"Hehe, as expected, I, the invincible Tokai Teio, am the strongest! Everyone else is far behind me!"
At this moment, although she was supposed to be running as a Pace Chaser, due to a perfect start on her end and managing to secure a good position, Tokai Teio unexpectedly took the lead. As a result, her view ahead was unobstructed, with no other competitors in sight.
However, running at the very front undoubtedly means facing greater wind pressure and thus a significant drain on stamina. But Tokai Teio, overjoyed by her perfect start, didn't pay any attention to the stamina drain from the wind pressure.
It was a 2000-meter medium-distance race, with good weather and on turf—it was a perfect course tailor-made for her victory! Was there any reason she wouldn't win?
Although she excelled at Pace Chasing, perhaps running as a Front Runner or even as a Runaway all the way to the finish line wouldn't be a problem either!
Thinking this, Tokai Teio's speed didn't decrease; instead, it increased, her powerful legs propelling her forwards even faster, as if she truly intended to run as a Runaway straight to the finish line!
"...Teio is too arrogant and complacent."
In a private spectator room, Symboli Rudolf watched this scene, shaking her head inwardly, and said calmly, "2000 meters is indeed Teio's preferred distance. As long as she races according to plan, Teio has a very high chance of winning."
"But now, I'm afraid she will realize her lack of power and stamina in the final corner."
"Perhaps not even the final corner, President." At this moment, Air Groove's gaze was also fixed on the Uma Musume competing for the front positions on the track, as she revealed a slight smile.
At this moment, having just passed the first corner, Air Groove had already noticed that one Uma Musume was about to make her move.
"There's my chance!" At this moment, Curren Chan, who was behind Mejiro McQueen and Meisho Doto, seized the opportunity. Just as she and Trainer Ikezoe had planned earlier, she accelerated forward with a sudden surge of power at the first corner!
"Oh! Curren Chan is making her move! She's making her move at the first corner! She has overtaken Meisho Doto and Mejiro McQueen! She's closing in on Tokai Teio!"
"What?!"
Tamamo Cross's voice also made Tokai Teio look to her side in surprise, and at this moment, Curren Chan, who was displaying astonishing power and speed, was almost parallel with Tokai Teio!
When Tokai Teio's eyes met Curren Chan's, the disbelief in her pupils was almost impossible to hide—she only considered McQueen her rival, and had never paid any mind to Curren Chan!
After all, during the previous mock races, she was the only Uma Musume who couldn't finish the entire way!
"Hehe, sorry, Teio~"
Even during the race, Curren Chan maintained a smile. After giving the shocked Teio a cute wink, she laughed and said,
"I'll be taking the first-place position for now~"
As soon as she finished speaking, Curren Chan's legs accelerated yet again, gradually increasing the distance between her and Tokai Teio, whose pace had been affected by her shock.
"Oh oh oh oh!? This is the first time I've seen a running style that starts accelerating at the first corner! Oguri! Do you think Curren Chan can maintain this pace all the way to the finish line?" Tamamo Cross was also very invested in this mock race, which already had something interesting happen on the first corner, and quickly asked Oguri Cap beside her.
"...It's difficult. If she was using a Runaway strategy, she should have taken a favorable position from the start and maintained the lead throughout. Curren Chan's start just now wasn't like Twin Turbo's, where she was stuck in a bad position and couldn't go to the front. Meaning she is not running as a Front Runner or as a Runaway."
Upon listening to what was happening, Oguri Cap, whose eyes usually only held thoughts of food, finally showed a different expression. She then said with some confusion, "So I don't actually know what Curren Chan's strategy is, but I personally don't think she can lead all the way to the finish line."
"However, it's a fact that she is currently in the lead."
"Exactly! I think so too. Although I also don't know what strategy Curren Chan has chosen, she is now in the lead!"
Tamamo Cross and Oguri Cap's commentary also drew gasps from the audience. They hadn't expected Tokai Teio, who was the favorite in this mock race, to be overtaken at the first corner. Instantly, the entire Racecourse erupted in excitement, and many people began cheering for Tokai Teio, or rather, for Curren Chan.
"...Ikezoe-kun, what exactly are you thinking?" However, Wada on the stage also found what was happening a bit strange. Looking at Ikezoe, who appeared very confident, Wada was completely clueless on what strategy they were using.
"You should be very aware that Curren Chan is a short-distance Uma Musume, right? A 2000-meter distance is inherently disadvantageous for her. If she wants to win, shouldn't she adopt an End Closer style? Conserving stamina at the back of the pack and then making a final sprint to victory?"
"—You're right, Wada. If Curren Chan had even the slightest adaptability to medium-distance races, I would have told her to use the method you just mentioned." However, Ikezoe shrugged his shoulders helplessly upon hearing this and said with a smile,
"Unfortunately, Curren Chan truly can only run in sprint races. Even if I don't want to admit it, Curren Chan understands this very well. Not even considering whether she could maintain her speed throughout the race, even completing the entire 2000 meters is a challenge for Curren Chan, let alone accelerating or performing a final spurt."
