Admire Vega watched the sunny, cheerful girl—Garden Gale—step into the gate.
Was it an illusion?
She couldn't help but wonder.
Admire Vega drew a slow breath, forcing her thoughts into order… yet that earlier sensation still clung to her heart. The feeling of being hunted—like the endless African savanna, where a rabbit has met the ruler of the plains. The outcome was obvious: a crushing defeat, no suspense at all.
She'd always known Garden Gale was strong… but seeing her up close still rattled her.
No. Absolutely not… absolutely not…
She had to win. No matter what.
Her gaze flickered—then locked in.
She had a reason she couldn't lose. Even against a monster like Garden Gale, she would win!
Admire Vega clenched her fists until her nails cut into her palms, and still she felt nothing. Her eyes stayed on the track—on the crown waiting at the end.
Let me take it all… even if I'm alone!
Once she made up her mind, the pressure of that unbending will spilled outward.
Just like Garden Gale's—a do-or-die intent that made everyone around her tense. Only now did the other Umamusume understand: so that oppressive presence earlier… it had been Admire Vega's. They sighed inwardly. She really was powerful. Hadn't the champion of this race already shown herself? Who else could possibly stand against her?
One by one, eleven Umamusume entered the gates.
Distance: 2000m.
Track Condition: Good.
Direction: Clockwise.
…
Before the start, a word about the heavyweight spectators at this open-class (OP) race.
From Team LOCK, Air Shakur and Fine Motion were present—along with their Trainer, Sakura Kamishiro, newly back from a business trip. Opposite them stood Narita Top Road and Curren Chan; the two had grown closer lately. Notably, Narita Top Road had run another debut race half a month ago, winning as the top favorite—officially stepping into the pro ranks.
Honestly, if she hadn't run into a freak like Garden Gale, Narita Top Road's debut would've been flawless.
Curren Chan only stared toward the track, worry plain on her face… though no one could tell if she feared for Admire Vega, or for her dormmate and close friend Garden Gale.
Nearby, stood the future top-tier Umamusume Tokai Teio, and the Emperor at the summit—Symboli Rudolf.
One was widely seen as a Triple Crown contender, the brightest star of the coming era. The other stood at the very peak of Japanese Umamusume—an object of feverish devotion. And yet the Emperor's attention was fixed on Garden Gale. She truly wanted to see how far this girl could go.
…It was the first time she'd seen such a strange ability.
…Even after deciding it wasn't that strong—or rather, that its ceiling was shackled.
Just like the question Garden Gale had asked her—you could imitate ninety-nine ninety-nines, but you couldn't imitate two perfect hundreds.
Still.
Who cared?
Let Garden Gale run without fear.
However far she went, she went. And since she was a prodigy, the Emperor could trust her. Symboli Rudolf's smile sharpened, fierce and eager.
She was looking forward to this.
It was only the second time she'd waited for someone's era.
The last was Oguri Cap. What kind of era that had opened afterward went without saying.
And here was the interesting part: the audience, the racers, even the commentators—everyone believed Admire Vega would win this race.
But the ones who truly understood Garden Gale—Air Shakur, Fine Motion, Narita Top Road and Curren Chan, Tokai Teio, and the Emperor—they might not be on the same side, but instinctively, all of them believed the same thing:
Garden Gale could beat Admire Vega.
...
The messy prelude ended.
The scene returned to the track.
The Wakagoma Stakes was about to begin.
Garden Gale stood in her stall and settled into her stance. There was nothing in her eyes but seriousness—as if she'd slipped back into that state where she forgot everything, even herself… that peerless focus, like a gift from heaven.
All it needed was to be unearthed and driven deeper—and then you'd understand what kind of blessing it truly was.
This time, no weather interference, no tricky draw—none of last time's uncertainty. She'd drawn inside, gate one.
A clean advantage.
The draw wasn't everything, but it shaped the opening tempo. A good gate was small, but real—and it made things easier.
Garden Gale's gaze slid sideways.
In eyes clear and cold as ice, Admire Vega's reflection appeared.
Her opponent had drawn well too.
Fine.
Garden Gale pressed the feeling down.
Which meant—no excuses left. Clear weather. Similar draws. Ignore the roar outside the rail and speak only of what happened on the track, and today was pure strength against strength.
Whoever was stronger would win.
Then the commentator's introductions rolled by, names and records one after another—none of it mattered. What mattered was the next instant, when the gates snapped open and all eleven Umamusume surged forward at once.
The gates opened—!
The Wakagoma Stakes began with no drama.
No bad start. No accidents. No flukes.
Garden Gale was deadly serious.
From the first step to the last, her eyes never left the space ahead; her focus was absolute.
In that instant—the instant the gates opened, control surged up from her core. Her calves—cut in smooth arcs—coiled tight in a heartbeat, like a bow drawn to its limit.
Then she exploded forward.
Clean. Violent. Perfect.
Not a single mistake. A breathtaking break—she seized the lead before anyone else, taking the front as if it belonged to her.
"GARDEN GALE! GARDEN GALE TAKES THE LEAD!"
"THAT'S A BEAUTIFUL BREAK! ADMIRE VEGA AND RASHOMON WARRIOR FOLLOW RIGHT BEHIND!"
Judging only by the start, Garden Gale was clearly top-class.
And this time, she had no intention of easing off and slipping into the pack to save energy behind the wind. Whether her stamina held or not, she could finish the full distance—she could feel it. Even if her body faltered, her will would carry her through.
So—let her command everything.
A wild light flashed through her eyes.
Prodigies. Champions.
Try to catch up.
Try to catch up to my footsteps.
---
bonus chaps
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