[Sorry for 1 chapter again, I'm busy with my Uni work]
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Walking along the underground passage toward the parade ring, accompanied by the broadcast introducing her past races, Oguri Cap deftly swung her long-sleeved jacket toward the curtain of rain. As she listened to the cheers from the stands suddenly grow louder, she silently gazed at the rainy scenery.
Compared to when she had just arrived at Chukyo Racecourse in the morning, the rain really had gotten much lighter now… she thought.
Usually, before entering the starting gates, she didn't pay much attention to the state of the track or the venue.
But now, the torrential rain from the morning—like a waterfall pouring down—clearly resurfaced in her mind, forming a sharp contrast with the scene before her.
The rain in front of her couldn't exactly be called light either. Looking toward the stands from afar, it was as if a gigantic white beaded curtain hung from the sky. Water splashed up from the railings, handrails, and walls like bursts of white mist.
Closer to the ground, on both sides of the track, rainwater gathered like countless little streams, flowing toward the lower drainage channels.
On the turf track, the grass was coated in a thin layer of water. The dirt track, however, was a completely different sight—mud formed from sand mixed with water was everywhere, and puddles filled every depression.
Some puddles were caused by the unevenness of the dirt track itself, but most were clearly shaped like horseshoes or distinct footprints—obviously left behind by the horse girls running hard in earlier races.
Generally, races featuring outstanding horse girls like you are arranged in the final events of race day as the main attraction. That certainly draws more attention, but it also means the track has been used for a long time and isn't in ideal condition. It's a trade-off—something that simply has to be overcome…
As if in a rare moment of attention to track conditions, she suddenly recalled some race details Kitahara often mentioned casually.
She wasn't sure whether it was because of the "intellectual special training" she'd undergone recently, but now she could remember many things she usually couldn't retain during training, things she normally wouldn't care about.
What she did feel clearly, though, was that at this moment she wanted to work harder, to think more carefully about how to perform in this race.
And for some reason, she felt confident—confident that she could do it.
This confidence didn't affect her warm-up after the parade ring. On the contrary, as she picked up her jacket and headed toward the track, she was perfectly clear about how she should run to achieve the best warm-up effect.
She could also clearly sense the conditions of her opponents who finished the parade ring and followed behind her.
The squelching sound of feet stepping into the mud, the muddled breathing mixed with raindrops, the indistinct gazes fixed on her back…
She had a vague feeling that this wasn't something she'd only experience during warm-ups.
When the actual race began, this same intense scrutiny would be waiting for her.
Yet precisely because of this sensation, a familiar impulse welled up inside her.
Just like when she entered her "zone" during the final sprint in past races, everything seemed to press a pause button.
The sound of rain and cheering suddenly vanished, and the world around her seemed to be reduced to nothing but the track ahead.
Raindrops still struck her exposed arms and thighs beneath her short sleeves and shorts, but they brought no chill at all.
Or rather, a strange, comfortable heat surged up from within her body, as if it were vaporizing the raindrops on her skin into white mist, dispelling all cold.
This state… I'm definitely going to win!
Without any warning, a thought similar to what she'd said to Little Bay and Ardan before leaving the rest area popped into her mind.
However, this state was abruptly interrupted when she spotted two familiar small figures in her line of sight. Her steps unconsciously turned in their direction.
"Tamamo… Inari…"
Pulling back from her intense focus, she slowed down, letting the opponents who had been warming up behind her pass by. Oguri Cap veered off the track and walked toward the rail.
"Why are you two here?"
Staring blankly at her two friends, she said in surprise, "Shouldn't you be over in the stands, or in the viewing hall?"
As she spoke, she casually pointed toward the racecourse building.
Standing by the track were Tamamo Cross and Inari One. The two short horse girls were just tall enough to lean on the railing, and they maintained that relaxed posture as they watched Oguri Cap approach.
Instead of answering directly, they exchanged smiles first.
"See? I told you we were worrying for nothing, didn't I?"
Tamamo Cross's tone was full of teasing. "Just look at her—what's there to worry about with a monster who can almost enter Domain just during warm-ups?"
