The race began, and the runners all pushed forward at once. Just as the battle for the front positions entered its fiercest stage, Rice Shower burst out from within the pack.
Her senses were sharper than ever before.
She saw it.
Among the crowd, there was a winding curve leading forward. A path that led to the outside.
Rice Shower's advantage was her stamina. It would not be an exaggeration to say that a two-thousand-metre race was far from enough to draw out Rice Shower's full strength. Races like the Kikuka Sho and the spring Tenno Sho, long-distance races like those, were the stages where Rice Shower would truly shine.
Even so, Rice Shower had to win this race.
If she had no advantage, then she would simply create one!
Beside her, Gale Wheel looked at the black-clad girl. A terrifying aura radiated from her body. It did not feel like she was racing against an Uma Musume at all. It felt like she was racing against some monster that only happened to look like one.
What the hell?
This is her first graded race?
She doesn't look like it at all!
This isn't the kind of feeling a normal Uma Musume can give off!
In the spectator stands, Fujiwara Chiya narrowed his eyes. He had noticed Rice Shower's change. She used a frontrunner-adjacent strategy, but now she was actually fighting for the lead at the start of the race. This was beyond Fujiwara Chiya's expectations.
But he believed Rice Shower must have a reason for doing this. Perhaps Rice Shower was certain that her stamina was enough to hold the lead until the end. Rice Shower was not an impulsive child. She was rational. She was one of the rare children Fujiwara Chiya knew who possessed both reason and perseverance.
So at this moment, Fujiwara Chiya only needed to do one thing.
He gathered all his strength and shouted,
"Go, Rice Shower!"
No more words were needed.
Once an Uma Musume stepped onto the racecourse, a trainer had to believe in her unconditionally.
Beside him, Meisho Doto and the others also shouted along with Fujiwara Chiya.
"So amazing, Rice Shower. She actually dared to fight for the lead in a graded race." Gold Ship spoke with admiration.
No matter what, Rice Shower's figure as she broke through from the middle and charged to the very front had truly stirred the emotions of the audience. Facing this unknown, petite Uma Musume, they offered their cheers one after another.
"The current leader is Dido Earth! In second place is Rice Shower! Third place is Gale Wheel!"
The situation at the front was far more intense than in the middle and rear positions. The leading Uma Musume looked at the black figure closely following behind her. Rice Shower did not choose to continue accelerating and overtake her. Instead, she maintained that position.
It felt as though someone had pressed a dagger against her throat, ready to end her in a single strike at any moment.
Extremely dangerous!
The two of them were too close, almost sticking together, and from this position, her opponent could overtake at any time.
What should I do?
Should I pull away?
Or should I keep watching her movements?
Dido Earth felt unable to properly judge the race situation.
"So... so aggressive..." Looking at Rice Shower's movements, Mejiro Dober could not help speaking. "This already makes it clear that she's locking onto someone. But isn't Rice Shower afraid of crashing into her?"
Beside her, Fujiwara Shirayuki moved her ears.
"She is afraid. One mistake in that position and she'll collide with her opponent. If that happens, Rice Shower will lose most of her stamina, and her chances of winning will drop sharply. But I think... compared to being afraid of crashing, Rice Shower is more afraid of losing the race."
Shirayuki seemed to understand why Rice Shower was doing this.
By staying so close to her opponent, she could exert enormous pressure, making the other runner nervous and scattering her attention.
Racing was not only about comparing who had higher stats or stronger stamina. It was also about decision-making and judgement. It even included an Uma Musume's mentality. There were too many factors that influenced victory. Making an opponent nervous and lowering their ability to judge the situation was also one of them.
Seeing this, Fujiwara Chiya could not help feeling emotional.
Rice Shower had really grown so much.
Soon, the race entered the turn. The Uma Musume all began merging toward the inner lane. This was both a chance to conserve stamina and an opportunity to accelerate.
The outside lane had opened.
Some Uma Musume began choosing to speed up.
Rice Shower raised her ears and listened to the sounds behind her. Amid the noisy crowd, she heard Onii-sama cheering for her. A faint smile appeared on her fair face.
But very quickly, Rice Shower returned to that serious and cold expression.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Her heart sounded as if it were burning, releasing a scorching rhythm. Rice Shower clenched her fist.
She knew.
Now was not the time to accelerate.
She was gathering strength, waiting for the final full-force sprint. During this time, someone would overtake and come beside her.
You are not my final opponent.
Rice Shower's gaze shifted away from Dido Earth. In that instant, the Uma Musume felt the pressure on her body lighten. The invisible dagger also disappeared.
She gasped for breath, cold sweat already covering her forehead.
"The race has entered the final turn! Gale Wheel, currently in third place, has begun to accelerate! What a forceful running style!"
Gale Wheel relied on her powerful strength to force her way out from a narrow gap.
The commentator rapidly explained the race.
I don't care what you are.
Victory in this race belongs to me!
Gale Wheel's feet slammed heavily into the ground. She rushed to Rice Shower's side, then accelerated past her.
"Gale Wheel has moved into first place!" the commentator shouted.
Is she going to lose?
Gold Ship and the others stared fixedly at the racecourse. Fujiwara Chiya was so nervous that sweat covered his forehead. He looked unblinkingly at that black figure and bit his lip.
Rice Shower...
"The race has entered the final straight! Four hundred metres remaining!"
What? That girl only has a scary aura.
Gale Wheel grinned. She had actually been frightened by that small black thing earlier. But when it came to strength, she was the superior one!
Just as Gale Wheel confidently charged forward, she suddenly felt a chill from behind.
Then came a sharp sound.
Like a blade being drawn from its sheath, Gale Wheel felt as if she had been pierced by a dagger. Her eyes widened, and she slowly turned her head.
Then she saw it.
At some point, that black-haired Uma Musume had already run up beside her.
What...?
"For Rice... for Onii-sama..."
The victory of this race would absolutely not be handed to anyone else!
"It's Rice Shower! Rice Shower has caught up! After Gale Wheel's acceleration, Rice Shower has also begun to accelerate without backing down! The two of them are side by side! Only one hundred metres left in the race!"
You!
Gale Wheel's face twisted.
I've made it this far. How could I lose to you now!?
Thump!
Another deafening heartbeat sounded.
Gale Wheel heard it.
Within that small body was a beast-like roar, and from Rice Shower's body came a sharp aura like a blade.
Fear rose in Gale Wheel's heart.
She felt that if she continued to approach, she would be torn to pieces.
"The distance is opening! It's Rice Shower! Rice Shower has overtaken Gale Wheel! She is still accelerating! Rice Shower is still accelerating! One length! One length! She crosses the line!"
Along with the commentator's soaring voice, the black figure crossed the finish line.
Thunderous cheers erupted across the racecourse.