They're... all coming now?!
Mejiro McQueen stared blankly ahead, having just stepped onto the turf of the third turn, utterly stunned.
From her perspective, there was still nearly an entire stretch ahead leading to the bend, and then the final homestretch.
It wasn't entirely unexpected that Pegasus Platinum would keep accelerating fiercely—her signature burst of speed always came earlier and faster than most other Uma Musume. That much didn't surprise Mejiro McQueen.
But after Platinum, those two pitch-black figures... those two additional zones... what was going on?!
'Rice Shower... and Manhattan Cafe... have they lost their minds?!'
'Why are they daring to kick into gear so early, even activating their zones already?!'
What Mejiro McQueen didn't know was that Rice Shower had come specifically for her.
As long as she could overtake McQueen, that alone would count as success for Rice Shower!
And as for Manhattan Cafe—she was famously one of Platinum's victims. In the Kikuka-shō, she ended up at the very bottom of Platinum's Hall of Fame, losing by a full large margin more than Dubai Millennium, who finished second to last.
That Kikuka-shō was 3000 meters long, and this Spring Tennō-shō was even longer!
Who could say whether this time... the margin might be even greater?
To avoid adding another black mark to her record, to prevent another crushing defeat, Manhattan Cafe didn't dare take any chances.
So, Manhattan Cafe was the first to start accelerating, soon joined by Rice Shower on either side, both charging toward Platinum and Mejiro McQueen ahead!
Two dark-haired girls, both masters of their Zones and extremely specialized in long distances, were launching their assault!!
"No... I can't hesitate any longer!"
"If this keeps up, once they pass me, it'll be nearly impossible to accelerate back ahead."
A look of determination flashed across Mejiro McQueen's refined features. Her resolute gaze fixed firmly on the Pegasus Hall of Fame at the finish line ahead.
She couldn't admit defeat!
She had to accelerate!
Well then... unleash it, the zone she took so much pride in!
This star of the Mejiro family still refused to surrender her leading position. Showing noble resolve, she gritted her teeth and poured every ounce of her strength into her run!
"It's all or nothing—I can't let go... of the view from the top two!"
[Zone: Activated]
[Passive: Moderately reduces Zone consumption. While active, continuously slightly reduces suppression and weakening effects from all zones on the field, and slightly increases acceleration and power.]
[(A Noble Duty Must Be Fulfilled): Resolve to absolutely not be overtaken, boosts fighting spirit and slightly increases speed; if stamina remains ample for long distances, speed increases further.]
[(Maintain the Lead): When pulling ahead and leading, slightly...]
The next instant, Mejiro McQueen—hailed as the jewel of the Mejiro family and one of the greatest long-distance champions in Japanese history—pounded the turf with powerful legs, erupting into a fearsome, astonishing sprint.
It was a burst of speed that easily matched, if not surpassed, the two dark figures behind her—Manhattan Cafe and Rice Shower. In an instant, she maintained the gap between herself and those two dark horse contenders.
But this outcome was something none of the three—Mejiro McQueen, Rice Shower, and Manhattan Cafe—could accept!
In a flash—!
On the long track of the Spring Tennō-shō, before the homestretch had even arrived, four zones erupted simultaneously, clashing and competing in the most intense confrontation!
Just as Mejiro McQueen's galloping strides carried her toward the still-distant homestretch, intent on maintaining and extending her lead...
The next moment, out of the corner of her eye, she could no longer see that silver-white figure behind her.
It wasn't that she had overtaken Platinum the moment she activated her Zone—that kind of thing only happened in dreams.
That silver-white figure... was maintaining an absolute charge right beside Mejiro McQueen!
"Huh?"
Mejiro McQueen stared in disbelief!
She... she had used her Zone, given it everything she had!
And Pegasus Platinum—hadn't she only activated her Zone's suppression and passive skills? On top of that, after maintaining it for so long, it should have been nearly impossible for her Zone to still be active.
So why—!
Why was there no sign of weakening? Why could she still... go even faster?!
'Huh? When Platinum was in second place earlier, was she pushing me to accelerate without actually going all out?'
'That wasn't her full power at all—she was deliberately disrupting my rhythm, like a cat toying with a mouse?'
'The moment I decided to go all out... was the moment she got serious?'
Only now, when giving her all still wasn't enough to pull away from the silver-white Uma Musume beside her, did Mejiro McQueen finally understand.
In an instant, the silver-white pegasus at her side—that terrifying aura! That killing intent as if she'd emerged from a real battlefield!—made the star of the Mejiro family feel tense, almost frightened.
