America's racing rules were very different from Japan's, and they did recognize something called "elbowing." But that was mostly used to judge sudden incidents. Ordinary horse girls would never do something like that just to win.
Injuring someone on the track? That would be throwing away all shame.
Even if someone got lucky, took the risk of being demoted, and snatched victory that way, would it really be worth it? Would it truly bring any joy? Probably not. At the very least, no decent horse girl would ever do such a thing.
Out on the track, Risen Star glanced at Xingyun Liuge from the corner of her eye, as if that shout from the crowd had swayed her.
But Xingyun Liuge knew that was not the gaze of someone looking for a chance to strike. Risen Star had entered a strange state, as if the outside world's noise could no longer reach her.
What was going on? Was it because she had relied too much on her Domain?1GaL2
Xingyun Liuge blinked, letting sweat stream down her face. She maintained a finishing burst as torrential and relentless as a rainstorm while observing Risen Star's condition.
Just as Xingyun had guessed, Risen Star could no longer hear anything beyond herself. Her overflowing spiritual power had wrapped around her whole body, drawing her into her own inner world.
Risen Star remembered her childhood.
Back then, she had still been small, but unlike other girls, she had cared less about pretty dresses and cute dolls than she did about collecting all kinds of running shoes. Because she had an incredible senior, and she wanted to become an incredible horse girl just like her.
Because she had always been talented.
And because her family wanted her to become that kind of horse girl too.1GaL2
She still remembered it clearly: the day she had grabbed Secretariat's hand and declared with all seriousness that she wanted to become "the second Secretariat." She remembered the way Secretariat had laughed out loud, and the affection overflowing beneath that smile.
When she won local races with ease, most people only thought it was natural. Only Secretariat would take her hand and lead her off for her favorite carrot juice.
When she got a sudden urge to tease people, her family would just chalk it up to childish mischief and let it slide. Only Secretariat would put on a stern face and teach her to be an upright, proper horse girl.
Maybe it was because Secretariat herself had once been elbowed.
Risen Star did not know. All she remembered was that when she had promised Secretariat she would never elbow anyone, Secretariat had not only smiled brilliantly, but also gently patted her head, and then let her do something that absolutely, under no circumstances, could ever be known to anyone but the two of them—
She got a piggyback ride.1GaL2
That day, riding on Secretariat's shoulders, Risen Star saw a whole new world. She saw the Northern Cross glittering in the night sky.
And maybe because she was in a good mood, or maybe because Risen Star had been especially obedient, Secretariat softly hummed a tune.
Risen Star would never forget the scenery of that day, nor that nameless melody.
Not even now, when she stood at the very moment where elbowing might have won her the race.1GaL2
"Hah… hah…"
Risen Star's breathing thundered in her ears. She should have been on the verge of collapsing at any second. And yet, strangely, she no longer felt it as suffering. It was completely different from how it had been at the start.
She felt as if she had entered some peculiar state. She was no longer participating in the race from a first-person perspective, but observing everything from above, like a god looking down on the track.
And from that vantage point, she could tell that if things continued like this, "Risen Star" was going to lose. "Risen Star" was drenched in sweat, each flying droplet kicking up dust from the track. By contrast, Xingyun Liuge's breathing remained steady, almost as if she still had strength to spare.
That realization filled her with horror.
What kind of monster was that girl?
Even at a time like this, she still had stamina left?1GaL2
What was she supposed to do? At this rate, "Risen Star" would lose. But "Risen Star" had already used the Belmont style Secretariat had taught her, the very best way to run this race. She had no more tricks left. There was nothing else she could do.
But if it were any other race, that would be one thing. This one, and this one alone, she refused to lose!
And in that instant, she felt as though she heard a voice:
No. You still have one way left. A way other than elbowing.
In that moment, Risen Star understood everything.
Yes. Other than elbowing, she still had one final option—
Starfall.
Compress the Domain to its absolute limit, turn it into a singularity, then crash it onto the track, using the massive shockwave to interfere with her opponent while using the recoil to accelerate herself.
In other words, turn the Domain into a one-time expendable burst that inflicted a debuff on the opponent while buffing herself.
The problem was that Risen Star still had not mastered that power.
The interference part was no issue. The real challenge was weaving starlit trajectories around the falling star to protect and enhance herself, so she would not be swallowed by the shockwave too and end up in the ridiculous situation of injuring herself even more than her enemy.1GaL2
She had practiced it for too short a time. She could manage the first half, but not the second. If she failed, she would lose completely—
No, not merely lose.
