Symboli Rudolf pinched the bridge of her nose and let out a long, heavy sigh.
Of course. A race like this was probably too much, too soon for Platinum. She should have been eased into it more gradually.
Just facing such a massive event was a test in itself.
Some people blush just singing a song in front of their classmates at a Christmas party, let alone stepping onto a track with tens of thousands of spectators. Making a mistake was only natural.
"Whaaaaaaat—!"
"Don't you dare pull a Gold Ship right now!"
"Why is it always me?"
In contrast, the Spica clubroom was anything but calm.
Daiwa Scarlet and Vodka were clutching at each other's sleeves and arms, exclaiming in shock. Mejiro McQueen couldn't help but hang her head in dismay, while the inadvertently slandered Gold Ship was left with a face full of question marks.
--+--
"Aren't you worried?" At the venue, Uncle Francis turned to look at Agnes Tachyon. She was leisurely popping open another can of black tea, the pull-tab dangling from her fingertip.
"Worried? Of course I am. But worrying won't change anything," Agnes Tachyon took a sip of her tea. "There's still a chance to recover. In the end, we do our best and leave the rest to fate."
"You're quite calm." Uncle Francis turned his gaze back. Agnes Tachyon smiled slightly and placed the can at her feet.
That was a lie. Inside, Agnes Tachyon was about to explode.
That idiot, idiot, idiot!—To have a bad start! A bad start at such a critical moment!
What on earth was going through her head?
If she could, Agnes Tachyon would have vaulted over the railing, hauled Platinum off the track, and run the race herself.
Forget it... Agnes Tachyon forced herself to calm down. As she'd just said, there was still a way to salvage this.
For a front-runner, a bad start was a huge disadvantage. But for a closer, it wasn't quite as devastating.
Platinum felt a drop of sweat trickle into her eye. She blinked hard.
This sweat wasn't from the running; it was from sheer fright.
Only one thought echoed in her mind now.
I'm done for, done for, done for... Agnes Tachyon is going to kill me!
She could already imagine exactly what Agnes Tachyon would say.
'I told you to run from behind, not to run dead last!'
Her legs were as good as gone!
But what else could she do? She genuinely had no idea how to judge the timing. All this talk about closing and leading was beyond her. She'd always just run flat out!
—This time, you have to learn to control the pace and timing of your race.
Platinum recalled Agnes Tachyon's instructions.
—Golden Sixty and the others are on a completely different level from any opponent you've faced before. Don't try to match them head-on. You can't win that way. You need to bide your time.
—That means, hold back, tuck yourself into the pack of closers, and keep your eyes open for any chance to turn the tables.
There's still a way. Platinum wiped the cold sweat from her brow.
Forget those retired old-timers... she should still be able to handle this new generation, right?
First things first, she had to establish her dominance among these younger Uma Musume.
Platinum's confidence wasn't entirely unfounded. Given her physical gifts, she had every right to think that way. But when it came to putting it into action, she found herself stumped.
Because standing in her way wasn't just one Uma Musume, but a whole, tightly packed group of them!
They loomed before Platinum like a dark cloud, spreading out to form a solid wall blocking her path.
Should she charge left? Or break right? Was that gap even wide enough?
Platinum was completely at a loss. Without any experience in this, she was running blind. Even if she spotted a potential opening, she couldn't summon the resolve to go for it.
This blockade wasn't aimed solely at her; it trapped every Uma Musume in the pack. They were all locked in a tense stalemate, watching each other with strained expressions.
But Platinum was affected the most, to the point where she was now hesitating, unsure how to even continue running.
--+--
Platinum... Symboli Rudolf sat before the TV, silently chanting the name.
This is exactly what you need to learn. In a race, raw power isn't everything. Knowing how to adapt, how to seize the moment—these are essential skills.
And of course, there's one more thing you must learn... how to face your own failures.
--+--
Dammit, dammit—just move aside! Platinum was nearly frantic, she felt like tearing at her hair and stamping her feet in frustration.
But it was useless. No matter how hard she glared at the backs in front of her, the others wouldn't budge an inch for her sake.
Because they, too, had their own reasons for not yielding—the desire to win!
Hah... Calm down, calm down. Platinum gritted her teeth. Was this really her first major obstacle? And she was already falling apart like this?
Was she just going to slink back to Tracen Academy in dead last?
That thought was worse than death itself.
Agnes Tachyon watched Platinum racing on the track, the pull-tab pinched tightly between her fingers.
Please, Platinum... stop hesitating. Now, right now. Do you remember what I told you?
--+--
"Tachyon, what if I get stuck in the pack and need to break out?" The night before the race, Platinum sat cross-legged on Agnes Tachyon's bed, the picture of last-minute cramming.
"You're out of luck. Just give up," Agnes Tachyon said with a dismissive wave.
"Come on!" Platinum complained. "Isn't there any way?"
"What kind of miracle are you expecting?" Agnes Tachyon looked at her helplessly, her eyes scanning Platinum up and down before suddenly locking onto those seemingly slender legs that held explosive power.
"...For someone like you, maybe you could try something a little different."
"Like what?"
"If you really end up in that situation... then just give them a scare."
--+--
A scare?
How?
Just ahead of Leap of Faith was Fresh Memory, and further ahead, the figures of Urban Sea and the others. And if she shifted her gaze just a bit farther, she could see Golden Sixty, already far in the lead.
For the first time, Leap of Faith was this close to Golden Sixty.
But she had no time to dwell on that. The rapid, dense sound of hoofbeats behind her clung to her like a shadow. She could only desperately drive her legs forward, begging them for more power.
Where was Platinum? Where was she right now?
The thought suddenly struck Leap of Faith.
If she wasn't ahead in her field of vision, then she must be behind, right?
Was Platinum somewhere back there, her steps part of that relentless pursuit?
Leap of Faith listened carefully again. But this time, she heard something different.
Amidst the continuous rhythm of footsteps, Leap of Faith heard a drumming. A steady, pounding thump-thump-thump, like a war chariot rolling inexorably closer.
Unrivaled. Unstoppable.
--+--
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.