Chapter 55: Mile Championship

The Classic season was finally drawing to a close.

The Three Goddesses watched Mithialx with gentle smiles.

Two full years had passed—of races, love, and the salvation of many Uma Musume. Through it all, she kept running.

Even the Three Goddesses themselves could not see Mithialx’s ending. Many hardships still awaited her on the road ahead. That much would be true even without the Goddesses’ intervention—and in truth, more and more Uma Musume would likely remain unsaved.

The path before her was steep and unforgiving. Yet surely, wherever she ran, light would one day overflow.

The Three Goddesses smiled and said: “Blessings upon Mithialx.”

Even without Taiki Shuttle’s presence, the Mile Race was alive with energy. Kyoto Racecourse was overflowing with excitement, the crowds so massive that entry restrictions had to be imposed. Fans unable to get in clustered around outside in groups.

“Whoa… I thought there’d be fewer people since Taiki Shuttle’s not racing.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. There are plenty of Uma Musume in this race who can go head-to-head with her! Lux won the recent Sprinters Stakes, so she’s getting a lot of attention too.”

“Yeah, I get that, but… it’s starting to mess with my sense of scale.”

I’d reached the G1 stage in the blink of an eye, and since almost every race Bourbon entered was a G1, my sense of what was ‘normal’ was starting to erode.

“There are definitely Lux fans in that crowd. You should be proud. Besides, from now on, this kind of race will probably be your new normal.”

“Yeah, you’re right. We might run a G2 or G3 for adjustments now and then, but that won’t be our main stage anymore.”

And that’s all thanks to Mihono Bourbon. Well—my own choice too, of course.

“So, how are you feeling?”

“Not bad… but not quite as good as during the Sprinters Stakes. I was in the best condition I’ve ever been back then.”

“I was shocked, honestly. Even the crowd was amazed.”

Thanks to training, it had become much easier to activate my unique field—I could more or less trigger it on command now.

But back then, it had awakened on its own—an unconscious activation, yet a perfect one, not like the unstable outburst the first time it had ever happened.

“Well, form always changes from race to race. It’s not like you’re in bad shape—just give it everything you’ve got.”

“Yeah. My racing outfit fits perfectly, so I don’t see any problems. All right, I’m off then.”

My trainer gave me a pat on the back as I left the waiting room.

The underground corridor connecting the racecourse facilities was astonishingly quiet.

Aside from the faint, distant noise drifting in from the entrance far away, there was nothing—almost enough to make me feel cut off from the outside world entirely.

Winter was near. Unlike the Sprinters Stakes before, the air around the venue was cold now—sharp, biting even.

“The main event of the day: the Mile Championship! First, the paddock introductions! The number of fans on-site has nearly doubled our estimates, and entry restrictions are…”

Stepping out from the chilly underground passage and into the sunlight, I found countless fans eagerly waiting for our appearance.

“Hey, what do you think’ll happen this time? We always make predictions, but lately these races have been impossible to call.”

“Tell me about it. I completely blew my guess for the Kikka Sho. Who’d have thought Narita Top Road would take it?”

“Yeah. She’d been running well but always felt just short of something. I figured she’d end up just on the board again.”

The sky was a clear blue. The weather couldn’t be better, and the track would almost certainly be rated ‘good.’

I pressed my foot against the turf—same familiar feel as always.

“Still, we can’t not make predictions. That’s half the fun for us fans.”

“Exactly. Skipping the predictions would be like throwing away one of the best parts of racing.”

The one to watch this time was, of course, Mihono Bourbon.

On Kyoto’s outer course lay the famed “Yodo Hill.” If anyone could take it on head-first, it would be Bourbon.

“Oh, first up—Polite Salute. I’ve seen her win a few G3s lately.”

“Yeah, she usually runs in open-class, G2, and G3 races, but I guess she couldn’t pass up the chance to be on the Mile Championship stage.”

“She’s the kind you can’t help rooting for—and she’s in good form, too.”

