"As expected of Fujimasa March! She's completely overtaken Southern Actress now, taking second place, and she's still accelerating, charging toward the distant front!"
"The calm of the first half on this backstretch has been completely torn apart now—every Uma Musume is scrambling and jostling forward!"
"The fire of competition has been ignited! Has the image of these girls giving their all burned itself into your minds?"
"Wow, this commentator… so cringey."
Fujimasa March felt her heart clench. If she weren't running with everything she had, she was sure she'd be covered in goosebumps.
"Can't he just say something normal?!"
Even as she grumbled internally, her focus remained fixed on Nearl.
'Damn it, just as I thought. Nearl… does she even have any openings? I already know I can't catch her, but is it really this hard to even close the gap?'
The figure ahead had grown even more distant. Her stamina wasn't completely gone, but she couldn't call it ample either.
'There's no way I can speed up now. If I push any harder, I'll definitely burn out before the finish.'
"What do I do…?"
'If I haven't grown even a little, then what was this past year of striving for…?'
A cold, hollow feeling spread from the depths of her heart. Past failures and the regret that followed came rushing back in that moment.
'Did I… really choose the wrong path? Was chasing after Nearl the right decision?'
'I gambled my entire career on this, and all I got was failure. Can I really keep being this selfish?'
'And… and what about my trainer…'
She remembered her trainer's face—usually so calm, even gloomy.
But no matter when it was, the moment he saw her, he would always smile. She was acutely aware of the warmth and care in that smile.
'I know. I've always known. Koichi wants to take the central trainer's exam. The only reason he hasn't is because he's worried about me. But I remember all the books he reads during his breaks.'
'All this time, I just took it for granted that him staying by my side was right—that I could bring him victories and fame, that it would help him reach the central league.'
'But what can I say now? This whole year, he's been the one accommodating me. None of what I thought I could give him has come to pass.'
'Was there any meaning at all in my stubborn insistence on following behind Nearl?'
That's how it is for serious people. Once a crack forms in their strong heart, all the pent-up frustration comes crashing down like a tidal wave, shattering them in an instant.
Constant failure? That was fine.
But in this final race, not even being able to close the distance—didn't that mean she hadn't grown at all in the past year?
Collapse can happen in an instant. The last straw can break the camel's back.
"Trainer… what should I do…?"
The fire inside her flickered, dangerously close to going out. Despair tangled around her limbs, making it impossible to run freely.
Her speed noticeably dropped.
"What's going on?"
Up in the stands, Trainer Shibasaki jolted in agitation, biting clean through the cigarette in his mouth.
"March, what are you doing?"
He slammed his fist hard against the railing in front of him, startling Trainer Kawamura beside him. She'd never seen her childhood friend look so furious.
"Don't let these thoughts break you now…"
Gritting his teeth, Shibasaki stared worriedly at March's despondent figure.
"Fujimasa March is slowing down! Is she out of stamina? She's been overtaken by Southern Actress!"
"The entire field is now entering the final turn before the finish! Nearl remains an unshakable first—we have to zoom the camera out to its maximum just to capture the whole group!"
"Southern Actress is second, Fujimasa March is third! The pack of Uma Musume right behind them are fighting fiercely, each pushing forward with everything they've got!"
"Here it is! The final, fate-determining homestretch! The positions remain unchanged for now!"
"..."
Fujimasa March was still running, but everything before her seemed to have lost its color. Her feet felt light, disconnected, and her thoughts were completely numb.
"I…"
Her mind turned sluggishly, offering no useful response.
Until that familiar shout broke through.
"March!"
Her footsteps faltered for a split second. Her dazed eyes turned toward the source. There, at the edge of her vision, was the trainer she spent her days with.
But the calm he usually wore was gone, replaced by a strained, almost comical intensity.
His mouth opened and closed, as if he were saying something.
What was it?
"Run…"
The voice in her ears grew clearer and clearer.
"March, run! You're the Uma Musume I'm proud of!!"
"!"
Like a streak of fire bursting through the dark night, like a falling star tearing across the sky, the haze before her eyes shattered like stained glass. Color flooded back into her world.
The noise of the crowd roared in her ears, the cheers of the spectators now thunderous.
And of course, there was that dazzling, radiant figure ahead.
"...Hah."
She let out a breath, and with it, the hesitation and despair in her heart scattered and vanished.
"So annoying, Koichi. Since when was I the kind of fragile Uma Musume who needs your encouragement?"
The vivid light returned to her eyes, a smile playing once more on her lips. She felt energy coursing through her body.
"But… thank you for believing in me. And for putting up with my selfishness all this time."
Her thighs powered up, her gaze locked solely on the figure at the very front. Fujimasa March was back.
"Here I go!"
With a fierce cry, her figure surged forward, slicing through the wind with breathtaking speed.
"Fujimasa March! Fujimasa March is accelerating! So fast! The gap between her and Southern Actress is visibly closing!"
"What?!"
Southern Actress glanced back in shock, and in that moment of distraction, March pulled up right beside her, then began steadily, determinedly, pushing past.
"She's done it! Fujimasa March retakes second place! Only 300 meters to the finish now!"
"Hraaaaah!!"
Yelling, she charged forward. It was as if flames blazed in March's eyes now. She had cast aside all hesitation. Only one thought remained in her mind:
'Catch up!'
Nearl's figure was still far ahead, but this time, March didn't feel the distance was insurmountable.
On the contrary, her spirit seemed to leap ahead of her body, arriving on a mental racetrack where she, Nearl, and Oguri Cap were all laughing together.
"Well done, March."
Nearl sensed that fierce will, and a pleased smile graced her lips.
"Right now, you are the most incredible version of yourself."
--+--
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.