The stands, the commentary box—all the cacophony from beyond the track could no longer reach them.
Within the storm, Hishi Miracle and Symboli Kris S wove through the pack. In a matter of seconds, they had surged from the rear of the cluster to the very front.
The two Uma Musume sprinted up the slope like madwomen, leaving a trail of shocked and bewildered gazes in their wake. The other competitors couldn't wrap their heads around it. Why would anyone choose to sprint now? Had they simply given up on the race?!
But Hishi Miracle and Symboli Kris S didn't care. They left behind not only the noise of the crowd but the judgmental stares of the field as well.
At this moment, no other Uma Musume blocked their view. There was only the gray, misty track under the curtain of rain and the whistling wind whipped up by the person at their side.
The entire Kikuka-sho had been transformed into a private stage for their duel. They had eyes for no one but each other.
Two silhouettes cut through the rain, streaks of deep green and blue-white curving gracefully along the track.
The slope was behind them now; the two-hundred-meter bend that followed was conquered in a heartbeat.
Now, all that lay before them was the final turn, also a mere two hundred meters, and then the four-hundred-meter finishing straight!
The moment of truth had arrived!
It's now or never, Hishi Miracle thought. For some reason, her perception of the world had grown sharper as the race progressed.
Amidst the drumming rain and her own pounding heart, she could actually hear the rhythmic thrumming in Symboli Kris S's chest beside her.
Mixed into the howling wind, Hishi Miracle could feel it: Symboli Kris S's heart was racing much faster than before, her breathing becoming ragged. Even without looking back, the image of Symboli Kris S gritting her teeth and pushing through the pain surfaced vividly in her mind.
My decision was right! Her stamina really can't handle an acceleration this early!
Hishi Miracle let out a silent, jagged grin.
In truth, she was just as exhausted. Every step sent flares of agony from her toes to her thighs.
But her condition was ultimately better than her rival's.
The instant they entered the final turn, as she drew a sharp breath, a surge of unknown power suddenly flooded her body.
The previous muscular pain vanished as if it had never existed. Hishi Miracle's physical strength returned to its peak!
This is the 'Second Wind' the Trainer talked about—the 'Guts' shown on the virtual dive device's panel, Hishi Miracle thought excitedly.
Guts was her fastest-growing attribute and the one where the gap between her and Liberty Island was smallest.
With the backing of both Guts and Stamina, Hishi Miracle had the confidence to tear through the Kikuka-sho even with a mid-race surge.
As long as she held on until the end, the winning Uma Musume would definitely be her!
For Symboli Kris S, whose stamina was hitting rock bottom, this was a true dead end. Hishi Miracle could almost see victory waving at her from the finish line.
But she seemed to have forgotten a sentence Dream Weaver once taught her.
"A Zone is the manifestation of an Uma Musume's will. Even in a desperate situation, as long as the desire for victory remains, the Zone will answer."
Desperation, a worthy opponent, and sheer will—when the three elements for awakening a Zone converged, Symboli Kris S's light finally erupted!
The world seemed to stand still for a heartbeat. Raindrops froze in mid-air, and even the sound of their hearts was put on pause.
In that frozen moment, there was no cheering from the stands, no whistling wind on the track—only the primal, instinctive throbbing of the body.
"Zo—"
Hishi Miracle tried to cry out in that suspended world, but even her thoughts weren't allowed to finish. Before the second syllable could land, that familiar aura exploded from her side.
The next instant, the stillness shattered.
A presence as violent as an explosion rose beside her. Before Hishi Miracle could even process her shock, that deep green shadow surged past her, charging toward the final straight.
"Symboli Kris S! Symboli Kris S has overtaken Hishi Miracle and is the first to enter the final straight!"
The commentator's voice rang out in disbelief. He never imagined that Symboli Kris S would have any strength left in reserve at a time like this.
At this moment, Symboli Kris S was unleashing a finishing kick even faster than the one she'd shown at the Kobe Shimbun Hai.
Against such extreme velocity, the movements of the other runners seemed to slow to a crawl. In a mere blink, she had pulled a full horse-length ahead of Hishi Miracle!
Just as Hishi Miracle gritted her teeth, desperately trying to give chase, Symboli Kris S suddenly turned her head and locked eyes with her.
Symboli Kris S didn't speak—she couldn't possibly have the breath to spare—yet Hishi Miracle understood her intent with uncanny clarity.
I see... so this is the Zone?
The symbol of a true powerhouse. A miracle forged by an Uma Musume's will.
I have to thank you, Hishi Miracle. If you hadn't applied that pressure, it might have taken me much longer to truly awaken my Zone.
I will remember you.
And so... the victory of this Kikuka-sho belongs to me!
She had let herself be driven into a corner on purpose!
Symboli Kris S knew she was only a step away from her Zone, which is why she had accepted Hishi Miracle's challenge, using her relatively weaker stamina to go toe-to-toe with her.
She was, after all, an Uma Musume from a prestigious bloodline.
Under the personal guidance of the many Zone-awakeners in the Symboli family, it was only natural for her to understand exactly what conditions were needed to trigger her own awakening.
It was even possible that she had specifically chosen the Kikuka-sho for this purpose.
Compared to Equinox, she shared a deeper connection with Hishi Miracle, making her the perfect rival to spark the emotional volatility required for the Zone.
As those silent words faded, Symboli Kris S's speed surged once more.
No matter how hard Hishi Miracle tried to catch up, she couldn't stop the gap from widening. She could only watch as Symboli Kris S bolted toward the finish line, leaving everyone in the dust.
If this keeps up, I'm going to lose!
What do I do? What do I do?!
The thought of failing Dream Weaver's teachings made Hishi Miracle's heart ache as if gripped by a giant, invisible hand.
The Zone. Only the Zone. In a situation like this, only an equal miracle could defeat Symboli Kris S!
Symboli Kris S was getting faster and faster. There were only three hundred meters left to the finish.
There was no time left for Hishi Miracle to overthink; she had to awaken her Zone immediately if she had any hope of overtaking her.
How to awaken? Why to awaken?
There was no room for such questions under the crushing pressure of time. In this moment, only one phrase echoed in Hishi Miracle's heart:
I have to win!
And so, like an instinct, Hishi Miracle recalled the first time she had ever encountered a Zone. That night surfaced before her eyes once again.
That was the first time she had truly seen a Zone, and it remained the most powerful one she had ever witnessed.
Compared to that blade of light that could almost cleave the heavens, Symboli Kris S's acceleration was nothing!
That's right. If it's her... if it's the Trainer... she would definitely find a way to win in this situation!
I've felt her aura countless times. I've witnessed her form countless times. So I—
I must be able to recreate that sight!
In that very moment, within Symboli Kris S's perception, a sudden, jarring streak of crimson flashed through Hishi Miracle's blue-and-white silhouette!
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 2 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!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.