The next thing I knew, I was standing inside a gate, with Darley Arabian in the gate right next to mine. The track I stood upon stretched into the infinite, and I could smell both the wetness of Spring and the sweetness of an approaching Autumn. Cheers erupted from a crowd I couldn't see, their excitement paired together with a symphony of trumpets that welcomed the race that was about to come.
I took a deep breath as I gently felt out the gates blocking me from running forward. The thing certainly felt real to me, yet I could also feel a strange electricity that pierced through the gloves I wore, almost as if the steel was saturated with some energy I couldn't quite see.
I remembered it still—the memory was clear in my mind.
I wasn't quite sure of the length of this race, but I knew that it was likely longer than even the [Spring Tenno Sho], or even the 3600-meter [Stayers' Cup]. I wouldn't be surprised if it was even 4000 meters in length. Regardless, this would be the longest race I would run in.
Previously, that massive distance had cost me. Despite my overpowering stamina, it still failed to clinch a victory for me when I first raced against Byerley Turk. But after all my training, I was confident I could now perform my Great Escape all the way from beginning to end.
The turf below me was in perfect condition; not so soft that my feet would sink when I galloped forward, yet not so firm that using my strength would rattle my bones. A perfect blend of both Japanese and European Turfs—allowing any umamusume to run at their full strength without increasing their risk of injury.
An impossible standard to meet in reality.
Thankfully, this wasn't the real world.
"And so do not hesitate, Blossom Star." Darley Arabian said, somehow having read my thoughts. "This world is but a mere dream. There is no need to fear what harm might befall your body." She turned to me, and a small smile lifted her lips. "All your Skills, your Unique—unleash everything."
"Defeat me."
The moment she said those words, an oppressive pressure filled the air. I grit my teeth as I held my ground, forcing myself to stand despite the invisible weight pushing down on my shoulders. This feeling-, it surpassed even the oppression I felt from Secretariat.
As expected of one of the Three Goddesses.
"I will." I promised as I focused on the gates. I could hear a faint whirring coming from it—likely the sounds of gears rotating inside the gates. It wouldn't be long before the gates opened.
I closed my eyes. Took a deep breath.
I had a rough plan in mind. Considering this race's length, {Tyrant's Advance} can't be used—the Skill just drained too much Stamina. {Lion's Roar} would probably never activate either, considering this was a race only for two. And since that was the case--
A wry smile came onto my lips. It seemed the only thing I could do was return to the old reliable—use a Great Escape to build as much distance as I could from Darley, and when the final stretch approached, activate all my Skills to unleash an acceleration fast enough to reach the end before she could.
All I needed to do was to execute it.
BANG!
The gates slammed open, and I turned into a blur as I lunged forward. For the first time in a while, I didn't bother holding back. I unleashed every bit of Strength I had in this body of mine, and the mystical Turf beneath my cleats was more than happy to accommodate.
Yet, despite my Great Escape, the lead I had over Darley wasn't building as fast as I first imagined. She remained 3 lengths behind me, her gait almost relaxed as she ran forward. At first I thought she was running as a Pace Chaser, but seeing her unbothered way of running sent a shot of dread down my spine.
Because I'd seen this before. Someone else had done exactly this.
"A Late Surger…" I whispered, smiling grimly as I continued running. I was confident in that assumption as well, considering how similar this all felt to the many practice races I'd run with Oguri.
Shaking my thoughts away, I continued running forward. I'd reached my maximum Speed by this point, and the lead I had was steadily growing as I soon entered the second corner.
My breaths remained light as I ran, a contrast to the heavy tremors that pulsed through the earth every time my foot stomped into the ground.
Minimal effort, Maximum power—that was Secretariat's whole philosophy. At her core, Secretariat was lazy, and she disliked nothing more than feeling tired. She was rather strange in that regard, and I couldn't help but feel like she also suffered the same lack of instincts like Muteki and I.
Regardless, this was where Secretariat's now-famous strides came from. Through years of experience, she eventually found a way to make the most use of an umamusume's body. Breathe the right way, move your legs in tandem, utilize your arms and waist—everything to create the perfect synchrony.