At the time, she'd only thought she was in excellent condition and hadn't really cared whether it counted as entering Domain.
But now that it was pointed out, she fell into rare contemplation.
It's true… I almost entered Domain without even meaning to…
If it's that easy to enter Domain, then in the race later on…
As Oguri Cap pondered this unusual thought about racing, Inari One expressed dissatisfaction with Tamamo Cross's words.
"Hey, hey, who was it that started muttering nonstop the moment we left the prep room, saying 'Oguri isn't good at leading from the front—won't that be too risky'?"
Pretending her ears didn't work well, Inari One made an exaggerated disgusted face and dug at her ear. "Did I hear wrong, or was someone showing concern?"
"Y-you definitely heard wrong! I never said anything like that!"
"Huh? I didn't say it was you. Why'd you admit it yourself?"
"What?! Damn it! You tricked me into saying that!"
"That just means you're not smart enough and got baited. And what's with that 'about to fight' look?"
The usual bickering between the two small members of Team Eisei pulled Oguri Cap out of her thoughts, though she wasn't annoyed at all.
She felt she understood the matter of the zone to some extent.
Not only her own experience, but also the analyses trainers often discussed—she gradually recalled many of them now.
Focus was one of the prerequisites for entering Domain, followed by ability, and then by one's specific condition.
Just now, even though she was only warming up, she was completely focused, and with her ability and condition both in place, entering Domain wasn't surprising.
But deliberately thinking about it wouldn't help. If she became too conscious of it now, she might actually fail to enter it during the race due to overthinking.
Realizing this, she suddenly felt glad that she usually didn't think much—because she truly could empty her mind and focus solely on racing.
Coming back to herself, she also roughly caught what Tamamo Cross and Inari One were arguing about.
The team members had long since stopped trying to stop these two from bickering. In everyone else's eyes, it was simply a sign of their close relationship.
You could even say that if they didn't argue at least a couple of times a day, people would start worrying that they'd actually fallen out.
So after listening with an unconscious smile for a bit, Oguri Cap finally understood.
"Oh! So you two came to cheer me on!"
She clenched her fists and pumped them in front of her. "Don't worry—I feel better today than ever before."
"For this race, I believe I'll achieve an even better result than before."
"Well then, there's no problem at all."
Taking advantage of Oguri Cap's confidence to end her quarrel with Inari One, Tamamo Cross raised her thumb. "I've always trusted you, Oguri!"
"Go run your best. Whether it's victory or an outstanding performance, you'll definitely be fine!"
"And you said you weren't worried about Oguri earlier—this makes it pretty obvious, doesn't it? You tsundere…"
Muttering deliberately loud enough for everyone to hear, Inari One raised her thumb too—then, after thinking for a moment, raised both.
"Give it everything, Oguri!"
"It's just 1800 meters on dirt. Whether it's the surface or the distance, it's all right up your alley!"
"Show everyone that dirt races can be just as spectacular!"
In this era, dirt races in Japan were far less popular than turf races.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that winning ten dirt graded races might have less impact than winning a single turf race.
This was evident in the URA Association's race scheduling. Compared to turf races, dirt races were fewer in number overall, and the higher the grade, the greater the disparity.
Prize money, fan numbers, and performance ratings followed the same pattern.
The reason was simple: the association's upper management had long favored aligning with Europe, where turf races held the greatest influence.
If they had leaned toward the United States or other regions, given how much importance dirt races held there, the situation wouldn't be like this.
Even this Meitetsu Cup was no exception. Perhaps due to the weather, many fans didn't want to brave the rain, and the stands weren't full—but this wasn't necessarily unrelated to the general lack of interest in dirt races.
After all, despite Oguri Cap's usually airheaded demeanor around her friends, in most fans' eyes she had always been a powerful, cool presence—perfectly matching the "monster" label often used in promotions.
Especially now that she was undefeated after winning both the Satsuki Sho and the Japan Derby—if she were competing in a turf race, it would be almost impossible for there to be empty seats in the stands.
