When the gate failed to open on cue, Offside Trap did not feel pain or anger.
The still-shut gate in front of her caught the light in a way that was not even particularly ugly, and for some reason, it made her want to laugh.
Her memories sharpened.
In that instant, it felt as if she saw so many things at once—watching Narita Brian surge past her and hit the wire in the Satsuki Sho and the Derby; seeing the tail of the winner flicking just within reach in the Nakayama Kinen, yet never being able to grasp it; and the long straight at Fuchu, where the rival beside her filled more and more of her vision until, just before the finish line, another graded-race victory slipped through her fingers yet again.
She had once been a horse girl people placed their hopes in. Winning the Wakakoma Stakes had made her one of the serious contenders for the classic season.
She had also become a horse girl everyone forgot.
Fate had always loved to toy with this loser who had given everything and ended up with nothing.
Offside Trap gritted her teeth. The instant the gates finally flew open, she burst out.
[Noble Bond activated: All stats +5%, able to adapt to any pace.]
[Otherworldly Flowing Shadow: For every 100 points in any one stat, all stats +1.]
[Variable-Distance Supercar: Within 800m, Power +5%; 800m–1400m, Wisdom +5%; 1400m–2000m, Speed +5%; 2000m–2400m, Stamina +5%.]
[Level 1 Counterclockwise.]
There was more force in her legs than there had ever been in training. Offside Trap did not know why. She only knew one thing:
she still could not give up.
She dared not look toward the eyes of the crowd.
Tongue pressed against the roof of her mouth, expression blank, she chased after Legal Counsel at the back of the field. There was no way she could still follow her trainer's original plan and close to within a few lengths of Seiun Sky. But at the very least, she could reach a position she was used to, a position she knew how to run from.
Her gaze lifted toward mid-pack. Golden Journey and Mejiro Bright were both there.
Losing that second at the start did not make her choose the obvious option of dropping all the way to the rear. After one efficient acceleration, she immediately followed the line the pack had already taken and clawed her way back into fifth or sixth.
Even the air around her seemed clearer than usual.
Offside Trap had no idea what was happening to her. A kind of strength that absolutely did not belong to her had descended onto her body. She had never felt anything like this in training before. Her stride kept widening, and a fiercer light entered her eyes.
It was as if unfairness had fallen upon her yet again.
But this time, there was someone standing behind her.
And she herself now had both the courage and the right to fight back.
"The race is underway! Offside Trap—there was trouble with Offside Trap's gate, a major slow break! Up front, as expected, the horse girl taking command is Number 1, Seiun Sky, forcing her way into the lead with complete authority! Behind her, Snowfield Blast and Number 5 Marching Suzuka are both staying close—they have no intention of letting Seiun Sky get away freely!"
"The field is already passing in front of the stands. Number 4, Mejiro Bright, the race favorite, is holding a steady mid-pack position at present. On the outside is Golden Journey, and behind her are Rashomon Warrior and Legal Counsel. Behind Legal Counsel, Offside Trap has already come roaring back. Despite the disastrous start, she refuses to stay at the tail of the field, pressing straight back up into the middle group, two and even three wide as they enter the first and second turns!"
In front of the stands, Terazumi Shinji narrowed his eyes. He could already tell that Offside Trap had improved by an obvious margin.
"Xiao Yue is in incredible form today…"
Beside him, Maruzensky murmured the same conclusion he had already reached.
With the small runes and equipment included, her natural Speed is already close to 1000. Otherworldly Flowing Shadow and Noble together add almost another ninety points of Speed.
Shinji's gaze darkened. His attention had already shifted to the section of track connecting the far side to the third and fourth turns.
And Variable-Distance Supercar adds almost fifty more points of Speed between 1400 and 2000 meters…
[Stats granted by equipment, small runes, rune effects, and the like do not count against the base stat cap. Their calculations are based only on the horse girl's natural stats.]
Shinji already knew that. The system was more trying to reassure him than anything else.
He clenched his fist.
She still has a chance. As long as she gets up with the front group and uses the turns well, then worst case—she can just force it through on Guts!
Speed was not the only thing being boosted. Noble and Otherworldly Flowing Shadow were lifting her other attributes too.
