Uma Musume Girl, I'll tell you about my Santa Hat special move too?

(The fifth necessary condition is the determination to never give up hope of victory.)

(The last necessary condition is here... it's the location, this spot 777 meters into the race!)

[Skill 777, activated.]

The third pair of eyes of the three-headed dragon lit up with a scarlet color at this moment.

All the conditions for activation have been met.

Stardust Illusion: The runner, forced to abandon his escape, slowly raised his head and looked ahead.

In those completely bewildered, blood-red eyes, the reflection was of a runner wearing a reed.

With firm steps and a low, bent-over posture.

Unlike before when they were blocked by Qingzhu's memories, all the runners in front of the Stardust Illusion were now trapped by the illusion they had just experienced.

No one can stop her now.

The ice pillars collapsed, the chains broke, and the monster's seal was completely broken.

The whole world seemed to tremble at that moment.

It is proclaiming, it is lamenting, it is wailing!

Because the three-headed ice dragon, capable of destroying the world, has already descended upon this place!

"Hahaha... Don't get distracted..."

The monster grinned, and an aura of destruction emanated from her body:

"From this moment on... comes the highlight...!"

[The Miracle Runner of the Holy Night, a skill inherent to his abilities...]

[Activated!]

Within the system page, unseen by anyone, the golden light shimmering from the text gradually changed, eventually transforming into a seven-colored radiance!

Chapter 171 (9K) (+10) The match is over!

The competition has entered its second half, and the leading teams are engaged in fierce competition!

[Qingzhu's Memory! Qingzhu's Memory is incredibly experienced; the three runners ahead of her tried to stop her but failed! Unlike the previous Stardust Illusion, she successfully broke through the obstacles and took the lead!!!]

[Qingzhu Memories has broken through! She's in first place, so fast! So fast! Qingzhu Memories is back!!!]

[The bell-ringing Mach and the bell-ringing parade, who were left behind, seem to be starting to have stamina issues; their pace has slowed down... Wait, what's going on? The entire group is slowing down?]

Amidst the passionate shouts of the commentator, all the racehorse girls surrounding the Stardust Illusion had already been swallowed up by the snowfield.

The boundless icy world froze all of their hands and feet, and the wind and snow penetrated their flesh, striking their internal organs directly.

The three-headed dragon, capable of destroying the world, shattered glaciers and tore apart the earth before them, roaring as it summoned the end to this world.

They almost forgot to breathe. It seemed like a long time had passed, yet it also seemed like only a moment had gone by. The noise from the racecourse once again resounded in the runners' ears.

The blood started flowing again, and the athletes realized that what they had just experienced was nothing more than an illusion.

but……

"How is this possible... how could she possibly still unleash such power!"

She was only slightly distracted by the bell-ringing parade when the figure had already swept up to her side.

The lost state could not be regained; her hands and feet were completely cold, a far cry from the warm state she had when she ran.

In her eyes, there was no emotion whatsoever in the Stardust Illusion's blood-red pupils.

The girl, shrouded in a dark aura, had only mania and wildness on her face.

This stardust illusion didn't seem to be competing with them at all, but something much more fundamental... she was fighting!

Behind her, the three-headed dragon phantom, formed from frost, could still be seen amidst the bell-ringing procession—

Stardust Illusion completely ignored the runners she had left behind; her eyes were fixed straight ahead, on the finish line!

(Does she not... even consider me a threat?)

Indeed, for the bell-ringing procession, which had no awareness of fighting, she didn't even have the right to be looked at by the Stardust Illusion.

As the bell-ringing parade proceeded, she instinctively reached out and clenched her clothes at her chest, squeezing out the water from the already soaked fabric.

She greedily inhaled the fresh air, feeling a sense of relief despite having the anger she should feel at the fact.

At this moment, the bell-ringing parade has sadly come to realize this fact:

Although the race was not over yet, she had already completely surrendered to this runner named Stardust Illusion.

------------

With no more obstacles in sight, Qingzhu unleashed her full speed, sprinting at the very front of the group.

She gritted her teeth, showing no sign of relaxing even though there were no longer any opponents beside her.

I'm the winner!