Like Oguri Cap, Inari One also came from dirt racing, so she understood this situation well. Within the team, she'd heard Kitahara and the other trainers complain about it plenty of times.
But right now, Inari One wasn't thinking that far. She was simply emphasizing that "since both of us come from dirt racing, we should perform well in dirt races."
And of course, she was deliberately saying it for Tamamo Cross to hear.
"You little—don't think I can't tell what you're implying! It's just dirt—I can run it well too, you know?!"
Tamamo Cross immediately bristled.
"What are you getting upset about? I'm cheering for Oguri here, okay?"
Faced with her dissatisfaction, Inari One spread her hands innocently. "Who are you even mad at?"
"Mm… we're running a bit short on time."
Hearing the familiar bickering again, Oguri Cap simply smiled and waved, turning back toward the track. "Well then… you two keep arguing. I'll go continue warming up."
Warm-ups on rainy days lasted longer than usual, and accordingly, the fans had to wait longer before the racers entered the gates.
But anyone willing to come watch in the rain could be called a hardcore fan among hardcore fans.
While waiting, the stands weren't filled with complaints or awkward silence. Instead, synchronized cheers rang out from time to time, as if the horse girls warming up along the track were already racing.
And when the broadcast began playing the entrance march, the cheers instantly reached a crescendo.
"All horse girls have entered the gates. This rainy race is about to begin."
Along with the commentator's voice, seven horse girls gradually stepped into the gates at the starting line. With each gate able to hold two runners, Oguri Cap—drawn in Group 4, Gate 5—stood alone on the outermost side.
Hmm… with only six opponents this time, being in the outer gate won't have much impact. There shouldn't be any problem fighting for position later.
But judging from how they look… it doesn't seem like they'll let me have it easy…?
After entering the outermost gate, Oguri Cap pondered silently and looked to her left.
Chukyo Racecourse ran counterclockwise, turning left, so from the outermost gate, all her opponents were in the gates to her left.
When she glanced over, whether intentionally or not, all six pairs of eyes were directed at her—as if the other five opponents didn't even exist.
It feels like… I'm being targeted even more than in the Golden Youth Cup before leaving Kasamatsu, or even the Satsuki Sho and Japan Derby in Tokyo.
But…
Silently withdrawing her gaze, unable to suppress it, she fixed her eyes straight ahead and shook her head slightly, as if shivering.
It doesn't matter. I'll definitely run a race more spectacular than any before!
With that resolve, she slowly leaned forward into her familiar starting stance.
Her distinctive low posture made her look as if she'd vanished into the gate compared to the six opponents on her left—only her pair of silver-gray long ears, a bit of her head, and her eyes beneath the same silver-gray bangs were visible.
From the side, the most noticeable feature was those ears.
But if someone looked from the front, they would surely be struck by the sight—the blue eyes faintly visible above the gate carried a breathtaking, soul-gripping light.
Like a monster preparing to hunt its prey.
Once Oguri Cap took her starting stance, the runners in the inner gates also settled into position. The commentator's voice on the broadcast, like the calm before today's heavy rain, grew slightly steadier.
"All runners are ready. The Meitetsu Cup, 1800 meters on dirt, now…"
"Start!"
The voice rose sharply.
"An excellent break! The smaller field hasn't affected the runners' form—every horse girl has made a beautiful start!"
"So what kind of tactical battle will unfold on this heavy, rain-soaked track… huh?!"
The commentary suddenly turned astonished.
"Oguri Cap's starting speed seems extremely fast—her intention to fight for position is very clear, but… such blatant targeting?"
"All six opponents have executed a perfectly synchronized move to contest position. In almost an instant, positions have been taken both in front of and behind Oguri Cap."
"She has been… surrounded."
"It seems that the most heavily watched opponent by all runners in this race is today's top favorite, Oguri Cap. Such an immediate, white-hot situation from the very start… it's extremely rare!"
"So how will Oguri Cap respond to this?"
"Will she go with the flow, stay within the pack, and break through in one final burst? Or will she make a move now—push outward to the less-interfered outside and use a wide-running strategy?"
