Chapter 40: The Decisive Battle! Satsuki Sho! Part 2

I squinted against the dazzling sunlight as I finally set foot on the turf. Before me stretched a sea of spectators, filling the massive stands as far as the eye could see.

『Thunderous cheers engulf the turf here at Nakayama Racecourse! Which of these girls will answer those cheers and claim them as her own!? Look at that gray-haired speedster — Apollo Rainbow — tearing down the home stretch like a bolt of lightning!』

『It’s a familiar sight, but… it still feels a little surreal, doesn’t it?』

As the parade entry finished up, the horses began their warm-ups almost immediately. I lowered my gaze while lightly jogging the course, checking the condition of the turf, especially that so-called "Green Belt."

Just as I thought — the inside lane had a beautiful, easy-to-run stretch of grass. But just a bit further out, the ground was rough and broken, the turf patchy and uneven. Go wider still, and you'd find another good stretch of clean, fast turf.

It was obvious even from a distance. The innermost three meters were a lush green, forming a vivid belt, while the rough zone beyond it had a dull, dirt-streaked color.

Every single horse girl doing warm-ups had their eyes locked onto the track. There wasn’t a single one who hadn’t noticed the "Green Belt." Some even went as far as to test-run both inside and outside the belt during their warm-up to feel the difference.

As the warm-ups and pre-race stretches wrapped up, the fanfare exclusive to G1 races blared across the stadium. A grand, stirring tune that anyone involved with horse girls would recognize immediately. My heart pounded; my vision tunneled in. They say in wartime, music was used to raise morale — and now, I finally understood how that felt.

『Under a cloudless blue sky, eighteen elite competitors, each representing the pride of their generation, have gathered at Nakayama Racecourse. A calm spring breeze mingles with the sharp tension hanging over the crowd. Over 100,000 spectators are holding their breath as the horses move into the gate one by one.』

The gates clicked shut behind each girl. I strode confidently into my own gate and placed a hand over my chest.

『Apollo Rainbow has entered from the farthest outside stall. Only Seiun Sky is left, hesitating at the gate... ah, she's in now! All starters are set — it’s time!』

— It’s fine. I have my Trainer with me.

Gritting my teeth, I planted my feet firmly on the turf. The burning fire inside me felt almost like rage, but my mind remained razor-sharp. I could see everything around me clearly. I lowered my hips, waiting in the heavy silence for the moment to spring.

Was it now? No, the next instant? Or the one right after that?

I sank even lower, gathering strength at my heels like a coiled spring—

『And now, the Satsuki Sho, the race to decide the fastest horse girl of the generation, is—』

—At the very instant I heard the clang of the gate opening, I launched forward.

『—And they're off!!』

The Satsuki Sho had begun. A roar of excitement swept through the crowd as a fierce battle for positions broke out.

『Flying out cleanly is Seiun Sky! Apollo Rainbow’s not backing down either with a brilliant start! The two take the lead to set the early pace!』

『The girls with backfield strategies got tangled up at the start. Looks like the battle for positioning among the pack will be intense!』

Having nailed my rocket start, I drove myself forward, burning energy to seize the lead. This race's makeup: two escape artists, seven frontrunners, five closers, and four late-runners. King Halo and Special Week should be among the closers. As for Seiun Sky — the other girl gunning for the lead—

—There she is! Looks like she nailed her start too. Running on the inside track, her eyes locked with mine. Since I’d started from the far outside, I boosted my speed, beelining toward the rail. We were practically neck and neck — Seiun Sky just barely edging ahead as we charged down the home stretch.

『They climb the slope — but the leader's not yet decided! Seiun Sky and Apollo Rainbow are fighting for it! The top favorite, Special Week, has latched onto the outside of the second pack! King Halo’s just ahead of her, keeping a close eye on the leaders!』

Thanks to all that hill training, I cleared the first slope with ease. But Seiun Sky, glued to the inner rail, refused to yield an inch and even accelerated. She’s just... built differently. Even though I was already at top speed, she kept right with me, looking like she still had gas left in the tank. No — she was starting to pull ahead!

(Not a chance—!)

I pressed in tight, close enough that our shoulders almost brushed. I shot her a glare that said loud and clear: I’m not giving up the lead. Not that I thought for a second Seiun Sky was planning to hand it over anyway.

