Uma Musume: Become a Legendary Trainer

Chapter 173 Japanese Derby (Part )

The loud commentary echoing in the Tokyo stadium continued:
"The fateful moment has arrived!"

"The entrance song of the Japanese derby begins!"

“All of you, the horse girls who are aiming for the pinnacle of this generation and have your own ambitions, are about to step into your own gates!”

…At this time, my mother, sister, and Kitahara should be watching me over there…

Amid the sound of exciting music, following the guidance of the staff, on the way from the appearance circle to the starting point of the stadium, Oguruma looked at the audience seats on the side for the first time.

The cheers there rose and fell like waves, as if shaking the air.

For a moment, she could only see a vague scene of people crowding around and cheering, and she couldn't find the figure she just thought of.

I can’t quite find them, but they must be watching me.

Thinking silently, she couldn't help but reach out her hand to the golden star on her chest and pressed it lightly.

Through the decoration, she felt a soft touch in the palm of her hand, and she couldn't help but curl the corners of her mouth.

"Are you nervous, Little Kurimao? That's not like your character."

Suddenly, the voice of Didu Shooter was heard from the side. Xiao Limao pressed his chest in surprise and turned his head to look. He saw that this opponent, with whom he had fought several times, was looking at him with a faint smile.

Behind the shooter Dido, as if echoing the last Gaoyue Award, were the figures of Super Xiaowan, Mejiro Aldan, Sakura Chiyo and Yae Invincible.

A group of horse racing girls were walking towards the gate in the direction of the starting point. At this moment, Archer Dido suddenly started talking to Little Limao, and the pace of several horse racing girls here slowed down a little.

"Nervous? Oh, no."

After shaking his head to deny, Oguruma smiled happily, reached his hand to his collar, fumbled for a while, and took out a red amulet.

She waved the amulet beside her cheek, her eyes curved into crescents, and smiled:
"Just now it occurred to me that my mother, sister, and Kitahara should all be looking over here."

"I never paid attention to the audience seats during previous competitions. I don't know why, but today I paid special attention to them. Unfortunately, there were too many people today and I couldn't find them."

"But it's okay, this is a gift from my sister, and my mother and Kitahara are also blessing me."

“They are running with me in this race.”

When these words were spoken, the other horse girls were stunned. They couldn't help but look at the audience seats like Oguruma just did, and their hands raised involuntarily.

It’s just that the direction of their gazes is different from that of Oguruma, and the direction of their hands is also different.

"A four-leaf clover blessing? Heh..."

Looking at the top stand of the audience from afar, shooter Didu smiled, combed the back of his neck as if combing his hair, pinched the hood of his winning suit, and put it on.

"No wonder. After all, only the luckiest horse girls can win the Japanese Derby."

Although the other horse racing girls did not speak, they either pinched their collars, touched their waists, stared at a corner of the audience, or looked through the audience.

Slightly aware that his opponents and friends seemed to have some emotional changes, Oguruma was startled for a moment, then again, and then showed an expression as if he remembered something.

"Oh, that's right."

Putting the amulet back, Oguruma's expression turned serious, "I forgot before. Kitahara told me several times to give you a suggestion when I have time."

"This Japan Derby is not actually the final stage."

"Well, I don't quite understand what he means, but since he asked me to say so, I'd better tell you."

"I was so busy with training that I forgot I saw you in class."

She repeated it again, and Yaezhe Wudi and the others were all stunned for a moment, with different expressions on their faces.

Xiao Haiwan and Aldan looked at each other subconsciously and smiled bitterly at the same time.

"Xiaoli, actually, Aldan and I have already said this to Dido and the others, but..."

With a complicated look, Xiao Haiwan shook his head and bit his lip slightly, while Aldan looked at Didu Shooter, Sakura Chiyo and Yae Invincible.

"Although I've said it before, Xiaoli said it again now. I still want to explain to Chief Kitahara on her behalf that he doesn't mean to look down on you."

"...Ah, I know. Nanase-san said that the old man is a bit fussy besides training."

Facing the relieved looks of Xiaowan and Aldan and the puzzlement of Xiaokuimao, Didu Archer smiled again and said jokingly:

"Oh, his training is not like most men's. He is too meticulous. He is comparable to that guy Xiao Nei."

"But that kind of advice..."

Her expression gradually became gloomy and her eyes gradually became sharper.

"I'm sorry, this is a Japanese derby."

“This guy, Little Chestnut, may not understand very well, but, Little Bay and Aldan, I should have said this last time, right?

"Chiyoou and Yae... they also said something similar, right?"

"What Didu meant is what King Chiyo and I meant."

Without waiting for the eternal horsewoman to respond, Sakura Chiyoou went straight to her companion's words.

"The debt of Gao Yue Shang...will definitely be repaid."

"I'm sorry, that's all I can say."

Yae Wudi also spoke, and although she was usually taciturn, her words were still concise.

"It is also."

After saying these two words, she didn't say anything else and quickened her pace towards the gate at the starting point.

The horse racing girl's action seemed to be some kind of signal. Dido Shooter and Sakura Chiyo, wearing the Oguri Hat, nodded slightly to the three of them and made the same action. The horse racing girls who were a little further away also quickened their pace.

And they were a little slow. The three horse girls of Yongshi looked at each other subconsciously, then with puzzled and emotional looks, they quickened their pace and entered their own gates one by one.

"Hoo--Okay, all the horse girls have finished entering the gates."

The commentator was obviously trying to calm down his excitement. His long exhalation was heard through the radio to every corner of the stadium. Also heard throughout the stadium was the announcement that seemed to be forced to be calm.

"Then, the G1 Japanese Derby, 2400 meters on grass, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity..."

"Start!"

"Very good! They all started very well. The one leading at the start is...Ah——!"

In the past, commentators usually announced the ranking order quickly after the race started, so that spectators who were far away or not on site could understand the situation.