"The field has entered the first and second turns. Seiun Sky still holds the lead—nearly ten lengths clear! In this race, Seiun Sky has chosen a full-on runaway strategy! The pack behind her is still holding its rhythm. In second is Marching Suzuka, and on the outside is Snowfield Blast!"
"Two lengths behind them comes Mejiro Bright, carrying the honor of the Mejiro family and her determination to challenge for a Spring-and-Autumn Tenno Sho double. She still sits in a stable fourth! On the outside of her are Golden Journey and Offside Trap. Behind them, Rashomon Warrior is inching forward by about a length, and two lengths behind that is Legal Counsel. Legal Counsel has chosen to settle in last today, clearly betting on a late burst. Up ahead, Seiun Sky has already exited the second turn and entered the backstretch opposite the stands—fifteen lengths clear, and the gap to the rest of the field is now immense!"
Offside Trap looked ahead.
Seiun Sky's pace was fast, but this was not a moment when Offside Trap could simply accelerate recklessly. Her eyes shifted inward to Mejiro Bright. The girl who had looked almost lazy before the race now wore a completely serious, focused expression, glued to the rail and holding her rhythm perfectly.
Offside Trap drew a deep breath.
From the way the race had unfolded, there was now absolutely no chance for her to slip down to the inside on this straight. Which meant the position she was facing now was clear: she would have to go around the front runners through Kyoto's uphill turns, overtaking from the second or even third lane.
Her trainer's face rose in her mind.
That day, on the grass, when he had lain there staring into the sunset, there had been emotions in his eyes she had not been able to read. Back then, she had only thought that when the right time came, she would understand.
That was why, right now, she had one more reason she absolutely had to win.
[Straight Line Specialist.]
[Lightning Step.]
Not being able to take the inside through the third and fourth turns might actually be better…
Offside Trap lowered her body.
"The extra room on the outside means she can start accelerating earlier!"
Terazumi Shinji suddenly said it out loud, making Narita Brian glance at him in confusion even amid her tension.
She has to save enough strength to hold the arc cleanly and keep herself from getting flung wide. Then pour every last bit of speed into it…
The gap to Seiun Sky began to shrink. The runaway leader was clearly conserving stamina for her final kick, while Offside Trap seized that moment and started moving up.
"This is where it comes down to fundamentals—she needs enough Power, enough Speed, enough Stamina… and enough unbreakable Guts."
Narita Brian found it almost unbelievable. That was asking a horse girl to prove the quality of her whole foundation at once—an all-around test in every possible sense.
Come on, Offside Trap! It's time to start accelerating…
The horse girl drew a deep breath and adjusted her breathing one last time.
On the inside, Mejiro Bright's gaze sharpened further. Up ahead, Marching Suzuka and Snowfield Blast had already started accelerating. If Bright did not want to lose position, she had to follow firmly behind them.
What Mejiro Takamine had predicted before the race had unfolded almost exactly as it was now—except for Offside Trap's unexpected presence. Every frontrunner had been called correctly, and that gave Mejiro Bright absolute confidence.
This was the depth of the Mejiro family.
Their horse girls were strong—strong from elder generation to younger. They had enough experience, enough footsteps stamped into the turf across generations.
And at this moment, Bright suddenly wanted to see the condition of that horse girl who had entered the race so full of fighting spirit.
Was she already trapped by lack of stamina? Was she growing anxious because of her poor position?
Her eyes shifted outward. The first thing she saw was Golden Journey's fierce expression. Bright had no interest in the hot-tempered girl, so she let her gaze pass over her and landed farther outside.
Her pupils contracted.
There was no one there.
The sound of pounding footsteps was heavy, but powerful—like hearing some wild beast beginning its hunt, and for the first time Mejiro Bright felt a chill run down her spine.
Just before the third turn, outside Snowfield Blast—who had already begun to accelerate—there was a figure Bright would never have imagined seeing there.
Hair flying wildly, making Snowfield Blast on the inside look almost disordered by comparison.