『All eighteen girls streak down the home stretch! Seiun Sky holds a razor-thin lead on the inside! Apollo Rainbow chasing on the outside! Three lengths behind comes Little Trattoria, leading the main pack! King Halo running twelfth! Special Week right behind her in thirteenth! Destinate brings up the rear!』

At over seventy kilometers an hour, Seiun Sky and I battled side by side. Abandoning any plans of controlling the pace, she was now outright sprinting just to stay ahead of me at my record-breaking speed.

The first turn was fast approaching. Staying stuck outside the Green Belt on the rough ground was starting to seriously drain my stamina...

Determined to break this deadlock, I pushed harder, aiming to reach true top speed as we rounded into the turn.

But Seiun Sky wasn’t having it — glancing my way, she kicked into an even higher gear. Shocked, I leaned forward and broke into my signature all-out sprint, the "Apollo Rainbow Blitz."

I was stuck in second, running wide — but my legs were churning at a brutal speed. If Seiun Sky wanted to crush my rhythm, I'd push back with everything I had. No way I was letting her turn this into a slow, tactical race. Forget it, Seiun Sky. I’m way tougher than you think. Now be a good girl and hand over the lead—!

『Around the first corner they go, and the race heads into mid-stage! The battle for third and beyond has settled somewhat, but the fight for the lead is still raging fiercely! Seiun Sky keeps ramping up the pace under pressure from Apollo Rainbow — is she losing control?!』

『Hard to say. Could just be part of Seiun Sky’s strategy... But if it turns into a pure stamina contest, Apollo Rainbow’s got the advantage.』

Coming out of the first corner, Seiun Sky clung to a slim lead — just a head’s length. I closed the gap slightly, but every time I tried to slip in front, she immediately surged forward again, blocking me from taking the lead cleanly. She was using her inside position masterfully, squeezing out every advantage.

Frustration gnawed at me. No matter how much I pushed, Seiun Sky refused to let me through. Her face twisted in fierce determination as she clung stubbornly to the rail. The opening 200 meters were long past. We were coming out of the second turn, and the backstretch was looming ahead.

—She still wouldn’t let me pass. Even giving it my all, Seiun Sky clung to the lead with everything she had. And me? I was forced to keep running wide on the heavily damaged turf, bleeding stamina faster than I could afford.

“Guh— Why… why won’t you—!”

In a flickering, dazzling field of vision, a question began to surface. Why won't she let me take the lead?

Her specialty isn’t about charging ahead solo. It’s about controlling the race's pace, playing tricks on the horses ahead and behind her, and seizing command of the clock. With Seiun Sky’s ability, it would’ve made sense for her to let me take the front, let me run freely, and then spring her tricks and traps to snatch the victory away.

But this? This isn’t strategy. This isn’t anything. The meticulous plan we had built depended on me taking the lead first. All that preparation for handling pressure, all those meetings—gone, wasted.

I glare at Seiun Sky, who’s running just ahead of me on a diagonal. She notices me and glances down at the turf, eyes flickering.

And that's when I realize. The lane Seiun Sky is running on—it's slightly off from the inner rail. She’s outside the green belt.

That’s not the innermost course of the turf. There’s just barely enough space between her and the rail for a single horse to slip through—maybe. Which raises a huge question: why isn’t she running the shortest path?

If it were me, I would hug the rail as close as possible, shaving every inch off the distance. Could it be she’s afraid of colliding with the fence? ...No, that's not it. I’ve seen her races. Seiun Sky isn’t scared of brushing against the rail.

Then why――?

(Could it be――this girl――)

The thought slams into my brain like a bolt of lightning.

Of course. There is a reason to deliberately not run the shortest route, and to edge away from the green belt.

“――Seiun――Sky――!!”

This girl――she's positioning herself specifically to force me to run outside the green belt!

At Nakayama Racecourse, the green belt hugs the inner rail—a three-meter-wide strip of pristine turf. In other words, it’s barely wide enough for about one and a half horses. By not hugging the rail herself, Seiun Sky is pushing me out completely past the green belt.

This way, she gets to cruise along the most economical path while conserving her stamina, while I—the Apollo Rainbow she’s marking—am forced to run on the rough, uneven turf, damaging my legs more than necessary. She's even accounting for the fact that a high pace would naturally sap some of her own stamina, factoring it into her plan to dominate the inner course and the green belt’s advantage.

