Meanwhile...
All the way in the front...
The candidates were almost reaching the homestretch.
And the candidates realized, beginning to rev up with everything they had.
Their muscles coiled, their breaths sharpened, all preparing to unleash everything they had left for that final reach.
This was it.
No holding back.
No second chances.
They were readied to pour everything forward, expanding all their energy, burning all their strength, unyielding all their tenacity into this last push.
However, among them, shifting within the dense pack, running shoulder to shoulder.
King Halo was within.
Her stride was stable, and her chest rose with each breath.
She sensed the finish line was looming, like the rest.
And she, too, braced herself, preparing to release everything into that one decisive burst.
A stretch that decided everything.
A stretch that should dictate their chance at enrollment.
Their chance to be noticed.
Their chance to stand on something greater—
The grand stage of Umamusume racing.
The URA races.
The G1 races.
But—
King's sight was blocked.
Figures crowded her path, shadows overlapping, footsteps thundered around her. There was no clear line. No opening.
There, her heartbeat spiked.
"How… how much longer…!" she muttered breathlessly in her thought.
Grew anxious about their whereabouts, since she was unable to see anything in the front but the packs.
Her gaze then darted around. Searching for the gaps to see through.
But... ahead was only the backs of others.
Then, in an instant, she grew more worried.
"What... what if I missed the burst...!"
"What if I overly estimate the timing!"
Now, her voice laced with urgency. And doubt crept further in before she knew it.
Was it too early?
Too late?
She then strained her eyes, trying to catch even the smallest gap between runners, trying to find her way through.
"There… there's too many of us…!" she cursed.
"I… I must find a way around…!"
"I must find the perfect point to view ahead...!"
"And I don't want to miss the chance for the spurt...!"
"I can't slip up now! Not when mother's watching..."
With that, she started to glance around while keeping her pace steady.
Until—
"There...!" She realized a gap between her and the outer ring, a perfect vantage point for the view ahead.
Given that none were willing to expand extra efforts to turn on a larger scale. Risking their stamina on the final stretch.
But not King.
And she—
…was rushed.
Without warning, King Halo nimbly shifted outward, her steps widening as she forced her way to the outer ring.
She pushed forward along the outside, leaning into the curve of the larger turn.
Using more stamina than she should.
And there it was.
The stretch was just ahead.
Clearer now, beyond the mass.
"There!" she declared, fists tightening as her eyes locked onto it. "I can see it!"
But the cost had already been paid.
That moment of doubt with that sudden move she made.
It had taken more from her than she realized.
Her breathing grew heavier. Her legs, just slightly, began to feel the strain.
She had used too much stamina too early.
Heightening the risk of her exhausting all of her stamina when the true final stretch came, the one that would decide everything.
But she wasn't afraid; she believed she still had enough to spare.
Enough to be exhausted during the last stretch.
However—
At the same time—
From above the stands, someone had been watching.
A quiet, judgmental sigh slipped into the air.
"Mistake again…" she murmured.
The figure was clearly disappointed by King's decision as her gaze remained fixed on her.
Then, as the homestretch finally loomed, just ahead, just beyond the turn.
The pounding steps, the hooves, the thuds began to converge.
It's getting closer and closer.
Closer.
Then—
Here came—
The final—
…Stretch!
"NOW!"
The word rang out in their thoughts altogether.
And in an instant, they drove their feet deep into the soil.
Channeling every inch of their energy.
Every fragment of their strength.
And every last reserve of their stamina.
Pressed down into that single step.
For one purpose.
One release.
One propulsion.
The wind then twisted violently around them, whipping past as if pulled by their intent.
Eyes widened across the stands.
And the audience leaned forward, awaiting this moment.
This was it.
The most crucial part of the race.
The one that decided all.
The one that displayed the true grandeur of Umamusume.
Then—
Before a blink.
Before a breath.
In that instant...
...
...
BOOM!
And off they went!
The wind crackled as they burst forward with everything they had.
Surging ahead with their sweat trailing off in streaks behind them.
And their lungs screamed as they exerted their breath beyond the limit their lung could supply.
And their throats burned as they let out those guttural roars.
All against the very limit of that final—
Push!
One that they ran.
No—They dashed.
But even with all those efforts, all those charged up—
Their world seemed to slow.
Because something—
Someone—
Stood out.
There, among them—
A single figure surged.
Propelling herself forward with overwhelming force.
Speed—
Not ordinary.
Not fleeting.
But something deeper.
The kind born from a blessed pedigree.
The kind that spoke volumes, even at this age.
The speed of the one destined to bear a crown—
King Halo.
In an instant, she tore past them, even with her early depleted energy.
One after another.
Leaving the pack nearly completely behind, as the gasps sounded behind her from every corner.
But—
Not all.
At the very front—
One remained.
Charging ahead with all her might, too.
And was faster than at least everyone else.
