Late May.
Only three days remained before the Japanese Derby.
The entire racing world eagerly awaited its arrival.
Posters of highly anticipated "stars" could be seen throughout the streets.
Nearly every entrant received publicity; only the scale of their treatment differed.
In truth, virtually every umamusume who qualified for this race ranked among the finest of her generation.
Seiun Sky was one example.
Although she had yet to win a GI race, no one considered her weak. The reason was obvious: Seiun Sky had achieved almost explosive victories in GIII and GII races. Someone with that strength should have been capable of winning at GI level. She had simply been unlucky enough to encounter opponents who went far beyond the normal standard.
The "monster" Special Week required no explanation, while Grass Wonder, an umamusume who had awakened ZONE, was practically invincible at this stage. Seiun Sky's Trainer had actually considered abandoning the Japanese Derby in favor of another race or June's Takarazuka Kinen. Seiun Sky herself refused. She could feel that competing against these prodigies and monsters was making her stronger.
...
That day,
reporters working with the Umamusume Association arrived at Tracen Academy with their equipment.
The interview area specially prepared by the academy was surrounded by an impenetrable crowd.
Camera flashes poured down like a rainstorm.
Each entrant appeared before the cameras in formal attire.
The first was the tremendously popular newcomer—El Condor Pasa!
This would be her first appearance on a GI stage.
Her race outfit was fiery red, and her familiar mask still covered her face.
"May we begin?"
"Yes."
"El Condor Pasa, how do you feel about competing in a GI race for the first time?"
"I can hardly wait! I want it to start right now!"
"Are you confident about the race?"
"Extremely confident!"
"Hahaha, that certainly gives us something to anticipate. One final question. Everyone knows this is your first race at this level, and your opponents will all be exceptionally strong. Under those circumstances, what do you hope for from the race? What is your objective?"
"Victory, of course!"
El Condor Pasa showed no stage fright under the reporters' persistent questions.
Instead, she folded her arms and lifted her chin.
Confidence nearly overflowed from her.
Unable to resist her audacious manner, the reporter asked, "Then... will you win?"
El Condor Pasa's voice was clear and powerful, carrying unquestionable dominance. "I will!"
"...Very well. Thank you, El Condor Pasa. Let us move on to our next runner."
Grass Wonder was interviewed next.
Unlike El Condor Pasa's flamboyance, Grass Wonder carried herself with perfect elegance. She bowed slightly, an impeccable gentle smile on her face, and spoke in a voice as soft as a spring breeze.
"Hello, everyone."
"Grass Wonder, are you ready?"
"Yes."
"Then, regarding this race, are you prepared to display your finest condition?"
Grass Wonder gave an entirely formulaic answer.
The reporter found her difficult to handle and posed another question.
"What do you think of your opponents in this Derby—Special Week in particular?"
Grass Wonder's smile did not appear to change in the slightest.
Deep within her eyes, however, a chilling gleam flashed.
"Spe—Special Week... is very strong."
"Are you confident you can defeat Special Week on the Japanese Derby stage?"
"...All I can say is that I will do everything I can."
Her tone remained gentle, but a chill now radiated from her body.
The reporter sensed "killing intent."
"Thank you very much! Let us welcome the next runner!"
The instant Grass Wonder returned backstage, her smile disappeared.
She clenched her fists, nails digging into her palms, and silently repeated that person's name.
Silence Suzuka was interviewed next.
"Suzuka, has your body fully recovered?"
"Yes. There are no longer any problems with my body."
"We heard that even your Trainer was startled when you registered. You entered such a demanding race immediately after recovering. Do you feel any pressure?"
"I don't believe I do."
"You lost to Special Week in the Hopeful Stakes. Do you think you have a chance of defeating her this time?"
"I will bring out my finest condition."
Silence Suzuka did not directly answer the question.
Her Trainer had long since instructed her to reveal as little as possible during interviews.
If she encountered a difficult question, she could simply brush it aside.
"...Thank you very much. We look forward to seeing your performance in the race."
"Please welcome our next runner."
Seiun Sky.
"I think I'm only here to fill out the field. What? Someone believes I could win? Hahaha, I'm very grateful for that fan's support. I suppose I'll have to try just a little harder."
The words sounded like a joke, but who truly knew what Seiun Sky felt? Despite her manner, she was serious this time. If she intended to give up, she should never have entered the Japanese Derby. Had she been willing to withdraw, she would have possessed an excellent chance of winning another race or the Takarazuka Kinen. Yet she ultimately chose the Derby. She refused to abandon the pursuit. She could feel herself becoming stronger as she "survived" among those prodigies and monsters.
The next runner
was King Halo.
"I have nothing much to say. As long as I can still run, I will never give up!"
By now, even if she had once deceived herself, she had clearly recognized her own reality. Her mother had been right: she lacked the talent to become a great umamusume. She was no prodigy. A true prodigy was someone like Special Week. Even so, King Halo refused to give up. Becoming a first-rate umamusume was her dream, not some decision made in a moment of stubbornness!
Heart of Flame.
An umamusume with a fiery personality.
She waved her fist during the interview.
"Ha! I don't care about prodigies or monsters. The championship trophy will belong to me!"
Silent Ballad.
In the end, her Trainer stepped forward and said, "We will not disappoint those who support us!"
Golden Dream.
An eccentric umamusume.
She said playfully during her interview, "I'm only here to make up the numbers. My greatest goal is to startle that monster during the race. I mean, doesn't she always wear that calm expression? I want to see whether she'd look funny if someone actually frightened her."