As she processed it all, her fighting spirit didn't grow stronger—on the contrary, maintaining even her current level was becoming extremely difficult.
"What... what a terrifying monster."
"This Pegasus is so strong, she doesn't even seem like an Uma Musume!"
The moment that thought crossed her mind...
In the next instant, Mejiro McQueen's determined face looked as if she had witnessed something unbelievable.
Platinum's perpetual [Pegasian Sight] showed no signs of fading. Instead, it was only now beginning to reveal its truly hidden, powerful nature!
An assassin wouldn't show their strength early.
That was something the "Idol Knight" version of Platinum would do when leading a runaway!
Right now, the silver-white girl was still acting as the Platinum Supreme, the elite assassin, giving the young rookie assassin Rice Shower a lesson!
And now, Platinum's [Pegasian Sight] finally began to activate its skills.
[(Swift Archer): The closer she gets to the Uma Musume ahead, the faster her speed increases. When no one is ahead...]
[(Knight Slayer): The more cumulative Uma Musume she overtakes, the faster her speed increases. When no one is ahead...]
[(Shining Pegasus): When taking a leading position in the field...]
Suddenly, the pace of the Pegasus running beside Mejiro McQueen became faster than she could ever have imagined!
That dazzling silver-white figure didn't engage in any so-called "duel" or "showdown"—with effortless grace, she overtook Mejiro McQueen in one swift move!
The star of the Mejiro family, Mejiro McQueen... was utterly shocked!!
That was... a final kick! An acceleration!
At 3200 meters, how could she still unleash a final kick?!
The long-distance champion couldn't comprehend it—she was shocked to her core.
Even though she was gritting her teeth and pushing with all her might, no matter how unbelievable it seemed, she couldn't mimic the Pegasus's final kick. She was powerless to close the gap.
An overwhelming sense of powerlessness spread through Mejiro McQueen's heart.
The last time she felt this powerless was... well, the last time.
During the Arima Kinen!
Back then, after her crushing defeat, Mejiro McQueen could still console herself with the excuse that she wasn't suited to the Arima Kinen—that 2500 meters was too short for her.
But now, this was the 3200-meter Spring Tennō-shō, the distance she had excelled at throughout her career! Was she really going to repeat the powerlessness of the Arima Kinen?!
With eyes wide in disbelief, no matter how hard she swung her arms or stomped the ground, she couldn't close the gap with the Pegasus ahead by even a fraction.
One length!
Two lengths!
Before the homestretch even arrived, she—the master of long distances—was already being left in the dust!
"No... no! I can't give up so easily."
Mejiro McQueen, her breathing growing more ragged, was filled with frustration.
"I can't let the gap widen so easily. I'm carrying the glory of the Mejiro family."
Before this, Mejiro McQueen had only faced Platinum once, in the Arima Kinen. Without a final kick of her own, she had unsurprisingly suffered a crushing defeat in the race that tested that very ability.
Because of that, her statue had never been erected in the Pegasus Hall of Fame.
Even if she couldn't surpass the Pegasus Hall of Fame as a winner, at the very least... she wanted to join it!
If you can't beat them, join them!
"At least... at least I have to hold on to second place!"
As that thought formed in her mind, she noticed that at the finish line, the divine silhouette of the girl enthroned in the Pegasus Hall of Fame was drawing her bow.
The icy judgment had swiftly arrived at the final moment.
"Sixteen."
Then, the Platinum silhouette in its divine form fired one final arrow!
The brilliant, meteor-like arrow shot through what remained of Mejiro McQueen's fighting spirit!
And at the very front, the silver-white girl with an empty quiver was galloping like a shooting star toward the homestretch.
--+--
[Unbelievable! Even on her first try with a front-running strategy, Pegasus remains as imposing as ever!]
[Platinum has instantly overtaken the fully-powered defending Spring Tennō-shō champion, Mejiro McQueen!]
[Even before the homestretch, Pegasus Platinum has already built a three-length lead and is the first to clear the final turn alone!]
[Behind her, a fierce battle for "second place" is unfolding—Rice Shower and Manhattan Cafe have caught up to Mejiro McQueen's side.]
[Platinum at the front seems to be performing a graceful solo dance! Behind her, a bloody struggle for second is underway!]
[Four lengths! Five lengths! As Platinum enters the homestretch, she mercilessly extends her lead!]
As the commentator's voice grew increasingly excited—
Mejiro McQueen had just snapped out of the daze caused by the Pegasus' stunning overtaking effect, the meteor-like arrow that had pierced through her... when she suddenly saw two dark figures arriving at her left and right.
