Uma Musume, do I have to tell you that I know how to use the Santa Hat special move?

(Please give me more advice in the future.)

A little further away, another girl from the Mejiro family, the lavender-haired Mejiro McQueen, looked at the profile of the Stardust Illusion and felt indescribably nervous.

Take a deep breath and try to calm down.

This was not the first time that McQueen competed with Stardust Illusion on the same runway. He was even once confused and depressed, but was awakened by her heroic presence on the runway.

McQueen was absolutely convinced that the stardust illusion had expectations for him.

She was looking forward to being able to show her strength to her satisfaction, competing with her opponent in this arena, and running with the determination to completely kill her opponent.

Seeing that his face was now covered with the illusion of wild stardust, she did not feel strange or puzzled.

She is a gentle girl who seems a little slow on weekdays but always cares about herself.

She is also the one who is obsessed with winning, crazy about shining, and willing to give everything for the competition.

And what I have to do is respond!

Use running to convey your feelings to this girl and respond to her endless expectations of you at this moment!

Chapter 311 (Gal 44) (5k) Until the end of the sky!

The race is about to begin, and all the horse racing ladies have their own thoughts. They have raised their fighting spirit to the peak and are ready to start.

On the stage of the Takarazuka Kinen, every runner who is able to participate is voted by the audience who support them, which means that each of them naturally carries the expectations of the fans.

It is the dream stage and the showdown that everyone wants to see the most.

In today's race, every runner will try his best to reach the finish line and completely defeat all enemies.

What they have to do is very simple... that is to do their best towards the finish line!

[Dear audience, on the grass of Kyoto Racecourse under the clear sky, the next race is the 2200m middle distance race——]

The host's loud announcement resounded throughout the arena, instantly drawing the attention of hundreds of thousands of spectators back to the competition.

This is a track that is so familiar to everyone, and it is also the Shura venue where the strongest racer will be chosen. Although it is only 2200 meters away, the two huge uphill slopes unique to the Kyoto Racecourse are also a huge test of strength and endurance.

[The end of the spring season is coming today, a race for runners of all ages to participate in - Takarazuka Kinen! 】

[Ten horse racing girls will decide who is the strongest runner here. Which horse racing girl will finally be able to respond to the expectations of the voters who support her, and what kind of terrifying and absolute running will make us look at her with new eyes? ]

Inside the innermost Gate No. 1, a girl with a plump figure and gorgeous clothes could not help but reveal a bloodthirsty smile after the outburst of fighting spirit just now.

"You are so ignorant, you foolish little pony... You are just a newcomer who just finished the classic year."

This runner named Lady, at this moment, exudes a terrifying aura that has nothing to do with the word Lady.

As her fingers slowly closed in front of her, her entire palm creaked under the enormous force, which was a sign that she had adjusted her state to the limit:

"Just wait and see for yourself what a truly powerful person is...!"

The lady smiled contemptuously and assumed her final starting pose.

--no.

"Hey, lady, stop pretending to be an expert! Look at my power today!"

Suddenly there was a loud "bang" from Gate No. 2, and even the lady who had already fully entered the state couldn't help but turn her head to look over.

[Dear audience, the game is about to begin. Are you eager for the next game? ! Come, let us all wait and see together - wait, wait? ! ]

The host's words easily heated up the atmosphere in the arena. The audience cheered and waved their props wildly. However, the next moment, her surprised voice suddenly rose, and the last few words were almost broken:

[Yellow, golden ship player?! ]

The Golden Ship, which had just been standing obediently in the No. 2 gate in a starting position, now jumped high and grabbed the side wall of the gate that separated the contestants with both hands.

She didn't care that she was in the G1 arena at all. She just pointed her right finger at the lady below and said harshly:

"Today, I, Little Golden Boat, will kill you completely for the Master. Clean your neck and wait for death!"

"Hehe, Little Gold seems to be very eager to fight—"

Beep...bang!

“Oh… that’s bad!!!”