However, this time the commentator suddenly screamed after finishing the usual opening remarks.

And the following words, although obviously trying to resume his duties, were still full of astonishment.

"After the runners lined up in a row and started running, Didu the shooter sprinted directly from the outer circle to the front!"

"It's an amazing speed, a speed that is simply impossible to appear at the beginning of any game!"

"Sakura Chiyo followed closely behind. The speed of the two horse girls was obviously different from usual. The team opened up a gap of 2 horse lengths at the moment of the start, in the leading position and afterwards."

"Are you two treating the opening game as a sprint to the final game?!"

What comes from the radio is not only the commentary, but also the comments from the guests.

"Didu Shooter and Sakura Chiyo are obviously much faster, but both of them have excellent adaptability to leading the race, so this running style is still suitable for them."

“Especially for Dido Shooter, most of his previous victories were achieved by leading the race. In the last NHK Trophy, he was in the lead and finished with a 6-length advantage.”

"I think she and Sakura Chiyoou wanted to create enough distance at the beginning to leave more tactical space in the middle and end."

"After all, their opponents in this competition are unusually strong."

Immediately after the guest's comments, the commentary sounded at an appropriate time. This time the commentary was obviously affected by the guest and became slightly calmer.

"That's true. The start speed of this Japanese derby was obviously faster than in the past, but considering the adaptability of the contestants, the situation is still understandable."

"The leaders are Didu Shooter and Sakura Chiyo, and Yae Invincible, who is on the same Transcendence Team as them, is at the back."

"This horse girl is good at running ahead and behind. This time she obviously chose the behind."

"It seems that she doesn't plan to make any extra moves in the early stages, and wants to save the key to victory in the middle or end of the set."

"As a strong opponent of the Beyond Team, the three horse girls of the Eternal Team seem to have the same considerations as Yae Invincible."

"Oguruma, Super Cove, and Mejiro Aldan all chose to run first."

"Although the distance between the leader and the advance team is increasing due to the high speed of Dido Archer and Sakura Chiyoou, the degree of increase is not very obvious."

"After more than 100 meters of the opening round, the gap only widened from 3 lengths to 4 lengths."

"You're biting really hard, the horse girls of Team Eternal."

"It also seems that there is a consideration of replicating the tactics of Gaoyue Shang. The positions of Oguri Hat, Super Cove, and Mejiro Aldan have a certain clamping effect on subsequent Uma Musume."

"If we keep doing this, the horse girl behind us will be in danger."

"So, Dido Archer and Sakura Chiyo King broke out of their opponent's grip ahead of time. Can Yae Invincible also break out after that?"

As the commentators and guests alternately read out the situation on the field, all the spectators in the field were screaming or cheering one after another when they talked about the key points.

In addition to screams and cheers, there are also similar explanations or analyses.

"Nase... this is too messy."

Standing in the empty area of ​​the audience seats closest to the finish line, looking at the starting point several hundred meters away, Lu Duo symbolically frowned, folded his arms, and spoke in a concentrated voice.

"There is indeed a clear downhill slope after the Japanese Derby, and using more powerful force to avoid the impact of the slope is not a wrong decision in itself."

"but……"

She gritted her teeth, her hands clenched involuntarily at her elbows, "Didu Shooter and Sakura Chiyo just participated in the competition more than half a month ago. Even if we choose to lead, this speed is too risky."

"Really..."

She gritted her teeth again and wanted to say something, but she knew that if she were to go on stage in this situation, she probably wouldn't be able to control her speed.

Her adaptability to leading and releasing is also second to none among horse racing girls. If a horse racing girl who leads and releases cannot pull away from the opponent, it is no different from losing.

The leader must gain enough distance before the final acceleration, using the adjustment before the sprint.

However, in any other race you can relax a little and accept not being too far ahead right after the start, and then slowly pull away.

But this race is not like that. This is the Japanese Derby, a race that brings together the top 24 classic horse girls of this generation.

All opponents will try their best in this game, there will be no chance for them to relax, and there will be no possibility of slowly widening the gap.

Because the further you go, the opponents will only get faster and never slower, unless you can't even take a step.

...Alas, I am still immature. I know that even I don't have a better solution, but I still blame Nanase, Didu Sagittarius and the others...

She sighed silently, and her hands clasped at her elbows couldn't help but tighten again. She subconsciously turned her head back and looked far away at the last and top stands in the auditorium.

"... Are Chief Naze and the others over there?"

She suddenly heard a voice beside her, and subconsciously looked over to see Kitahara's thoughtful face.

"...Ah, in the viewing hall that I arranged for someone to reserve, in addition to the students from Central Tresen College, there are also some trainers who can come over."

She took a deep breath silently to calm herself down, then nodded slightly, "Chief Naise from the Beyond Team and the others are over there too."

Hearing this, Kitahara just nodded without saying anything more, and silently turned to look at the horse racing ladies coming towards the starting point at high speed.

He heard the whisper that Rudo had just spoken and knew what the horse racing girl meant.

The moment he left the gate, his eyes widened suddenly.

Although he had anticipated this, the situation at the gate in the Japanese Derby still made him jump in fear.

After all, training and real competition are different.

The speed of female racehorses in training is not necessarily much slower than in real competitions. Sometimes, the training speed can even exceed that in actual competitions.

What is different is the momentum.

During training, there would never be the same momentum as when just leaving the gate. That momentum instantly made Kitahara feel terrified from the bottom of his heart.

At that moment he suddenly felt that horse racing girls could sometimes turn into such terrifying creatures.

Under that kind of momentum, he instinctively felt that the speed of this Japanese Derby would be faster than he expected, so fast that he couldn't help but worry whether there would be any accidents.

Fortunately, as a trainer, he carried a stopwatch and other equipment with him, and he did not forget to press the stopwatch.

