Chapter 76: A Shooting Star and a First-Magnitude Star

"...!!"

I won.

Just now—without a doubt—I passed Silence Suzuka.

Sight, sound, even the tactile sensation of air vibrating against my body—everything told me the same thing. By about half a length, I was clearly ahead of Suzuka-san.

Before I even had time to process that fact, a sharp, stabbing pain shot through my head.

Damn it—did I overdo it?

My reincarnation cheat, "Anime Reincarnation," has a time limit. Roughly thirty seconds. Of course, it’s not exactly thirty seconds on the dot; it fluctuates slightly depending on my physical condition that day.

This dull, throbbing pain was the warning sign—more precisely, the initial symptom—of hitting that limit. Probably my brain screaming because it was being forced to process too much information at once.

If I keep "Anime Reincarnation" active while feeling this, the headache only worsens. Eventually, it leads to nauseating dizziness and severe confusion. At that point, there’s no way I could keep running. I’d lose my balance at full speed and cause an accident.

And as Ayu-san’s Uma Musume, that’s something I absolutely cannot allow.

I hurriedly shifted out of the forward-leaning posture of the Celestial Sprint and corrected myself into a normal running form, switching "Anime Reincarnation" off.

The Celestial Sprint is a posture meant to be used only while "Anime Reincarnation" is active. Using it in a normal state puts far too much strain on the legs—that was made painfully clear at the Takarazuka Kinen. I can’t afford to use it any longer.

"...Phew."

With "Anime Reincarnation" turned off, the headache slowly faded. For now, I could breathe easy.

...But this isn’t good.

I’m far more worn out than I expected.

The strategy we set up for this Arima Kinen was based on a rough framework Ayu-san had put together right after the Japan Cup, which Masa-san and I then filled in. But neither of us has abilities on Ayu-san’s level, so small errors and miscalculations like this inevitably creep in.

Our biggest misread this time was that Turbo held on longer than expected, which delayed the point at which I activated "Anime Reincarnation."

That wasn’t because we underestimated Turbo. If anything, it was the result of her squeezing out a kind of grit that doesn’t easily show up in data.

That much I can accept. But even so.

For better or worse, that tiny shift completely changed how the race unfolded.

The original plan was to start the Celestial Sprint the moment we exited the fourth corner and entered the homestretch, overtaking Suzuka-san somewhere within the roughly 350-meter straight.

When you’re in a corner, you inevitably waste running power. That’s why the idea was to pass Suzuka-san with the minimum possible strain before that point, then prepare for the latter half of the race. That was the plan to win this Arima Kinen.

But...

Because Turbo hung on longer than expected, the Celestial Sprint didn’t start until halfway down the straight. On top of that, Suzuka-san performed beyond our calculations, pushing the actual overtake all the way to the brink of 600 meters.

As a result, I ended up going excessively fast through the first and second corners.

Worse still, while using "Anime Reincarnation," I lost any opportunity to think about what would come next.

...Come to think of it, the trainer once said something like this.

"Uma Musume always go beyond what you expect."

I finally understand what that meant.

You can study them desperately, quantify everything, analyze it all—and still, your rivals will exceed your expectations. Of course that’s terrifying.

But...

"Now then, the leader Hoshino Wilm has corrected her form and is charging down the backstretch! We’re at the 1,400-meter mark, with a time of 1 minute 19.4 seconds so far!! Silence Suzuka has dropped back slightly into second, about one length behind the leader. From there, it’s roughly thirteen lengths to third-place Daitaku Helios, but that gap is gradually beginning to close!"

"It’s not just the distance between the front two and the pack—the pack itself has stretched out vertically as well. Twenty-five—no, closer to thirty lengths, I’d say. Should they stick to their own pace, or stubbornly latch onto this blistering tempo? In this unprecedented race, each Uma Musume’s judgment is being tested!"

...Suzuka-san probably isn’t a threat anymore.

Now that the "perfect condition" Ayu-san talked about has been broken, even Suzuka-san—who had been running as if she were defying gravity—has to obey the rule of finite stamina.

And Suzuka-san has less stamina than I do.

She’s already finished developing; her physical abilities aren’t going to grow any further. I was already ahead of her a month ago, so there’s no way the tables have suddenly turned now.

