As for the usual pleasantries, I will up the required power stone for the week to 100 power stones per user for an advance chapter, and for every 300 power stones accumulated for the week, I will also post an advance chapter corresponding to the complete amount in the week's end.
So gift more Power Stones to advance the chapter schedule. Thank you very much for your support and enjoy the chapter!
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Word Count: 6,737
Before anyone truly realized it, time had already slipped past.
The calendar now reads only a few days before the Japanese Derby.
And for Team Spica, that meant only one thing.
It was another serious team meeting, and the club room looked different from before.
It's now bigger and wider, approved by Director Akikawa herself a few weeks ago.
The long table had now been extended to accommodate everyone, with extra chairs lined neatly along both sides.
Then, a massive monitor dominated the front of the room, replacing the old CRT television that once struggled to show grainy race replays. A magnetic whiteboard stood off to the side, untouched for now.
Everyone had now gathered and not just only Team Spica alone, but also of the newly absorbed sub-team, Team Arcturus.
Belno Light stood near the front, adjusting settings on a desktop computer connected to the monitor.
With her acquired assistant trainer license, restricted by URA's notoriously rigid bureaucracy of becoming the first certified umamusume to become a Central trainer, Belno had become Team Spica's de facto support trainer.
More than that, she had also inherited her parents' umamusume equipment company back in Kasamatsu which explained a lot of the newer futuristic-looking equipment at one corner of the room and also the large monitor up front.
There's a high-resolution race simulation that covers the large part of the screen, motion-capture overlays of an umamusume alongside a 3D-representation of Kitasan's body with predictive pacing and drag coefficient graphs on its side.
It's technology that most Japanese teams had basically seen from overseas magazines.
Trainer Okino glanced at the setup and chuckled, "We really went all-in after getting you, Belno-chan."
Belno didn't even look away from the screen while replying, "Okino-san, this level of equipment is standard from America when I studied there. If we want to stay competitive overseas, then we should've caught up years ago."
"That's fair enough," Okino shrugged.
Then his expression sharpened as he turned toward the table. Seating naturally formed small clusters.
Closest to him sat Daiwa Scarlet, Vodka, and Daiwa Major.
Across from them were Kitasan Black, Diamente, Teio, and McQueen.
Further back sat Buena Vista, Special Week, Silence Suzuka, King Kamehameha, Win Variation, and Gold Ship—lounging with her feet on a chair until McQueen smacked her leg.
The only one missing was Oguri Cap, who's currently commissioned with participating in parallel training with another team preparing for the Yasuda Kinen.
Okino clasped his hands together.
"Alright, everyone. Let's begin the meeting."
His gaze shifted to Kitasan.
"Kita-chan. What's your condition?"
Kitasan straightened instantly.
"I'm in great shape, Trainer-san! No problems at all!"
Okino nodded with satisfaction.
"That's good to know."
He gestured toward the monitor.
The screen displayed a three-dimensional model of Tokyo Racecourse, the length for the race being two thousand four hundred meters.
There's also the starting gates, corner arcs, elevation changes, and colored racing lines traced across the course, each labeled with names and gate numbers from yesterday's lottery ceremony.
Okino pointed. "For this Derby, we're reverting to a modified version of the Pseudo–Great Escape plan."
A few murmurs rippled through the room.
"We abandoned it at the Satsuki Sho," he continued, "but the circumstances are different now."
He tapped the screen.
"Kita-chan would push early from the start with your controlled acceleration. We need you to establish a lead of at least five lengths before entering the first bend."
The racing line highlighted in gold surged forward.
"Five lengths should give us enough breathing room for Kita-chan's iron body to endure the 2400M race while also giving us the chance to control the other racers' pace."
He glanced toward Diamente.
"Which pairs with the pace-control and the mandatory incline training regimen Diamente and Belno-chan had designed for this Derby race a few weeks back."
Diamente's eyes remained locked onto the screen.
The numbers, the heart-rate curves, the approximate stride efficiency of each racers beside Kitasan Black.
Her pupils subtly tracked shifting data overlays.
Belno Light then clicked a button and the screen split.
Multiple simulations began running in parallel.
Different break timings, mid-race compressions, and late-race surges from other racers in the simulation.
Gasps of amazement echoed around the room.
"Our Belno-chan compiled the race data from Kitasan's major competitors for this Japanese Derby," Okino explained. "Then she fed those into the simulator that she had created."
"Oi, oi, oi," Gold Ship reacted before leaning forward. "That looks practically cheating."
Belno smiled as she replied calmly.
"Only after you fix your gate issue during the Spring Tenno Sho, Golshi-chan."
Vodka pumped her fist upward.
