The pursuer closed in from behind, but Sea the Stars surged forward, transforming from chaser to front-runner. She tuned out everything—the markers, the timer, even the roar of the crowd.
She ran on, a faint smile gracing her lips. The wind rushing past seemed to strip away her light, causing her to dim bit by bit.
It seems this is the end.
Sea the Stars grew dimmer, while Kousei's brilliance shone ever brighter. One was a star about to fade, the other a sun rising to its zenith.
There's nothing to be dissatisfied about. Getting to run one last time is already a bonus, Sea the Stars tried to console herself.
A fleeting connection, a figure racing toward the horizon. The runner of a new era led the pack, and Sea the Stars couldn't help but ask herself:
Is this my final curtain call?
She reflected on her career: born from love, inheriting the name of a star. A prodigy from a young age, she had defeated countless geniuses along the way.
Crowned at the Arc de Triomphe, there was a moment in The World when Sea the Stars was synonymous with "the strongest."
Her life had been perfect—a career unlikely to ever be replicated. So, even if she retired early, Sea the Stars could proudly declare to everyone:
"I have no regrets in my life thus far."
That's what she had always believed.
But a strange pang of bitterness welled up in her heart. Sea the Stars bit her lip, feeling her body grow progressively weaker.
She clenched her fists, her gaze fixed on the distant horizon, filled with unwavering resolve. Chest out, head held high—even knowing she could never catch Kousei, she ran with her head up, striding forward.
"Star-chan..." Rigantona felt the same bitterness in her own heart.
4th... 6th... 10th... 12th...
Sea the Stars' ranking plummeted as more and more Umamusume surged past her. She gasped for breath, her form twisting with each step until she could barely maintain a basic running posture.
Now, she bore no resemblance to the King of the Arc de Triomphe.
Enough... Rigantona couldn't bear to watch. She knew that if this continued, Sea the Stars would only embarrass herself further. At least preserve your final shred of dignity.
Just as Rigantona was about to call for Sea the Stars to stop...
"Go, Star-chan!" a little girl's cry cut through the air.
Then another...
"Star-chan! You're doing great!"
"It's okay! Keep going!"
Few racers were like her. Even when utterly exhausted, even with not a shred of hope for victory, as long as she remained on the racetrack, those who loved her deeply would cheer her on.
A flawless life, endearingly pitiable—the perfect star racer.
Just then, the Flame Wheel in the sky suddenly shattered, scattering countless fragments across the racetrack. In a daze, Sea the Stars heard a voice calling her name repeatedly.
She forced herself to focus, trying to make out what the voice was saying. The moment a fragment of the Flame Wheel touched her, she finally heard the call clearly.
"Don't give up!"
Sea the Stars snapped out of her trance. Kousei's voice was crystal clear. At the same time, a miraculous change swept through her body. The fragments of the Flame Wheel merged into her, igniting a lamp of fire within her heart.
Her body was rapidly recovering, surging toward its peak condition!
It wasn't just Sea the Stars. Every Umamusume touched by the Flame Wheel fragments felt the same sensation. They all instinctively turned to look in Kousei's direction.
"She's sharing her flame with everyone!"
The situation had taken an utterly unexpected turn. Feeling the warmth spreading through her heart, Sea the Stars understood what Kousei was trying to tell her.
"I don't want you to have any regrets."
Using the Gate Technique inevitably came with severe side effects. The Flame Wheel fragments now resided in Sea the Stars' heart. If she chose to accept them, she could briefly return to her Peak Period.
She didn't know the exact consequences, but they were sure to be grave.
"I still... I still don't want to lose!"
The flame ignited new hope. Vigorous energy blossomed within Sea the Stars.
"Before it's over! I'll shine one last time!"
Shedding her past glory, she set off once more as a challenger!
"On the far outside! The far outside! Here comes Sea the Stars! She's still seven lengths behind Kousei, but the Arc de Triomphe's final straight is incredibly long! Is she going to replicate her Moment of Conquest?!" Aoi gripped her microphone, her eyes fixed on Sea the Stars.
An ultimate, frenzied pursuit—
"Wait!!!"
From another direction, on the shortest and most dangerous path, Nakayama Festa was making her move!