She must have been compensating for her lack of stamina by running with that overwhelming invincibility—but that’s no longer possible.

On top of that, she burst out at full speed from the outermost gate to take the lead, battled fiercely with Turbo while being flung around by centrifugal force in the corners, and then fought my Celestial Sprint head-on.

There’s no way her stamina hasn’t been deeply gouged by all that.

Even if she had some way to reduce the strain, like my "Anime Reincarnation," it couldn’t have been reduced to zero. The fact that she’s already slowing down makes that pretty much certain.

The runaway dragged back from another dimension is now nothing more than an overextended front-runner who’s burned through too much stamina and can’t match me anymore.

She might still try to draw out power beyond her limits and come at me again—but her invincibility is gone. Unless I get overtaken, it won’t return.

Considering her poor suitability for long distances and her remaining stamina, even if she doesn’t completely collapse like Turbo, there’s no way she can pass me again from here.

Hoshino Wilm losing to Silence Suzuka—at this point, that shouldn’t happen.

One of the greatest walls I faced in this Arima Kinen, the otherworldly runaway Silence Suzuka—I’ve managed to overcome her.

...But of course, I can’t let my guard down yet.

In the strategy Masa-san and I devised, I was supposed to maintain a certain lead through the first and second corners and down the backstretch, easing off the pace slightly to catch my breath.

Up until activating "Anime Reincarnation," I had to match the catastrophically fast pace set by Turbo and Suzuka-san. And even during the Celestial Sprint, no matter how much "Anime Reincarnation" reduces the burden, it doesn’t make it zero.

So our prediction was that once I broke through Suzuka-san, I’d need to decelerate temporarily, or my stamina simply wouldn’t last.

That’s why I’m slowing down now.

Just fast enough that Suzuka-san can’t catch me, but not so fast that it becomes an excessive burden—slightly above what you’d call an economical cruising speed.

But pursuers will be coming soon.

I can’t keep this up forever.

Even if I beat Suzuka-san, the Arima Kinen isn’t over yet.

No—when it comes to distance, this is only the halfway point.

"Let’s recap from the front. Leader Hoshino Wilm, one length back Silence Suzuka, then about eleven lengths to Daitaku Helios, with Seiun Sky and Baito Aruhikuma in pursuit. After them come Tokai Teio, Happy Meek, Mejiro McQueen, and Special Week edging forward slightly, then a bit of a gap to Nice Nature, Mejiro Ryan, and Daisangen!"

"Oh! Happy Meek makes a move here, gradually increasing the pace! Drawn along with her, Seiun Sky and Tokai Teio are also moving up! Are we about to see a pace change?"

That was fast... they’re already here.

I could hear the footsteps of several Uma Musume entering the range of my hearing.

One of them was familiar—well, her footfalls feel a bit different now, but it’s Teio’s. I haven’t heard her in a while.

Another must be Sky-senpai, with that light, nimble rhythm I heard near the end of the Takarazuka Kinen.

As for the last one... I don’t recognize it. This is my first time racing against her directly.

But those footsteps—free, yet firmly grounded in solid fundamentals—gave her away.

...Meek-senpai. So she’s making her move here.

Now then, what should I do?

Masa-san and I can’t become like Ayu-san.

Masa-san worked incredibly hard, but even so, she can’t gather data with the same depth and breadth Ayu-san can. And while I’ve developed a decent racing intuition over the past two years, I still can’t predict race developments with his level of accuracy.

That means devising a flawlessly precise strategy like his is impossible for us.

We could predict that Turbo and Suzuka-san would clash in this Arima Kinen. We could also predict that I should pass Suzuka-san on the homestretch—though in reality, it didn’t happen until inside the second corner.

But beyond that point, forecasting how things would unfold became extremely difficult.

After all, this race includes two Uma Musume who excel at scheming: Seiun Sky-senpai and Nice Nature. There was no way to guess where or how they would make their moves—or whether they’d maneuver others into acting for them.

If the only objective were the optimal way to overtake me, that would actually be easier to read, since there’s a clear answer. But this race has many other Uma Musume besides me who need to be accounted for.

Beating Suzuka-san while also keeping Spec-senpai and the others in check... trying to predict what kind of tactics they’d use was beyond us.