Before the lady could fully respond, the whistle signaling the start of the race sounded, and the moment the indicator light turned from red to green, the gates in front of all the runners opened simultaneously.

The racing girls were like a group of lightning-fast elves. The moment the gates opened, they rushed out of the frame like arrows, showing unparalleled speed and strength. They moved their legs with all their strength, as if to make the earth tremble.

No matter how much she wanted to say before the race, the horse girl kept her mouth shut and focused all her attention on the track.

From this moment on, running is the best way for these girls to communicate with each other!

Except...the two guys at Gates 1 and 2.

The golden ship clinging to the side wall and the noble lady looking up at her realized what was happening almost at the same time.

The two looked at each other, and the next second they hurriedly ran out of the gate!!!

[All the horse girls have successfully completed the start... Wait, the Golden Ship and the Lady are late!!!]

[The Golden Ship and the Noble Lady were late at the same time, and the remaining 8 runners began to fight for the starting position!! ]

--------

(Are those two guys idiots?)

Mejiro Ryan at Gate No. 3 had already exited the gate successfully. She had just seen clearly what had happened between the two people next to her and was secretly amused.

But what is more important is the game that has already begun!

With this in mind, Ryan began to observe the strategies chosen by the runners in front of him.

Except for the two people at the end, the other eight horse racing girls all completed the race successfully. At the same time, almost everyone did not rush to choose a position according to their own running style, but instead looked at the figure that was already running to the front!

The young horse girl who has already started to race away from the others and is running to the front of the track faster than any other runner - Stardust Illusion!

[Kyoto Arena o, has started. 】

[Good venue o, has been activated. ]

[Xama-san, activated. 】

[Skill non-standard distance o, activated. ]

[Skill returns to right o, activated. ]

[Skill One Wolf has been activated.]

[Golden skill: wins first, activated! ]

[Golden skill, Concentrate, has been activated! ]

[Golden skill escape has been activated! ]

[Skill Earth Solid, activated! ]

Stardust Illusion, who had been giving it his all from the very beginning, now stepped on the power of wind and thunder. Almost in an instant, he had triggered this long string of skills, increasing his acceleration to a level that no one else could achieve.

For her, no matter how tough the opponent in this game is, and no matter whether choosing other running methods would give her more room for maneuver, as an expert in escape, she would not think of it any more.

All you have to do now is to hold the scenery in front of you in your hands!

[He flew out right after the race started! Stardust Phantom! Stardust Phantom's starting speed was like a gust of wind! Now the leading player in the early stages of the race is Stardust Phantom]

[So… the big! escape! is! coming!?! ]

(As expected.)

Mejiro Ryan looked at the girl wearing the Flame Dragon battle suit, who was leading the team far ahead with a fanatical look, and silently changed his running pace.

Facing a player like Stardust Illusion, Ryan knew very well that even if she was only at the classic year level now, as long as she mastered the essence of the escape, it would be difficult for the opponent to control the rhythm of the entire game.

Of course, she still remembered watching the Gaoyue Award and the Neon Derby. The Emperor of the East China Sea at that time was able to have a fair fight with her because he held on to the Stardust Illusion.

Runners who are unwilling to chase the big escape, or simply cannot chase the big escape, have already lost the possibility of winning from the very beginning.

Although today was her first time actually experiencing the Stardust Illusion Escape in front of her eyes, Ryan was still able to judge based on her rich experience:

Unless she is the top-level chaser, a horse girl like her who mainly runs in the middle must choose to respond with the same escape when facing the Stardust Illusion in order to avoid being at a disadvantage!

(McQueen, Aldant...are they all here?)

Immediately afterwards, Ryan's peripheral vision allowed him to clearly see the other two sisters. They adopted the same strategy as Ryan and followed the Stardust Illusion running forward almost step by step.

A little further behind, they were almost walking side by side, with expressionless faces and concentrating on the competition.

All six contestants chose...escape at the same time?

Airihazu, who was currently in sixth place, stared closely at the group of horse girls in front of her, feeling pleased.

