"She's in the zone right now."
Rudolf nodded. "Unconscious entry. Like yours, Maruzensky. Almost no physical burden."
Maruzensky didn't answer right away.
Unconscious zone entry was a mark of true talent. For an Uma Musume, the body would slip into that hyper-focused state as effortlessly as breathing. Conscious entry, on the other hand, meant forcing their body into that state, and that kind of strain could eventually break even the strongest Uma Musume.
On a ten-level scale of effort, someone like Suzuka could probably stay around level four or five and be totally comfortable. A rhythm that feels easy, like a morning jog.
"So even after burning everything she's got right now," Maruzensky said slowly, "she'll still have enough left to accelerate at the end?"
The implications hit her all at once. Start with a runaway to build an impossible gap. Let everyone behind you exhaust themselves chasing. Then right when they think they've caught up, hit them with a surge they can't match.
The horses behind Suzuka had no idea.
'How pitiful,' Maruzensky murmured, sadness written across her face, as if the words came straight from her own sorrow. If Suzuka relied on her zone in every race, she'd burn out in less than a year, forced to retire before ever reaching her true peak.
That's why Maruzensky and Symboli Rudol never told Uma Musume to chase zones. It was beautiful, but it will destroy their body.
"Perhaps there's more to it." Rudolf's eyes shifted toward Hayato's section in the crowd.
"What's with you lately?" Maruzensky studied her friend's face. "You've been distracted. All this stuff with Suzuka and her trainer, what's really going on?"
Rudolf was silent for a moment. "There may be someone capable of fully controlling the zone, removing its burden on the body entirely."
Everything is silent for a moment after Rudolf said that.
"What?!" Marzensky's sudden exclamation startled several people nearby.
Those people decided it was probably better to keep their distance from these two uma musume. Staying close to them made their whole bodies feel chilled.
"Sorry, did I scare you?" After apologizing to the nearby spectators, Marzensky turned back to Symboli Rudolf with urgency. "Rudolf, are you serious?"
"Keep watching! Soon enough, you'll see exactly why."
Maruzensky's hands clenched. Her heart was actually pounding now, and she couldn't tell if it was excitement or something else.
"You're never satisfied," she said, but there wasn't any real bite to it. "You already have a zone. One of the best in the country as Legendary Uma Musume. And you still want more?"
"Perhaps." Rudolf didn't deny it. "If I faced Oguri Cap at full strength in the Dream Cup, I'd give myself fifty-fifty odds at best. Anyone who knows they can push their zone further would want to try it too if they know something like that."
Maruzensky's zone development was probably the most refined of anyone active. She could flip it on whenever she wanted with zero consequences. A natural talent. If someone ranked Uma Musume by tiers, Uma Musume like Special Week topped out at A-rank. Oguri Cap and the Rudolf were A+. Maruzensky sat at S-rank alone.
That wasn't bragging. Just reality. Every race she ran was pure overwhelming force from start to finish. No strategy, no waiting for the right moment. Just crushing ability until everyone else broke.
Unlike Rudolf and Oguri Cap, who had to manage stamina and pick their spots, Maruzensky zone operated on a completely different level.
"Oguri Cap, huh? We'll definitely meet on the track again soon. Hehehe!" Marzensky laughed. "The President still dreams of being number one in the world? Unfortunately, this is the era of the young ones now. We old-timers, have been active for too long. It's time to return the racetrack to them."
At their age, they really didn't have much competitive drive left. Winning and losing didn't matter as much anymore.
All-Star events were mostly ceremonial anyway. Good for fans, good for publicity, but the results didn't count toward official records. They barely mattered in the grand competition.
"Mm." Rudolf didn't argue, but her mind was already somewhere else.
She thought about a child she'd met years ago before heading overseas. Someone who reminded her of herself with the same intensity.
That child should be enrolling in Tracen soon.
Rudolf wanted to pass her will to someone else. Not for sentimental reasons. She wanted to see Japan produce a second undefeated Triple Crown champion, and she wanted it badly enough to sacrifice everything else for it.
This might be the most serious she'd ever been about anything. For this goal, she'd use any means necessary.
All that talk about battling against Oguri Cap? Hehe.
"Oh no! Oh no! Silence Suzuka might be in trouble here, folks!"
"The race had entered the final corner! Silence Suzuka was still in the lead, she was currently maintaining a five-length gap over the pack!"
The announcer's voice cracked between disappointment and disbelief. Everyone could hear the announcer willing Suzuka forward, wanting this to be legendary instead of just another upset.
"The pack behind was closing fast, getting faster with every stride. But Suzuka's pace hadn't changed!
"Was she out of gas? Had she finally hit her limit?"
Below the spectator seats, Air Groove's fingers dug into the railing.
"Don't you dare give up now." Her chest felt tight. This was her junior, someone she'd coached herself, and seeing Suzuka struggle made something protective claw up inside her. "Don't you dare Silence Suzuka!"
"Come on, Suzuka!" Taiki Shuttle was half out of her seat, waving both hands.
The crowd picked it up. Most people here had bet on Suzuka, believed in her.
But something felt off.
The uma musume charging from behind looked completely wrecked. Sweat poured down their faces. Their breathing came in ragged gasps. Every stride looked like it hurt, like they were pushing past safe limits into injury territory.
They'd burned massive amounts of stamina trying to close that gap.
Meanwhile, Suzuka looked... comfortable. Like she was out for a morning jog. That same easy smile with smooth rhythm.
"Hold on… Suzuka was supposed to be the frontrunner! She should be running out of steam right about now!"
"So why are they the ones sweating like crazy?!"