Chapter 117. A Stone's Throw Away - Arima Kinen [Part 2]
Entering the downhill curve once again, Mejiro Dober gradually adjusted her stride, preparing for the final sprint that was about to begin.
Although Going Suzuka and Daiwa Oshu had maintained a slow pace of over twelve seconds per 200 meters until now, the former could still barely maintain her rhythm, while the latter had already begun showing obvious signs of deceleration through her increasingly unstable stride pattern.
Because she was so close behind Daiwa Oshu, Mejiro Dober noticed this immediately. Naturally, she had no intention of missing such an excellent opportunity.
During winter, the turf at Nakayama Racecourse had already turned yellow. For Uma Musume, the innermost lane, trampled repeatedly by countless runners, resembled bare mud more than actual grass. Its rebound force was extremely strong, making it unsuitable for sprinting.
Taking this into consideration, Mejiro Dober chose to make use of the curve's centrifugal force to shift herself slightly outward, creating enough room to accelerate.
"And if nothing unexpected happens, both Grass Wonder and Special Week-senpai will probably choose the outside lane as well."
Even now, Mejiro Dober still held onto the thought of interfering slightly with their acceleration routes after moving outward.
"We are about to enter the final straight of the Arima Kinen! The Arima Kinen is a test of both stamina and speed, yet today's race pace has been incredibly slow! Could this ultimately become a direct battle of explosive acceleration?!" the live commentator shouted loudly as Going Suzuka approached the entrance to the final straight.
Shuta An glanced at the race timer displayed on the giant screen.
"The race has already exceeded two minutes and twenty seconds. This pace isn't merely slow anymore."
At that moment, something stirred in the young man's mind.
"Under such an extremely slow pace, is Dober's stamina weakness being suppressed to the greatest possible extent? If so, then this really will become a direct showdown in finishing speed against Special Week and Grass Wonder."
A faint possibility surfaced in his heart.
"It's not as though she has no chance of winning."
If Mejiro Dober could truly defeat both the Derby Uma Musume and the Takarazuka Uma Musume here, the significance would be immeasurable.
After all, within Japan's racing world, there had long existed an unspoken consensus that Uma Musume on the Triple Tiara Route were weaker than those on the classic Triple Crown Route.
Only in short-distance races could Triple Tiara Route Uma Musume occasionally steal victories. Once the races extended to mile distances or middle-to-long distances, simply entering the top five was already considered an achievement.
Shuta An had researched this phenomenon extensively.
At first, he believed the reason was because Uma Musume on the Triple Tiara Route had to divide their focus toward things outside of racing. However, over time, more and more evidence overturned that conclusion. Gradually, the young man was forced to consider another possibility—
The influence of the Three Goddesses themselves.
"Inheriting souls from another world, inheriting destinies from another world—perhaps the reason Triple Tiara Route Uma Musume struggle in mixed races lies within the blessings of the Three Goddesses themselves."
But such thoughts were not things a Trainer should ever openly discuss.
After all, if one criticized the Three Goddesses, who could say whether divine punishment truly existed?
—
The moment they entered the final straight, Daiwa Oshu's deceleration became even more obvious. The instant Mejiro Dober confirmed this, she accelerated decisively without even a moment's hesitation.
"On Nakayama's 310-meter final straight, hesitation means missing the best acceleration timing entirely."
With that thought in mind, Mejiro Dober slipped past Stay Gold's left side.
Stay Gold herself clearly had not expected Mejiro Dober, who had been calmly following behind until now, to suddenly launch her sprint here.
"Huh?! Starting already?! I don't even feel warmed up yet!"
Naturally, Stay Gold was unwilling to let herself be overtaken so easily. However, just as she herself admitted, she had not yet completed her acceleration preparation. Forcing an acceleration here would almost certainly risk injury. Although Stay Gold herself might not care about such things, she knew very well that her Trainer cared deeply.
"I can't keep being this reckless anymore...just endure a little longer."
In the end, Stay Gold could only grit her teeth while watching Mejiro Dober's figure gradually pull farther away.
