"Setting the pace is Nearl! No, even calling it "setting the pace" is an understatement—she's running away with it! This divine stride of hers is something we anticipated, and once again, Nearl is demonstrating what true godlike speed means!"
"Never Say Never is right behind her! Running at a pace she's mastered, it seems like the current situation is well within her control!"
"In the third spot we have Southern Actress. She hasn't kicked into gear yet, seems to have settled in. Strange, she usually prefers to set the pace—is she switching to a late strategy today?"
"The second favorite, Fujimasa March, is sitting right in the middle of the pack. She's conserving stamina, not making a single move. Looks like she's waiting for the perfect moment."
The commentator's gaze swept across the track, words spitting out like machine-gun fire from nimble lips. Paired with the unfolding race, it whipped the crowd into a frenzy.
'Observe your surroundings, March. Everything you're doing isn't about beating them. It's about getting closer to Nearl, even if it's just by a little.'
Fujimasa March, hidden within the pack, bit her lip tightly, remaining silent.
For her, this was far from her final race, but its importance even surpassed her eventual retirement race.
"This is my last official race with her! My growth, my feelings, my resolve… I need to make sure Nearl sees all of it!"
Her inner thoughts churned violently, yet her mind grew colder and sharper. Fujimasa March carefully adjusted her position, preparing for the imminent final sprint.
Yes, March had absolutely no intention of waiting for the final sprint, contrary to the commentator's speculation.
'No one understands my own capabilities better than I do. Relying solely on a final sprint might let me beat every other opponent except Nearl. But what would be the point? My goal is to take one step closer to Nearl.'
Holding this thought, March gradually adjusted her speed and position, ensuring she would have a comfortable lane for the coming sprint.
--+--
'Everyone is trying so hard.'
Feeling the intense, competitive auras burning behind her, Nearl smiled a faint, gratified smile. Recalling her first few races, she could truly feel how everyone had changed.
'Back at the very beginning, to be precise, before June, there were only a handful of Uma Musume willing to share the track with me.'
'Aside from March, almost all the rest were just here for the prize money. After all, with fewer participants, their chances of placing were higher.'
'But thanks to the fans' support and the relentless publicity from the magazine the President started, things slowly got better.'
'The real reason for their initial listlessness was probably feeling like their efforts were meaningless.'
That's what Nearl thought.
But her assessment wasn't entirely complete, because she completely overlooked her own influence and the effect of her leading by example.
People have a scale in their hearts. They might not see themselves clearly, but they never miss others' flaws.
However, Uma Musume are spirits crafted by the Three Goddesses; their character is generally at the pinnacle of humanity.
So, unlike ordinary people who often only see others' flaws and overlook their merits, they are more apt to notice the good.
Nearl's sudden, dazzling appearance naturally sparked their curiosity.
Many Uma Musume investigated Nearl's daily life and training routines, both openly and discreetly.
Of course, 'investigating' is a strong word. Since Nearl was a student at Kasamatsu Tracen, you could basically just take a stroll through the academy and you'd be bound to see her.
At first, when stories of Nearl's daily life spread, they didn't believe them. Some even suspected Nearl was putting on an act, because that sort of life seemed too grueling, too torturous.
Most watched Nearl, waiting for the joke to be on her.
But day after day, month after month, Nearl never wavered. The observers fell silent.
They finally understood one thing: that Golden Pegasus was dead serious.
That monotonous, prison-like, dull life? She was genuinely enduring it.
Respect, amazement, and a touch of admiration followed. They felt that even the legendary Uma Musume couldn't be much more than this.
The power of an example is immense. In corners unknown to Nearl, she became their idol, their benchmark.
Phrases like, "She's that talented and she's still working so hard. Don't you want to try hard too, to follow behind and see the view from the front?"
It's a good thing Uma Musume's nature leans inherently towards the sunny and positive side. If these were humans, many would probably just give up.
Anyway, within a few months, the Uma Musume who admired Nearl gradually started joining her in races.
"They're into the first turn, everyone entering the first turn! Nearl demonstrates her signature 'Broken Line Cornering' technique once again! No matter how many times you see it, this way of taking a corner is just breathtaking!"
"Indeed. Unlike other Uma Musume who excel at cornering, whose turns are full of beautiful, graceful arcs, bodies leaning as if defying gravity…"
"Nearl is completely different. Her cornering is brutal and unreasonable. Common sense in physics is like a wall she simply charges through and shatters."
"This method of cornering is entirely forged by raw hoof power! Look at those hoof prints on the track! Just from those terrifying marks, we can feel the impact, the raw, direct, almost crude beauty of it!"
"Nearl is through the turn! She's onto the back straight! The others haven't even finished the corner yet!"
"Wait! Fujimasa March is making a move! She's riding the centrifugal force, drifting wider to the outside! What is she trying to do?"
"?"
"!"
The moment the commentator's words left his mouth, the other Uma Musume around her jolted to attention.
While they'd come to this race with the desire to get closer to Nearl, that didn't mean they'd given up on competing themselves.
On the contrary, understanding Nearl's character made them even less likely to hold back. Who'd want to earn Nearl's disdain by slacking off?
And besides, who didn't want to improve themselves?
"Don't think you'll get past that easily!"
An Uma Musume slightly ahead shifted her position, blocking Fujimasa March's path forward.
"…"
Fujimasa March's brow furrowed. Her path forward was now blocked, making a clean break difficult. Weighing her options, she abandoned the idea of accelerating right now.
'Don't panic. There will be more chances.'
She repeated the words silently in her mind.
"The entire field is on the back straight! Nearl maintains her terrifying lead! The gap is now a full 10 lengths!"
"It's like a replay of all her previous races! But this time, will any Uma Musume be able to close that distance?"
'Of course! If we can't make any progress after all this, then we'd be utterly useless!'
That simultaneous, silent roar echoed in the hearts of every Uma Musume on the track.
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! 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.