"Yo~ That's so cool!"
Diamente didn't react.
She was already running her own mental calculations.
Trainer Okino then continued.
"Duramente, Satono Crown, and Real Steel." Three names appeared, represented with their racing lines glowing ominously.
"But I think that those three aren't the only threats Kita-chan has to face in this race."
Belno Light then clicked again to the racing line that stamped the Number 1 gate on it, which a new window expanded from it.
A green-beanie-wearing umamusume appeared on-screen.
Her black hair and sharp eyes were captured mid-stride at the finish line from her recent race.
"That's Satono Rasen," Okino said. "She's Trainer Satomi's new trainee."
Kitasan blinked.
"Another Satono…? From Dia-chan's team?"
"Indeed, Kita-chan," Belno nodded. "She won the 2200M G2 race, the Kyoto Shimbun Hai. This race was from a week after the Spring Tenno Sho."
Race record details appeared beside her image.
From five starts, there were three wins, one second, and one third finish.
"All of Satono Rasen's races were medium-distance races," Okino added. "Which puts her on equal footing with the others in terms of adaptability."
The simulation restarted.
Now with Satono Rasen's line inserted.
Her racing line stalked in the middle of the pack just before the final 500-meter line where she sped up alongside Duramente, Satono Crown, and Real Steel's racing lines.
Okino pointed to the final sector.
"If Kita-chan maintains her lead, she can initiate her final spurt just before the remaining five hundred meters."
The gold line brightened.
"That timing gives us the highest win probability."
He turned to Kitasan.
"Do you understand?"
Kitasan met his eyes with confidence.
"I've got it, Trainer-san. I'll try to run exactly as planned."
A small smile tugged at Okino's lips.
Diamente remained silent.
Not because she disagreed.
Not because she found flaws.
But because she understood a fundamental truth.
Everyone here had a chance. Duramente. Real Steel. Satono Crown. Satono Rasen. Kitasan Black.
There were now five monsters vying for one crown. Whether the plan itself would stick, or if Duramente will have the second crown like the original canon would be is something that Diamente has thought over numerous times inside her mind.
At this level, preparation could only tilt such probability away from Duramente's favor.
After all, luck still chose the winner on the day of the race, and the Japanese Derby is a race where the luckiest wins.
Her hand slipped into her pocket as her fingers brushed against something smooth and soft.
A four-leaf clover, sealed into a clear soft resin, which is now hanging on a small chain and tied to a hair clip.
It was like an earring from the first look but in reality, it can be adorned as a side clip or be put at a scrunchie for a ponytail look.
She had found the four-leaf clover a few days ago when she was in the garden near the Three Goddesses' statue.
She then preserved it through dabbling with soft resin, not as a superstition, but more like a small wish for her to Kitasan.
For her safety, and for the slight possibility of her winning.
Diamente then closed her fingers around it gently.
The Derby was coming.
And with it—the moment that would define this generation is coming as well.
==== 🐎Legend Changer🐎 ====
Tokyo Racecourse — Live Paddock
The Tokyo Racecourse paddock was alive long before the first hoof ever touched the turf.
A soft, constant hum rolled through the wide-open space—thousands of voices layered together, with anticipation thick enough to feel in the air.
The late-spring sun bathed everything in warm gold, reflecting off polished railings and the glass panels of the grandstand.
Many flags fluttered, and the sounds of cameras flashing every second. Every step taken by the umamusume before the top 5 favorites were captured as the commentators analyzed each contender in this prestigious race.
This was the Japanese Derby.
The race every umamusume dreamed of since their debut.
High above the paddock, in the glass-enclosed commentary booth, two familiar voices prepared to dissect every movement.
"Good afternoon, everyone, and welcome to Tokyo Racecourse!" the main commentator's voice rang out, crisp and energetic. "We're just moments away from the paddock event for the 92nd running of the Japanese Derby—2,400 meters, turf, and a full field of exceptional classical-year umamusume."
His partner chuckled lightly. "You can feel the tension, can't you? This is where numerous dreams either crystallize… or crumble."
As the number 6 umamusume from the elevated stage stepped back and returned backstage, a ripple passed through the crowd as the green-beanie-wearing umamusume entered the stage.
Satono Rasen walked with a compact, efficient stride, her black hair swaying gently beyond her shoulders. Her eyes were focused forward, unblinking, as though the noise around her barely registered.
The commentator leaned closer to his microphone.
"With Gate 1, we have Satono Rasen, fifth favorite coming into this Derby. Winner of the Kyoto Shimbun Hai over 2,200 meters, and one of the two umamusume representing the Satono family's hopes of its first G1 win."
