With a loud clank, the gates flew open, and the race began. A blue figure shot out first.
"Turbo engine full throttle!!"
At an absurd speed, she opened up a gap of three lengths from the pack in just two seconds.
"What is that? She's running sprint speed on a mile track!?" Fujiwara Chiya was stunned.
"The current leader is Twin Turbo! Close behind are Mihono Bourbon in second, Mejiro McQueen in third, followed by Betty Sugar and Royal Cherry, sixth place is Rice Shower…"
The announcer called the race as Twin Turbo widened the gap even further, quickly stretching it to five lengths.
"What was her name again… Booster?"
"It's Twin Turbo," Nase Fumino corrected.
"Right, Twin Turbo." Chiya kept his eyes locked on her. "Tracen really has someone this strong? She doesn't even look tired. Is she planning to run like that all the way to the finish?"
"Impossible."
Chiya couldn't tell, but Nase already knew. That kind of pacing made no sense. It was completely reckless. No need to even think of a strategy, once the race reached the midsection, she'd burn out on her own.
This race would come down to Mejiro McQueen and Mihono Bourbon… and maybe Rice Shower. If Trainer Fujiwara was that confident in her, then maybe she actually had a shot.
On the track, Rice stared at the gap that had already stretched to seven lengths.
So fast… How can she run like that? Isn't she afraid of running out of stamina?
Rice couldn't understand her at all.
Neither could McQueen or Bourbon.
"This girl… what kind of running is that?" McQueen muttered.
"Objective and behavior unclear. Phase analysis: erratic. Response strategy: maintain current speed," Mihono Bourbon said in her usual flat tone.
"Wahahaha! I'm going all the way to the front, victory belongs to Twin Turbo!!!"
She threw her head back and shouted.
"It's Twin Turbo! Twin Turbo is way out in front!"
But as the race entered the second corner, the girl who had been charging ahead suddenly lost all momentum. In an instant, she slowed down.
"Twin Turbo is done!!"
"Twin Turbo can still run… Twin Turbo's engine… still full… throt…"
She went completely silent.
"Twin Turbo has dropped out! Taking the lead now is Mihono Bourbon!"
Without a second of mourning, Hishi Amazon continued the commentary.
"She has speed, but not the stamina to sustain it," Nase said calmly. "Her form is off, her pacing is off, and she's even talking while running. It's like she's trying to make it harder for herself."
"She may have lost, but at least she ran with style," Chiya added.
Knowing there was someone in another team just as chaotic as his own, he felt a strange sense of relief.
By now, the race had entered the latter half.
On the track, Rice was breathing heavily as she chased from behind. Her breathing was starting to fall out of rhythm. Both Mihono Bourbon and Mejiro McQueen were sweating, but neither of them slowed down. The final stretch would be a battle of willpower.
Her heart pounded violently in her chest, like an engine roaring at full power. Her breaths came faster and faster. Her lungs felt like they were burning. She couldn't get enough air, yet her body demanded more.
Two hundred meters left.
From the waiting area, Shirayuki, Gold Ship, and Meisho Doto shouted her name.
Her vision was beginning to darken, narrowing more and more. She had tried to be careful, but right out of the gate she had been bumped twice. It wasn't much, but even that had cost her valuable stamina.
Right now, she was in fourth place, three lengths behind Mihono Bourbon.
At this distance, catching up would be extremely difficult.
At that moment, Rice remembered something Chiya had told her.
"If you feel like you can't catch up to them, stop looking at them. Look at the finish line. Just focus on crossing it."
Remembering those words, Rice shifted her gaze away from Mihono Bourbon and locked onto the finish line, the white line ahead.
Rice… will run straight to the finish at full speed!
"The current leader is Mihono Bourbon! Close behind is Mejiro McQueen, and in third, Rice Shower is coming up fast!"
What!?
Sensing a powerful presence behind her, Mejiro McQueen turned her head and saw it.
A pair of purple eyes, fixed straight ahead on the finish line.
Even though she was right there, it was like McQueen didn't exist in her sight at all.
This girl… you think you can pass me that easily!?
McQueen gritted her teeth and pushed forward with everything she had left.
"Finish!"
The call echoed across the track.
"After photo review, first place: Mejiro McQueen. Second place: Mihono Bourbon. Third place: Rice Shower. Fourth place…"
Completely exhausted, Rice staggered off the track. She had no strength left.
So tired… so thirsty… I want to sit down…
But onii-sama said sitting down right after a race is bad…
"Rice!"
At that moment, Gold Ship and the others rushed over from the waiting area, surrounding her.
"That was amazing, Rice! I'm seriously impressed," Gold Ship said.
"Rice, that was incredible!" Doto looked at her with admiration.
"I always believed you were amazing," Shirayuki said, clearly moved.
"…Did Rice win?"
Looking dazed, Rice asked.
By the time she crossed the finish line, she couldn't hear anything anymore.
"Third place."
"Third place… Rice still lost…"
"Hey, third is still great. Everyone in that race was strong," Gold Ship said, trying to cheer her up.
"…Rice lost… so there's no reward from onii-sama anymore…"
"I think… he'll still give you something," Shirayuki said from the side.
Up in the stands,
"Trainer Nase, what do kids usually like?" Chiya suddenly asked.
"Kids?"
"Like… those young ones who are already in school but still kind of naïve."
"I'm not too sure. But at that age, they usually like cute things. Stuffed animals, storybooks, snacks, things like that."
"I see…"
Chiya started thinking about how to reward them later.
Just then, someone appeared beside Shirayuki.
"It's finally our turn! Shirayuki, let's settle this!"
Special Week grabbed Shirayuki's hand tightly.