Iron Guardian.
An umamusume skilled at racing as a Chaser.
She analyzed the situation calmly. "This race contains many powerful runners, but precisely because of that, it also has many variables. I believe I still have a chance to win."
Speeding Meteor.
A newcomer recently known for enormous Great Runner leads.
She said excitedly, "I get to run with Suzuka-senpai! I'll give it everything I have!"
Moonlight Dancer.
A competitor who was both an idol and an umamusume.
She spoke with perfect composure. "A race is a performance. I will see this performance through."
Wilderness Wolf.
Despite her wild appearance, her words created a striking contrast.
She said, "I'm running for everyone back home. I cannot lose!"
...
Once the interviews aired,
hundreds of new posts appeared every minute across online forums.
[Anonymous Forum—Derby Section]
"El Condor Pasa is way too cocky!"
"And that answer was a complete death flag, wasn't it?"
"The person above doesn't know a damn thing! That's the confidence of the strong! El is the best!"
"2.5th floor! (laughing)"
"(Grass Wonder smile)"
"I'm dying. Grass Wonder's expression was already cracking when the reporter asked her."
"Ask again and I'll kill you. (smile)"
"Suzuka-senpai is back!"
"Ten-year Suzuka fan reporting in!"
"Special Week: Everyone present is trash. (doge)"
"What Seiun Sky said was so real. Ah, the helplessness of an ordinary runner."
"She clearly has enough ability to dominate normal races, but whenever she challenges a GI, she runs into those prodigious monsters. Why doesn't she avoid Special Week and the others?"
"You don't understand. Running away like that would be the real total defeat!"
"How did King Halo sneak into this?"
"This Japanese Derby is a clash of titans. Any one of those prodigies and monsters could have slaughtered last year's field."
"This is the greatest era!"
"I don't care. I'm a loyal son. Other than Special Week, I recognize no one."
"No madness, no fun. I also think Special Week has the best chance of winning."
"Not necessarily! I don't see what's so strong about Special Week. Every time I watch her, it feels like she's exploiting an opening. Her stamina probably isn't good either. Why else would she always run so far back?"
"Betting everything I own on Special Week!"
"Where can the person above place that bet? Take me with you. I want some easy spending money too!"
"Damn, Special Week's odds are so low that even betting ten million wouldn't earn much!"
"The bookmakers aren't stupid. Silence Suzuka's odds look pretty good, though. I'm going all in!"
"Damn gamblers!"
"What the hell? Why did so many degenerates suddenly appear?"
[Umamusume Enthusiasts Forum]
Topic: [In-Depth Analysis] Japanese Derby Tactical Forecast: Who Can Stop Special Week?
Original poster: "According to the previous data, Special Week's explosive power is unquestionably top-tier among this field. As for people online claiming she may have stamina problems, look at these figures from the Satsuki Sho. Examine them carefully. Special Week used the Leader strategy in that race. Faced with Seiun Sky and the others' Great Runner pace, the rest of the Leader group could no longer run properly by the third turn. But Special Week? She not only remained with the pack early on without losing speed—she actually began her burst at that exact point. Based on that performance, I guarantee her stamina is top-tier too! With figures like these, who can stop her?"
First reply: "Hard to say. If the other runners cooperate, there may still be a chance."
Second reply: "Damn, are those figures real?"
Third reply: "They're real. Weren't Grass Wonder's Satsuki Sho figures terrifying too? She lost by only half a length. The Japanese Derby is longer than the Satsuki Sho, so Grass Wonder could absolutely reverse the result!"
[Twitter Trending]
...
Every hashtag was followed by a red character meaning "explosive."
On the streets of Akihabara,
enormous screens repeatedly showed Special Week and Grass Wonder's duel on the final straight of the Satsuki Sho. Crowds stopped to watch and exclaimed in astonishment.
"Incredible... So that's a monster?"
"Grass Wonder is strong too! That was so cool!"
"I'm definitely watching this Derby in person! I'll line up overnight if I have to!"
At the physical ticket office,
the long queue stretched all the way around the street corner.
Online tickets, meanwhile, had sold out almost instantly and were nearly impossible to obtain.
"Damn scalpers! Online tickets are already selling for ten thousand each!"
"Go line up in person. They still have tickets there, online sales were only forty percent of the total, and the physical tickets are cheaper!"
"There are scalpers in the physical line too. Those bastards are the worst!"
"I couldn't resist buying one from a scalper."
"You bastard! How much did you pay?"
All of Japan was filled with uproar and fervor.
...
Beside the abandoned track on Tracen's back mountain,
Special Week sat alone on an old wooden bench, holding a half-empty bottle of sports drink.
She did not look at her phone or television, nor did she listen to the radio.
She merely sat in silence, gazing into the distance.
She seemed isolated from the world, entirely unaffected by public opinion.
Grass Wonder, El Condor Pasa, Silence Suzuka...
She thought of the coming race and the opponents she would face.
Their faces flashed through her mind.
For an instant, even she seemed to feel considerable pressure.
She would not underestimate these opponents, even those she had defeated before.
Their strength was genuine. Special Week understood clearly that Silence Suzuka and Grass Wonder had become stronger, which gave her still less room for carelessness.
She rose and threw the empty bottle into the trash.
"Hah..."
Time to continue training.
No matter who her opponent was, if she made herself strong enough and her steps firm enough, then no opponent could stop her!
Victory should not be her objective. It should be the inevitable result of her path toward greater strength.
...
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