The moment Mejiro Dober accelerated, Grass Wonder moved as well.
Although several rivals still stood between them, Grass Wonder had been marking Mejiro Dober the entire time.
"As expected...she chose to start here."
Even though Grass Wonder possessed immense confidence in her finishing speed, she clearly understood that she currently trailed by roughly a horse length. Because of that, rather than waiting any longer, she chose to begin accelerating immediately alongside Mejiro Dober.
"I still have to be wary of Spe-chan..."
Even after overtaking Phalaenopsis ahead of her, Grass Wonder still had not forgotten her greatest rival behind her.
"But Spe-chan still hasn't fully accelerated yet?"
Without even turning around, Grass Wonder reached that conclusion purely from the sounds of footsteps behind her. After all, nobody understood Special Week's sprinting rhythm better than she did.
"Two hundred meters remaining! The runners have entered Nakayama Racecourse's final uphill slope! Mejiro Dober has overtaken Going Suzuka and moved to the very front of the field! Is the undefeated Triple Tiara Uma Musume about to surpass the records of the Emperor herself here?!" the live commentator shouted excitedly.
Yet despite the commentator's passionate words, Shuta An did not relax in the slightest.
On the contrary, his brows tightened even more.
"Grass Wonder's pace has clearly increased—can Dober really hold on until the finish?"
Although he had mentally prepared himself for Mejiro Dober's defeat before the race had even begun, if victory remained possible, then naturally he wanted her to win.
At this moment, Nishizaki Ryu was equally tense.
"Special Week started accelerating later than the others, and uphill sections aren't especially advantageous for her. Is this race really going to be decided within the final fifty meters?"
"Grass Wonder... come on..." El Condor Pasa gripped the railing tightly beside Tojo Hana, quietly cheering for her friend.
Meanwhile, Tojo Hana's thoughts had already gone completely blank.
According to her racing experience, the current gap between Grass Wonder and Mejiro Dober still remained within a range that could absolutely be overturned in the upcoming stretch. That possibility caused the tension in her chest to tighten further and further.
Mejiro Dober surged past the uphill section, the finish line seemingly already within reach.
"They still haven't caught up yet!"
At this moment, joy filled her heart completely.
"I can do this! Even 2500 meters is no problem!"
But at the very same time, the wide-eyed commentator had already risen to his feet.
"Grass Wonder has caught up! Mejiro Dober is still holding on! But Special Week is charging from the outside lane!"
Unlike Mejiro Dober, who remained fully focused on the track itself, Shuta An in the stands could clearly assess the overall situation.
"Will the placings need a photo finish replay to determine them?"
The young man unconsciously clenched his fist tightly.
"I have to hold on until the very end!"
Mejiro Dober had no time to pay attention to the overwhelming pressure emanating from the two senior Uma Musume closing in from her left side.
"I have to get my revenge against Grass Wonder!"
Special Week pumped her legs powerfully, constantly driving her center of gravity farther forward.
Grass Wonder could feel the pressure from both sides as well, yet rather than faltering, she transformed that pressure into even greater forward momentum.
"I want to defend my Arima Kinen title! I want to prove that Spe-chan, El Condor Pasa, and I truly stand on the same level as one another!"
And in the very next instant, both Special Week and Mejiro Dober sensed a sudden transformation in Grass Wonder's aura.
"She activated her Zone!"
Shuta An was the very first person to realize what had happened.
"This is bad—Dober probably can't instantly enter her Zone at this point."
The young man frowned deeply.
"For this final stretch, Grass Wonder's speed is clearly going to rise to another level entirely."
Without realizing it, he clenched both fists tightly.
"Her pursuit has become terrifying."
Not only Shuta An noticed this change. Special Week understood it as well.
"Thankfully~ after the Japan Cup, I also trained specifically to master it."
At this moment, Special Week was genuinely grateful for the additional training she had undergone regarding "Zones."
Without hesitation, she followed Grass Wonder and activated her own Zone as well.
Suddenly, the speed of the two Uma Musume visibly surpassed Mejiro Dober's.
