Three days later, at the Aisong Racetrack.
The sky was a brilliant, cloudless blue, but the air was heavy and humid. The ground was a mess of churned-up mud, a testament to the previous day's rain. The thick, wet mud looked like a swamp, sucking the energy out of anyone who looked at it.
Sakikawa stood by the track, his usual deadpan expression in place. He looked at the muddy ground, then at the sky. "This track... I think our chances of winning have just gone up."
He turned to his group of horse girls. "The mud is thick, the humidity is high. It's slippery, which makes it hard to get a good footing." His fingers, which were usually tapping away at a tablet, were now holding a syringe. He flicked it. "Our old friend here, on the other hand, is a fan of the red mud."
He was referring to his several-hundred-thousand-yen debt. His eyes were like those of a cornered beast. He had no choice but to push his girls.
"This is the 'Raging Dragon,' an injection that will enhance your adaptability to the dirt track," he explained, his voice calm.
As the race approached, the atmosphere grew tense. The other horse girls were all focused on their own preparations, their faces grim. Only Eiyuu seemed to be in a world of her own, a strange calm surrounding her.
A familiar, arrogant voice cut through the silence. "Hey, isn't that the charity case?"
Vincennes Eishin Flash and her two lackeys sauntered over, their expressions a mixture of pity and contempt. "I heard you've been working hard these past few days. Did you even have time to eat?"
Eiyuu just smiled faintly.
The rivals continued their taunts, but Eiyuu's calm was unshakable. Her gaze was fixed on the track, her mind clear. A sudden broadcast from the loudspeakers announced that Fuji Kiseki and Oguri Cap were also in attendance, watching from the stands.
"Hey," a voice said. It was Sakikawa. "In a moment, when you go out there, don't look back so much. Your core is crooked. You're a red-haired monster, you're supposed to have a wide stride. Your core strength is maxed out, don't you understand?"
"And you, with the big chest," he said, turning to Eishin Flash. "Your core isn't stable. And you, the little one. You look like you're about to trip over your own feet."
"I'm breaking you," he said, his voice dropping to a low growl. The three of them were so stunned by his venomous words that they couldn't even reply.
Eiyuu's gaze swept over their stunned faces, then to the man standing beside her. She let out a long breath.
"On the track, we'll see," she said, her voice quiet but firm. She turned and walked towards the gate, her back straight and her steps steady.
The first real sense of unease finally settled in Eishin Flash's heart. "Let's go, girls!" she said, her voice a little too loud.
CLANG! The gates flew open!
"The race has begun! And taking the early lead is Vincennes Eishin Flash!"
"She's pulling away from the pack! An incredible start!"
The mud flew, the crowd roared. Eiyuu was running differently. The "Bedrock Dragon" gene had made her skin numb, and the other serums had created a strange chemical reaction in her body. A strange, sharp, and intentional aura emanated from her, a mixture of cold calculation and raw willpower.
She was running at the back of the pack, her pace steady. The other girls jostled for position, but Eiyuu seemed to be in a world of her own. Her breathing was even, her steps precise. The mud, which was slowing everyone else down, seemed to have no effect on her.
Behind her, she could feel the presence of the other girls, their eyes burning into her back. The ghost of her past self, the one who was always looking over her shoulder, was finally gone. There was only the track ahead.
A system warning flashed in Sakikawa's mind. [Alert: Host mental field is unstable. Source: Empathy resonance.]
Well, damn. He cursed silently.
He looked at Eiyuu. She was trapped, Gold Ship and Mejiro McQueen boxing her in. She was losing ground.
"Now!"
Just as Gold Ship was about to close the gap, Eiyuu moved. Her body tilted, a sharp, almost impossible turn. A wave of mud flew into Gold Ship's face. She shot through the gap, a silver blur against the brown mud.
"What?!" Gold Ship cried out, stunned.
Eiyuu was free. Her body was a symphony of controlled chaos, every muscle fiber working in perfect harmony. Belief, strength, momentum... and the man who was watching her from the stands. All of it came together in a perfect storm of pure, unadulterated fuel. Her untapped potential exploded.
A silver shadow shot across the muddy track, her arms pumping, her eyes fixed on the figure in front of her. Eishin Flash heard the approaching hoofbeats, her heart pounding in her chest. She pushed herself harder, but it was no use.
The finish line was in sight.
With a final, desperate lunge, Yorozuya Eiyuu shot past Eishin Flash, crossing the line with more than a ten-length lead.
The entire stadium erupted. "She won! Yorozuya Eiyuu won! An unbelievable comeback!"
Sakikawa watched from the stands, a Pocky stick hanging from his lips. He slowly chewed and swallowed. "Tsk," he muttered. "The win wasn't exactly clean. And you wasted so much energy. I'll have to give you some remedial psychological counseling later. You're going to be the death of me."
He complained under his breath, but a faint smile touched his lips, a smile that he himself didn't even notice.
On the track, Eiyuu slowed to a stop, panting heavily. The mud covered her from head to toe, but her eyes were clear. She had won. There was no cheer, no smile. The exhaustion that had been supporting her was gone, but the fire in her eyes remained.
She slowly turned around. Her gaze, full of exhaustion, fighting spirit, and a chilling intent, fell on her defeated rivals. Eishin Flash was on the ground, covered in mud. Gold Ship and Mejiro McQueen were helping her up, their faces a mixture of shock and disbelief.
Eiyuu just looked at them, her silence more powerful than any words.
That evening, Sakikawa returned to the training grounds. He pushed open the door and saw Eiyuu, still in her muddy training clothes, stretching. He just grunted in acknowledgment. He was used to her relentless training. He knew what was behind it.
He walked over to her and tossed her a bottle of cooling liquid. "Here, rice bucket." His voice was lazy, but his eyes were sharp.
"How are you preparing? Tomorrow's race is on a dirt track. And those old friends of yours will be there. Are you ready to die?"
Eiyuu didn't answer immediately. She just reached out and took the bottle, her hand steady. She opened it and took a long drink. Then, she looked up, her gaze meeting his. Her eyes, which had been a clear, calm purple, were now burning with a fire that could turn everything to ash.
A smile touched her lips. It was a mixture of determination, fighting spirit, and a hint of something else, something wild and untamed.
She said, "Alright."
"Let's drag them into the mud together."
-------
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