When she sees the dawning horror on my face, Seiun Sky grins mischievously, as if saying, Finally figured it out, huh? But just a second later, her expression twists, and she gasps sharply, sucking in air with a strained “kahyuuuh” sound. Looks like even she’s running closer to her limit than she thought—my pace must be faster than she anticipated.

『We're into the back straight after clearing the second corner! They pass the first 1000 meters――a blazing 57.8 seconds! An incredible pace! Keeping up with Apollo Rainbow is dangerous!』

『Needless to say, Seiun Sky looks strained, but even Apollo Rainbow seems to be suffering! Is it because she's forced onto the rougher part of the turf? Either way, this reckless pace――the two leaders might get caught later in the race!』

Watching Seiun Sky struggle to breathe, two options flash through my mind.

――First: Keep running outside the green belt, and risk burning through my stamina before reaching the final stretch’s uphill climb. That would almost certainly end in collapse. So, as bitter as it is, I could fall back and let Seiun Sky take the lead. Then I could slip back inside the green belt, conserve my strength, and gamble everything on the final sprint――that’s Option One.

――Second: I can't accept a race where I'm not leading. Every time I tried a holding-back strategy in a selection race or training, I crashed and burned. I have to stay in front. Which means――I'd have to risk everything, push my pace even harder, grind Seiun Sky down, and forcibly snatch the lead back――that's Option Two.

Both choices are full of risks. Option One’s danger is clear: if Seiun Sky starts blocking me while slowing the pace, or if falling back causes me to lose my rhythm entirely, I might never recover.

Option Two is no better: if I run out of stamina from pushing too hard, I’ll slow down catastrophically. If Seiun Sky digs in stubbornly and refuses to yield, we’ll both crash and burn. Even if I manage to take the lead, I might spend everything in the fight and be helpless in the final straightaway.

No matter which path I pick, it’s hell either way. The fact I was even put in this position is despair itself. Seiun Sky—the trickster—has backed me into a corner.

Which will it be? Which way do I go?

I look at Seiun Sky, still refusing to yield, and make my agonizing decision.

『Oh!? Apollo Rainbow slows her pace! Has the battle for the lead finally ended!? A big stir runs through the stands!』

『Perhaps she's conserving stamina? It doesn’t look like she's injured.』

The choice I made――was to fall back into second.

It was the worst gamble imaginable, but I picked the option with the higher chance of victory. Even if I could wrestle the lead away from Seiun Sky now, if I had no stamina left for the final sprint, it would mean nothing. Above all else, I had to avoid burning out.

I took a deep breath and slowed my pace. As I lifted my body and eased off the speed, I felt Seiun Sky's sharp gaze stabbing into me――and to my astonishment, she also began to slow down. No, it wasn’t just slowing――she was practically hitting the brakes.

What the hell――?

『Huh!? Seiun Sky’s slowing too!? After glancing at Apollo Rainbow, she inexplicably cuts her pace! They're still running side by side!』

In the end, Seiun Sky and I finish the back stretch side by side, both having eased off. She’s still running inside me, still glued to me like a shadow――matching my pace, step for step.

As we swing into the third corner, my mind spins in confusion.

I already gave up trying to take the lead. So why is she still sticking to me? Could it be――could it be that even after sensing I gave up the lead, she’s still reading my every thought and making sure――making damn sure――Apollo Rainbow never sets foot inside the green belt?

A chill runs through me. A colossal mix of dread, fear, hostility, frustration, and awe explodes inside my brain, tangling into a chaotic mess.

If that’s true――then what happens to me? What happens to Seiun Sky? I’ll lose. She’ll win. She’s going to win.

No. No, no, no, no, no. I won’t accept that. This is bad. This is really bad――the worst case. How could she even think to gamble this hard in the biggest race of all?

(Seiun Sky... you read everything... my strategy, my thoughts, all of it――)

Is this the true strength of Seiun Sky, the Trickster?

(But――I won’t accept it!! I won’t yield!! Not to Sei-chan, not to Spe-chan, not to King-chan, not to anyone!! Think, Apollo Rainbow!! You fell into her trap, fine――then fight your way out the best you can!!)

Even if Seiun Sky had seen through me—there was no way I was giving up. With my brain teetering on the edge of oxygen deprivation and despair, I forced it into overdrive, searching desperately for a way out of this situation.

