Chapter 216: Hoshino Wilm
Hoshino Wilm.
For the one who bore that name, running was life itself.
That was simply how he had been made… perhaps that was the bluntest way to put it. Even so, he himself held no resentment toward his birth.
More important than anything else was the incomparable ecstasy he felt in the instant he moved his four legs and ran.
The sensation of kicking up the grass with all four limbs. The wind striking his body and splitting to either side. And above all, the steady weight on his back—and the trust that came with it. These things transformed the simple act of running into something profoundly fulfilling.
…Yes.
What truly mattered was the weight resting on his back through the saddle.
He was no longer running alone.
His partner—fragile in body, slow of foot, yet remarkably intelligent—was always there with him. And along with that partner came a family who carefully maintained his condition so he could perform at his absolute best.
Because each and every one of them acted with goodwill and sincerity, he, though of a different species, came to trust them as his family.
And so, following their guidance, he entered races.
A gathering of his kind—a contest to determine who could run the fastest.
Though called a “game,” it was filled with intensity, and along with his partner’s weight, the expectations of countless humans bore down upon his back.
Yet to him, even that pressure was pleasant.
In truth, unlike others of his kind, he did not feel a strong desire to avoid being overtaken or to reject defeat.
What burned most brightly within him was the drive for self-transcendence.
The simple, pure—perhaps even naïve—desire to “run faster” was what drove his four legs forward.
Of course, it was through competition that he refined that desire. There were things only gained by racing—things only cultivated by surpassing others.
Especially… yes, especially—
Before the races had truly begun, there had been the bay horses he often played with, looking toward the future together. Two of them—both possessing incredible flexibility and power—whom he had raced only twice.
Running against those two made his heart leap.
Through his partner on his back, he experienced races against powerful rivals—growth he could never achieve alone. It was a tangible connection to the world.
And more than anything, he delighted in how his running improved through it all.
That was why he never rejected the expectations placed upon him. Instead, he embraced them with pride and turned them into strength as he ran.
He ran, and ran, and ran…
And then, suddenly—
The end came.
For several months before that race, Hoshino Wilm had been competing at a pace exceeding once per month.
Even he, who rarely paid attention to the outside world, realized he had begun to attract attention from both humans and horses.
With each race, the expectations on his back multiplied.
His family celebrated his rise, yet at the same time held serious discussions about what should come next. Even he could sense the shift in the air.
Meanwhile, his partner… worried for him.
The mounting pressure, the increasingly demanding training, the relentless race schedule the world desired—all of it threatened to lead to a fatal outcome. Concerned, his partner would often stay close, gently stroking his neck.
From his own perspective, he could feel a slight fatigue building in his legs.
But… he was not as intelligent as his partner or family. He could not truly grasp how close he was to his limits.
Besides, more than worrying about limits, he simply wanted to run faster.
It was around the time the race known as the “Japan Derby” had just concluded.
He longed for a rematch with the bay horse who had grown much stronger—or perhaps a clash with even greater champions.
And so, ignoring his partner’s worries, he remained in high spirits, preparing for the next battle.
The next race came sooner than usual—at roughly half the typical interval.
It was called the Takarazuka Kinen.
…To state the conclusion plainly—
His legs, and his life, ended there.
Facing opponents far stronger and faster than himself, he tried to chase down those ahead of him, pouring every last ounce of strength into his legs—
The moment they entered the final straight—
Crack.
His right foreleg shattered.
In that instant, several truths struck him.
One: certain defeat. With one of his four legs broken, he could no longer surpass the others still racing ahead.
One: certain death. The searing pain that scorched his thoughts and forced a scream from his throat made it impossible to ignore what was coming.
And the last—
The uncertain fate of his partner.
Humans were fragile. A single misstep from a horse could be fatal. If his partner were thrown at such speed… death would be likely.
Of the three realizations, only one future remained uncertain.
And so, he abandoned the other two without hesitation, choosing that single, fragile hope.
His body pitched forward, about to collapse.
With both forelegs—including the shattered one—he forced himself to brake.
