Chapter 17:

[Fujimori Special Race with a total prize pool of just under 4 million yen. Here we go! The Uma Musume enter through the gate one after another.]

Just as the race was about to start, Rudolph, having taken the subway to a racetrack near the capital, found a spot in a fairly empty lot.

"Conditional races, I guess...?"

I haven't watched much graded stakes racing lately, so it's been a while since I've seen one. Pulling the black baseball cap he'd brought along for camouflage even lower, Rudolph surveyed the 14 Uma Musume crossing the track.

"None of them stand out."

They're probably rookies hoping to take on the graded stakes. I've seen a few Uma Musume at school, but they're not particularly impressive. In other words, they're too worrisome.

 Rudolph's gaze, moving from side to side, suddenly fell on a little girl with long, gray hair.

"...a sensation."

It's said that a strong runner knows another strong runner. Beyond mere physical perfection, a strong runner possesses a unique aura that lingers.

It may sound quite strange to the average person, but at least Rudolph felt it firsthand. The more he looked at the girl, the more intensely aroused he was by the sensations he'd felt from his former rivals.

A childlike figure, dressed in a standard gym uniform. Her gray hair was tied back with a red headband. And above all, the deep blue aura surrounding her, her fighting spirit (B).

No matter how much he searched his memories, it was a completely unfamiliar face. However, if he had seen an Uma Musume like that, there would be no way he would forget it. And the gray hair? Had an Uma Musume ever existed with such intense gray hair? She looks young, so she's probably a first-year student at the academy, but her spirit is too powerful for a mere first-year student. Just by standing still, she's captivating. An imposing and overwhelming presence. Rudolph unconsciously salivated, overwhelmed by the tension, as if he were right there.

It wasn't fear. What gripped his heart was an absolute fighting spirit. Rudolph's eyes widened as he suppressed those emotions. No matter how long he'd been away from racing, he couldn't believe he felt this kind of excitement in a contingent competition.

[Door open! Each Uma Musume... Ah, Saber Jet No. 9! I tripped at the door!]

The sky, which had been clear and clear until they boarded the subway, was now covered with dark clouds. Although it wasn't raining, the wet grass wasn't ideal for running. It was easy to get tangled in the damp earth and slip.

 Perhaps that's why the race was running at a slower pace than usual. The gray-haired girl Rudolph was keeping an eye on was saving her energy in the back row.

"Why aren't you moving?" "You're not moving. You could have passed me and left me behind a long time ago."

Finally, the second corner arrived, and there was still no noticeable change in the standings. The pale girl had simply surged ahead, now nestled in the middle group.

Was she calm? According to Rudolph's assessment of her abilities, she had already made up ground. Although she was bumping into Uma Musume for the first time today, she certainly wasn't at the level of being held back in the preliminaries.

Soon, the leading group reached the third corner. The girl was still a few lengths behind, and Rudolph, with his arm crossed, nervously touched his other arm.

My heart was pounding, as if I were running. But if this were the girl's calluses...

[At that moment, Uma Musume, her gray hair flying, charged from the outside! Tamamo Cross, Tamamo Cross!]

There are four driving strategies in the race. There are three strategies: "escape" (avoid physical contact as much as possible and aim for first place from the start); "Leading" (mainly advancing) (mainly advancing) (mainly advancing and advancing first), which maintains a comfortable position and then looks for an opportunity to attack in the middle and final stages; and finally, "chusing" (sprinting from behind).

Generally, the strongest strategy in racing is considered "leading." Known as a strategy designed to win, it is also the safest, and in fact, the vast majority of Uma Musume employ it. Rudolph's seven crowns were undoubtedly aided by this strategy.

On the other hand, the most difficult and ferocious strategy is considered "chusing." While this strategy, which involves conserving stamina and then attempting a comeback at the end of the race, is full of fantasy, it often proves irrelevant.

Of course, as the level of racing increases, the difficulty of overtaking increases exponentially. Furthermore, because it requires enormous acceleration and leg strength, most Uma Musume don't even attempt it. But even so, every now and then, just once in a while, there are Uma Musume who become famous for their chasing strategy.

The most representative example is:

"A fight...?"

As soon as they reached the third corner, a gray figure shot forward at lightning speed, and the question escaped his lips. Rudolph, who had somehow gotten up from his seat, stared at the field.

He rubbed his eyes and looked back at the track, at the girl, but they were still completely different. Everything from their hair color to their complexions was different. With her dark brown hair and mature figure, they were nothing alike.

But why? Above the gray girl, Rudolph gritted his teeth and saw her chasing after him.

[The one leading the pack is Tamamo Cross! A crushing race! A truly crushing speed that brooks no resistance! Will she try to follow in the footsteps of her mother, who was nicknamed "White Lightning"?

In the blink of an eye, the girl passed the third turn and reached the fourth. The gap to the second-place finisher was approximately seven lengths. It was already too close to predict the outcome.

Moreover, the gap wasn't narrowing, but rather widening. The girl charged toward the finish line, maintaining a huge gap over the leaders. A truly overwhelming display of violence.

Rudolph unconsciously clenched his fists. It hadn't been a particularly close race, nor had the overall level of the race been particularly high. Nevertheless, the race was enough to make the spectators' blood boil. That dangerous, understated technique.

It was as if he were witnessing the peak of Mr. Sibi, who had won the Classic Triple Crown before him.

[Today's winner is number 5, Tamamo Cross! After a crushing seven-length victory in the last race, today's victory is eight lengths! Unbelievable!

Yes, truly unbelievable, is all that comes to mind. This is enough to easily win a mid-stakes race.]

[And it's even more surprising when you realize he's not a Tressen Academy student!]

Distracted, the race ended.

Rudolph pricked up his ears, catching the commentator's words as he passed by.

Author's Note

Tamamo and Mr. Sibi are not particularly related. Tamamo's father is named Sibi Cross, but there doesn't seem to be any significant blood connection. Instead, they both employ similar strategies.