"No slow start?!"
"She's not running as a closer? But this isn't Japan's hard turf?!"
As the starting gates burst open and all the Uma Musume charged out together!
The Silver Pegasus who had drawn the most attention—from the competing Uma Musume to the countless fans on-site, and even viewers worldwide watching the live broadcast—all were intensely focused on her break from the gate and the shifts in her speed after the initial sprint.
Platinum's widely known mastery over various running styles had captivated public interest, making it almost like a "coin toss" as to whether she'd start slow or not in her next race, whether she'd lead from the front or close from behind.
And now…
It seemed the World's Foremost Pegasus was starting to take things seriously!
The moment this scene unfolded, the tens of thousands of fans in the stands erupted into a frenzy.
"Woo-hoo! She's not slacking off this time. This race is gonna be a blast."
"Hell yeah! We get to see Miss Platinum's Great Escape! Just getting to watch a powerhouse like her up close is worth the price of admission, even if I die right after!"
"Did the coin land on heads this time? When she was boxed in before, she didn't even try to break away—just coasted with a slow start. Why's she taking it seriously now?"
"Well, this is a super G1 with twelve competitors, and almost half of them are G1 champions!"
"No wonder the King George is so intense. Is there someone here that even Platinum sees as a threat?"
Amid the nonstop chatter, many of Platinum's fans were absolutely thrilled.
After all, who wouldn't want to witness running pushed to its absolute limits?
Either a glorious victory! Or a crushing defeat!
There was no in-between!
Meanwhile, from the seats where the Japanese Uma Musume were gathered, lively discussions were underway.
Unlike the average spectators who'd get excited just seeing a front-running style, these professional Uma Musume were far more perceptive.
"Platinum leading from the front? If I remember right, this is her first time doing that on a European track, isn't it?"
"Yep, her first. Her previous races were the UK Epsom Derby, the Eclipse Stakes, and that G2 warm-up not long ago—all of them were slow starts from behind."
"Such a quick break! Even in a field as stacked as the King George, Platinum's break was the fastest? I thought she might struggle a bit with the conditions…"
"Hey now, don't lump Platinum in with the rest of us. She probably just wasn't taking the starts seriously before."
"But the real issue here is… she's in the widest post position. It's tough to secure the lead from out there. Wouldn't it make more sense to run as a closer or a stalker?"
"A front-runner from the outside post? That's super difficult, especially on Europe's soft turf."
This group of Japanese Uma Musume hailed from various backgrounds—some from the Satomi Stable, others from other elite stables.
Most of them had ambitions of overseas campaigns, which was why they'd carved out precious time to come here early.
They weren't just here to watch; after arriving in Europe, they'd also rented local training grounds to see how well they could adapt to the conditions.
And what left nearly all of them disheartened, even despairing, was…
Forget perfect adaptation—most couldn't even manage a basic level of adjustment. It meant that in European races, they'd clearly be at a disadvantage, their performance noticeably diminished.
The few who could adapt only managed to scrape by at a passable level, nowhere near the seamless adjustment of the local Uma Musume who trained and raced in Europe year-round.
The sheer challenge of European turf had left them stunned.
Even though they'd long known from textbooks that European turf was famously soft, a stark contrast to Japan's relatively "firm" turf.
But book knowledge was one thing; experiencing it firsthand in Europe was a whole different story.
The turf used in Japanese races had a higher stem density and included creeping grasses, making it much tighter. This reduced the stamina drain and strength required for Uma Musume sprinting at high speeds.
That was why Japanese Uma Musume, despite underperforming in international events, often shattered world record times in domestic races.
In contrast, European turf hadn't undergone Japan's drastic, extreme modifications and remained more natural—softer, with poorer drainage.
As a result, European turf was both stamina-sapping and strength-testing, with heavy tracks being even more grueling and lasting longer. All in all, it was the polar opposite of Japanese turf.
It wasn't until they actually set foot on European turf that these elite Japanese fillies truly understood just how incredible Platinum's effortless dominance and insane adaptability really were.
