"What's happening? Kousei and Gold City are catching up to Eishin Flash?!" A dramatic turn of events unfolded as no one had expected Eishin Flash to be overtaken.
"Gold City is running so fast! I thought she was just a model!"
"True, but her sweat-drenched figure is also incredibly beautiful."
"Agreed!"
The spectators' comments reached Gold City's ears, and she bristled with frustration. "Everyone treats me like a dress-up doll! Stop judging me by my looks! Evaluate me based on my running!"
The latter half of the race was Gold City's domain. The mid-pack contenders, who had been conserving their energy, began to surge forward. Now was her chance to unleash her full potential, her acceleration gradually increasing.
"Don't underestimate me! I was the champion of the Hanshin Newcomer's Cup!"
Gold City shifted her stance, determined to give it her all. "If it's a speed contest, I won't back down!"
She erupted with unbelievable speed, matching Eishin Flash stride for stride.
"City, you're so fast! But I'm not giving up either!"
As the words left her lips, radiant flames erupted in her eyes, forming a blazing Flame Wheel. "No one's getting away!"
As the Flame Wheel soared into the clear sky, every competitor in the Hanshin Racecourse instantly felt an unbearable heat.
This is Kousei's full power! The same thought exploded in the minds of the Umamusume.
The crimson sun-wheel blazed fiercely.
"Here I come!"
Enveloped in roaring flames, Kousei surged forward, wind swirling beneath her hooves, leaving all others in the dust.
"Here she comes!" Gold City and Eishin Flash tensed, their hearts pounding.
Kousei forcefully bulldozed her way to the center, her sheer power forcing the two speed specialists to stagger backward upon contact.
So heavy! What kind of monstrous strength and physique is this? Was she holding back the whole time? Eishin Flash wondered, glancing at Kousei beside her.
So heavy! I knew Kousei was strong in physical combat, but I never imagined she'd be this overwhelming. McQueen, is she even stronger than Kousei? Don't make me laugh! It's enough to make me sick! Gold City exclaimed from the side.
"We have to escape! If we get caught by that thing, we'll lose!"
Almost simultaneously, Gold City and Eishin Flash accelerated, even though the sudden burst strained their stability. They still believed it was their best option.
"What's this?" they both exclaimed, glancing at their shoulders where tiny flames stubbornly burned.
"Fire's clinging to us... Did it happen during the collision?" Though they didn't understand the implications, they knew something was terribly wrong.
Sure enough, the flames erupted violently a moment later, engulfing half their bodies under the Flame Wheel's crimson glow.
"Damn it! Shaking our focus, obstructing our vision, instilling panic! How could it be so comprehensive?!" Reality proved that Kousei's Gate Technique far surpassed Eishin Flash's understanding, and this unexpected deviation from her plan shook her slightly.
The restless pursuer gave them no respite. With a low growl, several chains shot out simultaneously.
The duo nimbly evaded Kousei's chains, and as they did, the flames on their bodies vanished.
"Excellent, the duration was short. I've also grasped the range of her chains. If I maintain my speed, she can't catch me!" Though a slight miscalculation surprised Eishin Flash, she remained in control overall.
"The Osaka Cup race is only 2,000 meters. Even with the stamina I've expended, finishing the race won't be a problem. The Gate Technique is a double-edged sword; whether it succeeds or fails, it will burden her. If my prediction is correct, that flame-shrouded state must be putting immense strain on her mind. She absolutely won't last until the finish line.
As long as I maintain my lead, victory is within my grasp."
The flames would consume Kousei's brilliance entirely. There was still time to win!
"Didn't I say it already? Kousei isn't the only opponent in this race!"
"Not good!"
Eishin Flash had let her guard down. Gold City, running beside her, suddenly surged forward at full speed. The next stretch was an uphill slope!
"Wait! Is Gold City really going to climb that hill in this position?!" Astonishment and confusion rippled through the crowd.
Under the collective gaze of the audience, Gold City charged forward with unwavering resolve.
"My knees are killing me! This is so exhausting! I'm really pushing myself too far! But there's something I can't back down from! I refuse to be treated like a doll anymore!"
Gold City lifted her head. "Even if it hurts, I'll keep moving forward!"
The sheer force of her will surged through Eishin Flash, making her understand the unwavering sincerity of her opponent.
"Gold City-senpai! I understand now! Let's settle this once and for all!"
Beyond this slope lies the final turn!
Their collective will surged into the skies above Hanshin Racecourse, and it wasn't just them pushing their limits. Emerging from sixteen Umamusume to become the sole Dominator!
"Aaaah!!!"
"They're surging ahead! It's Double Entanglement and White Grimoire!"
Even if flames engulf the path ahead, I'm prepared to burn it all to ashes.
In unison, they roared: "I will dominate the Osaka Cup!!!"
"Fervent! So fervent! Hotter than the flames on my body! I can feel it!" Kousei's radiant body was exhausted, yet her spirit overflowed with fulfillment.
"This is what I live for!"
Her pupils constricted as a crimson serpent materialized, the irrational monster completely breaking free from its cage!
"Who is it?! Who is it really?! Who will dominate the Hanshin Racecourse?!"
Gold City surged past the Front-Runner Umamusume, becoming the first to crest the hill.
