Chapter 299: The More Pressure, the More Fired Up She Gets
When El Condor Pasa mentioned Almond Eye, it wasn't just the Umamusume on the track—spectators in the stands also took notice of her, beginning to ask about and comment on her.
In one corner of the stands, a group of lower-year Umamusume gathered together, chatting with bright, excited eyes.
One petite Umamusume asked curiously, "Almond Eye? Which one is she?"
Beside her, a companion with a high ponytail craned her neck to look while explaining, "She's the one running in the middle, around… seventh or eighth place."
"Oh, there—now she's in eighth, that's her."
"I saw her stamina test results this morning—they were really good. I didn't expect her to perform this well in the race too."
The petite Umamusume suddenly understood, her eyes filled with admiration. "Wow, she's amazing. I want to be like her someday."
Not far away, several upper-year Umamusume were also discussing her.
One senior wearing a cap adjusted its brim, her gaze appraising. "That Uma really has some skill. Her start was a bit slow, but she adjusted quickly. Being able to find her rhythm so fast in a race like this—she has a lot of potential."
The senior next to her, dressed in an elegant athletic outfit, nodded slightly and added, "According to El Condor Pasa, she knows how to observe the situation and choose her position. That kind of race awareness isn't something most beginners have."
At the front of the stands, a few trainer-like figures were also exchanging thoughts.
One slightly chubby trainer stroked his chin and said to a colleague beside him, "That girl really does have great potential. From what I see now, her pacing and positioning are both solid. More importantly, she's clear-headed—she knows how to play to her strengths on the track."
Another well-built trainer kept his eyes fixed on Almond Eye, admiration evident. "Exactly. Her sense of rhythm is good too. With proper training, her future is limitless."
Similar comments and praise could be heard around Kitasan Black and Makoto. Kitasan Black was genuinely happy for Almond Eye, while Makoto frowned briefly, looking somewhat helpless.
He actually understood very well that as a runner, El Condor Pasa was exceptionally outstanding—arguably among the very best in racing history.
But as a commentator, she—and even Grass Wonder—were essentially guest commentators, not truly professionals.
Because the Twinkle Series carries an idol-like aspect, commentary during races is meant to energize the crowd and doesn't deliberately avoid mentioning specific competitors.
However, they would never intentionally single out a runner as especially outstanding or particularly poor, and even their critiques were usually neutral. The live commentary generally avoided bias.
After all, no matter how focused the runners were, some remarks would inevitably reach their ears. If the commentary became biased, it could affect their performance.
Just like now—the praise just given was surely well-intentioned, but it would inevitably draw attention to Almond Eye, causing other candidates—consciously or unconsciously—to put pressure on her or even target her.
And he had already noticed this within the racing pack.
A few runners near Almond Eye now had a subtle change in their expressions. They began to gradually close in on her, their steps carrying a hint of probing and pressure.
Yet after that moment of helplessness, Makoto also felt a faint sense of anticipation.
This kind of attention, pressure, and targeting would be a bad thing for most Umamusume—it would disrupt their planned strategies and limit their on-the-spot performance.
But Almond Eye was different. She was a fiercely competitive Umamusume.
What she feared wasn't being targeted—if no one paid special attention to her, the race would lack excitement, and her fighting spirit would actually drop.
On the contrary, the more she was targeted, the more fired up she became.
Makoto's expectations were not without reason, but rooted in his observations and understanding of Almond Eye.
He knew very well that in terms of speed and finishing burst, Almond Eye displayed remarkable talent—faintly even surpassing that of Kitasan Black.
When Almond Eye went all out in a side-by-side sprint, every stride carried tremendous explosive power. In a short time, she could drastically close the distance between herself and Kitasan Black.
However, in terms of endurance, compared to the experienced Kitasan Black, Almond Eye was indeed somewhat lacking.
The longer the distance—whether in parallel runs or other training—the more apparent her stamina consumption became. Her breathing would gradually grow heavier, and the steadiness of her steps would begin to falter.
Many times, even before reaching half of Kitasan Black's usual training workload, Almond Eye would already show signs of fatigue.
But Almond Eye's willpower more than made up for this.
No matter how exhausted she became, as long as training hadn't been called off, she would grit her teeth and push through, never giving up.
And that perseverance came from her unyielding determination—the refusal to stop until she achieved her goal.
Because of this, Makoto firmly believed that the situation on the track—where Almond Eye was being targeted—might appear to be immense pressure, but in reality, it would become powerful fuel driving her forward.
The pressure imposed—whether intentional or not—by her opponents would, in Almond Eye's eyes, be nothing more than a source of motivation to push beyond her limits and create miracles.
He could almost foresee it: under the stimulation of this external force, Almond Eye would shine even more brilliantly, writing her own glorious chapter on the track.
On the racecourse, Almond Eye was like a keen cheetah. As she sped forward, she gradually became aware of the subtle changes around her.
Her sharp senses quickly picked up on the unusual behavior of her opponents.
In her perception, the runners who had once been scattered across the track were now, like a pack of wolves that had caught the scent of prey, gradually closing in on her—their steps carrying a clear sense of probing and pressure.
Sensing this, she slightly turned her head. Her gaze instantly sharpened like blazing beams, as if piercing through the air, sweeping rapidly across the approaching figures, examining their expressions and eyes one by one.
Some held a glint of jealousy in their eyes, others a trace of unwillingness and stubbornness. These complex emotions were like clear signals, confirming that she had become the focal point of everyone's attention.
In that fleeting instant, an uncontrollable surge of excitement rose from deep within Almond Eye like a roaring tide.
This excitement seemed almost alive, spreading rapidly through her entire body.
Where it passed, every cell was awakened, every nerve ignited.
Her breathing grew rapid and powerful—each inhale as if drawing in all the surrounding air, each exhale accompanied by a faint, low growl.
At the same time, her heart pounded violently in her chest, its powerful rhythm seeming ready to burst free, echoing with urgent, forceful thuds like war drums heralding the prelude to her counterattack.
"Perfect timing!"
With that low roar in her heart, a faint smile curling on her lips, her steps suddenly accelerated.
Like a rocket ignited, Almond Eye surged forward at full speed.
Her previously smooth, flowing rhythm instantly shifted into a fierce, storm-like intensity.
Her feet struck the turf with force, sending fragments of grass flying—like bold marks carved into the earth, proclaiming her relentless advance forward.