Clang!
The metallic sound of the starting gates bursting open rang sharply beside her ears, and the narrow view before Kitasan Black instantly expanded to a boundless, open world.
Her heart hammered like thunder inside her chest. The horseshoes embedded in her shoes sank deeply into lush green turf.
Every muscle in her body tightened, honed like tempered steel cables. In that instant, Kitasan's pupils narrowed sharply—and she launched forward.
Wind surged past her ears. She felt limitless power flooding through her calves, wrapped snugly in black stockings, propelling her forward like a javelin hurled with unstoppable force.
On either side of her vision, fourteen streamlined silhouettes burst forward like hunting leopards, equally astonishing in their initial acceleration.
"What incredible acceleration at the start!" the commentator's voice trembled with excitement. "All Uma Musume have made excellent starts!"
"First to surge ahead is number 4, Azulita! She's incredibly fast! Excellent positioning!"
"To her inside are number 2, Duramente, and number 3, Spiral Heart—they've neatly entered positions around the first lane, already overtaking two rivals!"
"Now Azulita is competing with number 1, Bright Emblem…and the result is clear! Azulita maintains her lead with remarkable positioning—but wait!"
"Here comes Kitasan Black! Number 7, Kitasan Black, is making her move!"
"In an instant, she breaks away from number 5, Cheval Grand, and rushes straight for Azulita! She overtakes! She's taken the lead in a flash!"
"Kitasan Black now leads—but on the outside comes… number 14, Clear Sky!"
"Clear Sky is gaining ground rapidly! She's surged forward from the sixth or seventh lane directly into the second or third lane, tailing right behind Kitasan Black!"
"Kitasan Black remains in the lead—but with Azulita pressing hard from the inside and Clear Sky from the outside!"
"These two challengers are relentless—they're clearly unwilling to concede the front position!"
"Now approaching the steep slope of the first stage, the battle for the lead…is still fierce!"
The commentator's excited voice cracked with enthusiasm, and Nakayama Racecourse erupted into an instant frenzy.
The cheers of over a hundred thousand spectators fused into a roaring tidal wave, surging toward the rapidly sprinting Uma Musume.
On the giant screens above, their intense expressions, puffing cheeks, and taut muscles on arms and legs were shown vividly.
"Now entering the first corner!" the commentator's voice spiked even higher.
"The lead group's struggle continues—but wait! Kitasan Black suddenly moves outward! Is she relinquishing her advantageous inside lane already?!"
At that very moment, clearly visible on the track, Kitasan moved slightly outward, opening space along the inner lane. Azulita, who had been aggressively pressing close, suddenly found herself almost half a horse-length ahead.
Grass fragments kicked up in straight lines behind Kitasan, abruptly twisting into a graceful curve as her stride tilted outward.
Just as she was about to collide with Clear Sky on the outer lane, Kitasan miraculously adjusted her rhythm.
Like performing a sleight-of-hand trick, she deftly changed her lead leg mid-stride. Her path traced a perfect crescent across the emerald turf, narrowly evading her rival by mere centimeters.
Then, accelerating decisively, she charged through the first corner in first place.
The cheers from the grandstands momentarily became chaotic before erupting even louder, roaring passionately for Kitasan's brilliant acceleration.
At the front row, a low, exhilarated shout could be heard clearly:
"Yes! Perfectly done!"
Knuckles white as he tightly gripped his binoculars, Yasui Makoto pumped his fist in triumph.
The tactic Kitasan had just executed was precisely the opening-stage strategy they had repeatedly drilled—curved positioning.
Right now, each step landed exactly along the path he'd mapped out for her, bringing their carefully practiced curve flawlessly onto the stage of the Satsuki Sho.
This moment was the reward for countless hours of dedicated training.
The commentator's voice cried out again in amazement:
"An unbelievable maneuver! Kitasan Black's positioning was absolutely astounding!"
"She's now firmly holding first place!"
"The leading group has formed three clear layers—at the very front, running alone, is Kitasan Black! Two horse-lengths behind her are the struggling Azulita and Clear Sky! Even further back, the main pack has already fallen three lengths behind!"
Kitasan's unexpected uphill tactic had stunned the commentator, the crowd, and especially her fellow Uma Musume—most notably those competing for the lead.
Azulita strained forward, eyes fixed on the black-and-gold figure ahead, disbelief flooding her mind.
She never anticipated Kitasan would sprint so aggressively at the start, navigating the uphill section with such an unconventional route.
When Azulita first felt pressure easing from the outside, she eagerly adjusted her path inward—but in that split second, Kitasan had seized the position directly in front of her former spot.
Then, Kitasan accelerated again, swiftly shaking her off and pulling ahead of Clear Sky too.
No—I can't let her run away so easily! There's a straightaway coming; I need to pressure her there!
While Azulita hesitated anxiously, preparing to accelerate, she suddenly felt a gust of wind beside her. From the corner of her eye, another figure shot past her in an instant.
"Don't make me laugh! You're not taking the lead that easily!" snarled Clear Sky furiously, ears flattened back even further as she glared at the figure ahead.
Clear Sky hadn't expected Kitasan to dare run at such speed or choose such a daring route on the slope—and she had no idea how her rival had done it.
But none of that mattered now. Only one thought remained:
I won't let you have that lead!
Teeth clenched, breath and strides short and powerful, muscles firing with the precise energy of tightly coiled springs, she felt her calves burning with exertion.
The black-and-gold figure ahead steadily drew closer in her vision.
The next instant, Clear Sky's pupils shrank sharply.
Ahead, the black-haired girl suddenly shifted outward again—a defensive maneuver often used along straightaways.
Her trainer had taught her that move; she'd practiced it countless times during training sessions. Every time her senpais had performed it, she'd felt utterly helpless, trapped as if in quicksand.
But precisely because of her trainer's guidance, Clear Sky reacted instinctively the moment she saw Kitasan shift. Leaning her weight onto her left foot, she took a swift, agile step diagonally forward with her right.
A chunk of turf exploded outward, grass scattering to the left. Leveraging the recoil force and her stored momentum, Clear Sky forced herself through the narrow opening Kitasan had inadvertently left inside, swiftly pulling alongside her rival.
"It's not over yet—out of my way!"
All the pent-up energy in her Achilles tendon erupted fiercely. Her left arm slammed into the wind gust Kitasan was creating, her fingertips tingling sharply with numbness.
But Clear Sky didn't care. Tilting her gaze slightly backward and leftward, she caught sight of Kitasan's stunned expression—and grinned victoriously.
Like I said…don't think you'll take the lead that easily!