Ayu-san said that would "reduce the burden on us," but in reality, the increased complexity only made things harder to read.

And it’s not just those two I have to watch out for.

In this race, there are at least four Uma Musume whose physical abilities I couldn’t stop even if I tried.

Setting aside Silence Suzuka, whom I’ve already passed, there’s Mejiro McQueen-senpai, who will likely aim for her usual well-timed move from a strong position; Happy Meek-senpai, an unknown quantity who might surge forward or strike from behind; and above all, the most frightening of them all—Special Week-senpai.

With so many exceptional talents, so many elite racers gathered for this Arima Kinen, it’s impossible to imagine who will move how.

Maybe Ayu-san could have narrowed things down to a few concrete plans... but unfortunately, that was beyond Masa-san and me.

Even if we tried to use the framework Ayu-san left behind as a reference, it was ultimately built on data from a month ago—data whose accuracy was admittedly questionable.

Useful as a reference, sure, but not precise enough to be trusted as absolutely correct... or so it was apparently written in the notes Ayu-san left behind.

...Honestly, expecting anyone to make reliable predictions for a race this insane a full month in advance feels unreasonable to begin with.

Which is why, from here on out, there’s a large part that needs to be handled on the fly.

I need to stay calm...

"Now then, the leader Hoshino Wilm has cleared the backstretch and entered the third corner! There’s roughly 900 meters remaining—this race is finally entering its decisive phase!"

Alright. Let’s reassess.

Closing in behind me are Sky-senpai, about seven lengths back, then Meek-senpai at a bit of a distance, with Teio right on her heels.

…No, wait. There’s one more.

Someone steadily picking up the pace—those powerful, forceful strides…

Is that… Special Week-senpai?

…This is bad. Really bad.

If it were just Teio, that’d be fine. Even if Meek-senpai joined in, it’d still be manageable. And even with Sky-senpai—whose Domain should be sealed off in this race—I think I could barely handle it.

But if Spec-senpai is in the mix too… then there’s no margin left.

I don’t have much stamina remaining.

I need to allocate what’s left properly across these 900 meters.

The problem is having to respond to the Uma Musume coming from behind—and the Domain, that hard-to-quantify phenomenon.

…No, this won’t work. There are still too many unknowns. There’s no way I can think this through accurately while running.

If I still had "Anime Reincarnation" available, I could’ve poured everything into the next 300 meters. Or maybe I could’ve calculated the optimal pace distribution from here with absolute precision.

But no matter how much I complain, you can’t wave a sleeve you don’t have.

Either way, to pass Suzuka-san, I had to turn "Anime Reincarnation" off back there.

Battles are never about always fighting at full power.

Suzuka-san had her invincibility stripped away by me. Sky-senpai should find it difficult to deploy her Domain in this race. And Nature’s schemes are likely being consumed by managing the pack, leaving little attention for me.

We have to use what power we have, adapting to the situation at hand.

So I, too… have to do the best I can, with what I have right now.

Alright.

From here, I’ll pick up the pace… and run it through to the end!

"The duel between Silence Suzuka and Twin Turbo is now a distant memory as we enter the fourth corner! Silence Suzuka is fighting desperately, but still can’t quite reach Hoshino Wilm! Meanwhile, the pack—led by Seiun Sky—is accelerating from behind! Have they judged that the final straight alone won’t be enough and decided to launch a long spurt!?"

"This is the decisive moment! The Nakayama Racecourse straight is only 310 meters long—will any Uma Musume be able to close this massive gap!?"

Five hundred meters to go.

The finish line still isn’t in sight.

With legs growing heavier by the second, I force my body forward. I kick off the turf with meticulous care—maintaining my lead, but without placing too much strain on myself.

From the endgame onward, I’ll be able to deploy my Domain.

The condition for me to open my Domain is likely proximity—feeling the heat of another Uma Musume within roughly one length.

The moment that condition is met, I can open my Domain and unleash even greater power.

But that, too, isn’t limitless.

Like "Anime Reincarnation," a Domain has a time limit.

A Domain is, in essence, an extreme state of concentration. Maintaining it without cheats places an enormous burden on a living being.

That’s why we Uma Musume can only remain within a Domain for about five to fifteen seconds.

