Chapter 74: Succession to the Throne

Just past the finish line, the gray filly collapsed to her knees and rolled her eyes back completely. Right before Apollo Rainbow hit the turf, Double Trigger’s arms caught her slender body.

“You did well.”

She had lost by a head, finishing second—but there was no regret. In fact, a refreshing exhaustion seeped through her limbs. Gently propping up Apollo Rainbow against the rail as the latter exposed a rather ungraceful figure unbefitting a winner, Double Trigger brushed her disheveled bangs back into place.

“…I hate to admit it, but it’s your win. That was a pretty good race.”

—This was her final run. Racing on unfamiliar Japanese turf, then pushing too hard in the final stretch had taken a toll on her legs. It was sad to think about, but after running for six years, she might have delivered the finishing blow to her already worn-out body.

Still, this wasn’t something to mourn. It was a show of respect to Apollo Rainbow. The idea of holding back had never even crossed her mind.

Her training had already shifted toward preserving her declining strength, but the steady march of time and recurring injuries had made it impossible to hide the deterioration any longer. Continuing to compete in the Twinkle Series would be beyond her limits.

She didn’t really want to retire. Even if her fire for personal glory had faded, she still wanted to chase the dream of elevating the long-distance category.

But now, Double Trigger thought, it was okay to step away. Because—

“Double Triggeeeeer!! Thank you for coming to Japan!!”

“You were amazing out there!!”

“Thanks for six incredible years!! We’ll never forget how you ran!!”

Look at that reaction from the crowd. This was a G2 race—how many cheers does long-distance racing usually get? Compared to even G1 races in Europe, this was no less impressive—no, it was a roar that could rival the Arc de Triomphe itself. With Apollo Rainbow at the center, the entire long-distance category was beginning to shift on a global scale.

The dream that had belonged to the horse girl known as Double Trigger had come to an end. But this gray filly—she might just be able to raise the status of stayers not only in Europe or Japan, but all over the world.

(Apollo… I saw a dream in you. It’s selfish of me, but I’m entrusting that dream to your back now.)

Double Trigger, victor of the British Long-Distance Triple Crown, would return to being an ordinary horse girl as of today. But that dream would live on.

“May blessings be upon you.”

Double Trigger brushed back Apollo Rainbow’s bangs and gently kissed her forehead. In that moment, a soft glow of the “Unknown Realm Zone” surrounded the two of them. The brilliant light flowing from the chestnut girl’s forehead streamed into the unconscious Apollo Rainbow.

The fragment of Double Trigger’s spirit found its way to the land beneath the solitary cherry tree blooming within the Unknown Realm Zone.

Drawing nourishment from the light-infused soil, the tree began to grow—bit by bit, ever so slowly. What Apollo Rainbow gained from that snowy land was only a glimpse of the mental world Double Trigger had cultivated over many long years.

It was but a fraction of the passion that this foreign girl had carried—but even that was enough to bring change to the tree.

In the falling snow, the oddly warped cherry tree was now imbued with a mysterious power. Supported by Double Trigger’s spirit, the distortion began to mend. A rival she’d truly connected with—her dream was now helping the cherry tree grow.

The part that shone brightest with Double Trigger’s light was the root of the tree. That light fortified the connection between the roots and the earth, giving the cherry tree a strength that wouldn’t falter, even in a raging blizzard.

And so, without Apollo Rainbow even knowing, the will of Double Trigger had been passed on. Yet the distorted cherry tree still seemed to have room to grow.

The moonbow shimmered, faint and hazy.

---

When I came to, the first thing that filled my vision was Double Trigger’s collarbone and racing bib. My consciousness had started flickering midway through the race, and the next thing I knew, the collarbone of a legendary senior was dominating my sight... Honestly, I had no idea what was going on.

But why am I seeing her collarbone? As I shifted slightly, I noticed something soft pressing against my forehead. That’s when my brain quickly processed the situation. Double Trigger was kissing me on the forehead.

"Oh? You're awake."

"Uh... y-yeah..."

Double Trigger gently pulled her face away and helped me sit up slowly. After giving a wave toward the stands, she took my arm and helped me to my feet.

The crowd erupted. A deafening roar rolled in from the spectator stands, loud enough to shatter eardrums. I guess everyone saw her gesture as her own way of honoring the victor—and they were right. It came through clearly that she was treating me with genuine respect.

Still, losing consciousness mid-race and only waking up after the finish... my memory’s all hazy. I do recall thinking I was seriously about to be “taken out” by Double Trigger, but beyond that, my recollection is fuzzy at best.

I remember right after the start, I was hit with relentless pressure from her. The moment she positioned herself behind me, a chill ran down my spine—like a cold hand had reached inside and was brushing against my heart. I couldn’t suppress the nausea and pounding heartbeats. Her pressure was overwhelming, almost enough to drive me insane...

