"Barbatos is accelerating!"
"Barbatos has successfully overtaken Hishi Amazon and is now chasing Narita Brian and Oguri Cap!"
As the race commentators and analysts, as humans, they could judge whether an Uma Musume had activated her Zone based on their own experiences. But as humans, they could not see the Zones themselves.
--+--
On the track.
White lightning crackled and rampaged through the air.
Barbatos's figure flashed past Hishi Amazon, pursuing those ahead.
Such momentum, such oppressive force—even Hishi Amazon was stunned for a moment.
"That Zone?!"
From her position further back, sensing the aura and pressure of the Zone, Narita Brian felt surprise, but more than that, confidence. Yet, "Activating a Zone starting from the third turn?"
Unlike other Uma Musume.
Legendary-class Uma Musume competed in the Dream Cup, where every opponent was capable of unleashing a Zone.
For ordinary Uma Musume, facing the aura and pressure of a Zone could strip away even the courage to run, their steps unconsciously slowing.
But the moment Barbatos activated her Zone, none of the Legends present were affected. They possessed their own Zones; they had witnessed many different ones.
Therefore, even without activating their own Zones, they could almost entirely resist the oppressive feeling brought by such auras.
Just as Narita Brian had once defeated Mayano Top Gun without activating her own Zone!
"Barbatos has overtaken Oguri Cap!!!"
"Has the Grey Monster been surpassed just like that?"
"Can Barbatos now overtake Narita Brian as well and move into the middle positions?!"
"Amazon! Hishi Amazon is also catching up!"
"Narita Brian has also quickened her pace—it seems she doesn't intend to give Barbatos a chance to pass?"
"Oguri Cap hasn't accelerated yet!"
"Oguri Cap still hasn't accelerated! Could something have happened?"
--+--
"Oguri."
In the spectator stands, Tamamo Cross watched the situation on the track, showing no worry about Oguri Cap's current position after being overtaken by Barbatos's acceleration.
That was Oguri Cap, after all!
"Tamamo, that's your Zone. How can Barbatos...?"
Super Creek asked, utterly bewildered.
Nearly every Uma Musume capable of seeing Zones wore expressions of astonishment. Those who could see Zones naturally knew what Barbatos's Zone looked like.
It was a crimson aura of blood and vigor, a spectral chariot as if risen from hell!
Not White Lightning!
"Can you really teach someone your own Zone just by helping them train?"
Inari One was completely puzzled.
"Mhm, I was pretty shocked the first time I saw it too."
"But that's Barbatos for you. That's the Uma Musume standing at the pinnacle of this generation."
"True as that may be, Barbatos using your Zone seems a bit... superficial."
Inari One remarked bluntly.
Though during her own career, by the time she went to the central circuit, Tamamo Cross had already retired, she had watched broadcasts of Tamamo's races before her own move to the center.
That lightning-fast closing speed and Zone—Tamamo Cross in her prime activating her Zone.
It was simply incomparable to what Barbatos was showing now.
Even in her own prime, without needing to activate her Zone, running at full strength she could have beaten the current Barbatos using "White Lightning."
"It's really just the visual effect, plus the aura and pressure, that are similar."
That assessment was spot on. That Oguri girl hadn't even accelerated after being passed by Barbatos. She was probably just stunned seeing Tamamo's Zone.
To run on the same track as the Zone of a former rival...
Oguri was probably about to unleash speed beyond her limits!
Moonlight Lonacy, Tony Bianca, and Obey Your Master all wore sunglasses, like foreign tourists enjoying Japan, quietly observing the situation on the track.
The scene from that day was about to reappear.
Though it still lacked a bit of polish, it was enough to pose a threat to Japan's Legends.
--+--
On the track.
Having activated [Sylas's Ultimate], Barbatos, after overtaking Oguri Cap and Hishi Amazon, found Narita Brian unwilling to give her a chance to pass, instantly accelerating to pull ahead.
Even with the boost from [Sylas's Ultimate - White Lightning], her own full-speed running still couldn't match Narita Brian's normal pace without a Zone activated!
To her side, Senior Amazon had also accelerated and passed her.
This was all within expectations.