"Damn it! Not here again!" The Front-Runner Umamusume watched bitterly as one after another Umamusume overtook her, her eyes burning with resentment.
This cursed ground had once again entombed her dreams.
"It's Gold City! Gold City is leading the charge!"
Ahhhhhh!
The crowd erupted in frenzied cheers, so ecstatic they barely understood their own fervor.
"Are these cheers for me?" Gold City mused, her thoughts racing. "I adore Kousei because she was the first to ask if I wanted to run with her."
"For so long, I've been playing the role of my ideal self, even sacrificing the Twinkle Series for it. Only later did I realize that running was what I truly loved. But by then, I'd lost the courage to face my true self."
"So many people are counting on me, expecting me to be the model they envision. I want to run, but I'm terrified of facing their scorn. The mere thought of betraying their expectations fills me with dread."
Kousei illuminated my world, showing me I could do whatever I wanted. I watched her stand alone against the crowd's malice, never taking a step back, and laughing freely at the Japan Cup.
It was her unwavering spirit that inspired me. Though despised by everyone else, she shone brilliantly in my heart.
I hope... I yearn.
Standing here, I must win! If I can defeat Kousei, I'll surely gain courage too! If it were Kousei, she'd never abandon her dream, no matter what!
I want to become someone like that!
Her golden hair fluttered in the wind, glittering with floating particles.
From afar, she looked breathtakingly beautiful.
But Gold City was covered in mud.
The final sprint demanded she shake off her opponent to win.
Yet, just then, a wave of muddy air surged toward her.
The kicked-up mud relentlessly splattered against her.
"Ah, so dirty! And my legs too!
But I must endure! If I just hold on, I can win...!"
In this relentless battle of offense and defense, where not a moment could be spared, her expression remained joyful.
"I'm living the most amazing moment!"
The opponent, the mud, the sweat—they're all just decorations.
This shining track is where I belong!
A golden dream, distant yet vivid in my heart, I must reach it with these very feet!
1, 2, 345, 67, 8, 910...
Once the metronome falters,
it can no longer fulfill its purpose.
Flowing, flowing—time passes relentlessly.
That radiant beauty guides me.
Listen with your ears, maintain your balance. Yet—
123, 4, 567, 89, 10...
I didn't correct the faltering metronome,
but instead kept it as is and shoved it directly into the box of oblivion.
Emotion, nostalgia, joy, longing, envy,
tears, obsession, lingering...
They now swarm towards me!
Like a malfunctioning tin toy,
unable to suppress the frenzied rhythm!
Surging forward, one after another, vying for the lead. Brilliant, Gold City, everyone! So fervent, so impassioned, my heart might burst!
"Danke! Danke!
... Danke!!"
Only a vortex of joy remains...
Danke! This is all I can grasp now!
"Forgive me, Trainer. Eishin Flash is tossing aside the plan and making a grand spectacle!"
Transforming into a fleeting flash of light, the Derby King's pride blazes forth!
"Shine!"
"Gold City and Flash!"
On the final leg, the Jet-Black Flash relentlessly pursues the golden shadow. Even as Gold City grits her teeth, straining to withstand Eishin Flash's relentless onslaught, the gap steadily narrows. True to her title as Derby King, she demonstrates her overwhelming power to its fullest extent.
"Gold City and Eishin Flash are neck and neck for the lead! Will the victor be one of them?!"
"Come on, Gold City! Don't give up!"
"Go, Eishin Flash!"
The shouts of encouragement fade into the wind, barely audible amid the roar. Only the burning desire for victory drives them forward.
"Wait... someone's surged through from the inside lane!"
The announcer's choked announcement leaves the crowd breathless with anticipation.
"Ah!!!!"
"It's Kousei! Kousei is charging forward like a roaring beast!"
With each powerful arm swing, with each explosive stride, she pushes beyond her limits, heedless of the fire consuming her. Her crazed eyes remain fixed on the finish line, urging herself onward: Faster! Faster!
They knew she would come. In the final hundred meters, she would squeeze every last drop of energy from her muscles, consequences be damned.
"I'll win!"
The ferocious flames engulf the racetrack, turning the final leg into a stage for three. As the searing heat closes in, Gold City and Eishin Flash realize they've already lost.
The three racers surged forward simultaneously, with Kousei narrowly winning the Osaka Cup by a hair's breadth.
This seemed like a foregone conclusion, but an unexpected scene unfolded.
Kousei continued running, Gold City hot on her heels, ignoring the cheers urging them to stop.
A moment before crossing the finish line, Gold City, drenched in sweat but smiling, congratulated Kousei.
"You won, huh?"
"Yeah, I won. Our first race together is over," Kousei replied, smiling back.
"It's so much fun, running."
"Yeah, let's run together again sometime, City."
A wistful look flickered in Gold City's eyes. "Hey, wanna run another lap?"
"Huh? But the race is already over?" Kousei tilted her head, confused.
"Please, just one more lap! Before I turn back into that Doll, just run with me one more time!"
Even the most oblivious person couldn't miss the desperation in Gold City's voice.
"Please, just once. Don't be McQueen's rival anymore—be Gold City's Silver Princess for just one lap."
The figure ahead shimmered like bright silver. Gold and silver mirrored each other, the twilight resembling a sunrise.
"Next time, I'll definitely catch up to you."
If doing this means breaking the rules...
Then—
—Break the rules.