Standing before you now—
The Japan Derby Champion, the Satsuki Sho Champion, the Wakagoma Stakes Champion, and the victor of her debut race.
Four races, four victories.
Undefeated. Double G1 titleholder. The blazing superstar of tomorrow, standing at the very pinnacle.
—Garden Gale!!!
...
At this very moment, Garden Gale truly stood at the top.
Everything she described, everything she declared, everything she had done—they were perfectly aligned.
Someone whose words matched her actions was the most terrifying type of person, possessing enough resolve to face and overcome even the harshest trials. And Garden Gale, completely focused on her singing, watched her own gaze shift from timid and uncertain into something calm, clear, and composed.
Her eyes became a boundless sea of blue.
And from that came an ever-stabilizing source of output.
What output?
Her singing. Her dancing. Her charisma. Her unified faith.
Why did Umamusume also become idols?
Because they could gather nearly fanatical devotion!
追い続けた答えが 心惑わしたとしても~
Even if the answer you keep pursuing end up deceiving your heart~
助走つけて飛び出すのさ~
Just do a run up and fly~
今がその時だ~
That time is now!~
After a brief lull came the rush toward the grand finale.
Garden Gale stood center stage.
She took a deep breath.
Her right hand clenched slowly—tightly, so tightly, symbolizing her firm determination that had carried her this far. Behind her, the piano's tempo quickened into a frenzied storm of notes, weaving a thrilling tapestry on the keys. T.M. Opera O and Admire Vega's voices joined in perfect harmony, supporting her.
But the spotlight at the very center of the stage would never fade.
Its dazzling brilliance unforgettable.
Then, her clenched fist slowly rose, lifted skyward to the very pinnacle—
Just like Gautama Buddha—also known as Shakyamuni—who upon his birth, took seven steps in each direction, raised his right hand, and proclaimed:
"In heaven above and earth below, I alone am the honored one"
Meaning:
I am the greatest in this world.
Determination—endless, unwavering determination.
Then, at the very summit of it all—
Everything halted.
Like the whisper of a deity into mortal ears—soft yet absolute, unquestionable. The world obeyed without resistance! All motion ceased instantly—the stage lights shut off, plunging the arena into absolute darkness! Even the piano abruptly fell silent, as if someone had pressed pause on reality itself!
Everything just… stopped!!!
Huh?
The crowd fell into confusion.
A power outage? Why else would the lights disappear? Why else would even the sound vanish? Suddenly, nothing was visible!
Was that what happened?
Before anyone could even process the thought—
A single beam of light fell from above, illuminating only the center stage, onto Garden Gale, the girl who'd conquered every glory.
Half cloaked in darkness, half bathed in pure light, her beauty reflected as if carved from shadow and brilliance alike. And now, she raised her voice once again.
掴め今を 変えたいなら 描いた夢を未来に掲げ~
Grasp it! If you want to change the present hang up your planned dream in the future~
恐れないで挑め~
Be not afraid, challenge it!~
The piano surged back, blending flawlessly with her soaring vocals—a dazzling, intoxicating blend powerful enough to steal hearts away. Everything else in the world faded into insignificance. At this instant, Garden Gale was all anyone could see!
走れ今を まだ終われない 辿り着きたい場所があるから~
Run! The present hasn't ended yet because there is a place you want to reach~
その先へと進め~
Advance towards the finish line~
涙さえも強く胸に抱きしめ~
Those tears too, embrace it strongly in your chest~
そこから始まるストーリー~
And from there, a new story is born~
果てしなく続く (winning the soul)~
Continuing forever, winning the soul~
In this final crescendo, everything intertwined in a glorious explosion!
...
"My heart," murmured a glasses-wearing guy quietly, removing his spectacles with a solemn air.
"Has already… been completely stolen by Garden Gale."
His statement was matter-of-fact, as undeniable as the sun rising in the east and setting in the west. It was simply the truth—no one could resist Garden Gale's charm.
Tears poured from his eyes.
Then he let out an earth-shaking scream:
"From this day onward—I am Garden Gale's biggest fan!!!"
No one nearby scolded him. No one was annoyed by his sudden shouting or cared about his breach of etiquette. Instead, they nodded along, helplessly moved, sharing the same thought:
Because Garden Gale's stage presence was just that explosive!!!
Just too awesome!
From now on, her fans would only increase.
The thought rose unanimously in every heart.
...
As the song ended, Garden Gale stood sweating on the stage.
Yet she wore a smile of satisfaction—knowing her performance had probably been pretty good.
That was probably… good enough, right?
She unconsciously began doubting herself again.
Her lips pursed slightly in mild worry.
But the moment the music stopped, the audience erupted into deafening cheers!
Some lunatic even shouted something utterly ridiculous: "Miss Garden Gale, please let me be your dog!"
Unfortunately...
Garden Gale heard it clearly.
All she could do was offer an awkward yet polite smile and say, "Um… thank you very much for your support."
Then she bowed gently.
But even this gesture sent another wave of cheers surging through the crowd.
After all everyone loved a polite idol. Cute and polite—who wouldn't want to adore her even more?
Still, the performance had to go on.
After that brief interruption came the customary encore segment.
Or so Garden Gale recalled…
But right now, she had no idea what to say next. She gazed helplessly at the enthusiastic audience.
"Um…"
Words escaped her completely.
But the passionate fervor of the crowd wouldn't fade so easily. Suddenly, another voice rang out loudly—even though making such a racket was technically against the rules in Japan, no one cared right now:
"We wanna see the Bear Dance!! Miss Garden Gale, please perform the Bear Dance again!!"
Huh!???????
The Bear Dance!!!
Garden Gale's already limited brain capacity instantly short-circuited.
GARDENGALE.EXE stopped responding.
Would you like to terminate the program?
---
bonus chaps
100 stones -> 1 chapter
200 stones -> 2 chapters
300 stones -> 3 chapters
and so on
discord.gg/wisetl
patreon.com/wisetl
instagram: hanbaowise
twitter: WiseKingOfUruk_