After that, all we can do is carry over the speed and acceleration gained within it—and keep running.

Even at the maximum fifteen seconds, its duration is only half that of "Anime Reincarnation."

In distance terms, that’s just under 300 meters—about the same length as Nakayama’s famously short straight.

To charge through the final stretch in a full-throttle, all-out state…

I absolutely must conserve my Domain until I enter the homestretch.

And to do that, I need to keep rivals from closing to within one length behind me. I have to maintain my lead.

To win.

To reach the finish line faster than anyone else.

…

But in the end, that’s just the method that gets me to the goal the fastest from my current position.

In other words, it’s simply “the run with the highest win probability.”

If—

If, at this stage, that win probability were zero…

What… should I do then?

"Happy Meek launches her spurt here! The distance to the leader is now four lengths—has Silence Suzuka finally reached her limit!?"

"Special Week moves past Tokai Teio and follows Happy Meek—no, wait!!"

A chill runs through me, like my heart being seized in an icy grip, freezing my thoughts solid.

I saw it.

I shouldn’t have—but I did.

---

Beneath a beautiful, star-filled sky.

Dozens, hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands—perhaps even more.

Countless stars of every color stream past from behind a single Uma Musume.

Within that fantastically beautiful scene, she runs.

"As Japan’s number one Uma Musume."

Those pale violet eyes reflect neither rivals nor turf, but something far beyond.

Her lips, usually relaxed, are drawn tight with resolve. The girl who has become a lone warrior fixes her gaze solely on the place she must reach.

"This race."

And then, as if to propel her forward, the countless stars flowing past her back converge into a single point.

The glory she must attain.

The lone summit that lies beyond all others.

"This victory…!"

…True to her words.

She bears tens of thousands—hundreds of thousands—of dreams.

She runs, without stopping.

And in doing so… she believes—in herself, in her trainer, and in the entire world.

That is why a path opens before her.

A single road of gold—the king’s road.

"I will win!!!"

---

I’m going to lose.

The premonition of defeat—no, the certainty of it—

For the first time, is carved into my heart as fear.

"Special Week breaks free!! With an explosive acceleration, she blows past Happy Meek in an instant! The gap to Silence Suzuka is down to one length—two lengths to Hoshino Wilm!! We’re about to enter the final straight! The pack is right on their heels!!"

It was probably a sensation that no one but an Uma Musume could truly understand.

Special Week-senpai’s Domain was far too complete—perfected beyond measure.

If I had to describe it, it was a step beyond the Domain I had seen from McQueen-senpai at the Japan Cup.

Its beauty struck straight at my heart, to the point that I nearly fell into despair.

A world utterly refined, polished to its absolute limit—a literal “personal world” with nothing left to improve.

Nothing was lacking. Everything was complete. It was fulfilled.

Within that world, there was nothing that could hinder her legs, and the entire world itself was pushing her forward.

This was… the deepest depths of a Domain.

A supreme “self” that had made her own heart, soul, and this Domain—no, this “world” itself—into her allies.

…Could I defeat something like this?

Spec-senpai’s desire to win.

To be faster. Stronger. Perfect. Absolutely. No matter what. To defeat someone—anyone—at all costs. That blazing, overflowing fighting instinct.

Incredibly egoistic, yet at the same time incredibly sincere—those feelings of hers.

…No, that’s wrong.

It’s not about whether I can win.

I want to win.

No—…I will win!

Her footsteps closed in within an instant.

As if the massive lead I had fought so hard to build meant nothing, she stepped into the space just one length behind me.

At that moment, my own Domain expanded, pushing back against hers.

…Still, I’m not just going to let myself be beaten.

I kept stretching my legs desperately. That was how I managed to gain this much distance.

This place was already right around where the final straight began.

From here… I can make it. I’ll make it to the end!

…But.

At that moment, there was one thing I had forgotten.

Ayu-san had told me this before.

"That a domain can change its shape depending on the Uma Musume’s state of mind."

No matter how much you try to forget, to push it out of your awareness, or even how strongly you believe otherwise…

A domain reflects our hearts, like a mirror.

---

A world of starlight.

The domain of Hoshino Wilm, where countless stars shone down upon me, warming me.

