The atmosphere at Kasamatsu Racecourse was electric. Unlike the sparse crowds of weekdays, the stands were packed today. A deafening roar of excitement echoed across the grounds.
Most of the spectators had come for one reason: Oguri Cap. Her fame wasn't just built on victories, but on the fact that she was a Gray Coat.
In the Japanese racing world, a common superstition persisted: 'Gray-coated Uma Musume can't run fast.' Oguri Cap had shattered that belief.
She was the legendary "ordinary" Gray Coat who had fought her way to seven consecutive regional victories. Her talent was so undeniable that even Symboli Rudolf had invited her to Central. It was the ultimate underdog story.
Her humble background, her status as a Gray Coat, and her earth-shattering speed drew in everyone who loved the sport.
Yuzuki and Shibazaki found a spot in the stands. They spotted Kitahara standing alone nearby.
They didn't approach him this time. With Shibazaki's and Kitahara's Uma Musume set to face off, it wasn't the right time for friendly chatter.
As for why Yuzuki followed Shibazaki? He was there to offer comfort once the race ended for Shibazaki and Fujimasa March...
"The rain last night really left its mark on the track," Shibazaki noted.
Traces of rainwater lingered in the sand. Small pits formed by the runoff dotted the course, turning the dirt into a muddy, marsh-like bog.
"Luckily, Oguri Cap is in gate six and Fujimasa March is in gate nine. The track conditions should have a smaller impact on them out there."
"March looks like she's in top form. She learned her lesson from last time. As long as she runs her race, her chances of winning are massive!" Shibazaki said, watching Fujimasa March warm up with confidence.
Yuzuki gave a subtle, almost imperceptible shake of his head. "Don't get too ahead of yourself, Shibazaki. With Oguri Cap's Final Spurt, winning won't be easy for March."
Seeing his colleague so confident, Yuzuki decided to offer a small warning to soften the eventual blow.
Soon, the gates were loaded. Every runner took their place.
[๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฟ๐๐ป๐ป๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ถ๐ฟ ๐๐๐ฎ๐น๐น๐. ๐ง๐ผ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐'๐ ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐ผ ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ด๐ถ๐ป!]
The announcer's voice was high-pitched and full of passion.
A sharp bang echoed through the air.
The gates swung open with a metallic clang. The Uma Musume surged forward as one. Dust and grit sprayed into the air as they fought for position.
The inner rail offered the shortest distance, but the rain had turned it into a swamp. The outer path was longer and drained more stamina. Most of the girls scrambled for the middle ground.
Fujimasa March didn't take her usual lead. Instead, she held back, trailing five horse-lengths behind Oguri Cap's flank.
This was her calculated strategy.
No one else in this race mattered. There was only one opponent: Oguri Cap.
'Her biggest threat is that second burst of acceleration. Last time, I ran as a Leader and reacted too late. I won't make that mistake again. I'll pressure her from behind and break her rhythm.'
March focused on her breathing, matching her pace to the girl in front of her.
[๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฟ๐๐ป๐ป๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ธ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ฐ๐ต! ๐ข๐ด๐๐ฟ๐ถ ๐๐ฎ๐ฝ ๐ถ๐ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ฏ๐ฟ๐ฑ ๐ฝ๐น๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ!]
[๐๐๐ท๐ถ๐บ๐ฎ๐๐ฎ ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฐ๐ต ๐ถ๐ ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐ ๐ผ๐ป ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฒ๐น๐! ๐ฆ๐ต๐ฒ'๐ ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐๐๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ฐ ๐๐ผ ๐น๐๐ฟ๐ธ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ธ. ๐๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ฒ๐บ๐ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐๐ ๐น๐ผ๐๐ ๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฎ ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฎ๐ป๐ด๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ด๐. ๐๐ฎ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐น๐ฎ๐ถ๐บ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ด๐น๐ผ๐ฟ๐?]
