The mysterious door, which had only been a narrow crack, slowly opened until it was half ajar. The scene within began to reveal itself.
Inari One froze for a moment.
What was reflected in the girl's clear pupils was no longer just a simple inner landscape.
Her father, mother, Tatsuko Yuzuhara, everyone back at Oi.
And even Kuroha, as well as all her companions from Team Chasing Light.
All the memories that had carried her through life—whether laughter, sorrow, or fiery excitement—now suddenly unfolded behind that door.
"Ah… so that's how it is… So this is what the world means…"
Inari One fell silent for a long breath, then suddenly let out a small laugh. "I already knew that ages ago, and yet you kept blocking me here, not letting me pass. Seriously…"
"You're really not giving Inari-sama any face!!!"
The step Inari took was no longer a simple stride, but an explosion of gold-and-crimson flame beneath her hooves!
"Hyah aaaah—!!!"
A wild roar tore through the air as her body seemed to break through some invisible shackle.
Every muscle fiber screamed under the strain, yet from that pain burst a power unlike anything she had ever felt before.
The gold-and-crimson Domain no longer merely wrapped around her—it ignited completely, swallowing her silhouette whole and turning her into a scarlet meteor that burned the rain curtain to ash!
The positions of the three at the front shifted in an instant!
In that moment, Inari One's body drove forward, inch by inch, hacking down the gap between herself and Fujimasa March!
In the blink of an eye, the half–horse-length margin was shaved flat.
Why? What do I do?
I'm not going to waste time thinking about that kind of nonsense!
Can't catch up? Then accelerate!
Too slow? Then accelerate again!
Still not fast enough? Then just keep accelerating!
In front of Inari-sama, there is nothing in this world that cannot be caught!
"The real festival is about to begin. Now—Fujimasa March, get out of my way and clear the road!!!"
The one-and-a-half–length gap began shrinking at a speed visible to the naked eye under the onslaught of that will that sought to burn everything away!
"Inari One! Inari One is catching up! An unbelievable late-race burst! She's challenging Fujimasa March's throne~!"
The commentator's voice warped with excitement. The entire grandstand erupted into mad cheers, every heart dragged along by that blazing crimson streak.
"Don't even think about it!"
Fujimasa March's silver eyes narrowed, a white-hot blizzard gale surging up behind her and howling past her ears.
She could clearly hear the raging heartbeat thundering behind her, as well as the explosive crash of hooves smashing the ground.
She drew in a deep breath, and the very last shred of strength in her chest was wrung completely dry.
"This is… my… racecourse!!!"
The girl's face twisted into something feral. With a cold shout, she seemed to transform into an indomitable silver lance.
The lance pierced the air, carrying an unstoppable momentum as it launched its final charge toward the finish line!
On the final stretch, three silhouettes became three rainbows that pierced heaven and earth, surging together toward that finish line that symbolized the highest glory!
Behind them.
Oguri Cap stared blankly at the earthshaking clash unfolding at the very front, her fingers trembling with excitement.
I used to be like that too…
A voice rang faintly in her mind, as if from somewhere far away.
It belonged to a horse girl with an adorably strong local accent, and aside from Fujimasa March, she had been Oguri's second truly worthy rival.
"Tamamo…"
A blurry yet searing fragment flashed through her mind.
Last year's Arima Kinen, on this very same Nakayama Racecourse.
Tamamo Cross' white lightning, burning until the very last moment without ever giving up, as if it were going to split the sky itself in two!
And the look in Tamamo's eyes when Oguri finally passed her—unwilling, yet relieved, and filled with a pure, simple satisfaction.
Rumble—!!!
The lightning in the sky tore the clouds open once more. The ghastly white light lit up Oguri Cap's rain-soaked profile in an instant.
And it also lit up the blazing glow in her eyes, rekindled like a long-slumbering volcano roaring back to life!
—I want to run!
I want to race together with these powerful rivals on this track!
Yeah… run…
Does running even need some complicated reason?
The old me never ran to prove anything, nor to defeat anyone in particular. I ran simply because running itself was the greatest joy.
And now, I have my family's support, my friends' encouragement, the cheers of countless fans behind my back.
Then I'll just add another reason to run: to make them all happy as well.
Why make it so complicated?
Running for myself, and for others—those were never two parallel lines that couldn't meet.
Vmm—
The gray-white airflow of her Domain quietly dimmed beside her, in Super Creek's wide-eyed shock.
But what followed was a snow-white radiance, like a midwinter blizzard descending upon the world.
If Oguri Cap were still one of Kuroha's temporary trainees right now, she would practically be able to see several lines of text popping up on her system screen.
[Unique Skill Evolution!]
[Unique Skill: Triumphant Pulse Lv 4] → [Domain Unique: Holy Night Miracle Run! Lv 5]
[Domain Shift!]
[Domain — Grey Monster!] →
Domain — Miracle White Star!!!
Crack!
It was as if some invisible barrier inside her shattered. The shackles of her limits were smashed apart by that pure will to run!
"BOOM—!!!"
The ground under her hooves let out a deep, muffled roar!
Just when everyone thought Oguri Cap was already a spent arrow, her speed suddenly surged once more, in a form that surpassed even her previous peak!
"Even if I can't catch up anymore, I still—"
"Want to run it out together with you!!"
A pure smile blossomed on the gray-haired girl's face as she charged toward the five runners ahead!
…
"Rumble—!!!"
Up front, the duel between the three top-class horse girls had reached the deciding moment.
The finish marker was already close enough to touch, it seemed!
"100 meters! Just 100 meters left!" The commentator's voice was hoarse now. Everyone held their breath, not daring to blink for fear of missing this epic instant!
Inari One's roar had yet to fade. Gold-and-crimson flames twisted around her body, as if they were about to set even the air itself on fire.
The distance between her and Fujimasa March was now less than half a length. Her silhouette was edging up on March's right side in an unbelievable posture!
Three streaks of light—gold-crimson, silver-white, and jet black—hurled themselves toward the last fifty meters before the line at a speed almost impossible for the naked eye to track!
The gale howled in fury. Raindrops were shredded into mist by their speed.
Their breaths turned into scorching white steam. Every muscle trembled, every bone creaked in a chorus of unbearable strain.
And yet, in their eyes, a most devout sacred fire burned!
For victory! For glory! To answer each other's resolve!
"Hyah aaaah—!!!"
Three battle cries, deafening, tore through the entire Nakayama Racecourse!
Under the focus of countless gazes, they dove for the finish line!
"They're at the line!"
The commentator's impassioned shout shook the air.
"And the winner is—"
"Inari One!"
(End of Chapter)
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