Umamusume's days are numbered

"Platinum surged into the final corner first, and the race has officially entered the final stage!"

The Emperor of the East Sea clenched his fist.

This is the moment I've been waiting for, and all my patience has been for this moment.

Now, right here, let's avenge this humiliation!

The Emperor of the East Sea stomped his entire foot deep into the grass. The grass rippled and left a hoof-shaped imprint on the hard ground.

At the same time, a shockwave emanated from beside the Emperor of the East Sea. The sound of the wind intensified instantly, followed by a sluggish, jelly-like sensation. The air itself was hindering his progress.

But the greater the air resistance, the faster the Emperor of the East Sea moved. She felt as if she were swimming in water, yet her body moved as fast as a beam of light, a bolt of lightning, a bolt of thunder.

Every tendon in his body rejoiced, and every bone was poised to spring into action. They couldn't wait to be forged into one in the great furnace known as the Emperor of the East Sea.

———The Emperor's Dance Steps!

"The Emperor of the East Sea is accelerating! The Emperor of the East Sea is sprinting!"

"Strolling leisurely in the courtyard—only a leisurely stroll can describe the Emperor of the East Sea!"

"Leodban attempted to use the air raids from the inside to make a breakthrough, but failed. He couldn't catch up with the Emperor of the East Sea on the slope with his own strength."

"Is there anyone who can stop the Emperor of the East Sea? Is it Shakogre? Is it the New Universe? Is it Ibuki Maikaku?"

"The difference is enormous; compared to the Emperor of the East Sea, the difference is still enormous!"

"At this very moment, the only one still standing before the Emperor of the East Sea is—"

"Ah, I heard that." Platinum tilted her ear.

"Such delicate and agile footwork could only come from that guy."

"It's understandable that you were able to catch up at the last minute, but it's wishful thinking to expect that I'll be overtaken by you like Satsuki Sho did."

The final straight, the final 400 meters.

From this moment forward, we will be venturing into uncharted territory!

I will win in the most beautiful way, because I promised Elisako that, and I promised Rudolf that—

I will reach the peak. Not my peak, but the peak of Uma Musume (Uma Musume Pretty Derby).

This is my path to the top.

Episode 236: The End is Also the Beginning

"The final straight section, after a 100-meter uphill section, is a flat track leading directly to the finish line."

"Shacogre and Leoband are hot on the heels of East Sea Emperor, but the gap is widening! This match has become a duel between East Sea Emperor and Platinum."

"Can the East Sea Emperor surpass Platinum this time and become the derby champion?"

Platinum, perhaps my thinking has been wrong all along.

The Emperor of the East Sea felt the sharp, knife-like wind brushing against his face.

Before this, I always regarded you as an opponent I fought alongside, and we were duelists of equal caliber.

Perhaps that is why a sense of reserve still lingers deep within me.

I am the most talented emperor, even platinum-level players can only be my equals. The two of us will definitely put on the most spectacular show!

It was this very reserve that brought me so much trouble and led to my failure in the Satsuki Sho competition.

It took me a lot of effort to shed my reserve. It was an extremely difficult psychological process, because this reserve isn't something you can just let go of so easily.

Because it would mean admitting that one is inferior to Platinum. For even the most brilliant emperor, admitting this requires a tremendous amount of resolve.

Preparing for a battle just for one person—if my past self saw this, she would definitely find it unbelievable.

Therefore, at this moment, the only one standing on the field is the Emperor of the East Sea himself, the challenger of Platinum.

Having laid aside all resistance and illusions, this is the truest Emperor of the East Sea.

"platinum---"

It roared, letting out its most unwilling cry.

I don't want to lose, ...!

Therefore, we must fight with all our might to win!

"Crossing the finish line—"

Just as the Emperor of the East Sea crossed the finish line, his legs buckled, and he almost collapsed to the ground. At that moment, a pair of arms reached out from the side and supported him.

"Why are your legs still weak from running?" Platinum stood to the side, panting slightly. His face was flushed red from the just-finished race, as if blood could drip from it at any moment.

But that was all. Platinum's breathing gradually calmed down, her legs showed no signs of trembling, and her body remained ramrod straight. Clearly, even a 2400-meter middle-distance extreme course couldn't completely drain her energy.

