"Haa..."
A soft sigh escaped Nearl's lips, carrying a thousand unspoken meanings, yet respect remained undeniably among them.
"Ines actually made a decision like this. Hah, I don't know whether to scold her for not cherishing herself or to praise her for racing toward her goal with everything she has."
"Even though she'll likely never be able to run at full strength again after this, she shows no regret. She's willing to burn herself to ashes in pursuit of it."
"It's incredible!"
The Uma Musume behind her was like Icarus with ignited wings. Though she would inevitably fall from the sky, she had truly, for a moment, drawn near the sun.
Faced with such a foolish, reckless, yet courage-filled opponent, Nearl felt she absolutely had to respond with an equal measure of respect.
"Although you intend to burn yourself to the ground, I can't allow that. Watching a friend harm herself and doing nothing isn't the way of friendship."
"I respect your decision. That doesn't mean I'm not angry, though. After this race, I've decided to do something rather petty."
"I'm going to find your family and tell them just how terribly you've treated your own body."
Having said this, Nearl's Domain began to change. The gold that had blanketed the track twisted and seethed, as if something surged beneath it.
It was almost like assimilation.
All within the Domain's reach—the grass, the walls, the other runners, the spectators—their golden veneer began to melt into a liquid state, then surged back toward Nearl as the center.
The golden world created by the Domain vanished, the venue returning to its original appearance. Yet something more mysterious, more profound, was taking shape.
"Don't think a Domain is the ultimate endpoint for an Uma Musume. What my sister Godolphin imparted to you all is a soul with the potential to connect to divine realms."
The golden light in her eyes grew increasingly brilliant. The sense of deep flow vanished from them, replaced by a crystalline, ethereal quality.
"Now, I shall reveal a new horizon of the Domain. The time for revolution has come. Study it well."
As her words faded, the golden liquid gathering around Nearl began to solidify.
It swirled and shaped itself around her, pulsating like a living being, gradually taking on a concrete form.
"What is this?! Impossible, is the Domain mutating?"
Symboli Rudolf slammed her hand down again, but the already broken railing this time gave way completely with a comfortable snap, leaving Rudolf swiping at empty air.
"How is Nearl doing this? It's absurd. Can a person's spirit be manipulated and altered with such precision? Or does that mean it's not a Domain, but another potential of the Uma Musume that Nearl has comprehended?"
Symboli Rudolf lifted her hand. For the first time since her retirement, she felt her own body trembling. Not from fear, but from excitement.
New power, unknown frontiers. So many possibilities they hadn't yet uncovered, such vast expanses they hadn't yet explored. It was really...
"It's really getting me fired up. Right now, I feel like jumping straight onto the track and racing Nearl, consequences be damned."
Maruzensky finished the thought Rudolf had left unspoken. The two exchanged a glance and shared a knowing smile.
For in each other's eyes, they saw the same blazing fighting spirit.
Next door, however, the mood was far more comical.
As Tachyon was the only one who had touched the existence of a Domain, she was now firmly pinned to her chair by the others.
"Let me go! I'm not crazy! Don't you understand what this means? It's the very goal of my lifelong research! Let go right now!"
Manhattan Cafe shook her head firmly, her grip only tightening.
"No way we're letting you disturb Nearl's race."
"Aaaaaah!"
In terms of physical prowess, Tachyon was no match for the still-active Cafe. All she could manage now was impotent rage.
"Everyone, look! Nearl-oneechan seems to have wings behind her?!"
Tokai Teio, who had been fixated on the race, suddenly cried out in delighted surprise, her eyes locked on the magical scene unfolding around Nearl.
And it wasn't just her. Many spectators gasped in unison. For an instant, they thought they'd seen something… theological, though it vanished in the blink of an eye.
A Domain was supposed to be a spectacle only visible to other Uma Musume who had touched that realm.
Yet now, every spectator present felt they were hallucinating.
Because in that fleeting moment, golden wings seemed to unfurl, beat, and scatter behind Nearl, as if bearing the blessing of the Three Goddesses themselves.
Domain Temperance: True Spirit.
It appeared. The entity born from Nearl's contracted and transformed Domain took final form.
The moment its hooves touched the ground, the wings on its back stretched out forcefully, scattering illusory golden feathers across the turf.
The creature's limbs were long and distinctly jointed, its robust body a muscular, streamlined form.
Its head was held high with a proud and extraordinary bearing, its physiological structure seemingly born for swift dashes.
The wings on its back didn't overshadow the whole; instead, they blended into the body with perfect harmony. The entire form was translucent, shining with gold.
"What is that? A donkey? That's way off!"
Every Uma Musume who could see this scene fell into deep thought. They had never seen an animal so beautiful, so stirring to their hearts.
"Whinny!"
The creature reared up, supported by its powerful hindquarters, its front hooves curling. Its wings fanned forward with force as it threw its head back and released a clear, ringing neigh.
"Ugh! My body… I can't move."
Ines Fujin's eyes narrowed. Her body froze instinctively in that moment, as if compelled by some deep-seated respect buried in her very bloodline.
The light faded from Nearl's eyes, but the unnamed creature surrounding her grew vividly alive.
It turned its head to glance at Ines Fujin. With a beat of its wings, golden feathers scattered like a blizzard. One feather, whether by chance or intent, drifted down to land on Fujin.
"!"
Warmth. A comfortable, soothing warmth, like the hot springs of memory. Fujin almost couldn't suppress a moan.
Moreover, her legs now felt as if they contained boundless strength, more agile than they had ever been.
Of course, it was an illusion. It was simply because her legs, long burdened with hidden injuries, were now suddenly restored, feeling as if heavy shackles had been removed.
"...So in the end, you're still looking out for me. Couldn't you at least consider my pride? Honestly."
Though her words were a complaint, her smile gave her away.
Her previous resolve for a fight to the death had melted away. The miraculous power Nearl displayed was utterly captivating, fascinating Ines Fujin.
"How sly. Showing me this unknown horizon, capturing my attention like this… How can I remain determined to stake everything on this Japanese Derby now? I've started dreaming of reaching the same realm as you in future races."
Ines Fujin knew she had lost, in every sense. Yet she was content, for she had glimpsed a path forward with no end in sight.
"Though my heart for a decisive death is gone, for the remaining distance of this race, let me run it with everything I have left."
Domain Expansion: Rampaging Tempest.
"Ines Fujin has recovered! She's catching up again!"
--+--
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.