"Coming here really opened our eyes. Now we get why the European powerhouses respect—even admire—Platinum's adaptability so much…"
"Out of all of us, only a handful can adapt well enough to perform decently in Europe."
The few with decent adaptability and a solid base of strength weren't about to let this trip go to waste.
"Let's see how the European Uma Musume stack up in this race. If they're within expected levels, maybe we can still give an overseas campaign a shot."
They wanted to follow in the Pegasus's footsteps!
If the Pegasus could conquer Europe and win race after race, they weren't expecting to replicate her incredible achievements perfectly.
But… winning a race or two? That shouldn't be too much to ask, right…?
Brimming with fervent hope, these elite Japanese Uma Musume turned their attention to the other competitors on the track.
--+--
[All Uma Musume have cleared the starting gates smoothly.]
[The heavily favored Platinum has accelerated out of the gate, seemingly opting for her signature… Great Escape!]
[Even from the statistically disadvantaged outside post, Platinum hasn't chosen to settle in the mid-pack or front group. Her accelerating pace shows her determination to lead.]
[From her wide post, she'll need to angle inward, which will inevitably put her behind the innermost runners initially—a significant disadvantage for a front-runner.]
[Will the Pegasus, who has never attempted to lead from the front on European turf before, stick with this strategy or switch to another?]
[Let's witness who truly reigns supreme!]
As the commentator's voice filled the air, the race was officially underway, with positions being called across the field.
--+--
On the racecourse!
On the soft turf track!
The Silver Maiden was flying forward with powerfully decisive strides.
In this King George, with its large field of twelve—double the size of some smaller European G1s—the drawback of an outside post was a serious hurdle for any running style that relied on a quick break and securing position.
This included the Great Escape!
While on the surface, front-runners might not seem to need inside position as much as stalkers or pace-pressers, in reality, if a front-running Uma Musume couldn't secure the lead quickly, it meant losing control of the race's tempo, landing her in a very precarious spot.
After all, front-running styles typically lacked a strong finishing kick. If the lead wasn't established early enough, the chances of being caught and overtaken from behind increased dramatically.
Therefore, most front-runners, finding themselves stuck wide and unable to reach the lead, would usually abandon the strategy.
It was rare, but not unheard of, for a front-runner to switch mid-race to stalking or closing.
In other words, in the eyes of many professional Uma Musume, if you couldn't lead early, switching tactics might actually improve your odds…
Now, the Silver Pegasus filly faced exactly that choice!
--+--
In the mid-pack positions!
Amid the chaotic break from the gates, the only two Uma Musume who had made any impression on Platinum were positioned here.
Youmzain and Harbinger were both fully focused on the action unfolding toward the outside.
As top-tier Uma Musume even by European standards, they'd done extensive research on Platinum before the race.
They both knew Platinum was equally adept at closing from far back and leading from the front.
'Platinum's unbelievably versatile adaptability is the envy of Uma Musume worldwide, allowing her to execute any running style with complete freedom.'
'It's worth noting that she's never employed a Great Escape in Europe before. This time, she's in the worst possible post position for it.'
'So… will the little Pegasus try to lead?'
On the track, Youmzain's face, which had previously shown keen interest in Platinum, was now cool and battle-ready.
As a former Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe runner-up (and runner-up again the year before that), even though she was now an older mare, her skills hadn't declined; she was still at the peak of her power.
In Youmzain's view, a strong performance here would prove her worth to Platinum from their training sessions.
So, facing a Pegasus who seemed unlikely to successfully lead from the front, Youmzain was determined to give it her all, to show her full capability and make Platinum take notice!
Then, after the race, surely Platinum wouldn't turn down her invitation for a training match?
Intent on proving herself through sheer performance, Youmzain paced herself powerfully, conserving as much stamina as possible, when…
Just behind her, slightly further back, was another filly with an imposing presence, though her record wasn't particularly eye-catching.
Zero G1 wins—Harbinger!
Determined to make her "Harbinger" name known far and wide in this very race, Harbinger watched like a hawk.
