"The leading group is entering the final corner! Within the group, they're also starting to close the distance with each other. Who will ultimately win this race?"
The commentator's voice once again drew Biwa Hayahide's attention downward, her earlier embarrassment forgotten.
"Now's the time!" Winning Ticket made her move first, her stride lengthening as she pushed forward.
"It's started! Winning Ticket is beginning her charge! Narita Taishin is also making her move! Both are starting to close the distance with the front runner!"
"Winning Ticket and Narita Taishin finally made their moves in the final corner. Because the distance to the front runner was too great a gap, if they didn't close it before the straight, the consequences would be disastrous!"
The straight was when all Uma Musume would sprint with everything they had. If they made their moves only then, they might not be able to catch up at all.
Seeing Narita Taishin following behind her, Winning Ticket wasn't surprised. "So Taishin had the same plan as me. But I won't give up either."
Both of them swung out to the far outside almost simultaneously, maintaining their speed without losing momentum. This was exactly the effect they wanted.
Both had conserved their stamina well. Swinging to the outside, let them bypass the uma musume in front, then they could sprint with full power when it mattered.
"Winning Ticket has gone around the far outside! Narita Taishin has also entered chaser formation! The two with the highest support ratings are entering the final straight side by side!"
"Tickezo! I've been working hard all this time just to catch up to you." Narita Taishin's gaze remained locked on Winning Ticket ahead, determination blazing in her eyes.
You'll never make it!
Narita Taishin didn't know how many times she'd heard that growing up. Didn't know how many people told her to give up on race and find something more realistic.
Narita Taishin glanced at Winning Ticket running ahead of her. This girl was something else, seriously. She didn't even know what racing was when she first came to the academy. Watched one race by Inês Fujin and decided she absolutely had to run in the Japanese Derby. Just like that.
That race… it was insane. Inês ran a perfect runaway from start to finish. The crowd never sat down for a second, they were losing their minds. And when it was over… Inês just collapsed on the track, crying like her heart might burst.
The Uma Musume, the spectators, the fans… literally everyone felt it. The heartbreak was impossible to ignore.
It was Inês Fujin's best race. Also her last one, she had to retire right after. But Inês Fujin said she had no regrets because that was the Japanese Derby.
The race every uma musume dreamed about.
And Winning Ticket saw that and went, "yeah, I'm doing that too." With nothing but pure passion, she'd somehow made it all the way here.
Could we really achieve dreams with just passion?
Narita Taishin wasn't sure about the answer.
But as long as Uma Musume had dreams, talent, and rivals to push them forward, maybe that was all they really needed.
Yes, rivals. Tickezo was my rival. the one who always pushed me forward, forcing me to give everything I had.
Narita Taishin felt fortunate to have encountered so many wonderful companions. They were the ones who let her stand on this racetrack again, who believed in her when others didn't.
"Tickezo!!!"
With every ounce of energy she had, Narita Taishin lunged forward, sprinting full-out after Winning Ticket. Her hooves thundered against the track, wind whipping past her ears, every stride fueled by determination and the faces of those who had never given up on her.
"Taishin?"
"Winning Ticket has overtaken the front-runner! She's in the lead! And Narita Taishin is chasing desperately behind! Who will take it between these two?! This is a battle you absolutely can't miss!"
At the final 200 meters, cheers erupted from the stands. The racetrack had become a duel between these two, everyone else fading into the background.
Precisely because they were friends, two of them couldn't afford to lose.
Narita Taishin put in another burst of power and caught up again, her muscles screaming in protest.
The two were side by side once more.
Woooooh! I'm not letting you pass me!" Winning Ticket's voice rang out, fierce and full of determination. Her hooves pounded the track like a drum, every stride driving her forward as if she were chasing victory itself.
"I won't lose to you, Taishin!!" she roared, eyes blazing, refusing to yield an inch as they thundered side by side.
Whoosh!
In the final stretch, as she ran shoulder to shoulder with her opponent, an unyielding desire not to lose flared within her. With that surge of determination, her legs moved faster, propelling her forward like a flash of lightning.
The acceleration was explosive.
Narita Taishin felt extreme fatigue washing over her, sweat pouring from her forehead in streams. She clearly had no strength left, her body approaching its limit.
"Tickezo speed... when did it get that fast?"
Only Hayato could see that in the process of competing with Narita Taishin, Winning Ticket had directly awakened her unique skill. The system notification flashed in his vision.
"Is it almost the finish line?"
V Is for Victory! - Unique Low Star/Yellow Skill: Moderately increases velocity with winning ambition when positioned toward the front on the final straight after engaging in a challenge on the final corner or later.
This skill required running side by side with an opponent for more than two seconds in the final straight to activate. Without realizing it, Narita Taishin had helped Winning Ticket awaken it just by staying close.
"Winning Ticket is the first to reach the finish line!! Second place is Narita Taishin! With this, Winning Ticket has four consecutive victories! What an amazing race!"
After passing through the finish line, Winning Ticket clenched her fists in a victory pose, while Narita Taishin kept gasping for breath after finishing. The difference between having and not having a skill was extremely obvious.
"Winning Ticket has set a new Yayoi Sho record! Let us congratulate Winning Ticket on winning this race!"
"Four consecutive wins? And she set a record?" King Halo's voice cracked in surprise. She had to admire this race, because from the corner onward, it had almost entirely been a duel between those two. Despite such a huge gap at the start, they'd still caught up and broken the record.
That took great skill.
King Halo had to reevaluate her opponents. No wonder her Trainer said these three were her greatest rivals on the road to the Triple Crown Classic. If the person on the track had been her, she was certain she really wouldn't have had any chance of winning.
"Mm, what a surprise. As expected of Tickezo." Biwa Hayahide's tone carried genuine praise.
"Should we go meet them both backstage?" Hayato suggested, already moving toward the stairs.
"Let's go together then." Everyone agreed, following after him.