The announcer focused on the fan favorites, his commentary met with thunderous cheers from the crowd.
The lead pack entered the turn. The curve forced the girls away from the inner rail.
The inner turn was sharper, the centrifugal force more punishing. It forced a deceleration. By taking a wider arc, they could maintain their momentum.
[๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ฝ! ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐ด๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐. ๐ฌ๐ผ๐ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ป ๐๐ฒ๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐บ๐๐ฑ๐ฑ๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ธ ๐ถ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ถ๐ฟ ๐น๐ถ๐บ๐ถ๐๐!]
The skill levels of regional Uma Musume varied wildly, and many lacked refined technique. Despite the announcer's excitement, the overall pace of the race remained sluggish.
[๐ช๐ฒ'๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ต๐ฎ๐น๐ณ๐๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ด๐ต! ๐ข๐ป ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฐ๐ผ๐๐ฟ๐๐ฒ, ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ณ๐ถ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐๐๐ผ ๐ต๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐บ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐ ๐๐ถ๐น๐น ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ด!]
[๐ข๐ด๐๐ฟ๐ถ ๐๐ฎ๐ฝ ๐๐๐ถ๐น๐น ๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ป'๐ ๐บ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐บ๐ผ๐๐ฒ! ๐ฆ๐ต๐ฒ'๐ ๐๐๐ถ๐น๐น ๐ถ๐ป ๐ฏ๐ฟ๐ฑ. ๐๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ฐ๐ต ๐๐ฝ, ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐บ๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐ ๐ด๐ฒ๐ ๐ฏ๐ผ๐ ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ถ๐ป!]
The remaining distance dwindled. The Betweeners and Chasers began their move, closing the gap. If she didn't move now, she would be swallowed by the pack.
[๐ฆ๐ถ๐ ๐ต๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐บ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐น๐ฒ๐ณ๐! ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ธ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ธ ๐ถ๐ ๐ฐ๐น๐ผ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ถ๐ป!]
In this 1,600-meter race, the runners needed to secure their positions before the final four hundred meters.
Fujimasa March saw the others approaching. She looked at Oguri Cap, who seemed to be running with invisible shackles on her feet. March decided to strike.
'If you won't accelerate, then I will!'
She kicked off with her left foot. Raw power surged from her legs into the dirt. Her body lunged forward.
[๐๐ป ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐น๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป! ๐๐๐ท๐ถ๐บ๐ฎ๐๐ฎ ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฐ๐ต ๐ถ๐ ๐บ๐ฎ๐ธ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐บ๐ผ๐๐ฒ ๐ณ๐ฟ๐ผ๐บ ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ข๐ด๐๐ฟ๐ถ ๐๐ฎ๐ฝ! ๐ฆ๐ต๐ฒ'๐ ๐ณ๐ฎ๐๐! ๐๐ฎ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฒ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ?]
March didn't wait. She tore past the closing pack and surged ahead of Oguri Cap with a ferocious aura.
But in that exact moment, March's eyes widened. Time seemed to grind to a halt.
[๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ๐! ๐๐'๐ ๐ข๐ด๐๐ฟ๐ถ ๐๐ฎ๐ฝ! ๐ฆ๐ต๐ฒ'๐ ๐ณ๐ถ๐ป๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐น๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด!]
"Wooooooooh!"
The crowd, which had been holding its collective breath, erupted.
Oguri Cap had been hesitant, her spirit dampened by mental burdens. But hearing Kitahara's roar from the sidelines, the weight vanished. She threw herself into a full-speed sprint, reclaiming the lead from Fujimasa March in an instant.
[๐๐น๐บ๐ผ๐๐ ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฟ๐๐ป๐ป๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ถ๐ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ณ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด! ๐ข๐ด๐๐ฟ๐ถ ๐๐ฎ๐ฝ ๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ป ๐ญ๐๐ ๐ฝ๐น๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ!]
[๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐! ๐๐'๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ณ๐ถ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐! ๐ข๐ด๐๐ฟ๐ถ ๐๐ฎ๐ฝ ๐ถ๐ ๐๐๐ถ๐น๐น ๐ด๐ฎ๐ถ๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฑ! ๐ฆ๐ต๐ฒ'๐ ๐น๐ฒ๐ณ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ผ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฑ๐๐๐. ๐ฆ๐ต๐ฒ'๐ ๐ฎ๐น๐น ๐ฎ๐น๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ... ๐ป๐ผ ๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ป ๐๐ผ๐๐ฐ๐ต ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ!]
Oguri Cap's Final Spurt was terrifying. The gap between her and the rest of the field widened with every stride.
'Win! I have to win this race!'
Kitahara's voice seemed to ring in her ears. She went faster, and faster still. The scenery blurred into a streak of colors, the finish line clear and unobstructed before her.
Fujimasa March's teeth were clamped shut. Every breath felt like liquid fire in her lungs. Her legs felt like they were made of lead.
No matter how hard she pushed, Oguri Cap only pulled further away.
'Why...?'
Even at her absolute limit, she couldn't reach that white silhouette. No matter how much she struggled, she couldn't win.
Tears blurred her vision. March saw it then... a massive, insurmountable wall named 'Talent' standing between them.
[๐ฆ๐ต๐ฒ'๐ ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐น๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ... ๐๐ต๐ฒ'๐ ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐น๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ... ๐๐ข๐๐!]
[๐ข๐ด๐๐ฟ๐ถ ๐๐ฎ๐ฝ ๐๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ ๐ญ๐๐ ๐ฝ๐น๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ! ๐ฆ๐ต๐ฒ ๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ต๐ผ๐๐ป ๐๐ ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐น๐บ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฑ๐ผ๐บ๐ถ๐ป๐ฎ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ. ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ ๐ป๐ผ ๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ ๐น๐ฒ๐ณ๐ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐บ๐ฎ๐๐๐ ๐๐ต๐ผ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ป ๐๐๐ผ๐ฝ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ!]
[๐๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐๐น๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ข๐ด๐๐ฟ๐ถ ๐๐ฎ๐ฝ, ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฎ๐บ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐น๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ป ๐๐๐ป๐ถ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐๐ฝ! ๐ง๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐บ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ธ๐ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฒ๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐๐ต ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ด๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐!]
The entire racecourse was in an uproar. Oguri Cap had conquered the fans once again. Thunderous applause and cheers rained down on the victor.
"No matter how many times I see it, that Final Spurt is staggering," Yuzuki remarked, watching the girl who looked like a shooting star.
Shibazaki snapped out of his shock and looked at Yuzuki. "Yuzuki... you predicted this, didn't you?"
Yuzuki nodded silently. It was a foregone conclusion, but calling it a prediction wasn't wrong.
"I knew you were sharp, but you're a bit of a monster yourself. It's like you know everything before it happens," Shibazaki said with a bitter, self-deprecating smile.
***
"Ha... ha..."
The girl collapsed to her knees, her heart and lungs trembling along with her hands.
Even now, the despair of giving everything and still falling short wouldn't leave her mind.
She had lost. Again.
Unlike their previous encounters, this race had shown her the true depth of the chasm between them. Even knowing her opponent's cards, even with a tailored strategy... it wasn't enough.
The harder she ran, the further away that figure became. It was a soul-crushing powerlessness.
'Can I really beat her?'
The dream she had worked so hard for felt like it was shattering.
Memories flickered through her mind.
A childhood spent without play or friends, all to focus on running. High-intensity training, done entirely alone.
Then she met Oguri Cap. She found a rival. They made a promise to run in the Tokai Derby together.
Now, a dark tide of despair threatened to swallow those memories.
The girl bowed her head, her voice a fragile whisper.
"Can I really... do this...?"