"It's raining."
Miss Pegasus stated in the most matter-of-fact tone before strolling into her starting gate.
Gate Number... 18.
An super outside gate—obvious to anyone with eyes!
In those ultra-high-stakes races in Europe and America, where entry fees are astronomical, you'd only get a handful of Uma Musume competing. Even an outside gate wouldn't make much difference then.
But Japan is different. Especially this Japan Derby, with as many as twenty entrants!
A gate this far outside could pretty much ruin any horse girl who specializes in front-running, escape-style tactics.
But the poor gate position didn't bother Platinum. A true champion should be able to handle more than one running style—they shouldn't let a random gate decide their fate!
Soon after, all the horse girls on the field gradually made their way into their respective gates.
The opponents Platinum paid a little more attention to—Jungle Pocket and Kurofune—both had single-digit gates, much closer to the inside.
One by one, the starting gates closed.
No one noticed the quiver on the back of that silver-white pegasus begin to change.
Each time a horse girl entered her gate, another arrow appeared within.
By the time every competitor was in position, the quiver held a full nineteen arrows—all except the one that should have corresponded to Platinum herself!
'Alright, time to check out this "skin effect"!'
--+--
[The second favorite, Jungle Pocket, has entered the gate!]
[This horse girl, once considered the "second strongest," a monster who once threatened Agnes Tachyon—can she shake up the race despite the Pegasus's disadvantageous gate on this heavy track?]
[The third favorite is Kurofune, a talented horse girl who's come all the way from America!]
[Naming herself after the historical kurofune, she clearly aims to emulate that event—to change the era and push the tide of history in one stunning move!]
[Now, in this world-famous Japan Derby... who will emerge victorious?!]
[The countdown is about to begin!!]
At the same time, the announcer's voice echoed throughout the vast stadium, heralding the start of the countdown.
The stands erupted with anticipation and cheers, loudest for the top three favorites.
[10!]
[9!]
[8!]
The numbers steadily decreased.
Even Jungle Pocket, in gate eight, couldn't suppress a slight tremble, buzzing with excitement.
She glanced outward one last time—toward Kurofune in gate three, and Platinum far away in gate eighteen.
'Kurofune is a monster from America, but she might not handle 2400 meters well, let alone a heavy track in the Japan Derby.'
'And Platinum... that monster who won by a huge margin looking back—there's no way a mere heavy track would hold her back enough to lose easily.'
'So, my real opponent has to be this Pegasus. I can't let my guard down even a bit, just because she's on the outside!'
Having already lost once in the Satsuki Sho, Jungle Pocket was filled with a desire for revenge against Agnes Tachyon, ready to burst from the gate.
That long-suppressed fury was about to be unleashed in this Japan Derby! It wouldn't be extinguished by this heavy rain!
'If I can't beat Tachyon, I'll defeat Platinum instead. She'll make a fine substitute!'
[3!]
[2!]
The bay horse girl, Jungle Pocket, was fully focused, utterly serious.
[1!]
The next instant, she reacted with incredible speed, exploding from the gate.
Not a hint of hesitation, not a moment's delay—worthy of her genius reputation.
Interestingly, Jungle Pocket didn't drift toward the inside rail at all!
Most of the time, except for those in far outside gates struggling to reach the inside, any ordinary horse girl would immediately fight for position near the rail.
But this situation was unusual. From Jungle Pocket to the others around her—even Kurofune in gate three, extremely close to the inside—none were fighting for the inner track!
The inside rail offered an advantage on turns, allowing for slightly faster times. That's why many horse girls risked getting "boxed in"—trapped with no open path—just to stay close to the rail.
But on this rain-soaked, heavy track, everything was different.
The falling rain gradually pooled along the innermost lane, making it the muddiest, most difficult area to power through, demanding the most strength and stamina.
Trading a slightly faster turn for a muddy, draining stretch that tested strength and endurance—no matter how you looked at it, that was a bad deal.
Only a horse girl with exceptional strength, enough to dominate the muddy inner track, and stamina far beyond the norm would even consider the inside.
Clearly, those conditions were too demanding. So, from Jungle Pocket to Kurofune, none chose to claim the inner lane.
In just a short while, Jungle Pocket easily secured the position she wanted—slightly ahead of the mid-pack group, but a bit behind the front-runners.
'Good, this spot... is perfect!!'
Whether she chose to accelerate or slow down slightly, she could easily switch between groups. Jungle Pocket, however, didn't immediately commit to a specific running style.
Was she indecisive?
Was she hesitating because of the heavy track, uncertain which tactic to use?
No. Jungle Pocket was no timid herbivore. On the contrary, she was a thoroughbred predator—the kind that locked onto prey and never let go!
'Come on, Platinum! Let me see your choice!'
'Will you accelerate honorably from the outside like before, pushing to the front...'
