[Stardust Mirage tries again! Her burst speed is incredible! In a blink she's on Laurel Crown's hip!]
[What is she doing?! Stardust Mirage angles right across Laurel Crown's line—she's going to force it! No, that's too reckless—cutting like that will block Laurel Crown's front—there'll be a collision!!!]
"They're gonna crash!!!"
Clinging to the rail, Opera O (the "Good Opera") cried out, watching Stardust Mirage and Laurel Crown's lines draw together to touching.
"Wh—" The man who'd been explaining rules just now was also aghast.
Angling across in a curve is dangerous in itself; the JRA has a raft of prohibitions to prevent incidents.
There was even a case of a runner who, right after the start, cut hard in from out wide and set off a four-horse chain collision—someone saw their career end that day.
They were past the jump, so a cut like this wasn't a foul—but no less dangerous.
They were mid-turn; to keep speed, everyone's center of gravity was tilted.
If Stardust Mirage forced herself across at a time like this, any incident would be unthinkable!
"She wasn't this crazy before—what's gotten into her?" The man couldn't figure it out.
Jumping City and Opera O forgot their spat. Hands clasped, they stared at the course and prayed for her.
On track, the commentator's voice trembled; she too feared an irreparable incident:
[They're going to hit, they're going to—what?! Laurel Crown checks…!]
[Afraid to cause a pile-up, Laurel Crown eases off—and Stardust Mirage takes the gap, slicing through on the outer in the first turn to the front!]
[She's through!!! Stardust Mirage, with burn-the-boats presence, forced Laurel Crown to yield. The Maginot Line is broken!]
[—Wait, it's not just Stardust Mirage!]
Before Laurel Crown could exhale, a chestnut-red blur followed Stardust Mirage through the gap—
Miho Bourbon!
The same front-running type had shadowed Stardust Mirage from the jump, attracting no one's notice. The instant Stardust broke the line, Bourbon pounced as well.
The short-haired red-brown filly never drew much attention.
Before Stardust Mirage arrived at the academy, she'd just quietly obeyed every order from trainer Huyama Hihong, hammering her body into steel.
Even when people talked Huyama, they didn't spare a thought for this not-yet-debuted runner—only to sigh over last year's Derby winner Einis Wind God.
After Stardust Mirage arrived, she drew even less gaze.
In the two joint races, she'd run second the first time,
And the second time she was second-last—nothing like Stardust Mirage's back-to-back wins.
But was that really her limit?
Miho Bourbon—the horse almost everyone had written off as a short-sprinter from childhood—after months of Huyama's "devil training," just how far had she come?
————————
"Eh!? Someone's still with Stardust Mirage? Are they going to two-horse big-escape again?!"
"That can't be right—this isn't a team race. Why would they break out the combo?"
"What's her name again? Has she even debuted?"
"Miho… Bourbon? She's Stardust Mirage's teammate. No debut yet."
"Miho? She transferred in from Miho Academy?"
"Not even that—I think she came over from Miho's old rival, Ritto, to Central."
"Weird. No impression of her… Is she just trying to eat the slipstream?"
"Hard to say. On heavy going like this, two in front-running positions can burn each other down and waste stamina; for a tow that might not be worth it—"
The sight of a second runner clinging to Stardust Mirage through the Maginot gap set the stands abuzz.
But even as they traded intel, they realized almost no one knew much about Miho Bourbon—what was she after?
While people wondered, the course changed again.
Having passed Laurel Crown, Stardust Mirage did not settle. Her speed spiked in that first curve's latter half, sweeping past the rest.
From here on, the vista of the lead belonged to her!
She didn't care what Miho Bourbon wanted in her wake.
Whatever Bourbon planned didn't matter; Stardust Mirage's eyes saw only the long road ahead—
All in, full acceleration!
[Skill: Explosive Lead (Big Escape)… activate.]
A golden passive—the ultimate technique of escape runners that Einis had taught her before the race—
Finally fully procced at the instant she seized first.
