"My heart dissolves into nothingness; emptiness itself is my state."
This was the ultimate expression of selfless clarity.
Whether the flow or the [ZONE], at their core was absolute, transcendent focus.
...
A classical opera dedicated to Vittoria.
Vs.
A body honed into the ultimate weapon, radiating flexibility and grace.
...
They clashed head-on.
Only 200 meters to the finish line.
One furlong.
A distance covered in the blink of an eye—every spectator froze in place, afraid to blink, their cheers quieting into absolute silence as all eyes fixed upon this race's climactic moment.
This was the Japan Derby.
The stage countless fans longed for.
Only the one who claimed victory here could be called the pinnacle of the new generation.
So…
Would it be T.M. Opera O or Garden Gale?
They were locked in their final duel.
...
Having accelerated first, T.M. Opera O remained in prime position, pushing her [ZONE] to the limit and charging toward victory at unprecedented speed. Yet right behind her loomed Garden Gale, swiftly closing the gap steadily, relentlessly narrowing.
One final question lingered:
Could Garden Gale surpass T.M. Opera O before the finish?
T.M. Opera O felt a piercing chill behind her.
So sharp it nearly shattered her concentration within [ZONE].
The cold intensified… as the distance shrank.
Right now, Garden Gale was undoubtedly the fastest Umamusume on the track. Her running form defied physics itself, an impossible technique that no one else could replicate. T.M. Opera O's final spurt was powerful—but even it couldn't match the [Sky-High Teio Step], a skill Garden Gale had painstakingly mastered.
Being caught was inevitable.
But, T.M. Opera O absolutely, desperately refused to be overtaken.
She needed to win this race.
She gritted her teeth, squeezing every last ounce of strength from her nearly spent body. Yet suddenly, a flame ignited deep within, warming her heart, driving her forward once more! Her eyes flushed scarlet—
A true Red-Eyed Overlord.
But tragically... it wasn't enough.
Those who led inevitably consumed more energy. Those trailing behind conserved stamina, shielded from wind resistance. How could someone already pushed to the limit battle another still holding reserves?
Garden Gale was far from her limit.
She still had strength left in her tank—after all, she'd wasted nothing on meaningless struggles. A daring tactic forged from the instance of the Japan Derby. Not once had she imagined failing to catch up; she simply believed wholeheartedly that she could.
If she believed, nothing was impossible.
It was time.
Let's do this.
Let's finish it—NOW!
...
"JUST OVER A HUNDRED METERS LEFT TO THE FINISH!"
...
"T.M. OPERA O PICKS UP SPEED AGAIN!"
...
"CAN GARDEN GALE CATCH HER?!"
...
"GARDEN GALE IS ACCELERATING TOO! SHE'S UNLEASHING ANOTHER SURGE, CLOSING IN RAPIDLY! DOES OPERA O SENSE THE DANGER? SHE DOES—BECAUSE GARDEN GALE IS HERE!"
...
"T.M. OPERA O SEES HER! BUT SHE CAN'T ACCELERATE ANY FURTHER!"
...
"THEY'RE NECK-AND-NECK!"
...
"GARDEN GALE—GARDEN GALE OVERTAKES T.M. OPERA O!"
...
"IS THERE STILL A CHANCE? IS THERE?!"
...
"WILL NARITA TOP ROAD COME FROM THE OUTSIDE, OR ADMIRE VEGA REGAIN HER EARLIER ADVANTAGE? NO—THERE'S NO CHANCE LEFT! OPERA O LACKS THE SPEED TO RECLAIM THE LEAD! HER STAMINA'S SPENT!"
...
...
...
"GARDEN GALE!"
"GARDEN GALE CLAIMS VICTORY!"
"FROM DEAD LAST TO FIRST PLACE, SHE'S COMPLETED THE IMPOSSIBLE—A FULL-FIELD SWEEP OF FOURTEEN POSITIONS! THE EMERALD SHADOW OF A DEEP END CLOSER RETURNS! THE TOP FAVORITE ONCE AGAIN DEFENDS HER THRONE, SEIZING HER SECOND CROWN! AFTER THE SATSUKI SHO AND JAPAN DERBY DOUBLE, CAN SHE AIM FOR THE KIKUKA SHO IN OCTOBER?"
"WILL SHE HOLD THE CLASSIC TRIPLE CROWN?!"
"GARDEN GALE PROVES HERSELF BEYOND ALL DOUBT—THE STRONGEST UMAMUSUME OF THIS GENERATION!"
"SHE STANDS UNQUESTIONABLY ATOP JAPAN'S NEW GENERATION! THAT BLACK FLASH TEARING THROUGH THE FIELD WASN'T LUCK AT THE SATSUKI SHO—TODAY, SHE ERASED ANY LINGERING DOUBT!"
...
Time froze.
As if reality itself had been captured in a photograph, except the figure crossing the finish line was vividly real. A heartbeat later, cheers erupted like thunder, merging into a solid wave of sound that shook the stadium!
"GARDEN GALE!"
"GARDEN GALE!"
"GARDEN GALE!"
Everyone.
Every single person roared that single name—the victor's name—celebrating her triumph.
Every Umamusume who claimed a Triple Crown, whether Classic or seasonal, etched their name permanently into history.
And now…
Garden Gale—with raw power alone, had shattered every last doubt. Every whisper, every criticism claiming she was stuck at the back, unable to make her move, or lacking sharpness and vision—every single doubt evaporated into thin air, leaving only awe and excitement for her unprecedented running style.
...
Mr. C.B. watched the racecourse from afar.
So this is how new waves surpass the old, huh?
She smiled.
Genuinely impressed by the sight before her. Yet her eyes remained fixed on the track's center.
There stood Garden Gale, proudly raising two fingers toward the sky.
The gesture immediately stirred excitement and awe. Only one word captured it:
"Arrogant."
But that arrogance backed by talent and victory, wasn't it?
Mr. C.B. quietly glanced sideways at Symboli Rudolf's face.
Rudolf gazed lovingly at the field below.
Pride overflowed from her eyes, nearly spilling out.
...
Meisho Doto stared in disbelief.
"T.M. Opera O… she lost to Garden-san again?!"
Beside her, Tokai Teio leaned back leisurely in her chair.
So that's the [Sky-High Teio Step], huh?
Without realizing it, GG had completely mastered her technique.
But no matter.
Next year at this time—it'd be Tokai Teio standing there, flashing two fingers.
After all…
A fake could never surpass the original.
---
T/N: didnt want to be cuckai teio anymore so she went the gilga teio instead tsk tsk
T/N2: hello i am back from japan, and i am sick heres some chapters i remembered you guys exist
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