And it was this same technique that Secretariat had 'lovingly' taught me during the 3 tortuous months I spent training under her. My version of it wasn't quite perfect just yet, but considering I would soon be racing in America, I wasn't exactly pressed for time.
Oguri was also taught this, but unlike me, she didn't need to fully learn it. Not because she couldn't, but because she'd already learnt it through sheer instinct alone, even if partially. All she needed was some pointers, and suddenly the Grey Monster became even more monstrous.
Anyway,
It didn't take much time before I entered the second straight of this ephemeral track. My blue cloak fluttered in the winds as I ran, somehow not slowing me down despite my G1 outfit being wholly inefficient for any sort of running. Tiny clumps of dirt were thrown back as I stomped down, but those gouges magically healed just moments after my cleats left the turf.
By that point, Darley was nearly a dozen lengths behind me, her gait still reassured despite the incredible lead I'd built for myself. Had this been anyone else, I was certain they wouldn't ever catch up.
But,
I suddenly felt it. A tremor tore through my chest, and the invisible pressure weighing on my shoulders suddenly grew tenfold. An unimaginable heat shot through the air, all originating from somewhere behind me. And just moments later, I caught wisps of flames at the edge of my sight, surging from behind.
Then came an impossibly loud explosion, one that almost reminded me of the detonation of explosives. And yet, judging by the series of powerful tremors that surged through the ground beneath me, that explosion could only mean one thing--
I grit my teeth as I endured the painful, scorching sensation all across my skin. Even with most of my skin covered by my G1 outfit, I still felt like I was seconds away from seeing my skin catch fire. But I didn't dare to slow down—didn't even dare to look backwards to see what was happening.
I didn't need to.
All I needed to do was run!
Power rose within me just as I entered the third corner, and with a roar, I activated my skills.
{Competitive Spirit ◎}, {Front Runner Savvy ◎}, {Professor of Curvature}, {Playtime's Over!}—all the Skills that signified my first Burst all activated, and I grit my teeth as I surged forward, running even faster. I could feel my legs beginning to strain due to the combined effects of my Skills and whatever Darley was doing in the back. My body made it clear that this was my limit for the time being.
But my limit wasn't enough. As I charged through the third corner, I could only grit my teeth as Darley's explosive steps grew louder and louder.
And inevitably,
"Surely you're not done just yet, are you?" Darley Arabian said as she caught up to me, Her eyes, previously green, had melded into a boiling gold. All while a blazing inferno spun around her body, the flames gathering together into the shape of a massive phoenix.
Sweat poured down my face as she passed me, and I could only grimly smile. "Of-, course not." I bit out, my pupils sharpening into slits. "I'm just-, getting started!"
As we entered the fourth corner, my legs stomped down. And ignoring my body's warning, I activated the next set of Skills.
{In Body and Mind}, {Leading Charge}, {Mold Breaker}, {Prepared to Die}—four more Skills, all dedicated to increasing my Speed during the final moments of a race. The momentary lead Darley had over me was taken back as I accelerated forward.
But at the same time, I had to bite down on my lip as I felt my body scream in pain. It was as if my legs were being torn from the inside out; as if my bones shredded and sanded into dust. It was a familiar pain—I'd experienced this exact same thing back in the [Japan Cup].
Soon, we entered the final straight. I was still in the lead, but only by a length, and Darley was still accelerating. If nothing changed, she would soon overtake me again.
I couldn't let that happen.
So I screamed as I called forth the last Skill I had. The last card I could pull to try and clinch a victory against this indomitable Goddess of Bravery.
{Starlit Crown} activated. The air around my legs twisted as a powerful heat burst forth from the soles of my feet. The scorching heat melded together with Darley's flames; the temperature grew so high that the air around us began to vibrate, as if this dreamlike world was moments away from breaking apart.
My Speed increased even further, but with it came agony. An overpowering agony that eclipsed every other sensation I felt, and I could only let out a bloodied scream as I felt the bones in my legs snap.
Yet I didn't fall. I forced myself to keep running. Kept myself upright.
Because Darley wasn't giving up yet. There was only half a length between us.
{Starlit Crown} activated for a second time. My already drained Stamina shrunk even further, and I screamed as I felt the muscles in my thighs tear apart. I'd long bypassed my body's limits at this point, but I forced myself not to think of it as I sped even further.