The commentator's surprise stirred the atmosphere in the stadium, and the cheers from the stands became noticeably chaotic.
But even greater surprise and confusion were yet to come.
"Wait! Th-this isn't a mid-pack break or an outside strategy?!"
"Oguri Cap hasn't given up on fighting for position. Facing pressure from three opponents ahead and to her left, and the pursuit of three behind, she hasn't chosen any of the running styles we're familiar with."
"Her powerful acceleration from the break is still continuing—she's charging forward as if aiming for the lead!"
"Could it be… that she intends to use a front-running strategy in this race?"
As the broadcast exclaimed, even the commentator's own voice was filled with disbelief. In the stands, which had already grown noisy with confused cries, doubts and astonishment erupted one after another.
However, the guest commentator quickly offered a contrasting opinion.
"That seems unlikely."
The guest's rapid voice replaced the main commentator's on the broadcast.
"Oguri Cap has long been a highly regarded athlete. Based on her past performances, she hasn't shown strong adaptability to front-running."
"Moreover, today's weather and track conditions are far from ideal. They'll increase the physical and mental demands required to finish the race."
"Under such unfavorable conditions, rashly changing a familiar running style isn't a wise choice."
"Given Team Eisei's consistently rigorous and relatively conservative tactical style, they likely wouldn't take such a risk."
"So compared to adopting a front-running strategy, I'm more inclined to believe this is a tactical maneuver specific to this race."
"At present, it's hard to confirm exactly what kind of tactic it is, but I hope she can execute it perfectly—and that the other runners can recognize it in time and respond."
"Of course, in such a fierce race, facing an opponent as strong as Oguri Cap, responding may not be easy—but they will certainly give it their all."
This rapid-fire analysis took up quite a bit of time, and the pack on the track had already begun approaching the end of the opening phase.
An 1800-meter race wasn't much shorter than the previous 2000-meter Takamatsunomiya Cup.
However, since the latter was run on the outer turf course, the shorter total length of the inner dirt track made the progress of the field look visually faster.
Still, this tighter, more compact race didn't make the commentators or the audience any more tense.
The race guest's analysis just now was actually very much in line with the mainstream view—that Oguri Cap is not particularly good at front-running, and that the horse girls of Team Eisei are famous for their unpredictable and ever-changing tactics.
Earlier, the commentator had been surprised because the race situation was so unexpected, and the audience reacted the same way. This was simply because everyone had momentarily overlooked those established views.
Now, with the guest's analysis pointing it out and everyone realizing their oversight, both the commentator and the audience felt a sudden sense of clarity.
"So that's how it is—now it all makes sense."
When the commentator's voice took over the broadcast again after the guest, it sounded more relaxed, with a faint hint of laughter and anticipation in the tone.
"If the fierce position battle in the opening phase is part of a tactical expression, it's easy to think of the kind of running style Super Creek excels at."
"By relying on extraordinary stamina to accelerate at a specific position and seize control of the race's tempo, Super Creek has done this many times in past races."
"As a horse girl from the same team, what Oguri Cap is showing right now may be a similar tactic."
"I hope her opponents can respond in time."
After expressing this viewpoint, the commentator once again fulfilled their duty of relaying the race situation to the audiences both on-site and watching elsewhere.
"The pack is approaching the first turn at a relatively high speed, which means the opening phase has already ended."
"We still don't know exactly what kind of race Oguri Cap will ultimately show us today, but the battle for position that began right from the start is still ongoing."
"Just like at the beginning, Oguri Cap hasn't broken through her opponents' containment and remains right in the middle of the pack."
"It seems that, just as we said earlier, even when facing a powerful opponent like Oguri Cap, all the horse girls are exerting themselves to the utmost."
"If Oguri Cap intended to briefly take the lead and seize the front position, this situation probably won't allow her to do so."
"Let's look forward to an even better performance from her."
As the commentator relaxed, so too did the atmosphere in the stands.
Naturally, not everyone watching this race was an Oguri Cap fan, but her past achievements and the strength she had demonstrated were undeniable.
