Kitahara's jaws hung wide open as he saw the shounen-esque scene. "W-What the hell…?"
Musaka was stunned into complete silence, incapable of saying anything as he saw the miraculous scene.
It should've been impossible. Domains were a realm only accessible to umamusume. It wasn't something humans should have been able to see.
But, for the first time in history, that had changed.
He had a faint idea on what could've caused it. For the first time, three Domains had activated during the same race. He wasn't some expert in the supernatural, but he assumed that the overwhelming clash of power had reached a tipping point, allowing the mystical to leak into the real world.
It sounded like a whole lot of bollocks, but that was the best guess he had.
That wasn't what worried him, however.
Because placed in the middle of that world-shattering clash was Oguri Cap and Blossom Star, and neither of them showed any signs of reaching their Domains.
He harshly gripped his cane. "Come on." He whispered beneath his breath, staring at his two trainees. "Come on, you two…!"
Then, with an energy he thought he couldn't muster in his old age, he stood up from his seat and shouted, "KEEP RUNNING, YOU FOOLS!"
"I-I think-, I can't believe it-, I think we're finally seeing an umamusume's Domains!"
The moment the announcer said that, the crowd finally realized what was going on. Most of them weren't trainers, but they'd all learnt the mythologies that surrounded the umamusume. And so they knew, if only minutely, about the realm known as the Domain.
Immediately, the crowd went wild. They had already come with the intent of witnessing history, but this was far beyond what they could've expected!
"B-Blossom Star is halfway through the third corner, but Obey Your Master is about to overtake her!"
"Tony Bianca has fallen behind Obey Your Master, but she isn't willing to back down that easily!"
"A-And Tamamo Cross retakes the 4rd position as she accelerates again!"
I gasped weakly as I felt Tamamo Cross' Domain wash over me. Enduring the combined effects of Tony Bianca and Obey Your Master's Domains had already been rough, but adding Tamamo's domain onto it was just excessive. My lungs felt like they were barely functioning, and my vision was beginning to blur from how exhausted I felt.
But I wasn't done just yet!
"W-We've reached the fourth corner, and Obey Your Master finally takes the lead-!"
I forced a deep breath down my lungs, and screaming at the top of my lungs, I finally allowed all my Skills to activate.
{Competitive Spirit ◎}, {In Body and Mind}, {Front Runner Savvy ◎}, {Leading Charge}, {Professor of Curvature}, {Playtime's Over!}, {Mold Breaker}, and {Prepared to Die}!
A new surge of strength welled from within, and suddenly I felt as free as the wind. The weight of all three Domains vanished entirely, and with a manic grin, I suddenly lunged forward, retaking the lead from Obey.
"No, Blossom Star retakes the lead! She refuses to let Obey Your Master pass her…!"
Obey Your Master stared in complete shock as I suddenly pulled away. It should've been completely impossible! She'd seen it clearly; I was completely exhausted, and I'd even begun slowing down as we entered the fourth corner. I should've been completely left behind by her and Bianca!
And yet I wasn't, and now her lead was growing once more, even if at a much slower pace,
But before she could even categorize her own thoughts-
"COME ON, OGURI!" I shouted into the wind, with a fervor that was completely unlike me. "CHASE ME!" And for a moment, I feared my voice would've been lost to the crowd's cheers, and a creeping chill crept up my back.
But then I heard it, and a wide grin lit up my face.
"O-Oguri Cap accelerates again!"
"O-Oh, by the Three Goddesses, just what is happening…!?"
Tamamo Cross felt like she was on top of the world. Power was surging from inside her, and it just didn't stop. The gap between her and Tony Bianca was quickly shrinking, and she laughed freely as she ran. She was fairly sure she was high at this point, but she could hardly care.
Similarly, she could barely feel any fear as Oguri suddenly surged forward, easily matching her own speed. She laughed brightly. "Com' on, ye' Monster!" A wide grin stretched across her face. "Le's keep da' show goin'!"
Oguri returned no words, completely focused on enduring the assault of three clashing Domains as she ran.
"I-I can't believe it! Tamamo Cross and Oguri Cap have passed Tony Bianca! She now falls to 5th place!"
Tony Bianca rasped her breaths she forced herself to keep running. Unleashing her own Domain from so early on had completely burnt her out, but she couldn't let herself stop. This race was just too special to give up on. The experience was too magical for her to even think about slowing down.
Even if it meant injuring herself. Even if it meant being unable to run for months.
She didn't care. She had to win, no matter the cost!
"It's the final straight!"
