The weather in Kasamatsu today was glorious. The sky was a clear, washed-out cerulean—the kind of day that practically begged you to lie under the shade of a tree and drift off into a sweet nap fueled by a gentle breeze.
But leisure was a luxury unknown to the ambitious Uma Musume gathered at the Kasamatsu Racecourse. They were here for a series of back-to-back trials: the signal lights cycled, the metal gates let out a mechanical click, and the girls shifted from stillness to explosive motion, seizing victory in the middle of a stampede. That was all there was to it.
At least, that's what most of the spectators thought before the race began. Most of them were favoring Fujimasa March, believing the blue-gray-haired girl would glide through her debut and begin her legendary career with ease.
As the gates flew open, the commentator—who had seen far too many local races to harbor much enthusiasm—spoke in a measured, monotone voice: "The race has begun. A clean break for everyone, charging forward in a nearly perfect line. An excellent start."
The crowd in the stands, however, was much more vocal. Those closest to the track let out a roar like a surging tide, becoming a living part of the scenery. They were the ones who truly felt the raw power the girls were putting on display.
Those powerful, sturdy legs slammed into the silver-gray dirt in unison. A colossal force surged upward from the ground, and as the girls twisted their hips forward, that force transformed into a terrifying momentum that rent the air and made the very earth tremble!
The sand inside the starting gates looked as if it had been struck by an invisible sledgehammer, exploding outward in a perfect ring. The air was brutally torn asunder, merging with the pulverized dust to create a visible shockwave that rippled backward at high speeds.
A murky curtain of dust rose instantly.
As the pack thundered away, a violent wind pressure swept over the area directly in front of the stands. Hats were blown off, newspapers were ripped from hands, and some were even torn to shreds by the sudden gale!
The flags at the front snapped frantically, letting out a series of whip-like cracks. Even the heavy billboards lining the track wobbled slightly under the force.
"Whoa—!" Watching the start from such a short distance, Double Bell Light instinctively clutched her head. Her eyes and mouth went wide as she let out a sound of pure shock.
This... this is the world of Uma Musume I've been dreaming of? This isn't just running... this is a violent, natural disaster of an advance!
If they pushed any harder, they'd trigger a localized dust storm right then and there!
Fujimaru Ritsuka, who had been prepared, shook his umbrella and closed it with a light chuckle. "See that, Light? This is the world of the Uma Musume."
To Ritsuka, this was relatively tame. In GI-level races, the wind pressure from a start could be sharp enough to literally cut the skin of spectators in the front row. To ensure public safety, the distance between the stands and the track had been redesigned multiple times, with some racecourses adding ornamental green belts as a buffer.
However, neither the runners nor the fans were paying attention to such trivialities. Their eyes were fixed on the outcome.
In the first 100 meters after the break, the girls utilized their various skills to fight for the most advantageous positions.
While Double Bell Light and the trio were squinting through the dust to find Oguri Cap and Fujimasa March, Ritsuka noted that the fourth favorite, Minami Heroine, had successfully seized the lead. Her long, smooth black hair trailed straight behind her in the wind, and the red ribbon tied to her head fluttered like a spark, adding a splash of color to the dirt track.
The girl's feet moved in a blur, kicking up silver-gray sand that looked like scattering ash or splashing water. She had already pulled two horse-lengths ahead of the runner in second place—an impressive lead!
"So fast! Who's that black-haired girl? She's flying!" a spectator cried out, asking for her name.
But someone quickly shouted back: "So what? March is the strongest!"
Others were shouting for Oguri Cap to take the win.
A moment later, Double Bell Light finally spotted Oguri in the pack and let out a pained cry: "Seventh place?! Out of ten?!"
In a field of only ten runners, being fourth from last was a worrying start. By contrast, Fujimasa March was sitting comfortably in fourth place (counting from the front).
Ritsuka patted the girl's head to calm her down. "Have a little faith in Oguri, Light. You remember the four styles, don't you?"
Escape (Nige): Bolting to the very front at the start to lead the pack and dictate the tempo. The runner conserves stamina in the middle and stays ahead the whole way. The challenge lies in seizing the lead, defending against rear attacks, and avoiding stalls while "running against the wind." This requires extreme explosiveness and stamina. It's high-risk, high-reward, and highly spectacular.
Leader (Senkou): Holding a position in the front half of the pack during the early and middle phases, then gradually picking up speed before the final straight to spurt for the win. This is the standard, versatile "all-rounder" strategy used by most. Because of this, the battle for a good forward position is often fierce.
Betweener (Sashi): Staying in the back half of the pack, conserving stamina while observing the front for an opening. The runner accelerates in the middle or late stages and uses a powerful Final Spurt to snatch victory. It requires high intelligence; one wrong move leads to getting boxed in or failing to catch up.
Chaser (Oikomi): Staying at the very tail of the pack for most of the race. In the final stage, the runner explodes with power, often swinging to the wide outside or far outside to overturn the entire race in one go. This style suits small but powerful runners.
Ritsuka explained: "Oguri is incredibly strong and has sharp judgment. I advised her to stay in the back and wait for the right moment."
In other words, the "Betweener" style was perfect for Oguri Cap. Her current position was exactly where she was supposed to be.
Only then did Double Bell Light let out a sigh of relief.
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Musume: Oguri Cap Grand Order (50 Chapters – Ongoing)
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