Having trained real horses, why are we now training racehorse girls after time-traveling?

There must be a choice between the two. But now, McQueen has broken through his own boundaries, making the "impossible" possible.

"This is the path you forged yourself... McQueen."

"You truly deserve the last honor of the Mejiro family. You are worthy of this honor. From now on, whether it is the Mejiro family or the racehorse girls of other families, they will all have to look up to you because of your glory."

So now, use your [field] to forge your own path, McQueen.

……

"This is...my [domain]?"

At this moment, even Megumi McQueen herself found it somewhat unbelievable. She thought that by breaking through the demons in her heart, she might become stronger, but she did not expect that she could cross such a long distance and directly reach the realm of [Domain].

This should have been an extremely difficult chasm for her to overcome... but unexpectedly, after she conquered her inner desires and dark side, it was able to be unleashed.

Moreover… it was such a pure and immaculate [domain]. At this moment, Megumi McQueen found it difficult to use an appropriate adjective to describe his [domain], because this ability felt so… noble.

Sorry, McQueen knows that describing herself, or her "domain," like this is a bit too vain... but she truly feels that this "domain" is an incomparably noble existence, and when she released this power, McQueen already knew the power of this "domain."

Simply put, the effect of McQueen's "Domain" is very close to what Ji Zhao previously perceived. It can create a huge discrepancy in the senses of other racehorse girls in the same race, thereby extending the length of the track in their "perception".

However, this "perception" is not simply a visual deception like magic, but a true whole-body effect, from the senses to the feet, all the senses will "lengthen" the track.

This means that all the female racehorses racing against McQueen, if they do not have a way to resist McQueen's "Domain", will be affected by McQueen's "Domain" and will have to follow the same footwork, speed, tactics, and even physical exertion as if they were running a long-distance race.

To the average person, their speed and rhythm appeared unchanged except for being a little slower. However, in reality, everyone had to exert the physical exertion of a long-distance race to finish this race.

If you don't want to slow down, then racehorses have to speed up. However, in a long-distance race, speeding up will only lead to greater energy consumption, causing you to lose speed and lose the chance to win.

It's roughly equivalent to competing against McQueen, and every race would be a long-distance race! And coincidentally, while this "area" also influenced McQueen, she was a top performer in long-distance races!

In many races, the nature of the race changes once the distance is extended. This is especially true when the race suddenly becomes longer when the finish line is already close. For many female racehorses who have seized the opportunity and are ready to unleash their full potential, this is a fatal blow!

And for some racetracks that have no long-distance acclimatization at all... that means that there is almost no chance of winning against McQueen!

Fortunately, this "domain" has its limits; it's impossible to extend a short-distance event directly to the level of the Spring Emperor's Prize.

However, it is possible to elevate an Arima Memorial event to the level of the Spring Emperor's Sho.

Therefore, extending the autumn imperial bestowal to the length of the Arima Memorial... is quite reasonable, isn't it?

Don't underestimate this mere 500 or 600 meters. Often, it's just a few hundred meters that can completely reverse the outcome of a game—like in the current situation.

"This is bad..." Miyu Tanino's expression gradually changed. If it were a mile race or a middle-distance race, she would dare to say that she was not afraid of anyone, but now her senses were affected by the [Domain], and 2000 meters suddenly became 2500 meters. Miyu Tanino, who could have easily given up, could not run away from the 2500-meter distance.

But if she doesn't run to the end, she can only slow down... but slowing down means that her [momentum] and [domain] can't maintain their peak level...

“There’s no need to worry anymore.” At this moment, Ji Zhao spoke calmly. Under Tanino Misaki’s gaze, she noticed for the first time that Ji Zhao’s expression had become slightly serious. If she felt that she was handling things with ease when she was going all out at the beginning, then now she felt threatened by McQueen.

Since the tactics were completely wrong from the start, there's no use regretting it now. Fortunately, Kitcho isn't worried about the 2500-meter Arima Kinen race. She's not only a two-time winner of the Autumn Emperor's Slam, but also a two-time winner of the Arima Kinen.

