Offside Trap gradually slowed to a stop, and one by one the other horse girls crossed the finish line behind her.
Heavy breathing rose and fell all around her. The sound of the rain softened. Slowly, Offside Trap turned around.
Doremi was standing right behind her, as if she had been waiting for Offside Trap to look back. When the girl's gaze swept over her, this horse girl—undeniably one of the very strongest in the current Shining Series—offered a perfectly measured smile.
"Congratulations…"
There was still some regret in the silver-haired girl's eyes. On the final stretch, she had been unable to bring out her full power, trapped in ground where every step plunged into something like a pond, leaving her with no choice but to watch as Japan's new queen ascended the throne.
If only the rain had been lighter…
A thought like that did cross her mind. But Doremi shook her drenched hair and flung the clutter from her head.
Offside Trap nodded seriously, then extended her hand.
Defeating these world-famous runners naturally made her proud. But watching videos of their races before this had also served as a warning. If they met on ground more suited to them, if they fought in conditions where they could fully display their own domains, Offside Trap was not certain she would still be able to beat such powerful opponents.
Country Lover and Dream Well came over as well. Whatever else might be said, the winner was still owed congratulations. Sekaishuu, meanwhile, wore a vexed expression. She had never expected that even after failing to beat Offside Trap, she would not so much as finish in the top three.
Simply making the board could never satisfy a newly crowned Arc winner like her, and the more she thought about it, the more aggrieved she felt. The rims of her eyes were already turning red.
"All right, don't look so miserable…"
A voice sounded from behind, and in the next instant Sekaishuu was gathered into Masterpiece's arms. Comfort from an upperclassman from the same stable always worked fast. Sekaishuu nodded, then bared a little fang and shook a fist at Offside Trap.
"At least I managed to beat Doremi-senpai. I'm satisfied with that."
She said it as if trying to console herself, but the very next second the embrace behind her loosened. Faced with the tall figure now standing before her, Sekaishuu shivered violently. Doremi's gaze was like lightning. Sekaishuu shrank back, tried to dive back into Masterpiece's arms, and was dodged without mercy.
"You're on your own."
Masterpiece laughed as she pushed Sekaishuu away, then watched Doremi drag the girl off by the ear.
Only then did she turn back to Offside Trap.
There was now another horse girl standing beside her. If Masterpiece remembered correctly, it was the former Triple Crown winner.
She had looked awful before the race, but now her eyes were brighter than they had ever been, as if she had finally worked something out.
Masterpiece, however, did not care much. Though the girl did bear the glory of a Triple Crown in Japan, after watching the whole race, Masterpiece found her strength difficult to praise. If Japan's Triple Crown winners were only this good, then it was no wonder Japan's dream of challenging the world had failed time and again.
"Next year, I'll be waiting for you in Europe!"
There was no need for Offside Trap to understand the words. With her strength, going to Europe was inevitable. She still had room to improve compared to the true top tier of the global Shining Series, but within Japan, Masterpiece no longer saw anyone who could truly threaten her.
"She says she'll be waiting for you in Europe next year!"
The sudden translation made Offside Trap's eyes light up. Then she saw her trainer walking over beside Tazuna Hayakawa. Encouragement shone in his smile—but the grin blooming on Offside Trap's face collapsed almost at once.
[Negative Energy +50]
Teruizumi Shinji's steps faltered. He had no idea why, but he still walked over to her side. The girl seemed angry, which only confused him further.
Turning to Masterpiece, he found admiration in her gaze. It was not necessarily that his abilities had shocked her beyond belief. It was more that, in a place like this, the existence of a trainer of his caliber felt extraordinary. Masterpiece knew very well how much harder it was for someone like him to emerge here than it would be in Europe.
"We'll go next year."
"You should, but there's no need to rush the plan. One day, she'll absolutely have her place in the world's top races—but not yet. She's very complete, and that's an advantage, but she still has plenty of room to grow. The fact that her domain hasn't awakened yet is a weakness too."