Her burning fighting spirit was second to none on the field!
This dashing young lady, so different from the typical elegance and gentleness of noble fillies, radiated a heroic aura, her sights set squarely on the Pegasus.
A latent sense of solemn intensity spread from her very being.
Harbinger, fully prepared for battle, wasn't about to pray for Platinum to adopt a lagging closing style just to improve her own chances.
Only the weak hoped for their opponents to make mistakes.
Even though, record-wise, Harbinger couldn't compare to the Pegasus Platinum, or even to Youmzain and the other G1 champions, Harbinger, this queen who had bided her time for this very race, willing to burn everything for one moment of brilliance, had every right to challenge any Uma Musume!
So, instead, Harbinger hoped to see Platinum's signature, most powerful running style, not some hindered, delayed closing strategy.
If you didn't defeat your opponent at their strongest, how could you become a meteor streaking across the world?!
"Platinum, will you give up on leading?"
"Or… will you refuse to yield, and keep charging forward?"
Harbinger was like a soaring hawk, waiting for her prey to emerge.
The next moment—!
Her hawk-like sharp eyes gleamed with an unusual light as a silver-white, radiant figure flashed into view.
That was [The Silver Pegasus・Platinum]?!
She was charging straight on, angling inward from her wide post without the slightest hesitation, effortlessly about to overtake Harbinger, who was positioned toward the back of the mid-pack!
'Just as I thought?!'
Seeing the Pegasus filly's fierce charging momentum, Harbinger couldn't help but allow a slight smile to touch her lips.
Yes, this was it.
Pegasus, show us your strongest, most fearless side.
Whatever the outcome of our clash, this King George will be etched into history, becoming the most watched race of all time!
Harbinger felt no urge to accelerate to prevent being overtaken by Platinum. She wasn't some nervous filly afraid that if Platinum passed her, she'd never get another chance.
'Our battle will become legend, starting right now!'
There was no elegance in Harbinger, only the pride and fighting spirit of a warrior. She watched as Platinum, like an assassin, raced up alongside her.
Her keen eyes even caught sight of the previously empty quiver on Platinum's back in the pre-race waiting area… now holding a full eleven arrows!
In the next second, an astonishing aura erupted from within Platinum, propelling her past Harbinger—exactly as expected.
But Harbinger, who thought she was prepared for anything on the track, felt her pupils contract sharply.
"This… this is the legendary Pegasus special effect?"
"Even after watching countless recordings of Platinum's races, seeing it live is infinitely more shocking!"
Because from that moment on, even the brightest sun in the sky above began to vanish!
It was literally [Eclipsing the Sky]! Platinum didn't need any blazing sun!
What left even Harbinger stunned and awestruck was… in an interplay of light and dark, two moons began to slowly rise!
The sun was instantly replaced! As if daytime itself had been reversed into night!
Terra's unique Twin Moons, summoned by Platinum as she raced forth with unleashed aura, materialized fully, taking the place of the sun.
While the Pegasus Margaret Nearl manipulated weather, manifested the sun, becoming The Radiant Knight under the blazing light; Platinum instead summoned Terra's Twin Moons, eclipsing the heavens!
But even this breathtaking spectacle seemed insufficient in the silver-white filly's eyes!
In the next instant, the Kazimierz Knight Arena materialized completely, overlaying the original racetrack—a vast, exotic coliseum with distinct architectural features.
And at the finish line of this King George, a Pegasus Hall of Fame descended.
It was an immense, majestic hall steeped in ancient mystery, as if enshrining a supreme deity.
At the center of the hall stood a throne, and upon it sat a figure nearly identical to the young Platinum—only more ethereal and imposing, like a divine form of Platinum!
The goddess-like apparition sat high on the throne, drawing her bow—like the Huntress Goddess under the moon, beginning her hunt!!
In a flash, a lightning-bright arrow shot toward Harbinger.
"One."
The Phantom Goddess on the throne pierced Harbinger with the first arrow!
Behind the throne stood numerous statues.
