"The heroes of this world are as numerous as carp crossing a river. If the world of racing is a night sky, then geniuses are the stars adorning it—but even among that glittering constellation, she is the most radiant of them all!"
"This is the moment a shrimp among whales becomes a whale themself; the final battle for a genius to become a true powerhouse. Win this Japan Cup, and wipe away that dull, tedious word 'future' from the title of World-Class Uma Musume once and for all!"
"Second favorite! Entry number two, Equinox!"
Whether by sheer coincidence or the deliberate design of the organizers, Equinox—the second favorite with deep ties to the top seed—stepped out immediately after the first favorite, Liberty Island.
The spectators, who had only just lowered their arms, shot them back into the air the moment they heard Equinox's name, erupting into a frenzy and chanting her name across the stands.
"Looks like a narrow margin," Sea the Stars remarked. Comparing the roar to the one Liberty Island had received moments ago, she arched an eyebrow and flashed a provocative smile at Dream Weaver.
"You—!"
Before Dream Weaver could even respond, Hishi Miracle was the first to snap. She had sworn never to hide behind her trainer again like she did during the Japanese Oaks; there was no way she was going to let Sea the Stars' attitude slide now.
But before she could lunge at Sea the Stars, Dream Weaver caught her halfway and hauled her back.
"Miracle, get back here."
"But Trainer!"
"It's fine. Trust me."
No matter how much she hated it, Hishi Miracle could only shoot a resentful glare at Sea the Stars before obediently returning to her seat.
"Hmph. At least she's loyal," Sea the Stars snorted, glancing at Hishi Miracle.
Dream Weaver first signaled Agnes Tachyon and Sugar Lights to hold down the fuming Hishi Miracle before turning her attention to Sea the Stars.
"Do you really have to speak in that tone?"
Seeing that Dream Weaver didn't get into a spat over her student like last time, Sea the Stars knit her brows in confusion.
"Symboli Kris S told me. You used to... admire me, didn't you, Sea the Stars?"
Sea the Stars' mind went blank with absolute shock, though even in her daze, one clear thought surfaced: Once this race is over, I am going to give that big-mouthed Symboli Kris S the thrashing of a lifetime.
"That's why you use this provocative way of speaking to get my attention. That's why you want Equinox to beat Liberty Island so badly."
Dream Weaver continued, "If she actually wins, you'll probably use it as leverage. You'll say something like, 'See, being a trainer doesn't suit you after all—if the student fails, the teacher must be a failure too,' just to goad me into coming out of retirement for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe."
The moment those words left her mouth, Sea the Stars wasn't the only one in a state of inner turmoil. Agnes Tachyon and Sugar Lights stared with wide eyes, their grip on Hishi Miracle loosening instinctively.
They didn't need to worry about Miracle going wild, though; she was currently gaping in stunned silence, hanging on Dream Weaver's every word.
Dream Weaver, however, simply looked at Sea the Stars with a calm gaze.
After a long silence, Sea the Stars finally spoke. "When did you realize?"
"Within the last month or so. I suddenly realized I've done everything a trainer can do. I can no longer influence the outcome of the Japan Cup, so I had some extra time to think about other things."
"Then... what do you think?"
Sea the Stars dropped her arrogant facade, her voice carrying a hint of uncharacteristic hesitance.
She wasn't the only one waiting; Agnes Tachyon and the others leaned in, ears perked, desperate for Dream Weaver's answer.
"Let's watch the race first." Dream Weaver shook her head with a smile, pointing toward the monitor, teasing them with the delay. "I'll tell you all after the race is over."
"Aw, no fair—!" Hishi Miracle was the first to complain, but Dream Weaver simply reached out and gently turned her head back toward the track.
"Don't be impatient. Because the race is about to begin."
Barely a second after she spoke, the voice from the commentary booth boomed over the stands.
"Preparations are complete! All runners, take your marks!"
Sea the Stars had been silent for so long that the announcer had already finished introducing all eighteen runners. It was time to enter the gates.
The group wanted to ask more, but their voices were drowned out an instant later by a massive roar erupting from every direction.
In the face of a cheer that felt like it could shake the very foundations of Tokyo Racecourse, they could only suppress their questions and turn their eyes to the turf.
Dream Weaver felt that familiar roar—a sensation she knew all too well—and felt the tangible vibration she could never quite perceive when she was the one down on the track. Her gaze remained tranquil as she watched the scene.
--+--
On the track, the Uma Musume, fully prepared, stepped into their gates in unison.
Liberty Island heard the heavy thud of steel behind her. It was the sound of the gate doors locking shut.
There was no retreat. From this moment on, every Uma Musume in those gates had only one choice.
To go forward. Either win it all or fall short with regrets; everything would be decided by their stride on this grass.
Liberty Island took a deep breath. This was the method Dream Weaver had taught her to find her focus. She was a quick study; now, it took only two or three breaths for her body to enter a full combat state.
Ring—
With a phantom ring in her ears, Liberty Island blocked out the world outside the track. Now, she could hear only the pounding of her own heart and the surge of blood rushing through her limbs.
Inch by inch, her muscles tightened. It was as if the bones beneath her skin were humming like a piece of precision machinery.
Fragile flesh and blood were forged into something harder and more resilient by the high-temperature blood pumped from the furnace of her heart. Now, with just a bit of effort, Liberty Island felt she could easily crush the turf beneath her feet.
Along with that power came hyper-acute senses. While she blocked out the external noise, her intuition for what was happening on the track sharpened immensely.
Even with her eyes closed, she could feel the presence emanating from the neighboring gate—an aura as towering as a mountain and as deep as the sea, a powerful pressure that felt bottomless.
Liberty Island was in gate one. The one in the gate next to her was, naturally, entry number two: Equinox.
With an aura like this, it was clear Equinox had never used her full strength in previous races. If she had, the gap between her and second place would have been much larger.
Liberty Island reaffirmed just how powerful Equinox truly was, but not a single seed of fear took root in her heart.
Equinox was strong—strong enough, perhaps, to defeat any Uma Musume she had ever known.
But that was something Liberty Island had already realized long ago, back at Northern Farm.
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.