"What is this flame?! It's exhilarating!"
The Umamusumes' fierce fighting spirit, the crowd's boiling passion—the cheers pushed the atmosphere to its absolute peak!
Addicted to speed—
Burying honor in the turf she'd raced upon, shattering her soul and scattering it to the wind. The turf became an inverted sky, where she chased the dreams she longed for
"I've lost my mind!!!"
I can hear them! I can hear the hearts of every Umamusume!
"You only live once! I refuse to have any regrets!!!"
Respond, Kousei! Fight until you're battered and bruised! Soothe your starving soul with the supreme ecstasy known as Love!
The intense resonance triggered by Kousei was now connecting all the Umamusumes on the track. Every Umamusume entering the final straight would have their physical abilities pushed to their absolute peak! Crossing the Forbidden Gate, everyone had the right to realize their dreams!
"Hahahahaha!!!" Kawauchi Aoi roared with laughter, grabbing his microphone and leaping onto the commentator's desk!
This was what he had always wanted to see!
What a magnificent, earth-shattering race...!
This Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe would undoubtedly become a legend—!!!
"As I thought! Kousei! In this era illuminated by Geniuses, your existence is indispensable!"
Waaaaaaaaah—!!!
"Go! Everyone! Give it everything you've got!"
There was no distinction—the crowd cheered for the Umamusumes alone. Do you remember the moment you first fell in love with them?
Burning souls! The unspoken words that once caught in their throats—this time, they will be unleashed completely!
"There is no absolute strongest! Only those who constantly battle for the title of 'strongest,' illuminating one another in fierce combat! A Golden Age that will never grow cold!!!"
"Kousei!"
"Kousei!"
"Kousei!"
"Kousei!"
"Kousei—!!!"
"Ah—I must be sick. If I stop running, I'll die. This passion pushes me forward, and before I knew it, there was no turning back.
But so what?
I love running—love it so much I'm going mad. For this moment, I will live for myself."
The grandest stage, the greatest rivals, the world within reach!
In this moment, I alone will triumph!
With my stride, I will connect all the lands of the world, building rainbow bridges across the six continents and every island!
From this day forward, no one will ever say gray horses can't run fast!!!
From this moment on, the shackles of bloodline will never again bind a free soul!!!
The Legend of the Gray Horse—is the Legend of the Trailblazer
"The Unconditional Victor, the Flawless Champion! Come forth and witness the Legend!!!"
The Red Comet descends upon the Final Stage, crowned amidst the stars, standing tall atop the peak. The throne is reclaimed, a new queen crowned. Transcending bloodline and talent, she reigns supreme over all Umamusume. The World will shine because of her.
Kousei—crosses the Finish Line!
Still reeling from the suffocating ecstasy, her mind, consumed by passion, goes blank. The scene she had imagined countless times is now real, right before her eyes.
Waaaaah!!!
Cheers erupt as flower petals rain down at the end of her journey. Kousei stands frozen, as if even she hasn't processed what just happened.
Now, she is truly the World's Strongest.
"Did you ever believe in dreams?"
Amidst the roaring crowd, Aoi speaks softly to the dazed Kousei.
"No talent, no bloodline. Since her debut, she fought and lost, fought and lost again. A Classic Year with nothing to show for it, a Senior Grade filled with regrets.
"Exiled, forced from her homeland. She was the Villain, the Betrayer. The unloved antagonist of the story."
If you were to ask her how long the road to a dream truly is, I think she would probably answer you like this—
"Five years since debut, 54 races in her career, a total distance of 135,000 meters. That is the distance to a dream."
Suddenly, a single tear slipped from the corner of Kousei's eye. The crowd rose to their feet, applause gradually replacing the cheers.
Clap, clap. She could no longer hold back, breaking down in tears amidst the applause and flowers.
"The path to a dream is inevitably paved with thorns. You know you can keep trying, keep trying, keep trying.
"But sometimes, even then, dreams may not come true. Nevertheless, the scenery along the journey is worth it. Every choice you persist in holds an unknown future. If you feel lost, the Answer lies on the turf.
"Now, do not look away.
"Watch..."
The Legend belongs to the Nameless—