The moment Myriad Dreams utilized the extreme speed granted by [Power Conversion] to finally overtake that silver figure and reclaim the lead, she hesitated for not a single second before unfurling her Zone once more—
[A Dream of a Thousand Layers!]
Invisible ripples radiated outward from her as the center, attempting to project that lethal hallucination back into Silver Charm's mind, forcing her to "see" curves obstructing her path and disrupting her proud sprinting rhythm.
However, in the very next second, the system within Myriad Dreams' mind let out a piercing alarm!
[Warning! No abnormal mental fluctuations detected in target "Silver Charm"! Zone effect nullified!]
[Warning! Target "Silver Charm's" Zone energy is highly condensed but not yet activated!]
"What?!"
Myriad Dreams was shocked to her core, her eyes darting to the side in her peripheral vision.
Silver Charm's eyes, now transformed into silver vortexes, were terrifyingly calm.
She was staring fixedly at Myriad Dreams' back, her stride showing not a single hint of disorder.
It was as if the illusions that could cause other Uma Musume to decelerate in a daze were nothing more than a gentle breeze to her!
The silver specks of light around her circulated rapidly.
Her massive Zone energy was primed and ready, yet she held it back like a lurking viper, waiting for the perfect moment for a fatal strike.
"Crap! She's completely immune to the illusions?! And she's waiting!"
Myriad Dreams instantly understood Silver Charm's tactic. She intended to save all her strength, including that evolved Zone, for the final split-second that would decide the race!
The internal system calculated frantically, surfacing a cold conclusion:
[Simulation: If the target activates the unknown Zone in the final 100 meters, her instantaneous acceleration will exceed the Host's current limit speed.]
[Combining conditions for Host's skill "Desperate Outburst" (requires an enemy in front to trigger): Simulation result: In the final 10 meters, the Host will be overtaken. Win rate is less than 1%.]
"The final 10 meters... overtaken..."
The result sent a chill through Myriad Dreams.
There were only 300 meters left until the finish line.
Silver Charm was like the most patient hunter, nipping at her heels, waiting for the moment Myriad Dreams exhausted her strength or made her final push.
"If I want to win, I have to shake her off here! But using 'Desperate Outburst' requires an enemy in front... and she's behind me now!"
This miraculous turnaround skill was currently impossible to trigger due to her position!
Myriad Dreams' brain whirred at an unprecedented speed, searching for a way to break the deadlock.
"But illusions are useless against her... wait! Illusions?"
An incredibly bold thought bordering on insane suddenly illuminated her mind!
"That's it! Illusions! Since I can't affect her... I'll affect myself!"
In this critical moment, Myriad Dreams made a move that no onlooker, including Silver Charm, could comprehend.
She channeled her Zone again, but this time, the reality-warping power of the illusion did not spread outward.
Instead, she forcibly constricted it, applying it directly to her own visual perception!
In her eyes, a phantom of Silver Charm leading her by a neck suddenly appeared on the track ahead!
The illusion was so vivid, carrying Silver Charm's unique, sharp aura, that it felt as if her own recent overtake was the hallucination and Silver Charm was still holding the top spot!
"Now!"
[Desperate Outburst]: Activated!
Speed: 970 → 1470
A force far more violent and primal than [Power Conversion] erupted from within Myriad Dreams like a dormant volcano!
Her speed stat soared at an unprecedented rate, as if breaking through some fundamental limit!
Boom!
Myriad Dreams' figure seemed to turn into a true blue phantom. Her speed surged to a level that left everyone speechless.
The distance between her and the real Silver Charm behind her wasn't shrinking— it was widening at a terrifying rate!
One length, two lengths, three...
"What?! That's impossible!"
The mask of icy calm that Silver Charm had maintained finally shattered, revealing a face of unbelievable horror.
She could not understand at all how Myriad Dreams could suddenly burst forth with a speed that didn't even seem to belong to this dimension, or how she could still have such a powerful final spurt left in her.
'I can't wait any longer!'
Silver Charm knew that if she allowed the gap to keep widening, all would be lost.
"[Silver Radiance: True Trajectory]!!!" She finally let out a long-suppressed roar, activating her evolved Zone at full power!
The brilliant silver glow exploded like a supernova, completely enveloping her.
Her speed skyrocketed in an attempt to give chase.
Her Zone granted her the power to pierce through falsehoods and solidify her resolve, making her sprint a picture of absolute determination.
But it was too late!
The [Desperate Outburst] Myriad Dreams gained through self-deception had given her a decisive head start, and the massive gap she had opened was like an unsurpassed chasm.
While Silver Charm's Zone acceleration was terrifying, trying to close a gap of several lengths in such a short remaining distance was a lost cause.
Carrying the posture of a lone leader, Myriad Dreams crossed the finish line first as a blue meteor, winning by a decisive four lengths!
Silver Charm's all-out sprint ultimately resulted in nothing more than a silver afterimage crossing the line, filled with frustration and shock.