He quickly checked the records on the speedometer and stopwatch on the field and found that his start in this race only looked scary, but was actually still within an acceptable range. He then secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

…But, it was still fast. Xiaolimao and the others followed my instructions and increased their pace. This was all expected, but it still felt fast…

Especially Dido Archer and Sakura Chiyoou. According to the data comparison, even if they chose to lead, they would not open up a distance of more than 2 horse lengths, but now it has opened up to 4 horse lengths...

No, it’s closer to 4 1/2 horse lengths. At this speed…

He unconsciously did the same thing as Luduo had just done and gritted his teeth secretly.

Are they trying their best?

For a moment, he couldn't help but have the same thought as Luduo's symbol just now. At this moment, the horse racing girl suddenly calmed her voice and changed the subject.

"The prologue is about to end. What comes next... will not be as simple as the prologue. Kitahara, you should have further arrangements."

Although worry suddenly arose in his heart, Kitahara still kept his eyes focused on the competition field.

As Ludo symbolically said, in this obviously extremely fast process, the prelude will be over in the blink of an eye.

The viewing position symbolized by him and Luduo was facing the finish line, and the starting point was a few hundred meters to the left.

About 150 meters to the right of the finish line is the first bend of the race. After passing that bend, the early stages of the race end and the race enters the middle stages.

“…It’s not a further arrangement.”

He shook his head slightly, and the 24 horse girls flashed before his eyes. Following them to the right, Kitahara said in a deep voice:
"The arrangement of the opening set is just to start with a stronger force, and it will be fine if there are no problems."

"After the start of the 1100-meter race, I told Oguruma and the others not to worry about their opponents."

“I admit that my opponents in this match were fast enough and the lead was a little further than I expected, but that’s not a problem. I couldn’t have gone any further.”

"If you have to say it..."

His gaze was focused on a figure with long chestnut hair and a dark blue winning suit standing at the front of the competition team.

"There are further arrangements for the little bay. She... needs to prepare for warm-up and start speeding up."

"It's this tactic indeed..."

Just like Kitahara, he stared closely at the team that was gradually entering the first bend. Lu Duo nodded symbolically and said in a deep voice:

"Warm up in advance, enter the sprint state in advance, show your maximum speed earlier than all your opponents, and use the best endurance of the generation to maintain it to the end..."

"This is indeed the best arrangement for the little bay."

"So, she can do it, right...?"

The time spent on the opening of the symbolic conversation between Beiyuan and Luduo was not long, just a few or a dozen sentences.

However, in this short period of time, the female racehorses on the track have completed the exit, start, opening straight and first turn.

At the same time, the atmosphere in the audience gradually became more heated, and the commentators and guests' voices could no longer contain their excitement.

"The racehorse girls have entered the first turn, and what follows is a long, flat curve that will continue until the end of the second turn."

"At present, Dido Shooter and Sakura Chiyo are still leading, and the vanguard is still led by Oguri Hat, Super Cove and Mejiro Aldan."

“But it’s clear that after a gap of about four lengths, the two leading horse girls can’t seem to pull away.”

At this time, the commentator continued:

"It seems that although the contestants of the Eternal Team have not been warmed up by the competition before, their conditions are almost the same as those of the Beyond Team."

“Excellent early game response.”

"They have such a keen sense just by daily training. They followed Didu Shooter and Sakura Chiyoou at high speed. Oguri Hat, Super Cove and Mejiro Aldan's reactions and abilities were outstanding."

"But the pace of this Japanese derby is obviously faster, so there should be more variables in the future."

"Based on past experience, I'm afraid the variables will appear on the Eternal Team's side. After all, the chief trainer of this team is known for his 'unexpected' tactics and strategies..."

"It appears! It's a brilliant plan! It must be the strategy of Chief Kitahara of the Eternal Team, right?!"

The commentator's suddenly raised voice interrupted the guest's comments and analysis.

"Perhaps it can't be called a brilliant strategy, after all, it has appeared in previous competitions."

He quickly denied his own statement, and the commentator continued:
“Although it doesn’t look obvious, from the speedometer, it looks like Super Cove chose the big curve between the first and second turns to start warming up.”

"Her speed is gradually increasing. If she continues like this until she exits the second corner, her speed will soon reach the sprint state!"

Although the guest was interrupted just now, he reacted quickly and immediately continued:

"Well, it fits the Super Bay's running style. This tactic has been demonstrated in previous competitions."

“Although this did not secure victory, if the race goes smoothly, Super Bay will reach its top speed at the latest 700 to 800 meters before the finish line.”

"At this extreme speed, if her opponents accelerate 0 second late, they will miss the chance to win the championship."

"Including Oguruma and Mejiro Altan, who are also members of the Eternal Team!"

At this point, the guests couldn't help but get a little excited.

The commentators and spectators were as excited as he was. Not only them, but also Kitahara and Luduo in the open field viewing area couldn't help but stare and look tense.

And in the viewing room at the back and highest position of the audience seats, there were people with the same expression as Uma Musume.

"... Dido, Chiyo-oh, can the two of them withstand the acceleration of Xiaowan..."

The one who said this was Qingzhu Huiyi. As a student of the Central Academy, she naturally went to the viewing hall under Lu Duo's symbolic arrangement.

As a member of the Transcendence Team, the person closest to her is naturally the chief trainer here, Fumino Nase.

A little further away were Di Ye Yixing and Kouchi Tadashi.

After hearing Aotake's recollection, the last two trainers slightly shifted their gaze away from the independent screen in the viewing hall and looked at Nase Fumino in silence.

"...It's hard."

Staring at the independent screen in the viewing hall and listening to Aotake's murmur of memories, after a long time, Nase Fumino uttered a word in a low voice.

In her eyes, the team of 24 horse racing girls on the screen was between the first and second turns, and the formation was gradually becoming more and more "flat" from the usual "spindle shape" in the early stages after leaving the gate.