My sight was growing hazy. The world around me was darkening. My consciousness couldn't withstand much more pain.
But I could see it now.
The finish line was in sight. The unlit scoreboard was not too far away. And the distant cheers of a crowd I couldn't see grew into a world-shaking roar as we entered the final stretch of this race.
There was only one thing I could do.
I grit my teeth, and with blood falling from my lips, I grinned widely as I activated {Starlit Crown} one last time. I gagged as I felt my lungs collapse, my respiratory system incapable of handling the immense strain I was putting myself under. But I forcefully swallowed a scream as I ran forward with all my might.
400 meters, 300 meters, 200 meters—
The distance towards the finish line shrunk further and further as I ran. There were only seconds left before this race would end.
Yet Darley was right behind me. She was still speeding up even now, and in a matter of seconds, she would no doubt overtake the lead.
So I ran. I ran and ran and ran. Even as my body broke apart, even as my lungs failed on me, even as blood fell from my lips—at that moment, the only thing in my mind was the need to run.
200 meters, 100 meters, 50 meters—
I'd run with all my might. Pushed myself far beyond what this body could naturally handle.
And so my eyes widened in horror as I saw Darley pass me, her flames swirling in the winds as she charged ahead. Her gold eyes pierced into mine, and though no words were said, I could hear the final challenge she issued.
My eyes trembled. My failing body begged me to do nothing else. I could feel little else but pain at this point.
But, beneath the gaze of the Goddess of Bravery, I found in me the strength to give one last smile.
"Thank you."
My foot stomped down one last time, and I felt my whole body crack as {Starlit Crown} activated once more. Power burnt within me, and with one last scream, I lunged forward to try and retake the lead I'd lost.
50 meters, 30 meters, 10 meters-!
At that moment, a miracle.
The flames burning around Darley were suddenly swept inwards as I rushed past her, sweat and tears and blood falling from my cheeks. They spun behind me, almost as if caught in a vortex I left behind in my wake.
And Darley Arabian smiled as she saw those flames solidify into strange, wing-like conjurations, hovering just behind my back.
"Congratulations, Blossom Star."
My foot flew across the finish line, with Darley just a Head behind me.
[Mission Complete!]
[Rewards: {Unique Skill: Starlit Crown} Level Up, +50 to all Attributes, 400 SP]
The moment I saw that notification, I could only gasp as I lost all my strength. The fragile wings behind me shattered, and I collapsed onto the Turf. I skid across the ground, carried by the remaining momentum of my final charge.
By the time I finally came to a stop, I was a wreck. I couldn't feel anything from my waist and below, my chest ached with immense pain with every breath I took, and I couldn't stop gagging from all the blood I'd unconsciously swallowed during that final straight.
Yet, despite all the pain I felt, I could only grin as I shakily rose a fist to the sky.
I fell unconscious not long after.
…
"Mou, couldn't you have held back a little?" Godolphin Arabian whispered as she gently cradled the now unconscious Blossom Star.
Her lips thinned as she saw the horrid state of their Hero. Her G1 outfit was stained red with blood, and beneath it, golden cracks spread all across her body—a projection of the horrific internal injuries she'd suffered. There was a particularly massive wound drawn across her chest, leaking with golden blood.
Darley Arabian smiled weakly. "I didn't use my Domain, did I?" She justified, before sighing as she saw her sister huff as she looked away.
Byerley Turk was the next to appear on the track, and her red eyes shone with approval. "She has grown incredibly." She said simply.
"...she has." Godolphin later said, gently placing Star's head on her lap. "She has become a wonderful umamusume." She softly brushed a strand of hair from Star's eyes, smiling sadly as she saw how the tips of her hair were turning white. "If only we could've spared her all this pain…"
The other two Goddess fell silent at Godolphin's words, incapable of saying anything.
The final moments of that race were spent in silence, with the world quietly breaking apart as the dream came to an end.
.
.
.
AN: Sorry for the late upload. I had a previous version of this, but I found it inadequate after rereading it and rewrote it. Today's 2 chapters will be uploaded as normal.