The second commentator nodded. "What stands out to me immediately is her composure. There's wasted movement from her during her past race. She's not flashy, but she's incredibly efficient."
On screen, a close-up showed Satono Rasen and with it, her ears flicking once—then settling forward again.
"She's proven herself at middle distances," the first commentator continued. "Three wins from five starts, and importantly, it's also her first dabble towards a G1 race. She has shown that she can sustain speed over long stretches in the past."
The second commentator crossed his arms thoughtfully. "But since she has picked on Gate 1 during the lottery ceremony, she's going to have to be sharp early. If she gets boxed in, that could spell trouble.
"But if she secures a clean rail position, she becomes a very dangerous underdog." the second commentator added.
Rasen's lips curved into the faintest smile.
She's a newcomer to the biggest stage, but not one to be underestimated by anyone.
A familiar presence followed soon after Satono Rasen left the stage.
Satono Crown strode into the paddock stage with confident steps, gray-black hair tied neatly on her right side. Compared to Rasen's quiet intensity, Crown radiated open and poised confidence—her head held high like a queen.
"And there she is—Gate 11, Satono Crown, the fourth favorite of this race," the first commentator announced. "The second Satono umamusume to race in the Derby. She has a proven name in the running of the past Satsuki Sho, matching her poise as a part of the four-way Second Golden Generation, and one with serious credentials."
The second commentator nodded. "She's a versatile type, and managed a solid performance in the Satsuki Sho due to her reliable late kick."
On the large monitor across the turf from the main audience area, Crown briefly rolled her shoulders, loosening up, before resuming looking around at the top of the stage.
"Physically, she looks excellent," the commentator added. "She seemed to be in a good mood, a lot ready for this race."
"That's the kind of paddock appearance you love to see," the second commentator said. "She looks like she's peaking at the right time."
Satono Crown glanced toward the grandstand, catching a glimpse of the roaring crowd.
Instead of flinching—she smiled back before returning backstage.
The atmosphere shifted subtly the moment Real Steel appeared.
Her recognizable brown-hair with a light brown streak at her bangs shimmered under the sunlight, her gaze sharp and piercing. Each step she took carried a quiet authority, the kind that came from experience earned the hard way.
"Gate 13, third favored to win—Real Steel," the commentator said. "Third place in the Satsuki Sho, and second umamusume of the much-discussed Second Golden Generation."
The second commentator leaned forward.
"She's a late-surger by nature, but what impressed me in the Satsuki Sho was how she adapted towards a pace-chaser strategy earlier in that race. She didn't panic when being left behind by Kitasan Black at that race, and didn't force herself into a bad position when at the final homestretch."
The camera caught Real Steel's hands slowly clenching, then relaxing.
"Her eyes are quite laser-focused today," the commentator noted. "Her mood looks like she's ready for the undertaking."
The analyst nodded. "If the pace is as we predict today, then Real Steel becomes a major threat in the final 600 meters. And from Gate 13, she's got options in the earlier run."
Real Steel's eyes tracked the paddock's audience ahead before letting a small kind smile out and then turned her body and walked towards backstage.
Upon the next umamusume to come on stage, the crowd's volume spiked instantly.
Cheers erupted from every corner of the paddock.
Kitasan Black, donning her festival-looking racewear, stepped into view. Her black hair tied neatly into her signature twin tails with red ribbon near her right ear and a hair clip with a four-leaf clover decorative chain near her left ear, both fluttering slightly as she walked.
Her posture was upright, proud, and brimming with vitality.
"There she is—Gate 17, Kitasan Black, second favorite for the Japanese Derby!" the commentator called.
The second commentator laughed softly. "The vibe for the festival immediately came as soon as she came out of the backstage, huh?"
On-screen, Kitasan waved lightly toward the stands, her trademark bright smile shining.
"But make no mistake here," the commentator continued, "this isn't just her popularity alone. She has definitely earned this position. A front-running powerhouse, an exceptional stamina, and that legendary toughness that almost won her the Satsuki Sho by a nose."
The second commentator gestured toward the screen. "Looking at her mood today, that tells me she's feeling quite good about this race today."
Kitasan rolled her shoulders, then bounced lightly on her toes once.
"From Gate 17, she'll need to break cleanly and speed up early if she wants to take the early lead," the second commentator added. "And if she establishes her rhythm quite early, I think that she can absolutely take this race wire-to-wire."
Kitasan then did her guts pose by herself, as if she's now ready for the race before being signalled by the staff near the stage for her to go backstage, to which she does so herself.
And then—the paddock seemed to fall into a different kind of silence.
Not quite out of anything but of reverence alone.
That's because Duramente has entered the stage with a stoic but quite confident attitude.
