...
All the horse girls entered the gates.
In that instant, the entire venue fell into a tacit silence.
"The race has begun, all horse girls have gated smoothly and are starting to move toward the inner rail."
This race had no horse girls using a big escape tactic, so everyone ran very steadily, with the overall pace on the fast side.
...
At the start, no horse girls fell behind.
The gap between the first-place horse girl and the last-place horse girl was not very large, only about eight body lengths, with the rest all packed in the middle group.
Mejiro McQueen was in the middle-front position, maintaining top five.
"Very good, just keep it up until the critical moment at the end." Mejiro McQueen adjusted her breathing; once she started running, not a single bit of nervousness remained in her heart.
...
The 3000-meter course was a major test of endurance.
As the race progressed, the distance between the last and first place widened more and more, reaching about fifteen horse lengths by the final turn.
The middle group also stretched out like kneaded dough.
Mejiro McQueen tightly bit onto the horse girls ahead while carefully observing the positions of her two main rivals.
Mejiro Ryan was on the outer rail, seemingly planning to burst out from the outside in the end.
She couldn't see White Stone's position, but from earlier observations she could guess it was toward the rear on the inner rail.
And behind her were many noisy footsteps...
Mejiro McQueen frowned, her gaze gradually becoming solemn.
She was like a hard, massive rock, stuck in a perfect position, blocking the only sunlight.
But everyone knew full well that once they surpassed Mejiro McQueen, they would see the light again.
To be able to sprint all-out in the final straight, the moment of exiting the turn required an excellent position!
"Many runners probably want to break the deadlock in the turn, especially the ones behind me."
"So... I can't wait until the very end to accelerate! I have to seize the initiative in the turn!"
...
In the stands, the members of "Dream" also grew tense.
"Rice-chan, if it were you, what choice would you make?" Lucian asked.
"I... I would probably burst out from the outer rail, because the middle is too crowded." Rice Shower looked at the situation on the track, growing calmer as she analyzed, "McQueen's position is very good right now, but once she's overtaken she'll lose the chance to sprint, the risk is huge."
No sooner had Rice Shower finished speaking than Mejiro Ryan on the track began accelerating on the outer rail, her position closing in straight on the current first place.
It seemed Mejiro Ryan's choice was the same as Rice Shower's, sacrificing some stamina on the outside for the best sprint timing.
"You're right, but the bigger the storm, the more expensive the fish."
The words had just left his mouth when Mejiro McQueen, in the last quarter of the turn, also began to accelerate.
Breaking out of the pack in the turn at the same time was White Stone.
The instant they exited the turn, Mejiro McQueen took over, surpassing the previous first place by a tiny margin.
An open view—what the leading horse girl always saw was the most beautiful scenery!
...
"Right here, take the first step to victory!"
Mejiro McQueen's entire aura changed once more; white flowing luster suddenly emerged, like steaming hot vapor blown by strong wind in the light, or like flowing white armor being donned upon her.
Her figure remained elegant, elegance mixed with a killing intent.
Just as she herself had said—princess, but also knight!
"Mejiro McQueen! Mejiro McQueen! Mejiro McQueen has taken the lead!"
"Inner-rail White Stone has also broken out, outer-rail Mejiro Ryan is charging up too!"
The host's voice grew louder, followed by the audience's cheers rising and falling like heat waves, one wave overtaking another.
...
The three horse girls all displayed strength far beyond ordinary horse girls in the final straight, as well as control over the entire race.
Therefore, in this final stage, horse girls lacking speed and endurance fell behind one after another, forcibly driven off the big screen by the trio of Mejiro McQueen, prematurely announcing their defeat in this race.
Lucian gripped the railing tightly, his palms crawling with sweat, "McQueen, win it, you have to win it!"
"McQueen!!! Go for it!"
"McQueen! Charge!"
"McQueen-senpai!!"
...
The three engaged in fierce competition.
Mejiro Ryan seemed to be the first eliminated—stamina lost on the outer rail became a powerful boomerang, leaving her one and a half horse lengths behind second-place White Stone.
Yet this short distance was an insurmountable chasm.
She had the ability to keep the chasm from widening further, but no way to cross it, "Damn it!!!"
...
At the final moment, Mejiro McQueen knew Mejiro Ryan could no longer catch up to her, so she only needed to withstand the impact from the horse girl at her side-rear... and achieve first place in the Kikuka Sho!
The loss of stamina made Mejiro McQueen's breathing increasingly rapid, like a mountain pressing down on her.
But she still clenched her teeth tightly, relying on willpower to take every steady and agile step.
"Mejiro McQueen! Will it be Mejiro McQueen!?"
"Will Mejiro McQueen achieve consecutive victories, or will White Stone end her streak!?"
"Final one hundred meters! The two runners are only a head apart!!!"
"Mejiro McQueen still leads!"
The host shouted faster and faster, until even his voice became somewhat slurred, yet it still couldn't hide the fiery passion.
"She's crossed the line!!! Mejiro McQueen has defended her final territory!"
...
Drenched in sweat, long hair flying, Mejiro McQueen dragged her exhausted body toward the lawn facing the audience.
"I've won." She bowed elegantly toward the stands, letting the piercing wind and fervent cheers fill her ears.
Mejiro McQueen waved to the audience and walked toward the exit passage.
Several familiar figures were already standing there.
The exhaustion covering her body seemed ready to be set down; she smiled as she returned triumphantly from the wind, her gaze sweeping over the members of "Dream," finally settling on Lucian.
"Trainer-san, I'm back."
...