"On the backstretch opposite the stands, Seiun Sky still leads by around fifteen lengths! Behind her are Snowfield Blast and Marching Suzuka. In mid-pack, Mejiro Bright—bearing the pride of the Mejiro family and the determination to challenge for a Spring-and-Autumn Tenno Sho double—still holds fourth! On the outside are Golden Journey and Offside Trap. Legal Counsel has started moving up from behind, while Rashomon Warrior has dropped to last!"
"The field is pressing toward the third turn now. Seiun Sky is still out front, but the entire chasing pack has begun to accelerate, and the gap is shrinking fast—ten lengths now, no longer even ten lengths! Offside Trap—Offside Trap is making her move! What incredible speed! She has charged all the way to the front group, three wide, forcing her way into second and third contention! Snowfield Blast on the inside is still fighting to hold on, but it looks like she may not be able to withstand Offside Trap's surge! Behind them, Mejiro Bright—the pack is beginning to scramble, runners jostling for position—!"
"Seiun Sky is now less than five lengths clear! It looks like she intends to save everything for the final burst! Behind her, Mejiro Bright—the field is drifting outward as a whole, but Mejiro Bright still clings tightly to the rail! The inside turf is still good! She has conserved enough leg for the finish! Golden Journey and Legal Counsel are both choosing the middle route. Midway through the fourth turn, the whole field is getting faster and faster—we're entering the final decisive phase!"
Akasaka Misato's speech grew faster and faster, just like the field before her.
The line of eight horse girls stretched across the turf like a blade, ripping a great gash through Kyoto Racecourse.
Offside Trap's eyes were already fixed on the finish line ahead.
Power surged through her body. There was a faint warning that her stamina might be running short, but she did not fear it. No one remained outside her anymore, and the only thing left in her vision was Seiun Sky, already beginning to accelerate once more.
This time, she had a feeling.
It felt as though she was about to finally catch all the expectation and yearning waiting for her at the finish line.
[Whole Body, Whole Soul.]
Her stride surged forward again, followed by a kind of instinctive guidance.
On the inside, Golden Journey, Mejiro Bright, and Legal Counsel were now abreast. At some point, Snowfield Blast had dropped back. Marching Suzuka had pulled up within half a length of Seiun Sky and could push no farther.
Looked at from the side, apart from Rashomon Warrior and Snowfield Blast still behind, the remaining six horse girls were about to fan out almost in a straight line.
[Unyielding Wings That Long for the Deep Sky.]
A cry seemed to cut through the wind like a bird splitting the sky as it rose.
Offside Trap's eyes hardened further. She poured every remaining scrap of stamina into the legs now stretching to their absolute limit.
"The field exits the fourth turn! Seiun Sky still leads on the inside by one length, but Mejiro Bright has come up on her! Mejiro Bright has come up! Golden Journey and Legal Counsel—can Marching Suzuka hold her place? But on the outside, Offside Trap has already gone past!"
"The final 400 meters! The final 400 meters! Seiun Sky still in front—Offside Trap is drawing level! In the middle, Mejiro Bright and Legal Counsel—Marching Suzuka is fading! Can Golden Journey still hold on? It doesn't look like it! This has become a battle among the final four horse girls—a battle among the last four!"
"The final 200 meters! Mejiro Bright and Legal Counsel are charging too—Mejiro Bright's finishing kick! Mejiro Bright's finishing kick is ferocious! She and Legal Counsel are locked in fierce close combat! But on the outside, Offside Trap—Offside Trap on the outside has already seized the front of Seiun Sky! Incredible, she's too fast—!"
Right in front of him, Terazumi Shinji saw Offside Trap's stride change again at the exact instant Golden Journey fell two lengths behind the front four.
[Duel Master: If Duel State is entered on the final straight, all stats +15%.]
A sudden, tremendous infusion of raw power poured into Offside Trap's body. Her hair flew back, and even her tail left an afterimage in the air.
"That's impossible!"
Air Groove was jolted by that explosion of speed and cried out in shock.
Apart from blessings from the Three Goddesses and the awakening of a Domain, she had never seen any horse girl gain such an enormous increase and burst of strength in an instant.
Symboli Rudolf's expression had turned grave as well. She could tell that Offside Trap was in extraordinary condition today, far beyond her usual self—and perhaps that could still be explained away as good form, the right mindset, exceptional race-day performance.
