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

Its ears drooped, lifelessly pressed against its damp hair, its hands and feet trembled uncontrollably, and its face, covered in dust, only accentuated its incredulous desolation.

The Emperor of the East Sea stared blankly ahead as the medical team carried away the completely unconscious Stardust Illusion on a stretcher, his mind seemingly a complete blank.

My parched throat felt like it could spew fire, and my heart, as if it hadn't yet grasped the concept of everything being over, continued to pound like an eight-cylinder engine.

I...lost?

In a distance of less than 600 meters, he even unleashed power beyond the ordinary realm, and there was no reason for him to lose.

However, they were defeated.

Stardust... In just 30 seconds, she went from being 5 horse lengths behind me...!

For no apparent reason, my nose started to sting.

The Emperor of the East Sea slightly raised his head to look at the sky, holding back his tears, not wanting them to fall.

Ah, six horse bodies.

Including the 5 horse lengths it took to catch up, that's a total distance of 11 horse lengths.

What if I could squeeze out just a tiny bit of strength at the very last moment?

Yes, after rushing into the final straight line, the East Sea Emperor originally wanted to maintain his terrifying ultimate emperor dance.

But... I can no longer take a step.

It was as if it had been completely sealed off, and its legs and even its entire body could no longer find even a trace of extra strength. In the end, it could only watch as the Stardust Illusion sped away, leaving everyone else in the dust, and rushed into the finish line.

If it weren't for the Stardust Illusion, she would undoubtedly have won the Satsuki Sho title.

The Emperor of the East Sea firmly believed this.

Dongshang Reform, Narita Shirahito, Soukyu Jingu, Ibuki Mai Kagura... these runners are indeed rare and powerful athletes.

But, it's different from myself.

An undefeated genius will never lose, no matter who his opponent is.

That's how it should be.

However, this achievement, which had been the focus of all expectations since childhood, came to an end almost as soon as it began.

The undefeated treble is now impossible to achieve again.

She can no longer reach the glory that the president once enjoyed.

"Huh...huh...huh..."

Panting, her brain was so exhausted that the emperor's vision blurred, but she still tried to catch her breath.

Take deep breaths of fresh air and savor the feeling of your body recovering slightly under the influence of oxygen.

Because if we don't focus our attention on this...

Is this... a dream?

Ah, this must be a dream, right?

Otherwise, how could such a ridiculous thing happen?

Even if we have to lose to Stardust Illusion, at least we should do it in the derby!

"Hahaha……"

Upon realizing that his idea was so foolish that even he was speechless, the emperor could only laugh bitterly.

The surrounding shouts were like thunder, but she didn't pay attention to what the audience was actually shouting.

In short, will the undefeated treble be over?

Because his ideals and honors have been completely shattered at this moment.

They were mercilessly crushed by the blue wind and thunder that swept across the field.

"Ha...ha...ha...ha...uh cough cough cough!!!!"

My breathing became increasingly labored. Although I was inhaling fresh air, a strange feeling similar to being drunk came to my mind.

The coughing became increasingly rapid, eventually turning into a severe nausea. The Emperor of the East Sea could no longer hold on and began to dry heave, supporting his body with his hands.

Before the competition, the emperor had considered the possibility of his defeat.

After all, the opponent is that Stardust Illusion.

She was certain that she knew this wooden racehorse girl best, so she knew that Stardust Illusion would never want to lose to her again.

The same applies to the East Sea Emperor... no, it should be said that every contestant standing on the field has an absolute reason not to lose.

So during this month of training, McQueen, Ryan, and even the president all talked to him about this:

What would I do if I lost, if I couldn't achieve the undefeated treble?

The emperor at that time thought that if they really lost, there was nothing they could do.

Even if I give it my all, I still lose to Stardust.

That means my efforts are far from enough, and I need to continue training to get stronger... and then win back next time.

Just like the Stardust Illusion did back then.

Even the president has not achieved an undefeated career.

Once you're on the track, no one can truly guarantee that they won't lose to any other runner.

but……

But...!

"Cough cough... Ughhhhhh—!"

My internal organs are protesting this pain; I want to cough, I want to gag, I want to cry out loud.

Her trembling body was impossible to stop, as if it were a reproach to her, a weakling who had lost the game, completely out of the emperor's control.

"What's wrong……"

His white gloves, already covered in mud, were clutched tightly to his chest, his whole body arched like a shrimp, his head buried deep in the grass.

"What's wrong...?"

At this moment, even the emperor, who had shouted out loud, began to lose control of his emotions.

The obsession with victory, the fear of defeat... ideals and the pursuit of brilliance—all these emotions were completely numbed.

"What...what's wrong with me?! Cough cough cough cough—!"

A series of violent coughs, as if he were about to vomit his insides onto the lawn.

A wave of nausea washed over her, and although she couldn't vomit anything, she could only remain in that position, her mouth wide open, letting saliva and tears drip down her cheeks.

This is definitely not a dream, as the emperor, in pain as if his heart had been ripped out, asserted.

In other words, her dream of an undefeated three-time champion has completely vanished.

Ah, we're still on the field.

He should have stood up and, as the runner in second place, said goodbye to the audience...

How would you describe yourself?

A genius felled by stardust.

The undefeated treble has now come to an end.

"Waaaaah—!!!"

Upon hearing these words, the Emperor of the East Sea couldn't help but let out a painful groan.

Yes.

She's not a genius at all, and there's nothing remarkable about her.

From the very beginning... it was all done with difficulty.

Become stronger.

I want to make myself look stronger, and I want to use this ideal to get closer to the president.

But now even that hope has been completely shattered.

If it were just a minor defeat like Stardust's in his debut battle, it could be considered a slight, accidental loss.

But seeing the difference of six horse lengths, the emperor could no longer find even such an excuse.

Defeat, and then... the realization of the decisive gap.

The emperor raised his head again and looked at the stands surrounding the racetrack.

I could feel it with absolute clarity: the entire stadium was filled with cheers celebrating a single move, and the cruel atmosphere that showed no mercy to any loser.

Heaven and earth seemed to spin in the emperor's eyes.

(This competition is no longer my stage.)

My right leg...it hurts so much...

Chapter 235 is the chapter we have high hopes for...

[No one expected that the East Sea Emperor, on whom we placed such high hopes, would be defeated by Stardust Illusion by a mere six horse lengths in the first battle of the Classic Three Crowns.]

As the results of the competition were announced, the host could only leave with these regretful words.

The results of the competition are not everything, a fact that everyone agrees on.

For fans of Uma Musume, just being able to watch such a spectacular race is enough to satisfy them.

It is not merely the victor who transforms into wind and thunder, but also the dual-wielding runner Stardust Illusion who possesses both the Great Escape and the Last Kick.

The tenacity that the East Sea Emperor displayed in the competition, as well as her proudest imperial dance steps, are both things that everyone loves.

Therefore, after celebrating Stardust Illusion's victory, people gradually remembered the runner who took the second place.

"Your Majesty! I will always support you!!"