With Rabbit Parabellum crowned as the sprint champion, the fervor within the URA Finals reached a new fever pitch. The news that a regional girl had posted a time rivaling Sakura Bakushin O—the undisputed sovereign of the distance—had sent shockwaves through the stands. The fact that she had done so despite a catastrophic inability to navigate a corner made the feat even more terrifying. While the Central trainers sat in stunned silence, the focus shifted to the Mile division: a 1,600-meter test of speed and stamina.
"The second act of the URA Finals, the Mile Division, has just… STARTED! Taking the early lead is Sakura Kogareo from Hyogo! A brilliant start, but look at this—surging forward like a projectile is Rocket Arrow! She's living up to her name with a blistering 'Grand Escape'!"
"It's reminiscent of Twin Turbo's legendary suicidal leads!" Saito shouted. "This is where the fun begins!"
"Catch me if you can! Feel the heat of my exhaust!"
Rocket Arrow, representing Tokyo's Minato Ward, had no interest in pacing herself. She was a general-school entrant who ran like she was being shot out of a cannon. Sakura Kogareo, who had lost the lead to her, was a different story. Born of the prestigious Sakura bloodline—the same as Bakushin O—she possessed world-class talent but lacked the "killer instinct" for competition. She had chosen a general school to escape the pressure of the turf, entering the Finals only because of the relentless pestering of those around her.
But as the wind whipped past her face, something changed.
(That pace… she's going to hold it until the end. I have no choice but to step into 'that' realm.)
"Sakura Kogareo is sticking to Rocket Arrow's shadow," Akasaka observed. "She's positioned herself perfectly."
Kogareo had always claimed to have no interest in racing. Yet, now that she was here, her mind was settling into a terrifying, crystalline clarity. Every beat of her heart felt synchronized with the turf. I really am a horse girl, aren't I? she thought. There was no resentment, only a quiet realization that perhaps the specialized Training Centers wouldn't have been so bad after all. She shut out the world and focused on the stride ahead.
"Mask Scut of the Central circuit is holding steady, with Veltro from Nagasaki and Shadow Ace trailing just behind in a prime stalking position. Further back, Dancing Blade is biding her time."
"The dynamic is completely different from the Sprint," Saito noted. "The general-school girls are dominating the front. Can Rocket Arrow maintain this breakneck speed to the wire?"
"They're approaching the third corner! Rocket Arrow still holds the lead! Can she pull off the miracle?!"
As they hit the final stretch, a dark blur suddenly detached itself from the pack, weaving through the gaps with impossible fluidity.
"The pack is my playground! Watch me stitch through the shadows!"
"Shadow Ace! Shadow Ace is making a massive move! It's unbelievable—she's slicing through the center of the crowd like a needle through silk, launching a direct assault on the leaders! She's closing in on Sakura Kogareo, but wait—here comes another one from the back! Veltro is surging as they hit the fourth corner! The board is being reshuffled in real-time!"
"The die is cast," Kogareo whispered. "Now… let's see who breaks first!"
The air grew heavy with the pressure of a dozen girls igniting their final sparks. At the front, Rocket Arrow's grin widened. Is this how Rampage feels? she wondered, her muscles screaming as she pounded the earth.
"Go, Rocket! Don't you dare stop now!"
"Rocket Arrow! Rocket Arrow! She's holding the line, finding a second gear no one thought she had! It's her race to lose—wait! She's wobbling! Rocket Arrow is drifting diagonally! Is the exhaustion finally hitting?!"
"Sakura Kogareo is pouncing!" Akasaka yelled. "She's not letting this chance slip away! Look at that stride!"
"My line… it's breaking!" Rocket Arrow gasped.
"To bloom is a joy, to fall is but a prelude to a new spring!" Kogareo countered.
Kogareo unleashed her unique "pressure," a field of focus that seemed to narrow the peripheral vision of those around her. Under the weight of it, Rocket Arrow struggled to keep her balance. At this rate, Kogareo would take her at the wire—or so it seemed.
