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

"Ah! I get it! Stardust is telling me not to let my guard down, right?"

Zhuo Fu's eyes narrowed slightly, a hint of a smile appearing in her azure eyes, which reminded Stardust Illusion of the phrase "starry eyes and white teeth".

Faced with such a beautiful and intelligent girl, she naturally didn't mind that she had been interrupted.

"Don't worry, I won't underestimate my opponents or be arrogant. In short, I won't think I can't lose. I'll just treat every game like a triumphal arch, right?"

Zhuo Fu patted Stardust Illusion on the shoulder, deliberately adopting an adult-like demeanor to comfort her, saying that this French beauty, beneath her youthful and pretty temperament, indeed possessed the pride and self-esteem of a top runner.

However, the stardust illusion has now been confirmed. Zhuo Fu is not taking this match lightly. She has long been prepared to go all out and seize victory!

“Longchamp Racecourse is arguably the venue I’m most comfortable with. Racing here feels as familiar to me as racing through the streets of Paris. Stardust, I will present you with the best gift for our meeting. Just wait in the stands and cheer for me!”

Zhuo Fu turned her head and stared at the Longshang Racecourse in front of her, revealing a resolute expression.

However, the next moment, both the stardust illusion and her ears twitched slightly, and their pupils contracted sharply, as if they had sensed something—

Tick.

Tick.

Tick.

Suddenly, the sound of raindrops falling slowly came from outside the window. Although it wasn't loud at first, it was clear enough for the two racehorse girls, who were already at their peak, to hear what was happening.

It's raining...?

It's raining at a time like this?

Stardust Illusion frowned immediately. Although most runners have experienced racing in the rain, it doesn't mean that everyone can fully adapt to this disruptive factor.

She has also competed against her rivals in the rain, so she has a deep understanding of how that special feeling can greatly affect a runner's running rhythm and habits.

Younger, less experienced female racehorses are particularly vulnerable to the changes that occur when the track is soaked by rain.

Especially since the rain doesn't seem to be light and shows no signs of stopping anytime soon, it means that the entire event will be affected by the rain.

Not only will the racecourse become a muddy mess, but the wind resistance and interference generated during running will also increase significantly. These two factors are the biggest obstacles that Zhuo Fu needs to overcome in her strength of zero-gravity running!

It can be said that from the moment the heavy rain started, the demands on the endurance and strength of all the athletes in this competition were greatly increased, which was completely unfavorable to Zhuo Fu!

"Please, don't let it rain at such an inopportune time!"

Even Zhuo Fu couldn't help but raise her fist in protest towards the sky.

She certainly knew better than Stardust Illusion just how much the rain affected her.

Compared to her master, who was skilled at riding in the Grand Prix and could even handle the terrible terrain of the Arc de Triomphe, she found it difficult to cope with the muddy terrain after a rain.

Today, it was a rare occasion for Stardust to be willing to come and watch her match live. Zhuo Fu had planned to show her her perfect side and respond with victory.

Thinking about this, Zhuo Fu was not so much affected by the competition, but she was still a little depressed. If it rained like this, even if she won in the end, she would probably be in a very bad state.

"Don't worry too much, Zhuofu."

Stardust Illusion said, pushing open the door and stepping out of the car. Then, he came over to Zhuo Fu and opened the car door for her.

"No matter what the environment or weather is like today, we can use these two legs to determine the outcome."

Stardust Illusion gently placed his hand on Zhuo Fu's fair and delicate thigh, transferring the warmth of his palm to her. His tone was firm and powerful, and his eyes were filled with unwavering determination.

Or are you scared?

"Of course I'm not afraid! I'm just worried that I won't be able to win as well as I could."

Zhuo Fu immediately denied the insulting question, but still expressed her inner worries in a sweet voice:

"It's rare for Stardust to come watch the competition. Wouldn't it be embarrassing if you got covered in mud?"

"Then come on, Zofu, stand on the field and defeat all your opponents, and grasp the highest honor called victory in your hands."

As Stardust Illusion spoke, like a gentleman inviting a young woman to a dance floor, he stood before the carriage door and extended his right hand in invitation to the princess:

"At that time, you will be the brightest star in my eyes!"

"Then open your eyes wide, Stardust—"

Zhuo Fu gently placed her right hand in the Stardust Illusion's hand, like an invited princess, proudly allowing it to lead her out of the car:

"Today, the French irises will once again bloom on the field!"

----------

As she walked through the players' tunnel into the arena, accompanied by the announcement of her past tournament achievements over the loudspeaker, Zhuo Fu stepped out of the gate with her head held high.

In the stands, the moment the girl appeared, a loud cheer erupted, more intense than the rain and more enthusiastic than the summer sun.

People were celebrating the arrival of this highly anticipated young girl, and the overwhelming cheers made it seem as if the winner of the match had been predetermined from the very beginning.

Zhuo Fu placed one hand on her shoulder, then suddenly flung the long-sleeved jacket behind her back, sending it flying into the rain.

Almost all the racehorse girls who had already appeared focused their attention on her at that moment.

In this G1-level race, apart from Zoe, the other participants are also racehorse girls with considerable racing experience.

