Chapter 295: A Late Start
In the afternoon, the sunlight had begun to grow a bit intense, pouring freely over every inch of Tracen Academy.
Almond Eye and Lucky Lilac had just finished their field tests. Their cheeks were slightly flushed from running, strands of hair clinging with sweat, yet their eyes were filled with determination and anticipation.
Because next, the mock races were about to begin—and Almond Eye's race would be the first.
Though it was called a "mock race," its scale and setup faintly resembled that of an official competition.
The venue for this race was the largest track in the academy.
With light yet slightly tense steps, Almond Eye arrived at the entrance. After confirming her number with a senpai in charge of guidance, she took a deep breath and slowly stepped onto the lush green turf.
Almost instinctively, she glanced toward the stands—and the sight made her pause for a moment.
The spectator seats were packed, mostly with Umamusume, and a smaller number who appeared to be trainers.
Judging from the uniforms worn by the Umamusume, they were all upperclassmen from the academy.
At that moment, a distinctive voice suddenly rang out over the broadcast—steady yet playful. Almond Eye recognized it instantly as the student council president, Tokai Teio.
"Now then, all participants in the 1400-meter turf mock race, please proceed to the starting gates."
Tokai Teio's voice echoed clearly across the entire track. Then she continued:
"As usual, let me introduce today's special guest stars—Grass Wonder, and El Condor Pasa!"
The moment her words fell, an overwhelming wave of excited cheers erupted both from the stands and around the field.
The cheers rose and fell like surging waves, sweeping across the entire venue.
Almond Eye couldn't help but feel her heart stir. She quickly turned her gaze to the large screen opposite the stands.
The display shifted rapidly—first showing a chestnut-haired Umamusume with a white diamond-shaped forelock, then another chestnut-haired Umamusume wearing an eyepatch.
As her gaze moved from the screen downward, Almond Eye felt an indescribable surge of excitement—because those two legendary senpai were right there, seated in person, smiling and waving at the juniors.
Grass Wonder-senpai's gentle smile seemed to tell stories of past glorious races, while El Condor Pasa-senpai carried a hint of mystery—her eyepatch-covered gaze seeming to hold boundless experience.
Seeing all this, Almond Eye's heartbeat suddenly quickened.
This mock race was grander than any race she had ever run before— no, more grand than any event she had ever participated in.
Not only was it larger in scale, but it was also a stage to showcase herself in front of numerous senpai and legendary guests.
She clenched her fists, her nails nearly digging into her palms, and unconsciously scanned her surroundings.
The other runners were also making their final preparations, their eyes shining with the same mix of tension and anticipation.
Almond Eye took a deep breath, adjusted her state of mind, and walked toward the starting gates. Each step was firm and powerful, as if measuring the distance between herself and her dreams.
Stepping into the gate, Almond Eye glanced to both sides.
On her left was a long black-haired Umamusume with a cold expression, her gaze fixed intently forward.
On her right stood a short silver-gray-haired runner, loosening her wrists and ankles for a final warm-up.
Almond Eye didn't recognize either of them, and couldn't help but wonder:
"So… where are Lily Noble and the others? Hmm… I was so focused on the track earlier that I forgot to check their numbers and remember their faces."
She felt a slight pang of regret, her brows knitting briefly—but soon her confidence returned.
In this race, she had fortunately drawn a middle gate position.
If she remembered correctly, Makoto had said that for a 1400-meter race, this kind of starting position was very advantageous.
The opponents she had been paying attention to earlier were either on the inside or the outside lanes, which meant she already had a slight advantage right from the start.
But then she quickly remembered something Makoto had said—and something Kitasan Black had also emphasized: with her personality and abilities, it would be best not to forcefully fight for the lead right out of the gate. Running a Pace Chaser running style would suit her better.
So she should make use of her starting position advantage to secure a more favorable spot early on.
"That should be it… sigh~ if only I could've talked with my trainer and senpai before the race." She sighed inwardly, filled with a sense of regret.
"They should be watching from the stands right now, right?"
Thinking that, she couldn't help but glance toward the audience, eagerly searching the crowd for Makoto and Kitasan Black.
Just then, Tokai Teio's slightly excited voice rang out over the broadcast:
"Now then, for the freshman evaluation mock race—1400 meters on turf… Start!"
The stands instantly erupted into cheers. The Umamusume spectators all stood up, waving flags and ribbons, cheering on the freshmen on the track.
Their faces were filled with excitement and anticipation, their eyes following the runners as if seeing their own past selves.
"Crap—!"
Instead of being uplifted by the lively atmosphere, Almond Eye felt a jolt of alarm and instinctively dashed out of the suddenly opened gate.
In that instant, the wind howled past her ears. Her blood seemed to boil, her muscles tightened, and every step was filled with power.
The runners beside her also shot forward like arrows released from a bow, their hooves pounding against the turf with heavy, forceful sounds.
Sensing all this, she grew even more anxious.
Because she had been distracted… she started late!
At the same time, a gentle voice came through the broadcast:
"Now then, I'll be providing live commentary for this race—this is Grass Wonder."
"Most of the runners had a smooth start. One of them—Almond Eye—was a step slow out of the gate."
"She looks a bit anxious, likely caught in the common early-race nerves. I hope she can calm down, and let this serve as a lesson for everyone as well."
"Currently in the lead is… Sayaka, running at the front with a two-length advantage.
"Close behind is Soft Melody, who isn't pushing too hard… Oh, another runner is catching up."
"It's Lily Noble, she's closing in on Sayaka."
"Right from the start, the race is already heating up. This year's students have great momentum."
As soon as Grass Wonder's gentle commentary ended, an energetic voice immediately followed:
"Hey hey~ it's El Condor Pasa here~ Now for my analysis!"
"A 1400-meter race like this—short distance—needs speed and power! Just like wrestling—hey! ha!—the winner can be decided in an instant!"
"In an official race, this distance usually finishes in about 1 minute 20 seconds, but you all don't need to use that as a strict benchmark."
"I'm bringing up official races to remind both runners and spectators—short distances are all about the speed and strength I mentioned earlier!"
"One slow step could turn into being slow every step after that~"
"Let's go, everyone—push forward!"