But instead of feeling powerless—
King Halo simply smirked.
Her fingers tightened into a fist, and her foot drove deeper into the turf.
Then—
She surged.
In a flash, she pulled up alongside the leading contestant, matching her stride perfectly.
"Is that all you've got?!" King mocked, eyes set forward as the girl beside her pushed just as hard.
There, they ran side by side—
Both were giving everything they had, or so the girl thought.
"You're fast, I'll give you that," King continued.
"However—" she smirked, "it's tragic that you're racing against someone beyond your level…"
"You're competing against none other than—"
"The next triple crown bearer, the first-rated Umamusume…!"
"KING HALO!"
With that—
She exploded forward.
In an instant, she outpaced them all.
The girl beside her faltered, eyes widening as King shot ahead.
"No… way…" she muttered in disbelief, fading slowly into the distance, even with her pushing with everything she had left.
But—
It was simply just... wasn't enough.
With that, King kept going, stretching the distance between her and the packs.
First, one length.
Then, two.
Three.
A clear lead.
Then—
She saw it, the finish line.
It was within the length of just her hand's reach.
"I... I did it...!" she murmured in disbelief.
"I... I won...!"
With that... she crossed...
She crossed the finish line.
And she officially won...
…
…
…
Meanwhile…
All the way back, midway through the race—
A lone, breathless figure pressed on, her pace uneven, her steps barely holding itself.
"Almost there…!" she gasped, forcing her body forward.
"Urara… will never give up…!"
"I must finish it… I must…!"
Her footing wavered, scattering across the track, and her arms swung wildly
But she didn't stop.
Not once.
Not ever.
Until—
She heard it.
The small wave of the sound of clapping.
And that meant...
Someone had already crossed the finish line.
Someone had already won the race.
Urara then lifted her head slightly, her breath catching.
"Some… someone finished…?"
"Is… is it over…?"
"Am I… over…?"
With that, for a moment, she began to doubt.
But just as quickly—
She shook her head hard as she locked her gaze back in front.
"No! It's not finished yet! Not without Urara crossing her finish line!" she declared as she kept running.
"Alright…!" she added, her hand clenching tighter.
"Here… comes…"
"URARA...!"
With that, she burst forward, pushing whatever strength she had left into her legs.
And went on ahead...
...
...
...
Back at the front...
Every candidate, except Urara, had already crossed the finish line.
They stood scattered across the track, bent over, hands on their knees, breathing hard.
Trying to recover.
Until—
One of them clicked her tongue, glared slightly at King with frustration clear on her face, and turned to leave.
But a staff member stepped in, stopping her.
"I'm sorry, but one of the candidates has yet to cross the finish line."
The girl frowned. "Huh…?"
"Until she either finishes or forfeits, we can't dismiss the race."
"Harh…?! But we already did our trial race!" she snapped. "Besides, we don't even see her anywhere near the homestretch! She probably quit ages ago!"
The staff member lowered their head slightly.
"I'm sorry, but please be patient."
Even as the staff member gently asked for patience, the candidate refused to settle.
She huffed, arms thrown slightly outward, continuing to argue despite being stopped.
And soon—
Others joined in.
One by one, more candidates voiced their frustration. Some turned away, clearly wanting to leave. Losing was one thing, but staying to dwell in it?
That was worse.
Then worse came as murmurs spread.
Not just among them, but the audience as well.
Grumble filled the stands, impatience growing as eyes drifted back toward the track.
Toward Urara.
As some had other interests, like observing other candidates, other races to attend. Some were waiting for their own daughters, scheduled in later brackets.
But now—
They were all held here.
Because of her.
Because Urara had taken the time.
Meanwhile—
From the stands, Rudolf remained standing, her gaze stayed on the lone figure still running in the distance.
Urara.
Still a little bit away from the homestretch.
"She…" Rudolf finally spoke, an awkward smile forming, "She is indeed shockingly subpar, isn't she?"
"That's what I've been telling you, Prez," Air Groove replied, arms crossed as she sighed slightly.
"But…"
Another voice came from the side, and it was Brian's.
Both of them glanced at her immediately since she hadn't spoken at all until now.
"As long as she hasn't forfeited," Brian said calmly, eyes still forward, "She hasn't conceded."
A brief silence followed.
Then—
Rudolf's expression softened with her smile returning.
"Yeah… that's right."
"There's no concession until one forfeits, or is forced out by injury."
"So... it's going to take a little while. Unless she gave up halfway..." her eyes narrowed slightly.
"But based on what I observed today, it's very unlikely!"
Air Groove then exhaled slightly, still watching.
"Too bad, that doesn't speak for her," she said, gesturing toward the track, at Mary, who was already being carried away.
"She's got potential… yet…"
Rudolf's gaze narrowed just a little.
"She wasn't able to finish it," she added.
"And I've seen many like that…"
"All chasing dreams beyond their limits."