'Or will you lurk in the mid-pack, biding your time as a chaser or closer?'
Jungle Pocket was waiting for Platinum's move. She would adapt her strategy based on Platinum's running style!
--+--
In the stands!
"Eh, no one's going for the inside?"
Kitasan Black stared wide-eyed at the track, where the race had just begun.
"Miss Jungle Pocket... why isn't she running near the front or the middle?"
Satono Diamond, thinking over what she knew about the favorite, also looked puzzled.
"Isn't she best at settling just behind the leaders?"
"Could she be considering switching tactics because of the heavy track?"
The next second, a clear, cheerful voice rang out beside the two young fillies.
"Not quite. She's... sniping Platinum."
"What a ruthless little filly. That desire to win is burning terrifyingly bright."
Satono Diamond and Kitasan Black turned toward the voice. In the row behind them sat a cool-looking girl wearing a small bowler hat and sunglasses.
When the girl removed her sunglasses, revealing her face, the two young horse girls froze.
"M-Miss Symboli Rudolf?!"
"The legendary Mr. C.B.?!"
Mr. C.B.—one of the few Triple Crown horse girls in Japanese history, whose popularity once dominated the nation!
Unfortunately, the year after she achieved the Triple Crown, an even greater legend emerged: an Undefeated Triple Crown winner—Emperor Symboli Rudolf!
Plagued by injuries, Mr. C.B. lost every match against her, cementing Symboli Rudolf's reputation as the greatest, most powerful horse girl of all time.
But no one would ever call Mr. C.B. weak—just unlucky to have faced the strongest horse girl Japan had seen in nearly a century.
After retiring, unlike Symboli Rudolf who joined the student council and managed the academy, this free-spirited Triple Crown winner chose to travel around Japan and beyond!
Who would have thought this legendary champion had returned to watch this race?
"Miss Symboli Rudolf, what did you mean by 'sniping Platinum'?"
Currently, Satono Diamond admired and worshipped the Pegasus, Platinum, who was attempting the nearly impossible Irregular Triple Crown, far more than this retired Triple Crown legend.
So, when the topic involved her idol, Satono Diamond pressed for answers.
Symboli Rudolf smiled faintly, stretching her slender body slightly before responding.
"In previous races, Platinum accelerated from outside gates, sweeping across to take the lead."
"Jungle Pocket, positioned in the middle of the pack, is waiting for Platinum to make that move."
"If Platinum does, Jungle Pocket can accelerate slightly herself, blocking Platinum's diagonal advance—forcing her to expend energy early by going all out, or giving up on leading altogether."
Diagonal moves weren't allowed to interfere with other competitors. So the moment Jungle Pocket saw Platinum beginning to accelerate, she could adjust her position to limit Platinum's options!
To avoid penalties for obstructing opponents, Platinum would have to either accelerate early on the outside, pulling far ahead of Jungle Pocket before cutting inward, or stay back in the mid-pack.
"Jungle Pocket is lying in wait like a true predator, ready to sink her teeth into her prey's throat—waiting for Platinum to make a choice!"
"Either her rhythm gets completely disrupted, forcing an early acceleration on the outside, or she obediently stays in the mid-to-back pack, switching to a running style she's never used before."
"I wonder what Platinum will choose?"
As she finished, Symboli Rudolf couldn't help but glance toward the silver-white figure in the far outside gate.
On a heavy track, every mistake and every choice would be magnified by the soggy, demanding ground.
So if Platinum accelerated early, disrupting her own rhythm... that would be bad. She might lose momentum entirely.
As for the other option—staying back on a heavy track wasn't necessarily wise.
The rain-softened turf, churned up by the front-runners, would be uneven and tricky. Less experienced horse girls could easily be affected.
Staying back would test Platinum's adaptability and experience—any misstep could mean accelerating too late or too early.
So, the sharp and decisive Jungle Pocket was waiting for the Pegasus to make her move, determined not to let Platinum replicate her previous diagonal dash to the front from an outside gate!
That fierce desire to win and unwavering resolve—worthy of a monster who once threatened Agnes Tachyon.
Hearing this, Satono Diamond and Kitasan Black felt their hearts leap into their throats.
"This... this is the infamous Japan Derby?"
"It's too brutal, too terrifying!"
--+--
Above, dark clouds blotted out the sky, promising a torrential downpour that would drench the entire city.
On the muddy, demanding turf, several horse girls were already struggling, their strength insufficient for the conditions.
With an icy expression, Jungle Pocket maintained her position, awaiting Platinum's approach.
"If you can't go faster, you can't compete!"
"If you can't grow stronger, you can't surpass others!"
"And finally, if you can't answer these passionate cheers, you don't deserve to win!"
She knew this tactic—using gate position and conditions to pressure her opponent—wasn't glorious. It didn't showcase true strength.
