As the race pressed on, the inevitable moment arrived.
Entering the mid-pack meant the first turn was approaching, and the Umamusume, including Morgan, grew tense. They all knew Kousei would launch her attack on the first turn, but they were baffled—how could she possibly make a move from such a disadvantaged position?
As expected, Kousei made her move. She plunged straight into the pack, relying on her exceptional cornering skills with reckless abandon. While Kousei was a master of the turns, the same couldn't be said for everyone else. Moreover, this track's turns were notoriously demanding, a world apart from the courses in the Eastern Lands.
The Eastern Lands' tracks were pure and straightforward, making the gap between talents relatively clear. Today's course, however, featured multiple turns and significant elevation changes, raising the difficulty and demanding a higher level of skill from the Umamusume.
The runners less adept at handling turns began to slow down, and Kousei seized the opportunity to weave through the gaps. On the turns, the only thing a runner could rely on was her own technique. Thanks to the turf's condition, the Umamusume had spread out to avoid risks, creating openings.
Amid the chaos, a flash of crimson soared forward, her breath and rhythm perfectly synchronized, like wings dancing in the sky. Her movements were as fluid as flowing water and moving clouds, a seamless, graceful dance across the green turf that left a trail of ethereal light in her wake.
Untouched by the mire, she broke free from the fray.
Her supple feet danced a solo performance, captivating the crowd and leaving them speechless with every jaw-dropping step.
The gasps of astonishment only served to highlight her transcendent skill.
"Those footwork!!!"
Her cornering technique had reached the pinnacle of mastery—this was the source of Kousei's unwavering confidence.
Exiting the turn, Kousei broke away with astonishing speed. She seemed to have no intention of lingering in the mid-pack, charging straight for the lead group.
"You think I'll let you escape that easily?!"
In an instant, a black curtain descended before Kousei. Morgan suddenly appeared, blocking Kousei's path forward.
Though her cornering might not match Kousei's, Morgan was no slouch either—at most, she just lacked Kousei's breathtaking flair. But in terms of acceleration, Morgan held a clear advantage, allowing her to seize the favorable position first.
"That girl is so fast!" Jamie exclaimed.
Kousei realized she couldn't escape and immediately shifted her focus, beginning to pressure Morgan. As Morgan was gradually squeezed toward the inside, Kousei sensed something was wrong—Morgan's movements made it difficult to apply pressure.
"You're not the first to try to overpower me."
Naturally, a runner of Morgan's caliber had her own ways of handling physical contests; otherwise, she would never have become a world-class competitor. With a sudden, powerful shrug, Morgan sent Kousei reeling back.
"This is payback!"
Morgan's feet slammed into the ground, channeling the earth's powerful rebound through her body. The energy exploding from her calves surged through her entire frame. Like a killer drawing a dagger, the blade's suffocating gleam flashed, momentarily blinding the eye. By the time vision cleared, Morgan had already pulled two horse lengths ahead, her relentless pursuit aimed at reclaiming her favored position.
I'll build my foundation in this turn.
Morgan reached the second turn. If she could navigate it safely, she was confident she could secure a strong position before the next one. All she needed was to maintain her momentum, conserve stamina before the final straight, and with her powerful final leg, defeat was impossible.
If only that troublemaker behind me wasn't here.
"Annoying!"
Morgan felt an undisguised hostility from behind, a raw desire spreading like wildfire. This hunger she had ignited was the primal impulse of appetite itself.
They faced off once more.
Kousei's state was completely different. She had shed her initial grace, now cloaked in the guise of a beast, sinking her teeth into her opponent. In this one-on-one duel, free from the constraints of the pack, she transformed—her acceleration fiercer, her power greater, her wildness the key to victory.
Morgan focused with absolute intensity. To catch up to her when she was running seriously—that kind of speed demanded her full vigilance.
It's not just her form that's changed—her very soul has transformed.
This wasn't Morgan's first encounter with Wildness. The European continent was vast, teeming with countless powerful Umamusume, and many of them possessed the same trait.
Yet Morgan had never understood what truly drove this quality.
Show me. What is Wildness? What is instinct?
A thrill ignited within Morgan. As a killer, she had never hunted a beast before. Charging into the turn, she prepared to make her move, but Kousei had already sealed off her side, leaving no room to maneuver. Forced to navigate the turn in such a tight space, Morgan had to be exceedingly cautious, and caution always came at a cost.
Pinned down, Morgan and Kousei exited the turn at roughly the same time, but Morgan's inferior position had cost her more stamina.
I need to shake her off first.
That was Morgan's plan, but having been caught once, Kousei wasn't about to let her escape so easily. Morgan lacked Jade's agility, and the difference in their leg strength made it difficult for her to cope.
Morgan tried to repeat her earlier trick, but this time, Kousei didn't get thrown off. Kousei's entire focus was now on the physical contest. In her Wildness state, her Power had intensified, rendering Morgan's clever tactics useless. Besides, Kousei was just as skilled in the very techniques Morgan employed.
Sensing the unfavorable situation, Morgan planned to fall back momentarily and circle around Kousei from the outside. But the moment she moved, Kousei moved with her, as if she had read her mind.
Morgan tried several more times, each with the same result.
It's not prediction. It's reaction.
Kousei was using a "strike second, strike first" strategy: pinning her opponent down, dragging them into her preferred domain, and then slowly wearing them down. Morgan was now fully caught in Kousei's close-quarters battle. The two clashed repeatedly on the track, gradually closing in on the lead group. Blocked from the front and side, Morgan's room to maneuver shrank with every stride.
The elusive killer seemed to be trapped in a desperate situation.
"This looks bad. Morgan has nowhere to run."
The crowd buzzed with discussion. The tables had turned, and now it was Morgan who was at a disadvantage. Ever since the first turn, she had been consistently suppressed by Kousei.
A roar of cheers erupted from the stands, a unified chant for Kousei. By overpowering a Senior League Umamusume like Morgan, she was bringing immense glory to the NAU.
"Morgan doesn't seem so special after all."
Whispers spread through the audience. Morgan's performance was underwhelming; the legendary killer Umamusume seemed to be nothing more than a name.
But how could a legend be built on an empty reputation? Without true skill, how could one earn such renown?
"Heheheh—"
Morgan showed no hint of panic. Instead, she began to cackle.
Her entire aura shifted, and the surrounding Umamusume shuddered as a bone-deep chill pierced their lungs.
The cold was absolute. A disturbing smile spread across her face, as if she weren't the one cornered. Her eyes darkened to an inky black—a void so empty it sent shivers down the spine.
Twisted malice surged within her. Morgan was no longer Morgan.
[Killer Instinct]
The true killer had emerged.