At first, the opponent might have been caught off guard by surprise, allowing the pass.
But once they recovered, they wouldn't give her any opportunity.
A Zone wasn't a cheat; it couldn't instantly grant a massive speed boost, unlike the dramatic acceleration skills in her system.
However, [Sylas's Ultimate] did have one advantage.
An advantage that players of League of Legends often overlooked when playing Sylas.
When Sylas used [Sylas's Ultimate] to steal Shyvana's ultimate and transform into a dragon, after the mana bar was depleted, he wouldn't revert from the dragon form.
This situation was quite similar.
After activating [Sylas's Ultimate - White Lightning], she wouldn't stop until her stamina was completely exhausted.
And after stamina ran out, there was still her grit. With enough grit to sustain her, she could forcibly keep [Sylas's Ultimate - White Lightning] active until her body gave out.
In other words, [Sylas's Ultimate - White Lightning] narrowed the gap between her and the Legendary Uma Musume.
"This way, I can avoid falling too far behind!"
"The deciding moment will be the final stretch!"
"But why isn't Oguri Cap pushing yet?"
With determination and confusion, Barbatos ran on, not deliberately looking back to check Oguri Cap's condition.
At that moment, an immense oppressive force surged from behind her, as if threatening to dye everything around her in darkness.
The sound of tearing wind roared in her ears.
A figure, body low, shot past her side like a monster!
The monstrous power of her strides left depressions in the turf as she ran, just like when Barbatos activated [Unstoppable Onslaught].
Such speed!
Was she already going all out with her Zone here?
Had Tamamo Cross's Zone affected Oguri Cap?!
The overwhelming aura and pressure, the moment she overtook Barbatos, even caused Barbatos's steps to falter and slow.
This was stronger pressure than any Zone she had faced from previous Uma Musume.
This was the first time Barbatos, without any slow immunity, had encountered a Zone of this level!
Her heart skipped a beat.
Gritting her teeth!
[Teemo's Move Quick] activated!
To overcome the slowing and stagnation from the aura's pressure when she herself was lacking, she relied on skills to barely push through.
"Oguri Cap!"
"Oguri Cap is unleashing her full power early, at the 800-meter mark?"
"Isn't she planning to conserve stamina for the final stretch?"
"Oguri Cap is incredibly fast! She's overtaken Barbatos in an instant, passed Hishi Amazon, blown past the Narita Brian, and is charging straight for the leading pack!"
"Oguri Cap is about to overtake T.M. Opera O!"
Observing the situation ahead, even Barbatos couldn't help but marvel at Oguri Cap's speed!
Was this the power of a Legendary Uma Musume in peak condition?
Oguri Cap had erupted early because she, Barbatos, was using Tamamo Cross's Zone.
She could even leave footprints on the grass without relying on skills like Barbatos did, strong as a true monster.
And in this race, there were a full seven others as strong as Oguri Cap!
At this rate, the Zone clashes would probably ignite prematurely, likely preventing her from holding on until the final stretch. She'd be left far behind long before then!
All these thoughts flashed through her mind in an instant.
In her field of vision, T.M. Opera O, about to be overtaken by Oguri Cap, pupils wide with shock, had swirls of cherry blossom petals spiraling around her, as if welcoming the return of a conqueror, heralding the king of this race!
The clash between conqueror and monster had begun!
"I can't wait any longer!"
600 meters remained to the finish line. From here, the Uma Musume in the leading pack would all be drawn into the wake of Oguri Cap and T.M. Opera O, simultaneously activating their Zones.
I have to close the distance with them now!
Otherwise, running at this speed toward the final stretch, by the time I reach it, the leading Legends might already be just a short distance from the finish line!
[Ghost] activated!
[Highlander] activated!
Barbatos's speed surged once more. Using two skills simultaneously, she began slowly closing the gap with Hishi Amazon!
But...
She wasn't the only one who'd made that decision!
Hishi Amazon, Narita Brian, Symboli Rudolf, Air Groove, Fuji Kiseki, Maruzensky.
These Legendary Uma Musume also, almost at the same moment, showed signs of their pupils fragmenting and shattering. Several terrifying auras and oppressive forces ran rampant across the track.
