...
The long-anticipated Yayoi Sho was about to begin.
Even before the race started, the host had already ignited the atmosphere at the venue.
In the racetrack's resting room, aside from the members of "Dream," Grass Wonder and Tokai Teio had also come to cheer them on.
Lucian brought the racing shoes commonly used by Special Week and Seiun Sky to them.
"The horseshoes are firmly fixed with no signs of damage... I've also checked the shoes—no glue separation. Put them on."
"Thank you, Trainer-san."
"Thanks." Seiun Sky secretly wished Lucian would put them on for her.
Tokai Teio, watching from the side, was somewhat surprised by Lucian's meticulousness.
"Spe-chan and Seiun-chan, do your best!" Haru Urara cheered for them.
Silence Suzuka smiled at the two. "Good luck."
"Spe-chan, once my foot heals, I want to race against you too," said Grass Wonder, who was currently injured with bandages wrapped around her leg.
"Alright, get ready and head out. Both of you, do your best."
After giving his final encouragement, Lucian watched as Seiun Sky and Special Week walked into the entrance tunnel.
"Trainer," Urara suddenly tugged at Lucian's sleeve. "If Spe-chan or Seiun-chan wins, are we going to hold a victory party again?"
Lucian was momentarily puzzled by the question, but upon reflection, it made sense. Urara was being considerate.
Would holding a celebration for one make the other feel bad?
"We'll talk about it after the race."
...
"Welcome to all the spectators here today! The Yayoi Sho is about to begin—let's take a look at this year's participants!"
As the host called out each name, the stands erupted with enthusiastic cheers.
When Special Week and the others made their entrance, the atmosphere reached its peak.
After leaving the resting room, Lucian and the others squeezed into the spectator seats.
Just then, the participating horse girls finished their warm-ups and entered the starting gates one after another.
Special Week and Seiun Sky were positioned in the middle, with only one stall separating them.
King Halo was closer to the inner track, while Dextrous Bailey was on the outer track.
The race began without any prelude—the moment the gates opened marked the official start.
This required the horse girls to be highly focused; otherwise, they would fall behind right from the start.
Indeed, one horse girl made a mistake at the start and ended up at the back of the pack.
"Currently leading is King Halo! In second place is... and in third... Special Week, the second most popular contender, and Seiun Sky, the third most popular, are both holding steady in the middle positions!"
This time, Seiun Sky didn't immediately adopt a "front-running" strategy. For the first 1,000 meters, she maintained her own pace, drafting behind the leading horses.
Special Week did the same, staying firmly to Seiun Sky's left rear.
Noticing Special Week in her peripheral vision, Seiun Sky grew even more determined to win.
...
As the pack entered the turn again, the formation underwent a dramatic change.
"Move! Move!"
Thanks to Dextrous Bailey's robust physique, the other horse girls avoided colliding with her, deliberately giving way.
This allowed her to break through from the middle of the pack, positioning herself right beside Seiun Sky—blocking Special Week's path.
From the stands, the "Dream" team members, seeing this scene, worried that history was about to repeat itself.
"She's not planning to use that tactic again, is she?"
"She probably won't."
Lucian hadn't noticed any intentional contact from Dextrous Bailey toward Special Week or Seiun Sky.
It seemed she had taken his words to heart.
However, the situation on the track was still critical.
They were about to exit the final turn and enter the homestretch.
If Seiun Sky and Special Week couldn't break free due to the obstruction ahead, winning would become much harder.
"Do your best. The timing is yours to judge now."
...
"They've entered the final stretch! But what awaits them is a 200-meter uphill slope!"
"Seiun Sky is accelerating! She overtakes Dextrous Bailey just before the slope and closes in on King Halo!"
Seizing the perfect moment, Seiun Sky made her move.
Gritting her teeth, she leaned lower to reduce wind resistance, feeling the fierce rush of air against her body.
"This time, I won't let you block me again!"
The instant Seiun Sky surged forward, Special Week also sprang into action.
She charged forward from the outer track, visibly gaining ground on Dextrous Bailey and rapidly closing in on King Halo and Seiun Sky.
"What...?" Dextrous Bailey was stunned by Special Week's progress.
She pushed herself to the limit but could only watch as Special Week's back—so close yet so far—pulled ahead.
During their debut race, the gap between them had been less than a length.
...
The competing horse girls raced out of the screen's view, and all eyes in the stadium were fixed on the three main contenders: Special Week, Seiun Sky, and King Halo.
The moment they hit the slope, all three felt as if they had slammed into an invisible wall. Their legs turned to lead, each step heavier than the last.
Yet, even so, they couldn't stop.
When physical strength runs out, sheer willpower carries you forward.
The results of their training were on full display!
On the slope, both Seiun Sky and Special Week steadily overtook King Halo.
Meanwhile, King Halo, burdened by the risks of her front-running strategy, exhausted her stamina first and gradually slowed down.
With King Halo falling behind, the three-way battle became a one-on-one duel.
The "Dream" team's internal showdown had Lucian and the others on the edge of their seats.
Both were dear to them—even Urara didn't know whom to cheer for at this point.
Lucian's hands unconsciously tightened around the railing.
Then, he saw it again—that fleeting glimmer of light. Though still faint, it was undeniably real.
"I will win! I'll prove it to Trainer!"
"Absolutely... absolutely... I can't lose! I won't betray Mama and Trainer's expectations! I'll become Japan's number one horse girl!"
...
The closer they got to the finish line, the stronger the resolve burning in Seiun Sky and Special Week grew.
The end was in sight. Seiun Sky pushed forward with everything she had, but Special Week's figure loomed like an encroaching shadow, gradually dominating her field of vision.
"I can't lose..."
"I can't catch up..."
"Why can't I catch up...?"
Seiun Sky watched as Special Week surged past her, crossing the finish line—shattering her dreams in an instant.