Since she wasn’t letting me run inside the green belt, I had no choice but to ease up on my pace to conserve stamina. Naturally, Seiun Sky lined up beside me. By slowing down, I had created a slower pace for the race, giving her a chance to catch her breath. The tempo of the Satsuki Sho was now, without a doubt, completely under Seiun Sky’s control.

The other Uma Musume, expecting a murderous high pace thanks to the presence of the runaway Apollo Rainbow, hadn't anticipated the slowdown. As they noticed Seiun Sky and me dropping back, they too began to ease their pace to avoid clashing with us. Without realizing it, we had fallen right into Seiun Sky’s trap—a trick too subtle to notice until it was too late. She had used both Apollo Rainbow and the green belt against us, executing a daring strategy that had drawn the title of the Satsuki Sho firmly into her grasp.

But—I still had moves left. Six hundred meters to go. Move without regret. Think. Find that light leading to victory! I had to catch her at this final corner and then break away for the win.

It was in the very moment I thought that, as I hit the fourth corner—

—a tremendous chill slashed across my nape and down my back, as if something had torn into me. Instinctively, I knew: this was someone’s Domain Zone. But it was too late to react. The source of that fear—was Seiun Sky, running right in front of me.

"—Ugh!!"

Something was coming. Something terrible—a surge of overwhelming power. Driven by instinct, I tried to latch onto her back, but everything was too slow. My vision twisted. A black miasma, pouring from Seiun Sky’s whole body, began to swallow up my limbs. That strength—those fierce emotions—began to erode me.

Then, from within the darkness, a brilliant light shone through. Emotions, pure and intense, flooded into me through the black mist. She showed me her world. No—she bewitched me with it. Seiun Sky’s mental landscape unfolded before my eyes: a vast ocean, stretching to the horizon. At its center, a lone raft floated in isolation. Seiun Sky sat atop it, eyes closed, her fishing rod firmly in hand. Without hesitation, she lifted her rod—and reeled in a giant catch.

It burned into my mind: Seiun Sky’s fierce will to seize a breathtaking victory, catching everyone off guard. And yet—beneath it, a deep anxiety born of her own perceived lack of talent. Despair. And in that abyss, the hope she had found: memories of her grandfather.

The radiance of it all was blinding—and for a single instant, it froze my body in place.

—【Angling × Scheming】—

"――Grandpa――"

In that split second, Seiun Sky murmured something, then leaned forward, launching into her final sprint from the tail end of the last corner. Startled, I hesitated, missing my chance to react. I could only chase desperately after her, with no clear plan in mind. Dazzled by a Domain Zone brilliance on par with Mejiro McQueen’s, I was left completely stunned. That hesitation—this tiny gap—might be the difference I'd regret for the rest of my life. Gritting my teeth, I plunged into the final straightaway.

『They're out of the fourth corner and onto the home stretch!! Only 310 meters left! Nakayama's straight is short! Leading the charge is Seiun Sky!! Apollo Rainbow is a bit behind, followed by King Halo!!』

Coming out of the final corner, Seiun Sky held a two-length lead in first. I was in second. King Halo had climbed up to third, about two lengths behind me. I could also see Special Week moving up from sixth.

At last, I stepped into the green belt. It was only a slight difference, but the better traction made it noticeably easier to run. I could catch up—no, I would catch up. Mustering every ounce of strength I had left, I kicked into an all-out sprint. Luckily, because of that earlier slowdown, I still had just enough stamina for a final burst. The uphill stretch was going to be the real test—but I'd have to rely on my sheer grit to overcome it.

With Seiun Sky right in the center of my vision, charging up the looming hill, I began my climb. This wasn't like any final sprint I'd done before. The pace, the rhythm—everything was different. Even so, for the glory of the Satsuki Sho, I had no choice but to run.

—Apollo, lift your knees higher! You won’t make it up Nakayama’s hill half-hearted like that!!—

My trainer’s words echoed in my mind. Just 180 meters to 70 meters: a ridiculously short distance. And yet, I had spent so long training just to conquer this brief stretch. How many steps would it take? Ten? Twenty? I had calculated and simulated it over and over—clearing this hill meant mastering Nakayama itself.

—I can’t fight on the turf myself. From here on, you’ll have to fight alone. But I’ll always be running right beside you.—

I climbed. And as my body threatened to collapse, a mysterious force pushed me onward. I wasn’t truly alone. I had someone’s hopes running alongside me. The moment I realized that, my exhausted legs spun back to life—and I surged forward with breathtaking acceleration.