"So, I just decided to go all out. Curren Chan and I discussed it: she'll accelerate at the first corner. In the first 1200 meters, while all the Uma Musume are conserving stamina for the final straight, we'll lead for the first three corners!"
Ikezoe's words made Wada pause slightly. Seeing Wada's stunned appearance, Ikezoe's face broke into a cheerful smile, and he said with great spirit, "This way, Curren Chan's talent in short distances will be evident even to an amateur. Even if we don't win and get overtaken later, we'll lose gracefully, won't we?"
"And Wada, you need to know, our goal isn't this mock race, but her actual Debut Race on the GIII Hakodate Junior Stakes this July!"
"...I see." With everything laid out, Wada suddenly understood, nodded, and murmured to himself, "Knowing you can't win, so choosing to lose as gracefully as possible while also showcasing Curren Chan's strengths, thereby making Curren Chan more popular before she even runs her Debut Race, huh..."
It must be said that Ikezoe's intention of not aiming to win was something Wada and others had not expected. After all, for Uma Musume, once they step onto the Racecourse, their highest priority will be to win. Even if they were on a track that they have no aptitude in, no Uma Musume would step onto the racetrack expecting to lose.
But coincidentally, Ikezoe understood Curren Chan's limits, while Curren Chan also considered herself to be not good at racing. Thus, she had no objections to Ikezoe's arrangement, which could both showcase her strength and boost her popularity.
—If Orfevre had been his Uma Musume instead, Ikezoe would have given her a strategy that aimed to win. Even if Ikezoe wanted Orfevre to give up, Orfevre would've probably beaten him up.
And everything went exactly as Ikezoe expected. Curren Chan led almost unopposed, even being a full length ahead of Tokai Teio at the second corner.
Tokai Teio also refused to be outdone. Carried away by Curren Chan's pace, she accelerated early and constantly vied for the front position. Throughout the first two corners, the positions of the two Uma Musume continuously interchanged, neither of them letting up! (T/N: Teio thinks she's Almond Eye with how competitive she is being.)
"Curren Chan, you can do it!"
"Go, Curren Chan!"
Many spectators in the stands, captivated by Curren Chan's impressive performance, cheered for her. Now, the group had reached the third corner. If Curren Chan could just hold on for one more corner, she might actually win!
However, unfortunately, Curren Chan's battle ended there.
"I'm really sorry, Onii-chan. I really wish I could run longer distances..."
Curren Chan also felt herself slowly losing speed, and her pace declining. Although deep down she was unwilling to give up the victory that was so close, she no longer had anymore to give... "Oh oh oh! This isn't good, Curren Chan is losing speed! Is she running out of stamina?"
"Now, second-place Tokai Teio is closing in on Curren Chan! Two lengths, one length—Tokai Teio's caught up!"
"Phew... you really scared me." Tokai Teio's nerves, which had been tense from the first corner until now, finally relaxed when she ran parallel with Curren Chan. This time, however, Tokai Teio finally looked at Curren Chan seriously and said,
"Curren Chan, I'm sorry I've always underestimated you. If this were a sprint race, I'm afraid I would have lost to you."
"Hehe, to hear even you say that means Onii-chan's strategy has succeeded." Curren Chan, however, didn't care at all. She and Ikezoe both knew they couldn't win; what they pursued was merely a spectacular performance.
Now, the others will take her place.
"But, you can't relax just yet, Teio~"
"What?"
However, in the next moment, before Teio could even react, Doto, who had been closely following behind Teio and McQueen, seized her chance!
At this moment, Doto's legs suddenly surged with power, even leaving an imprint on the grass! Her explosive power, finally unleashed after being freed from the weights, came rushing out like a raging flood!
"Oh! Meisho Doto is making her move! In the final corner! She has overtaken Tokai Teio in an instant!"
"?!"
At this moment, Teio, who had just overtaken Curren Chan and thought she had finally returned to first place, caught a glimpse of Doto, who swept past her like a gust of wind, instantly appearing in front of her and pulling further away. Teio was instantly dumbfounded.
"I'm sorry, Teio, but it's also my turn now."
And behind Teio, McQueen's voice slowly drifted over. Before Tokai Teio could react, McQueen also accelerated forwards with immense speed, her astonishing burst of power allowed her to overtake Tokai Teio, chasing directly after Doto's back!
What's going on? What happened? How did Doto and McQueen suddenly get ahead of me?
At this moment, Tokai Teio watched McQueen and Doto, who had suddenly pulled away from her. The dumbfounded Tokai Teio even forgot that she was still in a race. The self-doubt in her mind unconsciously slowed her down... Teio seemed to gradually realize that she, at this moment, and the two Uma Musume ahead, were no longer on the same level...
-----+-----
Wouldn't be a chinese book without some face slapping in there.
-----+-----
If you spot any errors, feel free to comment about it and I will fix it as soon as I can.