"Running into that kind of opponent on a debut…"
Stardust Mirage glanced left. In the gate, a pink-haired runner muttered, aggrieved.
"What are you looking at! You're the same—you're destined to be Teio's stepping stone!"
Catching the glance, the girl snapped a glare back at Stardust Mirage.
Anger burned in her eyes; the furry ears on her head folded back—aggression maxed.
"You, them—how could any of you be a match for a Central genius!"
"Not necessarily."
Ignoring the attitude, Stardust Mirage answered gently:
"You don't know until you run, right? I'm Stardust Mirage. You?"
"You—! Tch. Enjoy your calm while you can." The pink-haired girl spat, "Country runners like you don't know the world—that's why you're so relaxed. Once it starts, you'll learn what absolute difference means!"
Absolute difference?
She knew the girl meant herself and Teio. The morning's mock run had shown a chasm.
But now was different. The system hadn't made her invincible, but even a little help gave her reason to hope.
Maybe—this time—she could outrun the genius.
"Maybe you're thinking you'll outrun her?" the girl across the gate said, as if reading her mind.
"That naïve thought—countless locals have had it." She sneered. "Once you meet the Central's aces, you'll understand how foolish that hope is."
"So—you plan to give up?"
Stardust Mirage was puzzled. If she truly believed she couldn't win, why stand in the gate at all?
"None of your business! I only learned about this after I registered!"
The words hit a nerve; the girl's eyes shone with tears as she snapped:
"But—but… I want to try once! If I give up without even running my debut, what was all my practice for?!"
"Then do your best."
The starter's reminders rang out. Stardust Mirage offered a last encouragement, then faced forward and focused in the narrow stall.
"…My name is Lightning Snow," the pink-haired runner said at last—an apology of sorts for the outburst.
Both locked in, set in the gates…
Sensing the moment, the crowd held its breath. Only the announcer's heated voice boomed across Chukyo:
[Endless blue above! Though it rained not long ago and the turf isn't at its best, it won't dull our expectations for these fourteen!]
[All runners are loaded. Today's third favorite is No. 11, Lightning Snow, showing plenty of fighting spirit.]
[Second favorite—No. 3, Fine Motion—also looks primed to go.]
[And our headliner needs no introduction—No. 2, Tokai Teio!]
[Teio's edge in strength seems considerable. Even at the line she exudes pressure—let's hope she dazzles at 1800 today!]
Bwooo—!!!
With a sharp horn, every stall light flipped green, the doors sprang, and fourteen figures burst as one—thundering down the course!
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