"Narita Brian! Narita Brian is accelerating now!"
"Could this be the moment that decides it all?!"
The announcer's strained cry cut through the rain at Kyoto Racecourse. In his eyes, the move from the Uma Musume hailed as the strongest of her generation meant only one thing: the race was over.
Beside him, his partner Sugimoto Kentaro remained silent, stroking his chin, his eyes never leaving the track.
"Narita Brian's final kick is fearsome, certainly,"he finally said, "but don't forget we're on the uphill straight now. No matter how powerful her acceleration, the terrain itself imposes a limit."
Witnessing Dream Weaver shatter his expectations again and again, even Kentaro's rational mind had to concede defeat to his instincts. He was beginning to seriously consider the possibility of her victory.
He'd forgotten, however, that those supporting Dream Weaver here could be counted on one hand. While a dark horse made the race more suspenseful and exciting, for most spectators, the prospect of witnessing a new Triple Crown winner was far more compelling.
His partner was no exception. Hearing Kentaro's words, he bristled, his tone turning sharp.
"So what? Isn't the same true for Northern Dreams?"
"Especially after she's led for such a long stretch! How could her stamina possibly compare to Narita Brian's, who's been conserving her strength for this final strike?"
"The key to a Great Escape is building an insurmountable lead before the final stretch, a gap that others can't close with their late speed."
"But now... Kentaro, you can't honestly believe that Northern Dreams still has a chance, can you?"
He let out a derisive snort and pointed through the glass at the track.
The purple streak representing Narita Brian had already overtaken the pack and was now locked onto Dream Weaver's tail, the distance between them shrinking with every stride. The lead Dream Weaver had painstakingly built was on the verge of crumbling under Narita Brian's overwhelming charge.
"She has no chance against Narita Brian's closing speed. Holding her pace to secure second place in the Kikuka Sho would be an honor in itself."
His view echoed that of the vast majority present.
Having conquered the Satsuki Sho and the Japanese Derby, Narita Brian was, in their eyes, the undeniable strongest of her generation. Her move signaled the end of the contest.
As for that Northern Dreams?
If she truly had the power to challenge Narita Brian, why skip the first two classic races?
If she were that strong, why would she pass up the once-in-a-lifetime chance at the Triple Crown?
It was the glory every Uma Musume dreamed of.
Kentaro had no retort. He'd thought the same himself. After countless data analyses, he simply couldn't find a logical path to victory for Dream Weaver.
Yet, that fleeting moment of insight had felt like brushing against some hidden truth. The magical way Dream Weaver seemed to command the race's rhythm convinced him it wasn't over, but he couldn't put this feeling into words.
Known for his rationality, he was at a loss to describe such an intuition. Those in the stands were always separated from the world on the track by an invisible wall.
Having briefly touched that boundary, Kentaro couldn't convey what he'd sensed to those still firmly outside it. This chasm was simply too wide for words to bridge.
In the stands, Seiun Sky faced the same dilemma. The adults around her unanimously agreed with the other commentator, believing Dream Weaver's bold Great Escape was a flash in the pan. Once Narita Brian started her sprint, order would be restored.
The spectators, who had pinned their hopes on Narita Brian, refused to believe—refused to even entertain the thought—that she might fall in the final leg of the Triple Crown.
They gripped the railings with fervent intensity, eyes glued to the drama unfolding on the track, ready to erupt in celebration for their champion.
Seiun Sky knew arguing was pointless. Most who braved this weather to come to Kyoto Racecourse had only one purpose: to witness Narita Brian's coronation.
Perhaps it was a spark of rebellion in her heart, or perhaps she was simply captivated by that red streak defiantly blazing through the rain, but Seiun Sky, her own pulse racing from the audacious Great Escape, found herself standing against the tide.
She didn't try to reason with them this time. Instead, she quietly clenched her hands, hoping her small, silent wish could grant a sliver of strength to Northern Dreams out on the track. Even if her wish was but a tiny rock against a mountainous, roaring wave.
But regardless, events outside the track could never change what happened within it.
Neither firm declarations of support nor unspoken intuitions.
Neither the tsunami of expectation nor the solitary wish, steadfast as a reef in the raging sea.
None of it could alter the race. The outcome would be decided solely by the Uma Musume who were running.
The other racers were already being left behind, bogged down in the muddy track and overwhelmed by the pressure from the two powerhouses. Only two contenders remained.
Dream Weaver and Narita Brian.
And now, the fierce, beast-like gaze was upon her, the bloody scent of the hunt swirling in the air.
The lead Dream Weaver had built with her daring run was rapidly evaporating under Narita Brian's relentless pursuit. As they entered the final turn, those predatory golden eyes drew up alongside Dream Weaver.
But Dream Weaver yielded not an inch, matching the surge in speed, refusing to let Narita Brian gain even a half-step.
The blood of the Northern family erased her inherent flaws; freed from such limitations, she now possessed the raw foundation to compete on equal footing with a top-tier champion like Narita Brian in the demanding Kikuka Sho.
And this only made Narita Brian's heart pound with greater ferocity. This desperate struggle for victory, this battle pushing her to her absolute limit, ignited a hunger for the win she hadn't felt in far too long.
Every muscle in her body was coiled to its peak; each powerful stride tore clumps of turf from the ground. As she unleashed her full might into the deep autumn rain, a thin, shimmering haze of steam began to form around her.
Within that mist, her golden wolf's eyes remained fixed on Dream Weaver, waiting for the perfect moment to strike the final blow.
She knew her rival had more in reserve. But so did she. Narita Brian could feel it—the dormant realm within her, which had remained unmoved by countless boring races, was now stimulated to its very limit. She could even sense the precise moment of its awakening approaching.
The final 400-meter straight. There, the lone wolf would truly bare her fangs.
Yet, right at that moment, Dream Weaver glanced sideways at Narita Brian.
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! 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!
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