The one who first pulled in the rear team and the two leading horse girls in the front, with long chestnut hair, a slender figure, and a dark blue winning suit, was Super Cove.

"…The abilities of Eternal Uma Musume are beyond my imagination."

After uttering those words just now, Nase Fumino's eyes began to waver.

"According to my analysis, that of Senior Di Ye and Big Brother Ouchi, the lead of Di Du and Chiyo Ou can create a gap of 5 to 6 lengths in the early stages."

"But it was only a little more than four lengths."

"Oguruma, Super Cove, Mejiro Aldan... their speed, endurance, strength... are better than we thought."

"If we do it again, I'm afraid it will be difficult for them to create more distance."

"Then, based on the endurance that Super Bay has shown in previous races, between the second straight and the third turn..."

"No, maybe even earlier, she will approach Chiyo and Dido, or even..."

She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. After a moment of silence, she bit her lower lip and spoke in a low voice.

"Straight over."

After she finished speaking, there was a moment of silence on the Beyond Team side.

The already taciturn Di Ye Yixing and Kouchi Tadashi once again turned their gazes to the game screen, staring closely at their respective horse girls Yae Musume and Dido Shooter.

Against the backdrop of the solemn-looking trainers beside him, Qingzhu's expression and posture of reminiscing seemed even more vivid.

She was also staring at the screen, her eyes constantly scanning the almost blurred figures of her friends and rivals. Her eyes were filled with a fiery glow, and her hands hanging at her sides had long been clenched tightly.

Her body was trembling slightly, and so was her mood.

It's... such a pity. I don't have the qualifications to participate in such an exciting competition...

But wait, Dido, Chiyo, Yae...

There are also Little Chestnut Hat, Little Bay, Aldan...

I will definitely step onto the playing field that now belongs only to you!

Just like all the different emotions in the commentary room, the audience seats, and the viewing area, at this moment on the Tokyo race track, the 24 horse girls racing at high speed are also experiencing a variety of emotions.

Damn it!
Why can’t we close the distance?
How could Oguruma and the others be so strong? !
Shooter Didu originally didn't want to spend energy thinking about these things, but the completely unexpected situation of this game made her uncontrollably shocked.

During the Gaoyue Festival, there was clearly no such situation. Even if they could catch up, it wouldn't be so easy, but...

Such steady breathing, steps, arm swings...

Little Bay...what kind of monster are you?!

She could already hear two voices, one in front and one behind, near the inner road behind her on the left.

There was the sound of wind brought by high speed, as if the entire air was cut by a sharp knife, and the two wind sounds were equally swift and sharp.

But other sounds were different.

The breathing in the previous voice was already a bit panting, but there was no way around it, the price of exiting the gate at high speed was the rapid consumption of physical strength.

The only way to deal with this situation is to rely on perseverance to ensure that the maximum speed in subsequent cruising and sprinting will not be reduced too much due to physical problems, and you can continue to complete the entire journey.

The steps and arm swings are still steady enough.

These have been trained in advance. Even though it takes a lot of physical strength to exit the gate and there is a certain risk of stalling at the finish line, the posture condition at this stage will definitely not be weakened.

However, the breathing in the latter voice was so long and steady that it was frightening, as if the horse girl who made that voice was not using her full strength at all.

The steps and arm swings are just as steady... no, even more steady and powerful.

For a moment, Dido Shooter even suspected that the horse girl who was gradually catching up to the third place and constantly approaching the second and first places was not Super Little Bay, but Little Kurumo who had undergone special endurance training.

...So, was it because you didn't use your full strength in Gaoyue Award, or what happened...

How come they all become so terrifying...?
The word horror came to mind, but her expression and eyes did not show any fear.

The corners of her mouth were stretched towards her ears in an exaggerated way, making her smile look a little neurotic.

Her eyes were completely filled with madness and she felt an unprecedented excitement.

Horrible...that's right!
This is the Japanese Derby!

If it wasn't for such a formidable opponent, how could it be called the best match in Japan?!

Come on, Super Cove!

Even if you become so strong, I will not give up my position to you easily!

He roared in his heart, and the next second, Shooter Didu was extremely glad that he suddenly had this thought.

Because, she suddenly felt a force of unknown origin. This was not a domain. She knew that the domain was not in this state. Because of this, she was confused for a moment where this force came from.

She soon stopped caring where the power came from.

Without hesitation, she poured that strength into her legs and distributed it throughout her body, increasing the maximum speed she had already achieved right after leaving the gate by a few points.

In a trance, she seemed to hear the voices behind her change again, and she also faintly heard that the commentary resounding throughout the stadium suddenly seemed to break.

"Oh my god, Uma Musume really is the definition of miracle!"

"It was already at an unusual speed, and now it's even faster!"

"The team is now led by Didu Archer, Sakura Chiyo and Super Bay who are gradually catching up. Under the leadership of the three of them, the whole team has accelerated again!"

"This is the Japanese derby? This is the Japanese derby!"

The guests were similarly excited, but still managed to retain some rationality.

“It should be potential, it should be potential!”

"The acceleration of Super Cove is gradually showing. We are about to exit the second bend. If we continue at the previous speed, Dido Shooter and Sakura Chiyo will be overtaken soon."

“But they must have felt the pressure coming from behind. The two leading horse girls unleashed their potential and sped up even more!”

“This is the miracle of the Japanese derby!”

The purpose of commentary is to boost the atmosphere of the game, while the guests need to analyze calmly.

At this moment, even the guests began to get excited, and the audience in the stadium became even more excited.

However, the horse racing ladies on the track still remained calm enough.

After years of practice, their steps, arm swings and breathing have become instincts. They don't have to think about those basic abilities anymore and can focus on judging the competition.

Among all 24 horse girls, the one who is the calmest and most capable of analyzing the race situation is naturally Aldan Mejiro.

Moving his ears slightly, Aldan thought to himself:

Did you fight to the death, Dido, Chiyo...