"Blossom Star is in the lead, but Obey Your Master is just behind her, with Tamamo Cross and Oguri Cap quickly approaching!"
"Tony Bianca has fallen behind, but she's keeping up as well!"
"Just who is going to be the victor!?"
Oguri grit her teeth as she bent down low, running as perpendicular to the track as she could to minimize air resistance. Her body felt like it was moments from exploding, but she kept running regardless. Her Unique Skill was sputtering its final breaths, the dark tendrils surrounding her feet having grown so thin that they looked like floating trails of dust.
But she didn't slow down. She kept accelerating even as her body threatened to give out.
Because she hadn't fulfilled her promise to Star just yet.
"300 meters remain!"
Tamamo Cross laughed freely as the finish line quickly crept into view. By this point, she could barely think of anything else but the sheer joy she felt as she ran. With the visage of lightning that'd formed around her, she practically felt like a newly-descended god.
The euphoria was overwhelming, and at that moment, every fear and worry she had going into this race had been swept away.
Right now, all she wanted to do was run!
"200 meters remain!"
Obey Your Master had to admit defeat. She was completely outclassed. Even with all her preparations, all her training, all the time she spent building her mask—it wasn't enough.
Tony Bianca's Domain had matched hers, and she'd been completely unprepared for Tamamo Cross to unleash a Domain of her own. She was even more surprised when I and Oguri Cap managed to accelerate, even though we didn't have a Domain to counter theirs.
This was a race of monsters, and she'd willingly thrown herself into their den.
But this wasn't over. Not by a long shot.
She wasn't letting them win that easily.
"100 meters left…!"
The final 100 meters! By this point, I could barely keep myself running straight. For the first time, I was completely spent, and every joint in my body was hurting.
I didn't know where everyone else was, nor did I intend to find out. Right now, all I could do was run forward with all my might and hope that I hadn't lost my lead.
Haha. Man, this was completely insane, wasn't it? I knew the [Japan Cup] would be insane, but I could've never imagined it would turn out like this. I thought I was prepared, that my stats and Skills were more than enough to hold out against these legendary figures.
Now I see that it was nothing more than a delusion.
…Oh well.
"GOALL!!!"
The moment the announcer shouted that, we all stopped and immediately turned towards the scoreboard. It was still unlit, and it was clear that we'd all been so close to one another that the experts had to review the recording to see who actually took the victory.
The seconds passed in tense silence. The effects of the three Domains lingered, filling the air with an immense pressure.
I stared at the scoreboard without blinking.
Obey Your Master clenched her fists.
Tamamo Cross stared with a dazed smile.
Tony Bianca clutched her knees to remain standing.
Oguri Cap pressed her palm into her chest to numb the pain.
.
.
.
Then, it finally lit up.
And I felt all my strength leave my body.
"THE WINNER IS OGURI CAP!!"
I stared at the scoreboard in complete disbelief. There, on the very top, was Oguri's name. I took a few rasping breaths, before a wide grin stretched across my lips.
She-, she did it.
She actually did it!
Fate had changed! Instead of taking 3rd, Oguri surged all the way to the lead and took the victory! Even without a Domain, even beset on all sides by the pressure of three opposing Domains, she still managed to take the victory!
"Oguri…!" I turned to where I last saw her, and a brilliant smile lit my face. "You won, Oguri! You-!"
But my elation quickly died when I heard a soft thump, and I turned to see that Oguri had fallen onto the ground. The audience's cheers turned quiet with horror, and my own vision swam as I felt terror pressing into my chest.
"O-Oguri…?" With increasingly panicked breaths, I quickly moved to try and wake her. "Oguri-!"
But then my own legs gave out, and suddenly I crashed onto the turf. My vision swam even more, and I coughed weakly as my vision began growing dark. "O-Ogu…ri…?" I managed to whisper, before I fell unconscious.
By this point, Obey had finally turned away from the scoreboard, and her eyes widened. 「Oi, you two-!」But before she could go check on them, she gasped as she finally felt the growing pain in her lungs. She clutched at her chest as she dropped onto her knees, gasping weakly.
Tony Bianca was no different, quickly leaning onto the railing as she coughed repeatedly. All the struggles she'd endured throughout the race was finally catching up to her, and she bit down on her lips to keep herself awake.
Only Tamamo Cross managed to remain standing, but even she looked in pain. By this point, the elation from awakening her Domain had largely faded, and she finally realized the state everyone else was in. "Oi, get y'er asses here!" She quickly screamed to the audience.
The event staff quickly rushed onto the racetrack with stretchers, all while panic festered amongst the audience.
The celebration had quickly turned into terror.