Chapter 49: At Summer’s End

The Sprinters Stakes began with a ferocious burst of speed from Mihono Bourbon.

"Mihono Bourbon takes the lead! As expected, she’s setting the pace!"

Just as predicted, Bourbon seized the front position and confidently held it.

The Nakayama Turf 1200 meters is a course where most of the stretch runs downhill. Because of that, it often turns into a high-paced race. And that very “tendency for high pace” is precisely why they say a demon lurks in Nakayama.

A fast race gradually drains the stamina of the horse girls without them even realizing it. And right before the finish line, a brutal final climb awaits to sink its fangs into the exhausted runners.

"Leading the race is Mihono Bourbon, followed by Bridge Comp in second! Behind them, Duo Aspis and Cosmo Scraper are next in line!"

A small pack formed behind Mihono Bourbon.

But likely half of them would fall off before long. On a track like this, maintaining such a pace is nearly impossible—except for Mihono Bourbon and Bridge Comp, that is.

"And in the rear—it’s King Halo. Just behind her at the tail end is Create Send."

I quieted my presence even more than usual.

Using King Halo and Create Send as cover, I concealed myself to the utmost limit while preserving my stamina.

From the very back, I focused solely on watching for the right moment.

"As they reach the backstretch, the horse girls dash forward in unison! Mihono Bourbon still holds the lead!"

"What incredible speed! You’d never guess the turf is heavy from how powerfully she’s running!"

It seemed many of the horse girls were more unsettled by the turf condition than expected.

Among those in the mid-pack, some had already realized they’d misjudged their pacing, and a few were visibly falling behind.

"It’s only a short 1200 meters, but can they really maintain this pace and still have stamina left?"

"Compared to good turf times, it’s not that fast—but with today’s heavy ground, many will surely drop out before the end!"

They tore through the first furlong—200 meters—and entered the first turn.

From here until the final stretch, Nakayama’s course curves continuously. The gentle bends, the high pace, and the heavy turf steadily drain their strength.

"As they enter the corner, we’re starting to see runners lose rhythm! The pack is breaking up!"

Bit by bit, I began applying pressure from behind.

I won’t let them slow down.

Gradually, I shifted gears, raising my speed as I pushed forward.

"Oh, the rear pack is picking up the pace! King Halo seems to be getting a little heated!"

"My, it looks like the one at the very back has changed—Mithialx has taken the tail position!"

"While others are starting to ease up, the rear group chooses to go faster! Will that gamble pay off or backfire?!"

Even King Halo seemed to falter briefly amid the chaos.

But true to her title, the King quickly regained her composure and boldly committed to the high-paced race.

With a light tap-tap of her hooves, she kicked off and pulled away from Create Send, moving up.

Fine then—I’ll increase my speed too.

"The rear pack is accelerating again! King Halo breaks free!"

Like saying, “I’ll go on ahead,” King Halo sprinted toward the middle group.

She’s a mid-runner leaning toward the front—it’s a viable strategy.

Passing the 800-meter mark—four furlongs remaining—the battleground shifted to the flat stretch.

"Unbelievable pace for a race labeled heavy turf! And Mihono Bourbon shows no sign of fatigue yet—astounding!"

"Bridge Comp and Duo Aspis are watching closely for a chance to overtake, but can they manage it?! Their faces show exhaustion!"

The overall pace would probably slow from here.

The downhill-boosted speed would fade, and the wet grass and curves would gradually sap their momentum.

"We’re seeing major disruption among the runners! The pack is scattering—it’s turning into quite the mêlée!"

That one over there—she’s probably nearing her limit. The one next to her still has some stamina left, but not enough to climb the final hill.

Looks like King Halo’s the main obstacle after all.

"Mithialx is sticking tightly behind Create Send! The marked Create Send looks visibly uneasy!"

"That’s a lot of pressure! Create Send might be overextending herself!"

But first comes the one right in front of me.

I used her body as a windbreak to save energy while subtly adjusting the rear group’s rhythm.

Through my breathing, my presence, and my footsteps—I disrupted their pace while imposing my own.

Five hundred meters remaining. As we reached the second corner, I was ready to strike.