But what happened as she crossed the 200-meter marker—that sudden leap in speed—was far beyond what could be dismissed as mere "turning it on when it mattered."
There had been no buildup, no warning.
It was as simple as someone flipping on a light switch the moment they got home.
Her eyes dropped toward the very front row of the stands, where the trainer who had once fiercely clashed with the student council and openly shown them his disappointment now stood watching with perfect composure, as if all of this had been expected from the start.
For the first time, Symboli Rudolf felt her heart tighten.
She had a premonition that something was beginning to move beyond the student council's control.
"Come on, Xiao Yue!"
Sakura Laurel's scream rose above the many other voices still calling out the names of different horse girls. Another horse girl who had also suffered through injury and still gone on to shine brilliantly, tears were already gathering at the corners of her eyes.
Out on the course, Offside Trap had already seized a solid advantage—and was still widening it.
The horse girl's eyes were wet now.
Her heart churned with emotions too numerous to count, and yet at the same time it felt as still as water.
She could no longer tell what she was feeling.
She could barely even make out the turf beneath her own feet.
She only knew she had to hold onto that breath and keep charging forward with her head down.
On the rail, Seiun Sky had completely lost the easy poise she had shown at the start. She pumped her arms harder and harder, but it was utterly useless.
The pressure bearing down on her was even greater than what Special Week had given her in the Derby. Simply lifting her head, she felt as if a solitary lord stood before her, declaring that this victory belonged to her alone.
Mejiro Bright felt the same helplessness.
Her breathing lost all rhythm under that overwhelming presence. Everything she had memorized from Mejiro family guidance about how to prepare and adjust for the final dash vanished from her mind, leaving only blankness.
Mejiro Takamine's expectations. Mejiro McQueen's encouragement. Mejiro Dober's advice.
Everything she had once etched carefully into memory was forgotten here and now. All she could do was stare blankly at the back ahead of her, watching it shrink by another size every few strides.
"The final 100 meters! Offside Trap has broken away completely! Seiun Sky on the inside has long since been caught! Behind her, the battle for second is fierce—but none of that has anything to do with Offside Trap now! Offside Trap is about to break her curse!"
"Offside Trap crosses the line first! Offside Trap crosses the line first! Three bouts of tendonitis did not steal her fighting spirit—an unyielding warrior has launched another charge against the unfairness of fate! Unlike all those times she fell before, this time Offside Trap is the one left standing at the end—!"
"Congratulations!"
Offside Trap's vision had gone blurry.
Slowly, she came to a halt and stared blankly at the turf under her feet. The trail of their hoofprints still remained there, and after standing frozen for a few moments, she slowly crouched down.
For a few seconds, the grandstands fell silent.
Then at last, applause broke out.
It was not thunderous applause.
But even so, Offside Trap's eyes reddened further and further at the sound, until tears finally overflowed.
"They say success is getting up one more time than you fall. Offside Trap—a disastrous slow break at the start could not wear down her resolve! Even forcing her way forward three wide, she carved out a winning road that belonged to her alone!"
"Fate took one second from me—I beat fate by three lengths!"
"Offside Trap—graded-race champion!"
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught "Equilibrium"? l (Chapter 80)
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 178)
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 115)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League ( 126 )
TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter110)
Yu-Gi-Oh! — Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl (Chapter108)
"Is this chat group even serious?" (Chapter82)
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (Chapter144)
Can Playing Games Save the World? 65
Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 70
From Junkman to Wasteland 66
Weekly Refresh of Overpowered 31
I'm Grinding Proficiency Like 46
From Kiana, Lord Ravager, Onwa 99
Honkai: Is This Still the Prev 42
Elf: My Starter Pokémon Is Inc 65
Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 95
From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass 99
The Way the Umamusume Look at 68
Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 92
Naruto: Weaving the Future, Be 65
Zenless Zone Zero, but Kamen R 76
Multiverse Crossover: The Perf 66
My Cyberpsycho Girlfriend 65
Uma Musume: The Dark Trainer 47
Uma Musume: A Calamity Born fr 44
I, a Reincarnation-Loop Player 43
The Violent Girl Group Is Beat 26
Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 27
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