But Jungle Pocket had no regrets. Her eyes were set only on surpassing Platinum and winning the Japan Derby, a race you only get one shot at in a lifetime.
The luckiest horse girl wins the Derby?
Then let's see who the luckiest really is!
"Don't blame me for playing dirty!"
"The Derby has always been like this!"
But shortly after, Jungle Pocket grew puzzled...
Why still no sign of that Pegasus?
Where is Platinum?
If she was going for the lead, she should be beside me by now.
If she chose to stay back, I'm not that far ahead of the mid-pack—I should still catch a glimpse of her in my peripheral vision.
So why hasn't that Pegasus appeared yet?
'Could she have seen through my tactic instantly?'
'How will she counterattack now?!'
Gritting her teeth, Jungle Pocket felt a mix of shock and disbelief.
'As expected of the Pegasus even Tachyon praised. Her strategic mind is impressive—to react this quickly, from a competitor's perspective no less!'
'Truly the legendary Pegasus!!'
--+--
Contrary to Jungle Pocket's assumptions, Platinum wasn't overthinking tactics.
Jungle Pocket, ahead, could focus entirely on the race, devising plans to counter Platinum.
But Platinum, further back, had more to consider—like what her quiver's overtake effect would look like, and whether it would be cool or not!
Right now, Miss Pegasus was gazing at the large group ahead—avoiding the inside rail, clustered in the middle—with keen interest in overtaking them.
The race uniform she wore for the first time didn't feel cumbersome or heavy at all. The bow on her back and the nearly twenty arrows weighed nothing.
This was a race uniform blessed by the Three Goddesses—no matter how intricate or heavy, it wouldn't affect her performance during the race!
In high spirits, completely unbothered by the relentless rain, Platinum felt the wonder of her new gear and growing curiosity about the quiver. For the first time, a flicker of fighting spirit ignited within her.
But this time—
Platinum didn't want to repeat her previous tactic—diagonally accelerating from the outside to take the lead.
Because...
Isn't the inside rail wide open?!
Even if heading inward meant falling behind as a closer, that was fine!
'Accelerating diagonally from the outside before slowed me down when overtaking others.'
'Since this quiver has a special overtake effect, maybe I shouldn't accelerate diagonally.'
'I'll switch to the empty inside rail from the very back, then accelerate properly as a closer, overtaking everyone from behind or beside them!'
The free-spirited Miss Pegasus decided to change her running style this time. She didn't want a gradual diagonal overtake—she wanted to try the inside rail, accelerating as a closer!
So after leaving the gate, she didn't choose to accelerate at all.
Instead, Platinum calmly stayed at the very back, diagonally moving toward the deserted inside rail!
Shifting from the far outside to the inside, Platinum—with a smooth start—became the furthest back closer in the entire race!
Not only that, she was now the only horse girl galloping along the inside rail, a silver-white streak cutting through the steady rain!
This time, it was the Pegasus in her pristine race uniform, arrows on her back, running alone on the inside.
Ahead of her, not a soul in sight—as if no one dared follow her example.
But Platinum, who hadn't accelerated yet and was leisurely moving inward, had already fallen behind by what seemed a significant gap.
A huge deficit of... five or six lengths behind the mid-pack group!
--+--
Now, the front-runners had already passed the first turn and were approaching the second turn near the halfway point.
"The inside rail is wide open, isn't it?"
"Time to start accelerating now."
"Forgot to activate my skill last race—can't make that mistake again."
Calm and composed, Platinum didn't hesitate. The next instant, her speed surged dramatically!
Keep in mind—she was on the inside stretch of the heavy track, the area every other horse girl was avoiding, where strength was most tested.
Yet, shortly after starting her acceleration, her pace wasn't much slower than the leaders at the very front!
Platinum also unleashed her presence—a pressure even heavier and more overwhelming than during the previous Oaks.
Even in the pouring rain, her aura enveloped the entire track, completely unaffected by the downpour! This was the presence mastered by Platinum!
Three lengths!
Two lengths!
One length!
In just moments, a mid-pack horse girl—struggling with the conditions and suppressed by Platinum's aura—clearly saw the silver-white figure beside her.
This mid-pack racer's pupils contracted sharply, as if she'd seen a ghost.
And that quiver on Platinum's back, originally empty... now held over a dozen arrows?!
"N-No way!"
"She's... a closer? Accelerating on the inside?!"
"And those arrows—weren't there none before?"
She didn't even get a chance to grit her teeth and fight back. The next instant, the silver-white figure drew even and then surged past!
The moment she was overtaken—
In her dazed vision, the mid-pack racer seemed to see a sacred, dazzling golden light—a faint, feminine silhouette resembling Platinum—drawing a bow and aiming an arrow at her!
Then—the arrow was released!!
It was as if... a hunting goddess was surveying her domain, targeting her prey!
"Is that a Pegasus, or... a goddess??"
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.