No, they fought hard from the beginning, not only the two of them, but also Yae...

At such a fast speed, the strong wind blew her long ears backwards.

However, she had already undergone sufficient "field perception training" and had recently experienced even more exaggerated wind speeds in the wind tunnel equipment, so she was not affected by the whistling wind at all.

She collected the information about the game meticulously and analyzed it silently.

Didu and the others are already at their maximum speed, but Xiaowan, Xiaolimao and I still have some energy left.

Judging from the commentators and the audience, we should still be in a stalemate right now?

But... the second bend has been passed, and the second straight line and the ups and downs of the third bend are right in front of us.

Thinking of this, she suddenly sighed to herself.

I'm sorry, Dido, Chiyo, Yae, and other opponents...

Given the form you are currently showing and the unusually high speed of this race, the ups and downs will consume a considerable amount of physical strength.

If you choose to continue driving at high speed here, all your energy that should have been used for the next turn and the final turn will be used up.

In other words, after this ups and downs, you...

No chance.

His mind focused, and Aldan's eyes also focused.

She clearly saw that the ground after the second bend was gradually rising.

She also knew that if the race was arranged beforehand, the uphill and downhill races that would soon follow this turn would be extremely chaotic.

She had to find the most energy-saving breakthrough route in this chaos and rush to the first echelon.

Otherwise, if she was exhausted by the chaos, she would lose the chance to compete with the two final opponents in the final line, just like most of her opponents.

Wait, little bay, I'll catch up soon, and besides...

His eyes moved slightly forward, staring at the chestnut-haired figure a little further away, then glanced slightly to the side.

Don't get caught up in the chaos later, Xiaoli... She moved her eyes slightly, thought secretly, and then silently adjusted her position while still in the team.

The ups and downs came, and just as Mejiro Aldan had expected, the entire team became chaotic.

It is visible to the naked eye that due to the strength and physical exertion required when going uphill, as well as the speed control and acceleration required when going downhill, the 24 horse girls uncontrollably changed their original positions based on their respective abilities and conditions.

Overtaking, counter-overtaking, lateral movement, diagonal movement, position competition, certain physical collisions, all this chaos happened almost instantly.

The commentator also started shouting as if he had lost his mind.

"The up and downhill chaos that is common in previous Japanese derbies has begun, and this time it is particularly intense!"

“The high speed of this race obviously consumed the athletes’ physical strength, and the degree of displacement up and down the slopes was much greater than in the past.”

"Didu Shooter, Sakura Chiyo, and Super Bay, who stood out from the team in advance, were not affected too much. Their running posture and speed remained the same as before."

"Mejiro Aldan successfully broke through and sped up, coming to fourth place!"

"She is still speeding up, gradually catching up with the leading team. The four horse girls in the front are getting closer and closer. Very close!"

"But the subsequent horse racing girls are in chaos, and the current order is difficult to distinguish...ah!"

"It seems that the contestant Yae Wudi was hit. She seemed to be trying to break through, but now she is in chaos again. It's a bit troublesome... This is bad!"

"Not only is Yae invincible, Oguruma seems to have been similarly affected!"

The narrator suddenly screamed.

"In the chaos of going up and down the slope, it seems that they didn't handle it properly, and Oguruma was surrounded just like Yae Mudi!"

"This is bad! In previous matches, Oguruma would always choose the outer lane to overtake and break through, but now he's trapped in the Uma Musume team. This is really bad!"

"With her monstrous speed and strength, it's theoretically possible for her to rush out, but that kind of speed and strength might lead to a foul!"

"This this……"

It was obvious that he had not anticipated the current situation very much, and the commentary was a bit stuck for a moment.

The spectators in the stadium also burst into an uproar. The cheers and shouts that had been relatively uniform suddenly became chaotic, just like the racehorses on the track.

"Maybe there's no need to panic."

It was the guest who spoke out to comfort him. It must be the sudden situation on the scene that made him calm down from his previous excitement.

“Right now, it’s still from the second straight line to the third bend. There are still more than 700 meters to the end of the race, and there are still many opportunities to break through without committing a foul.”

“Especially when exiting the final turn, according to previous Japanese derby situations, the entire team will spread out to form a horizontal line, which is the best opportunity to break through.”

“Perhaps then, Oguri Hat will once again demonstrate her skilled outer lane breakout skills and open our eyes.”

With the guest’s analysis, the commentator on the side suddenly felt much calmer.

“Yes, yes, that’s right!”

"Oguruma has many opportunities. As a horse girl who came all the way from Kasamatsu to Chuo, she has created many miracles and has had a lot of luck so far in her career. She will definitely have a chance."

"let us wait and see!"

"So looking at the race situation right now, the team is gradually approaching the end of the downhill, that is, the final bend, and the chaos in the entire team is gradually subsiding."

"Although Oguruma and Yae Mudi are still in the center of the team, as I just said, they should have a chance to break through when they exit the final turn."

"The leader is still there... the leader situation has changed!"

"It's Super Cove and Mejiro Aldan!"

"The speed of the two players has been increased!"

"Very fast, they surpassed Dido Shooter and Sakura Chiyo in an instant!"

"It can be seen that Dido Shooter and Sakura Chiyo are still trying hard, but the distance is obviously getting wider, and...ah!"

"They are moving faster now than before!"

"Oh my god, as expected of the horse racing ladies who are full of miracles, as expected of the Japanese Derby, which is known as the number one race, this speed... is unheard of!"

"The leading team instantly... opened up a gap with the following teams!"

The audience in the stadium was no longer in uproar and confusion, and they resumed cheering and shouting excitedly.

However, some places are still worried.

"It's just like when we were at the Hanshin Grand Prix and the Emperor's Spring Viewing Ceremony with Inari. Xiao Haiwan and the others..."

In the viewing room, staring at the screen, Tamamo Cross said nervously: "Domain, they used the domain."