And yet, the sight spreading before my eyes was different from usual.

There were certainly many stars.

Many people and Uma Musume were watching me, believing in me, loving me. That much hadn’t changed.

But…

Right now, one star was missing.

The first-magnitude star that had guided me… was hidden beyond the clouds.

"…!"

For an instant, that realization filled me with fear.

That star had always been by my side.

Supporting me. Guiding me. Walking alongside me.

That’s how I made it this far.

That’s why I can run now.

But…

Right now, in my world, that star isn’t there.

Even if I believe it will show itself again someday, that it will shine just as brightly as before…

The undeniable truth is that, in this very moment, I cannot see it.

"…Ah."

That truth was unbearably… cold.

A traveler who loses sight of the stars will never reach their destination.

And so, within this domain—this “world”—I can no longer rely on its help.

Understanding, reality, and that chilling coldness wrapped around my heart… freezing this body in place.

Just before that—

Thunk.

I felt my back being pushed by two hands—cold, yet somehow familiar.

"…No."

The past…

It’s something you can’t change. Something that can never be changed.

Even if someone once begged for help, and you couldn’t grant it, leaving them to die.

Even if you were born into this world as an aberration, and because of you, the family you loved fell apart.

Those facts are etched in stone, unchangeable.

Impossible to overturn. Impossible to atone for.

They may remain with us for the rest of our lives… or even beyond, if memories persist after reincarnation.

But…

But listen, Ayu-san.

If not for that past, we wouldn’t be here now.

No matter how painful, how heartbreaking, how cold and filled with helplessness it was…

It was undeniably an experience that shaped who we are now, and one of the reasons that led us here.

Even if the past was nothing but suffering… the present we live in now exists because of it.

And surely… beyond a present lived with all our strength, there lies a future.

That’s why I’ll carry the past with me.

It’s nothing to be proud of. I can’t be proud of the fact that, because of me, two families’ lives were thrown off course.

But even so, I’ll shoulder that worst of pasts for my entire life.

And as I walk forward into the future… you’ll be there. I know it.

"The star…!"

I reached out my hand.

Toward the direction of the star I glimpsed that day.

Toward you, who took my hand that night.

If a domain reflects an Uma Musume’s heart—

And if the past I’ve accepted is also contained within my world—

Then the future where you exist, where everything ends happily… that future must also be part of my world, right?

Far in the distance, the guiding star sparkled.

Beyond the thick clouds—it had always been there.

It simply hadn’t been visible until now.

The hope I needed to reclaim was definitely—

"There—it’s right there!!"

---

About three hundred meters remaining.

The instant I entered the final straight, my world burst open.

…It’s okay.

I know where I need to aim now.

If Spe-senpai walks the path of a king, then I will chase the stars.

That past, this present, and the future ahead…

They’ll guide me beyond the finish line!

"—GRAAAAAAAAH!!"

"Now then, we’re into the final straight, and the Uma Musume surge forward all at once!
Out in front is the Ashen Dragon, Hoshino Wilm, with Japan’s pride, Special Week, charging hard in pursuit!
On the inside we have Happy Meek and Silence Suzuka, with Mejiro McQueen right there as well!
And from the far outside—what a surprise, that’s Daisangen!? Closing fast behind is Nice Nature!!"

"Who will take the lead, who will seize their dream—no one can tell anymore!!
At the center of this miraculous stage, who will stand victorious—!?"

"Meeeeeeeeee!!!"

"I waaaant to wiiiiiin!!!"

"Hoshino Wilm and Special Week crash across the finish together—GOOOOAL IN!!
At a glance, it’s impossible to tell who took first place—what an unbelievable photo finish!!
This is… a photo decision! This year’s Arima Kinen will be decided by photo finish!!!"

---

"Kh—ha… haah… haa…"

My head wouldn’t work.

My body wouldn’t move the way I wanted it to.

After somehow managing to slow down, I collapsed onto the turf.

…I burned through everything—stamina, guts, resolve, raw strength—every last drop.

I’d passed my limits long ago. The world warped, faded to white, and nothing made sense anymore.

Somewhere in all that, it seems I crossed the finish line.

At that moment, she was right beside me.

Truly right there—crossing the line alongside me.

For just a second, I thought I’d won.