Rice Shower!
Manhattan Cafe!
In that instant, Mejiro McQueen's pupils contracted sharply.
To her left, the petite, cute dark-haired girl Rice Shower was icy cold—her eyes seemed to flicker with blue flames, radiating killing intent.
'Compared to the Pegasus' aura that feels like it can hunt down anything, McQueen is much easier to handle.'
'Rice Shower, at the very least... must defeat her!'
Along with Manhattan Cafe, the three-way battle for supremacy had begun!
Long before the race, many spectators had predicted a [three-way] showdown.
However, that trio was initially expected to be Platinum, Mejiro McQueen, and Manhattan Cafe.
But now, Rice Shower had emerged as the dark horse, going toe-to-toe with Mejiro McQueen and Manhattan Cafe—like an assassin making her move, refusing to yield an inch!
But if they were the top three, then what about Pegasus? Where did she fit in?
At this moment, even the calmest among them—Mejiro McQueen and Manhattan Cafe—couldn't answer that.
In the eyes of these three long-distance specialists, their goal had gradually shifted from "must win" to "must not lose by too many lengths to still enter the Hall of Fame," and finally to...
Aiming for second place—just making it into the Pegasus Hall of Fame would be success!!
Behind Platinum, the three-way battle raged on, almost neck-and-neck, locked in a desperate struggle.
And in the ears of those three Uma Musume, the zone music from Pegasus echoed, building toward its finale.
[It's over]
['Cause I'm coming]
[I'm coming for you]
--+--
Just as the three Uma Musume behind Platinum were fully engaged in their final, fierce clash...
Ahead of them, that silver-white figure, dancing as if alone, had already stretched her lead to an absurd margin—a large difference!
Eleven lengths!
Twelve lengths!
Platinum didn't know about the intense battle behind her, didn't realize that those three star contenders were fighting a heated battle for the sole remaining spot in her Hall of Fame.
She wouldn't dwell on it anyway.
The Uma Musume she had overtaken were no longer considered opponents!
Once the assassin fully unleashed her acceleration, leaving no one in sight and claiming the front all to herself...
In Platinum's eyes, all that remained was to finish the race as soon as possible!
The fun was gone—all she wanted was to clock out!
Amid the astonished voices from the stands, under the glow of Terra's Twin Moons, the shining silver-white figure entered the latter half of the homestretch.
Fifteen lengths!
Sixteen lengths!
Seventeen lengths!
[This is Platinum! This is the Eclipse!]
[Platinum leads! Platinum leads! Can Mejiro McQueen catch up? Can she still do it... She can't!]
[The finish line is right ahead for Pegasus Platinum. The path to becoming the greatest long-distance Uma Musume in Japanese history lies squarely at her feet!]
Even the commentator's voice was tinged with shock and awe.
Platinum, still accelerating on the homestretch, was leaving behind Mejiro McQueen—a long-distance monster many considered one of the top three in history—by a staggering margin!
Just what kind of incredible stamina and power would that require?
Though there was still less than half of the homestretch to go, the stands were already erupting with thunderous cheers—countless voices were celebrating early!
"Gwak, seeing such an amazing race, even dying would be worth the price of admission!"
"Boo hoo, Miss Platinum, please don't go! Run one more race in Japan—I want to see you fly again!"
"I won't argue with Mejiro McQueen's fans about whether Platinum is the long-distance GOAT, but the facts speak for themselves."
"For the Takarazuka Kinen, we have to vote for Platinum! I hope once Miss Tokai Teio recovers from her injury, she can compete for a spot in the Pegasus Hall of Fame!"
"Huh? Weren't you a fan of Miss Teio before?"
"Yeah, exactly because she was my former idol, I want her to make it into the Pegasus Hall of Fame. It's the ultimate honor—to be recorded in history alongside Miss Pegasus!"
"I'm Platinum's loyal dog!!"
As countless voices rang out, the silver-white figure was already charging toward the finish line.
Under the mysterious, imposing glow of Terra's Twin Moons, Platinum's swift and shining form radiated both the cold edge of an assassin and the holy brilliance of a knight—captivating every Uma Musume behind her and every spectator in the stands, leaving an indelible mark!
The Platinum Supreme was galloping toward the finish line—and toward clocking out!
Nineteen lengths!
Twenty lengths!
Just as the top three behind her began to slightly separate into ranks—
That silver-white girl, her icy eyes filled with the authority to end the race.
Even though the track still hosted three other powerful Zones—a luxurious lineup—none could hold back Platinum!