This area is where the Eternal Team is staying. Next to her is Inariichi, and next to her are the training members such as Komiyayama and Shining Glory.

What was different from the usual way the team watched the race was that next to them were a group of horse racing ladies who had a close relationship with Yongshi.

"Field...what is that? It sounds interesting."

The one asking the question was Huang Jinchuan, who had a curious look on her face. Beside her were Yi Lu Tong, Huang Jin Da Jiang and a group of little horse racing girls who had come from kindergarten to experience the race in advance.

As the Golden Ship asked, the little guys who didn't quite understand the game showed similar curious expressions.

Tamamo Cross, Inari Ichi, and others who knew what the domain was did not respond. They all frowned and stared at the game screen.

Their response was a special week and good opera.

"That... I roughly know that it is a very special ability. It will make us run faster... I think that's it..."

"Ha-hahahaha, you can tell that something like that is very gorgeous just by listening to it. You are still young, so it's normal that you don't understand."

After the two horse girls, one hesitant and the other exaggerated, finished their words, the little ones on the Golden Ship were still confused, but Tamamo Cross and the others still frowned, staring at the screen, without saying a word.

But the next second, they turned their heads because of two worried groans.

"I do know what a domain is. If that's the case, Senior Xiaohaiwan and the others should keep a big distance from the ones behind. As for Senior Xiaokuimao..."

"Senpai Oguruma is probably in some danger. She is such an outstanding horse girl and should have mastered the domain. But now that she is trapped in the team, it is not a good time to use the domain..."

Narita Shirahito, who was also staring at the screen with a frown and holding a branch in his mouth, and Qi Cao, who was crossing his arms and pinching his chin, said in unison.

"Well, I didn't expect you guys know so much before you debuted."

Although his eyes were a little worried, he looked at Tamamo Juji beside him and saw that the other person had the same look in his eyes, so Inari spoke in a comforting tone.

"That guy Oguri is in some trouble right now, but..."

She was about to continue when she was interrupted by a firm voice.

"Sister will be fine."

All the horse girls heard the voice and subconsciously looked at Oguri Roman standing in the middle.

As soon as Oguri Roman opened her mouth, all eyes around her were focused on her. If it were usual, this introverted and timid horse girl would definitely be too shy to speak.

But at this moment, she had an unusually resolute look on her face, with her hands pressed against her chest, her eyes fixed on the screen without blinking, looking firmly at the silver-gray figure, and said word by word:

"My sister said that she would become an amazing horse girl, that she would win the Japanese Derby, that she would keep running forever, and that she would be the horse girl that would make me happy."

"So, sister will be fine."

"...That's right. I don't think the current situation will have any impact on that guy Xiaoli."

Hearing what Oguri Roman said, Tamamo Cross, who spoke first, suddenly relaxed his brows, looked at the screen again, and grinned.

"After all, that guy has the nickname 'Monster'."

"So whatever you want to ask and worry about, wait until you see what kind of 'monster' she really is before you tell us."

"only……"

The corners of her mouth widened even more. "Don't be scared."

The race entered the final turn.

Taking steps silently, breathing steadily, and gradually starting to swing his outer arms vigorously, Oguruma suddenly became uncharacteristically emotional during the game.

...Sure enough, it's just like what Kitahara said. Regardless of whether they are deliberately trying to stop me or not, Yae still has other opponents, and many of them still want to break through the Great Outer Path...

With the speed, strength and endurance accumulated over time, she easily passed the fourth turn.

With her ability to overlook the entire stadium and display all the game situations in her mind like holographic images, she "saw" the situations of all her opponents.

At the front, Super Kobay and Mejiro Aldan were already 4 to 5 lengths ahead of the main group.

Didu Shooter and Sakura Chiyo, who were in the lead at the beginning, slowed down because of the effort of leaving the gate and the physical exhaustion of going up and down the slopes.

They still had the energy to finish the race, but they no longer had a chance to fight to the finish line, as they had already slowed down to the point where they merged with the main group.

Yaye Wudi and other opponents didn't have much physical strength left. Most of them really wanted to break through from the outer path, while some wanted to rush out from the inner path.

However, the most they could do was to break through and surpass this large force, and they had no chance to compete with Little Bay and Aldan.

So, my words...

His steps were still strong and his breath was full.

The preparation for the super-high-speed lane change is no problem, so I shouldn’t accidentally hit anyone. After all, I’m still quite strong…

Kitahara is also most worried about this and has practiced this the most, so there won't be any problem.

The field...hasn't been used yet.

But it just so happened that Little Bay and Aldan’s lead was just enough for them to catch up using the field.

then……

Win over them.

In an instant, the Tokyo stadium was boiling.

"She took action! She finally took action!"

"It was completely beyond everyone's expectations. She had used the outer lane to overtake in the previous 15 games, but she actually used the inner lane to overtake in the Japanese Derby, which was unprecedented!"

"No!"

"That's not just inner transcendence, what is that?!"

"How could she break through such a crowded group of horse girls at such a high speed without encountering any opponents?!"

"Is she... a monster—?!"

The commentator's voice was still broken, and the guest had no idea what to say.

Just a moment ago, in the huge team of 22 horse girls except Super Kobayashi and Mejiro Altan, Ogururo, who was surrounded by them, suddenly rushed out in an incredible way.

That unprecedented sprint was as desperate and fierce as the avalanche in her past 15 games.

Just by looking at it from a distance, you will feel as if if you are not careful, you will be crushed by the suffocating momentum and body.

But that kind of "avalanche"... can actually "drift"? !

For a moment, the commentator was frantically struggling with whether to risk her career by using the adjective that made her feel outrageous, but in the end she couldn't help but scream out.

"She's a monster!"

“Where are the horse girls drifting in the Tokyo racetrack, on the track, and in the Japanese Derby—?!”

