Rampage continued her blistering pace, refusing to concede the lead as she flew past the third corner. Su-chan watched, palms sweating, knowing that this was her final sprint, a declaration that the disastrous outcome in Dubai would not be repeated. The finish line was almost in sight.
"Mejiro Rampage holds the lead, but Stahl Armecoa and Ris Fleuve are gaining ground! Arm Drinks is in second, with Lady Saber and Amazing Dyna side-by-side in third! A.P. Indy and Fifty Magna are also looking for an opening! The time to make a move is coming—they are now approaching the fourth corner!"
As the race entered its final phase, Rampage felt the enormous pressure descend upon her. Innumerable debuffs rained down. She felt them, acknowledged them, and pushed forward, while the competitors around her revealed their varied reactions: caution, indifference, and a desperate effort to remain unfazed. The impact of the debuffs was evident as the rhythm of their running began to waver. And it was no wonder; Rampage's pace was an Ultimate High Pace, a terrifying speed that seemed to be a further refinement of Twin Turbo's style. It was a pace so fast that one might reasonably say it was intent only on self-destruction, and even the most excellent Umamusume were starting to lose their footing.
"Not here!"
"I won't lose!"
The final straight was imminent, and each competitor began to deploy their trump cards. A storm of Domains and debuffs whirled around the field, and Rampage was certainly affected, but she continued to move her legs as if to physically crush the effects. She didn't want to stop—partially because of what Shinzan might say—but mostly because it was her honest, true desire. So, she pushed even further, shifting to a higher gear, charging towards the finish line with the swirling momentum of a raging torrent, befitting a tyrant.
"Here is the home straight! They are into the final stretch! And Mejiro Rampage is extending her lead! This is the terrifying part about her—the Umamusume who embodies Escape and Overtake!"
The words of praise didn't reach her. All she heard was the rush of air against her skin, the sound of her own breathing, and the hammering of her heart. In that space, she felt something tremendous surge from behind, and it drew level with her.
"W-wait, Fifty Magna! Fifty Magna is closing in on Mejiro Rampage! She's within a half-length!"
She could do this? No, that wasn't it—Rampage's own gear shift had been delayed for a fraction of a second. Simultaneously, she felt a dull, heavy, lead-like fatigue in her body. Fifty Magna's Domain was affecting her…!
"I fought so hard to get this far! If I don't give it my all, it means nothing! Let's fight to the death!"
Fifty Magna's Domain certainly gnawed at Rampage, and it had reached Lynx and Lady as well. Lady gritted her teeth, exhaling a heavy breath as she sprinted, swallowing the momentary pain to run. But Lynx completely repelled the effect; debuffs did not work on her. She was a self-contained system, leaving no room for outside interference.
"Damn it! I… I have to win!"
"That's my line!"
Fleuve, who had been running alongside Armecoa, also gave her all. She squeezed out the remaining strength, took a breath, accelerated, and overtook Armecoa. Armecoa watched Fleuve sprint toward the front, feeling her inadequacy, but continued to run desperately.
"I… I won't lose anymore! This running style of mine is the strongest! With the style my trainer found for me, I'm going to seize the world!"
Just as she took another step with that shout—another figure surged from the back, instantly flashing past her.
"A.P. Indy has come flying up! She has shot right up to the front group! Closing on Amazing Dyna—can she achieve her revenge!?"
The Umamusume charging through the Breeders' Cup Classic was driven by the pride of America, seemingly declaring that she ran this race solely to meet and defeat Dyna, who had beaten her. And she finally overtook her—
But the straightaway was Dyna's true battlefield, the place where she unleashed her maximum power. She kicked the ground with deep force, and as the soil erupted around her, Dyna accelerated fiercely. This moment, this run, was for victory—or rather, for the competition. Her time in America had been solely to make herself stronger… Fame didn't matter. She had no interest in G1 wins. Her running style, her Domain, was fueled by the worthless glory she was willing to give away to those who wanted it.
"This is my true run! The run I reserved for you—STRONG DYNAAA!"
She reached top speed in an instant and charged toward the front. And almost simultaneously—the sound of chains being cut rang out with a cold, bright gleam. Standing shoulder to shoulder with the Sand Super Express was the Knight of the Sand. Her gaze was low, her upper body parallel to the ground, her head nearly touching the dirt—a forward posture utterly impossible for an Umamusume, a physical manifestation of her willingness to court ruin. All of it was to defeat that one person.
Her path was paved with relentless training, every facet of her being honed in the forge of a thousand battles… The Knight, knowing this was the only moment to draw the blade, swiftly unsheathed her sword.
"Receive and know this, this is my blade—HAA!"