Her long dark bay-hair flowed behind her, expression calm yet overwhelmingly intense.
Every movement was controlled, deliberate, precise.
"Gate 14… the Satsuki Sho winner… and today's first favorite to win—Duramente," the commentator said slowly.
The second commentator exhaled. "You can feel it. She has an aura of the world's strongest classical-year umamusume."
The camera zoomed in as Duramente's eyes were steady and unshaking.
"She broke the 2,000-meter turf record in the Satsuki Sho," the commentator reminded viewers. "And did it just to snatch a win against Kitasan Black back then."
The second commentator nodded. "What I'm watching here now is her demeanor. No tension. No nerves. She looks exactly like a umamusume who knows how strong she is."
Duramente's ears flicked once.
Then settled.
"She did have that very powerful late kick that caught up from 8 lengths to none within 200 meters," the second commentator continued. "Whether she can catch up this fast again just this thinking alone is already terrifying to me, and also makes today's race very exciting."
Duramente looked at everyone once again with her signature stoic expression before going backstage.
The commentator leaned back slightly.
"18 umamusume, five key contenders."
The second commentator smiled.
"And one crown at the finish line. Who would win in today's Derby? We shall find out later, thank you for watching today's paddock live."
The live paddock event ended as high above the roaring sea of spectators, the grandstand balcony reserved for staff and teams was crowded with familiar faces.
Team Spica had gathered in force.
What once used to be a relatively modest cluster had now become a sizable presence—with umamusume in their Tracen uniform standing shoulder to shoulder, some leaning against railings, others craning their necks to peer down toward the track. Voices overlapped in excited chatter, predictions flying back and forth.
"Kita-chan really looks fired up today!"
"Duramente's aura is insane…"
"Real Steel looked quite calm there…"
Amidst that lively chaos, a smaller group stood slightly apart.
It was Trainer Okino, Diamente, Tokai Teio, and Mejiro McQueen.
Compared to the others' restless energy, their corner felt oddly subdued.
Diamente, in her Elementary Division uniform, stood with her arms loosely folded, gaze fixed on the distant stretch of emerald turf below.
The noise around her washed past like background static.
Teio noticed, tilted her head, with her eyes narrowing slightly in concern.
"Diamente-chan, you've been awfully quiet since the paddock. Is there something wrong?"
Diamente blinked, pulled out of her thoughts.
She shook her head once.
"No. It's nothing serious, senpai."
McQueen, standing beside her, followed Diamente's line of sight and smiled faintly.
"Kita-chan's hair clip on her left side… it's quite beautiful, isn't it?"
Teio glanced toward the trackside screen, where Kitasan Black's image briefly flashed.
"Oh, that clover one? Yeah. It suits her."
McQueen's eyes softened.
"It reminds me of the time when you and the others were searching for a four-leaf clover for Spe-chan's Derby."
Teio laughed.
"Ah, that brings me back."
She placed her hands behind her head.
"Even though she wasn't a part of Team Spica back then, do you know who actually found the clover back then, Diamente-chan?"
Diamente blinked. "Who?"
Teio grinned mischievously.
"It was McQueen who found it."
McQueen froze.
Teio continued cheerfully, "You'd already found one earlier, but you pretended you just stumbled onto it so it wouldn't look like you were taking longer than everyone else."
McQueen immediately cleared her throat.
"I merely… wished to maintain morale of my friends. Everyone was quite eager, after all."
Teio burst into laughter.
"Yeah, yeah, sure you were."
Even Diamente's lips twitched faintly.
Trainer Okino folded his arms, smiling at the exchange.
"It really was a fun time."
For a brief moment, nostalgia gently pushed back the weight of the present.
Then—Trainer Okino's eyes shifted.
Two figures were approaching from the walkway behind them.
One of them was instantly recognizable.
A mature woman with a neat ponytail, sharp eyes behind rectangular spectacles, dressed in a gray office suit that screamed professionalism.
Beside her walked an umamusume with shoulder-length brown hair, wearing a casual V-neck blue inner top beneath a navy office blouse, cinched by a stylish waist belt, paired with gray elephant pants. Her posture was relaxed, but her presence carried a quiet authority.
Diamente recognized them immediately.
Trainer Okino raised his hand.
"Well, if it isn't Hana-san. What's this? Here for extra company?"
Trainer Hana scoffed lightly.
"Don't flatter yourself, Okino."
Her eyes slid toward Diamente.
"I'm more surprised you managed to bag not just Belno-chan and the remnants of her team, but also a pre-maturation prospect with that kind of monstrous potential."
She adjusted her glasses.
"Honestly… the heavens must really favor you."
Trainer Okino chuckled.
"I'll take whatever luck I can get."
