In horse girl races, there are four distinct running styles: "Front Runner", "Pace", "Stalker", and—the rarest of them all—"Closer".
The Front Runner dashes ahead from the start, blazing a trail at the forefront. That's exactly where Daiwa Scarlet, the current favorite, was now.
The Pace runners stick close behind the front runners, biding their time in the leading pack before seizing their chance to break free.
Stalkers linger in the middle of the pack, conserving enough stamina to unleash a devastating late-game burst, overtaking their rivals in the final stretch.
These first three styles were the most common, the most reasonable. The vast majority of horse girls chose one of them.
But the last style—the Closer—was something else entirely. It was the rarest, the most unorthodox, because a Closer started dead last, even farther behind than the Stalkers!
Usually, only those who fumbled their start or suffered a bad gate break were forced into this role. Positioned at the very back, the Closer had to endure an immense test of explosive power, stamina, and sheer strength.
It was a brutally difficult style to win with—yet when it did work, the sheer spectacle was unmatched. A heart-stopping, jaw-dropping reversal that no audience could resist!
And right now, Daiwa Scarlet, the undisputed favorite, was dominating as the Front Runner, firmly seated in first place. Meanwhile, Platinum, the overlooked Kuranta girl who had suffered a disastrous start, was finally making her move from the very back.
Under the stunned, disbelieving gazes of the Stalker pack, Platinum blazed past them in an instant—
Too fast! Faster than they could react!
That delicate-looking white-haired girl, who seemed like she'd shatter at a touch, had already left the Stalkers in the dust.
A radiant light, tearing through everything in its path, was now burning bright across the track—under the name Platinum!
And she wasn't stopping. Not until she reached the very front—not until she reached Daiwa Scarlet.
--+--
"Unbelievable! Absolutely unbelievable!"
"Platinum, who fell to last place after her poor start, is now charging forward without fear!"
"Before the third turn, she's already overtaken the Stalker pack—she's in fifth place now, and still accelerating!"
"It's as if she isn't worried about stamina loss at all! She's aiming straight for Daiwa Scarlet at the front!"
The commentator's voice rose, tinged with excitement.
A Closer—already rare enough—was accelerating this early?!
A bad start, dead last, the only Closer in the race… Even with a gap to the leader, no one pushed this hard so soon!
This debut race was over a thousand meters long—a tough challenge for rookie horse girls. Accelerating this early would drain her stamina!
From the commentators to the crowd, the same question buzzed in their minds, mixing curiosity and thrill.
And for the first time, their eyes finally peeled away from Daiwa Scarlet, the pace-setter at the front.
Was this… Platinum's moment?
--+--
"Huh? She's… accelerating now?"
At the front of the stands, Vodka tilted her head, her focus on her rival Daiwa Scarlet momentarily broken as she stared at Platinum.
A Closer pushing this early? That was… unheard of.
"Does she have the stamina to handle a 2000-meter race?"
Beside her, even Tokai Teio couldn't help but wonder.
If Platinum didn't have the endurance for 2000 meters, there was no way she'd be this confident in a 1000+ meter debut race—especially after a bad start.
But for a rookie this young… was that even possible?
Was this confidence born of strength? Or just reckless arrogance? Her opponent was Daiwa Scarlet, one of the next generation's brightest stars.
"Platinum… just who are you?"
"Her gate break, her stride, even her rhythm—it all feels amateurish. And yet, she's accelerating like this?"
Even Tokai Teio, a seasoned racer who usually paid little attention to newcomers, couldn't help but smirk in intrigue.
Was this some hidden monster, lying in wait for her moment? Or just a clueless fool?
--+--
"This is… surprisingly easy."
After the third turn, the Pegasus girl felt a flicker of surprise.
Against all expectations, it was like savoring a sweet dessert on a scorching summer day—her mood lightened, her heart steady.
Ahead of her, the Pace runners grew closer with every stride!
Platinum had assumed her first race—untrained, unprepared—would be a struggle against seasoned opponents. She hadn't even taken the start seriously, her fighting spirit lukewarm at best.
But now? After her poor start, her casual speed had already left many rivals behind. If she kept accelerating, the only one left to face would be…
Daiwa Scarlet herself.
And the craziest part? Even now, pushing this hard, she wasn't gasping for air, her lungs weren't burning, her legs weren't screaming in protest. The power and stamina in this body… were they this strong?!
This was only her second day as Platinum. She knew nothing about racing, had just been running on instinct—and yet, she felt no exhaustion. If anything, it was effortless!
Could it be… that "Platinum", the Kuranta girl she'd become, was actually… incredible?
An archer by trade, yet blessed with this much speed?
For the first time, a spark of excitement flickered in the lazy white-haired girl's heart. She wanted to see how far she could go.
After all, her opponent was Daiwa Scarlet—a powerhouse even in the anime, a rival brimming with potential.
If she could actually win against her…
Then that legendary, unprecedented Irregular Triple Crown… might not be out of reach!
Platinum shoved the thoughts aside, focusing solely on the final stretch. Her sharp emerald eyes locked onto the crimson figure ahead.
And in the next instant—
Whoosh!
Like an arrow shot from a bow, the girl named Platinum shot forward, unstoppable.
--+--
But what truly stunned the crowd was the overwhelming presence radiating from her—a petite, soft-looking girl now moving with the force of a monster.
An assassin of the bow, now blazing across the track with speed and power that seemed otherworldly.
The Pace runners ahead gritted their teeth, straining to hold their ground—but it was useless.
A tidal wave was crashing toward them from behind!
"No way… a monster like this in a debut race?!"
"This pressure… it's on par with Daiwa Scarlet's now, isn't it?!"
"This is the kind of showdown you see in major stakes races! Why are there two of them here?!"
"My legs feel heavy… like I'm being hunted! No way, no way!!"
The Pace runners could only watch, wide-eyed, as the silver streak flashed past them—without hesitation, without mercy—leaving them in the dust.
The stadium erupted. Even the fans who had come for Daiwa Scarlet now roared in awe at Platinum's overwhelming strength.
And then—
The commentator's voice soared, trembling with exhilaration.
"This is unreal! The intensity of this debut race is off the charts!"
"Platinum, who started dead last, has now overtaken both the Stalkers and the Pace runners!"
"The only one left ahead of her is the favorite—Daiwa Scarlet!"
"Without a doubt, this is the most thrilling debut race we've seen in years! Don't you dare look away—because you may never see another like it!"
What had begun as a one-sided race, where the only question was how much Daiwa Scarlet would win by…
Had now become something else entirely.
—A clash of legends!
--+--