Her blood roared; it was as if a gray-white phantom flashed past, threading ahead.
She felt her whole being overlay with that ash-colored apparition; motion and spirit synced—
Stardust Mirage's body sank low. As she stepped out of the first turn, she felt her instincts calling—
Run, RUN!!!
A gale howled, blowing the rain from her skin.
The six French runners behind swore they saw lightning skitter.
Wildness flooded the course. Laurel Crown watched the runner in front detonate.
At some point she'd become—an afterimage?
Before she could parse it, a boom cracked at her ear:
BOOM!!!
Azure flashed through the rain; Stardust Mirage stomped the earth with a thunderclap, turf spraying mud and shards under the shock—
Her figure vanished for a blink and then blazed out, the gap to the pack ballooning by the heartbeat!
On the system panel Stardust Mirage ignored, red warnings flickered madly:
[Warning: "Victory's Drumbeat" activation conditions unmet!]
[Warning: "Victory's Drumbeat" activation condi…tions… un…met......]
[Warning…]
[Innate Skill—]
[—Vic•to•ry's• Drum•beat… ac•ti•vate!]
At the point where a "Victory's Drumbeat" couldn't possibly fire—barely through the opening—
Stardust Mirage forced it.
That explosive acceleration blew through the layered blockade and left the wall that had held her moments ago churning in her wake as she tore for the head of the course!
Today I topped ten thousand characters, so I'm rewarding myself a single chapter of rambling (Karen, hands on hips).
First, update situation.
I'm not full-time, so I brick-lay by day, write 6,000 chars from 8–12 p.m., then post late next morning. For now I can only guarantee 6,000/day, with cheeky overtime "extra updates" when I can swipe time at work.
Next, plot.
I said this a few times—I started this book after reading "Uma Musume: Walking the Road to the Strongest Undefeated," basically a love letter to author 01 (not really).
I really tried to compress race writing, but it still runs long; the beats are that long, and it takes tens of thousands of chars to do a race right. It's a style thing; I can't change overnight.
A reader said it well: people will call it "pulling the punch" or "padding" because the updates aren't fast enough.
So what to do? Accelerate synchronization!
I'll try to update more, so a race doesn't take weeks. Hope you'll bear with me.
.
Second, reader questions?
I've seen "In Uma Musume races there shouldn't be big escape or closer tactics, everyone's training reaches the limit; you just perform your baseline, how could other people affect you?"
Answer's long.
One: this is the Three Goddesses Uma Musume world, not real humans; physical ceilings aren't the same. Strength gaps are huge; not everyone can touch top speed.
Two: races aren't on standard rubber tracks. Courses deliberately vary—up/down slopes, arc lengths, straight lengths, the layout of straights and curves—to create race variance.
It's not comparable to humans chasing limits on standard tracks. It's more like a city marathon: surface and environment are random; you need on-the-spot strategy. That's why nerves and tilt happen.
You can think of an Uma Musume race as running a marathon at many times human maximum speed.
That should about cover it?
.
Third: MC characterization?
The MC's "feminization" is almost complete (sad).
But on top of that there's a "horse-girl fall." In races she treats everyone as foe, full of killing intent, even taunts; off-track she's polite. Sounds twisted?
But that's our synchronized-dimension battle style! Kill it, Stardust Dragon!
.
I sometimes can't resist seasoning in memes—Sea Tiger, Yugioh, JOJO, etc.—I try to keep it from hurting the read.
Writing 200k in earnest this time, the biggest lesson is: the key is self-restraint—control the urge to "express," so the book doesn't drift. I'll keep at it.
That's all for now!
I'll grind, you enjoy; see you next time!
Reader group: 419649076
Stardust Mirage had indeed chosen the big escape again.
Miho Bourbon's expression didn't change. Watching her teammate accelerate, she confirmed her guess.
She might be taciturn, almost never initiating conversation, but she and Stardust Mirage were actually very close.