Seiun Sky’s back was in sight. I was ready to draw even. Behind me, King Halo was charging with terrifying speed, though it seemed she had lost her Domain Zone glow. Even without it, her momentum was incredible, closing the distance between us.

『They pass the 200-meter mark! Seiun Sky leads!! The gray trickster races for the Satsuki Sho crown, pumping her arms furiously!! But the one trying to stop her—also gray!! Apollo Rainbow is kicking into high gear!! She’s closing the gap fast!! It’s anyone’s race now!!』

Then—something unexpected happened. Seiun Sky’s pace faltered. Her upper body wobbled, and her once-rapid legwork began to crumble. Her speed visibly dropped.

Of course. Even Seiun Sky had stayed with me through my breakneck pace along the backstretch. Her stamina had to be more drained than she’d anticipated.

Until now, I’d been dancing helplessly in the palm of her hand, feeling nothing but despair. But now—now a ray of hope pierced through. Letting out a shout, I hurled my accelerating body forward, diving to the outside to overtake her. I burst onto the torn-up turf, kicking up clumps of earth that soared far behind me. And with every flying clump, my body rocketed further ahead.

"UaaaaaaAAAAAAHHHHHH!!"

The two-length gap shrank to one length—no, half a length. Gritting my teeth through the sharp pain stabbing my chest, I glared at Seiun Sky from the corner of my eye. She, too, was fighting with everything she had—her chest thrown out, roaring between desperate, gasping breaths.

Both Seiun Sky and I were already far beyond our limits — no, we’d crossed that line long ago. If either of us let our guard down for even a second, the other would seize the opportunity. We kept running, locked in a tension so tight it felt like we could snap. And neither of us had the slightest intention of giving up. One of us was determined to catch up and overtake; the other was desperate to hold the lead to the end. Our fierce wills clashed head-on.

But the toll from running across the battered turf was merciless. My stamina had been scraped down to nothing. After covering nearly 1800 meters outside the Green Belt, my legs were no better than sticks now, barely moving with less than 100 meters to go.

『Apollo Rainbow is closing in on Seiun Sky!! Will a rainbow arc across the blue skies of Nakayama!? These two champions are locked in a life-or-death battle!! And here comes the junior class champion from way outside!! The green silks are flying over the turf!! King Halo refuses to surrender the throne!! Meanwhile, fan favorite Special Week is struggling in fourth!!』

Before I realized it, King Halo had charged up right behind us. Just one length back. Her explosive late speed was as terrifying as ever. But with less than 100 meters left, she wouldn’t quite make it in time.

In the end, it was just me and Seiun Sky. The trickster who ruled the race like a hidden tyrant, versus the stamina monster who knew nothing but how to run away. The Satsuki Sho, from beginning to end, had been a showdown of pure stubbornness — and between us, the gap was no more than the length of a head.

"I won’t... lose to youuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!!!"

Pouring everything I had into stretching my neck forward, I hurtled toward the Satsuki Sho finish post. Just 50 meters to glory. My throat was parched and ready to tear apart. My knees screamed in agony. I couldn’t even feel my fingertips anymore. Sweat stung my eyes, blurring my vision. Everything looked red. It hurt. It burned. But I still had to go faster —!

『50 meters to go!! Seiun Sky and Apollorainbow are neck and neck!! It’s a battle of head bobs!! Who’s going to get there first!? Keep fighting, Apollorainbow!! Hang in there, Seiun Sky!!』

Finally, Seiun Sky and I were side-by-side, glaring at each other. She was gasping, gritting her teeth, barely clinging to consciousness. Now that I had caught up to her, I could see it clearly — her face twisted with despair.

But—

"The Classics... The Satsuki Sho... They're mineeeeeeeeeee!!!"

Seiun Sky’s scream, half a cry and half a roar, somehow gave her another burst of strength. Was it the remnants of her 'Domain Zone'? Or her sheer willpower? Maybe both.

It was a final, desperate sprint from the depths of her soul.

Throwing everything she had into it, her voice raw with the effort.

And the two of us, tangled together in the fight, crossed the finish line at the same time.

『Goal!! Apollorainbow and Seiun Sky cross the finish together!! Seiun Sky might have a slight advantage!! It's going to a photo finish!!』