"The instantaneous breakthrough just now was simply drifting. The high-speed sprint when Oguruma passed the final turn was actually like 'drifting'. He turned his body abruptly and did not touch any opponents!"

"She was just drifting! She rushed out with this kind of drifting that only monsters can do!"

"She rushed out, she chased after Super Cove and Mejiro Aldan. This scene will surely become a scene that will be recorded forever in the history of URA!"

The commentary suddenly paused for less than half a second.

In the next half second, she completely overturned what she had just said, and then overturned what she said afterwards.

"No no no no!"

“This is the moment that will go down in Umamusume history!”

"No!"

"The final 526-meter sprint of this Japanese derby will be remembered forever!"

"The competition is still fierce between Super Cove and Mejiro Altan ahead!"

"The two horse girls have been in competition since the final turn, and have distanced themselves from the teams behind them!"

"The duel between the two lasted for the entire final bend, 249 meters!"

"Their threat is coming!"

"I'm coming!"

"A gray shadow...rushed out from the fourth turn!"

"The lead is now from Super Bay... to Mejiro Aldan! Oguri's speed has increased again, to an unbelievable high speed!"

"Mejiro Aldan is in first place...Super Cove is in first place, now Super Cove is in first place! Oguruma's speed is still increasing!"

"Little Chestnut is trying to catch up, Little Chestnut is trying to catch up!"

"She's getting faster and faster! She's getting faster and faster!"

"The leader is still... the leader has become Mejiro Aldan! But..."

"Little Chestnut Hat is catching up!"

"She's catching up!"

"There are still 200 meters to the finish line... Oguruma is catching up!!"

"Mejiro Altan has moved into second place...Super Bay is in second place, and Mejiro Altan is in third place!"

"The current No. 1 is Oguruma!"

"The current No. 1 is Oguruma!!"

"The current No. 1 is Oguruma!!!"

"No stall, no stall, Little Chestnut has no signs of stalling!"

"Still speeding up, still increasing the distance, Little Chestnut is still speeding up, still increasing the distance!"

"There are still 100 meters, there are still 100 meters, this is Lumao's monster, this is Lumao's monster!"

“50 meters to go!!”

"Cross the line!"

"The winner of the Japanese Derby is..."

"Little chestnut hat——!!!!!"

Bei originally thought that he had deliberately chosen a position facing the finish line, so he would be able to flip over and offer his congratulations the moment he saw the champion appear.

The audience seats in the blank area were separated by a fence that was only a little over one meter wide, so it was not difficult to climb out.

In fact, he has always been very confident that the one who can win this Japanese derby must be one of the three horse racing girls in his team.

There are many reasons for self-confidence, including training methods, facility conditions, invested resources and so on.

But when he actually saw the silver-gray figure crossing the finish line with his own eyes, he realized that his confidence seemed to be a little different.

The fleeting figure before him was the one he had the most confidence in.

There are many reasons to justify this utmost confidence.

Forgetting the original intention to congratulate, not being able to hear the cheers of hundreds of thousands of spectators in the Tokyo stadium, and having blurry eyes and unable to see the scene in front of me, all these things are the most powerful proof.

Perhaps, many years later, when he stands again in front of the finish line of the Japanese Derby in Tokyo, he should be able to remember what happened at this moment and afterwards.

But for a long time after hearing the voice of the champion and seeing the silver-gray figure flash across the finish line, he didn't know what happened.

I don’t know what is happening in the outside world, I don’t know what I am thinking, saying, or doing.

After seeing Oguri win the Japanese derby with her own eyes and realize her dream that she was not even qualified for in another world, Kitahara completely fell into a state of being in a sea of ​​​​clouds and could not feel anything.

But when he finally came to his senses, he had a more or less clear idea of ​​where he was.

"...Winning Live...?"

Muttering to himself, he looked at the blurry outline of the venue in the darkness before him, as well as the densely packed figures within the outline and the fluorescent cheering sticks in their hands, and he said a little dazedly.

Then he heard a voice with a hint of laughter and emotion coming from a plate.

"Oh? You finally came to your senses, 'Derby Trainer' Kitahara Joi? Or should I say, Chief?"

There was a hint of teasing in the voice, and Kitahara immediately realized it was Maruzenski's voice.

"Maruzen...?"

He looked over in surprise. In the darkness, he could only make out the outline of the horse girl.

A little further away, there are two short people, who are also horse girls judging by their outlines. I think they are Tamamo Cross and Inari Ichi. They seem to be looking over here.

A little further away, there were even more eyes looking over, most of them were horse racing girls, of varying heights, and difficult to tell apart.

There are also people, and the human figures are even harder to distinguish.

However, Kitahara thought about it and felt that those people should be members of the Eternal Team, or Uma Musume that he was more familiar with.

"I... I was just daydreaming, right? Sorry, after the Japanese derby is over..."

Kitahara had only said half a sentence when Maruzenski interrupted him with a smile.

"After the Japanese derby, you were completely stunned. No matter what was said or done to you, you only responded with "umm" and "ahhh".

"There's nothing I can do. I can only help you solve some problems like interviews and autographs."

In the darkness, Maruzenski seemed to spread his hands and then smiled:

"But let's forget about what happened before. I'll ask you about it tomorrow if you have anything else to say."

"The next words are the finale song of today's Winning Live."

"It's a single."

"The singer is, of course, your Derby girl."

My... Derby Girl...

"Little Chestnut Hat...?"

After being stunned for a moment, Beiyuan said subconsciously, and in an instant, he felt a little confused again.

"...Heh, it seems you are still stupid. Oguruma won the Japanese Derby, so of course it's 'Derby Musume'."

Maruzenski's laughter was filled with helplessness and amusement.

"What, you don't believe it?"

"...No, it's not that I don't believe it, it's just..."

Kitahara couldn't describe how he felt at the moment, and he didn't know how to explain his strange state.

He hesitated for a moment, managed to calm down, and subconsciously followed Maruzenski's words and asked:

"Single...what's that?"

