"Maruzensky's accelerating! Maruzensky's accelerating!! Maruzensky, who's been leading from the start, actually still has this much left in the tank! Truly worthy of the undefeated emperor, her power absolutely cannot be underestimated—!"
At this moment, Maruzensky's speed exploded completely.
Now, back to the previous question.
Why does Maruzensky, already past her prime, still possess such strength?
Actually, a long time ago, a certain Uma Musume provided the answer.
For an Uma Musume entering her prime, besides time, there's another crucial influencing factor.
Will.
The will to run.
Current scientific research on an Uma Musume's prime only focuses on physiological aspects, but in reality, everyone overlooks the impact of will on this development.
Those with a fierce desire to run will have a longer prime period. However, this extension doesn't mean they continue growing strongly like ordinary Uma Musume.
The prime period extended by will is like sealing the body, which should be entering decline, with an invisible film.
In other words, it preserves the body in its final state just before decline.
Maruzensky specifically sought advice from someone at Tracen Academy about this. That person, despite being over a decade past her own prime, still maintained terrifying strength that left others in the dust.
That person told her that if she wanted to keep racing after her prime ended, she had to keep the passion for the track alive in her heart.
And never forget the fact that she is a Uma Musume.
Thanks to this, even now, Maruzensky still yearns for competition, just like a rookie freshly stepping onto the track, feeling excitement, nervousness, and curiosity about everything around her.
Don't let this heart grow lonely—
This is the true essence of racing that Maruzensky has grasped.
Thumpthumpthumpthumpthump…
Her heart was pounding madly, the echoes ringing in her ears.
The outline of a driver's cabin gradually surfaced before Maruzensky's eyes.
One big reason she loved street racing was that inside the car, she could watch the scenery fly past.
That extreme sensation of speed was exactly the same as on the racetrack.
She adored that feeling and pursued it fervently.
The feedback from her soles scraping the ground filled Maruzensky with delight.
Right now, her heart had become the engine, her blood the fuel, burning fiercely as it pumped into her heart.
Her body was heating up. She could already hear it.
The sports car, throttle wide open—
VROOOOM—!!
"It's Maruzensky, it's Maruzensky!! Before Sirius Symboli could close in, Maruzensky accelerated again, shaking off Sirius's pursuit! So fast! Incredibly fast!! Is this Maruzensky going all out!? The red supercar dominating the track, with her body of steel, looks down upon all rivals—!"
Deafening cheers erupted throughout the racecourse. People stood up, excitedly watching the queen who had once been absent from the track.
Her strength, even in this [Tenno Sho] gathering of monsters, remained this awe-inspiring!
She was truly a monster among monsters.
Sirius Symboli's eyes widened. She was already pushing her limits to chase, but the distance between them simply wouldn't close.
Her race timing and control were perfect; even Maruzensky couldn't possibly match her flawless command of distance!
Even holding the lead uncontested, avoiding the outer track that wasted energy, maintaining the lead position itself was extremely taxing.
So why?
Why could Maruzensky keep accelerating under such an intense pace!?
That red figure maintained a lead of one length throughout the race.
The limit—
Something she had vaguely glimpsed during the [Mainichi Okan] race now appeared before her eyes with absolute clarity.
Sirius Symboli saw her own limit.
So this is it… This is what I've been searching for all along.
A smile spread across her sweat-drenched face.
That intangible, invisible barrier holding her back… just how… how could she break through it now?
"The race enters the final four hundred meters, the last challenge for all contestants! Who will seize victory in this race!? Still leading is Maruzensky—!"
The final stretch at the Tokyo Racecourse, a slope with a two-meter elevation difference.
For the contestants who had already run sixteen hundred meters, this track, blocking their entire view, had become a wall barring the finish line.
The four-hundred-meter stretch known as the heartbreaker.
A sudden heaviness rose from their feet, as if they'd stepped into deep mud. Everyone's movements slowed simultaneously.
This was where the victory would truly be decided!
It's starting—!
The crowd watched with wide eyes.
A deafening roar echoed across the field. Narita Brian was the first to make her move. Her feet dug deeply into the soil, her horseshoes emitting a terrifying CRACK, as she charged toward Maruzensky with unbridled ferocity.
There was no need to hold anything back now!
Displaying her astonishing flexibility once again, Oguri Cap's legs whipped across the turf. The dappled grey monster also revealed her impeccably timed finishing kick.
--+--
'Tama-chan, back then… why did you want to become a Uma Musume…'
She recalled the question Komiyama had asked her before she entered Tracen.
Yeah, why was it?
Maybe there weren't so many complicated reasons.
It was just because, by chance, she saw a race. She saw those Uma Musume running on the track, and then, with that naive and pure yearning, she told her parents—
I want to be as amazing as them! No, I want to be even more amazing than them, than everyone!
Hey, Tamamo Cross! You're not scared anymore, are you?
Even from the front ranks, even if your legs ache, you won't fear anymore, right?
Because…
"This here gal's gonna become number one in Japan!!!"
A frantic shout reverberated across the course.
The white figure transformed into a streak of light, steps like thunder, instantly catching up to Oguri Cap.
The three of them pushed almost simultaneously. Blood burned within them, sweat steaming off and dripping from their faces.
"Tamamo Cross! Narita Brian, Oguri Cap, Tamamo Cross!! They're accelerating, everyone is accelerating! They're getting closer, gradually closing in, everyone is drawing near to the leading Maruzensky—!!"
Pressure mounted spontaneously.
A trace of tension showed on Maruzensky's face.
This was the first time she'd encountered a situation where, even after pushing her speed to the limit, she still couldn't shake her opponents.
'Strong' wasn't enough to describe them.
Two dappled greys on winning streaks, shattering conventional thinking. The monster undefeated in the classics.
Everyone here stood at the pinnacle of the pyramid!
This was… truly exhilarating!
Under the immense pressure, the outline of the sports car grew sharper. The violently roaring engine screamed incessantly, tires grinding fiercely against the ground.
Accelerate! Toward the finish line, accelerate without holding back—!
Her consciousness was gradually focusing. The surrounding sounds grew quieter. The ground began to turn pale. The passage of time slowed increasingly.
Breath, blood, heartbeat—everything felt as if the hands of time had been pressed down.
Slower and slower.
Her feet became tires, her body turned to steel. A fierce gale whipped against her cheeks.
Her body was entering a state of concentration that surpassed limits.
And then—
Splurch!
Blood sprayed out.
--+--
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.