(Unlike any of the previous Stardust Illusion races, there aren’t many weaklings here who will be left behind by you from the start…)

Even though the Stardust Illusion burst out with extraordinary acceleration, it still couldn't easily shake off the people behind it. Although it could see the gap gradually widening, the speed of increase was far lower than the distance required by the escaper.

In other words, if Stardust Illusion keeps running forward in this state, she will never be able to meet the conditions for a real escape: creating a sufficient gap of horse lengths.

So there is no need to rush. Although Airi Suzuko also changed her rhythm to that of chasing the escape, she still lagged behind everyone in order to take the rhythm of the normal game into consideration.

(It takes a final push at the critical moment...)

Thinking of this, Airi Hayabusa walked lightly, without any intention of shortening the distance ahead.

As she moved, the man next to her also changed his pace and switched to a running method that could easily save energy.

That’s right, there’s no need to consider too many strategic issues in this game…

The stardust illusion running in the front is not someone who can be defeated by analysis and planning. An instinctive runner like her has the possibility of creating miracles at any time.

If you want to completely suppress her and force her into a desperate situation, you must surpass her by fighting her head-on.

Therefore, Airihazuko turned her gaze to the three Mejiro people in front of her with a smile on her face.

Go, go beyond the stardust illusion... force her to burn everything she has!

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

(The silhouette of Stardust Illusion is right in front of me... I must not let her get far enough away!)

Mebai McQueen, who was currently running in second place, two lengths behind Stardust Illusion, was considering the current race situation.

Due to the impact of the earthquake this year, the Takarazuka Kinen, which was originally held at the Hanshin Racecourse, was moved to the Kyoto Racecourse to prevent accidents.

This news was a very favorable decision for Mejiro McQueen.

First of all, her current G1 wins: Chrysanthemum Appreciation and Spring King Appreciation were both won on this track.

This means that even though the race is only a middle-distance 2200m race, McQueen is more familiar with the overall track than most people present.

It can be said that she has rich experience in major competitions and knows very clearly how to gain every advantage on this track.

Just like now——

Due to the special nature of the Kyoto Racecourse, this race was a long downhill track from the start, and it was the forward shift of the center of gravity brought about by the downhill that gave her a higher starting acceleration.

However, Stardust Illusion, which had already pushed its acceleration to almost the limit, was unable to enjoy too many benefits from the downhill.

As one gained speed, the other lost speed, and McQueen finally caught up with the hurricane-like runner in front of him, and even began to consider increasing his speed further to close the gap with the opponent.

Behind him, only half a horse's length away, he could hear the hurried footsteps of Aldan and Ryan.

It can be said that from the moment they start the race, those who choose to escape have no way out and must fight on this track from the very beginning.

There is only one person who can compete for victory, and even if it is Stardust... she must be surpassed without hesitation!

Lowering her head slightly, beads of sweat flowed down the purple-haired girl's cheeks.

At such a close distance, Mejiro McQueen could of course feel the creepy aura bred in the body of the Stardust Phantom in front of her.

The darkness that seemed to devour everything was rising up continuously around the Stardust Illusion Fighting Qi. It was the power called demonic nature.

Mejiro McQueen knew very well that Stardust, who had evolved to this point, could use both her demonic nature and fighting spirit at will, and he would soon be facing her fierce offensive, one after another, like a surging wave.

(There is no problem with endurance. Given the softness of the grass, even if I speed up a bit, I won’t run into endurance problems…)

According to common sense, it was unwise for Mejiro McQueen to use his speed-up ability based on his escape when he hadn't even made it to the first straight line in the early stages.

This is not only because taking the lead position is not actually of much benefit to McQueen. Instead, he will lose the opportunity to enjoy the stardust illusion wake, and increase the cost of breaking the wind for nothing.

Moreover, considering her physical fitness and understanding of the track, it is more appropriate for her to save her explosive performance for the final stage and rely on her endurance advantage to win at the last minute.

But McQueen knew he had to do it at this moment.