"What?" Miyu Tanino asked, somewhat bewildered.

"...Silent Suzuka, she's alright now." Kichijo said calmly, "Now what we need to do is sprint, the last... about 500 meters, run this race as an Arima tribute, and enjoy the sake."

"If the younger generation surpasses you, you'll be laughed at to death. I don't want to be in that situation."

"It's all over?" Tanino Miyu was still a little surprised, but the next moment, the commentator's voice suddenly rang out:

"Oh—Meguro McQueen is closing in on Tanino Misaki and Kitcho! Behind her, Silent Suzuka—has lost speed! Silent Suzuka has lost speed! Now she's slowly slowing down to the same level as the famous general, Raging Waves!"

"Now it's the final push! The final straight-line sprint! Who will be the victor? Will Mejiro McQueen be able to catch up with Tanino Misaki and Kitcho at this moment?!"

"A 500-meter straight sprint—this is going to kill you!" Tanino Miyu finally realized what was happening and couldn't help but complain. What others saw as a 200-meter race was like a 500-meter straight run for them!

Is a 500-meter straight track meant for a middle-distance racer like her? She's never run that kind of event before, you bastard!

Chapter 357: The Silent Suzuka's Withdrawal, the Final Showdown

"Ha ha……"

"I can't catch up—I'm exhausted."

At this moment, Suzuka's speed was gradually slowing down; her stamina had indeed reached its limit. Don't misunderstand, while Suzuka's adaptability isn't strictly speaking that wide, she is still a dominant force in mile races and middle-distance events. She's completely unfazed by the Takarazuka Memorial, so she shouldn't be lacking the stamina for even an Autumn Emperor's Slam.

The problem is, this isn't a typical autumn imperial prize. From the very beginning, Kitcho and Tanino Misaki's "domain" drained a lot of Suzuka's stamina. Driven by instinct, Suzuka relentlessly pursued them, even at the cost of considerable energy, but unfortunately, she failed and ended up nearly exhausted.

Suzuka, who was already struggling to run a middle-distance race, suddenly had no energy left to even run a middle-distance race.

Moreover, that's not the most important thing. If one could have solved this problem by gritting their teeth and relying on their willpower and perseverance, then the sudden eruption of Megumi McQueen's [Domain] shattered Silent Suzuka's last glimmer of hope.

Faced with a suddenly extended track in front of her, even someone as determined as Silent Suzuka would feel a sense of despair when she was exhausted and found that the track that was once so close had suddenly become longer. She was not good at running long distances, and she was not even adapted to some slightly longer middle distances, such as the 2400 meters in the Japanese Derby.

You call it a middle-distance race? That's true. 2500 meters is when it enters the realm of long-distance events, but Suzuka's physical condition and tactics simply can't handle such races. The 2200-meter Takarazuka Memorial is basically the limit that the Silent Suzuka can perform at.

Now, under McQueen's "domain," the track in front of him has suddenly been lengthened—even Suzuka knows that victory is completely out of reach...

"Is there no chance left?"

But in that case... failure is understandable, right?

As Suzuka was thinking this, she suddenly realized that she seemed to have regained control of her body. The impulses and voices in her heart no longer drove her forward, and she could finally slow down.

No, it's not that there's absolutely no sound, but... what is "she" saying?

"...Are you saying this isn't your home turf?" Suzuka listened to her inner voice and nodded as if she understood. She realized that her own heart felt the same way; the moment the match turned from mid-range to long-range, they had both chosen to give up.

It's not that they lack fighting spirit; it's just that this isn't their area of ​​expertise. They've tried countless times before and have a deep-rooted understanding of themselves, which is why they know that some barriers are simply insurmountable.

Just like the story of the elephant keepers at the zoo, they tie the baby elephants to a stake. When they are young, the baby elephants are too small and weak to break free from the stake. But when they grow up, the elephants can easily break free from the stake. However, it is that deep-rooted failure from their childhood that makes them obediently stay tied to the stake.

