...
This stability continued all the way to the final corner, where the positions in the horse herd began to shift once more.
After all, this wasn't Taiki Shuttle's strong suit. Though she had completely dominated the early pace, her lack of explosive power caused her to fall back on the final straight, and the light radiating from her body was no longer as dazzling.
Seiun Sky was also struggling. Though she had reclaimed first place, the moment she stepped onto the straight, she felt as though she had become prey being targeted.
And there wasn't just one hunter behind her...
"The Uma Musume selected for the Arima Kinen are truly elite racers!"
"Taiki Shuttle is no longer in the lead and has dropped to third! Second is Air Groove, first is Seiun Sky, but... Special Week is coming up, Grass Wonder is accelerating from the inside, and on the outside, King Halo and El Condor Pasa are accelerating too!"
The one who seizes the initiative will decide it in this final moment!
Mejiro Ryan still seemed to lack a bit of seasoning. Gazing at the figures of her senpai, she was filled with a sense of powerlessness.
If Mejiro McQueen were here, she probably wouldn't fare much better. Ignoring track conditions, their overall strength was still a notch below... but they were still young.
...
"The end of the run, the reason for victory, a new goal..." Scenes of past failures flashed through Special Week's mind—countless runs on the training grounds, and Lucian's unreserved trust in her. "Trainer... I still want to become Japan's number one Uma Musume after all!"
Strength surged endlessly from her legs. Her strides were like meteors skimming the ground, the cherry-blossom light growing ever more brilliant. Another storm whipped up cherry-blossom petals, swirling around Special Week like a vortex.
She accelerated and accelerated, continuously overtaking the rivals ahead, like a sharp sword cutting through layers of enveloping mist, locking onto the deep blue figure at the very front.
"Spe-chan, don't forget what I told you before the race." Grass Wonder slowly widened her eyes. That dangerous glint was finally no longer concealed. The momentum she unleashed hung over every Uma Musume like a sword, ready to fall at any moment—or perhaps it already had.
The light radiating from her was different from Seiun Sky's purity; it wasn't as gentle as Seiun Sky's either.
Ambition hidden beneath gentleness! A competitive spirit far surpassing that of the other Uma Musume!
But... this was the real Grass Wonder.
The other figure on the outside was equally formidable.
"El Condor Pasa takes the stage!" She was like a prairie fire fallen to earth, fanning wings woven from flames... A crimson monstrous bird, dancing and soaring across the turf!
Air Groove with steps that shook the ground, King Halo wrapped in radiant light... Latecomers overtaking the front!
After the undulating slopes, the final 200 meters unfolded the ultimate showdown.
...
"Seiun Sky hasn't slowed down—she's holding on! She's still in first!"
"El Condor Pasa overtakes Grass Wonder, Special Week, King Halo... Special Week surges back ahead!"
The gap between the four was tiny; their rankings fluctuated like waves, constantly closing in on Seiun Sky.
...
Lucian could barely contain his excitement. His gaze locked onto Seiun Sky as he pressed against the railing and shouted, "Seiun, hold on! Remember your speed-endurance training! You're just one step away!"
His eyes were wide, his lips trembling after shouting, and he even felt the urge to cry...
Seiun Sky's bloodline in horse racing had once been considered "lowly," so she received almost no attention upon debut.
All her achievements were earned through her own efforts—perhaps one reason she often trained in secret even after reincarnating as an Uma Musume.
(This is also why I delayed writing Seiun Sky entering the second stage.)
Her career should have ended the moment she won the Kikuka Sho, but Lucian saw in her a spirit and strength of relentless self-improvement.
"Seiun!!!"
...
Could this fervent hope reach the Uma Musume running freely on the turf?
"I can't lose!"
Seiun Sky clenched her teeth, her face pale, but her body once again burst forth with dazzling light!
She took another step. In Lucian's eyes, a vision of a mirror-like water-sky suddenly appeared. That foot came down heavily, yet it gently rippled the calm lake surface, circle after circle.
The rising clamor and the fierce pursuit of powerful rivals seemed, in this moment, to turn into a single droplet, merging into this tranquil world.
A gentle breeze blew past, and the ripples spread all the way to Lucian's feet—like the smiling face of this world, and Seiun Sky's response to Lucian.
"Trainer, I heard you."
...
"Boom——"
The water-sky mirror shattered into ice crystals. The massive shockwave blasted toward Lucian, whipping his hair into disarray.
Bracing against the wind, he watched that figure finally hold out until the finish line.
...
"Seiun Sky! The first to cross the line is Seiun Sky!"
"She withstood the pressure from the powerful Uma Musume behind her!"
"She is the ultimate victor!"
The stands erupted; everyone stood and cheered, shouting Seiun Sky's name.
The "Dream" group also breathed a sigh of relief, breaking into smiles.
Only Lucian saw Seiun Sky cross the finish line, bow her head on the turf and pant for a long time, then suddenly flinch.
Only when he saw her take a faltering step, like a sheet of upright paper that could be toppled by a gust of wind, did he frown tightly, vault over the stand railing, and jog toward her.
She had only just entered the second stage and already glimpsed the Zone—Lucian didn't even dare imagine what toll it would take on her body!
"Trainer!?"
The "Dream" Uma Musume were stunned watching Lucian flip over the wall, stumble on landing, and nearly fall.
But Lucian offered no explanation and continued jogging onto the turf.
...
Seiun Sky clutched her waist, blinking desperately—only then could the blurry scene before her eyes become clear.
"You guys really... made it so hard for me to win."
She wanted to respond to the crowd's cheers and her rivals' congratulations, but why was there ringing in her ears...
Oh, right—and the embrace from her favorite Trainer.
"Seiun!"
She lifted her head. In the haze, a familiar figure ran toward her, then without a word scooped her up in his arms.
"Trainer..." Seiun Sky's voice was weak, yet it couldn't hide her surprise.
"Drink the glucose. Don't talk."
"Mm." Seiun Sky obediently finished it. Seeing Lucian's anxious expression and reddened eyes, she smiled at the corners of her mouth. "I won, but it was so exhausting... I still have to thank the audience and go to the winner's stage..."
"Thank my ass—don't talk!" Lucian cursed in his urgency. He tried to calm his racing heart and spoke as gently as possible: "Take a nap, or sleep a bit. When you wake up, we'll celebrate this victory."
"I finally beat Spe-chan, heehee... I didn't let you down."
The tears Lucian had been holding back finally spilled from his eyes. "Mm, you were amazing."
Everyone else cared only about the result of her victory; only Lucian cared about her body.
"I like you the most, Trainer..." Seiun Sky raised a hand to wipe away Lucian's tears, then quietly fell asleep in his arms.
...
(And so the Arima Kinen ends. Next is the basement, then back to the main plot.)