"Rocket Arrow is leading, but Kogareo is an inch away! Can she overtake?! Wait! WHO IS THAT?! A shadow is exploding from the very back of the field! It's Dancing Blade! DANCING BLADE! What is that late kick?! She's mowing down the competition like a whirlwind! The Fuchū slope means nothing to her! She's into third! Second! She's right on their heels!"
"She covered that ground in a heartbeat!" Saito screamed. "What on earth am I looking at?!"
Dancing Blade, the representative from the Fukuyama Training Center, unleashed a finishing sprint that defied logic. Her strength on inclines was absolute. Rocket Arrow and Sakura Kogareo were running on fumes, their form breaking under the sheer atmospheric pressure of Blade's approach. Seeing the opening, Dancing Blade kicked one final time.
"I've got the lungs of a god! GET OUT OF MY WAY!"
"Dancing Blade takes the lead! She's sliced through Rocket Arrow and Sakura Kogareo in a single stroke! The leaders are flagging—they're falling back! Shadow Ace and Veltro are trying to capitalize, but it's too late! Dancing Blade is clear! She's at the wire! GOAL IN! Dancing Blade has swept the field from the very back! With a razor-sharp finish that defied the odds, the pride of Fukuyama is our Mile Champion!"
"That late kick was terrifying!" Saito gasped, wiping sweat from his brow. "Shadow Ace's tactical maneuvering was brilliant, but Blade simply blew the doors off the place!"
"Second place goes to Shadow Ace, third to Sakura Kogareo! Veltro takes fourth, and Rocket Arrow holds on for fifth! The Training Center girls showed their pride, but look at the scoreboard—it's dominated by general-school names! This is an absolute upset!"
The reality was even harsher than the announcer's words. While the winner was from a regional Training Center, the girls from the elite Central circuit hadn't even made the top five. They had been utterly erased. The Central trainers in the audience looked like they were watching their world end, while the regional fans let out a roar that could be heard all the way to the outskirts of Tokyo.
"I… I won? I actually… did it…"
Dancing Blade collapsed onto the turf, staring up at the pale winter sky. The adrenaline that had turned her blood to fire was cooling, leaving her limbs heavy and weak. She had given everything, never truly believing she could stand at the top. A hand appeared in her field of vision—Veltro's.
"Congratulations, Champion."
"Champion…?" Blade repeated, the word tasting strange on her tongue.
"Y-you were incredible…" Shadow Ace added, her usual quiet demeanor returning now that the "Shadow" had retreated.
Rocket Arrow stomped over and slapped Blade on the back with enough force to knock the wind out of her. "Man, I lost! Totally and utterly! You're the real deal, Blade! Nice running!"
"Thank you," Kogareo said with a graceful nod. "That kick of yours… it was truly something to behold."
As the praise washed over her, the reality of the victory finally took hold. Dancing Blade stood up, a radiant smile breaking across her face, and pumped a fist into the air.
"Hmm. As expected of the Mile. That was a bloodbath."
Rampage watched the replay with a satisfied grin. The Mile and Middle Distance were always going to be the most competitive brackets since they drew the largest pool of talent. The "Grand Escape" into the "Shadow Stitching" into that final "Blade" finish—it was peak entertainment.
His phone buzzed. A message from Minamisaka: The Central trainers are having a collective nervous breakdown.
"First place is a regional pro, and second through fifth are general-school kids," Rampage chuckled. "No wonder they're losing their minds. This is the moment the URA's incompetence is laid bare for all to see."
He let out a sharp laugh, his eyes turning toward the track once more. Next up was the "Royal Road"—the 2,400-meter Turf, the Middle Distance Division.
"Let's see what kind of legends-in-the-making are waiting for us there."
First URA Finals
Mile Champion: Dancing Blade
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