A scream tore from his throat. His mind burned with pain, unable to think—
And yet, he could still hear his partner’s cry, the desperate command to stop.
Even though his partner was usually the intelligent one, at times like this, they were foolish… and somehow, he found that amusing.
If he could not save himself, then at least he would save his partner.
No matter how much it hurt, no matter how unbearable it became—if his partner lived, that was enough.
That was only natural.
After all, his partner would have done the same.
And so—
He did not stop.
Until the very moment he collapsed, he continued to support and protect the rider on his back.
That was the end of the horse known as Hoshino Wilm.
…
…Or at least, it should have been.
When awareness returned—no, calling him “he” no longer felt right—
She felt no pain. No suffering.
She was… somewhere.
If one had to describe it, it felt like being underwater.
Within that space, she drifted, gazing absentmindedly at a shimmering surface.
Forelegs, hind legs—no, now they were hands and feet, perhaps.
Or perhaps she had no body at all.
All she could do was watch, suspended in a hazy awareness.
Upon the surface, shifting images appeared.
A girl—somewhat similar to her former self, yet undeniably different.
A member of a species called “Uma Musume.”
A girl named “Hoshino Wilm.”
In other words… someone who bore the same name as her.
It was a strange sensation.
That girl was both herself, and not herself.
Like someone who had inherited her fate.
For some reason, she understood that.
In truth, the girl named Hoshino Wilm walked a path very similar to her own, running alongside a human who resembled her former partner.
Even before officially entering races, she had been connected to that spirited bay horse.
With each race, she gathered more expectations.
She competed against a genius once called unrivaled—and defeated them twice in succession.
There were minor differences, but for the most part, it was a reenactment of her own life.
…and because it was a reenactment, the destination was already decided.
The fate of Hoshino Wilm.
To fall in the Takarazuka Kinen—that unavoidable destiny.
That was what awaited the girl ahead.
She pitied her, just a little.
Even now, she believed her decision in that final moment had not been wrong.
She would never know what became of her partner afterward… but at the very least, she remembered the warmth of those hands that had so often stroked her neck in concern.
Because she remembered that warmth, she would never deny her choice.
But still…
She had wanted to run more.
Further. Faster.
If only she had more time—she was certain she could have become something extraordinary… perhaps even godlike in speed.
And so, for the girl who would come to share that same desire, only to face that inescapable fate—
She watched with quiet, sympathetic sorrow.
And then—
"I want… to win… with you…!
In this race… and from here on… always…!!"
In response to that fervent, burning resolve—
Her calm detachment was blown away.
Yes… that’s right. That feeling.
It was exactly what Hoshino Wilm had once held.
Right now, in this very moment, she desired it—
And yet, standing before her was an unyielding, inescapable fate…
Even so—
She—
"‘I’… ‘Hoshino Wilm’… won’t break in a place like this!!!"
…Without thinking, she felt ashamed.
Ashamed of the self who had given up back then.
Ashamed of the self who had accepted the end.
She hadn’t broken.
Even in the face of such agony—such an ending—
She had not given up on living.
She had not given up on running.
…Is there anything I can do to help?
The thought came naturally.
She no longer had a body.
No hands, no legs—she could do nothing but watch from within this submerged world.
If there was one thing she could still do—
"…Please…"
Though she could not bring her hands together.
Though even these words might not truly exist—
"May your decision lead to a warm future."
And so, she prayed.
Whether that prayer reached her—
Or whether the girl simply drew out the power of “Hoshino Wilm”—
Fate changed.
Bathed in a gentle, star-like radiance, she ran forward into the future.
"…I’m glad."
Lending just a small part of her strength, she let out a quiet breath of relief.
"Make sure you run… a lot more."
Some time passed.
Wrapped in a deep sense of peace, she continued to watch over Hoshino Wilm’s journey.
It was the “what if” she herself had never obtained.
Unbeaten, she claimed the Triple Crown, conquered the senior-class Uma Musume, nearly parted ways with her partner before reuniting—
She fought fierce battles against that genius Uma Musume, settled matters with the benefactor who had supported her—
And then… yes, she even overcame a monstrous opponent beyond compare.