Maybe I was a few millimeters ahead. I think I was. I want to believe I was.

But at the same time, I thought I’d lost.

Surely she was ahead. With a run that beautiful, a world that flawless—how could she not have been?

"Haah… haah… h—khh, cough."

Whether it was my body heat or the lingering intensity of the race…

My body felt unbearably hot, yet strangely cold at the same time.

Trying to let some of that heat escape, I flopped onto my back.

"…Ah."

I naturally looked up—and froze at the sight of the cloudless sky above.

That blue… it stunned me.

What a beautiful sky.

I’d run all this way without ever really looking at it.

…I see.

I was so full of tension and excitement that I never had the breathing room—the余裕—to look up.

Ah… what a waste.

I wish I’d realized sooner that such a beautiful sky was right there all along.

"Wilm-chan."

Someone called out to me, and I shifted only my eyes.

There she was—hair the color of dark chestnut falling softly around her face.

…Crap, my head’s not working.

I know I should know her name… but it just won’t come to me.

She reached out her hand to me.

As a senior.

…Or maybe—as a rival. I’d like that better.

Still breathing hard, she spoke.

"Win or lose, there’s no regret left behind. It was an amazing—no, the best race.

Thank you for running with me."

…Haha.

If you say something like that, my chest’s going to overflow.

It’s… still too early to cry.

"Th-the pleasure… was mine too… the best… race… ever."

That was all I could manage to say as I grasped her hand.

"After a long photo review, the results are in!!

By a margin of just three centimeters, the one who claims first place and conquers this miraculous Arima Kinen is────!!"

---

After the winning live, I leave the stage.

Next, I’m supposed to meet up with Masa-san, who should be waiting in the dressing room, change into my uniform, and head home.

…Ugh. What a pain.

I don’t want to take another step, and yet when I get back I still have to eat dinner and take a bath.

I’m exhausted today.

Truly, completely exhausted.

Honestly, I kind of want to punch whoever decided we should do a live performance after the race.

Why on the same day—just hours later, no less!? My legs are shaking like a newborn fawn’s! At least make it the next day—the next day!

…Well, I get that doing it on the same day is better as a way to thank the fans for their support.

Still, isn’t there some way to make this a little easier?

…Probably not. That’s why it’s still like this.

Our exhaustion, weighed against repaying the fans.

If you put those two on a scale… then yes, the latter definitely weighs more, and in that sense, there’s probably nothing to be done about it.

Still, that doesn’t change the fact that tired is tired.

I don’t want to do anything today. I just want to go home and sleep.

That was what I was grumbling about in my head as I headed back toward the waiting room, when—

Suddenly, two legs appeared directly in front of me.

I don’t know who you are, but I’m exhausted right now. Please just move.

Too drained to even think properly, I reflexively tried to step around them—

And then, I—

"Hey. You. Stop."

I heard a voice I’d been wanting to hear for so long.

"Honestly, I rushed over the moment I woke up, and that’s the reaction I get…?

That kind of response hurts a little, you know.

Couldn’t you give me something like, I don’t know—‘I’ve been waiting for you,’ or something along those lines?"

…That voice.

"Well, sure, it’s obviously my fault for being asleep the whole time, and I get why you’d be sulking about it…

I mean, missing my trainee’s Arima Kinen is about as bad as it gets. Grounds for disqualification as a trainer, really.

About that—I am genuinely sorry. Let me apologize properly another time."

The voice, the way of speaking, even the way the topic drifted slightly off course…

It was all painfully familiar.

A voice I’d wanted to hear for so long—

And yet hadn’t heard even once in the past two weeks.

I almost lifted my head—

Then froze, a small twitch running through me.

What if I’m wrong?

What if it’s not the person I’m thinking of?

If I get my hopes up halfway and I’m wrong… I’ll be hurt. Deeply.

That fear stopped me.

But then—

"Wilm-senpai."

Along with that familiar voice—one that should still have been in the hospital—

my head was grabbed and forcibly turned forward.

And standing there was—

"…Trai—ner?"

"Yeah. I suppose, from your perspective, it’s been a while, hasn’t it, Hoshino Wilm."

He wore a slightly apologetic expression.

My trainer—

Horino Ayu-san.