Trainer Hana's lips curved faintly.
"We'll see how long it lasts."
Before the conversation could continue, the other presence beside Trainer Hana stepped into their circle.
It was Air Groove.
Her sharp eyes immediately settled on Teio.
"Kaichou. Is everything prepared?"
Teio straightened, her playful demeanor switching instantly into something more formal.
"Yes, Advisor. We're ready to respond to anything that happens."
Air Groove nodded, satisfied.
She then turned her attention to Diamente.
One hand rested on her hip.
"So you're the rumored next child genius from Rudolf-kaichou's family?"
Diamente stiffened slightly.
"P-Please don't call me that… It's embarrassing. I haven't even debuted yet."
Air Groove smirked.
"Even so, it must be your influence that led to Win Variation's victory in the Spring Tenno Sho."
Her gaze sharpened.
"And those outrageous runs Kitasan Black pulled off at the Spring Stakes and Satsuki Sho, that was all you, isn't it?"
Diamente's eyebrows lifted.
"…You deduced all that?"
Air Groove nodded once.
Diamente shrugged.
"If that's what logic suggests." Her eyes drifted forward.
From the tunnel, the runners were beginning to emerge onto the turf.
A line of colorful umamusme silhouettes in their respective G1 race wear.
Diamente's gaze locked onto one immediately.
The jet-black outfit-wearing Duramente.
Air Groove followed her line of sight.
"That's my cousin," Air Groove said calmly. "What do you think?"
Diamente's voice was steady before replying, "She has one of the best last-spurt accelerations I've ever seen. If she catches up to Kita-chan on the final homestretch… it will become a battle of pursuit."
A brief silence followed.
Then, Diamente's expression changed. It was subtle but unmistakable.
Her brows knitted and her lips pressed thin, in which Air Groove noticed instantly.
"…What is it, Diamente-san?"
Diamente swallowed as a chill crawled up her spine.
"The medical staff," she said quietly. "They should be ready at the finish line."
Teio turned sharply.
"Really? Are you sure, Diamente-chan?"
McQueen frowned.
Trainer Okino and Trainer Hana both looked over as Trainer Hana spoke first.
"What are you talking about, little one?"
Diamente's fingers curled slightly at her side.
"I don't know why," she admitted. "But I have a very bad feeling that someone might get injured."
She lifted her eyes.
"It's better to prepare for the worst case scenario."
Silence permeated between them as the roar of the crowd continued below them.
But in that small circle—a quiet, uneasy tension took root.
Far below, the umamusume continued walking toward the starting area.
A few moments later, the sound of the trumpets and clapping of the audience started to fill the air.
The Tokyo Racecourse fanfare has started playing which means that it is time for them to go on the gates.
Kitasan Black was next to enter the gates, and when she did so, for a few moments, Kitasan Black swiped her fingers towards the hair clip that Diamente gave to her.
Start of Flashback…
After the meeting was done, there was no training for Kitasan Black, considering that it's just a few days before the Derby.
Kitasan was about to leave the club room when Diamente approached her.
"Kita-senpai, can we go back together?" Diamente asked, "I still have something to talk to you while on our way back to the dorms."
As expected, Kitasan smiled.
"Of course, Mente-chan! I'm good to go now."
Diamente smiled lightly as she grabbed her bag as the two of them started to walk towards outside the school.
While on their way out quietly, Kitasan muttered to herself, "Everyone's really strong…"
Naturally, Diamente overheard it since they're walking beside one another.
"That's unusual of you muttering things like that." Diamente commented, which jolted Kitasan back to reality.
"Hahaha," Hearing this, Kitasan chuckled awkwardly before replying, "Sorry, my mind circled back during the meeting earlier.
"Just looking at the data of other racers that Belno-san checked for us, I can't help but feel in awe of their progress." Kitasan added.
Diamente lifted her eyebrows from hearing that before turning her head back ahead.
"To be fair," Diamente shrugged with a relieved smile, "I should be the one who says that, Kita-senpai."
"Eh?" Kitasan was taken aback by Diamente's bluntness.
"It's not wrong to focus on other opponents as a way to gauge yourself," Diamente remarked before adding, "but there's also a fine line between that, and having impostor syndrome."
"I-Impostor Syndrome?" Kitasan was confused by this.
Diamente stopped her steps.
Kitasan, noticing the sudden halt, did the same.
The late afternoon light filtered through the trees lining the campus walkway, painting long shadows across the pavement. A quiet breeze rustled the leaves overhead.
Diamente turned toward her.
"That's the inability to internalize your own successes," she repeated calmly.
Kitasan blinked in confusion but Diamente continued.
