Honestly, practical demonstrations were exactly what Garden Gale had hoped for.
Yes, sure…she was about to showcase her final spurt in front of the entire class—utterly nerve-wracking for her social anxiety. But even a public performance was infinitely better than mumbling incoherently through some theoretical question. If she really stood frozen like a deer in headlights, unable to respond, how would her classmates look at her then? Would the label of "prodigy" she wore crumble away? Would they silently judge her incompetence?
One option was bad.
The other was far worse.
She didn't choose to act arrogant or speak in grandiose lines on purpose. She honestly hated it; every boastful word she uttered made her skin crawl. That time when she called Narita Top Road "kid"? Her toes had curled so hard she nearly drilled through her shoes.
But she had no choice.
The momentum always carried her forward, never leaving her a chance to be the "good kid."
...
They soon arrived at the bustling public training track.
A whole class of Umamusume suddenly appearing naturally attracted attention. Several nearby students glanced their way—including Narita Top Road, Garden Gale's former rival, who immediately spotted her at the back of the group.
Birds of a feather, huh? Stand users attract each other or something?
Narita Top Road always trained tirelessly.
Of course, she did—she was determined to answer everyone's expectations and become a true protagonist.
Next to her stood Garden Gale's future opponent, another immediately recognizable figure—
Admire Vega, with those distant violet eyes, like twin stars shining from a cold sky.
Narita Top Road turned to her suddenly.
"Feeling confident?" she asked with a teasing smile. "I heard Garden Gale is joining the Wakagoma Stakes. Think you can beat her? If you're aiming to overcome an opponent like that, I'd recommend starting some serious training right now."
Admire Vega glanced at her briefly, silent as always.
Understanding her friend's personality, Narita simply shrugged and laughed it off. They'd known each other long enough—silence was practically Vega's default setting, after all.
She turned back toward her own training.
No matter who stood before her—Admire Vega or Garden Gale—they were simply rivals to overcome. She had expectations to fulfill, dreams to realize, a heart set on fighting and winning through sheer grit.
Just as she began to move, though, she heard a soft voice behind her.
"I'll defeat everyone in my way—whether it's you or Garden Gale," Admire Vega said quietly, determination filling those calm eyes. "I'll fight alone, and I'll win."
She clenched her fist tightly.
That brilliant, distant star—
I swore to you once, even if I stand alone, I'll show you victory.
Everyone had a reason they couldn't afford to lose—but the world of racing was always cruel, never gentle.
Narita Top Road, seeing Vega's unusual intensity, laughed again and gently patted her shoulder.
"That's the spirit! Once I'm through my next debut race, feel free to challenge me all you want. But you'd better train seriously—or you'll never beat me."
Little did she know that something utterly astonishing was about to unfold.
...
"Well then, regarding this final spurt—"
The lecturer clapped sharply, drawing all eyes toward herself.
"Garden Gale-san, you can choose how to demonstrate. Either you run a standard 2000-meter first to simulate fatigue before your spurt, or simply show us your raw explosive power. Show us that 'strongest' final sprint you mentioned."
All eyes turned to Garden Gale again.
A subtle, confident smile curved across Garden Gale's lips, an arrogant gleam flashing in her eyes. "It doesn't matter to me—so let's keep it simple. I'll just show you a pure burst of speed."
Her casual tone implied the message loud and clear: One quick run, and you'll see exactly how good I am.
Why was she being so cocky?
Even the lecturer found herself a bit baffled. Was it just the confidence boost from winning her debut race? She'd seen Garden Gale's performance; sure, she had clever positioning on the final curve, cutting inside early—but her final spurt wasn't particularly impressive. It had been a good tactical decision, not a display of exceptional speed.
Sure, she had solid instincts—but where was this overwhelming confidence coming from?
The lecturer sighed inwardly. Well, if Garden Gale wanted to show off, fine. But just in case the girl embarrassed herself, she mentally prepared some comforting words to soften the blow afterward. No grudges, no bitterness—she just wanted Garden Gale to learn something valuable from this lesson, and improve.
In moments, a colorful line of Umamusume formed along the trackside, clearly marking off 400 meters of straightaway—typical final-spurt distance.
They watched curiously, anticipating Garden Gale's performance. This proud, haughty girl, who'd claimed to be unmatched—how fast could she truly run?
Meanwhile, Garden Gale stood motionless at the starting line, face utterly expressionless.
Breathe, breathe…
Please don't let my knees buckle now! Garden Gale, hold yourself together! Absolutely no collapsing like a spineless jellyfish. Keep your nerve, hold tight. Panic would only make this so, so much worse!
Deep breaths. Calm down. Nothing to be scared of—right?
Gathering her scattered thoughts, she quickly assessed her situation.
A short burst was ideal for her right now, anyway.
She had recently learned [Turbo Sprint], the short-distance technique from Curren Chan—perfect for quick bursts. But she also knew her final spurt was fundamentally weak. The lecturer's doubts weren't wrong; Garden Gale's speed at the end was far from perfected. Even her previous success, like the [Sky-High Teio Step], had come through instinct rather than skill.
Yet now…
Failure meant humiliation.
Failure meant social death.
And that was the one thing she'd do anything to avoid.
Garden Gale's gaze sharpened, steeling herself for what came next.
I'll play this card!
[Color Change Count]: 1 (Road to Glory · Iron Will)
Activate!
---
T/N: OH! SHIT! okay this is a better cliffhanger but should i cliff it here or last chapter... hmmmm ill cliff it last chapter then make this a cliff also NMAUIHAUHUAHAUHA
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