"This race has blazed along at high speed, and we’re already halfway through! No change at the front yet! Will Mihono Bourbon run away with it to the end?!"

Not a chance.

I pushed power into my legs and overtook Create Send in a flash.

"What?!"

The duel lasted only a heartbeat. She’d been forced into my rhythm all along. Now that her “pace-setter” was gone, there was only one outcome—collapse.

Riding the exhilaration of passing another horse girl, I surged forward, leaving her behind as I accelerated even more.

"Oh! The last position has switched from Mithialx to Create Send! Mithialx is making her move!"

"A very early spurt! But her acceleration seems duller than usual—perhaps the turf’s taking its toll?"

Four hundred meters remaining.

In the time it took to close that gap, I’d already passed several more runners—King Halo was now within striking distance.

But she noticed and began accelerating as well. Of course she would—yeah, I figured you’d do that!

Still, that too was part of the plan.

"Mithialx is closing in right behind King Halo! The two are pushing forward together!"

"They’re both coming up fast! What incredible legs!"

King probably realized it—she’s being used by my acceleration.

But if she didn’t speed up, defeat was inevitable. There was no other choice left.

I kept using her body as a windbreak while continuing to build speed.

Then, midway through the corner, I took a step outward, cutting toward the outside track.

"Mithialx drifts wide! Did she fail to handle the turn?!"

"No... wait, that’s—"

Three hundred and ten meters remaining.

Just before entering the straightaway, I shifted fully to the outermost lane.

After saving energy by tailing King Halo until the very last moment, I moved wide outside. That had been my strategy all along.

"She’s going for the outside! Mithialx is aiming for the far lane—what an unexpected play!"

"She’s known for her late surges from the outside, but to do it here..."

"On the inside is King Halo, and on the outside, Mithialx! Both are chasing down Mihono Bourbon and the front runners!"

"Nakayama’s stretch is short—you’ll need tremendous power and acceleration to catch up from here!"

My pupils narrowed sharply, and everything except Mihono Bourbon and Bridge Comp faded into monochrome.

With that, I poured strength into my legs and charged ahead.

Target—front row.

"Amazing! Mithialx is closing in fast—she’s nearly caught the front pack!"

"King Halo’s pushing up too, right behind Duo Aspis! These four are deciding the race!"

And then—two hundred meters left.

Here it came: the 2.2-meter steep incline.

"Duo Aspis can’t climb the hill! Bridge Comp’s struggling too!"

"King Halo looks to be in pain as well, but she’s holding on with sheer grit, still aiming for the lead!"

"And of course, when it comes to slopes, it’s these two! Mihono Bourbon doesn’t slow down! And Mithialx—huh?!"

The muddy, waterlogged turf squelched beneath my hooves.

I pressed down firmly—not to kick mud backward, but to solidify my footing.

Then, springing my ankles like coiled springs, I launched forward with a powerful thrust.

Every bit of recoil turned into forward motion. This was my secret weapon.

"She’s accelerating—she’s accelerating up the Nakayama hill, on heavy ground!"

"What a terrifying horse girl! To speed up here of all places—it’s beyond belief!"

I powered up the slope, drew level with Bridge Comp, glanced her way, then passed her.

Within that stretched-out sensation of motion, I controlled each stride, accelerating with precision.

Balancing my center of gravity, calculating the strain on every step—I drove straight for the lead.

And at last, I pulled even with Mihono Bourbon—!

"King Halo’s not giving up! She’s still coming! But will she make it in time?!"

"Mithialx draws even with Mihono Bourbon—oh, wait, Mihono Bourbon’s...!"

"She’s accelerating! Mihono Bourbon bursts forward too! Where was she hiding that power?!"

Bourbon surged ahead—as if she’d been waiting for this moment. Damn it, of course!

My improvised “Teio Step” had reached its limit. Without the same supple ankles, my acceleration couldn’t match the original.

So...

It’s time to use my true acceleration!

"Mithialx bites back at Mihono Bourbon! Who will come out on top?!"

"What an unbelievable duel!"

Sprinter Turbo.

