Chapter 87: Let Me See Where Your Limits Lie!
Daiwa Scarlet's sudden acceleration sent a jolt through Kitasan Black's heart.
In that instant she realized: while her own performance had impressed her senpai, that very display had only made Daiwa Scarlet take the race even more seriously.
Or rather—it wasn't that Daiwa Scarlet had relaxed before. From the very start, despite this being only a training race, she had been giving one hundred percent.
What Daiwa Scarlet was showing now was exactly what a front runner needed when being chased: a burst of speed to hold the lead.
Kitasan Black was very familiar with this method of acceleration. She had learned it directly from Daiwa Scarlet's guidance in training, and she had already applied it herself a few times in races.
But compared to her, Daiwa Scarlet's application of the technique was far more polished.
In the blink of an eye, Daiwa Scarlet had broken free of the neck-and-neck struggle and reclaimed the lead.
And not just Daiwa Scarlet—the other senpai too.
From her left rear came the sharp strides of Vodka and Special Week. With the leading front runner increasing her pace, the two of them also raised their speed.
But their timing was clever: not a reckless sprint, just a natural acceleration down the straight after the turn.
That kind of boost didn't cost too much stamina, while ensuring they didn't fall too far behind.
From the very back came the steady, deliberate footfalls of Gold Ship.
She had been running at an unwavering pace since the start, every step full of composed confidence, as if everything was within her grasp.
'As expected of senpai… thinking of beating them right now really is too much…'
Kitasan Black sighed inwardly for just a moment—before her gaze turned firm again.
'But it's exactly because of that… that I have to give my all and win this race!'
Because—
'My dream is to become a racer as outstanding and dazzling as my senpai!'
She drew in a deep breath, easing the strain from her earlier sprint, and reset her breathing rhythm, stride length, and pace. Her eyes locked firmly on Daiwa Scarlet ahead.
She no longer needed to worry about her positioning; running near the front was also her specialty.
From here on, the race would be just like an official competition: a trial of stamina, speed, and willpower.
And she had trained for these very trials countless times. Even if her opponents were powerful senpai, she would never surrender so easily.
From the commentary booth, Tokai Teio's voice rang out again.
"The situation has become very tight! After Kitasan Black's burst of acceleration, Daiwa Scarlet immediately answered back, reclaiming the lead in the blink of an eye!"
"Kitasan Black hasn't backed down in the face of her senpai's acceleration—she's holding an extremely high speed, staying locked right on Daiwa Scarlet's tail!"
"Vodka and Special Week are right behind them, clearly lying in wait!"
"And Gold Ship is conserving energy at the rear—without too many clashes so far, her stamina should be abundant. We can expect a ferocious late charge from her!"
Mejiro McQueen picked up smoothly:
"The pack is now racing at high speed past the grandstand straightaway. Their positions are very stable. The true key to this race may very well lie in the final straight sprint."
Standing beside the two student council members on commentary duty, Makoto's gaze shifted between the track and the drone footage on the big screen.
He nodded slightly to himself.
When he'd seen the early situation, he had worried Kitasan Black might remain pinned down all the way.
But looking at her now, she was proving far sharper than he'd expected.
Sharper, in fact, than anything she had shown him in training.
The Classic series runners had mostly debuted last year. Very few, like Kitasan Black, had stepped onto this stage so soon after debut.
This meant that in the next three races, even if her opponents had more runs under their belts, compared to Daiwa Scarlet and Vodka, their level of experience was still limited.
Those top-tier Umamusume who had fought through countless graded stakes and even G1s were used to clashing right out of the gate.
For them, the opening skirmishes were nothing more than fundamentals.
And yet, for Kitasan Black, just keeping up with those "fundamentals" already demanded her full effort. From that perspective, it wasn't hard to imagine that she might often end up running passively behind.
But in this situation, she had still found the resolve to strike back—and had even succeeded for a moment.
In a sense, Makoto was already quite satisfied with her outstanding display.
At the same time, he couldn't help but look forward, wondering just how brightly Kitasan Black could shine when pressed by the older Uma who's more experienced than her.
On the track, Daiwa Scarlet felt a flicker of surprise at the black-haired girl's unyielding pursuit.
It was true that she had retired long ago—but the instincts of an Umamusume never faded. Even over the years, she had never neglected her own training, always setting aside time every day to hone herself.
Combined with her wealth of racing experience, Scarlet was confident that even if this was only a training race, and even if she wasn't quite at her peak of old, her performance would hardly be lacking.
She knew Vodka and the others were the same.
And yet, for Kitasan Black to show such spirit and strength in a race of this intensity and difficulty—it was impossible not to look at her with newfound respect.
'In that case…'
'Come, Kita-chan! Show me where your limits lie!'
The instant she shouted this in her heart, her gaze locked on the entrance to the third corner. With a sudden burst of power, Daiwa Scarlet's strides tore across the track like a gale.
Kitasan Black's pupils tightened sharply at the surge.
As fellow front runners, even if she lacked her senpai's experience, her instincts told her clearly that Daiwa Scarlet's timing was leagues more precise than her own.
It was only after hearing the heavy, forceful pounding of hooves ahead that she realized—now was the time to accelerate in preparation for the final straight.
Only by doing so could she open enough of a gap before the decisive sprint.
'So it's true… I still have so much to learn. But–'
'The race isn't over yet!'
'I won't give in!'
Without the slightest trace of hesitation, her eyes burned with resolve. Her strong legs hammered the ground like war drums, driving her forward. Like a black storm, she surged after Daiwa Scarlet's blazing lead.
In an instant, the grandstands erupted—cheers and shouts colliding in waves. The race had become so fierce that everyone forgot this was supposed to be just a training match.
"Go, Kita-chan! Catch her!" Satono Crown leapt up from her seat, waving her arms furiously, her voice piercing through the din.
"Come on, Kita-chan! You can do it!" Satono Diamond clenched her fists tight, eyes locked on the track, as if she herself were running alongside her friend.
At the very front row, though she said nothing, Duramente pressed herself against the rail, leaning forward, eyes fixed without blinking on the black figure in second place. The faint glow in her gaze betrayed her excitement.
Compared to those who knew Kitasan Black well, the rest of the audience naturally had their eyes on the more famous Daiwa Scarlet and the other senpai.
"Daiwa Scarlet-senpai! Don't let her catch you!"
"The final straight is coming soon—Vodka-senpai, are you still waiting for your chance—?"
"C'mon Week-senpai!"
"Gold Ship-senpai hasn't moved yet? She's not pulling one of her tricks again, is she? —No, no—if it's Gold Ship, she'll win for sure!"
And as if in answer to those cheers, on the track, the other three Umamusume finally sprang into action—joining Daiwa Scarlet and Kitasan Black in their furious charge.
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