Beautiful as a flash of lightning, the air she sliced through roared with power. The Knight of the Sand sprinted with an edge sharp enough to cut the very earth. Her run was, without a doubt, worthy of running alongside Rampage. The two best dirt Umamusume challenged the fastest, the rival they had acknowledged as the best. They ran only to catch and overtake her. The three-length gap shrunk: two lengths, then one.
"The Knight of the Sand and the Sand Super Express are closing! Japan's Lady Saber and Amazing Dyna are surging! Unbelievable! On American soil, they are staking their claim to victory and challenging the fastest Umamusume!"
The enemy was now only one, just one—but both of them laughed. The world truly was vast, and it was glorious. Japan must go global—they felt that intensely. The one Umamusume they had overtaken was pressing them again.
"Ahahaha! Hahaha! Ahahahahaha!!!"
She sped forward with a laugh that was boundless and utterly radiant. Arm Drinks, enveloped in a dazzling light, knew the truth of the saying that strong competitors need no reason. She had learned it in Dubai: she truly had rivals. Unconscious arrogance had prevented her final growth, but Rampage had unlocked it. If you are that strong, come fight. Rampage had accepted her, had given her the fight she craved—and as proof of her gratitude, Lynx delivered her best performance.
"A-and Arm Drinks is gaining ground!?
What an Umamusume! Is she also an Umamusume who runs by Escape and Overtake!?
She draws even with Amazing Dyna and Lady Saber! And now she is closing on Mejiro Rampage! There are now no other challengers to the Tyrant besides these three! The Knight of the Sand, the Sand Super Express, and the White Irregular! They will reach the Dictatorial Tyrant, Mejiro Rampage, at any moment! They are under the 100-meter pole! Is Mejiro Rampage struggling!? She has no more room to maneuver!"
"Today, I will win!"
"There's no way I'll lose!"
"Uwaaaaaaa!!!"
Their shouts became piercing thunder. The flash of light would reach the finish line in just a moment. They would reach the world's fastest Umamusume, and they could win! With that thought, Rampage continued to run—and she, too, was smiling. She was truly glad she had come here; she had to thank Rampage… She was glad she had listened to the wish to run this race.
"Tell me, are you having fun right now?"
"Yes, I'm having the time of my life!"
She wanted to thank the Three Goddesses for this encounter… Therefore, look, Three Goddesses, no—LOOK, WORLD! These finest Umamusume, gathered on this ultimate stage, their sprint is worthy of respect. That is precisely why she must respond, as one Umamusume, with the greatest respect—by surpassing their sprint with a Godspeed sprint!
Fallen souls, let us run wild together.
She achieved a state of Godspeed in her stride.
The sudden burst of power shattered all the pressure and debuffs that had been exerted in the race. Her true, suppressed strength awakened, and the power that had built up from being sealed away overflowed, causing her to literally run wild. She conquered those phantoms and demons with her unstoppable stride. And Rampage… charged toward the white-tinged finish line with an acceleration so intense that her figure seemed to blur and vanish for a moment.
"She's not—being caught!? W-Wait, she's gone again! Mejiro Rampage, Mejiro Rampage has taken off! This is tremendous! What are you!?
Is the World's Fastest also the Strongest!? That question no longer matters—what are you, truly!?
The answer is clear: She is the Champion! Mejiro Rampage is the Champion!"
The question everyone had asked was answered. What exactly is that Umamusume, Mejiro Rampage? The Champion, and an Umamusume. Any other answer is simply uncalled for.
"Mejiro Rampage now—GOOOOOOOALLL LINE!!! The Breeders' Cup Classic, the World's Strongest Deciding Battle, has been completely conquered by the Tyrant of Japan! She has claimed the title of Dirt's Strongest, following her victory at the Arc de Triomphe! And in second place—Wha?! Lady Saber and Amazing Dyna are in a dead heat for second! Arm Drinks takes fourth, A.P. Indy fifth! What an incredible result! And—W-wait, no way!?"
Everyone was speechless, stunned by the time that flashed on the board. You couldn't help but wonder, What in the world is she? even though the answer had just been provided. The World Record for the Dirt 2000m was 1:57.8, set by Spectacular Bid, a time only describable as a Super Record. Even Japan's famous strongest dirt horse, Smart Falcon, only managed 2:00.4. And she—
"It's a World Record! Mejiro Rampage has achieved a World Record on BOTH Turf AND Dirt! This is beyond reproach! It leaves no room for argument from anyone! You are the World's Fastest and World's Strongest Umamusume, Mejiro Rampage!!!"
From this moment on, no one could say she was undeserving of the titles. She had reached the absolute peak of the world. Complete conquest, complete unification. With these two victories, she claimed both the Strongest and the Fastest titles. Rampage, having achieved this unprecedented feat, looked up at the sky and smiled quietly. And then—
"Ran-chaaaaaan!"
She caught Su-chan, who came barreling onto the track, finally breaking into a wide, unrestrained smile and shouting at the top of her lungs:
"I won!"
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