These were dance steps utterly unlike anything Cocon would ever perform—absurd, unpredictable, and teetering on a knife's edge, each move threatening irreversible consequences.
Cocon couldn't decipher Sweep Tosho, and she grew increasingly wary of the flames burning in her opponent's pupils. The crowd grew increasingly restless, their gazes darkening with each passing moment.
A mix of emotions converged, their gazes gradually focusing on a single target.
As if sensing this, Kousei lifted her head and met their eyes. They didn't know about the flames; it was Sweep Tosho's erratic movements that reminded them of Kousei.
The Umamusume, however, saw things differently.
"Those flames... aren't they..."
Bitter Glasse had been watching Cocon and Sweep Tosho's duel intently. The moment the flames erupted, she and Cocon were equally stunned.
"What's happening? Aren't flames the mark of the Gate Technique? Why are they appearing on Sweep Tosho?"
Bitter Glasse knew little about Gate Techniques, her knowledge limited to occasional remarks from Kashimoto Riko. Was everything she thought she knew about to be overturned? In this very Autumn Tenno Sho?
Seizing the momentum in one fell swoop wouldn't be easy.
The Second Slope loomed ahead.
Though Cocon's assault hadn't directly unseated Sweep Tosho, it had successfully restrained her. Sweep Tosho had clearly overextended herself, teetering on the edge of the abyss. The fleeting flicker of confusion in her eyes vanished as quickly as it appeared.
Sweep Tosho cut off all hesitation and charged straight down the slope. Her technique was nonexistent; her footsteps were chaotic, she stumbled repeatedly, and at one point nearly fell on all fours.
Her disheveled appearance and stumbling progress evoked a strange sense of déjà vu.
Compared to Sweep Tosho, the small slope was child's play for Cocon, who descended with effortless grace and speed.
"Just keep going... all the way!"
Cocon was about to widen her lead when she suddenly gasped for air. She realized her stamina was rapidly depleting.
"No! I need to adjust my condition first!" Cocon would never attempt any risky maneuvers. Upon realizing her deteriorating state, she immediately abandoned her plan to pull ahead.
Sweep Tosho barely made it past the second slope. The central turf was hard, and after enduring the descent, she bore numerous visible scrapes and bruises. It was clear how much she had struggled with the slopes.
Refusing to rest, Sweep Tosho forced her core to activate, knowingly pushing herself beyond her limits, driven by an unwavering resolve.
Thunderous roar, earth-shaking tremor, a colossal behemoth standing defiant.
Bitter Glasse loomed over the racetrack like a mountain, her muscles bulging with inexhaustible power. The giant charged in a straight line with the force of ten thousand tons, closing the distance to Sweep Tosho in an instant.
Sweep Tosho instinctively tried to evade Bitter Glasse's sugar-coated assault with her dance steps, but sugar and "small" were entirely different beasts.
As previously mentioned, Bitter Glasse appeared brutish on the surface but possessed remarkably refined instincts. She had already anticipated Sweep Tosho's every move, and now, having done all she could, she awaited fate.
Fortunately, Bitter Glasse had correctly predicted Sweep Tosho's next move. This time, she held nothing back. The force of their collision sent Sweep Tosho staggering, nearly crashing into the guardrail, a sight that made onlookers' hearts pound.
"Enough! Don't push yourself any further! This time! I won't let you escape!" Bitter Glasse truly intended to be ruthless this time.
"Then I'll just have to push myself even harder!" Sweep Tosho's defiant response resonated with newfound determination.
"Adjust your breathing, change your running form, and use Transformation Magic!"
Sweep Tosho's aura shifted dramatically. Her footfalls became heavier, her core sturdier. Even her breathing pattern changed so subtly that Bitter Glasse couldn't immediately discern the difference.
"Is that even how you're supposed to breathe while running?"
As if to answer her question, Sweep Tosho suddenly surged forward, charging toward her.
"Don't get cocky!" Even the usually mild-tempered Bitter Glasse couldn't suppress her irritation.
Sweep Tosho's head-on collision with Bitter Glasse seemed like a fool's dream. Just when everyone thought she had lost her mind, an unexpected scene unfolded.
Sweep Tosho didn't bounce back as expected; instead, she locked into a Tug-of-War with Bitter Glasse!