The earlier gasps had come from uncertainty about what exactly was happening in the race. Now that things were clearer, cheers once again pierced through the curtain of rain, surging in unison toward the horse girls on the track.
However, there were also those watching in silence or with worry.
"This is… getting a bit troublesome…"
By the time Tamamo Cross said this, she and Inari One had already bickered their way back to Team Eisei's viewing area.
This time, they hadn't chosen an indoor viewing room, but instead a spot very close to the track, near the front. That was why Tamamo Cross and the others had been able to go over to the railing to cheer for Oguri Cap.
Standing here meant getting rained on, but the team had relatively little experience with rainy races, and observing from up close allowed them to gather more information.
Moreover, this race and the next two were the team's first attempts at using a front-running strategy. Watching from indoors behind the viewing area might mean missing important details.
"Even though I expected Oguri's adaptability to front-running wouldn't be enough to handle everything, I didn't think even grabbing the lead at the very start would be this hard."
Facing the opposite stands and staring intently through the rain curtain at that familiar yet blurry silver-gray figure, Tamamo Cross unconsciously raised a hand and bit the tip of her finger.
This was a small habit she only occasionally showed when nervous—and she wasn't even aware she was doing it.
All she knew was that her heartbeat, like the silhouette seen through the misty rain, rose and fell in sync with the rhythm of those advancing strides.
"If she can't take the lead at this point, doesn't that mean this change in running style is meaningless?"
"Then Oguri—"
"She'll be fine. Tamamo, you're worrying too much."
Inari One interrupted Tamamo Cross almost without hesitation, sounding even more confident than the teammate running on the track.
"Even if she doesn't get the lead—let's say that's the worst-case scenario."
"Then Oguri's position would just be the one she's most familiar with: stalking."
"In that position, she can't lose!"
That last statement was full of conviction, as if it were Inari One herself racing rather than Oguri Cap.
Yet as she said it, Inari One didn't notice that she was unconsciously fiddling with the fox mask hanging by her cheek.
In just two or three sentences, the mask that had been sitting properly had already shifted angles seven or eight times.
"Huh? That… that's true."
Her words instantly snapped Tamamo Cross out of it, and she perked up. "I really was thinking too much."
"Well, if you put it that way, during the strategy meeting we also considered that the goal was simply for Oguri to perform better overall. The worst outcome would just be not getting the lead early."
"And then, just like you said, Inari—Oguri would be back to her strongest style: Pace Chasing!"
Tamamo Cross's tone now brimmed with confidence, just like Inari One's earlier.
"H-ha, haha, th-that's right! So there won't be any problem at all!"
Ironically, it was Inari One—who had been so confident just moments ago—who now hesitated slightly, though she quickly recovered her enthusiasm.
It wasn't just these two horse girls worrying about Oguri Cap; the trainers watching the race closely were equally tense.
Compared to the others, the trainers were more focused on how effective today's change in running style would be.
"If it's Pace Chasing, Oguri won't have any issues at all—but that does go against the plan we made with senpai and her original intention…"
Rubbing his chin and staring toward the track, Komiyama said this hesitantly, then quickly put on a smile and turned to the side, adding in a reassuring tone:
"But it's fine, really. Senpai, don't put too much pressure on yourself."
"Trying something new for better results is never a bad thing—it's just that this time was a bit rushed."
"At this rate, Oguri can just stay in the middle of the pack and then use the techniques she's familiar with to overtake everyone in one burst at the finish."
"That would still be a beautiful victory."
"As for the new running style, we can take our time with it later. No need to rush."
Kitahara, however, was unusually silent.
Whether it was Tamamo Cross's worries and encouragement earlier, or Komiyama's reassurances just now, he heard them all—but he kept his gaze fixed on the track, saying nothing.
Even when Komiyama deliberately paused, clearly waiting for a response, Kitahara remained silent.
Seeing this, Toyohara couldn't help but offer his own reassurance.
"I think what Komiyama said is right."
He spoke in a tone that sounded both comforting and explanatory.
"We've always been accustomed to using the newest and most advanced scientific training methods. This kind of exploratory tactical arrangement is a first for us."