She was already at her limit. If she failed, the backlash from her Domain collapsing could hit her full-on. She might genuinely die right there on the track.
But she had no other choice left. If she wanted victory, she had to gamble everything on a desperate move.
Risen Star drew a deep breath and let out one final roar.
"Ahhhhhh! I won't lose! I don't want to lose! I absolutely refuse to lose!"1GaL2
The cross-shaped starlight shining in the black cosmic vault blazed with blinding brilliance, but at the same time it began to collapse inward. Strange gravity spread through the heavens, silently proclaiming:
Something enormous was coming.
Watching this, Secretariat clenched the railing so hard that the steel warped beneath her grip.
She was in agony.
She knew it. If Risen Star used this move in her current state, then disaster was almost certain.
And yet, if she wanted to win the race, this was the only card Risen Star had left.
It was not as if she could really elbow someone.
For the first time, Secretariat regretted teaching her this move at all. If she had never done so, then Risen Star would not be taking on such a terrible risk now.
Just as Secretariat was drowning in self-reproach, the gigantic star tore free from its place in the sky and began to fall.
And Risen Star roared with everything she had:
"This is my final strike!"1GaL2
She had already given absolutely everything she had. She was going to seize victory no matter what!
Amid the spray of spittle as she shouted, faint streaks of red could be seen mixed within. Just as she said, this was the full extent of her power.
Looking at that descending star, Xingyun Liuge was sweating as if from a spring—but not from fear, and not from anxiety.
It was because she was doing the exact same thing.1GaL2
"It would be rude not to return the favor."
A savage grin spread across Xingyun Liuge's face.
"If you're going to burn your life away for this, then naturally I have to answer with a strike of my own! Etch this moment into your mind, Risen Star!"
And before everyone's eyes, a second star began to descend from the heavens.
At that moment, even Secretariat cried out in shock.
"That's—!"
Yes. No matter how anyone looked at it, this was the ultimate proof of having tempered her own Domain to its absolute extreme—
*Starfall.*1GaL2
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught "Equilibrium"? l (Chapter 80)
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 178)
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 155)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League ( 126 )
TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter110)
Yu-Gi-Oh! — Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl (Chapter200)
"Is this chat group even serious?" (Chapter110)
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (Chapter230)
Can Playing Games Save the World? 65
Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 77
From Junkman to Wasteland 66
Weekly Refresh of Overpowered 31
I'm Grinding Proficiency Like 46
From Kiana, Lord Ravager, Onwa 200
Honkai: Is This Still the Prev 42
Elf: My Starter Pokémon Is Inc 65
Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 180
From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass Volume2/5
The Way the Umamusume Look at 68
Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 230
Naruto: Weaving the Future, Be 65
Zenless Zone Zero, but Kamen R 76
Multiverse Crossover: The Perf 66
My Cyberpsycho Girlfriend 65
Uma Musume: The Dark Trainer 220
Uma Musume: A Calamity Born fr 154
I, a Reincarnation-Loop Player Volume4/30
The Violent Girl Group Is Beat 120
Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 67
Uma Musume: From Beginner 135
Becoming a Horse Girl, I Will 85
Uma Musume: I Want All 110
I Can Copy Unique Skills 100
Summoning an Evil God, but the 70
Supernatural Multiverse 100
My Harem Is Indescribable 90
Jujutsu Kaisen: Heroic Spirit 95
"I'm just a Valkyrie passing through." 68
Uma Musume: Today Is Another Romantic Battlefield 105
Still playing traditional Honk 69
The Most Filial Son Under Heav 80
What Should I Do After Switchi - Volume2/3
Reincarnated as a Demon, Skill 70
Hell-Difficulty Dungeon? 55
Transmigrated as Sukuna 75
Checking In in Demon Slayer 80
The Reincarnating Trainer of Tracen Academy 85
I Refuse to Become a Heroic 70
My Best Friend Into a Slime? 65
A Saiyan Stands Above Marvel 70
What Do You Mean by Using a Lab Mod to Be the Hero? 70
Tanya Starts from Re:Zero 65
Why did they assign me to Uma 65
MYGO Beauties 65
DanMachi: Emiya the Giant Hero 55
The Gacha Merchant Who Started 65
Honkai's Otherworld? Wait—Who Are You People?! 45
Emiya Shirou, Determined to Slay Every Curse and Evil Spirit 45
The Uma Musume Who Became 40
I'm Definitely Not the King of 45
After Maxing Out Every Class 45
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