...Oh, right. That’s it. I gambled because her brutal stamina-draining tactics had already shaved off a good half of my energy. I figured I’d be out of steam by around the 3200-meter mark, so I kept up a full-on breakaway, knowing full well what I was doing.

The goal was to force the other stayers into launching their long sprints early—I taunted them just enough at the right moment to make that happen.

A few seconds after that provocation, I blacked out. Somehow, I must’ve kept moving forward... and won without even being aware of it.

I vaguely remember how excruciating it felt, but the fact that I didn’t even register the outcome of my own race... it really drove home just how terrifying Double Trigger’s pressure was, especially for someone like me who prides herself on her stamina.

"By the way, Apollo. When I touched you just now, I felt something... strange. You don’t happen to know anything about that?"

"Um... not really."

"I see. Then never mind."

Following Double Trigger’s lead, I waved to the crowd with a big gesture. The scoreboard read:
1st - Apollo Rainbow
2nd - Double Trigger
with a winning time of 3 minutes 44.2 seconds.

I stepped off the turf, lightly touching the faint sensation that still lingered on my forehead. That kiss was probably just part of a cultural thing abroad. I’m pretty sure a kiss on the forehead means something like affection or blessing...

...Though I didn’t have the nerve to ask her what it meant.

Then again, maybe I didn’t need to. As long as I could feel that warmth growing in my chest, that was enough. That’s how I felt.

When I returned to the waiting room, Tomio greeted me with a mixture of relief and concern written all over his face. He kept pacing around me, arms folded or hands reaching out like he wanted to examine me or something.

He was sweating so much, it felt out of place for December. I muttered, “...I probably smell like sweat,” and put some distance between us.

Not that the smell was the only reason—I was also super embarrassed that the big screen had shown me crossing the finish line with my eyes rolled back and my face pale. Sure, even that messiness was a badge of honor, but... let’s be honest, finishing with the whites of my eyes showing? That’s not a heroic moment—that’s a comedy skit. I really wasn’t in the mood to face anyone right then.

"I don’t mind how you smell, Apollo."

"I do, though..."

"Yeah, fair. Still, no one’s gonna blame me for worrying, not after you collapsed like that. We’ve got the Winning Live coming up too—we need to check if you’re okay to sing and dance."

"I’ll go take a shower first."

"Huh? Oh, sure—just don’t take too long, okay?"

"Pervert."

"What?!"

Tomio never says it outright, but let’s be real—he’s definitely gotten used to how I smell after a workout. We’ve been working together for a year and a half, and summers especially... well, you can’t avoid it. And after big races, we’ve hugged like it’s nothing.

Still, a girl has her limits. So after getting cleaned up, I headed back to the waiting room. Since the timing was perfect, I also changed into my stage outfit and did a light touch-up with makeup.

"Welcome ba—whoa, you’re totally ready for the stage already. Unbelievable..."

"Come on! I mean, when else am I ever gonna get to sing and dance with Double Trigger?!"

"True, but you still look pale. Are you really okay?"

"I’m fine!"

"You sure...?"

"Yup! Look!"

I jumped up and down a few times and ran through a few dance moves. Tomio seemed convinced—reluctantly—and backed off with a sigh.

"More importantly, I figured out something I need to work on for the Arima Kinen. I think I crumble too easily under pressure when they catch up to me."

"Yeah... I was gonna bring that up later."

"So you noticed too?"

"Of course. But Double Trigger’s psychological warfare is top-tier—even globally. You won’t face pressure like that often. The rotation until Arima is tight anyway. Just take your time and get yourself ready."

After saying that, Tomio gave my head a light pat and stepped out of the room. The Winning Live was about to start.

Now that I think about it—can Double Trigger even sing in Japanese? The songs here have different choreography, lyrics, everything. Isn’t it super tough to perform overseas?

That worry was completely blown away the moment the show began.

Double Trigger sang in fluent, steady Japanese, and nailed the choreography of a song she’d never performed in Europe.

She was still world-class, no matter where she went.

And a few days later, the news of Double Trigger’s retirement came out. Without ever losing her dignity, she quietly left the Twinkle Series behind.

---

With the curtains drawn and the lights off, the room was bathed in a soft darkness. Grass Wonder stared intently at the footage of the Stayers Stakes playing on the monitor.

"…………"

She had watched it again and again, so many times that the footage seemed worn down. Her eyes were bloodshot, yet her expression remained absolutely, completely, exactly the same as always, as she methodically analyzed Apollo Rainbow's weaknesses.

(As I thought... Apollo-chan has reached a realm that cannot be attained without unwavering resolve. To still fight on after running out of stamina... That kind of tenacity is nothing short of remarkable.)