The winner of this match can only be me!!!

Qingzhu recalled taking a sudden step, her heart and lungs already exhausted to the limit.

The demonic interference from before also didn't spare Qingzhu's memories, plundering a large amount of her strength and speed.

But it didn't work!

(You're the source of this demonic power, aren't you, Stardust Illusion...)

She lowered her head slightly and thought to herself.

Being able to unleash demonic power while possessing battle aura is indeed a testament to Stardust Illusion's extraordinary talent, but to think that you can defeat her with such a thing would be a grave mistake!

Five years of basic training have given Qingzhu the greatest treasure in terms of her physical body.

Even though I've run to the very last moment, even though I'm being haunted and interfered with by demonic forces, even though my lungs feel like they're about to explode—

But there's still room for manpower!

She still has energy to spare!

(It's no use, Stardust Illusion—even if it happened again, it couldn't defeat me!)

Gazing at the finish line that had come into view, Qingzhu recalled that the flame in her eyes burned even brighter.

Victory is within reach, a testament to her triumphant return and her first step toward becoming the strongest racehorse girl!

"Ohh ...

A low growl, and madness!

(Oguri Hat, did you see that?!)

[Green Bamboo Memories! Green Bamboo Memories has begun its final sprint! No one can catch up, there's no such thing as catching up—]

[Stardust illusion!! It's the stardust illusion catching up!!!]

Just as the host was about to announce the winner of the match, before he could finish speaking, the commentator next to him suddenly snatched the microphone and shouted:

[When did she get here?! Stardust Illusion's speed is incredible! In the blink of an eye, she had already left the other contestants behind and was chasing after Green Bamboo Memory!!!]

Is this... is this going to be another one-on-one duel?!

The host, who was already biased towards Qingzhu's recollections, only noticed the situation mentioned by the commentator at this moment.

In the runners' group at the back of the track, an explosive figure suddenly darted out, scattering all the opponents into pieces.

This figure swept away the fallen leaves like an autumn wind, instantly defeating all the runners except for Qingzhu Memories, and in the blink of an eye, it approached Qingzhu Memories from behind!

This scene left the host, who was privately a fan of Qingzhu's memories, speechless.

The host, having forgotten that there was a microphone in front of him, muttered to himself:

[A one-on-one duel on this final corner!? This is practically like...]

In the 1600m mile race, on the final corner, Qingzhu Huiyi, who had taken the lead, faced off against Monster, who was close behind...

[...This is just like that mile championship race!!!]

Suddenly realizing the stinging sensation on her back and the aura of destruction, Qingzhu turned her head slightly amidst her busy schedule.

In an instant, I saw the approaching runner behind me.

Those blood-red eyes, that ferocious, beast-like smile—all of this made Qingzhu's memories drift back to that year's Mile Championship, and she couldn't help but exclaim:

"Oguri hatsss...!?"

However, the Stardust Illusion did not respond to the runner who had almost completely merged with the phantom of the reed.

Her steps quickened, tearing through the wind and rain, and in the blink of an eye she had covered the distance, rushing directly to Qingzhu Huiyi's side!

(Is this...fate?)

Qingzhu stared in astonishment at the scene before her, and couldn't help but ask herself questions.

The scene at this moment was like a replica of what it was back then, and even she confused the Stardust Illusion with Oguri Hat.

(Is it fate that brought me here, to face this scene once again? Getting up wherever you fall... that's what true passion is!)

Stardust Illusion's expression was exactly the same as Oguri Hat's when he was engrossed in the competition back then.

Upon seeing this situation, Qingzhu recalled the first time she accepted this setting.

Stardust Illusion, so obsessed with victory, truly deserves the title of the second generation of Oguri Hat.

(But...it is precisely because of this that I have the opportunity today to prove...to prove that I have taken the next step and stand in front of Oguri Hat.)

(If you want another physical confrontation, then come on! Because no matter how many times, my body will crush you—)

"As expected, this 'ultimate move' is meant to be used against monsters..."

"You've been looking forward to this moment too, haven't you?"

"Stardust Illusion!!!"

Qingzhu recalled that she had completely ignited herself!