"I'll admit, this approach is actually very helpful for expanding our horse girls' potential."
"I think after this race, not just Oguri Cap—even Inari and Tamamo could try something similar."
"But Komiyama's right—there's no need to rush."
"After today's race, we'll have more than a month for adjustments. That's more than enough time."
"So, Kitahara—"
Halfway through his sentence, Yuzuhara suddenly froze.
Because the person he was addressing suddenly turned his head, as if to comfort him instead, and reached out to pat his shoulder.
"Ah, I'm fine. Thank you for your concern."
With a light laugh, Kitahara responded to his colleagues' care, gratitude showing briefly on his face.
That expression didn't last long. He soon turned back toward the track, calmly watching the race through the rain.
This was the same calm expression he'd had while staying silent earlier—nothing like the worried look Komiyama or Yuzuhara had feared.
The only difference now was that he finally spoke.
"You're right—if she maintains this position, Oguri Cap is essentially running the Pace chasing strategy we originally planned."
He said in a low voice.
"With a running style she knows inside and out, her natural aptitude, and opponents who've already spent stamina fighting for position early on in this heavy rain, her chances of winning actually improve."
"But maybe we won't need to wait."
"Oguri Cap… might show even greater ability than ever in this very race."
"She'll be fine."
The ones hearing this were all trainers, and they immediately understood—despite the unfavorable opening-position battle, Kitahara hadn't abandoned the pre-race plan.
Moreover, he still believed Oguri Cap could seize the lead and complete the stalking strategy.
"This…"
For a moment, Yuzuhara wanted to try persuading him again.
Under normal circumstances, if a front-running strategy fails to secure an advantage early, trying to reach the lead later becomes far more complex and consumes much more stamina.
The first few hundred meters after the start—roughly the first twenty seconds—are when horse girls have the most stamina and the clearest sense of positioning.
During this time, positions largely correspond to gate placement, with more variation only emerging near the end of the opening phase.
That was exactly what was happening on the track.
After the start, Oguri Cap quickly faced containment from her opponents, mostly from the inside—an inevitable result of being drawn in the outermost gate.
By the end of the opening phase, the containment had spread to her front-left, front-right, and directly beside her, with similar distribution behind her.
At this moment, Oguri Cap was like the center of a slightly flattened six-pointed star. Without extremely refined lane-changing or overtaking techniques, it would be very difficult to break through to the front.
And whether it was ultra-high-speed lane changes or overtaking via a wide outside route, both required explosive power in a short time.
Such stamina expenditure was acceptable near the finish line, but going all out this early made it hard to guarantee enough reserves to respond to later changes.
After rapidly sorting through these thoughts, Yuzuhara glanced to the side and saw the same concern on Komiyama's face. His urge to persuade Kitahara grew even stronger.
But then he realized it would be pointless.
The pre-race plan was already set, and given Oguri Cap's usual racing style, she would faithfully execute it.
In other words, even if they convinced Kitahara now, there was no way to inform Oguri Cap mid-race.
They couldn't exactly storm the commentary booth and grab a microphone to shout instructions.
With that realization, Yuzuhara let out a silent sigh, resigned. He rubbed his cheeks with both hands to chase away the chill from the rain, steadied himself, and looked back at the track.
And then—after just one glance—his eyes widened.
A moment later, as if unable to believe it, he rubbed his eyes hard.
"W-what?! When did Oguri Cap get to the front?!"
Unable to restrain himself, he shouted in disbelief at the race situation that seemed to have changed in the blink of an eye.
On the track, the race had already entered the middle phase.
Like the Takamatsunomiya Cup that Inari One had run at the same venue, this Meitetsu Cup also featured a downhill section with a 3.5-meter drop after the first turn.
This was followed by a slope of over 200 meters, climbing back up with a 2-meter elevation gain.
With 200 meters less distance than the Takamatsunomiya Cup and being run on the inner dirt track, the runners in this race reached the downhill section even sooner.
And it was precisely here that Yuzuhara clearly saw it—just moments ago, Oguri Cap had been boxed in the pack, but now she was leading the entire field in first place as they charged downhill.