Aside from Huyama Hihong, Stardust Mirage was the one who took care of Bourbon day-to-day.
And in both races, Miho Bourbon had felt Stardust Mirage's state from point-blank range.
So before stepping onto the course, the instant she saw Stardust Mirage's eyes, she knew—absolutely, a big escape.
Anyone reasoning "normally" wouldn't reach that result.
2400m, heavy ground—and a "black-hole" stamina tactic on top of that—by the acknowledged worst stayer in the field, Stardust Mirage.
Who would think that wasn't idiocy?
But Miho Bourbon never weighed "possible/impossible."
That look = big escape. That equation was already in her.
She didn't care for "common sense." In Bourbon's thinking there was only "correct" or "wrong."
Her running is the same.
She will forever step on the correct path!
As Stardust Mirage's speed exploded, before anyone could react, Miho Bourbon dove to the inner rail and drove hard for the front!
If someone has chosen the big escape, then the "correct answer" is this!
With extraordinary force in her stride, Miho Bourbon accelerated almost simultaneously, golden arcs crackling as the red-brown runner became a streak, locking to her teammate's tail.
The two recreated the previous race's scene—double big escape.
Only this time, on heavy turf with rain-driven wind drag, the wind-breaker up front was Stardust Mirage!
————————————
[Ooooo! Is it a big escape? Stardust Mirage chooses it even under these conditions?!]
[Passing to the front, she doesn't steady—she accelerates. That's the form she used in the final kick last time—this time she's using it from the start?!]
[What is going on—does she trust her stamina that much, or has she lost her head from impatience?!]
[Wait—Miho Bourbon accelerates almost in sync—Stardust Mirage isn't dropping her! They're opening the gap to the field!]
[Two lengths, four, six! The margin is already seven and growing!]
[Is it another rhythm-shattering two-horse big escape?!]
"Stardust Mirage-sama—the big escape!!"
On the stands, Jumping City screamed out her joy. This was exactly what she wanted: Stardust Mirage at full flight, leaving the world behind!
"Wait, why is someone still with her? Isn't a big escape supposed to drop everyone?!"
Seeing Miho Bourbon still glued to Stardust Mirage's tail, she was dumbfounded.
"This is unbelievable… keeping time with a big escape from the first beat," the man beside her muttered.
"What do you mean?" Jumping City pressed.
"Listen, miss—usually a big escape drops others because of time lag."
"Remember: every runner has a max speed. A race isn't just holding max and blasting; to conserve stamina, you only accelerate in segments."
"That means most of the time, runners aren't at max. That's where acceleration matters."
He saw her getting glassy-eyed and switched to a toy model:
"Say two runners are in a chase—both at 10 m/s, both with a 20 m/s max, and equal power."
"Stardust Mirage accelerates. Since power's equal, both have +1 m/s² acceleration, but the other girl doesn't respond until the second second."
"At second two, Stardust is at 11 m/s and covers 11 m; runner two is still at 10 m/s and covers 10 m."
"At second three, Stardust is at 12 m/s and covers 12; runner two at 11 and covers 11."
"In just two seconds, the gap is 2 m—and it keeps growing until it's 10 m, when Stardust caps at 20 m/s."
"Worse: with both at 20 max, runner two who reacted a second late can watch that 10 m gap sit there forever."
"That's the main reason a sudden big escape drops the field."
"I see." Quick on the uptake, Jumping City nodded—then blinked. "But Miho Bourbon didn't get dropped."
"And that's why I'm shocked." The man nodded, eyes on the pair.
"Miho Bourbon started at exactly the same instant—and has matched Stardust Mirage's acceleration perfectly. That not only stops her being dropped—she also gets the slipstream. There isn't a hair of error."
"But how is that possible? Flesh can't be that precise…"
"Now it's awkward. Stardust Mirage is riding a tiger—if she keeps leading, she has to break wind for Miho Bourbon."
"And because they're contesting the same big-escape slot, the already brutal stamina problem will be magnified."
"What do you mean 'awkward'?!" Opera O butted in.