However, at this moment, they all felt their hair stand on end. This seemingly pure and pretty girl was like a ghost. Even before the competition started, she was already surrounded by a terrifying aura.

(I've already made that grand promise to Stardust: this match must be won decisively and brilliantly!)

As Zhuo Fu thought this, she looked around, and her fighting spirit unconsciously surged.

Every runner she saw instinctively lowered their heads to avoid her gaze, as if they had already submitted to Zhuo Fu before the race even started.

Suddenly, however, Zhuo Fu saw an unusual girl.

That was the black-haired racehorse girl standing right in the middle of the track, looking up at the sky as if no one else was there, letting the raindrops keep hitting her face.

Seemingly noticing Zhuo Fu's gaze, she turned her head and looked at her with indifferent eyes.

She was a girl with short, jet-black hair, who looked to be about fourteen or fifteen years old, and was slightly larger than Zhuo Fu.

She wore a knitted hat that looked like rabbit ears, covering both of her ears.

The expressionless look on his face suggested that he hadn't yet grasped who his opponent was.

However, Zhuo Fu could clearly sense the unpleasant and even ominous aura emanating from this racehorse girl.

This girl clearly possesses a beauty that would be considered unparalleled even in Uma Musume, and is in no way inferior to Zofu, yet she strangely gives off a sense of being an imposter.

Staring at her face for more than 3 seconds will trigger a strange uncanny valley effect...

"kindness?"

It seemed that Zhuo Fu's probing gaze made the girl feel a little uncomfortable. She uttered a questioning syllable with a tilted head, but her expression remained unchanged, as if she were frozen in ice.

"No...it's nothing."

Zhuo Fu shook her head, not intending to have any further interaction with her.

Adhering to the principle of the unknown, even when facing this girl who was clearly not a simple character, she still chose to leave the unknown until after the competition began.

Or rather, Zhuo Fu was hoping that this girl could bring her surprises or even frights on the field.

Thinking this, she turned her back to the girl and walked toward the starting gate.

"If they are truly worthy opponents, that would be wonderful... After all, how can the nobility of the iris be displayed without the backdrop of ordinary flowers?"

However, the girl behind her, wearing a rabbit-ear knitted hat, suddenly widened her eyes silently, her pupils dilating sharply vertically.

Her lips twitched slightly, as if she were murmuring something.

However, disturbed by the noise of the rain, it was only possible to hear those few words if one got very close:

"...Warning, a domain-level competitor has been detected. Data retrieval in progress...failed. No data on the corresponding racehorse girl was collected."

"Based on the current situation, in order to fully exert our strength, the highest priority is to select the option that is adapted to the competition venue and situation."

As the girl murmured, the light in her eyes, which had once held a hint of color, gradually dimmed.

In the end, those eyes could no longer be called human eyes; they were completely devoid of humanity and showed no emotion a young girl should have.

"I am... the deep sea that can submerge everything..."

It murmured in a voice that no one could hear.

The girl moved her stiff limbs and followed Zhuo Fu, walking towards the gate.

The racehorse girl, defying common sense, seems to subtly reveal the potential to overturn the race.

Chapter 369 A Doomed Failure

Once inside the gates, it was the final preparation time before the start of the race. Zhuo Fu looked through the gates blocking her way and at the track ahead, where raindrops continued to fall.

Clearly, the rain showed no signs of letting up, which meant she had to prepare in advance for the heavy horse race, which she wasn't particularly good at.

(However, if anyone thinks that a light rain is enough to cause me trouble, they're in for a disappointment...)

Zhuo Fu thought to herself.

The opening music and the host's passionate pre-match commentary intertwined in the stadium, but the raindrops pattered down, splashing water on the gates, railings, handrails, and even the grass in front of them, completely drowning out all the noise.

Visibly, the water on the entire track gradually gathered, turning the already somewhat soft track into a muddy puddle.

It was as if two streams had suddenly appeared on both sides of the track. After the water was filled between the grass and mud, it flowed towards the two ends of the track, which were at a lower elevation.

As Zhuo Fu listened to the rain, which sounded like white noise, she inexplicably recalled the promise she had made with the Stardust Illusion.

"We both have to keep winning, and we have to be at our best to face each other in the final showdown at the Arc de Triomphe!"

She wasn't sure if it was because this match was her last stop before the Arc de Triomphe that she suddenly recalled the words Stardust Illusion spoke, his hands on her shoulders, looking intently into Zofu's eyes.

But she could clearly sense that Stardust Illusion placed the utmost importance and expectation on the agreement.

(Therefore, I need to respond to Stardust properly.)

The crunching sound of feet stepping on the mud, the rustling of clothes as the body moves, the controlled breathing to calm the mind...

Thinking about the strategies to be adopted in the upcoming match, Zhuo Fu also subconsciously kept pacing with small steps to prevent the rain that was soaking her body from taking away her body heat.

"—!?"

However, after taking only a few steps, Zhuo Fu suddenly felt a strange sensation under her feet.

She quickly looked down and discovered, in the already soaked mud and grass... a metal horseshoe lying there!

Zhuo Fu's face suddenly turned pale, and her pupils contracted instantly when she saw her horseshoe fall to the ground. An inexplicable sense of unease rose in her heart.