There was no room for jealousy in the face of such brilliance.
She looked upon the girl with admiration—and gratitude.
Through the powers known as the “Heavenly Star Serpent Dragon” and the “Blue-Blazing Kurikara,” she connected with her time and again.
The girl herself didn’t seem aware of it… but in those moments, she was able to share her feelings, if only slightly.
The future she herself had never run.
The path beyond the “what if” she had never reached—
The girl had shown it to her.
There could be no resentment—only thanks.
Even so, there was little she could do.
All she could offer was small aid during the occasional race.
And so, she continued to pray for the glory of “Hoshino Wilm”—
…
And then, one day—
As she absentmindedly watched the girl running another race—
"Hoshino Wilm—look, I’m going to run!!"
Suddenly, a hand broke through the surface and reached out to her.
Startled, she looked at it—and felt something change.
Her awareness sharpened instantly.
It felt as though a body she shouldn’t have had was being formed—
And then she realized—
No.
It wasn’t that a body had been created.
It was that she had finally awakened.
And now—
She existed within the body of “Hoshino Wilm.”
That distant, drifting awareness—
Returned to me.
"…………"
This was the girl’s understanding of “Hoshino Wilm.”
And her acceptance of me as a being.
She had embraced this drifting existence—
And invited me to run together, as the same “Hoshino Wilm.”
"Fufu…"
…Honestly, it was almost ridiculous.
Even to me, it felt absurd.
To accept another self within your soul so naturally…
"I mean, of course I’d accept you. You’ve been helping me this whole time, haven’t you?
Even now, I can feel your emotions… hehe, it’s not like I’ve done anything that amazing, though."
No—you have.
You saved my heart.
Back then, you didn’t give up. You kept looking forward, and fulfilled my desire to run more—perfectly.
And now…
You’ve given me, who should no longer be able to run, another chance.
That is… more salvation than I could ever ask for.
"Haha, if you say it like that, it’s kind of embarrassing.
So then… let me ask again."
"Will you lend me your strength, my other Hoshino Wilm… me?"
Of course.
…Though, in truth, it’s my legs I’ll be lending—so if anything, I’m the one borrowing.
Once more, as Hoshino Wilm—
With unparalleled fulfillment and joy—
I will run with you.
"…Ahaha♪ This is amazing, isn’t it? Running together with another version of yourself, sharing both emotions and senses!"
I couldn’t agree more.
Hoshino Wilm me understands Hoshino Wilm her.
And Hoshino Wilm her understands Hoshino Wilm me.
Two as one, and one as two.
Like this… we’ll surely be able to run far beyond what I ever could in my previous life—
Something far greater.
Now then—let’s go, Hoshino Wilm.
From here on, through the shining path ahead—
“I” will run alongside you.
I am your beautiful, gray brilliance.
To our rivals, to the people, to the world—to our partner—
Let’s show them all.
And so, this became my new beginning.
A new racing life that should never have existed, and yet continues.
My new name is—
"Hoshino Wilm, the Racing Uma Musume."
The ultimate form that surpassed fate itself, forged by the girl and her partner.
And I, too, have become one who runs within it.
…In that case—
I should at least greet the other half of myself—the partner of this world.
And so, I went to the place they call the trainer’s room.
"Not Wilm… right? Then you might be…"
"…That faintly cold, near-black gray… so it is you."
My partner—and their younger sister—stared at me in surprise.
Borrowing this body, I gave a small bow and stepped closer.
For a moment, the younger sister tensed—but realizing I meant no harm, she relaxed, choosing to observe.
Good. Somehow, I had the feeling that if I fought her, I’d be erased in an instant.
Then I stood beside the human named Horino Ayumu—
"I am Hoshino Wilm.
It’s a pleasure to meet you properly—my partner."
And then, I leaned in, pressing my lips lightly against my partner’s cheek… and gave it a few playful licks.
…Mm. Salty. Not bad.
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