"Narita Brian! Narita Brian is picking up the speed now!!"
The announcer's voice roared through the grandstand.
"To choose this moment, of all times!"
It was the stretch right before the final turn.
"Narita Brian! She's launching her attack on her prey—!!!"
The audience erupted.
Unrivaled, unstoppable, the most ferocious warhorse was unleashing her full power at this very moment.
Pace? The race?
It didn't matter. None of it mattered to Narita Brian anymore.
The rival she craved was right there in front of her. Narita Brian blocked out everything else—the crowd, the track, her trainer, the announcer—it all blurred into a meaningless haze in her eyes.
Right now, all she could see was the black-clad Uma Musume running ahead. Her form, her movement, made Narita Brian's blood sing with a desperate hunger.
The sound of closing footsteps, each one thudding heavily against the track, felt like a drumbeat against her very heart.
And then, under Narita Brian's sharp gaze, that black Uma Musume—her face pale as snow—smiled.
It was a smile of pure delight, of genuine joy.
It was… a smile of utter, unbridled freedom!
The instant Narita Brian drew near, the ground seemed to shatter.
The black Uma Musume churned her legs, her body launching forward like a cannonball, instantly reopening the gap in a heartbeat.
Power on par with Narita Brian's own!
Disbelief washed over every face.
That powerful Uma Musume, that terrifying presence, the one who seemed to wield earth-shattering strength, was actually being challenged in her own specialty today.
It was impossible!
"The unknown black Uma Musume accelerates again! Unbelievable! She's actually managing to accelerate again while setting such a punishing pace!! How is this even possible—!"
By now, no one even remembered this was the [Japanese Derby]. All eyes were glued to the two figures dominating the track.
Those two figures, far ahead of the rest of the pack.
"Can Narita Brian possibly overtake her—!?"
Shouting with a force that threatened to crush the microphone, the announcer's whole body trembled with excitement.
Finally, I feel it…
Watching the black Uma Musume pull away once more, Narita Brian lowered her stance even further, deeper than she ever had before, her body almost scraping the turf!
Her soul was crying out. She saw it—within that black silhouette, a light far more dazzling than the sun!
In an instant, the world froze. The announcer's fervent words, the roaring crowd, the other Uma Musume racing, the clods of dirt and torn grass flying from pounding hooves—everything in her vision seemed to stop dead, frozen in place.
Yet, that black figure ahead was still moving through the static world.
Those golden eyes glanced back slightly, seeming to ask, 'Is that all you've got?'
As if!
Her foreleg drove down, powerful force sinking into the turf, dirt swallowing her hoof. The world's color drained from her sight. A bolt of blue-violet lightning streaked across her vision and shot right through her.
It was brief, this strange sensation lasted only a moment before vanishing. But in that single moment, Narita Brian's legs flooded with power unlike anything she'd ever felt.
The world flew backward. The black Uma Musume who had just shaken her off, along with the entire world, spun back before her eyes.
Her opponent turned her head forward again, focusing straight down the track.
'Now that's more like it—'
Up in the stands, every eye widened.
What… was that just now?
They dared not speak, dared not breathe. For a moment, they had seen it—a palpable aura erupting from Narita Brian, spreading across the entire course. It felt like an invisible hand clamped around their throats; ears heard nothing, mouths could form no words.
The Japan Cup…
Triggered by some hidden signal, well-traveled spectators thought of that name.
At the Japan Cup, they had felt something similar, on that ultimate stage where countless legends gathered.
They had witnessed it. Narita Brian had just now, for a fleeting moment, brushed against that ultimate realm—a height most Uma Musume could never hope to reach in their entire lives.
As if tearing through the very fabric of space, Narita Brian closed the gap in an instant, arriving right at the black maiden's heels.
Finally… I've caught you!
A ferocious grin spread across her face.
Yet, in the face of Narita Brian's relentless pressure, that black figure remained utterly composed.
So composed it made one wonder if she was even taking the race seriously.
'Do you know of the stars?'
Under the night sky, the black maiden spread her arms and looked up, asking.
'Covered by the bright sun by day, they shine with renewed light at night.'
'Even when unseen, they are always there.'
'Just sitting there, in that far-distant beyond.'
'Without reason, without meaning.'
'Burning with a fire far exceeding the sun's, blooming without reserve.'
It was as if she was saying:
'Behold, I exist here—'
Her arms, her legs, felt heavier than expected.
The plan was to build up gradually during the race, yet she'd charged out from the very start.
She maintained her distance, careful to avoid contact with the other Uma Musume.
The noise of the course was more intense than she'd imagined, the crowd's cheers like tidal waves.
The eyes of the world were focused here, on this field of countless pounding hooves.
A soul that had died was once again flickering with life.
Her heart was pounding madly, blood racing uncontrollably.
She was starting to… understand just a little of what she meant.
Experiencing it firsthand was better than any lesson.
A different world had truly opened up before her.
This feeling… was absolutely incredible!
"She's caught up! Narita Brian, accelerating from the inside, has finally caught her opponent! They're drawing level, gradually coming side by side—!"
The announcer's voice climbed even higher. Faced with these two who had accelerated from the mid-stages and showed no signs of fatigue, his initial doubts had completely turned to admiration. Whatever her purpose might be, she had displayed strength comparable with Narita Brian.
By now, the third-place Uma Musume was a full seven lengths behind, the race completely transformed into a duel between these two.
To witness such a fierce battle in the [Japanese Derby] was a rarity, even in her long career.
All Narita Brian needed to do now was overtake her opponent on the final turn, and she would become the undisputed winner.
Seeing Narita Brian closing in, the racecourse erupted in cheers once more.
They were all waiting for the moment the black-haired Uma Musume would be surpassed. They were also thankful to her for bringing such thrilling tension to a race that once seemed a foregone conclusion.
But that gratitude would ultimately become just a stepping stone for the victor.
They raised their arms high, shouting Narita Brian's name.
The sound reached the ears of the black-clad girl.
'Do you hear it?'
From a place far ahead, even beyond her immediate rival, a voice seemed to come.
'I hear it.'
'It is the admiration of the world.'
'Clear and distinct.'
'Do you still remember your ideal?'
'Engraved in my bones.'
'Then, at this moment…'
'This is the time for the night to descend—'
The corner of her mouth lifted in a smirk.
Just like that invisible black specter no one else could see.
For the first time, Narita Brian's expression shifted to one of sheer astonishment.
The prey she had worked so hard to catch, in the blink of an eye, turned the tables. With razor-sharp claws, it tore her pursuit to shreds.
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, 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.