“Normally, it would be normal for someone like me to be like this.” The Emperor of the East Sea pursed his lips bitterly and forced a smile. “You really are… beyond being described as a genius, you’re practically a monster.”

Perhaps long distances are also within Platinum's aptitude? If so, that would be terrifying.

Because the muscles in the human body have a balance, muscles that can sustain long-distance sprints and muscles that can perform short-distance sprints cannot completely coexist. A horse that shines in mile races may even be unable to finish a long-distance race, and similarly, a horse that is suited for long-distance races may not perform well in short-distance races.

If Platinum excels in long-distance races, then she will definitely be at a slight disadvantage in mid-range races. In other words...

Even though sprinting and instant bursts aren't his strengths, can Platinum still have such terrifying acceleration and a last-ditch effort?

"In the end, it was still just a little bit short..." The East Sea Emperor felt utterly exhausted. The fatigue hadn't dissipated after the competition ended; instead, it had accumulated in her body, making it almost impossible for her to stand. The East Sea Emperor simply rested her head on Platinum's body, letting Platinum share some of her weight.

"---Just a little bit short. Although the Emperor of the East Sea caught up with Platinum, it still didn't change the course of the battle."

The narrator's voice came over the loudspeaker. The Emperor of the East Sea leaned on Bai Jin's shoulder, and the two awaited the final result.

"It is a great pity that the Emperor of the East Sea lost to Bai Jin by a narrow margin."

"Alas—I knew it." The Emperor of the East Sea sighed, "Although I didn't have time to look around at the last moment, the distance was so close that it was impossible for me to outrun you."

"Thanks to Platinum and Tokai Teio for bringing us the most exciting Japanese derby. Tokai Teio may have lost, but they deserve our respect. Both Platinum and Tokai Teio surpassed their previous historical achievements in the end!"

"The East Sea Emperor and Platinum have broken the previous world record for the Japanese derby!"

Platinum reached out and poked the East Sea Emperor: "Did you hear that? The commentator is praising you."

"Hmph, breaking records is a piece of cake for Your Majesty, isn't it?" The Emperor of the East Sea raised his head. "This is a testament to Your Majesty's power."

"But it's a pity that in the end only your record remains. It's all about breaking records, and you even crossed the finish line before me." As he said this, the Emperor of the East Sea sniffed sourly.

There was no way around it; I was both unwilling and unable to resist.

Even after breaking the record, they still only managed to get second place. Even the Emperor of the East Sea, who was a witness to this, couldn't help but smile.

If I hadn't been aiming for Platinum, I probably wouldn't have been able to break the record.

"—I said." The platinum voice in his ear interrupted the East Sea Emperor's reverie.

Platinum brushed a strand of white hair that clung to her forehead with sweat. At this distance, she could feel the intense heat emanating from the East Sea Emperor through the fabric, and hear her powerful heartbeat. The racehorse girls, fresh from their race, were like little furnaces, making the East Sea Emperor's breath feel like melted sugar syrup.

I felt a little embarrassed.

"Although it might not be good for someone like me who has defeated you... you are my greatest rival, Your Majesty."

"You became very formidable after you let go of your reserve. Listening to the increasingly rapid hoofbeats and shouts behind me, what I was actually thinking at that moment was: Oh no, am I really going to be caught up?"

"You might not feel it as the pursuer, but from my perspective, the final sprint is incredibly intense."

"Wow, I can't believe you actually said something like that." Even the Emperor of the East Sea was stunned by Bai Jin's words.

Are you really Platinum? In my impression, Platinum isn't the type to comfort others; she's always been indifferent to everything on the field except herself.

In daily life, after studying at Treson College for half a year, I still couldn't recognize all my classmates.

When you're together, she can be very sarcastic at times to cover up her embarrassment. If you want to hear a word of praise from her, you have to wait for her to blush and compose herself before she utters a few words in a voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz.

When did Platinum become able to praise others so generously and naturally?

Episode 237 The World Is Tilting

When did Bai Jin become so generous and natural in praising others? This completely refreshed the East Sea Emperor's understanding of Bai Jin.