Though she'd lost count of how many times she'd silently admired her, Grass Wonder came to understand just how difficult it would be to devise a strategy against Apollo Rainbow.

First, there needed to be multiple escape-type Uma Musume to wear Apollo Rainbow down—and they had to start from inside positions relative to her.

On top of that, those escape runners had to be actively aiming to catch her; otherwise, she'd be left to run unchecked. The latter wasn’t too concerning—if she were allowed to run freely, the risk was far too great for anyone to ignore—but still, it meant that everything depended too much on luck.

To repeat a well-worn truth: if Apollo Rainbow draws gate 1, it’s over. She’d effortlessly pull away from the pack, and with stamina that seems almost limitless, her never-ending surge would carry her to a world-record-class victory from the front.

There’s a saying—do all that is humanly possible and leave the rest to fate—and Grass Wonder felt that was exactly the situation. Ideally, she herself would draw an inside post relative to Apollo Rainbow and apply pressure. But even as she thought that, she realized just how convenient that would be.

The real key may lie in the chaos right after the start. Since Seiun Sky had committed to running in the Arima Kinen, she’d no doubt keep an eye on Apollo Rainbow. It was unlikely she’d act exactly as planned, but even so, she’d likely take some of the edge off Apollo Rainbow’s performance.

Mejiro Bright, the Tenno Sho (Spring) champion, would also be running. She had a mysterious sort of aura that could unnerve front-runners. Apollo Rainbow would probably suffer just from her presence alone.

Mejiro Dober was known for her pressure in the final stretch. Unfortunately, that also meant Grass Wonder herself would be exposed to it.

And then there was Air Groove—a troublesome rival for Grass Wonder. Her pressure from behind was immense. Like Mejiro Dober, the longer distance might be a slight concern, but she wasn’t an opponent to be taken lightly.

Machikane Fukukitaru. She's built for long distances, and the Arima Kinen course was practically made for her explosive final kick. True to her reputation as a trickster, Fukukitaru was an unpredictable factor that couldn’t be ignored.

(...As long as the timing lines up—and the stage is set for Apollo Rainbow versus everyone else—then I have more than enough of a shot at winning.)

The Arima Kinen was the grand prix where the finest Uma Musume gathered at year’s end. Even people who had no interest in the Twinkle Series knew the Derby and the Arima Kinen—its popularity alone was proof. With even casual fans flocking to the track, it was clear that any Uma Musume racing here had to be elite.

In other words, it was easy to imagine that Apollo Rainbow, who would undoubtedly draw all of that top-tier attention, was in for a grueling race.

When you keep winning, everyone becomes your enemy. Just as that saying implied, even before the final lineup had been decided, Grass Wonder could already feel a wave of “anti-Apollo Rainbow” sentiment swelling among the competitors.

She forgot to blink, unaware even of how dry her eyes had become as she continued to stare at Apollo Rainbow on the screen. A transparent droplet trailed from the corner of her mouth and was about to fall to the floor—when she finally snapped back to reality and wiped it away with a fingertip.

The chestnut monster had, without realizing, begun to shape her own “zone.” Her desire to claim victory grew, and with it, an overwhelming pressure that seemed to shimmer with a golden aura.

A fierce determination blazed in her sapphire eyes, and the sheer intensity of her gaze radiated a savage presence in all directions. And it wasn’t just for show. Anyone caught in that glare would feel their vision narrowing—as though even their stamina were being drained.

—No retreat. What lived within Grass Wonder was not half-hearted. It was true, unyielding resolve.

With a faint awareness of that fact, she turned off the monitor and began to refine her inner “zone” even further.

And some days later, in the hallway of Tracen Academy—

By pure chance, Grass Wonder spotted the gray-haired Uma Musume and decided to call out.

"Good morning, Apollo-chan~"

"Oh! Morning, Grass-chan~!"

"Congratulations on the Stayers Stakes the other day. Your performance was simply mesmerizing."

"Eh, no, I mean... my eyes were rolling back in my head, it was kinda embarrassing, haha..."

"Not at all. It just shows how hard you were pushing. It was really cool, you know♪"

"Eh? R-really? Hehehe... thanks, Grass-chan!"

In the middle of their conversation, the chestnut-haired girl felt something ache in her chest. And once she noticed it, that ache only swelled. No... it wasn’t an ache. It was thirst. A wild, burning thirst.

Narrowing her eyes slightly, Grass Wonder watched as the gray-haired girl trotted off with a wag of her tail.

—I always try to stay calm and composed, but... there are urges I just can’t suppress. Still... I’ll keep them hidden until the big day.

Apollo Rainbow never noticed.

That beneath Grass Wonder’s gentle smile... a fierce, seething fury was waiting to be unleashed.