great runaway duel at 2,300 meters already decided? She approaches the second curve without slowing down at all! Still no slowdown—she's so fast, unbelievably fast! Twilight Song, the first runaway Uma Musume, is about to claim an unprecedented victory at the Arc and announce her reign over the era!"
All eyes were fixed on her. The entire world seemed to hold its breath, fists clenched tightly in anticipation. The universe itself now existed solely in those final moments, filled only by the announcer's roar, thunder, and an even greater, more magnificent sound swelling above all else—
"Caesar! Caesar! Ruka! Ruka!"
Their deafening cheers overwhelmed even the thunder itself, becoming a prayer powerful enough to summon miracles.
Thousands upon thousands of eyes traced one delicate figure: small, seemingly fragile, her pale skin and fluttering skirt piercing through the curtain of rain. The swirling mist surrounding her seemed to act as the most loyal guards escorting their queen.
Watched by all, Twilight Song thundered toward the final corner. She was about to win, about to create a new era!
Yet precisely as she accelerated around the curve, in a moment of stunned shock, Twilight Song suddenly began to slow—slowing, slowing further—
Until she almost stopped entirely.
A mouthful of blood, flecked with fragments, sprayed from her lips into the curtain of rain.
[Remaining Lifespan: 0 Days, 0 Hours, 0 Seconds.]