The Arima Kinen began at Nakayama, a stage for countless epic clashes. Uma Musume ran for closure, rematches, promises, dreams, or simply themselves. Today, their reasons would manifest.
"The fanfare echoes! The Arima Kinen to crown the year's best begins. Each Uma Musume enters the gates, fueled by roaring fans, awaiting the start with fierce resolve."
"It's here!" a spectator gasped.
"I've waited so long!" another cried, gripping the fence, trembling with anticipation. The clash of prides was too intense to blink.
"Brian, calm down," Hayahide urged her sister, whose eyes stayed locked on the track. For Brian, a fervent Rampage fan, this race was everything—her idol, the undefeated queen, was running.
(Jealousy stings, senpai,) Hayahide thought. Brian, once timid, followed her lead, but Rampage stole her admiration. Yet, Hayahide felt no resentment—she too admired that back.
"They're off! G1 Arima Kinen, no stumbles from these elite champions!"
"True Dokkan Turbo, DASH!" Turbo roared.
"Leading with this field? Hype!" Helios shouted.
"Big escape!" Palmer yelled.
"Here we go!" Rampage grinned.
Four shadows—Turbo, Helios, Palmer, and Rampage—bolted ahead, igniting the crowd. Turbo's True Dokkan Turbo gave her an early lead, but three clung close behind, unlike her usual solo breaks.
"As expected, Twin Turbo takes the lead! Followed by Daitaku Helios, Mejiro Palmer, and Mejiro Rampage in a fierce big-escape battle! Ikuno Dictus and Agnes Flora trail slightly."
Four big-escape Uma Musume created a blistering pace, yet Ikuno and Flora kept up, battle-hardened from facing Rampage's ruinous escapes. The pack, 4-6 lengths back, hit the backstretch.
"Triple Tiara Twin Turbo sets the pace, with Helios, Palmer, and turf queen Rampage—Mejiro's trio in sync! Behind, lady Ikuno Dictus and Japan's star Agnes Flora. Further back, Mejiro McQueen, Mejiro Ryan, Nice Nature, and Tokai Teio."
The high-pace race carried a unique tension—any could surge and shift the lead. All four leaders, wary, maintained their breakneck escapes.
"Passing the stands into the first corner, Turbo holds, Palmer takes second, Helios third. Rampage stays fourth."
"Her longest race was 2400m. 2500m's new—100m seems small, but in a sprint, it's huge. She's pacing cautiously."
"Ikuno and Flora follow, eyeing the queen. Nice Nature moves up, with McQueen, Ryan, and Teio preparing long sprints!"
"Time to move," Nature muttered. Her 3000m Kikuka Sho stamina made this spurt feasible, but McQueen, Ryan, and Teio matched her, thwarting an easy advance.
"No freebies, huh? Too obvious," Nature sighed.
"Your stamina's impressive, but I won't lose on this stage," McQueen replied.
"Good instinct, but to catch Ran, you need to surge now!" Ryan said, lowering her stance, charging past McQueen. Another shadow shot forward.
"Into the backstretch, Tokai Teio surges, passing Ryan! Proving she's the superior Triple Crown!"
"Sorry, Ryan, I'm taking on Ran!" Teio declared, closing on Ikuno's group. She'd awaited this day since aiming for an undefeated Triple Crown. Rampage, who claimed it first, was her obsession—not just for her records or beating Rudolf, but because Teio needed to face her on a true stage. The Arima was her only shot.
Rampage had said, "This year was for building my foundation. Want to fight me? This is your best chance."
She'd honed herself for her global quest, making this her final domestic race. Teio was relieved she'd kept her promise. "I'll take you down and prove I'm the true king!" she vowed.
"Bring it!" Ryan shouted.
"No way!" Flora snapped.
"You ignoring us?" Ikuno added.
Snow began to fall, the biting cold intensifying Nakayama's fervor. This legendary Arima's climax was near.
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