Sea the Stars certainly lived up to her reputation as a world-class Uma Musume. Her intuition and judgment on the track were nothing short of prophetic.
Just as she had predicted, Panthalassa's pace began to flag as she rounded the third corner.
The gap she had fought so hard to widen began to shrink, inch by inch. By the time they reached the final turn, her lead over the runner-up had withered to a mere three lengths.
Three lengths. If that were the distance past the finish line, it would be an undisputed landslide. But at the entrance of the final straight, it was merely a "solid advantage."
And even that "advantage" was relative.
For a runner committed to the Great Escape tactic, being hunted down to within three or four lengths at the final turn usually signaled the death knell of their victory hopes.
Panthalassa had burned through a massive amount of stamina during her earlier blitz.
The ten-length lead she'd traded her lungs for hadn't lasted nearly long enough. As she leaned into the final bend, she already knew in her heart that the win was out of reach.
But so what?
Did the legendary Escape artists who etched their names into racing history always have high win rates?
The girls Panthalassa admired—Daitaku Helios, Mejiro Palmer, Twin Turbo—each of them had tasted defeat countless times because of the Great Escape.
It was a strategy fraught with peril. Panthalassa had known that long before she dedicated her entire career to the style, yet she chose it anyway.
Perhaps she wanted to pay homage to that streak of red light she'd glimpsed on TV as a child, or maybe she just wanted to run free, untethered and far ahead of the pack.
Whatever the reason, she didn't regret it for a second. If she could live her life over, she'd still look her Trainer in the eye, laughing, and tell them she wanted to show the world her Great Escape.
Escape runners fail often.
But Daitaku Helios, Mejiro Palmer, and Twin Turbo became icons because of those escapes.
Even if they were destined to lose, for the vast majority of the race, they were the brightest stars on the stage.
To have suppressed the brilliance of the Japan Cup's two biggest favorites, Liberty Island and Equinox, for more than half the race—to have let the crowds at Tokyo Racecourse and the fans overseas witness her silhouette out front—that was enough for Panthalassa.
Every Uma Musume has her own reason for stepping onto the turf. For Panthalassa, winning was never the primary one.
The Great Escape was.
Still, before her strength failed completely, she wanted to push a little harder.
She wanted her image to linger in the eyes of the crowd just a moment longer. The Japan Cup was 2,400 meters long—just how far could her escape reach?
"Come on! You geniuses! Look at my back and remember this moment forever!"
"I am Panthalassa!"
"Panthalassa of the world!"
She screamed into the wind, the icy air rushing down her throat with a force that threatened to freeze her from the inside out.
But before her blood could turn to ice, her heart—beating with a searing flame—melted the chill, sending one last surge of power through her limbs.
Whoosh!
To the shock of the spectators, Panthalassa's speed spiked once more. Every G1-ranked Uma Musume knew this was unsustainable; Panthalassa would surely bottom out before the wire.
Yet, despite their rational minds, they found themselves drawn to her figure.
The charm of the Great Escape wasn't just for the audience—even the girls competing on the track felt the radiance of that receding back.
"You idiot! Who does something that reckless? How did you ever win a G1?!"
Iresine screamed in her mind, her will rippling through the field as her Zone began to manifest, touching the hearts of every racer.
Though she acted disgusted by the display, Iresine's own aura grew stronger and stronger, swelling until it finally erupted in that split-second where the world seemed to stand still.
They were at the final turn, 800 meters from the finish. It was far earlier than Iresine had planned to make her move, yet for some reason, she chose this moment to unleash her Zone and charge.
"I don't care anymore!"
"Weren't you the one saying no one could catch you?! I'll show you right now!"
"Wahahaha! It's no use, no use! I am the Yuan Shao of the world! You can't catch me!"
"What 'world'?! What 'Yuan Shao'?! I'm from France! I've! Never! Heard! Of that name!"
(T/N: I got what Yuan Shao is. He's one of the warlords in Romance of the Three Kingdoms, who lost to Cao Cao despite having an advantage of 100,000 to 20,000 in the Battle of Guandu. Don't know the context here tho)
Iresine knew that accelerating now would tank her chances of winning. But she couldn't help herself.
Seeing Panthalassa shining so brightly had ignited a competitive fire that logic couldn't extinguish.
She wanted to run.
She wanted to fly.
It didn't matter if she left an opening, or if she lost the crown—she just didn't want to suppress her spirit for the sake of a calculated win anymore!
One move triggered the whole field. As Iresine surged from the chasing pack, the surrounding Uma Musume were forced to follow. Even knowing the timing was off, they could no longer hold back.
"I think you're the moron! Who just explodes because they got taunted? What is wrong with you French girls?!"
Do Deuce yelled as she deployed her own Zone. The two evenly matched auras collided at close range, creating a crushing pressure that made it hard for the other runners to breathe.
A second later, another racer reached her limit.
"A Zone... I have one of those too."
"Let my long-overdue honor be redeemed right here!"
"Dream-senpai, witness me!"
Symboli Kris S, who had remained stoic until now, finally unleashed her power. Her deep green racing silks turned into a blur of light as she dove headlong into the clashing auras of Iresine and Do Deuce.
Before Liberty Island could even process the consecutive shocks of the Zones—or wonder what the connection was between her Trainer and Symboli Kris S—the gaze that had been fixed on her back finally snapped. The hunger to strike could no longer be contained.
"It's a bit early, but it doesn't matter."
"Liberty Island! I don't know why you're staying quiet, but I know you can hear me!"
"Let me see it—the true power of a Triple Tiara winner!"
The moment Stars On Earth spoke, a brilliant azure Zone expanded across the track.
The flash, like a star going supernova, almost blinded Liberty Island.
Unlike the previous clashes, this time, Stars On Earth's Zone was aimed directly at her, bearing down with the weight of a direct challenge.
--+--
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.