"Why are you suddenly saying all this? Did Ali Soko give you a truth serum before you went to the competition?"

Platinum's face immediately turned tomato red.

"It wasn't easy for me to say these things, okay? Now that I've said them, can you please stop joking around!"

Platinum bit her lip hard and spat out each word with unusually loud voice, as if this could cover up her shame and embarrassment.

"Besides, I heard everything you shouted behind me on the field. Since you've made it clear, wouldn't it seem cold of me not to respond?"

This time, it was the Emperor of the East Sea who was stunned: "What did I say on the field?"

I have no recollection of it.

"Just when you were charging at me at the very end," Platinum suspected that the East Sea Emperor was deliberately teasing her, "you were shouting something like, 'I've put aside my pride for you,' and 'I'm really not as good as you,' and then you chased after me, which startled me."

What is Platinum saying?

The Emperor of the East Sea looked at Bai Jin with a sleepwalking expression.

Haha, that's really strange, it felt like I had an incredibly realistic dream. In the dream, Platinum gained mind-reading abilities and read all my thoughts during the competition...

"You shouted out everything about mind reading. I'm sure it wasn't just me who heard it; the others running behind you could hear it too."

The Emperor of the East Sea's hand, which was supporting Bai Jin's shoulder, began to tremble.

No way? This isn't a dream?

I was so engrossed in running at that time... Maybe, just maybe, such a thing really might happen.

Just then, Leo Deban, wiping the sweat from her brow, walked over. She first circled around, surveying the two men's positions, then patted the Emperor of the East Sea on the shoulder and gave him a thumbs up.

"I heard it clearly. Knowing that even top racehorse girls have this kind of mentality puts my mind at ease."

The East Sea Emperor felt like her brain was about to shut down. Now she understood why Bai Jin always felt so uncomfortable in front of everyone's gaze.

This is really embarrassing, okay?

However... it seems not so bad to receive such precious attention from Platinum.

"No wonder you were so careful when you talked to me after the race. Were you afraid I'd cry again if we lost the derby?"

Because winning three championships without defeat has always been your dream, hasn't it?

Platinum couldn't bring herself to say those words. Because she herself had shattered the East Blue Emperor's dream. The Satsuki Prize and the Japanese Derby, though forced upon her, had completely overshadowed the East Blue Emperor's rightful brilliance.

This should be the time for this child to shine. Her life may have many hardships and setbacks, but she shouldn't be enduring them now.

"Fool--"

Bai Jin felt his earlobe being softly pinched. The Emperor of the East Sea made a pulling motion towards his ear: "What are you thinking now? If it weren't for you, I would have won the championship, right?"

"Your thinking is really strange. When I win the championship, I never think that someone else could have won the championship without me."

"Did you take performance-enhancing drugs? Were your shoes powered by internal motors? Or did you bribe someone to run the race with you and fix it? If not, why are you blaming yourself? Didn't you achieve your results yourself?" The Emperor of the East Sea felt both angry and amused. He was the one who lost, yet he was consoling the winner. "Have you forgotten what I told you before the race?"

"I've said it before, my goal now is no longer to become an undefeated triple crown horse girl. Of course, it would be better if I could, but the reason I want to become an undefeated triple crown horse girl is to prove that I am an excellent junior of the president, a horse girl who is just as outstanding as her."

"Isn't the way to prove myself more straightforward now? Beating you is what I'm aiming for now. Until I achieve that goal, I'll keep a close eye on you."

The Emperor of the East Sea now really does seem like a caring older sister.

"Alright, alright, you're so long-winded. You've been talking too much today."

Upon hearing the words of the Emperor of the East Sea, Bai Jin finally laughed from the bottom of his heart.

Emperor of the East Sea, I still believe to this day that I am the one who stole this glory.

But you're right. Everyone has the right to pursue victory, and everyone has the right to pursue life.

I'm waiting for the day you can defeat me.

Platinum put her arm around the shoulder of the Emperor of the East Sea, and then, on the Tokyo Racecourse, in front of a crowd of people and countless cameras, she interacted with the audience for the first time since her debut.

She raised her right hand high and extended two fingers.

"The Satsuki Prize, the Japanese Derby!"