So this is what racing feels like!!!
Zhuofu thought that as she sprang out of the gate, exhilarated.
With her petite frame, the wind resistance she faced while running was already less than others', and speed was her main edge to begin with.
Right now, Zhuofu wasn't affected at all by the unfamiliar high-speed turf. She galloped along the outside of the pack, ready at any time to slip past and overtake.
It was Zhuofu's first time formally standing on a track to compete with others. She had originally wanted to talk to Stardust Mirage again before the race, but seven or eight horses separated their stalls.
Zhuofu had no choice but to put that aside and throw herself wholly into the race.
She lacked race experience, but several older "big sisters" had taught her how to read tactics.
The tiers of runners in front of her hadn't fully formed yet, but she could feel that at least half of the field was set to accelerate for the lead or to sit handy.
So even Stardust Mirage wasn't planning to go straight to a full "big escape" in a race like this…
It was 2400 meters on heavy ground, after all. Zhuofu knew very well that many opponents would face enormous stamina pressure today; choosing a breakaway would be suicidal.
Out of awareness for the whole picture, even if they didn't change their running style, everyone would try to borrow another's slipstream to save energy.
You could see the silhouette of Nobility slip into the mass of runners—clearly not planning to force the pace early.
Two Japanese runners had already checked their speed, gradually dropping to the tail of the field—almost certainly setting up for a "closer" (backmarker) run…
The rest were basically on "stalker/pressing" lines, using every method to economize their strength and lighten the toll of the heavy turf.
Stardust Mirage's figure was also nowhere to be seen for now—was she going to run handy too?
Zhuofu shook off the clutter in her head. Right now, she really had no trouble with the distance or the going.
From a young age, Zhuofu had run through the streets of a French banlieue.
Those "tracks" weren't just rough; on rainy or snowy days no one maintained the streets at all.
So, many of the surfaces she'd trained on were far more treacherous than this mud underfoot—
So the racecourse is way easier than all that practice used to be?!
The French runner who could all but leave no trace in the snow was recognizing her real ability for the first time.
She was growing at high speed even in the run itself; every step landed lighter than the last, as if she were shedding gravity's shackles and might just take flight.
So happy! It feels so good to run like this on a racecourse—what—was that?!
With her eyes half-closed, savoring the race, Zhuofu suddenly felt a chill down her back. She snapped her eyes open and glanced back—right into the gaze of the runner bearing down on her.
[I'll kill you!]
Pure, brutal, bestial will poured from those blood-red eyes.
Bursting out from the main group, Stardust Mirage had no intention of checking her speed.
She tore down the extreme outside, and in the space of a few breaths was already on Zhuofu's heels!
Zhuofu barely had time to see the daze over Stardust Mirage's eyes before the pressure shattered her rhythm. Her form stuttered and she was instantly swallowed back into the rear.
"Stardust Mirage? In a race like this, do you still want to—go for a big escape?!"
——————————
[Counter-Clockwise ○, activate!]
[Concentration, activate!]
"Groundwork," a.k.a. "laying the ground."
This skill is the breakaway's must-have opening acceleration trick: with it you seize the initiative hard.
In Stardust Mirage's previous life's "game," any "escape" runner needed this, no exceptions.
But as strong as it is, to reap its power you need a fussy condition: at the start you have to proc three skills in one breath.
Yes, you could trigger three skills in the first two "waves" instead of right at the break, but if it doesn't happen at the jump, the returns shrink to almost nothing.
In joint training with Oguri Cap, Stardust Mirage learned start-tech little by little from her, bringing both "Groundwork" and the start stabilizer "Concentration" into her own kit.
Add to that the skills "Off-Distance" and "Counter-Clockwise ○," and you've got the three openers needed to fire "Groundwork."
But today's course is 2400m, which means the "Off-Distance" of the opening trio won't proc.
So is Stardust Mirage unable to fire Groundwork?
Of course not.
Before the race, she picked up "Tokyo Course ○" and "Standard Distance ○" specifically for this.
[Standard Distance ○, activate!]
[Tokyo Course ○, activate!]
Stardust Mirage hammered a step onto the turf in front of the gates; a report boomed in every runner's ears, and she shot out like a bolt!
Nobility had no rush to contest anything, just hung off the back of the main pack, keeping a steady gap to the handy group.
She didn't interfere with anyone—looked every inch a middling runner.
But nobody would truly think so.
The French Tyrant could press the switch at any time and crush the lot.
Right now she was watching everyone's running with interest, considering how to pair her moves with the others'.
When she saw the runner on the inner rail who had charged up flash past Zhuofu and aim for the leading French unit ahead, she smiled slightly:
"So you are an escape specialist, just as I thought—such a quick pass on Zhuofu."
"But—the others won't let you just waltz up and lead~"
——————
[Ooooh! Everyone's broken cleanly! Let's check the opening!]
The commentator rattled like a Gatling gun, describing the situation:
[Today's track simulates Tokyo Racecourse almost exactly, so we begin with an uphill start.]
[Stardust Mirage? Stardust Mirage's launch is extremely sharp! She immediately slipped past the crowd, darting from the inner to the front of the main pack!]
[Is she running a breakaway again in this one?! Stardust Mirage accelerates—she's passed no. 15 Zhuofu and is heading for the front—hold on, what is this?!]
The announcer wasn't the only one stunned. Every spectator on the course stared in disbelief at the running pack.
Just as Stardust Mirage prepared to accelerate and pass everyone, she slammed into an almost impassable wall right at the start—
Six French runners had arrayed themselves in a straight line across the backstretch.
With their towering frames, they locked down the front and refused to leave even a hair of a gap.
Stardust Mirage tried to slip around the side, but their bodies slid across to deny the line.
On this opening straight, they offered ZERO openings—no one could pass. Even Stardust Mirage couldn't find an answer yet—
"Why isn't Stardust Mirage-sama showing her big escape off the jump?!"
Jumping City, who had come all the way from the U.S., stared in shock at the scene on course, incredulous.
What she wanted to see was Stardust Mirage break away from the gun, ruling the front and leaving everyone behind. Why were these French runners blocking her!
"So dirty! Blocking other people's path in a race like that!" Jumping City balled her fists and fumed.
"That's not quite right, miss. Blocking is normal racecraft," a male spectator nearby turned and explained.
"The French runners were hand-picked. Each has a significant size advantage."
"They'll pay for the extra weight and other drawbacks, but this type can easily block an opponent's run."
"And that size—its strength and stamina—are advantages in middle to long distance. Even if you force a line and body-up, they won't be disadvantaged. They're a pain."
"This is… bad for any front-runners—Stardust Mirage, Miho Bourbon—anyone who wanted to lead or sit handy."
"How can this be! Is it really that troublesome?!" Jumping City gritted her teeth.
"Right now, even one French runner could keep a rival penned," the man said, chin in hand, analyzing like a pro. "But they've got six in a line, blocking every would-be passer—this is basically the Maginot Line!"
"But don't fret, kiddo."
He saw Jumping City was on the verge of tears and hastily softened:
"I've watched Stardust Mirage race. What she's best at is breaking conventional wisdom."
"She'll find a way!"
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