The wind howled past Almond Eye's ears, but she heard none of it. All she could see was the finish line beyond the turn ahead.
Her breathing grew faster and faster, her chest rising and falling violently. Every inhale felt as if she were gathering strength for the next burst.
Sweat slid down her cheeks and dripped onto the turf, but it could not slow her steps in the slightest.
As she accelerated, she silently analyzed her opponents' positions.
She keenly noticed that one opponent on the inside was slightly ahead, but her stamina had clearly begun to drop. Her steps were turning heavy, and her breathing had fallen out of rhythm.
Another runner was close behind, slightly ahead on the outside as she tried to seize a chance to overtake the opponent in front of her, but there was a trace of exhaustion in her eyes.
The corners of Almond Eye's mouth lifted slightly, revealing a confident smile.
She saw her chance and suddenly drove hard toward the outside lane. With her excellent cornering technique, she shot forward like a streak of black lightning, swiftly overtaking the two participants beside her.
Her acceleration caught the surrounding opponents completely off guard. They all tried to block her, but could only watch helplessly as Almond Eye slipped past them like a phantom.
Grass Wonder and El Condor Pasa, who were in charge of the commentary, noticed the change in Almond Eye. In a rare show of surprise, Grass Wonder said,
"The race has reached the final turn. It is a little early, but..."
"Almond Eye has begun to accelerate!"
Her voice spread across the entire racecourse through the broadcast, full of surprise and delight, as if announcing the opening of a brilliant show to every spectator.
El Condor Pasa's surprise was even more obvious, her voice trembling slightly with excitement.
"What incredible speed... Amazing! Go, Almond Eye!"
El Condor Pasa's eyes were fixed on Almond Eye as she flew down the course like lightning, her gaze full of admiration and praise. At that moment, she was completely immersed in this fierce race, cheering Almond Eye's outstanding performance with pure delight.
The stands instantly erupted. The lower-year Umamusume jumped up excitedly, eyes wide as they followed Almond Eye's figure. The upper-year Umamusume were just as astonished, surprise showing in their eyes. Meanwhile, the trainers began talking among themselves one after another, heatedly discussing Almond Eye's performance.
Beside the course, Lucky Lilac clenched her hands tightly, her nails nearly digging into her palms.
Her gaze had not left Almond Eye for even a moment, and she kept murmuring,
"Almond Eye, you can do it. Keep going!"
Though her voice was drowned out by the noisy cheers, that sincere hope and encouragement seemed able to cross the uproar and reach Almond Eye on the course.
On the track, Almond Eye paid no attention to the cheers and discussion around her. All of her focus was fixed on the finish line ahead.
Her breathing was rapid and powerful. Every inhale felt as if she were drawing all the surrounding air into her lungs, supplying her body with an endless stream of energy.
Sweat had soaked through her clothes and was sliding down her cheeks and neck, but she was completely unaware of it.
All she knew was that she was getting closer and closer to the finish line, and the light of victory was shining just ahead.
At the front, Sayakachan sensed the change in the situation behind her, and her heart tightened.
She looked back, just in time to see Almond Eye overtaking opponent after opponent as if nothing could stop her.
A trace of panic flashed through her eyes, but she quickly regained her composure.
"I absolutely can't let her pass me!"
Sayakachan gritted her teeth and used the last of her strength to accelerate.
Only then did she realize in shock that her stamina was already close to its limit. Her legs felt as heavy as if they had been filled with lead, and every step took tremendous effort.
Lily Noble also noticed Almond Eye's burst. A complicated look flashed through her eyes—surprise, admiration, but more than anything, unwillingness.
I won't lose to you, Almond Eye!
She shouted in her heart, increasing her own rhythm at the same time, charging forward alongside the surging Almond Eye with only the barest margin between them.
In an instant, the situation on the track changed completely.
Sayakachan's previously steady steps fell utterly into disorder. She was clearly losing speed, and every step she took looked incomparably heavy, as if her feet had been glued firmly to the earth.
Her eyes were full of exhaustion and unwillingness as she watched Almond Eye and Lily Noble shoot forward at the same time like arrows loosed from the string.
Almond Eye's figure was lithe and powerful, like a black whirlwind carrying unstoppable momentum. Lily Noble refused to be outdone, gritting her teeth as every muscle worked at full force, trying to match Almond Eye blow for blow.
At the same time, Cantabile quietly made her move from the inside. Like a nimble fish, she wove skillfully between the other participants and rapidly closed in on the front.
The field, whose pace had begun to slow as the participants gradually exhausted their stamina, was abruptly lifted by those three, as if injected with a powerful stimulant.
