It was as if a crimson sun had risen in the distance, its scorching brilliance burning not our skin, but our pride.
Sunday Silence ran without a moment's pause. Though she was already far ahead, she continued to accelerate relentlessly. The ashes she left in her wake slapped against the faces of the other Umamusume.
Her overwhelming strength, far surpassing everyone else's, shattered their fragile pride the instant they witnessed it. Even if they refused to admit it, their slowing strides betrayed their inner turmoil.
Sunday Silence's form radiated a hysterical intensity, as if she were running to destroy something. The feeling was familiar—someone else had run like this before.
Worst of all, Rice Shower was deeply affected. Her form began to crumble, the fear in her eyes threatening to spill over. Sunday Silence's will, a force that crushed opponents with sheer power alone, was now running rampant across the track.
"What do I do?! I don't think I can beat her!"
Once the thought of defeat took root, the worst-case scenarios instantly flooded her mind. This was Rice Shower's state now. She gasped desperately for air, but the rising suffocation was inescapable.
"No! Not like this!"
Her legs grew heavier and heavier; fear had seized her heart. Rice Shower dared not think about the consequences of failure. The other members of her team had fought so hard to reach this final moment.
"Why me, of all people?" The fear consuming Rice Shower was the fear of falling short at the final hurdle.
"Tell me! Don't you want to win?!" Sunday Silence's voice was hoarse, as if speaking cost her immense effort. She roared, "Just because your opponent is stronger, you give up?! That's no reason! We didn't step onto this racetrack for that!
"Because McQueen is the strongest, you think it's hopeless? Because you feel the gap in our strength, you give up before the finish line? That's why you'll always be nothing but supporting characters!"
In their pursuit of glory, they had lost sight of their true purpose. They had forgotten the fundamental truth: There is no absolute victory or defeat for an Umamusume.
"I won't stop. If you refuse to keep up, then you have no reason to exist." It was a declaration of certain death. Sunday Silence would trample on everyone's pride.
Her methods reminded Rice Shower of someone—Morgan, the King of Killers.
A memory surfaced.
"I'm sorry." Rice Shower had failed again. Helpless, she could only apologize repeatedly.
Morgan's face was unreadable. Kousei had asked her to train Rice Shower, but no matter how much they trained, no matter how many races Morgan ran alongside her, Rice Shower just couldn't grasp the key to winning.
During a break, Rice Shower sipped her water cautiously, secretly watching Morgan's reaction. Morgan's infamous reputation had reached even Rice Shower in Central, and she was constantly on edge, terrified of provoking the notorious villain.
"Are you afraid of me?" Morgan asked suddenly.
Rice Shower nodded instinctively, then quickly realized her mistake and stammered, "No, I mean... I'm fine!"
Morgan merely glanced at her, and Rice Shower immediately lowered her head. Rice Shower lacked nothing in talent, but her personality was far too timid.
"I heard about you and Bourbon," Morgan said. "Does that Kikuka Sho still haunt you?"
At the mention of the Kikuka Sho, Rice Shower couldn't hide her sorrow.
"It's all my fault. If I hadn't run in the Kikuka Sho, Bourbon would have achieved her dream and become the Triple Crown Winner."
Who could have imagined that Mihono Bourbon's dream would cast a shadow over an entire era?
Morgan snorted coldly, dismissing Rice Shower's words with disdain. Her contemptuous attitude infuriated Rice Shower, igniting a spark of courage to confront her.
"I won't let you mock Bourbon's dream!" Rice Shower clenched her fists. When it came to her friend, she refused to let herself be timid.
"I wasn't mocking Bourbon. The one I'm mocking is you." Morgan pointed a finger, and the courage Rice Shower had just mustered vanished without a trace.
Seeing Rice Shower's reaction, Morgan didn't continue her taunts. Instead, she spoke calmly.
"Let me tell you a story—one I've never told anyone before. I was born in a chaotic land where the sport of Umamusume racing didn't exist.
"Because of this, the birth of my sisters and me was seen as a curse. We lived under constant discrimination until we were driven from our home. Homeless, we wandered aimlessly.
"Among my sisters, I was the most timid. Most of the time, I was just a burden. Can you imagine? Thirteen little horse girls struggling to survive in a desolate wasteland, facing rejection, wild beasts, humiliation, and countless other horrors. To survive, we had to seize every opportunity."
"Perhaps the Three Goddesses still favored us, because by chance, we stumbled upon Umamusume racing. Deciding to give it a shot, we signed up.
"As luck would have it, we all had considerable potential. And I, despite my timid nature, was the most talented of all. The system wasn't well-established back then, so the races I competed in were likely what would be considered juvenile races today.
"Naturally, I won my first race. The prize money wasn't much, but it was enough for us to have a full meal. Seeing a glimmer of hope, we became obsessed with racing, because it was a way to earn money.
"With money came food. We started competing frequently. As our victories mounted, the stages we raced on grew larger. Gradually, we escaped hunger, and our lives began to stabilize.
"We had no names, so we gave each other names. We sang by the campfire, counted the stars, and fell asleep together."
A faint smile touched Morgan's lips—the first time Rice Shower had ever seen such a nostalgic expression on her face.
"That sounds like a happy ending."
"A happy ending...?"
But Morgan's infamous reputation was widely known. The story couldn't end there.
"Later, for the sake of progress and a better life, the local leagues were no longer enough for us. So, we began to venture out to different regions.
"Riding the rising tide of Umamusume culture, we plundered prize money from leagues all over. We cared only for our own kind, so we showed no mercy to our opponents. Because I had finally found something I was good at, something that could help my kin, I pushed myself harder than anyone.
"I saw the despair and pain of those I defeated, but I didn't care. Over time, my disposition grew fouler, my methods more brutal. The title 'King of Killers' began to spread, and Umamusume racers across the world trembled at the sound of my name.
"From that moment on, I truly became 'Morgan.'
"My kin were no different. The houses we built grew larger, but we drifted further and further from the children we once were. The bonds between us frayed. I no longer remembered why I was doing it—only that I had to.
"Born in the bloodbath of our homeland, lost in the fires of foreign battlefields, we were no longer the same."
The story's tragic turn always stirred the listener's heart.
"You must regret it, right?" Rice Shower tried to comfort Morgan, but Morgan responded with a cold snort.
"Regret? I have never regretted anything."
"Huh? But you..."
"Rice Shower, I never regret my choices. I may not have been born a villain, but for the sake of my kin, I made my decision. I embraced victory, reveled in it, even if it meant others would grieve.
"I sacrificed everything to ensure my kin could survive. They can think of me however they wish—Morgan is Morgan. I can honestly say I have never felt a moment of shame.
"In the Spring Tenno Sho, McQueen knew it might be her last race against Kousei. Did she hold back even for a second?
"Kousei won against countless Umamusume on her path, shattering so many dreams. Did she ever show a moment of sorrow after crossing the finish line?
"Rice Shower, you didn't steal Bourbon's dream. You won simply because you are the strongest Umamusume of your generation. That victory was rightfully yours. An Umamusume never denies victory."
Rice Shower stumbled back, helpless. "But... Bourbon!!!"
Morgan placed a warm, firm hand on the trembling Rice Shower's shoulder. "Because I am a villain," she said resolutely, "I can say with absolute certainty that you are nothing like me.
"Rice Shower, go be a hero. Bring happiness to everyone."
Hero...
Morgan's words seemed to stir something long hidden in Rice Shower's heart. She choked back a sob. "I know... I'm such a coward. Can someone like me really become a hero?"
"No one is born fearless. All that matters is living without regret."