Sham heard a dull crunch echo from her own leg.
She felt neither anger nor fear at the sound. Only a faint shake of her head.
She'd been expecting this.
Sham had known for a while now that her legs could no longer carry the weight of her dreams. The three steel pins lodged in her leg were a constant, relentless reminder:
You're no longer fit to be an Uma Musume.
No Uma Musume could call herself one if her very legs were crippled.
An Uma Musume could lack an arm, be disabled, could even be blind—but she could not, above all, be without her legs. They were her lifeline. Once that line snapped, her career as an Uma Musume ought to be over.
Everyone knew that.
Everyone but Sham, who clung on like a ghost from a bygone era, stubbornly refusing to hold a retirement ceremony.
Inside her chest, a blazing heart refused to rest. Day and night, it beat with fierce intensity, reminding her:
Secretariat is still out there. Can you really accept this?
Sham felt her vision tilt forward, the horizon surging upward like an incoming tide. She could barely keep her balance.
She saw Platinum closing in from behind; she felt the gap between herself and Golden Sixty widening.
Is this it?
The thought brushed Sham's mind. It was true—she'd pushed herself too hard.
—But no.
No, no, no!
That blazing heart drummed violently inside her.
I'm still alive, I'm still here, I'm still on this track.
If God hasn't taken my soul yet, then—!
A hoarse roar tore from Sham's throat, like the final roar of an aging lion.
She straightened her back as though willing her body not to break, fighting desperately to regain her balance.
She took another step, then another, even though every stride sent searing pain through her.
In that very instant, Platinum swept past her, and their eyes met.
Platinum faltered for a split second. Though Sham was roaring, blazing across the turf like a shooting star, her eyes held more warmth and gentleness than Platinum had imagined—like an older sister looking out for you.
Sham was startled in turn. Those pitch-black eyes, devoid of any other hue, were profoundly deep, as though they could swallow everything into their darkness.
For a moment, Sham thought, those eyes… they reminded her of Secretariat's.
"Platinum overtakes Sham to take second place! Now, only Golden Sixty stands ahead of her!"
Gasps rippled through the crowd. An unknown underdog was steadily capturing the attention of every spectator. In this stadium built for 80,000, all eyes were fixed on Platinum and Golden Sixty.
"One final check of the standings. Leading the pack as they approach the final turn is Golden Sixty. Trailing by roughly three lengths is Platinum, who has delivered a stunning performance today—can she sustain this miracle?"
"Falling behind Platinum is Sham. This high-intensity race may simply be too much for her given her physical condition. Following closely behind Sham is Agnes Digital."
"In fifth is Jade Lion, who appears to be running comfortably."
"Right behind are Urban Sea and Leap of Faith—their earlier burst of speed may have drained their stamina."
"In eighth is Ever Flourishing, with Fresh Memory in ninth."
"They're out of the turn! Following Golden Sixty's lead, Platinum charges into the final stretch!"
"Here, they will decide it all!"
Platinum lifted her head, gasping for air. She'd never imagined she would make it this far. Up ahead, the conspicuous 500-meter marker board loomed closer.
The race had entered its final phase. Everything she'd achieved up to now would mean nothing if she couldn't hold on here.
But if she could push even harder in this final straight, then even the lead Golden Sixty had defended so long would crumble to nothing.
She'd come this far. Only one person stood in her way now—
If she didn't give it a try, she'd never forgive herself.
No more struggling to break through the pack, no more worrying about other rivals, no more navigating turns.
In her mind, the field narrowed to just her and Golden Sixty.
Which meant—hold nothing back. Pour out every last drop of strength!
And in that moment, that mysterious sensation washed over Platinum again.
The world seemed to fade into grayscale. She could almost hear the dust murmuring, the breeze whispering in her ear… Here, she felt omnipotent, in control of every strand of hair, every pore, every firing nerve impulse…
This is it. Come on, Golden Sixty! Platinum was like a sharp blade being drawn from its sheath—with every inch revealed, its edge grew more cutting, more unstoppable.
She could feel it—she was on the verge, so close. After witnessing Sham's defiance, she knew she could do it—
Then, a crack split her black-and-white world. It widened rapidly, and a gale-force wind rushed through, shattering Platinum's heightened state to pieces.
Her pupils dilated slightly. That illusion of invincibility receded like a tide, replaced by a wave of exhaustion far deeper than she'd expected.
…What… was that?
"Little one, it's too soon for you." A faint smile played on Golden Sixty's lips as she listened to the footsteps behind her.
"Makes me sound old, saying that—but you still need more training."
"I thought it would be Sham with me at the end, but you… you've been quite the surprise. Not that it changes anything."
Golden Sixty tossed a casual wave over her shoulder, almost taunting, as she passed the 500-meter marker.
"Watch closely. This… is the gap between you and me."
Platinum's lips parted slightly, shock freezing her expression. In her vision, it was as though an endless gale had risen—and Golden Sixty rode upon it, poised calmly within the storm's eye.
…You've got to be kidding… This is…
"Golden Sixty is kicking into her final sprint! She's widening the gap on Platinum—it seems the miracle ends here for Platinum!"
"What an overwhelming final burst from Golden Sixty! She's showing us all exactly why she remains the undoubted champion, the one and only Golden Sixty!"
—Golden Sixty is a world-class champion, on the same level as I am.
Platinum recalled the words Symboli Rudolf had once told her. And in that moment, the memory of running alongside Rudolf flashed before her eyes.
That day, between Rudolf and herself… she had glimpsed an insurmountable chasm.
Just like now.
--+--
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!
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If you guys wanna check it out.