The Breeders' Cup Classic had begun, and it was no exaggeration to say that the world's strongest dirt racer would be decided in this single contest. Given that Rampage, the winner of the Dubai World Cup—often called the spring's world dirt championship—was running, the race was definitively the world's title decider. Regardless of whether she won or lost, today marked the determination of the world's apex.
In this ultimate showdown, Rampage blasted out of the gates. She was supposed to open her usual massive lead... but what followed was a sight rarely seen outside of Japan, or rather, the world excluding Japan.
"They're off! Taking the lead is, of course, Mejiro Rampage… but she's not alone!?! Lady Saber, Amazing Dyna, Ris Fleuve, Arm Drinks, Stahl Armecoa, Fifty Magna… more than half the field has chosen a runaway strategy, chasing right on the heels of the massive runaway, Mejiro Rampage!" "It seems she is being marked relentlessly…"
In a sense, this was the expected consequence. The ability of a powerhouse who had won continuously could not be doubted, so devising countermeasures was inevitable. As a result, Rampage found herself marked by more than half the competitors, all adopting the "Runaway" strategy. Even the remaining Umamusume who weren't running away were clearly adopting an early front-running approach, trying to stay close and prevent the distance from becoming too great.
However, the significant problem here was Rampage's running style. It wasn't a simple escape (nige); it was a massive runaway (ō-nige)—a high-risk gamble often said to defy racing convention.
A massive runaway tends to shake off any marking attempts. Because the pace is faster than a standard escape, the marking attempts often fail, rendering them pointless. To effectively mark her, they had no choice but to enter the same domain: to push their legs into the massive runaway style. But the trainers had warned them: stepping into that same space as the Tyrant was inherently risky, as it forced them to run far outside their normal pace. Yet, knowing full well the warnings, many Umamusume followed the Tyrant's lead, determined to win.
"Hah, so you're that scared of me, are you? —Can you keep up?"
Rampage was currently operating at peak condition, running in top gear right from the start. She had expected only a few would be able to follow, but to her surprise, many were pressing close. Thinking, I guess I'll have to use this to weed them out, she put power into her stride.
"It's just like back then, isn't it!"
"Hah! You, of all people, are running alongside me so calmly, Lynx!"
Lynx kept pace with a calm composure, truly the mark of a physical elite. The others maintained a distance that was neither too far nor too close, jockeying for position and checking each other. Rampage already felt the debuffs being thrown around—but then, two shadows suddenly broke through, cutting through the field.
"You truly are fast, aren't you!"
"But I won't lose!"
Lady and Dyna surged ahead. Their acceleration was on a different level, clearly showing the strength they had gained during this American campaign. Rampage felt the initial hunch was right—this race was going to be fun—and she ran on.
"Mejiro Rampage leads the way. Right behind her is a tight cluster of Arm Drinks, Amazing Dyna, and Lady Saber. About two lengths back are Fifty Magna, Ris Fleuve, Stahl Armecoa, and A.P. Indy."
As they entered the second corner, those maintaining a position within striking distance of Rampage were, predictably, the ones who had previous race experience or were treating her with extreme caution. A.P. Indy, unusually for this race, was focused more on keeping Dyna within range. President Turf, Strike Goldion, and Grande Nova held the early front-running positions. Even taking them into account, this BC Classic was unfolding at an extremely high pace.
"I knew it, I knew I should have known… but this pace…!"
President Turf couldn't help but curse under his breath. The Tyrant's strategy was always the massive runaway—frankly, it was one-track. Though there were rumors she sometimes used the illusory escape, they heard she hadn't used it overseas, so they had predicted the stable massive runaway. They had prepared both the legs and stamina to handle it—or so they thought… yet they were barely halfway through the race, and fatigue was already setting in.
"But I can't change the pace…!"
The Tyrant, however, paid no mind to their internal struggles. In fact, she was growing energized, feeling the growth of her two rivals firsthand. Therefore—she shifted into an even higher gear.
"I won't lose!"
Driven by the need to uphold America's pride, they pressed on desperately. But ahead of them, a new shadow was surging forward.
"I did all kinds of things for today, you hear meee!"
"Entering the third corner! And look here, Stahl Armecoa is gaining ground! She's exuding an incredible intensity, as if she is determined to gain revenge for Dubai and England right here!"
"Umamusume, imprisoned by running, are you ready? …Then, it's Showtime!"
With that declaration, a mist swept across the world. Stahl Armecoa's Domain was deployed. As the grotesque figures surged forth, Armecoa accelerated as if to tear straight through them. She, too, had evolved through the use of the Shinzan Iron, and her Domain had followed suit. Just as she was about to enter the fourth corner and move into striking range of Rampage, she sensed a presence behind her.
"That was a good run. You chose a good position." "R-Ris Fleuve, you!?"
She should have completely wrapped them in the mist by using her Domain, but Fleuve had managed to stick to her back, escaping the Domain by effectively slipstreaming. Sweat beaded on Armecoa's brow as she realized this woman was completely impossible to underestimate. She looked at Rampage. None of that mattered now; their target was within reach. There was no choice but to push on.
"Strong. Truly strong. Wonderfully strong."
These were the words uttered by a certain Umamusume. Her gaze was fixed solely on the one figure running far ahead: Mejiro Rampage. Her eyes were sharp, determined not to miss any of Rampage's movements.
"What do you make of her running?"
"There is no need for words of praise from someone like me. To do so would be boorish." "True."
A man stood beside her. She responded to his words without taking her eyes off the track.
"It's different from your running style. That stride length with perfect cornering."
"A technique only possible because of her sheer physical strength and toughness… Good grief. I keep telling myself I should finally take it easy, but my body is stubbornly honest. Why couldn't I have met her during my active years?"
"Easy for you to say."
Though retired, she had maintained an unusual feat: due to her habit of never skipping a day of training, she had sustained her Umamusume abilities, which should have fully matured and only been decaying. In a sense, she was similar to Shinzan.
"Will we be able to speak with her after the race?"
"I believe so… Do you wish to speak with her?" "Yes, I absolutely do—with her."
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