He barely managed to sort out a logic, "Is it specially prepared for Oguruma? As for Winning Live... after she wins the Japanese Derby, shouldn't it be the group song "Winning the Soul"? "

"Oh? It seems you are not so stupid that you can't watch at all."

In the darkness, Maruzenski nodded and seemed to be looking at the dark stage.

“The song that won the classic triple crown is naturally “Winning the Soul”.”

"It's a pity that this piece has been sung before. You were still in a daze at that time and unfortunately missed it."

"However, fortunately, the single that Ludo has specially prepared for Little Chestnut is about to begin."

"It's a pity that you missed "Winning the Soul", but you can consider asking Oguruma to sing it for you alone."

"It would be a real shame if I missed out on the next single."

“Because this is the first time in URA’s history that they have performed a song exclusively for Uma Musume.”

"...Luduo? First solo?"

Kitahara was able to use his brain a little more than before, and he remembered that there was a "single" setting in the original work.

In the original work, the horse racing girls who are outstanding enough have their own exclusive singles, which are also a description of them and even a microcosm of their lives.

For example, the name of Ludo's exclusive single is "Seven", which naturally represents the legend of the first horse girl in history to win seven championships.

Then, what about Oguruma?

Just as he was thinking about it, Kitahara heard Maruzenski speaking softly.

"Well, I only found out after the Japanese Derby ended that Lu Duo...she had privately reached some...some agreements with the chairman of the URA Association."

After saying this lightly, she moved closer to Kitahara and continued in a low voice:

"The agreement included a custom song for the champion of the Japanese Derby."

"Of course, things like this will be developed as a rule in the future, and things like customizing singles will not be limited to the Japanese Derby."

"But for now, Oguruma is the first case."

At this point, she chuckled.

"He has changed a lot, this child..."

Then he continued:
"Anyway, you can ask Luduo for details later, but for now, just enjoy it."

"Enjoy your Derby Girl's exclusive single."

“Unbreakable.”

""unbreakable"."

As if to confirm Maruzenski's words, the moment she finished speaking, changes occurred on the dark stage.

A beam of light as bright as snow seemed to fall from the sky, penetrating the darkness of the stage and illuminating the figure that seemed to have been standing in the center for a long time.

The figure has long silver-gray hair, a bright yellow diamond-shaped headdress, a slightly cold and indifferent face, and a tall figure.

He was wearing a pure white top with gold diamond-shaped buttons on the collar and cuffs, red and blue epaulettes on his shoulders, and a red scarf.

She wore a dark blue pleated skirt, black stockings that showed off her powerful thigh curves, and metallic combat boots.

At this moment, Oguruma did not have her usual cute and innocent temperament. Instead, just like her face, she exuded an unusual coldness.

The music started, and her movements to the music were somewhat cold.

Holding the microphone in his left hand, he raised both hands and placed them horizontally in front of him, then slowly pulled them apart with great force, as if tearing apart fate or some darkness.

She walked forward, gradually raising her left hand holding the microphone. As she did so, the spotlights on the dome of the auditorium lit up in unison, as if to dispel the grayness on her body, illuminating her as white as snow.

In the audience, countless glow sticks were raised, like snowflakes gathering together.

The topic was raised to the slightly pale lips, and the song began.

"Do you remember that day, the night when the blue moon appeared?"

"You once said that even if you have wings on my back, you can't touch me."

"My outstretched hands just passed through the sky, feeling both unwilling and sad"

"Make a wish on a star, even if you miss it you can still fight or something like that"

"There is not one in the world"

When the cold voice sang this verse, the color of the stage was still black and white.

The two distinct colors seemed to be intentional, distinguishing the area within the reach of Oguruma's arm and the darkness beyond it.

And when the chorus sounded, it was as if something was lit up, and the darkness of the entire stage disappeared. Instead, the stage was filled with brilliant lights like flames.

Like a flame from the outermost to the innermost, a little bright red, then more orange-red, then bright yellow, goose yellow, and light yellow.

The very center of the flame is blazing white, and the dazzling white in the middle of the stage under the light just happens to constitute the blazing white in the very center of the "flame" formed by the huge stage lights.

In this flame-like light of hope, the chorus is no longer cold and clear, but becomes burning and fiery.

"Because I don't want to betray my promise to you and my determination."

"I will only sigh silently in my heart until the moment when the ardent flowers wither"

"I will keep moving forward like this."

When entering the main song again, the voice becomes clear and cold again.

But the lights on the stage no longer turned black and white, but continued to be as hot as flames until the chorus.

“Why can you keep going on this uncertain road?”

"Even when there is nothing to believe in, I still shine in the darkness of hope."

"It's painful, very painful, and it's not abominable to escape"

"But this is the only thing, the things you decide and the things you hope for will become reality one day."

"If there is only one possibility, I think I will be the only one who can make it happen."

"We vowed to look at each other, watch each other, and move towards tomorrow"

The cool and passionate chorus interweaves, and the flashing light sticks in the audience wave along with the rhythm.

Gradually, as the singing gradually stopped and the lights on the stage changed from flaming heat to a somewhat cool pure white, Kitahara finally got rid of the inexplicable trance he had felt before.

Standing in the top audience seat, he looked at the stage from afar.

In his eyes, he saw the reflection of the snow-white figure on the stage, with his arms raised high, illuminated by the white lights.

He suddenly raised the corners of his mouth.

No, it's not like in that other world where there's nothing you can't touch.

It will not be an uncertain road anymore, you will not encounter uncertain roads anymore.

There will be no darkness, pain, or escape, you just have to keep running.

Because, I promised you, no matter how much you want to become a great horse girl.

Or is it simply because being able to stand up and run is a miracle, and I just love running and want to keep running.

I will help you achieve it.

Because, you are the horse girl who represents hope...

Little chestnut hat.

(End of this chapter)