"Kita-senpai has already won the Spring Stakes and placed really strongly at the Satsuki Sho within a turnaround of 3 weeks.
"You've broken pace expectations and you would've been a world record-level umamusume if not for Duramente. You've held off challengers that the majority of currently-racing umamusume couldn't."
She took a small step closer as Diamente's face turned serious.
"But when you look at your opponents' data earlier… you only see how amazing they are. You don't see yourself the same way."
Kitasan's shoulders tensed slightly, opened her mouth to retort, then hesitated.
"…I guess."
She scratched the back of her head with a sheepish laugh.
"I mean… Duramente-san, Steel-chan, Crown-chan… everyone feels like they're monsters."
Diamente nodded.
"They are strong, yes."
Then she added, without hesitation—
"So are you, senpai."
Kitasan froze.
Diamente's voice remained steady. She then pointed her index finger lightly at Kitasan's chest.
"You, like the others, are the benchmarks that I want to pass beyond when I was starting my proper training after joining Team Spica.
"And once my body starts to mature and has had ample preparations for the Classics, I want to have a race with you." Diamente declared.
Kitasan's body froze from her current position, which relieved Diamente.
'I guess this little declaration would distract her from such thoughts,' Diamente thought to herself.
Diamente looked away briefly, gathering her thoughts before her ears perked up.
"Ah. Before I forget it, there's something else I wanted to give you."
She reached into the right pocket of her skirt. Her fingers brushed against something small and solid.
Slowly, she pulled it out.
It's a chained hair clip.
At the end of the simple hair clip, in its center was a pressed four-leaf clover, carefully sealed beneath a thin layer of clear resin. The edges were neatly polished, simple yet delicate.
The sunlight caught it, making the green shimmer faintly.
Kitasan's eyes snapped back to reality and widened upon seeing the beautiful clover hair clip.
"…A four-leaf clover?"
"Yes," Diamente nodded. "I found it a few days ago near the Three Goddesses' Statue."
Diamente lifted the clip slightly.
"Since the winner of the Derby is often the luckiest… I thought it would be fitting for you to have it as a lucky charm."
Kitasan stared at the clover hair clip, momentarily at a loss for words.
"Mente-chan…"
"Before I become your rival," Diamente held it out before adding, "while it might be late for me to ask this, let me be your support, Kita-senpai."
She met Kitasan's eyes with determination. Kitasan slowly reached out.
Diamente placed the clip into her palm.
Their fingers brushed.
"So, I believe in you that delivers happiness to everyone like a festival does to its people," Diamente said quietly.
"Don't put unnecessary pressure on yourself by achieving the same or greater reaction than what Teio-kaichou did during her Derby or the Arima Kinen."
Her voice softened.
"Just run as Kitasan Black, where every race that you're in feels like a festival."
Kitasan's grip tightened around the clip.
Her vision blurred slightly as Diamente noticed Kitasan's eyes watering.
"…You really are scary sometimes, you know that, Mente-chan…?"
"In what way, senpai?" Diamente tilted her head.
Kitasan laughed weakly, rubbing at the corner of her eye.
"In a good way."
She took a breath.
"Thank you, Mente-chan."
With careful hands, Kitasan attached the clover hair clip near her left ear.
She looked down for a moment, then looked back up.
Her smile this time was different.
It was clear, firm, and full of resolve.
"I'll treasure it, thank you."
Diamente nodded once with a smile.
"That's all I wanted."
The two of them resumed walking side by side under the quiet sky.
Back to the present…
Diamente's gaze drifted toward the track as the Tokyo Racecourse fanfare played around the stadium.
Her eyes found Kitasan Black among the runners.
There, pinned neatly in her hair earlier.
The four-leaf clover glinted faintly under the close-up shot of Kitasan Black touching the said clover hair clip.
Diamente's fingers unconsciously curled.
"…Run well in this Derby, Kita-senpai."
The roar of the crowd surged when the fanfare and the subsequent clapping of the audience had ended. Silence had followed as Kitasan then slowly steadied herself and posed her body in the starting position, waiting for the gates to open.
"Seems like every umamusume has started entering their respective gates now," the race commentator remarked. "The biggest race that decides the champion of umamusume. Tokyo Yushun. Japanese Derby. 18 umamusume, each carrying a dream on their shoulders, entered the starting gates.
"Everything is in position now. May destiny lead them to their glory… no, they will earn such glory with their sheer will!"
After the commentator's call, silence permeated for a few moments.
Then…
The gates have opened.
"It has started! The Japanese Derby!" the race commentator announced before exclaiming, "Satono Crown got a slow start but the others seemed to have started really good.
"Which one of them will reach the audience's stands first?" the commentator announced further.