To ordinary spectators, this scene appeared entirely natural. After all, Mejiro Dober had already moved up early and accelerated early, meaning her stamina consumption had unquestionably exceeded that of both Grass Wonder and Special Week. It was only natural that her finishing speed would fall slightly behind theirs.
"The two strongest Uma Musume are surging forward from the far outside lanes! Can Mejiro Dober hold on until the finish?!" the commentator shouted once more.
At this point, Mejiro Dober herself also fully realized what the two senior Uma Musume had done.
"But over such a short distance—I can't unfold mine, I can't do the same thing they can!"
For the very first time since stepping onto the Twinkle Series stage, the undefeated Triple Tiara Uma Musume experienced a feeling known as powerlessness.
Almost unconsciously, she wanted to turn her head toward the stands and search for her Trainer.
"If this were training—then at a moment like this, Trainer would definitely tell me what to do."
"The final twenty meters! Special Week and Grass Wonder are now completely neck and neck with Mejiro Dober!" the commentator shouted at the top of his lungs. "Derby Uma Musume! Grand Prix Uma Musume! Triple Tiara Uma Musume! They cross the finish line together! We'll need a photo replay! We'll need a photo replay! Who has won this year's final showdown?!"
"Was it Special Week?! If she wins this Arima Kinen, she will follow in Oguri Cap's footsteps and become another Uma Musume to conquer three major autumn middle-to-long-distance G1 races!"
"Was it Grass Wonder?! If she wins, she will become the first Uma Musume in over twenty years to conquer both the Spring and Autumn Grand Prix titles!"
"Or was it Mejiro Dober?! With five G1 victories in a single year, she would surpass even Symboli Rudolf's record and become the very first Triple Tiara Route Uma Musume to win a mixed middle-to-long-distance G1 race for older competitors! After this battle, her title as the strongest Triple Tiara Route Uma Musume in history would become absolutely unquestionable!"
"Who has won this year's Arima Kinen?!"
The commentator's voice echoed loudly throughout the entire racecourse.
"Who won?" Kurofune was the first to ask beside Shuta An.
Shuta An closed his eyes briefly, his brows tightly furrowed.
"It looked like Special Week...though it could just be our viewing angle. After all, she was running furthest outside."
"Did Special Week-senpai really win?" Curren Chan's voice became noticeably quieter.
Although Shuta An's words sounded uncertain, Curren Chan could still sense that he had already concluded that Mejiro Dober herself had not won.
"Dober-senpai" Rice Shower bit her lip lightly. "Did she lose?"
The young man raised his head toward the giant screen, where the slow-motion replay was finally beginning.
Even in replay, the image of the three Uma Musume crossing the finish line side by side remained breathtakingly intense.
One stride.
Another stride.
Then another.
Within the replay, Mejiro Dober drew closer and closer to the finish line, while Grass Wonder and Special Week steadily reeled her in from both sides.
By the final stride before the finish, Grass Wonder and Special Week had completely caught up.
"Ah."
Shuta An sighed inwardly before beginning to applaud.
Regardless of whether the victor turned out to be Special Week or Grass Wonder, both he and Mejiro Dober had already made every preparation possible before this Arima Kinen. Whoever won today fully deserved that applause.
Meanwhile, Nishizaki Ryu and Tojo Hana remained completely focused on the giant screen.
The first replay ended, yet neither Trainer could determine who had crossed first. The only thing they could conclude was that Mejiro Dober had narrowly fallen short.
The second replay began, and once again the commentators, Trainers, and audience all focused their full attention upon the screen.
At that moment, Shuta An turned toward the four Uma Musume accompanying him.
"You all head back to the Box first. I'll go find Dober."
"Understood!" Kurofune immediately nodded as today's acting leader, then brought Rice Shower, Agnes Digital, and Curren Chan back toward the Box together.
Along the way, the four Uma Musume remained silent.
"Maybe...Curren shouldn't have come today..." Curren Chan was the first to break the silence. "After all, every time the older sisters came to watch races before, everyone always won, right?"
"This isn't Curren-chan's fault."
