Just as the trainers had feared, the blistering pace stretched the field thin, with nearly fifteen lengths now separating the lead from the trailing horses.
On a two-thousand-meter middle-distance course, with stamina to spare, closing a fifteen-length gap in the final stretch was certainly possible. But if that distance grew any further, the outcome would become anyone's guess.
What's more, clear tiers were beginning to form within the pack.
The course leaders, the reigning kings of the track, held a two-length advantage over Sirius Symboli following close behind.
Further back, Narita Brian and Oguri Cap were separated by a single length, while the group containing Dynamu Heroine and others lagged nearly three lengths behind Oguri Cap—a gap that continued to widen.
It was obvious: Dynamu Heroine and her group were stubbornly holding their original pace, refusing to be drawn into Maruzensky's punishing rhythm.
And that put Tamamo Cross in a real bind.
If this kept up, the leaders would only build an insurmountable advantage, grinding the rest of them into the dirt.
After a moment's calculation, Tamamo Cross made her decision.
She couldn't just follow this group anymore. She had to change her running style!
Looking ahead, it was clear Narita Brian and Oguri Cap had made the right call.
They kept a manageable two-length gap between them—close enough to overtake with a short burst of speed—and positioned themselves wide on the track, ensuring they wouldn't get boxed in by the other Uma Musume.
Compared to them, the few runners directly in front of Tamamo Cross were hopeless.
They were just too slow.
She had to find an opening and get past them.
As Tamamo Cross watched and waited, gathering strength in her legs…
Vmmmm—
A low, metallic hum vibrated in her ears, like the quiver of a sharpened blade.
Instantly, a chill shot down her spine.
The sensation was like a cold, sharp dagger pressed against her back, slowly dragging from her shoulders down to her waist.
Every hair on her body stood on end. That piercing, bone-deep cold made her eyes snap wide open. She jerked her head to the side, scanning her surroundings.
Behind her, the black Uma Musume trudged along with heavy steps, looking as if she might fall out of the race at any moment.
What was that…?
Her heart hammered wildly against her ribs, a few cold drops of sweat tracing lines down her cheeks. Tamamo Cross fought to steady her breathing.
For a split second, her thoughts had scattered, her body screaming at her to run, to accelerate away from that feeling.
But just as quickly as it came, the sensation vanished completely.
That razor-sharp dagger was now sheathed, hidden away layer by layer beneath a masterful disguise.
From the corner of her eye, she watched the dark figure behind her. The golden eyes were dull and listless, every movement wavering and unsteady, devoid of any spark of a competitor's spirit.
…Was it just her imagination?
How could someone who seemed to have completely given up possibly radiate such a sharp, menacing aura?
Shaking her head, she pushed the feeling aside and fixed her gaze back on the race.
--+--
"'Mimicry'?"
Belno Light repeated the word spoken by Musaka Ginjirou.
"Mr. Musaka, what does that mean?"
"What she's demonstrating is 'Mimicry' from the battlefield. In short, it's an extremely potent camouflage technique."
"Camouflage..."
Hearing this, Belno Light caught on.
"You mean, she's deliberately pretending to be like that?!"
That stumbling, barely-standing appearance—the one that had drawn scorn and ridicule from all 170,000 spectators—was an act!?
But… why?
Why would she pretend to be so weak?
Belno Light was baffled.
"It's a bit complicated to explain fully, so let me give you a simple example," Musaka Ginjirou instructed. "If you met a stranger in an unfamiliar room, how would you treat them?"
"Treat them? Normally, I suppose…"
You'd say 'hello' or make some small talk about the weather.
"Now, what if the person trapped with you was a ruthless murderer?"
"Well…"
In that hypothetical scenario, Belno Light would surely fight for her life.
"And if they were a venomous snake wearing human skin?"
Of course, it could be any dangerous creature—a lion, a sea snake, a crocodile…
"Wait, Mr. Musaka," Belno Light interrupted, unable to hold back. "Aren't we getting off topic?"
How did this suddenly turn into something so speculative, even fantastical?
"My point, Belno Light, is that if you only look at the surface and ignore the essence, you can easily be deceived by these dangerous creatures."
In modern warfare, the technique of 'Mimicry' is rarely used, but it hasn't been lost. Instead, it has evolved and found its way into other arenas.
"'Mimicry' is the art of constantly changing the facade you wear. You lure your target in, make them lower their guard, and then… you bare your fangs."
The more skilled the mimic, the more refined the disguise.
And this Uma Musume's mastery of 'Mimicry' was so profound it drew a sigh of admiration from Musaka Ginjirou himself.
In this environment, she had nearly fooled even his experienced, sharp-eyed gaze.
"Don't let your guard down," Musaka Ginjirou stated firmly. "It would be a grave mistake to think she's given up."
That black Uma Musume was gathering her strength…
Who would have thought? After all this time, she had prepared such an unexpected, devastating weapon.
Making others overlook her, redirecting their attention.
On the racetrack, targeting the wrong opponent leads to disastrous results.
Yet… Musaka Ginjirou's brow furrowed slightly.
Even recognizing the technique, he still didn't fully understand.
Even if she disguised herself as weak, the other Uma Musume who had raced against her before surely wouldn't take her lightly, would they?
Unveiling this tactic right from the start seemed… excessive.
Not everyone would drop their defenses around her.
Musaka Ginjirou pondered.
But he had a strong feeling she wouldn't employ such a move without purpose.
Disguise and deception, once used, always served a goal.
He just hadn't discovered it yet.
What could it be…
"This race is already over for her, isn't it?"
"And here I thought she was something special."
"All talk, no action."
"Seems the Uma Musume Daily got it right."
She's just a coward who relies on underhanded tricks to win, too afraid to show her true face.
Suddenly, Musaka Ginjirou lifted his head, his gaze sweeping across the entire stadium.
He thought he understood her goal now.
At that very moment, Belno Light shot to her feet.
Cupping her hands around her mouth, she yelled with all her might: "Oguri—!"
Don't you dare, don't you dare let her fool you!
--+--
Belno?
Oguri Cap's ears twitched.
For a second, she thought she heard Belno Light's voice, but it was quickly swallowed by the roaring tide of the crowd.
Everyone was screaming—"Go!" "Run!"—wave after wave of sound crashing over the track.
How many of them were cheering from the heart, and how many were just reveling in the black ghost's increasingly pathetic struggle?
She glanced back, trying to find the figure behind her.
No good… she couldn't see.
The others were blocking her view.
Blocking.
The thought made a restless, unsettled feeling stir within Oguri Cap.
She had longed for a rematch, a chance to wipe away the shame of her last defeat. And now, on the very track, this was what she got?
That terrifying aura she had sensed from the other, even from a distance, had completely vanished from the race.
This felt awful. Truly awful.
This wasn't the showdown she had wanted at all.
Haaaah—
A heavy, ragged breath reached her ears, sending a primal shiver down her spine.
It was the sound of a frenzied beast, its desires stifled, radiating a suffocating, fearsome pressure.
My rival…
Just what are you playing at!
--+--
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.