However, it is much more difficult for racehorse girls to adapt than for elephants to grow up. Therefore, this is not an illusion, but a deep-rooted knowledge that they really cannot run this distance.

Therefore, Suzuka's inner voice, like her rational judgment, led her to give up. This was indeed not their home turf, and losing was not shameful.

Thinking this, Suzuka slowly began to slow down. Since there was no longer any chance to compete for the scenery ahead, it wouldn't hurt to conserve her energy and choose to give up... Besides, she did feel a bit uncomfortable in her legs... Suzuka felt that she should retreat to the sidelines and rest properly.

"Silent Suzuka—Silent Suzuka has retreated to the sidelines! Has something happened?!" The commentator's voice made everyone's hearts clench, but thankfully, the next moment, Silent Suzuka's raised hand reassured everyone.

"Silent Suzuka has raised her hand off the field—indicating she's withdrawing from the match! Medical personnel! Please arrive at the scene immediately and take Silent Suzuka to the medical area!"

"Now! The duel between Mejiro McQueen, Tanino Misaki, and Kitcho is in its final stages! One hundred meters! One hundred meters left! This is the final straight-line sprint!"

"Mejiro McQueen's stamina seems inexhaustible! She's still chasing! Still chasing! Mejiro McQueen is already very close to Tanino Misaki!"

"Damn it—I can't let you catch up like this! Otherwise, my senior's dignity will be completely ruined!"

Meanwhile, Miyu Tanino's peripheral vision clearly caught sight of the aggressively approaching Megumi McQueen. At this moment, the [domain] surrounding Megumi McQueen did not exert any oppressive force, but the [aura] that revived along with the domain brought immense pressure to her and Kitcho!

This kid's aura... is surprisingly formidable. Miyu Tanino didn't really want to admit it, but if McQueen's aura could reach its peak, perhaps hers wouldn't be a match for him—only Kitcho... might be able to put up a fight.

Even so, Miyu Tanino did not intend to sit idly by and wait for her fate. As she herself said, she was a senior racehorse girl. Although she had suffered due to the irregularities in the tactical arrangements and the special nature of McQueen's [Domain], she did not intend to use these as excuses for losing the race.

Vodka was watching her from the audience! She didn't want to lose face in front of her daughter (as Wada had told her)!

"Since we might not be able to overcome [momentum], then—"

Thinking this, Miyu Tanino activated the deterrent effect of her [Domain]—this move is very effective against racehorse girls who are weaker than herself!

Originally, Miyu Tanino hadn't planned to use this move. After all, she was just here to have some fun and fulfill her promise. She and Kitcho were both confident of victory. However, unexpectedly, Megumi McQueen awakened his talent at this moment and broke through the limit to awaken the [Domain].

It's not that McQueen's breakthrough resulted in such a terrifying improvement, but rather that the effect of McQueen's [Domain] was too effective at exploiting Tanino Misaki's weaknesses, particularly her long-range attacks. Coupled with Tanino Misaki's initial failure to choose the right tactics, these factors combined to put her in such a desperate situation.

If she had known McQueen's abilities beforehand and devised a strategy accordingly, and then gone all out, she wouldn't have ended up in this situation—2500 meters is just the shortest long-distance race, and she could have outrun McQueen if she had given it her all.

But it's too late to say all this now. He doesn't want to be surpassed by McQueen, so he has no choice but to resort to this desperate measure!

"New generation foals! Now—step back!"

The intimidating effect of Tanino Meishu's [Domain] was immediately transmitted, but when this intimidating force reached McQueen, it was like a stone falling into a lake, creating a ripple and then remaining still.

How could this be—but before Tanino Misaki could react, McQueen seized the opportunity and immediately launched himself forward with a burst of speed!

"Mejiro McQueen has surpassed him! Unbelievable! Mejiro McQueen has surpassed Tanino Misaki! Half a horse's length! Mejiro McQueen is closing in on Kitcho! The gap between the two is narrowing! Narrowing!"