Originally a technique meant for short-distance races, I’d adapted it for other lengths over time.

But this was a sprint. Time to show its true form.

With a strong push, I drove my entire body forward and lunged.

"They’re neck and neck! Neither giving an inch! The final stretch—two horse girls blazing toward the finish!"

With one last stride, we blasted past the goal post together.

What… happened…?

"They crossed the line almost simultaneously! That was unbelievably close! Who’s the winner?!"

"It’s nearly impossible to tell—their positions are dead even!"

I looked up at the results board. The word Photo lit up in red.

A photo finish, huh…? I waited for the result, nerves gnawing away at me.

Damn, I was so calm during the race—why am I shaking now?

"And now, the photo finish result—First place goes to Mithialx! Second to Mihono Bourbon!"

My number lit up on the board.

I… won?

It didn’t feel real. I just stared, dazed, until the delayed joy finally hit me.

So I really did win.

"Third place goes to King Halo! After an incredible battle, the victory belongs to Mithialx! Her second GⅠ title—and she’s now crowned the Queen of the Sprint Route!"

Cheers erupted from the stands. In response, I raised my arm high into the air.

This year’s short-distance races—this victory was mine. That gesture said it all.

"That was an incredible race. Hard to believe it was a short-distance one, given all the strategy and mind games involved."

I swished my cape and made my way toward the winner’s circle—time to fulfill my duty as the victor and address the fans.

Once the interview was over and I returned to the waiting room, I collapsed onto the sofa left there.

"L-Lux!? Hey, are you alright!?"

"Y-Yeah… Just, wow… That technique really takes it out of you… My legs are shaking like crazy…"

"Let me check for a sec, okay?"

Using the slipstream to accelerate and conserve stamina, grounding myself during the final stretch with that pseudo-Teio Step, and then finishing with Sprinter Turbo… I’d chained one technique after another in such a short span that even my brain was screaming for mercy.

If not for my “Personal Domain,” I probably would’ve passed out halfway through.

"Hmm, doesn’t look like anything’s broken. Let’s keep training light for a while, okay?"

"Yeah… please do… I’m completely wiped…"

"You did great. But I’m glad you won. Now you can finally call yourself a sprinter with pride."

"Yeah, I guess I can… I really won, huh?"

The reality of winning the Sprinters Stakes finally sank in, and I couldn’t help but smile.

"Hey, Trainer. I don’t think I could’ve done it alone. Manhattan Café taught me how to run. Agnes Tachyon gave me data. Sakura Bakushin O let me steal the secrets of sprinting. And Tokai Teio showed me a completely different style altogether."

"You’ve made quite a few friends, Lux. Hard to believe, considering how you were at the start."

"Don’t remind me. Then Mihono Bourbon gave me the meaning behind running, Bridge Comp and King Halo pushed me forward… and you—you supported me all the way here."

Yeah. That’s right. If even one of them had been missing, I probably wouldn’t have made it this far.

"So, really… thanks."

"Yeah. I’m glad too, Lux. I’m really glad I got to come this far with you."

Alright. I’ve said what I needed to say. Time for the victory live.

My legs are still trembling a little, but whatever…

Short-distance GⅠ—Sprinters Stakes. I’ll never forget this race.

And as summer came to an end, autumn arrived—an autumn of growth, progress, and resolve.

【Sprinters Stakes】

Mithialx Shines Bright, Claiming Victory with a Dazzling Final Burst

○ Month ○ Day, 18:12 – 96 Views

Mithialx raises her arm high, celebrating victory with the crowd.

Third favorite Mithialx captured her second GⅠ title since entering the Classic class. Hanging back early to gauge the pace, she began closing in during the middle stages, and in the final stretch made a bold move to the outside. From there, she surged forward in a spectacular burst, overtaking the leaders to seize victory.

Finishing second was race favorite Mihono Bourbon, followed closely by second favorite King Halo, making it a top-three sweep by GⅠ-class horse girls.

The margin between Mithialx and Mihono Bourbon was a mere nose, an incredibly narrow difference. When the word “PHOTO” appeared on the results board, a wave of murmurs rippled through the stands.

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