The silver-white girl, Platinum, was advancing toward the finish line with the absolute bearing of a monarch, galloping with final, breathtaking speed.
The Platinum Supreme did not speak—she only accelerated!
That silver-white figure transformed into a stream of light—a peerless, swift arrow aimed squarely at the target of the finish line, piercing through it with her very body!!
Finally—!!
[If you can't go faster, you can't answer the challenge!]
[If you can't grow stronger, you can't surpass!]
[And if you can't answer these passionate cheers, you don't deserve to win!]
[Pegasus Platinum, with absolute performance that meets and exceeds all expectations! With a stunning, super large difference victory!]
At the finish line, Platinum, with no interest in looking back, ran with cold, supreme speed... and crossed first!
That was... a super large difference of twenty-one lengths!!
--+--
In the packed stands, countless voices celebrating...
Echoed throughout the racecourse!
It was shock! It was delight!
After all, her opponent was Mejiro McQueen—once considered the greatest long-distance Uma Musume in Japanese history.
And before the race, many had lamented that Platinum might embark on overseas campaigns and never race in Japan again.
But now, Mejiro McQueen—who had achieved excellent results and was regarded as unprecedented in long distance—had been overtaken by the Pegasus in the most direct way possible, by a super large difference!
Nearly every Japanese middle and long-distance record had been broken by Platinum!
"Miss Platinum is second to none! Without a doubt, this is proof of her supreme strength!"
"I suspect many of the records set by the Pegasus will stand for decades, unbroken."
"I'd love to see Platinum showcase her true prowess on the world stage, in international races, but I also can't bear to miss her live performances..."
"That's a problem money can solve. Look at all those foreign Platinum fans who came after watching the Dubai World Cup!"
"Wait, hang in there, Miss McQueen! Hold on to the honor of entering the Hall of Fame, don't... Oh no, it's over!"
"Rice Shower is so strong! Who knew she was such a dark horse? She's made it into the Pegasus Hall of Fame!"
Amid all the discussions...
In the front rows of the stands, Satono Diamond, after her initial burst of delight!
This petite filly turned a slightly anxious and regretful gaze toward the three figures at the finish line.
Because second place wasn't her former idol, Mejiro McQueen, but...
"Rice Shower?!"
"Miss Rice Shower lost by twenty-one lengths but still took second place and made it into the Pegasus Hall of Fame?!"
"...Miss McQueen really has it rough."
--+--
Past the finish line.
Mejiro McQueen, who had just crossed, was on her knees, breathing heavily, drenched in sweat.
She stared blankly at a corner of the Pegasus Hall of Fame...
From beside Mejiro McQueen, from the petite, cute dark-haired filly Rice Shower, black particles continuously emerged, gathering toward the Pegasus Hall of Fame.
Seconds later, beside the dark statue of Manhattan Cafe in the far corner, another statue materialized.
Twenty-one lengths—Rice Shower!
Not Manhattan Cafe!
Shocked and devastated, Mejiro McQueen was speechless...
"Then what about me?"
Is this Hall of Fame really that hard to get into?
Meanwhile, the petite Rice Shower, eyes filled with joy, happily clenched her fist.
She could even hear people around marveling at how exceptional she was!
That was... recognition!
Pegasus Hall of Fame, hooray!
--+--
"Second place goes to Rice Shower?"
The silver-white girl past the finish line wasn't disheveled or drenched in sweat like Rice Shower or Mejiro McQueen nearby.
Instead, she stood composed, as if she had just finished a warm-up rather than an exhausting long-distance race.
After a moment of surprise, she seemed to remember something.
[Mid-season Campaign]
[Japan Cup (Completed)]
[Arima Kinen (Completed)]
[Spring Tennō-shō (Completed)]
[Takarazuka Kinen (Not Completed)]
'Once I win the final Takarazuka Kinen, I can claim so many rewards all at once.'
The final Kuranta character pull!
Advanced healing abilities!
Platinum Alter!
"Bring it on!"
What character would she get? What would her alter form be like?
The answer would come after the next Takarazuka Kinen.
Everything she wanted was within reach—just one easy win at the Takarazuka Kinen away!
For a moment, the usually lazy Platinum Supreme, fresh off work, felt a rare urge to eagerly take on overtime.
But overtime wasn't possible—this wasn't the Dubai World Cup, which could host two races in one day.
With a sigh, Platinum opened the race reward screen.
[Race: Spring Tennō-shō (Victory)]
[Reward: Kuranta Character Pull Unlocked]
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.