"Ran, are you sure you're okay? Come on, just a few more steps to the waiting room."
"Ugggh... if an enemy attacked me right now... I'd definitely lose..."
"An enemy? What are you even talking about...?"
Ryan had her arm firmly around Rampage's waist, taking nearly all of her friend's weight. Rampage was so utterly spent she could barely lift her feet. Ryan couldn't help but let out a small, amused huff; she had never seen the "Absolute Dictator" look so pathetic. It was a rare, vulnerable side of her best friend that few were ever allowed to see.
"Alright, we're here."
"Thank god... I'm dead. I'm literally dead!"
The moment they reached the raised tatami area, Rampage collapsed, limbs splayed out in every direction as if she'd been dropped from a height. Her voice was a ragged groan that vibrated with the sheer scale of her exhaustion.
"I am never... ever... running like that again!"
"You were at full throttle from start to finish," Ryan noted, sitting beside her. "Even for you, that's extreme. It's no wonder you're in this state."
"I wasn't just at full throttle, Ryan. I was redlining. Do you know what happens to a car with a top speed of 200 if you just keep the pedal floored until the engine melts?"
"Um... it goes over 200?"
"Exactly! And that's what I did today! I pulled off a strategy so stupid even I wouldn't have dared try it during my active years!"
It had been a literal "Limit-Break" run, fueled by every ounce of experience and sheer willpower she possessed. Her logic had been primal: if she ran faster than everyone else for the entire duration, she'd cross the line first. From a trainer's perspective, it was a moronic, suicidal tactic that should have shattered her legs. But thanks to the "Iron" body she'd forged through Shinzan and her own hellish training, she had actually survived the strain.
"But Ran... doesn't that just mean your 'top speed' isn't 200, but more like 2,000?"
"Ugh. Don't start with that logic."
Rampage couldn't even argue. The terrifying truth was that she still didn't know where her true limit lay—or if she had just found it and lived to tell the tale.
"Anyway, Ryan... tell me... who's the mistress of the Tiger of the Desert?"
"Who? What are you talking about?"
" 'Don't get too heated... or you'll lose...' " Rampage muttered, quoting an old anime line through a haze of fatigue.
"I have no idea what that is!"
Rampage didn't care. If the reference didn't land, it didn't land. She was too tired to explain.
"So," Ryan smiled, leaning over her. "How does it feel to be the inaugural Legend Champion?"
"I'm tired. Beyond tired. End of story. Court is adjourned. Everyone go home."
"Aww, is that all...?"
In all honesty, Rampage couldn't find any other words. Before she could even begin to reflect on the race, she needed to purge the fatigue from her marrow. She wouldn't be running again for a long, long time. She could already see herself becoming a regular at the acupuncture clinic in the shopping district for the next few weeks.
"The Long Distance and Dirt finals are next, right...? Sorry, Ryan. I can't... I can't even keep my eyes open."
"You really are a mess, aren't you? I mean, I'm exhausted too, but you're on another level."
"Why are you in better shape than me...?" Rampage grumbled. "Normally, the winner is supposed to be on a high, feeling fresh, while the losers are the ones who feel like they're dying... This is backward..."
"I don't think it works like that," Ryan giggled.
It was rare to hear Rampage complain like this. She was truly, deeply drained. Ryan sat down and gently placed Rampage's head on her lap, slowly stroking her hair.
"You did a great job, Ran. Truly."
"...Sorry. You must be tired too."
"Not as much as you. Just close your eyes."
Rampage didn't need to be told twice. She decided to let go of the world for a while, and within moments, her ragged breathing smoothed out into the quiet rhythm of sleep.
"It's been a long time since I've seen you like this," Ryan whispered. "A really long time."
She adjusted herself to make the lap-pillow more comfortable. She remembered doing this years ago, before they had even entered Tracen Academy. When they were just children playing in the park, and Rampage would tire herself out, she'd fall asleep just like this. It felt like an eternity ago, yet it had only been a few years. In that short time, Ryan had become a Triple Crown winner, and Rampage had become the fastest girl in the world. And yet, their bond remained untouched by the titles. They were still just two best friends.
"Hey, Ran... do you even realize today is your birthday?" Ryan whispered to the sleeping girl. "Probably not. You always said birthdays didn't matter. You acted like it was just another day."
December 31st. New Year's Eve. And Mejiro Rampage's birthday. Even when the Mejiro family tried to throw her a gala, she would shrug it off, claiming that aging wasn't worth celebrating. But the family—and Ryan—never listened. They always made a fuss anyway.
"From now on, we have one more thing to celebrate today. Happy birthday, Ran."
In the quiet of the room, Ryan shared her feelings with the girl who couldn't hear them. It didn't matter if the message was received; the act of giving it was enough. She vowed then and there to always be the place where the Tyrant could come to set down her crown and rest.
"Rampage-san, are you—oh. My apologies."
Minamisaka had entered the room to announce that the Long Distance race had ended, with Tomei taking the inaugural title. He stopped in his tracks, seeing the "Sovereign Tyrant" reduced to a peaceful, sleeping girl on Ryan's lap. Ryan looked up and placed a finger to her lips.
"Please let her sleep for just a little longer..."
Rampage didn't wake up until after the Dirt division had concluded.
"Mmph... hwaaa... Alright, I feel a bit more human now. My body still feels like it's made of lead, but I can move. So, who won the Dirt?"
"Lady Saber," Minamisaka replied. "She managed to avenge her loss in the Champions Cup."
"Sounds about right," Rampage muttered, sitting up.
"Also... I have a message from Sunday Silence. She says she's absolutely entering next year."
"...Well, she's a resident of Japan now, so I guess she's eligible. But if we let her in, won't the overseas girls start complaining?"
"They already have," Minamisaka said with a wry smile. "We've already had inquiries from Easy Goer and Unbridled. The response from the international community has been... overwhelming."
Rampage buried her face in her hands as she realized the global firestorm she had ignited. The Legend Race and the Finals were no longer just a local experiment; they were the new world standard.
"This is exactly why I hate birthdays," she groaned. "Nothing but trouble ever comes of them!"
The 1st URA Finals & Legend Race: Concluded
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