Spectators near the stands, still cheering for their favorite Uma Musume, suddenly held their breath.
Under the collision of those auras, they felt their scalps tingle.
Having activated her skills and immune to slow effects, Barbatos temporarily didn't need to suffer the influence of these Zones. But with Hishi Amazon and the others activating their Zones...
Even with two skills active, she couldn't close the distance with them.
All she could do was watch as the gap widened once more.
"Really now, is the gap this huge?"
Gritting her teeth, Barbatos chased, but could only watch the backs ahead grow distant. Probably the only thing to do now was the same as them.
Crimson blood vigor surged around her, then began to change.
No longer enveloping her like it originally did, it spread and expanded, intertwining with those white lightning bolts, merging into streaks of crimson lightning that rampaged.
Only at this speed did she truly match the Legendary Uma Musume, match those Legends who had now activated their Zones.
The distance still couldn't be closed!
"Two Zones... fused???"
In the stands, Inari One's mouth hung slightly open, utterly unable to comprehend what kind of situation this was.
Super Creek wore a faint, knowing smile.
Under normal circumstances, she'd probably tease Tamamo about it. Seeing this, anyone who could perceive Zones might think Tamamo Cross and Barbatos had some unspeakable relationship.
For an Uma Musume who'd been single for decades, it was the most delightful gossip.
But right now, Super Creek was more focused on the direction of this race, hoping Oguri Cap could defeat Symboli Rudolf to become the Winter Dream Cup champion.
After all, Oguri Cap represented their generation!
Yet now, her gaze seemed fixed on Barbatos.
A generation-defining Uma Musume, likely to become even stronger than she herself had been in her prime. In the future, she would undoubtedly be Japan's number one of this generation!
Though Emperor Symboli Rudolf was called the Absolute of Japanese Uma Musume Racing.
The title "Japan's Number One" wasn't something you had to defeat the "Emperor" to obtain. Simply being the top among regular Uma Musume made you Japan's Number One!
Legendary Uma Musume were in a separate category!
Under normal circumstances, Japan's Number One didn't include the Legendary Uma Musume.
Just like Tamamo Cross back in the day—she had never even raced against Symboli Rudolf!
--+--
And on the track, around Barbatos, cherry blossom petals also began to drift.
Somewhat similar to T.M. Opera O's Zone, yet different, not a perfect match like the White Lightning had been.
But the moment the cherry blossoms appeared, Barbatos's speed increased another notch, beginning to close the distance between her and Hishi Amazon.
Sweat poured from Barbatos's forehead as if it were free.
Her breathing grew slightly erratic. Activating a Zone and running over 1000 meters was a massive drain on stamina.
Even Tamamo Cross in her prime had only activated her Zone starting from the 800-meter mark.
And Tamamo Cross was a dual spring-and-autumn champion, winner of the Tenno Sho (Spring), an Uma Musume excelling in long distances with abundant stamina!
Oguri Cap, who had activated her Zone only slightly later than Barbatos, was also called a monster, whether in closing speed, power, or stamina!
"Hah..."
"Hah... hah..."
Gasping heavily, she almost wished she could just lie down right then and there, give up, stop thinking. Even as she approached the fourth turn, the fatigue was overwhelming, making her want to abandon all thought.
But the cheers after each victory, the encouragement from Chinese fans, the training sessions with seniors like Tamamo Cross, the support from her friends, and that voice message from Seiun Sky...
"Every single one of them—I don't want to let any down!"
Activating [Unstoppable Onslaught], Barbatos charged into the fourth turn, legs straining to forcibly change her direction.
A faint cracking sound came from her legs. Forcibly altering [Unstoppable Onslaught]'s trajectory was too much for her legs to handle.
Excruciating pain stabbed at her nerves.
This was something she'd anticipated! [Unstoppable Onslaught] was difficult to turn with; it should have been saved for the final stretch!
But... there was still a chance!
[Heal] activated, instantly mending the cracked bones.
In her system's equipment interface, the first item she'd purchased after winning the Tracen Academy entrance trial activated.
[Boots of Swiftness - Righteous Glory]!
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, 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.