The setting sun dyed the training slope behind Tracen Academy in a shade of reddish gold, but at this moment, the silver figure in the center of the path emitted a radiance even more dazzling than the sunset.
Silver Charm kept her eyes tightly shut, immersing her entire being into a state of running that discarded vision and relied purely on perception.
She no longer "thought", she "felt."
She felt the trajectory of wind blades slicing past her ears, the subtle shifts in the soil particles beneath her feet, and the perfect synchronization of her heartbeat and muscle contractions.
However, this was not enough.
Simply evading Myriad Dreams' [A Dream of a Thousand Layers!] felt like mere passive defense to her.
What she wanted was a total victory, an undisputed crushing of her opponent!
The humiliation of being left behind by six lengths on the Kentucky Derby track had to be washed away with absolute dominance!
"Just running with my eyes closed... isn't enough... not nearly enough!"
An intense willpower erupted from the depths of her heart, a mixture of frustration, pride, and the purest hunger for victory.
It surged through her body like a volcanic eruption.
Woom!
A low hum seemed to resonate from within her.
Then, something extraordinary happened— her long silver hair began to flutter without a breeze, and threads of silver light permeated from her pores as if they were alive, flowing and gathering across the surface of her body!
Her aura shifted abruptly. She was no longer a pursuer anxious over failure, but a sharp blade carrying a piercing edge that could cut through all confusion and penetrate all illusions!
On the top of the slope, the face of Citation, which had remained as still as a statue's, finally showed a clear sign of emotion.
Her sharp eyes widened slightly as she stared intently at Silver Charm, who was now enveloped in a silver glow.
She murmured to herself, her tone carrying a hint of imperceptible relief and admiration:
"Is this... an evolution of the Zone? As expected, only a truly powerful opponent and the pressure of a desperate situation can act as the best catalyst to break boundaries and trigger a transformation!"
The moment Citation finished her sentence, Silver Charm snapped her eyes open!
Her pupils were no longer their usual self, they had transformed into two brilliant silver vortexes, as if containing the trajectories of revolving stars.
The silver radiance flowing around her suddenly retracted and condensed, finally forming a blurred yet oppressive phantom behind her.
A silver trail resembling a meteor streaking across the night sky!
"Haah—!"
With a sharp cry, she exerted her power and began to run again!
This time, she did not close her eyes.
But her speed, her power, and the decisive, unstoppable momentum of every step she took made her look like a completely different person!
Her running posture carried a will of "absolute linearity," as if any distortion or illusion cast upon her perception would be forcibly pierced and shredded by this pure, sharp willpower!
This was no longer the simple [Silver Meteor] Zone.
It was a brand-new power born from her shattered and rebuilt conviction, specifically designed to counter illusions and interference.
Its name: [Silver Radiance: True Trajectory]!
She sprinted around the slope, and wherever she passed, the air seemed to become solid and stable.
Any illusory fluctuations appeared fragile and pathetic within the range of her silver glow.
Citation watched Silver Charm complete a lap at an incredible speed.
Sensing the aura of a Zone that was fundamentally different from before, she nodded slowly.
"Very good... at this rate, the outcome of the Preakness Stakes might truly be rewritten."
Silver Charm gradually slowed to a stop.
The silver glow around her body receded, but the confidence and fighting spirit burning within her silver-vortex eyes were more intense than ever before.
She looked toward the main training grounds of Tracen Academy, as if she could pierce through the barriers of space to see that blue figure.
"Myriad Dreams..."
She whispered the name, a sharp arc curling at the corner of her mouth.
"Just you wait. Next time, it's your turn to watch my back!"