Unexpectedly, before Kurofune could respond, Agnes Digital was the one who refuted her immediately.
"Uma Musume on the Triple Tiara Route generally perform poorly in the Arima Kinen. Dober-chan already prepared herself mentally before the race even started."
"Is that so?" Curren Chan lowered her head slightly. "But she still lost her undefeated record. It was such a precious title...and she was only a tiny step away from protecting it."
None of the other three responded.
Kurofune and Rice Shower were both silently wondering how they themselves would feel if they ever lost during the Twinkle Series.
Meanwhile, Agnes Digital's emotions were even more complicated.
On one hand, she naturally felt sad for her close friend's defeat.
Yet on the other hand, as an Uma Musume fan, witnessing the rivalry between Grass Wonder and Special Week unfold firsthand today filled her with indescribable excitement.
After watching Kurofune's group leave, Shuta An also turned away from the stands.
He walked directly toward the underground passage exit, quietly waiting there for Mejiro Dober, who would soon return to the waiting room to prepare for the upcoming Winning Live performance.
The Nakayama Racecourse staff all noticed Shuta An standing there.
Yet nobody dared approach him for conversation or autographs. After all, anyone could imagine that the young man's mood after losing a G1 race must be terrible.
Still, none of them stayed too far away either.
Everyone was curious to see what kind of reaction Shuta An, who had rarely tasted defeat on the G1 stage, would show upon meeting Mejiro Dober.
Only a few minutes later, Mejiro Dober finally appeared before him.
Her expression was utterly downcast.
"Dober." Smiling gently, Shuta An stepped toward her. "You worked hard."
Mejiro Dober raised her head, visibly startled to see her Trainer standing there waiting for her.
Then, in the very next second, completely catching Shuta An off guard, she threw herself directly into his arms.
"I'm sorry... I lost... I'm sorry!"
"No, I'm the one who should apologize."
After firmly catching Mejiro Dober's sudden impact, Shuta An wrapped his arms around her gently.
"If I had reminded Dober before the race to pay attention to Grass Wonder's and Special Week's Zones, then maybe the result would have been different."
"But it was only one Arima Kinen. Didn't we already agree on that before the race?"
Shuta An loosened his embrace slightly before lowering his head to meet Mejiro Dober's eyes directly.
"This race was a necessary cost for Dober's future."
"But I still can't accept it."
Mejiro Dober avoided his gaze.
"I knew before the race that the odds of winning were very low. But after receiving everyone's support—I still truly wanted to win."
Then she lowered her voice further.
"Trainer, you also really wanted me to win, didn't you?"
There was no resentment in her voice.
No anger.
Only regret.
Shuta An gently placed a hand atop her head, softly stroking her hair.
"When I was little, my father once told me a saying from a famous American football coach."
"Victory is not everything. It is the only thing."
The young man could clearly feel Mejiro Dober's body tremble slightly within his arms.
But he continued speaking calmly.
"At the time, I told my father that I disagreed with that statement. Because in competition, there are things more worthy of respect than victory itself — morality, rules, principles. Do you know what my father said to me afterward?"
Without waiting for Mejiro Dober's answer, Shuta An quietly continued.
"He said that victory is not the only thing... but victory achieved within the rules comes first."
Then his smile softened even further.
"I'm actually very happy that Dober told me how she truly feels. It doesn't matter if your undefeated record is gone. Let go of that burden, Dober."
Shuta An looked directly into Mejiro Dober's eyes.
"Next year, let's challenge this world together."
"Let's prove to everyone that Uma Musume on the Triple Tiara Route are not weaker than Uma Musume on the classic Triple Crown Route."
"Yes!"
Mejiro Dober finally met her Trainer's gaze once more.
Then, as though suddenly realizing how intimately she was still pressed against him, she blushed deeply and hurriedly stepped backward, escaping from his embrace.
"I-I-I'm going back to the waiting room now to prepare for Winning Live."
"Go ahead."
Shuta An smiled and waved lightly.
"As for Dober's family matters, I've already settled everything on my side too. I'll explain the details to Dober later."
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