The pre-race festivities surged onward, a whirlwind of motion and sound. Throughout the venue, some guests threw themselves into the lavish spread of food, while others traded greetings and whispered insider information. Near the center, a crowd swarmed the top stars, clamoring for autographs. I had decided to leave the stage as an open mic, allowing anyone to perform. It had become a beautiful chaos—songs usually reserved for the hallowed winners' circle of a G1 stage were being sung freely, alongside soulful folk songs from distant hometowns.
"I have to admit, when she started the Kasamatsu Ondo, I thought we were headed for a disaster," I muttered to myself.
Oguri Cap had taken the stage earlier. To everyone's surprise, she chose the traditional dance song of her home turf, Kasamatsu. She told me she'd performed it after her very first winning lead, and she wanted everyone here to experience the charm of the place that raised her. It was an act of pure, unadulterated goodwill. Delivered with that signature, blankly earnest expression of hers, the performance was—to my surprise—actually a hit.
And now…
"Memories of sorrow, carved across the cycles of time and space~♪"
Hoshō Tsukige was currently belting out her signature song with everything she had. I couldn't help but wonder if I should take that as some sort of meta-commentary on the voice behind the girl. I knew she sang it during her winning lives, but seeing it here felt… different.
As I lost myself in thought, a horse girl approached and took the spot beside me. She was clad in a sharp, professional suit, her intellectual gaze framed by a pair of glasses. Her expression was a complex tapestry of emotions I couldn't quite name.
"Pardon me for intruding," she said, her voice stiff. "I told her that anime songs were inappropriate for a venue like this, but…"
"Well, the crowd is loving it, so what's the harm?" I replied, gesturing to the stage. "Besides, her vocal ability is genuinely incredible. That's why the reception is so high."
The monitor behind her was a scrolling wall of praise. Perhaps she was just a natural at boosting morale? Truly a 'warhorse' in every sense. As these idle thoughts crossed my mind, she cleared her throat and offered a formal introduction.
"Black Cloud. I suppose I am Tsukige's senior… though these days, I am merely a humble office worker."
"I'm Mejiro Rampage, as you might know. I'm honored to be greeted by the 'Provincial General' herself."
"Please, stop," she demurred, looking away. "In terms of standing, you are far above me."
"I'm just a trainer. You can drop the formalities."
She hesitated, but I pushed until she finally relented and softened her speech. She was the one they called Tsukige's greatest rival—if Tsukige was the God of War, then this woman was the General of the Provinces. She'd missed the last party due to work, but it seemed she'd made the time for this one. First Uesugi's warhorse, now Takeda's? My guest list was becoming a history book.
"Have you two known each other long?" I asked.
"Tsukige was one year behind me. My greatest rival," she said, a hint of a smile touching her lips. "We were always at each other's throats. Our personalities simply… do not align."
I could see why. A dead-serious professional versus a free-spirited optimist. In the world of the Pleiades, they'd be the equivalent of Air Groove and Stay Gold.
"Then I heard that fool was entering the Legend Race," she continued, her eyes sharpening. "I couldn't very well let her have all the glory. I lost to her in our final race together. But this time, I will win. That is why I have returned to the turf for this 'Legend' of yours."
To her, the rest of us were barely factors in the equation. However, there was a discrepancy—she was registered for the Long Distance division, while Tsukige was in Middle Distance. When I pointed this out, she let out a short, dry laugh.
"Work commitments kept me from the Middle Distance schedule. I took the Long Distance slot because it was the only one that fit my calendar. But… next year? Next year, I will be in the Middle Distance. And when that time comes, I expect a 'Great Lead' battle against you."
"Next year, huh? I might have some room in my schedule by then. I'll be waiting."
Upon hearing my answer, she straightened her posture, bowed with deep, practiced respect, and departed. She was a serious one, I thought, taking a sip of my juice.
A quiet realization settled over me: I was glad I organized this race. There were so many titans out there we hadn't even seen yet, and they were all starving for this. They wanted a stage. They wanted an opportunity. I could only shake my head at the sheer density of the URA for letting talent like this wither away for so long.
"They had every chance to change," I whispered. "But those pigs were too busy gorging themselves on profit to care about the soul of the sport."
"—Indeed. You hit the nail on the head."
I turned toward the voice. Standing there were two women. One wore a stunning kimono paired—bizarrely—with a leather jacket. The other wore a kimono that carried the sharp, disciplined air of a samurai.
"Rampage, I've been dying to meet you," the first one said. "I've wanted to talk for ages. Su-chan never stops talking about you."
"'Su-chan'? Wait, if you mean…" I blinked, realizing who was standing in front of me. "Well, well. I've really run into the true Legends tonight, haven't I?"
"Good grief," the other woman sighed, though her eyes were twinkling. "To think a simple country girl like me would be called a 'Legend' nowadays. Time is a terrifying thing."
Before me stood Hikaru Takai and Tomei. Two names that defined the era.
Hikaru Takai: The first-ever winner of the South Kanto Triple Crown. After moving to the Central circuit as an older mare, she had crushed the Spring Tenno Sho by a staggering eighteen lengths in the mud, then set a new record in the Takarazuka Kinen on firm turf. She was an absolute monster on the grass.
And Tomei: The 'Cinderella' horse who rose from nothing. They called her the real-life Makibao. Despite being a filly, she conquered both the Autumn Tenno Sho and the Arima Kinen, becoming the first mare in history to be named Horse of the Year.
"I won't be running," Hikaru said, "but Tomei is. I'm currently an executive at the URA, but I've always enjoyed watching your exploits from afar."
"An executive, huh? I imagine most of your colleagues find me to be quite the eyesore."
"At first, perhaps," she laughed. "But no one is foolish enough to try and oppose you now. For what it's worth, I've been on your side from the start."
"I appreciate that."
Hikaru explained that she belonged to the 'pro-Rampage' faction within the URA. She was one year younger than Speed Symboli and had always been close with her. Since 'Su-chan' doted on Rampage like a grandson, Hikaru had been eager to see what the fuss was about. Tomei, meanwhile, kept her sharp gaze fixed on me.
"I'm entering the Legend Race as well," Tomei said. "Unfortunately, the Middle Distance doesn't quite suit me these days, so I've registered for the Long Distance. Though, you're more than welcome to come over to my side of the bracket if you're feeling brave."
"I'll consider it for next year," I replied with a grin.
Honestly, this had spiraled far beyond my calculations. I expected the likes of Rudolf, Ramonne, or maybe the TTG generation. I never dreamed that legends of this caliber would come crawling out of the woodwork. What started as a catchy name had become a literal gathering of myths.
"Good grief… maybe I shouldn't have called it the 'Legend Race' after all," I muttered.
"And why not?" Hikaru asked. "The pride of Japan's racing history shouldn't be so humble."
"If the woman who achieved the first-ever Arc de Triomphe victory isn't a legend, then no one is," Tomei added. "By taking the name for yourself, your achievements have made it a reality."
"Hah… A common horse girl somehow wandered all the way up here, didn't she? Truly… life is interesting."
The two legends smiled in agreement. They led me away then, and we spent the rest of the evening over glasses of wine. The festival only grew more boisterous from there. The "Eternal Three" took the stage together to sing; Tama and Inari tried to give a serious speech that devolved into a wrestling match, which the crowd only cheered on. It was loud, chaotic, and far too rowdy for a "pre-race" event.
But as I watched them all, I couldn't stop smiling.
"Alright, everyone! One more toast!" I shouted over the din, raising my glass high. "To the battle that begins tomorrow—Cheers!"
"CHEERS!" The roar of the legends shook the room.
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