Influenced by Sunday Silence's pre-race comments and the race delay that had affected all the runners to varying degrees, the Spring Tenno Sho saw an unusual number of late starts. Most runners hesitated on the straight, making the initial positioning battle remarkably calm—almost too stable for a Tenno Sho.
Sunday Silence easily took the lead, with Rice Shower following closely behind in second, remaining vigilant.
The race began calmly, but there was a palpable sense of an impending storm. This was also Kousei's first time witnessing a race featuring members of the First Generation Sirius.
Seeing these legends, who had previously only existed in stories, on the racetrack once more filled Kousei with excitement. She had to desperately suppress her restless heart.
"Sunday Silence... I don't know what her goal is, but I absolutely cannot lose this Spring Tenno Sho! I just need to win this one more race!" Rice Shower's fighting spirit burned bright, refusing to be easily swayed by Sunday Silence.
[Mark]
"Hmm... Oh?" Sunday Silence noticed Rice Shower's intense focus on her. In fact, most of the runners had their attention fixed on her, though none were as overtly aggressive as Rice Shower.
Everyone was waiting, waiting for Sunday Silence to make her move.
"Everyone's waiting for me? Well then, it would be rude not to oblige~" Sunday Silence's expression turned sharp, and everyone's hearts tightened.
"Here she comes!"
Rice Shower was fully focused. "Is she going to break through? Will she surge from the outside or cut through the Forbidden Zone?"
"Looking for me?"
Rice Shower's expression changed drastically. Sunday Silence had appeared beside her without her noticing. In that moment of distraction, several runners surged past them as Sunday Silence deliberately slowed down to match Rice Shower's pace.
"What is she doing?" Most of the onlookers were baffled.
"The Blue Rose Assassin? Let me test you." Sunday Silence's actions were erratic and unpredictable. Voluntarily giving up the lead just to confront an opponent was unheard of.
Facing Sunday Silence, Rice Shower conservatively chose to avoid a direct clash for now. She needed more time to analyze Sunday Silence's movement patterns.
The two quickly fell back through the ranks, dropping to the rear of the pack.
"You're strange, aren't you? If it were Kousei, she would have attacked immediately after Marking me. But you're just cowering."
"She knows Kousei? No, everyone knows Kousei now. I can't let her get to me." Rice Shower knew Sunday Silence was deliberately provoking her. If she rushed in, she would fall into her trap.
Rice Shower was certain Sunday Silence wouldn't waste time in a stalemate with her. Sunday Silence was here to win, and she was the biggest threat. All Rice Shower had to do was keep her locked in her sights.
Morgan observed the situation, her gaze taking in every detail. Of course she had heard the name Sunday Silence. Once, that name had been legendary, thundering in everyone's ears. How tragic that today, not a single person among Central's masses recognized it.
"Stay calm, but don't lose your fighting spirit, Rice Shower. You must push forward. If you want to save Central, you have no other choice."
A wicked smile spread across Sunday Silence's face, her eyes glowing an eerie red. She slowly pulled away, as if preparing for something.
"Come and kill me, Rice Shower."
With those cryptic words, black and red flames erupted around Sunday Silence. She lengthened her stride, surging toward the front of the pack.
"So fast!"
Sunday Silence's rank skyrocketed. Before even reaching the Mid-Pack, she had already broken into the top three and was still accelerating.
The assault came so suddenly that even though Rice Shower had been prepared, she couldn't fathom Sunday Silence's true intentions. At this speed, Rice Shower calculated, Sunday Silence had an extremely high chance of breaking through to take the lead. The other runners were unwilling to challenge her directly, allowing her to claim any position she desired with ease.
"I can't let her run free! If no one else will challenge her, then I will!" Rice Shower had originally planned to replicate her decisive takedown from the Kikuka Sho.
But this time, there was no Kyoei Bowgun to contend with Sunday Silence. The sheer force of Sunday Silence's aura was terrifying, compelling the other runners to shrink back and give her a wide berth.
Sunday Silence continued to accelerate. Just as she was about to seize the lead, a chill ran down her spine. A cold glint—Rice Shower was already closing in from behind.
Empowered by her Mark, Rice Shower's straight-line pursuit was incredibly potent. It would be nearly impossible for Sunday Silence to shake her off easily. But Sunday Silence had anticipated this. Her entire surge had been a calculated move to force Rice Shower out of her observational position and into a direct confrontation.
Rice Shower applied pressure from the side, constricting Sunday Silence's space to try and pin her down as they entered the turn. The pressure was effective. Forced to take the turn at high speed with Rice Shower harassing her flank, Sunday Silence had to choose the safest, most conservative line to avoid colliding with the runners ahead.
This created a precious opening for Rice Shower. Her position on the outside granted her greater freedom of movement. After adjusting her position, she seized the precise moment Sunday Silence exited the turn.
With a thunderous crack, the two collided.
Rice Shower's physical prowess was formidable. She attempted to use her strength to pin down Sunday Silence. In the clash of power, Sunday Silence found herself gradually losing ground to Rice Shower.
The crowd was stunned by Rice Shower's aggressive display. Rarely one to initiate an attack, she had not only taken the offensive but was now overpowering Sunday Silence. It was only at this moment that people truly began to notice her.
"So it wasn't useless after all."
Sunday Silence's thoughts were not unfounded. She was both Sunday Silence and Manhattan Cafe. According to Kousei and Rice Shower's pre-race analysis, Cafe was inferior to Rice Shower in a direct power struggle. Therefore, a physical confrontation should be highly effective. While Sunday Silence's reaction was unknown, Cafe would find it extremely difficult to break free from such physical pressure.
Despite this, Rice Shower dared not let her guard down. Besides her Spring Tenno Sho victory, Manhattan Cafe also held the honor of being the strongest in the Kikuka Sho. To think she could be completely neutralized by physical pressure alone would be a gross underestimation.
"Huh?"
However, events unfolded contrary to Rice Shower's expectations. An immense force was pushing her outward.
Sunday Silence slowly raised her head, her fiery twin pupils burning intensely. Rice Shower felt an increasing weight, her suppressive pressure gradually collapsing.
"Rice Shower should have the advantage. Why can't she overpower Sunday Silence?"
The spectators were bewildered, but the experts knew the truth.
"Her personality doesn't quite match her name. Her fighting spirit and confrontational instincts are incredibly strong. While this narrows her field of vision, it also dramatically boosts her physical abilities. In other words, Rice Shower is now facing a Manhattan Cafe who has broken past one hundred percent of her limits."
Fighting spirit is especially crucial for Umamusume; it is the first key to shattering their shackles. Nearly every top-tier competitor possesses this trait, with Kousei, Narita Brian, and Tamamo Cross being particularly renowned for it.
Kousei is world-famous for her close-quarters combat, and anyone who knows her first learns of her intense fighting spirit.
To conquer the world, who else but I?
Rice Shower had to clearly understand that she was facing a legend who had once dominated the racing world.