"Th-this… what on earth is going on?!"
Yuzuhara felt as though he no longer understood the race at all.
He wasn't alone—Komiyama, also a trainer, was equally stunned when he noticed the change, his mouth hanging open.
Only Tamamo Cross and the others—who had been staring at the track the whole time and hadn't paid much attention to the trainers' discussion—burst into cheers at that moment.
"That's amazing, Oguri! I don't even understand how you got to first, but from this position, just run away to the end!"
"Go, Oguri! I never thought you could pull off such a beautiful front-run—take it all the way to the finish!"
Amid these cheers, Kitahara let out a low chuckle.
"Just like in the game—when the stats gap is huge, you can just choose to run away… Turns out that really exists in real life too. When your speed is high enough, Front running without overthinking is the best choice…"
"And with a race like this…"
Murmuring softly, he turned his head again to look at his stunned colleagues.
"Didn't you just say it yourself, Yuzuhara?"
His tone carried a hint of teasing.
"Making exploratory choices can broaden our horse girls' abilities."
"Just like what Oguri Cap is doing now."
"I think that with our old way of planning races, she might never have realized that Pace chasing… can be run like this too."
As Kitahara teased quietly, out on the track—through the rain curtain rushing toward her—Oguri Cap's blue eyes gleamed, and a quiet realization dawned on her.
Hmm… so that's how it is. They call it front-running, but in this race… I'm really just Pace Chasing.
She felt that after using more brainpower than ever before in a race, everything felt different—unlike any race she'd ever run or watched.
What once required absolute concentration to enter—the zone—now felt as though it had no prerequisites at all. She could step into it anytime, anywhere.
The chaotic commentary she could barely make out.
The cheers echoing through the stadium.
The rain curtain in front of and around her.
The opponents behind her—their breathing and footsteps already inexplicably growing ragged so early.
All of it seemed to vanish, replaced by the same sensation she once had to struggle so hard to reach when entering the zone.
And yet, she didn't feel particularly fast.
She was simply running her usual, familiar stalking pace.
Whether it was how she changed position on the downhill, or how she controlled her posture there—these were all normal, well-practiced stalking techniques.
At least, that was how she saw it.
Not only had the race itself become hard to understand, but even the pre-race strategy had left her confused.
She could clearly tell that the running styles Kitahara assigned to Super Creek and Ardan were different from the one given to her.
Her friends were told to use a familiar front-running strategy—something she wasn't very used to, but could recognize when she heard it.
What she received was different. It felt less like front-running and more like stalking.
She'd even asked Kitahara about it, and his answer was: "If you really don't understand it, just think of it as 'running stalking alone.' Do the rest as you normally would."
So that's what "running Pace chasing alone" means. I thought it meant "my stomach runs ahead"…
Yeah, that wouldn't make any sense—how could a stomach run first?
Hmm… speaking of stomachs, I'm kind of hungry.
Then let's accelerate again and finish this race quickly, so I can eat sooner.
Besides—stamina, speed, strength… everything's fine.
In fact… I still have plenty to spare!
Fully focused, she slammed her foot into the ground. Like a silver flash slicing through the rain, she accelerated once more.
And in this state, she naturally couldn't hear what the commentator—already confused for quite some time—was saying anymore.
"This is an unprecedented race situation! Oguri Cap—does she really intend to escape?!"
"It's not just escaping—this is a truly unprecedented use of the rare 'grand Runaway' strategy!"
"The early position battle really was preparation for a grand escape! Perhaps due to limited adaptability, she couldn't secure the right spot at first—but just after the first turn, on the downhill, she blasted past everyone in one go!"
"The uneven slopes and heavy rain mean she's clearly not at full speed—but her acceleration is unmistakable, and her pace is astonishing!"
"She's already opened a gap of over two lengths on second place…"
"No—wait! She's accelerating again!"
"Like she's entering the final sprint—she's accelerating again!"
"Three lengths… no—straight to four!"
"Could it be that she's going to maintain this runaway and run all the way to the finish?!"
(End of Chapter)