A dangerous aura triggered alarm bells in Kousei's mind.
The light in Tachyon's eyes intensified, and a maniacal grin stretched across her face.
"Experiment commencing!"
Kousei's heart leaped. This feeling—?!
The long-dormant primal instinct surged back. Tachyon's figure overlapped with Narita Brian's. In a fleeting hallucination, Kousei glimpsed an all-consuming shadow blotting out the sky, then a piercing beam of light shattered through it, growing ever more dazzling.
Endless light enveloped Kousei, just as the devouring shadow had once done.
Drawn by an invisible force, twin flame wheels ignited in Kousei's eyes. As the Flame Wheels rose, mist billowed across the racetrack.
As if receiving a signal, every Umamusume's ears perked up.
The embodiment of light on the field moved with ethereal grace, darting here and there without leaving a trace. In a fleeting moment, it pierced through the clustered group of horses.
The commentator's mouth gaped, trying to speak, but her shocked expression betrayed the utter astonishment of the scene unfolding before her.
"When?! No—where did she break through from?!"
Before the Umamusume could react, crimson mist suddenly materialized around them.
"Damn it!"
As they tried to flee the crimson fog, chains abruptly clamped around their ankles. The demonic entity within the mist cast aside all restraint and charged toward the ultimate source of light.
"Switching lanes, reducing the entry angle, and adding power at the original exit point—a flawless breakthrough!"
Tachyon felt her hair stand on end. "Oh, ho~"
Beneath the Flame Wheel, a crimson vertical pupil glared from the Mist as a colossal scarlet serpent emerged, its jaws gaping wide.
"Wildness... interesting~ Phase Two of the experiment~"
Lacking a marker, Kousei had only one chance to seize Tachyon—the Turn.
"If I were Tachyon, where would I strike?"
Tachyon was too fast; the chains couldn't hold her. With a marker, Kousei would have more options. But she'd already used her precious marker, leaving her to rely solely on her Wildness.
"Just charge in! Trust your instincts and reactions!"
Narita Brian-style thinking.
Facing the Turn, Kousei showed no sign of slowing down. Even the Commentator couldn't decipher her strategy.
"A feint? Or a dance step?"
Kousei excelled at Turn tactics, mastering both feints and complex maneuvers. On the Turns, she had humbled countless geniuses.
"Heh~" Tachyon grinned, amused. "Instincts and reactions, you say? Very well~ Let's see if you can adapt to me!"
Having seen through Kousei's approach, Tachyon decided to respond in kind, spontaneously dismantling her carefully laid plans.
This reckless move, as if heedless of consequences, unleashed Tachyon's full speed.
The sharp turns at Hanshin meant that any hesitation in slowing down would be incredibly dangerous. Before anyone could gasp in surprise, everyone held their breath, bracing for the next moment.
Like calligraphy brushed across the grass, Tachyon moved fluidly, seemingly defying centrifugal force with her unnatural cornering technique. The ends of her hair shimmered, transparent with iridescent ripples, and her backward glance was as dazzling as pure light.
Unlike Eishin Flash's explosive bursts of speed, Tachyon's velocity increased gradually, climbing steadily throughout the race.
Just as Tachyon had declared, Kousei had to constantly adapt to her relentless acceleration.
Compared to Tachyon's artistic flair, Kousei's style was far more savage. Crouching low, she braced herself with her knees like anchors, then exploded forward to break free.
Merely witnessing this grueling technique sent shivers down your spine. The sheer brutality of her running style was terrifying.
"This—!"
Her already low center of gravity sank even further, the Flame Wheel looming high in the air like the sun, each breath she took sounding like a fiery exhale.
Hugging the ground, the crimson serpent's silhouette materialized behind her. Bathing in flames, she resembled a four-legged beast surging forward with primal fury.
The invincible peak of her power had returned, once again revealing her true form as a Monster.
Months later, at the Takarazuka Kinen, Kousei once again unleashed her monstrous running form. The invincible posture that had once crushed foreign foes, the symbol of Narita Brian's invincibility—all of it existed solely to devour that single beam of light.
Here, she transformed into a wild beast once more.
Her hooves gouged the turf, leaving indelible scars. Fierce flames burned, their untouchable radiance weaving through the stampeding herd.
On the parched, scorching earth, the towering Flame Wheel blazed overhead like it would incinerate everything. The oppressive heat electrified the Umamusume's nerves, transforming the Gate Technique's supposed torment into a stimulant.
"What's happening? I'm so hyped!"
Her pupils constricted, barely containing the surging passion that battered against her chest. How could anyone remain calm witnessing such a showdown?!
Rudolf stared at the scene, momentarily stunned. Could it be...?
Two Umamusume suddenly surged forward from either side of Kousei. A quick glance revealed scattered flames clinging to their bodies, yet their eyes burned with unwavering resolve. The Gate Technique's impact varied with one's mental fortitude; a resolute heart could resist its effects.
"The target is that single beam of light!"
In this moment, all those behind were challengers. Only the one who devoured that light could claim the protagonist's role in this sweltering summer spectacle.
"Charge!!!"
Make this summer even hotter!
"Ah!!!"
Roar, Monster! Burn yourself out to reach victory!
As the Umamusume entered the downhill stretch, instead of slowing down as expected, they began accelerating en masse, surging forward like a tidal wave.
As if on cue, both the audience and the Commentator realized the race had spiraled out of control. The danger brought by extreme speed had reached its breaking point—a true dance on the razor's edge.
"Speed! Speed! Speed!"
Everything followed a clear pattern. Kousei was in exceptionally fine form today, her Wind Chime ringing melodiously as she ran. Embracing the allure of sheer velocity, she stretched her stride freely, the other Umamusume circling around her. Though each was unique, they shared a faint resonance.
The relentless pursuit of victory drove these Umamusume forward, forcing them to confront their deepest desires here and now.
Indulge in this moment!
Shatter the Takarazuka record and ignite the most spectacular fireworks for this sweltering summer!
"Ah! Yes! This is exactly what I've been chasing! The thrill that jolts every nerve synapse!
Hey, everyone! Aren't you even curious about how fast an Umamusume can truly run? If you are... then please become my Agnes Tachyon's guinea pigs!
Lose yourselves in this moment! Forget everything else! This is how it should be!"
Her glistening fur bristled, a frenzied mutation spreading wildly across the track, infecting the crowd with its fanatical obsession, reaching a new peak!
2000 meters!