Ever since her defeat to the mechanical Uma Musume in the practice match following the Japanese Oaks, an inexplicable sense of irritation had taken root in Dream Weaver's heart.
In the quiet hours of the night after her duties as a trainer were finished, she would often pull out old recordings.
Over and over, she watched the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe from this world's past, witnessing her counterpart within the "Scenario World" fail time and again.
As she watched, she couldn't help but ponder what that other self must have been feeling.
It had to be a bitter pill to swallow.
To have remained undefeated since her debut, only to crumble in this specific place repeatedly—even being burdened with that nonsensical title, the "Curse of the Arc."
She held the button to trigger a miracle right in the palm of her hand.
If she truly wanted to, she could have activated "Kindling Flames" at any moment during the Arc to overturn the result, erasing all that lingering resentment in a single stroke.
But she simply couldn't do it. By the time Dream Weaver's frustration grew strong enough to tempt her toward Kindling Flames, she had already become the vessel for the dreams of many.
Having won so many races, she was, in the eyes of the public, the incarnation of hope itself.
In that position, Dream Weaver no longer had the freedom to control her own life; she refused to gamble the hopes of so many on a moment of personal selfishness.
She couldn't imagine the chaos that would ensue if she were to fall on the track. It would surely be a shockwave far more violent than anything experienced in any other Scenario World.
And so, the Dream Weaver of that world could only suppress her own heart.
Under the expectant gaze of the crowds, she stepped onto the Longchamp turf again and again, only to fail, repeat, and fail again.
It wasn't until even that seemingly eternal second-place finish began to slip away that she finally realized she was out of time.
It was at that exact moment that our Dream Weaver entered the Scenario World.
Then, to complete the main quest assigned by the System, she became a Trainer.
By the time Dream Weaver truly understood what her choice implied, the Japanese Oaks had already passed. In a sense, it was Dream Weaver herself who had severed the future of her counterpart in the Scenario World.
The realization only fueled the agitation in her chest.
If she hadn't descended into this world at that specific point—or if she hadn't entered this particular scenario at all—would the Dream Weaver here have found the resolve to use Kindling Flames for her own sake once she realized there was no turning back?
The mere possibility made Dream Weaver feel as though she had betrayed herself.
That was precisely why, immediately following the Japan Cup, she announced her entry into the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.
Dream Weaver was running the Arc for herself, yet even within that "self," she couldn't say how much of it was merely an attempt to compensate for that perceived self-betrayal.
What was done could not be undone, and time could not be rewound.
Since her presence had robbed her other self of the chance to mend those regrets, Dream Weaver vowed she would not allow herself to be a coward when her own moment of truth arrived.
To shrink back now would be to betray herself a second time.
And so, Kindling Flames flared to its full extent.
Willpower, life force—whatever that intangible essence was—Dream Weaver cast it all into the furnace of her heart, burning away the very last of her being in exchange for power.
The resulting surge of strength sent her speed skyrocketing, like a meteor tearing through the rain-slicked curtains of Longchamp Racecourse.
She had already reached the final straight where she could accelerate to her limit.
Her greatest threat, Sea the Stars, had yet to charge down the slope. As long as the power of Kindling Flames held out until the end, she would finally claim the Arc!
At her side, the phantom's gaze remained sorrowful and pitying, as if lamenting some unseen tragedy.
Dream Weaver ignored it entirely, teeth gritted, head down as she sprinted.
Just win this race.
If she won this Arc, the so-called curse would vanish, and her counterpart would finally be freed from the shackles of this race.
Yes, if she won, the bitterness, the regrets, and all the sorrow would dissolve into nothing!
Her body temperature soared from the sheer velocity, piercing the torrential storm like a white-hot blade.
Her heart, a furnace of roaring flames, thrashed against her ribs so violently it felt as though it might explode at any second. Yet, until that furnace finally shattered, it continued to pump blood like molten metal, fueling her with endless power.
I can do this!
Even as her mind blurred from the intensity of the "burn," Dream Weaver remembered one last thing.
She still had one final lever to move a miracle: the skill "Nirvana."
Once Kindling Flames exhausted the last of her vitality, she could trigger Nirvana's hidden effect to restore herself to her peak state. That would lock in her destiny as the winner of the Arc.
Yes, as long as her will was strong enough, she would win!
SNAP.
Just as Dream Weaver attempted to trigger Nirvana based on her past experience, a sharp, crisp sound echoed in her ear. Immediately following it was a tidal wave of agony.
The leg she stepped out on suddenly went limp, nearly causing her entire body to collapse.
The searing pain jolted her dazed consciousness into sharp clarity.
A fracture? Now?!
Dream Weaver ground her teeth. She had never experienced an injury during a race that actually hindered her movement; usually, she could at least hold on until the race ended before the side effects took hold. Why did it break early this time?
But there was no time for useless questions. There were more important things to consider.
Fortunately, judging by the source of the pain, the break was in her lower leg. She could still use her momentum to swing her thigh and force her stride to continue.
But she couldn't maintain this forever. As time ticked by, her speed would inevitably drop, and it wouldn't be long before Sea the Stars caught up.
She had to find a way to win before she was overtaken.
Dream Weaver tried to reignite Kindling Flames, which had been snuffed out by the shock of the fracture, but a sudden surge of weakness washed through her, nearly making her lose her footing entirely.
Before she could try again, a voice drifted from her side.
"So much pain... is it truly worth it?"
Time seemed to freeze. Dream Weaver turned her head and saw raindrops suspended in mid-air, reflecting her own eyes, which were nearly swollen shut from exhaustion.
Experiencing this kind of disconnect between perceived and actual time usually only happened within a "Zone"—either an Awakening or Sea the Stars communicating through a linked Zone.
But right now, it was neither.
The ghost shackled by the Curse of the Arc was still there, watching Dream Weaver with those pitying, sorrowful eyes.
"Running... shouldn't be something so painful, right?"
"That's something..." Dream Weaver rasped, "I don't need you to tell me!"
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 2 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.