Each statue was a lifelike depiction of a young Uma Musume, all wearing either gorgeous or elegant race outfits, their expressions mostly frozen in utter astonishment at the Pegasus's overwhelming victories!
The number of Uma Musume statues in the hall reached over a dozen. The quality and quantity of these defeated rivals were truly impressive.
Among them, the crimson, curvaceous Japanese filly Daiwa Scarlet at the forefront, and a large row of European Uma Musume in the back corner, drew the most attention and curiosity from the audience.
"Whoa, this is it! This is what I came to see! The super front-run! And those special effects!"
"Twin Moons! And this hall… that Goddess Platinum apparition on the throne… unheard of!"
"Losing means becoming a statue in the hall! Is that the ultimate insult or an honor?"
"The sight of these twin moons is astounding, like something out of another world."
"I wonder, if some Uma Musume actually managed to beat Platinum… what would happen to the hall? Go Youmzain, you're the eternal Arc runner-up, you can put up a fight against the Eclipse Stakes Champion!"
Countless voices rang out.
Some observant Uma Musume fans voiced a particular regret.
"They say the Second Pegasus on the American dirt can also alter weather effects, turning cloudy skies clear and bringing back the blazing sun."
"And Platinum replaces the sun with twin moons!"
"If they ever raced together, both unleashing their world-shifting special effects, what would happen then?"
--+--
[Despite starting from the worst possible post position for a front-runner!]
[The Pegasus, who has never led on European turf before, has answered her fans' expectations on the world's greatest international G1 stage!]
[She's charging forward from the wide post, angling inward with unwavering determination, overtaking Harbinger at the rear of the stalking group.]
[What's next… The Hall descends, unveiled before all the Uma Musume, announcing Platinum's arrival!]
As the commentator's words faded!
The silver figure, with a momentum that seemed capable of piercing through anything, reached the very front of the stalking pack.
The three or four stalker fillies were collectively stunned.
Because they weren't closers, the overtaking happened extremely quickly. Before even halfway down the straight leading to the first turn, the only ones left ahead of Platinum were the pace-pressers and front-runners!
But even in the eyes of this small group of European Uma Musume, it was utterly astonishing.
"S-so fast!"
"Guh… is this the legendary Pegasus Hall of Fame?"
"If you lose, you turn into a statue? Like those Ultraman shows I watched, where they get turned to stone? Not that!!"
On the soft, oyster-shaped track, the silver-white girl in her front-running stance shot past them like an arrow through the sky!
The uneven, chewed-up turf left by the leading pack's pounding hooves—the soft, brutal ground—seemed to pose no problem for Platinum's strides.
Charging forward, tearing through everything!
That silver-white, glowing figure wasn't just running.
She was soaring, flying just above the ground?!
The Pegasus filly wasn't satisfied yet. Her effortlessly racing form appeared next before the eyes of the leading pace-pressers and front-runners.
Yes, she was seen simultaneously by every single Uma Musume at the front!
In the intensely competitive, high-average-skill King George, every competitor was remarkably strong. Even the conventional front-runners couldn't open up a significant gap on the pressers, maintaining only a slight lead.
But now—
The front-running Pegasus, angling inward faster than any of them, was about to reach their sides!
(——!!)
Youmzain, positioned among the leaders—a tall, blonde big-sister type Uma Musume—felt her pupils contract violently.
So fast?!
Youmzain had assumed Platinum would only break free from her poor position and reclaim the lead near the first turn or during the bend itself.
But now… was she, much like with Harbinger, about to blaze past everyone like a meteor tearing through the sky?
In that instant, that silver-white figure flashed past her side, becoming a back view that would be etched into Youmzain's memory for the next ten, twenty, or even more years!
Under the glow of Terra's Twin Moons, the silver-white form of Platinum charged ahead, leaving everyone behind, accelerating with relentless momentum!!
Accelerating, accelerating, still accelerating! Her white cape fluttered in the sight of nearly every Uma Musume!
This was—The World's Foremost Pegasus!
--+--
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.
There should be... around 70+ advanced chapters?
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.