All 18 umamusume started converging into an almost-single line following their start.
Considering that Kitasan Black had started from the outside, it should have been detrimental for a frontrunner like her to achieve a lead.
But…
'I'll have the lead now!' Kitasan Black declared to herself before she accelerated early and moved to the front.
"Kitasan Black has accelerated early! She's taking the lead from Musee Alien." The commentator called as she added, "Following other multiple umamusume, No. 13 Real Steel went mid-pack with Duramente running in front of her and Satono Rasen being in front of Duramente."
After the runners passed in front of the audience area, the one in the lead, Kitasan Black, maintained the pace as she first entered the first bend ahead.
She did not accelerate enough to warrant a large lead before the first bend, so what she did is she paced herself to achieve lead by a length or so during the first and second bend.
"And now, all 18 umamusume have started entering the first bend with Kitasan Black on the inside, surprisingly not speeding up but have kept the pace to lead everyone." The commentator said, "Next to Kitasan Black by half a length is Musee Alien, then in third is a fight between Komet, Tagano Express, and Spirits Minoru.
"After that were few umamusumes before Satono Rasen, Duramente, and Real Steel in a fine outer line. At the back, Satono Crown is 4th from last."
The race proceeded as they started exiting the 1st bend and entering the 2nd corner just as quickly, with Kitasan Black now running a length ahead of the pack, fighting the centrifugal force that's affecting her body while its adverse reaction making her increase her velocity slightly through an efficient cornering.
It was her who had first exited the 2nd corner.
"Looks like everything is in order, I presume, Diamente-san?"
It was Air Groove who started another conversation amidst the crowd's cheers and murmurs.
"Kita-senpai's handling over the corners have improved, though she hadn't achieved a large lead before the bend, the other things are still quite in good pace so it's too early to call something on it." Diamente explained.
"So is it within your game plan for her to start her Great Escape again?" Air Groove asked again, as if she's gauging an enemy.
Diamente smiled before shaking her head as she replied, "Even with her robust body, it's risky to pull what she did in the Satsuki Sho to here again.
"Plus… this pace alone is already enough." she adds as Air Groove, Diamente, and the two trainers all clicked their stopwatch upon Kitasan passing the 1,000-meter mark.
"It's too fast." Air Groove furrowed her eyebrows as Diamente replied, "Still a manageable pace for her."
"The time for the first 1,000-meter is 58.8 seconds," the commentator called, "Now, all 18 umamusume are at the far straight as Kitasan Black still maintained the lead. The other contenders like Satono Rasen, Duramente and Real Steel are in the mid-pack, while Satono Crown's staying well at the back. Could she still be able to catch up?"
After the far straight, with them entering the third bend now, only 1,000 meters remained.
'Time to accelerate.' Kitasan declared as she delivered a powerful kick to the ground as her right leg propelled her to accelerate rapidly.
"It's Kitasan Black! She has started accelerating early after turning at the 3rd bend! She's getting ahead by a length… no… by two, three lengths!" the race commentator exclaimed.
"It has started." Trainer Okino furrowed his eyebrows in focus as the other umamusume followed suit when it's 800 meters remaining.
"Kitasan's gap is widening by 4-5 after hugging the inner rail, but Satono Crown has started her move from the outside! Both Satono Rasen and Duramente broke the pack upon entering the fourth corner! Now 700 meters remaining!" the commentator excitedly called.
"Grrrr…" Kitasan Black gritted her teeth as she fought the centrifugal force while trying to maintain the increase of her velocity, in almost at her speed limit.
"Exiting the final bend first is Kitasan Black with five lengths! Now in 500-meters, she is followed by Duramente, Satono Rasen and Real Steel, vying to catch up to her"
'Kitasan Black, I almost lost to you during the Satsuki Sho.' Duramente thought to herself before adding, 'I won't let you get this of mine victory a clinch one as well!!!'
Immediately, Diamente and other umamusumes' eyes saw the iconic black-red storm being blown out of Duramente.
But instead of Diamente being worried about Kitasan Black, she immediately looked at Air Groove with a terrified look in her eyes but Air Groove's eyes stayed glued to the race.
"Kitasan Black's speed is dro—no… Duramente and others have started their powerful late kicks in 400 meters! 6 lengths! 5 and a half!" The race commentator exclaimed, "Unbelievable! Duramente accelerated again, much faster this time!! Five lengths! Four! Three! Duramente started speeding up! Can she catch up to Kitasan Black?!"
Duramente's narrowed eyes glinted in red lightning as her acceleration has put her legs under so much stress that even she could start to feel its heaviness.
But she had to run.
She had to pass over Kitasan Black, who's now in her view.