Her condition wasn’t bad, but it didn’t seem far off from what the pre-race data had suggested. Someone to watch, but not necessarily to mark heavily.

Watching her spin lightly in the paddock, I came to that conclusion.

Next up, replacing her, was Bridge Comp.

“Bridge Comp—she’s a front-runner.”

“Yeah. She came up just short in the Sprinters Stakes. Though honestly, keeping up with that lineup at all was already impressive.”

“Guess you could say her opponents were just too strong. But she’s outrun Taiki Shuttle before—you never know, this could be her moment.”

“True. Her G2 results have been solid. The only concern is that she’s better suited for shorter distances than the mile.”

Bridge Comp’s ideal distance leaned toward sprinting—something she was well aware of herself.

Same as me.

That’s why she knew how tough this race would be for her.

But there was no hesitation in her eyes. On the contrary—the fire of her fighting spirit burned brighter than ever, deep within them.

“Actually, I’ve been a fan of Comp for a while now.”

“So that’s why you were crying your eyes out after last year’s Sprinters Stakes?”

“Yeah… when she finally became a G1 Uma Musume, I couldn’t hold it in. I was so happy for her.”

Bridge Comp will be retiring from the Twinkle Series this year and moving on to the Dream Trophy Series. This race will most likely be her final run.

She might squeeze in one or two more before the URA Finals—but the odds are slim.

“Next up… Mithialx. The winner of the previous Sprinters Stakes and the reigning sprint queen.”

I stepped up onto the stage and struck my pose.

By now, it had become my signature—flipping my cape dramatically, then pointing to the sky. Yeah… this move always makes it feel real. Like, this is it—the race is about to begin.

“Judging by her record in the Mile G1 too, shorter distances really seem to be her forte. At first, I thought trying to close from behind in sprints and miles would be impossible, but…”

“Yeah, you don’t hear people saying that anymore. She’s been placing in the top ranks almost every time. I’m expecting another strong run today.”

“Same here. She strikes me as a real tactician. She doesn’t just run on instinct—that’s why she’s so consistent.”

“So basically, a Symboli Rudolf type, huh? That’s unexpected.”

Once my turn was over, I stepped back. Next up was King Halo.

My eyes drifted toward her—dressed in her familiar green and black racing outfit.

“…!”

Without meaning to, I flinched and took a step back.

For a moment, I could’ve sworn I saw a blazing fire burning deep behind King Halo’s eyes.

But when I looked again, it was gone. Maybe it was just my imagination.

“King Halo’s been called a coward before—for ‘running away’ by taking a different route from the rest of the Golden Generation…”

“Yeah, but that’s been changing lately. People have started realizing how insanely tough the sprint and mile divisions really are.”

“Right. These days, it’s more like she challenged herself instead of running away. Winning the Takamatsunomiya Kinen, and even when she doesn’t win, she’s always right there in the fight—that’s what’s changed people’s minds.”

Something’s different about King Halo today.

I couldn’t explain it logically—but if racing were ruled by logic alone, no one would ever struggle.

I took a deep breath and reset my focus.

“Her condition looks great… and her spirit’s fired up. I’d say she’s in for another strong showing.”

“She’s never won a Mile G1 before, huh? If she takes this one, her reputation’s going to skyrocket—but yeah, it’s a tough one.”

The next Uma Musume stepped forward. Eighth in popularity, if I remembered right.

She wasn’t in bad shape, but there was something missing—her energy just didn’t feel sharp. Probably going to be a rough race for her.

And then, she appeared—my greatest rival, Mihono Bourbon.

“…Whoa.”

“Yeah. She’s dead serious.”

Bourbon’s body was honed to absolute perfection.

Her racing outfit left little to the imagination, so you could clearly see how refined her build had become. It was… incredible.

There hadn’t been much time since the Sprinters Stakes, and yet she’d trained herself this far?

Even as I stood there stunned, I continued analyzing her.

