Chapter 54. Eclipse First, The Rest Nowhere 2
In fact, Mejiro McQueen did realize this problem, but she planned to start accelerating when she entered the final bend.
"Teio should accelerate when she enters the final straight, right?"
Mejiro McQueen thought to herself.
"This way, I can pull away by an extra four or five lengths, which should be enough for me to withstand Teio's chase on the final straight."
Tokai Teio, however, wasn't thinking about such trivialities.
She steadily and gradually closed the gap between herself and Dai Yuusaku, who was currently in seventh place.
After Dai Yuusaku was "arrested" by Tokai Teio in last year's Arima Kinen, she seemed to lose her spirit.
In the first half of this year, her best result in four races was fourth place in the Sankei Osaka Hai.
Shuta An analyzed before the race that Dai Yuusaku's "heart was already broken."
Tokai Teio knew she might be the culprit who completely shattered Dai Yuusaku's fighting spirit, but she felt no guilt at all.
She had won the race fair and square on the Twinkle Series stage; there was no reason to feel ashamed.
"If I felt embarrassed, that would be an insult to me and my Trainer."
The Undefeated Triple Crown clearly recognized this point.
The long straight opposite the stands at Hanshin Racecourse was a flat section with a slight downhill slope.
This terrain was very suitable for conserving stamina, but Tokai Teio had no such intention.
"Given McQueen's racing habits, she will definitely start accelerating when she enters the final bend. That's exactly over 900 meters from the finish line, which is McQueen's maximum range for long-distance acceleration."
Tokai Teio narrowed her eyes, gradually increasing her stride frequency, and slowly overtook Dai Yuusaku from her left side.
"I can't let McQueen accelerate too much earlier than me; it's best if I also gradually accelerate after McQueen starts accelerating."
But when she passed the first 1000 meters, Tokai Teio estimated Mejiro Palmer's 1000-meter split time for this race.
"It's about 63 seconds flat."
Mejiro Dober, at this moment, fulfilled Tokai Teio's role in the Yasuda Kinen and Victoria Mile, reporting the 1000-meter split time for this race to her lover.
"Palmer set a slow pace of 62.9 seconds for the first 1000 meters."
"Sixty-three seconds for nearly a thousand meters. It looks like Mejiro Palmer really wants to win this race."
Shuta An raised an eyebrow.
"This pace is excessively slow even for previous Arima Kinen races."
"Considering today's track conditions, this slow pace is actually understandable, isn't it?" Kurofune blinked.
"But with such a slow pace, Teio-senpai must have already noticed." Admire Vega said. "She should have a counter-strategy."
—
A few seconds after Admire Vega finished speaking, Tokai Teio, who had already reached sixth place, decided to move diagonally to the outside, bypassing Kamino Cresse who was blocking her path.
"She's going to accelerate now, isn't she?"
Kurofune said. Mejiro Dober thought the same.
But Shuta An did not agree. He had a different feeling—the young man noticed Tokai Teio's gaze drift towards Mejiro McQueen.
"It feels like this move is a performance for Mejiro McQueen—'If you don't speed up, I'm going to overtake from the far outside,'"
Shuta An muttered to himself.
"Will Mejiro McQueen realize Teio's performance behind her?"
Facts proved that Tokai Teio understood Mejiro McQueen better. When she adopted a posture as if to overtake Kamino Cresse and then threaten McQueen, Mejiro McQueen, who had just entered the final bend, sprinted like a gazelle, beginning her signature long-distance acceleration.
"McQueen is accelerating!"
Gold Ship shouted.
"What about Tokai Teio?!"
Nishizaki Ryu's gaze fell on the position three horse lengths behind Mejiro McQueen. Tokai Teio was running there with a smile on her face, even looking a bit leisurely.
"She hasn't accelerated!"
Nishizaki Ryu answered his own question. A strange feeling welled up in his heart.
"Something's wrong, something's wrong..." Nishizaki Ryu furrowed his brow. "McQueen accelerating before Tokai Teio should be a relief, so why am I even more nervous?!"
Nishizaki Ryu couldn't find the answer himself.
—
Meanwhile, Shuta An offered an explanation.
"Teio isn't accelerating now, but she can still maintain the gap with Mejiro McQueen. Next, she should wait until past the midpoint of the bend and then accelerate to chase Mejiro McQueen."
"She can keep up with McQueen even without accelerating—" Mejiro Dober's face showed a hint of bitterness. "When Teio starts accelerating later, how many seconds can McQueen withstand?"
Mejiro Dober didn't know the answer to this question, and Mejiro McQueen hadn't yet realized the question.
When Mejiro Palmer was still over 600 meters from the finish line, about to cross the midpoint of the bend, Mejiro McQueen overtook her from her left side.
Mejiro McQueen, who easily pulled away from Mejiro Palmer, only left her family with her back.
Looking at Mejiro McQueen, who was already ahead of her, Mejiro Palmer could only force a bitter smile.
But just as Mejiro Palmer composed herself, preparing to continue her race seriously, a strangely terrifying pressure came from behind her.
Mejiro Palmer's hair stood on end, and goosebumps rose on her exposed arms. Though the afternoon sun was blazing in June at Hanshin Racecourse, the Uma Musume felt as if she had been teleported to Antarctica, ready to race penguins.
"What's happening?"
Mejiro Palmer wanted to look back, but her innate intuition told her not to.
—
Time rewound to the second Mejiro McQueen caught up with Mejiro Palmer.
Teio was already prepared to accelerate at this point, and as Mejiro McQueen was about to open up a gap with Mejiro Palmer, Teio, who had held back for over 1000 meters, unleashed her desires, unreservedly releasing her aura to her surroundings.
Mejiro Palmer was the first to bear the brunt.
"It looks like Teio's Zone is already taking shape. I haven't seen her train it normally, and she hasn't really used it in races, has she?"
Shuta An was still very surprised by Tokai Teio's performance at this moment.
Regarding this matter, Mayano Top Gun, who often plays games with Tokai Teio, had something to say—
"Every time I play a versus game with Teio and win a few rounds, I feel like I'm trapped in a refrigerator, only able to leave that illusion if I lose one round."
And the live commentator in the broadcast booth shouted loudly.
"TOKAI TEIO HAS UNLEASHED HER FULL SELF! SHE'S GOING TO START HER PURSUIT! CAN MEJIRO MCQUEEN HOLD ONTO HER FOUR-HORSE-LENGTH LEAD IN THESE FINAL 500 METERS?!"
"She can do it!"
Nishizaki Ryu clenched his fists.
"To hold onto such a small lead, McQueen, you can't do it!"
Teio, who had surpassed Mejiro Palmer to reach second place, lowered her center of gravity, staring at her "prey" ahead like a cheetah preparing to hunt.
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Exciting news for all readers! I'm thrilled to announce the launch of a brand-new fan-fiction and continue translating fanfiction for you to dive into:
1️⃣ [What? SHE is My Online Girlfriend?]
2️⃣ [Fate Grand/Master]
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