I've messed up.
"From a very young age, I knew I was different from others. I was born with a mission, and the Forbidden Gate seemed within my reach.
When Grandmother brought me back to the Main Clan from the Branch Clan, I learned the true nature of my mission.
I didn't resent it, though I often missed my companions from the Branch Clan. Here, however, I had Ryan and Palmer to keep me company. I never met my dad; Grandmother told me he had gone far away. Before leaving, he said he hoped to see me win the Spring Tenno Sho as an Umamusume.
I don't blame him for leaving without saying goodbye. I just want to know: if I win the Spring Tenno Sho, will he see it?
Day after day, I trained tirelessly, never once slacking. As a member of an elite family, I was expected to excel in every aspect.
Yet the more I pushed myself, the more I felt like I was wading through mud. My body began to break down, forcing me to abandon my original plans.
My grandmother urged me to rest and recover, but when I looked around, I realized my world had already changed irrevocably.
I tried to reconnect with my old "friends," but I realized we had grown too different.
Two completely contrasting gazes now fell upon me: the impoverished looked at me with timidity, while the wealthy regarded me with disdain.
Without talent, I earned no recognition, and both groups rejected my presence.
For a time, I sank into deep despair. My training yielded minimal results, and I felt utterly lost. It was during this period that I met that girl.
A genius ostracized for her talent—Tokai Teio, the Emperor of the Eastern Seas.
Smiling, she extended her hand and shared her story. I was astonished by her arrogance, her unwavering claim to being the strongest. Even though this arrogance left her isolated, she radiated a dazzling brilliance.
I couldn't fully grasp her mindset, but spending time with her brought me comfort. She was the hand that grasped mine in the darkness.
My mind quieted, and my training gradually returned to its normal rhythm. Just as she had predicted, Tokai Teio rode the momentum of the Juvenile Stakes and rapidly rose to prominence.
Those who had ostracized her knew better than anyone that she was a true genius. Her arrogance stemmed from absolute confidence in her own abilities.
I tried to get closer to her, and before I knew it, we were being called the "Twins."
Later, I met Kousei.
She was an Umamusume tormented by her own talent, unlike Teio. She struggled even to finish her Debut Race, and I'd heard countless rumors about her.
Almost everyone urged her to give up. She had no friends, no Trainer, no locker room, and no one to cheer for her.
Just like me. Just like Teio.
As I watched her, an unusual emotion stirred within me.
I knew she had been living on bread.
One afternoon, I took a carefully prepared bento box and staged a chance encounter.
At the time, I simply wanted to talk to her.
But during a later training race, she unexpectedly challenged me. Everyone laughed, but I saw the fire in her eyes—she was genuinely determined to defeat me.
"Very well, I accept your challenge."
Compelled by some inexplicable impulse, I accepted. I unleashed my full power and completely crushed her.
At the finish line, I stared at her. There was no regret, only a burning desire. The gears of fate began to turn, and I made a decision in my heart.
I wanted this person to become my rival.
By drawing closer to Teio, I grew stronger. By drawing closer to Kousei, I... what did I gain?
We raced together, challenging the Classic Triple Crown.
I loved being with Kousei. Every race we shared made me stronger. But later, we parted ways. Like Teio, Kousei's races no longer intertwined with mine.
I can't quite describe how I felt, but we had forged such a strong bond that I was genuinely happy to see her win.
Still, something seemed to be wrong with me. I felt constrained, gradually losing my judgment in races, and slowly becoming... mediocre.
For some reason, McQueen suddenly recalled some long-forgotten memories. These were memories she had never shared with anyone before, yet they now flashed vividly through her mind.
The "mediocrity" McQueen referred to wasn't literal mediocrity. She remained powerful, but she had ceased to be exceptional.
Years later, when people spoke of Mejiro McQueen, they would only say, "Mejiro McQueen... I remember her as a formidable racer."
And so, the story ends there. The long-cherished dream of glorifying the Mejiro name would vanish without a trace, extinguished by a single dismissive remark.
"I kept telling myself it was just a temporary setback, that everyone hits a plateau eventually. Air Groove Senpai told me I needed to find my own unique style, so I tried to emulate Kousei, challenging myself and yearning for a breakthrough. But reality proved I couldn't do it."
"Forcing yourself to suffer hardly counts as breaking through and rebuilding."
Kousei's voice echoed from within the Forbidden Gate.
"No wonder you've been acting so strangely lately. You've been agonizing over this."
"What do you mean 'agonizing over this'? Mejiro Glory is my only desire."
"So, you think you'll fail, don't you? Your clash with Air Groove Senpai made you realize you might never achieve your dream."
McQueen fell silent for a long moment. "If my talent can't fulfill my heart's desire, I don't know what I have left."
"Exactly, McQueen. You have nothing but your talent."
"Huh?" McQueen looked genuinely surprised.
"You're truly arrogant, aren't you? 'Destroy to rebuild'—how beautifully you put it. But what are you seeking through these clumsy imitations? Resonance? Even if I were a mediocre talent, even if I were your dearest friend, I would never approve of this."
"What?"
"Stop acting like a mediocre talent! You may have nothing but talent, but you're Mejiro McQueen! Look back at yourself!"
McQueen whipped around. Kousei stood dozens of meters away, her expression a mix of anger and worry. Leo Durban, Dicta Striker, Twin Turbo, Urara, and others were scattered across the field. Before her stood Tokai Teio.
Teio smiled at McQueen and shrugged. "As much as I hate to admit it, it's true."
Mejiro McQueen suddenly realized: I don't need to be like this.
No wonder Kousei was so furious. This was an insult to their friendship.
"I've truly been rude."
The gale still raged across the arena, completely engulfing the elite horse. The Empress's figure soared ahead, drawing all eyes.
Listen closely.
Where is that thunder coming from?
Faint flashes of lightning flickered through the haze.
Everything, unspoken, declared the same truth: the thunder had not ceased.
"Yes, I have nothing but talent. But so what?"
Neither Kousei nor Teio—McQueen was simply McQueen.
"I am Mejiro McQueen, the one who crushes all with talent. Watch closely and see what the Mejiro Family truly is!"
Transforming into three thousand bolts of lightning, summoning the heavenly tribulation.
Going Beyond The Heavens