"How is this possible?!"
The disbelief wasn't just Bitter Glasse's; everyone was baffled. This defied all common sense!
"Physical combat isn't just for the big guys!" Sweep Tosho sneered, mocking Bitter Glasse.
"Ha ha ha!" Bitter Glasse's rage twisted into laughter. She should have seen it coming; the moment she saw the flames, she should have known.
"That breathing... it was for physical combat!"
No one could miss it; the original practitioner was too famous.
"Why is Sweep Tosho connected to Kousei?"
The realization struck like a thunderbolt, and all eyes snapped toward the VIP seats. The Central Committee, unable to remain seated, slammed their fists on the table and rose to their feet.
"What exactly is going on with Kashimoto Riko?!"
Yet facing the Central Committee's fiery fury, Kashimoto Riko remained utterly composed.
"Fine! Just you wait!"
Clearly, the Central Committee intended to settle the score later.
Kousei was equally stunned. She had always avoided any entanglement with Tracen's competitors, dodging them whenever possible.
Why would Just a Way teach Sweep Tosho these things? Kousei wondered. Isn't this practically broadcasting that Sweep Tosho—or the Resistance—has ties to foreigners?
Just a Way smiled confidently. "Just watch, Kousei. The future... it's going to be different."
Little Cocon surged forward from behind, sprinting past Bitter Glasse and Sweep Tosho toward the finish line. Unbeknownst to them, the race had already reached its final stretch.
Driven by the pace set by multiple Front-Runners, time seemed to pass much faster than they perceived. The Front-Runners were already preparing to force their way to the Finish Line, leaving no time to dwell on Sweep Tosho.
Bitter Glasse briefly considered her options before decisively abandoning Sweep Tosho and surging toward the Finish Line. Sweep Tosho immediately adjusted her breathing, matching her stride to Little Cocon and Bitter Glasse.
The trio entered the final turn almost simultaneously, each having planned their moves in advance. But they had forgotten one crucial thing: the Autumn Tenno Sho wasn't their private stage.
The Reserved Strength legion, having conserved their energy, now stormed onto their own stage. The field surged forward like a tsunami, engulfing the trio. In the final turn, no one was willing to yield an inch.
With nowhere to plant her feet, Sweep Tosho became trapped in the thick of the field, unable to even observe Cocon and Bitter Glasse's positions. Worse still, Sweep Tosho suddenly gasped for breath. Her pained expression revealed her exhaustion. Crushed and battered by the surging field, her race was undoubtedly over.
No one in Central mourned Sweep Tosho's fate, for Cocon and Bitter Glasse had already broken free from the pack. On the Winner's Stage of the final leg, no one cared about the competitors left behind.
Every eye was drawn to the Umamusume unleashing her final leg, instinctively yearning for that fleeting moment of exhilaration.
Though Kousei had thought herself accustomed to life's storms, the dazzling spectacle still made her clench her fists. As the field remained tightly packed even on the final straight, Sweep Tosho's chances of breaking free and winning seemed vanishingly slim.
"I know there's no magic in the world. I know how selfish I am. And I know I'm not even one of the top competitors in Central.
My Trainer always wears a gloomy expression. My Grandmother always said people should live happily. But ever since I started school, I've noticed that adults always look so unhappy.
Why? Why do people become so glum after growing up? Does growing up mean losing the ability to be happy?
I love my Trainer, even though most people don't like her. That's why I wish magic really existed, so I could make my Trainer... make all the adults smile again. If magic were real..."
"Aaaaaaaahhhh!!"
A roar erupted from the field as Sweep Tosho struggled despite the slim odds. Entangled in the crowded field, neither skill nor brute force alone could break free. Just when the outcome seemed certain, a new opportunity arose.
"I know this! Until we cross the finish line, nothing is certain!"
Flames blazed through the field as the fierce will of "Sweep Tosho Revolution" resonated with the crowd.
"I saw it! I witnessed Kousei's dazzling performance on the world stage! I saw everything her retreating figure conveyed! I saw the smiles that blossomed on people's faces after Kousei's victory!"
