"Clever girl."
Outside the paddock, the Umamusume watching the race had their eyes light up. Whether it was improvisation or a pre-planned strategy, Kousei's execution was exceptional. Facing McQueen once again, the Lightning Turn that had once defeated her was no longer enough to seal the race.
McQueen's entry into the turn was unparalleled. An ordinary opponent might have racked their brains trying to figure out how to beat her in the corner—an obviously daunting task.
Kousei, however, chose to abandon her own entry, sticking tightly to McQueen instead. This restricted McQueen's turning radius, preventing her from unleashing that divine, otherworldly cornering.
Sirius nodded in satisfaction. "It seems she hasn't forgotten my teachings."
The fusion of thought, will, and reaction—that is the essence of the Gate Technique.
With her bare hands, she seized the Heavenly Thunder.
"Forgot how to enter a turn normally, McQueen?!"
"Still as annoying as ever, Kousei!"
The two locked each other down, their passage through the first turn clumsy and halting. They remained entangled even after exiting the corner. The chains, once a negligible threat, now burned with fiery power under Kousei's relentless pressure, making every step a struggle for McQueen.
"My legs feel so heavy. Every step demands more stamina than ever before. My breathing has lost its rhythm under the pressure. Kousei's strategy is effective, but..."
McQueen glanced at Kousei beside her. "And what will you do now?"
As mentioned before, Kousei's Gate Technique came with certain risks. Maintaining the massive Domain constantly subjected her mind to a searing pain. Furthermore, sprinting all the way from the Emotional Test Center had also taken a toll on her stamina.
To dare challenge the Heavenly Horse without being at full strength... McQueen smiled faintly. "I admire your recklessness, but this is where it ends!"
The chains trembled, and white lightning once again flashed across the racetrack. Like a monster about to break its seal, McQueen's entire body radiated a dangerous aura.
"If you think you can stop me, then try!"
A bolt of lightning struck straight down. On the final straight, McQueen once again showcased her terrifying acceleration and Gate Resistance, shattering her restraints and surging forward.
The distance between her and Kousei widened relentlessly. The crowd gasped in astonishment at the sight.
McQueen's evolution was brutally simple, yet the simpler the ability, the harder it was to counter.
Infinite Stamina. Heavy Leg Power. Lightning Burst.
These three simple elements formed the current Mejiro McQueen. With them, she could handle any situation.
The ultra-long 3200-meter distance only amplified her strength, making her truly invincible on this course.
Almost everyone believed this to be true.
Yet, McQueen was surprised to find a red mist still swirling before her eyes.
"Haven't I broken out of the Gate Technique's range?"
Kousei's presence had vanished completely within the Red Mist, and a strange feeling crept over McQueen.
"Kousei must be plotting something."
Even with this thought, McQueen's pride dictated that she would meet any challenge head-on.
"No matter the attack, I will overcome it!" Such was the confidence of an Elite.
Something stirred from behind.
"Bring it on!"
McQueen braced herself, but her expression turned to shock the next second. Emerging from the mist was not Kousei, but Palmer.
Judging by Palmer's expression, she was just as shocked.
Immediately after, more and more figures burst from the Red Mist. Kousei had, without McQueen realizing it, led the entire pack right to her side.
"The Mark is gone."
McQueen sensed its removal. To pull off this maneuver, Kousei had willingly abandoned her Mark.
"So you believe this move is worth more than the Mark itself."
Trapped within the pack, McQueen's fighting spirit only burned brighter. "I accept your challenge!"
With the Mark gone, Kousei's vision broadened, her mind growing calmer. She lurked within the pack, plotting her next move.
"I can't beat McQueen in a one-on-one duel. She's used to leading from the front and has little experience dealing with a dense pack. I'll use the pack to restrict her, then carve out my own path."
Though McQueen had never faced such a situation, she noticed something amiss among the Umamusume around her.
"They're all agitated."
Including Palmer, every Umamusume surrounding McQueen wore a faint expression of anxiety. This agitation would cloud their judgment, making the tightly packed group extremely dangerous.
At the same time, McQueen noticed the Umamusume's positioning was remarkably precise. Given their current agitated state, they shouldn't have been able to arrange themselves so meticulously.
Fighting within a pack was nothing like a one-on-one duel, where one could act without restraint. Though McQueen possessed Power far greater than Kousei's, she dared not make a rash move. One reason was her inability to perfectly control that immense strength.
While Kousei's Power was inferior to McQueen's, her control over it was far superior. She could navigate the pack with force without causing an accident—a level of mastery McQueen lacked.
Kousei, knowing this weakness, moved like a chess master, subtly guiding the Umamusume into their designated positions.
The Guidance she had grasped during the Derby had evolved once more. Layers of chaos, each step draining strength. This ever-shifting Maze was Kousei's challenge to McQueen.
"This is bad! McQueen's trapped in the center!"
McQueen's predicament sent waves of worry through the crowd. No matter how powerful an Umamusume was, if she became trapped in the pack with her path blocked, she would be helpless.
Throughout history, numerous Super Umamusume have lost races after being trapped in the pack. Breaking through the pack is a vital skill for any Umamusume.
"McQueen has never been in this situation before. I wonder if she can handle it?" Teio mused.
Though they were known as the "Twins," McQueen and Teio's styles were polar opposites. Spectators of the Kikuka Sho knew well that Teio excelled at navigating the pack, her signature Sky-High Teio Step born for that very purpose. With exquisite technique, a small and agile frame, and exceptional flexibility, Teio's greatest strength was her free-flowing running style.
One stood at the front, composed and unhurried; the other soared through the pack, radiating confidence.
People had once imagined what a magnificent sight it would be if Heaven and Earth were to unite. Perhaps even the gods themselves could not surpass such a spectacle.
As if in response to this fantasy, McQueen stomped forward, kicking up grass and dirt with a force that could only be imagined. Rolling thunder echoed as Azure Thunder surged through her veins, arcs of electricity spilling from her eyes.
Is she going to break through with brute force?!
"She vanished?!"
An uncatchable arc of electricity, a figure weaving relentlessly through the pack. Precisely because the Maze was not static, it could be exploited. Targeting the fleeting gaps created as the Umamusume shifted positions, her form flickered in and out of sight.
It was always like this—a running style only McQueen could achieve, crushing everything with sheer talent.
Consecutive Lightning Turns
Treating the Umamusume themselves as turns, she continuously switched lanes, pivoting and breaking through again and again.
Her brilliant Rainbow Legs surged toward the far side of the sky.
"Next."
Such arrogance.