“Her biggest strength is that her lap times barely change—flat or uphill, she keeps them steady. If she can do that on the Yodo Hill, her victory’s almost certain.”

“But come on, it’s Yodo Hill. No one can pull that off.”

“You shouldn’t assume that. Others have conquered it before—and who’s to say Bourbon can’t?”

“Well, yeah, but still…”

Bourbon’s form was truly extraordinary—but I wasn’t about to lose.

My racing outfit covered almost my entire body, so no one—fans or rivals—could tell how much I’d built up in training.

That was fine. What mattered was whether I could unleash everything I had when it counted.

I clenched my fists and focused my strength, reigniting my determination.

If I lost in spirit, it would already be over.

“Hey… what do you think? This just got a whole lot tougher.”

"Yeah..."

I swished my cape dramatically and left the stage behind.

Yeah, that’s right. I run to win.

Renewing that resolve, I made my way through the underground passage toward the main racetrack.

“Whew… yeah, this really is the best place to clear my head.”

The tunnel, sealed off from the noise above, was the perfect place to calm my nerves. It was long—very long—but that length was actually a blessing. It gave me time to slowly organize my thoughts while walking.

By the time my heart had fully settled, I stepped out onto the main track.

"And now, the moment you've been waiting for—the Mile Championship begins! This is the race that will decide Japan’s top miler! The stands are packed to capacity, with fans filling the venue to the point of entry restrictions!"

Hmm, the turf doesn’t look bad at all. Kyoto’s grass is known for being light, and with the track in good condition, this should be a pretty fast-paced race.

That said, the autumn race rush has been going on for a while now. The turf still bears the scars of those fierce battles, so course positioning will likely play a major role today.

"In third place on the popularity board, we have this horse girl—King Halo! A senior of the Golden Generation, with two G1 titles to her name!"

"Her G1 victories were in middle and short-distance races, but she’s yet to claim a win at the mile. This is her chance to turn things around!"

King Halo didn’t have the same fire in her eyes that she showed back in the paddock.

What was that earlier, then…?

"In second place, Mihono Bourbon! The classic-tier horse girl famed for her incredible front-running style!"

"Her breakaway speed is nothing short of extraordinary. Whether or not her rivals can catch her often determines the entire outcome of the race—that’s how dominant her pace is!"

With the warm-up runs finished, I headed for the starting gate.

"And now, the most popular pick today—Mithialx! Winner of the Sprinters Stakes and a double G1 champion!"

"Her specialty is explosive acceleration. Kyoto races often come down to acceleration battles, so this track should play perfectly to her strengths!"

Oh, so I’m the top pick this time, huh? Still, popularity doesn’t equal strength. Anyone who’s watched enough races knows that. A horse girl with almost no hype suddenly taking first place—well, that kind of thing isn’t rare at all.

"The weather’s perfect today, and the track condition is officially rated as ‘Good’! How will this affect the race?"

"With the turf in such good shape, speed will be more important than power. That said, Kyoto’s slope is steep—power will still come into play in the final stretch."

"So, in other words, it’s an ideal setup for horse girls with a solid balance between speed and power!"

Once I’m in the gate, this world belongs only to me.

I close my eyes—then open them again.

The colors drain from my vision, turning everything to monochrome. My hearing sharpens, every sound crisp and immediate.

"All gates are in—race start preparations complete!"

"It’s a mile race, folks—blink and you might miss it!"

All my focus narrows to the race. I can even feel the breaths of the other horse girls beside me.

The Mile Championship is about to begin. For me, this will likely be the last race of my classic-tier season.

Clink! The sound of metal scraping against metal rings out—and the gates burst open. The horse girls surge forward all at once.

"And they’re off! The race is underway! It’s Mihono Bourbon and Bridge Comp battling for the lead! Just as we expected from these two powerhouses!"

I explode out of the gate and settle into my usual stance.

The Mile Championship.

In this race, I would witness firsthand the true might of a champion.