Sweep Tosho planted her foot, forcibly slowing to the back of the pack. Everyone watched in stunned disbelief as, at the critical moment when all others were charging toward the finish line, Sweep Tosho Revolution executed a near-teleportation-like, massive shift!
"I once resolved to uphold the Thorough Management Education Program to the end. I thought I would follow that path to its conclusion. But so much has happened... Kousei... Rice Shower... Senior Brother Toyama...
Was the conviction I've held all this time truly correct? Can the Central truly provide the right guidance for its students now?"
If I truly believed I was right, why couldn't I smile?
I've tried twice and failed twice. I hesitate, unsure what to do. I wish every Umamusume could live out their careers safely. If only magic truly existed in this world...
Deep Outer Lane! Her skirt billowed in the wind as the Witch's figure descended upon the scene! Desiring miracles, pursuing dreams that seemed impossibly distant.
A brand-new third form!
Dreams will sprout, journeys will reach their end. All that is decaying will perish, and common sense is the enemy.
Kashimoto Riko startled, staring in disbelief at Sweep Tosho on the track.
"That form... what is it?!"
In a daze, she saw a familiar figure superimposed over Sweep Tosho's image, transporting her back to that summer.
"Run... run!", Kashimoto Riko shouted repeatedly. Run! Leave those rigid, inflexible adults far behind with your retreating figure! Head toward a future that's unknown but brimming with endless possibilities!
Help me! I want to believe again! Not as the Acting Director, but as a Trainer—to believe in my charge once more!"
Who says girls are weaker than boys? Why fear rumors, true or false? There's never been a rule that the Tiara is weaker than the Triple Crown. Strong is strong! Victory belongs to the strong!
Be yourself! That's what's cool!
[If there truly is Magic in this world... then my believing heart is my Magic!]
"Can't move? No! She's just too fast!" The Killer lurking on the final straight steeled herself. "If that's the case, I'll just foul her and take her out!"
A sudden, inexplicable terror seized her as a massive, pitch-black deity materialized beside her.
"So it was you."
Touching the forbidden, reversing the future. With this single step, history would turn a new page!
An extraordinary spell—a final leg so fast it seemed to stop time itself.
Because she believed, she was capable of anything. In the name of Sweep Tosho, she unleashed the magic of revolution. The Witch brandished her broom, sweeping away all the dregs.
This clash of ideologies concluded with Sweep Tosho's revolutionary victory.
Sweep Tosho stood blankly at the Finish Line, seemingly unaware of her victory. The audience's emotions were complex—no cheers, no jeers, only an eerie silence.
Sweep Tosho's mind was a blank. She had been so focused on winning that she hadn't considered what would come after. The silence in the arena was eerie, and Sweep Tosho glanced around nervously, as if expecting something.
Then, a single figure emerged, giving the entire crowd a focal point.
Kashimoto Riko had materialized before Sweep Tosho, seemingly out of nowhere. Normally, Sweep Tosho would have erupted in anger and retorted sharply, but now she stammered, at a loss for words.
"I—," Sweep Tosho began, intending to declare her victory, but a warm embrace cut off her words. Kashimoto Riko pulled Sweep Tosho into a tight hug right there in front of everyone, already sobbing uncontrollably.
"D-don't... don't... cry..." Sweep Tosho choked out, tears streaming uncontrollably down her face. She awkwardly returned the embrace, patting Kashimoto Riko's back.
Kashimoto Riko released Sweep Tosho, her gaze softening into tender affection.
"Sweep Tosho!" Kashimoto Riko called out loudly.
Sweep Tosho looked at her blankly. Cocon and Bitter Glasse stepped forward and placed a magic wand in Kashimoto Riko's hand.
"Sweep Tosho, your performance in the Reform Assessment was excellent. After deliberation by the Witch Association, we hereby formally recognize you as a Witch. This magic wand serves both as your reward and as a symbol of our recognition."
Sweep Tosho blankly accepted the wand, sniffling as she gazed at Kashimoto and the others. Kashimoto Riko knelt down, gazing warmly at Sweep Tosho.
"Congratulations, you've grown into a Witch who can stand on her own."
Whether overwhelmed by the pent-up grievances or the joy of finally being acknowledged, Sweep Tosho could no longer hold back. She burst into tears, wailing loudly in the mansion.
In an instant, thunderous applause erupted.