"I can win—I can do it!"

If things continued like this, McQueen felt he could win! McQueen's eyes widened with excitement, and his legs hadn't even reached their peak acceleration yet!

She can go even faster! She can keep winning!

But as McQueen was thinking this, she didn't notice that with her acceleration, even in a 500-meter straight sprint, the finish line was now almost in sight...

"Crossing the finish line—! So close! Mejiro McQueen was just a hair's breadth away from achieving an unprecedented feat! But she still lost to Kitcho by half a horse's length, yet she defeated Tanino Misaki! According to the rule that Kitcho and Tanino Misaki's results are invalidated in this Autumn Emperor's Prize, let's congratulate Mejiro McQueen on becoming the first place winner and achieving victory!"

"Meshiro McQueen! The Meshiro family's racehorse girl! She became the second racehorse girl after Tamamo Cross to achieve consecutive Spring and Autumn Emperor's Slam titles! She also fulfilled the Meshiro family's long-cherished wish once again! She won the Autumn Emperor's Slam!"

Chapter 358: McQueen's Acknowledgment, A Perfect Transformation

"Ha ha……"

"No, you didn't get past it?"

The track was 2000 meters, but in reality, everyone had gone through a 2500-meter race with a bad start. All the female racehorses were exhausted and collapsed on the ground after the race, while Megumi McQueen, who is highly adaptable to long distances, still had energy left after running 2500 meters.

But after finishing the race, McQueen was stunned. How did he suddenly finish the race?

Even if she were 100 meters longer—no! Just 50 meters longer, McQueen felt confident she could surpass Gigi. Her acceleration was still in the buffer phase; once she reached her peak, she was absolutely certain she could overtake Gigi!

But the final result is already before us: she was still one step behind, losing to Ji Zhao by half a horse's length.

Fortunately, in this race, no matter what place Kitcho and Tanino Misaki finished in at the beginning, their results were invalid. Now, having only lost to Kitcho's Megumi McQueen, they undoubtedly secured the winner's position.

At this moment, facing the cheers of the crowd, those cheers celebrating her winning the Autumn Emperor's Prize and achieving a consecutive victory in the Spring and Autumn Emperor's Prizes, she felt nothing at all. All her attention was focused on the shin oki ahead of her, and the scene of crossing the finish line kept replaying in her mind.

If only she could be a little faster.

"—Don't worry about it so much, Megumi McQueen. You are already very strong among your contemporaries in Uma Musume."

However, Ji Zhao seemed to see through McQueen's unwillingness, and simply walked towards him step by step. Using her much taller stature, she looked down at McQueen and said calmly:

"Your victory this time was more due to luck than skill. Don't think that surpassing Tanino Misaki is proof of your strength."

"Your [domain] is very powerful, but the timing of its appearance was just too unexpected. As for Meijiu and me, we didn't come here with the intention of winning the game from the beginning, otherwise we wouldn't have chosen this tactic."

"I've suffered a lot of losses with Meijiu, most of which were due to luck. Otherwise, if we had a contest where we went all out, even with your amazing [domain], you wouldn't be our match."

Ji Zhao didn't say those hurtful things about McQueen because she felt he was a threat; she was simply stating the facts. There were many reasons why they were being pressured so much by McQueen this time. Otherwise, McQueen's "domain" and her current "aura" alone wouldn't be enough to threaten Tanino Miyu and Ji Zhao.

Otherwise, in a 2500-meter race, let alone Arima's two-time champion win, even a middle-distance powerhouse like Tanino Misaki wouldn't care about a mere 100 meters. With the right running technique, if they really wanted to win, either McQueen or either of them could beat them.

—But from another perspective, the fact that even a mere junior racehorse girl needs to be regarded as a real rival by these seniors is enough to demonstrate McQueen's excellence and strength.

"Of course, this match is still your victory, and you have made me and Meijiu feel threatened again after a long time."