Grass Wonder and El Condor Pasa's voices came like rapid drumbeats, swiftly reporting the participants' movements.
Grass Wonder's speech quickened, her voice full of tension and excitement.
"Everyone! The race has entered its heated final stage!"
"Almond Eye and Lily Noble are side by side, locked in a fierce contest!"
"Cantabile is also breaking through powerfully from the inside and chasing with all her strength!"
"Sayakachan seems to be running out of strength, and her speed has clearly dropped."
"They have now passed the turn and entered the final straight. To the finish line..."
"Two hundred meters remain!"
El Condor Pasa immediately added, "This is incredible! These participants have all shown extraordinary ability and tenacious fighting spirit!"
"Almond Eye is still maintaining her astonishing sprint speed, while Lily Noble is gritting her teeth and trying to hold her position!"
"Cantabile's performance is just as eye-catching. Her clever positioning and sudden burst of speed have added even more uncertainty to this race!"
"Let's cheer them on together!"
The race entered its most heated stage, and the atmosphere across the entire venue was pushed to its peak. The spectators in the stands all rose to their feet, their eyes locked on the field as it charged ahead like a storm.
Cheers and shouts rose one after another. Cries of "Keep going!" and "Go!" echoed across the entire racecourse.
Feeling the whole venue boil over, Almond Eye also felt as if something inside her were about to burst open as she rushed forward like the wind.
She felt the wind slicing through her long hair. Sweat glittered crystal-bright in the sunlight, tracing shining arcs through the air as she raced on.
At that moment, she had already forgotten everything around her, immersing herself completely in this contest against herself and her opponents.
And at some point, whether it was an illusion or something else, she suddenly felt as if her whole body held inexhaustible strength. The more she ran, the faster she became. The more she ran, the lighter she felt.
Her legs seemed driven by some mysterious power. Every step covered an immense distance, striking the turf with a crisp, forceful sound.
Her breathing grew more and more rapid, but it was no longer the heavy panting of exhaustion. It was a rhythm filled with explosive power. Every inhale was like drawing in the energy of heaven and earth, and every exhale seemed to release burning fighting spirit.
The gazes that had been fixed on her, the figures that had been following close behind, had vanished at some point. Ahead of her, there was only the wind, the track, and the finish line.
Beyond her control, she kept shouting in her heart.
Not enough. Still not enough. Still not fast enough. I...
I can still go faster!
Her eyes grew even more determined, burning with a scorching light, as if she meant to burn a hole through the finish line itself.
At that moment, she sank even deeper into this all-or-nothing charge, unable to restrain the thrill she felt from every brush of wind against her skin, every rise and fall of the track beneath her feet.
Just as she pushed her speed to its absolute limit, Grass Wonder's voice came over the broadcast, so excited it was almost a scream.
"Across the line! The winner of this mock race is..."
"Almond Eye!"
That declaration struck Almond Eye like a heavy hammer, waking her from that nearly ethereal state.
She came back to herself in a daze, looking at the finish line she had already crossed, and for a moment, she was at a loss.
At the side of the venue, deafening cheers erupted at once, as if they would overturn the entire racecourse.
In the stands, the spectators stood one after another and applauded with all their might. Their faces were filled with excitement and exhilaration as they cheered for the brilliant sprint they had just witnessed.
Beside the course, Lucky Lilac was so excited that she jumped again and again, calling Almond Eye's name loudly while clapping with all her strength.
Kitasan Black leapt up in excitement too, waving her arms nonstop as she shouted, "I knew Almond-chan could do it!"
Yasui Makoto stood to the side, a gratified smile appearing on his face as he nodded slightly.
He knew very well that Almond Eye's performance in this race absolutely could not be called perfect, but it had already been enough.
More importantly, today's victory was not merely the victory of a single race. It was a solid step forward on this Umamusume's path as an Umamusume.
On the track, Almond Eye slowly came to a stop, her chest rising and falling violently as she gasped for breath.
Sweat had soaked her entire body, and her clothes clung tightly to her.
She looked around at the spectators cheering for her, at the opponents who had run just as hard, and after a long moment, an indescribable sense of accomplishment finally welled up in her heart.
"I... won..."
Lowering her head and looking at her palm, she slowly clenched it tight. Then she suddenly raised her head, lifted both arms high toward the stands, and cheered.
"I... won!"
---
T/N: woo! also idk if i mentioned but grass wondah and el condah isnt reallly shouting shouting like commentators and its just a mock race so i didnt capslocked them
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