She hadn't understood the man's math at all, but she could tell he wasn't bullish on Stardust Mirage.
So she forgot her vow to ignore Jumping City and huffed:
"All I know is: no matter what, Stardust Mirage will find a way!"
"…" The man chuckled at the stubborn orange-haired kid. "You're mistaken, little one. Uma Musume racing isn't that simple—"
"What mistake!!" Opera O shot back. "Never give up—grab victory from adversity—that's the Stardust Mirage I love!"
"She will absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely win!"
Chapter 78: Bearing the Name Mejiro, I Cannot Lose!
[There it is—double big escape!!! Under these conditions and this distance, two runners still choose it! Unbelievable!!!]
"You've got to be kidding…"
Mejiro McQueen ground her teeth as she ran on the hip of the French runner, Caizhigao.
This filly wasn't just big and strong; her command of running craft exceeded anyone McQueen had seen.
Using the size advantage and nimble steps, she locked McQueen behind, leaving no chance to pass.
McQueen now understood what it meant that the MC had singled Caizhigao out before the race—what that treatment signified—
Forget breaking the whole Maginot Line like Stardust Mirage; McQueen couldn't even find a way past this one mare.
She looks like a brawler, all meat and muscle—but she's a brain on the course. That position sense is crushing me.
What do I do—what do I do?!
McQueen glanced aside—Narita Brian and Taiki Shuttle were also mired against the wall ahead.
For stalkers like them, if they couldn't break this line before the race's midpoint and seize an inner slot up front, they'd lose their chance to duel the two breakaways who'd begun to "explode the lead!"
Stardust Mirage and Miho Bourbon had started to move—while she—
Each step in the muck sucked strength from McQueen's legs.
Her eyes raked the lanes for even a sliver of breakthrough.
"Damn you! Are you blocking me to help the two in front?!" she shouted.
"Heh—" Caizhigao turned her head, white teeth flashing as rain ran into her grin:
"You don't get it. This result was decided at the start. Lead or close—none of you can win!"
"So we just do what we do best and take our time. The two up front? They'll find out soon enough how stupid it is to try to explode the lead here!"
What does that mean?!
McQueen stared, stunned.
"Decided at the start"?
They'd barely reached the end of the opening third. How?
How could it be?!
If I can't break this runner, the gap to Stardust Mirage will only grow.
Then—the promise we made will—
Thinking that, McQueen felt her blood boil.
She who was always elegant on track, a diva of the turf, felt something clawing out of her shell.
I want to pass! I want to catch up!!!
[Oh! In the second tier, the dogfight rages! Mejiro McQueen tries a third time to go around—but Caizhigao shifts and blocks again.]
[The war started at the gun, and the two leaders have stretched the gap to nearly eight lengths!]
"Give it up—you will not get past me!"
Caizhigao didn't even look back.
Give up? Me?
No—
There is only one thing to do… what I must do—is break through.
I told Stardust Mirage those words—how can I be stopped here?
[As long as I can stand on the track—I have a chance to win.]
You told me that, didn't you, Stardust Mirage…
Then I won't lag behind you, because—
"I am Mejiro McQueen."
She murmured under her breath.
Her eyes burned with resolve.
If it's a battle of position sense—then try me.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thank you so much for reading until the end.
If you'd like to read more, you can Joining to my Patreon.
My Patreon:
patreon.com/Hydran_Tea
Chainsaw Man: The Covenant of Flame Demon [Ss2 159 Chapter ]
Uma Musume: Wait—you want me to pop my Christmas Hat Ultimate? [Ss2 149 Chapter ]
Honkai star rail:Invincible From the Moment I Started Playing as Jing Yuan [ 85 Chapter ]
The Problem Child Starts from Gensokyo [ 76 Chapter ]
FGO: Handcrafted Lostbelt, the Strongest is the Real History [ 53 Chapter ]
Honkai World: Kiana Doesn't Need Redemption [ 46 Chapter ]