The fissure was reshaped by flowing flames, like the legendary blade Murasame freshly forged from the earth's core.
A crimson-gold arc of light swept across the entire racetrack in an instant, carrying an aura of serene dominance that seemed capable of tearing through everything, and it slashed fiercely toward the divine Zone.
Shinzan, running ahead of Dream Weaver, didn't even have time to react before her Sacred Zone was sliced through by the blade's edge.
Beneath that crimson-gold light, her holy Zone, which had engulfed the track, erupted with a tangible, thunderous roar—as if glaciers had collided with the molten heart of the earth.
BOOM!
At the sound of this sky-shattering explosion, every Uma Musume on the field looked up in unison, staring dumbfounded at the sky.
They saw the vast expanse of white radiance forcibly split open by Murasame, leaving a burning gash in its wake.
Crimson-gold flames roared and spread along the edges of the rift, scorching the realm of the gods!
A wave of heat carrying divine pressure swept over the track, the searing pain palpable on their skin.
Uma Musume watching from a distance felt their hearts stop, their bodies trembling uncontrollably.
"Th-this… this is a Zone?!"
Star Dancer's jaw hung open in astonishment.
This scene, perceptible only to Uma Musume, imprinted upon her a shock she would never forget in all her days.
In the professional years that followed, whenever she heard an Uma Musume claim to have awakened a Zone, she would scoff with disdain.
Then, under the puzzled gazes of others, she would recount this earth-shaking, heaven-shaking moment once more.
In Star Dancer's heart, Shinzan and Dream Weaver had set the benchmark for what a Zone truly was.
Those other Uma Musume who hadn't even reached one-tenth of that power—what right did they have to claim they had awakened a Zone?!
While the Uma Musume on the track were reeling in shock, the spectators off the track had their own share of shock.
Commentator Matsushita stared at the streaking red light on the track, so stunned he could barely string his words together.
If it weren't for Kimura beside him, who'd nearly torn his throat raw from shouting and was now frantically patting his arm, Matsushita might have remained dumbstruck for quite a while longer.
"Dream Weaver… Dream Weaver is not like this at all! So fast, she's already reached Shinzan's side in the time it takes to speak!"
"Such extreme speed, such incredible drama! Even the world's strongest, Shinzan herself, cannot stop her! Who in this world could possibly block her path to victory now?!"
Sitting amidst the cheering, boiling crowd, Richard ignored the jostling bodies.
He braced himself on Anthony's shoulder and leaped to his feet.
In his right hand, he clutched the pair of gold-rimmed glasses that had long since split in two.
His gaze was locked onto that red streak on the track, and he kept muttering under his breath,
"Could it be? Could it really be that you can win?!"
Unconsciously, he clenched his left fist. As someone witnessing a miracle firsthand, a fire ignited spontaneously within Richard's heart.
Watching that red light tearing through the final stretch, Richard instinctively cried out,
"Go for it—!"
The same breath, the same plea, rose from the entire spectator stand.
Symboli Rudolf and the others were no exception.
The instant Dream Weaver entered the final stretch and began her acceleration, they shot to their feet, shouting Dream Weaver's name, cheering her on with all their might.
Even if only one millionth of their words reached the track, they still wanted to add that one millionth of strength to Dream Weaver.
"Go for it," Symboli Rudolf murmured, her lips pressed tight with tension.
"Go for it," Mr. C.B. whispered, her hands unconsciously digging into her own arms.
"Go for it, Dream!"Shiragawa cried, her hands clasped before her chest, her eyes shining brilliantly as she watched the streaking red light on the track.
Just like them, at this very moment, people all over the world watching the race on television held their breath without realizing it.
They stared fixedly at the distance between Dream Weaver and the finish line, uttering the same words in different languages.
"Go for it!!"
They wanted to see the moment the butterfly flew across the vast sea. They wanted to witness a miracle unfold before their very eyes.
The hopes of countless people seemed to transform into tangible power, transmitting itself to Dream Weaver on the track. A red flash ignited in her eyes, and her sprinting speed increased yet again!
She didn't even know which acceleration it was.
From Challenger's Badge to Kindling Flames, then to Nirvana—one skill after another, one skill triggering after another—had pushed her to a height she could never have imagined before.
The white radiance was right before her.
Beside her was Shinzan's face, drenched in sweat and flushed with exhaustion. Feeling the complex gaze upon her, Dream Weaver wordlessly surged past.
For the first time—the first time since the Kikuka Sho had begun—Shinzan had no way left to stop the red stream of light before her.
All she could do was hold in her heart an immensely complicated mix of emotions and watch as this successor, who far surpassed her, strode toward her own victory.
She possessed talent superior to her own.
She held a genuine acceptance Shinzan could never obtain.
Unshackled and fearless, she would lead this world into a new era.
Just as she had done to her moments before.
Shinzan believed Dream Weaver would enable every Uma Musume in this world to run freely on the racetrack. She believed she would change this world obsessed only with profit.
The original aspiration of why Uma Musume run—perhaps in this new era, it would return to people's hearts once more.
For a moment, Shinzan felt not a trace of the hollow loss that should accompany losing a race. Instead, she felt an incredible sense of release.
She even found a slight, unconscious smile touching the corners of her mouth.
"It's been so long… so very long since I've been able to run like this, meeting someone and racing with my true heart…"
Shinzan's gaze softened as she watched the red stream of light ahead, her voice gentle.
"Because of your existence, I was able to have such a thrilling, utterly exhilarating race. I was able to cast everything aside and run without restraint."
"Perhaps I am not the first Uma Musume you've inspired to rediscover that original goal, but I believe I will certainly not be the last."
"Go on, Dream Weaver. Win this race. Go change the world!"
Under Shinzan's watchful eyes, under the gaze of the two commentators, under the eyes of Richard and Anthony, Symboli Rudolf, Mr. C.B., Shiragawa, and the hundreds of thousands of spectators present—
Under the watch of everyone in the world who loved Uma Musume—
That blazing red light lit up the racetrack like a roaring flame, piercing through the finish line as sharply as a honed blade!
The moment the red stream of light crossed the finish line, the entire world held its breath for an instant.
Then, in the next instant, the world shook.
In the stands, in front of televisions, even those listening via radio to the commentary—everyone erupted in cheers.
They embraced anyone they could see around them, speaking different languages, offering different blessings—blessings for Dream Weaver, blessings for the future.
At the Kyoto Racecourse, the giant screen towering over the track refreshed with a single line of text:
1st Place: Dream Weaver.
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 2 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.