Masterpiece spoke with a certain earnest gravity, almost as if Offside Trap were her junior and she were looking out for her.
"But I'm not worried about how well she'll adapt to our turf. When you come, contact us. We'll take you out to eat something good."
"We definitely will. We'll be counting on you then."
Shinji answered smoothly, without revealing too much.
This race had also been won thanks in part to the advantage of the extremely heavy ground. A good European turf course, when translated to Japanese conditions, would probably be at least slightly soft. On that kind of ground, Deep Sea Rhapsody would no longer grant the all-stat boost plus the massive reduction to the effects of the track. The extra two hundred stat points would go to intelligence instead.
At that point, Offside Trap's power would be put to the test.
Even so, Shinji did not feel he had much reason to worry. The Lord of All Attributes synergy increased stats at a terrifying pace, and Offside Trap's own diligence had ensured that it could fully show its worth.
He believed she could, through her own effort, still conquer Europe when the time came to make that expedition.
From the grandstands beside them, the chanting of Offside Trap's name had not stopped for a moment. Shinji looked toward his charge, only to find her eyes full of nothing but him.
"Aren't you going to wave or something?"
That was what he asked.
"No need. Winning is enough."
Offside Trap's voice was firm. This time, Narita Brian, standing beside her, did not wear the same lost expression she had shown after the previous race.
She merely looked steadily at Shinji, then pressed her lips together in quiet approval.
From the commentary booth, Akasaka Misato could hear those deafening cheers too. Moisture gathered faintly at the corners of her eyes. The difference between now and the aftermath of the Autumn Tenno Sho moved her deeply, even though she herself had not been involved.
And so she slowly rose to her feet and said, a little overcome:
"Offside Trap has proven herself in the Japan Cup. On the stage of the Autumn Tenno Sho, she used that razor-sharp finishing kick to prove that beyond six hundred meters, there are no cowards. And now, with the entire crowd—and all of Japan's racing fans—roaring their approval, I want to say this…"
"Before midnight, every one of us is a hero!"
Offside Trap could not hear Akasaka Misato's stirring declaration. She gently wrapped herself around Shinji's arm and waited for his decision.
Shinji could see it clearly—she had no interest in the victory stage at all.
"This time, let's go."
After thinking it over, that was what he said. Tazuna Hayakawa nodded in approval. She, too, had been worried that today's victory stage might once again proceed without its winner. Only after hearing Shinji's words did she finally relax.
The girl, leaning against his arm, nodded lightly.
She had no desire to display anything on that stage.
If there was anything she wished to show there at all, it would be for one person alone.
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught "Equilibrium"? l (Chapter 80)
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 178)
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 126)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League ( 126 )
TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter110)
Yu-Gi-Oh! — Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl (Chapter130)
"Is this chat group even serious?" (Chapter89)
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (Chapter157)
Can Playing Games Save the World? 65
Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 77
From Junkman to Wasteland 66
Weekly Refresh of Overpowered 31
I'm Grinding Proficiency Like 46
From Kiana, Lord Ravager, Onwa 133
Honkai: Is This Still the Prev 42
Elf: My Starter Pokémon Is Inc 65
Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 125
From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass 84
The Way the Umamusume Look at 68
Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 143
Naruto: Weaving the Future, Be 65
Zenless Zone Zero, but Kamen R 76
Multiverse Crossover: The Perf 66
My Cyberpsycho Girlfriend 65
Uma Musume: The Dark Trainer 115
Uma Musume: A Calamity Born fr 99
I, a Reincarnation-Loop Player 53
The Violent Girl Group Is Beat 75
Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 66
Uma Musume: From Beginner 75
Becoming a Horse Girl, I Will 52
Uma Musume: I Want All 51
I Can Copy Unique Skills 53
A Guide to Aid in the Underwor 26
Summoning an Evil God, but the 27
Supernatural Multiverse 27
My Harem Is Indescribable 26
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