'My legs are feeling tired… My breathing feels like it's on fire…' Kitasan thought to herself as she started to see the finish line up ahead, but on the edge of her eyesight, she saw the undermining domain from Duramente.
'I… I cannot let this happen! I will catch up to her and give Diamente-chan a proper rivalry when she challenges me again!' Kitasan Black furrowed her eyes before pushing her tired legs to do its final acceleration again.
"Duramente has started to catch up in 300 meters—WAIT, KITASAN BLACK HAS STARTED HER ACCELERATION AGAIN?!?!" The race commentator exclaimed, shocked by what she's seeing right now.
This baffled almost everyone in the stadium before the cheers started rumbling again.
'I won't let you get away, Kitasan Black!!!' Duramente clicked her tongue before gritting her teeth as Duramente immediately caught up to Kitasan Black at just two-hundred meters.
"200 meters remaining and Duramente has caught up! Duramente has caught up!! Will Kitasan let her pass or not?!?!"
The commentator further exclaimed, "EVERYTHING IS AT STAKE HERE! KITASAN BLACK AND DURAMENTE GOING NECK BY NECK! SATONO CROWN HAD CAUGHT UP TO SATONO RASEN AND REAL STEEL!"
'I'm so close, I won't concede here!!"' the two of them declared in their minds.
"GRAAAAAA!!!!"
"GYAAAAAA!!!!"
Both Kitasan Black and Duramente sped up at the 100-meter mark, with Duramente slowly passing over Kitasan Black.
"THERE'S ONLY 100 METERS REMAINING, DURAMENTE HAS PASSED OVER KITASAN BLACK! SHE HAS TAKEN THE LEAD!
"DURAMENTE IN FRONT! DURAMENTE IN FRONT! SHE'S SO FAST, SHE OVERTOOK KITASAN BLACK!"
Duramente's eyes widened upon a single feeling surging up from her legs, but—
Then… the wire at the finish line has already been passed over.
"DURAMENTE TAKES HER SECOND CROWN BY HALF A LENGTH! NO ONE CAN DENY HER ANNOUNCING THE NEW ERA!!!"
With the race commentator announced in exclamation, the cheers from the audience stand exploded.
"SO FAST! SHE'S SO FAST!" The commentator complimented, as the red LED scoreboard lit up.
2:22.7
And then, the all-familiar bright red kanji beside the recorded time.
WORLD RECORD.
Again. Another world record for Duramente.
Seeing the iconic red-lettered sign, the crowd cheered again as the commentator remarked, "2:22.7 seconds?!?! T-That's another world record for Duramente!!"
As the crowd continued cheering, Diamente can see Kitasan Black heaving heavily for air in all fours, while Duramente went to face the turf with her back while heaving for air as well.
"Kitasan Black is second by half a length, while Satono Crown is in third with a gap of 3 lengths from Kitasan Black, 4th by a neck is Real Steel, and fifth is Satono Rasen by a neck also. A really extraordinary race, and two new turf racing world records now placed under the Japanese flag!"
Meanwhile, Duramente immediately clutched her legs as if she's in pain. With Kitasan Black and others being ahead of her with their backs facing towards her, no one noticed it except for Diamente and others who were at the audience stand.
"TEIO-KAICHOU, BRING THE MEDIC TO DURAMENTE NOW!" Diamente shouted with eyes so terrified that it made others terrified as well.
Immediately, both Air Groove and Tokai Teio stormed off from their positions and made their way down the stairs, while Trainer Toujou, Trainer Okino, Diamente, and McQueen followed.
"Eh? What's happening?" The race commentator moved forward from her seat towards the window to look at what's happening in panic.
"There's medical personnel approaching to check the current condition of our racers, please wait for further information," the race commentator then professionally simmered down the crowd.
The grandiose cheer of more than 190,000 people all turned to silence as multiple umamusume wearing red safety caps and neon vests approached the turf track with stretchers and medical kits before a fence was opened by one of the racecourse staff for an ambulance to approach Duramente.
Kitasan Black, after trying to stand on her own, noticed the silencing of the crowd and heard an ambulance siren getting near their location.
She immediately looked behind her, only to see Duramente clutching her legs, where the left white shoes she was wearing had started staining red.
Seeing the pained look on Duramente horrified Kitasan to the point that her vision started to blur.
Before she could fall down though, a young brown-haired umamusume wearing a Tracen Elementary Division uniform, from the standpoint of the unknowing audience, stormed the turf track just fast enough for Kitasan Black to be caught before letting her down gently.
Today's Japanese Derby would later become headlines around the world, not just because of the world record that they had just gotten for Japan, but also because of the worst possible news that the Japanese populace will receive from the aftermath of this race.
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