"Yet, in the end, they all suffered because of their reluctance to restrain…"
She paused briefly, lowering her head slightly.
"As many have said, fruits bloom through the efforts of the farmer," she continued.
"But the truth is… the way they are nurtured matters just as much."
"It was all about the balance measure between the care and the discipline."
"And all of it determines what kind of fruit will be borne."
Her gaze gently lifted back forward.
"Effort alone won't make you exceptional."
"It's effort guided by proper conduct… by control… that shapes someone into something greater."
A faint sigh escaped her.
"And from the looks of it…"
"She properly pushes herself too hard even when her body begs her to stop."
"And the results are always… the same."
"They lost it all..."
With that, all of them lowered their head slightly. A brief silence settled between them.
Until—
"Meanwhile… Urara…" Rudolf continued, turning her attention back to the track, to that small figure still running.
"She seems healthy. Cheerful, even."
"And from the looks of it... she properly lacks the other ends of hers."
"She lacks discipline."
"The kind of effort we're talking about."
A small smile then formed.
"So… with the right guidance from Tracen Academy…"
"I believe she could become something remarkable."
A brief pause.
"Unless… she doesn't want to."
"And if that's the case…"
"Then there's only so much we can do."
"But I believe her..." she lifted her gaze slightly.
"I believe she will make the right choice when we accept her into our institution."
"Especially soon she will have more on the line..."
"Matters, she couldn't bring herself to ignore."
"Conditions that will shape her despite reluctance."
With that, Rudolf abruptly turned, already walking away.
"Come, Air Groove, Brian. Let's head back. I think I've seen enough to decide Urara's standing in Tracen Academy."
"Finally…" Brian muttered, already turning as she followed, and Air Groove nodded, following close behind.
Without drawing attention, the three of them quietly left the stands.
Departing before the race had truly ended...
...
...
At that same moment.
Urara finally entered the homestretch.
The final stretch.
"I… I see it!" she cried, rounding the last turn as the finish line came into view.
Fading in closer and closer.
Meanwhile, across the line.
King Halo remained patiently, or perhaps... more patient than the rest.
Unlike the others, she hadn't left the spot much.
She stood near the finish, arms at her sides, watching.
"Geez…" she muttered, glancing down the track. "When is she going to cross already…? It's been minutes since we finished…"
Until—
A voice exclaimed beside her.
"I see her! The last runner!"
And heads turned immediately.
"She's coming in!"
In an instant, attention shifted back to the track. Even those who had been ready to leave stopped, gathering near the finish line.
King included.
All eyes locked onto Urara.
At first—
There was impatience with low murmurs and complaints.
After all, she was too slow, too late, holding everyone back.
But then—
A voice cut through.
"Come on! You can do it! You're almost there!" One of the candidates restlessly hollered.
Then, another voice joined in.
"You've got this, Number 8! Come on, you can make it!"
At first, their support seemed more like hurrying than genuine backing.
But from that single cry of support, something small began to grow.
The candidates who complained, too, joined the fray.
And slowly, it turned into a chant.
A small unified chant.
"Come on, Number 8!"
"Number 8, Number 8, Number 8!"
One after another, more voices joined.
"Number 8, Number 8, Number 8!"
Even King joined.
And before long, the audience in the stands took it up as well, their voices blending with the candidates at the finish line.
Meanwhile, Urara kept running with her uneven pace; she heard it.
The chanting.
The calling for her.
Maybe not by name, but by the number on her chest.
And her eyes widened immediately.
"E-Everyone's… cheering for me…?"
For a moment, she looked stunned.
Then her expression twisted into a determined grin.
"Al-Alright...!"
"I-I must finish it...!"
With that, Urara drove her feet deep into the soil, planting herself for one final burst.
"For everyone's sake…!"
Channeling her last remnant of energy into this final burst.
"For Mary-chan's sake…" she added.
Then... the world slowed down.
Her eyes gleamed as her breath steadied.
Then—
"Mary-chan...! I'm going to do it...!"
"I'm finally going to finish the race...!"
"And outran you!"
"So please wait for me...!"
"Wait for me to finish this race...!"
"So I can finally become..."
"...become..."
"... your friend!"
And she propelled.
Soaring down the field with a speed she didn't think she still had.
Tearing through the soil with her heavy steps.
And the distances were closing fast.
"I..."
"I...!"
First three hundred meters.
Two hundred.
One hundred.
Fifty.
And the cheers only grew louder.
The candidates from afar shouted, "Come on, you can do it!"
The audience also joined, "Do it, Number 8!"
Aside from all that, her father's voice, too, merged in, "COME ON, URARA! GIVE THEM HELL!"
With that, she got closer!
And closer....
And closer...!
And CLOSER!
Then...
THEN—
Before she could foresee it—!
Before she could react to it—!
Before she could tell everyone about it—!
She...
She...
...
...
"I... did it...!"
She crossed it.