Japan Reaches the Pinnacle! The Phantom Bird Soars Over the Arc!
The news of El Condor Pasa crushing Montjeu had only been fermenting for a few hours, yet it already saturated every single Uma Musume forum in Japan.
For Japanese racing fans, this victory at the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe was a dream long deferred.
They had waited an eternity, weathering a history of bitter disappointments and lackluster results on that hallowed French turf.
Some armchair trainers had gone so far as to obsessively deconstruct past failures into "Nine Critical Factors" for losing the Arc.
But today, the moment El Condor Pasa crossed that finish line, years of suppressed emotion erupted.
In the dead of night, countless windows across Japan rattled as fans screamed, "El Condor Pasa is the GOAT!"
In that instant, through their eyes, she wasn't just a champion; she was the undisputed number one in the world.
Amidst the chaos, a lone Barbatos fan—a casual observer of the fray—posted a simple thread:
[If El Condor Pasa is the best in the world, what does that make Barbatos, the girl who beat her?]
The thread was a powder keg.
Dedicated fans who followed every stride of the season were one thing, but the "casuals"—those who only tuned in for the big headlines due to work or life—immediately charged into the comments like a vanguard of knights, unstoppable and unyielding.
To them, at this very moment, El Condor Pasa was the peak.
Even if she had lost to Barbatos once, that was ancient history. If Barbatos was so great, why didn't she go to the Arc and take down Montjeu herself?
Barbatos, scrolling through the forums in the quiet of her room, didn't bother engaging with the flame war.
She simply found the original post questioning her standing and gave it a firm, silent "Like."
Keep preaching, kid, she thought with a smirk. I like the way you think.
By now, both she and Seiun Sky had returned to their dorm. Between watching the Arc live and the frantic long-distance calls to El Condor Pasa afterward—especially after learning that Montjeu and her cohort were heading to Japan—they had long since blown past their internal biological clocks.
--+--
The Racing Committee.
In a room occupied only by the Chairman and his female secretary, the glow of the computer monitor reflected off the Chairman's sunglasses.
On the screen, the footage of El Condor Pasa's victory played on an endless, flickering loop.
The secretary stood perfectly upright behind him, her professional attire doing little to hide her sharp, refined silhouette.
She watched the playback with him, her voice a soft murmur. "Still haven't reached a decision?"
As his secretary, her job was to ease his burdens, but even she found herself at a standstill.
Barbatos or El Condor Pasa.
Last year, the public had labeled Barbatos, El Condor Pasa, and Silence Suzuka as the "Three Strongest" of their generation.
As their records grew more formidable, the Committee had officially adopted the sentiment.
Of course, that pantheon now had to include the girl who followed in the footsteps of Symboli Rudolf: the Undefeated Classic Triple Crown winner, Seiun Sky.
Before the Arc, while all four were recognized as elite, Barbatos was the undisputed Queen of Japan.
With a staggering streak of seven G1 victories, she looked poised to shatter the infamous "Seven G1 Curse."
She was a lock for the URA Horse of the Year—the highest honor the Committee could bestow.
But post-Arc, the URA deliberations had fractured.
Silence Suzuka was breathtakingly fast, yet she still lacked a G1 crown.
Even if she took the Autumn Tenno Sho, she'd only have one. Even a sweep of the Japan Cup and the Arima Kinen wouldn't give her the leverage to snatch the year-end title.
Seiun Sky was an Undefeated Triple Crown winner, yes, but her achievement came with a "what if."
Special Week and King Halo were top-tier talents—King Halo arguably being the strongest of anyone outside the "Big Four"—but Sky's Triple Crown was achieved in a field that lacked Barbatos and El Condor Pasa.
Had they been in the Classic races, the outcome was anyone's guess.
Furthermore, unlike Barbatos, who had hopped between various G1 events, Seiun Sky had focused her entire year solely on the Triple Crown.
An Undefeated Triple Crown was legendary, but there was a distinct weight difference between the two paths.
And so, neither could truly displace Barbatos or El Condor Pasa for the top spot.
After a long silence, the Chairman rested his chin on his hand, his eyes never leaving the image of El Condor Pasa hitting the wire.
"When you think of 'Horse of the Year,' who is the first name that comes to mind?"
He didn't turn around, but the secretary knew the question was for her. Her role demanded neutrality; she wasn't supposed to have favorites. But since he asked for her first instinct...
"Barbatos."
She paused, then continued. "Since her debut, Barbatos has been a miracle worker. She's ignored the 'rules' of the racing world, even declaring she'll win nine G1s before challenging the Winter Dream Cup. I don't believe a 'curse' of seven wins will stop her."
She looked at the screen. "The internet is arguing about who is stronger, and many say El Condor Pasa will definitely win the Japan Cup. But deep down... anyone who has actually watched Barbatos race simply cannot imagine a scenario where she loses."
The secretary let out a small "hmmm."
"Even I find myself doubting if the world-conquering El Condor Pasa can actually beat her in the Japan Cup. In fact, knowing Montjeu and the others are coming... I'm actually excited. I want to see their faces when they encounter Barbatos."
"She is the first 'Number One in Japan' since Symboli Rudolf who inspires this level of absolute confidence."
"Is that so?" the Chairman's voice dropped an octave. A flash of light seemed to spark across his lenses.
"Then we shall pencil in Barbatos for URA Horse of the Year."
"If she stands her ground in the Japan Cup and wins again, then even if she trips up in the Arima Kinen, I doubt anyone will be able to protest."
The secretary nodded silently. If Barbatos could break the curse and claim an eighth G1—let alone eight in a row—she would be rewriting history.
It would be an achievement every bit as monumental as winning the Arc. If she beat El Condor Pasa again in the process, the title was hers by right.
For some reason, looking ahead to this year's Japan Cup, she didn't think the overseas invaders would find any easy pickings.
Just as Japanese Uma Musume struggled with the transition to the Arc, would these foreign champions be able to handle the blistering tempo of the Japanese circuit?
After all, Barbatos, Silence Suzuka, and Seiun Sky were all masters of dragging their opponents into a high-speed hell.
--+--
Time flew as the world turned its eyes toward the Japan Cup.
While overseas Uma Musume were already landing at the airport to begin acclimating to the Japanese turf, another race—one the public viewed as a foregone conclusion—was set to begin.
November 1st, Tokyo Racecourse.
Silence Suzuka, the overwhelming favorite, stepped into Gate 1.
--+--
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.