Chapter 56: The Dirt-Covered King

Right after the race began, as always, Mihono Bourbon shot out with explosive speed, sprinting straight for the lead.

But there was one thing different this time.

"An intense battle for the lead between Mihono Bourbon and Bridge Comp! It’s not going to be business as usual for Mihono Bourbon today!"

"Bridge Comp seems to have chosen the strategy of ‘never surrendering the lead’ as her countermeasure against Mihono Bourbon!"

"Who will take the front!?"

From my usual spot near the rear, I watched the fierce clash unfold at the front.

Bridge Comp was blocking Bourbon’s every attempt to pull ahead while desperately gunning for the lead herself. That kind of maneuvering wasn’t something you could master overnight. You could feel the sheer determination Bridge Comp had poured into this race.

"Is Bridge Comp struggling!? But the two frontrunners—Bridge Comp and Mihono Bourbon—are neck and neck! This is something we’ve never seen before!"

To be frank, Comp’s stamina can’t compare to Bourbon’s. It’s a simple matter of distance aptitude.

If one could visualize their stats side by side, the most reasonable move for Bridge Comp would be to stick just behind Mihono Bourbon, conserve her energy, and try to overtake at the very end. But at the same time, it would become painfully clear that such a plan was im-pos-si-ble. Safe, sure—but her chance of victory would be next to none, while her odds of finishing near the top would be high.

For Bridge Comp to beat Mihono Bourbon, her only option was to keep running in the lead. No matter how slim that chance was—no matter how punishingly difficult it might be.

"Bridge Comp’s expression is tightening! But Mihono Bourbon doesn’t look like she’s having an easy time either!"

"The two of them are dragging the rest of the pack along—the pace is picking up even in the rear!"

Only 200 meters—barely one furlong—had passed, yet the duel at the front was already fierce enough to make you forget that fact.

Whenever Bourbon tried to inch ahead, Comp would lean in and block her. And when Comp tried to seize the lead, Bourbon would accelerate and shut her down.

This tug-of-war would only end when one of them burned out.

"Mihono Bourbon takes the front! Bridge Comp chases after her! Bridge Comp fights her way forward! Bourbon counters and closes in again!"

"But this front-line battle can’t last much longer. Up ahead looms Kyoto Racecourse’s most infamous feature—Yodo Hill!"

"Can the two escape runners maintain their momentum up that four-meter incline!?"

Yodo Hill—located on the outer turf course at Kyoto—is infamous. A 400-meter stretch rising four meters in elevation, it saps every ounce of strength from the Uma Musume who tackle it.

Honestly, whoever designed this hill has a cruel streak. And to make it worse, it’s more than 600 meters from the goal line. Isn’t that a little much!?

"The key point will be how each of them prepared for this hill."

I’d thought up a few strategies myself—but honestly, I wasn’t even sure any of them counted as strategies. In the end, all I could do was conserve stamina for the climb.

"Trailing just behind the front are Polite Salute and Shorty Shot. Looks like they’re barely managing to keep up with the two leaders!"

Holding my breath, I scanned the track ahead. The one I was watching for most carefully, of course, was King Halo.

She hadn’t made a move yet, keeping to her standard textbook run. But something inside me screamed stay alert. Every hair on my body stood on end, and my focus kept drifting back to her.

A tingling sensation crawled up the back of my head.

But with her holding steady, there wasn’t much I could do—other than apply a bit of pressure and stay ready to react the instant she made a move.

"Leading the second group is King Halo! She’s maintaining an excellent position with light, confident strides! This could turn into something big!"

"She’s clearly saving herself for Yodo Hill. For a closing-type runner, that slope can be both a hurdle and a powerful ally."

At Kyoto’s 1600-meter course, escape runners rarely win. By contrast, late chargers—those who come from behind—boast higher success rates.

And it’s all thanks to Yodo Hill.

In Kyoto, the entire course can be summed up in that one slope.

"At the very back is Mithialx. As expected, she’s holding her usual position."

But there was little movement across the field. The two leaders’ blistering pace had dragged the entire pack faster, leaving everyone gasping for breath.

"The pack enters the backstretch! The Uma Musume are lining up their positions! Here it comes—Yodo Hill! Who will crest the slope and claim glory beyond it!?"

"With this hill, you’d think powerful runners like Mihono Bourbon or Mithialx would have the advantage, but things won’t be that simple."

Looking again, the sheer brutality of Yodo Hill became obvious. The sudden appearance of that incline on an otherwise flat track—just the sight of it would crush a tired runner’s spirit. Tackling this in a long-distance race? That’s just insane…

"Mihono Bourbon and Bridge Comp are on the slope! What will happen here!?"

"Looks like… Mihono Bourbon is edging slightly ahead!"

"As expected, this hill is her domain! Mihono Bourbon is strong—so strong!"

Bridge Comp, who’d held on so long, couldn’t withstand the Yodo Hill. Her pace began to falter, little by little.

She slid back, and Bourbon claimed the lead.

Honestly, the fact she lasted this long deserves praise. Going head-to-head in a speed duel against Bourbon—it’s brutal.

"Incredible… Mihono Bourbon hasn’t exactly avoided slowing down, but since every other runner is fading faster, she looks like she’s still at full speed!"

Four hundred meters—two furlongs down. From the back, I too reached the foot of Yodo Hill.

The sudden strain on my legs drove home just how merciless Kyoto’s course really was.

I pushed myself up the slope, drawing on the stamina I’d saved until now—but my pace was slower than usual.

"Mithialx is moving up! Is this an early sprint!? But can she hold that pace!?"

"She’s not exactly lacking in stamina, but there’s still 1,200 meters to go. She might be overextending herself here."

I climbed without easing my pace. Normally, that steady drive would be my strength—but this time, it was backfiring.

The goal was still far ahead, yet I’d already surged past the rear pack and into mid-field.

Damn it—didn’t expect this! The others are fading faster than I thought!

"Mithialx has advanced to mid-pack! The other Uma Musume are struggling to keep up!"

"Yodo Hill’s proven even harsher than expected! And up front, Mihono Bourbon is pulling away! What a phenomenal run!"

"Truly, a child of the hill!"

I charged upward, King Halo in my peripheral vision. At this point, all I could do was keep pushing until I couldn’t anymore.

If I slowed down here, I risked losing my rhythm completely.

I positioned myself near the front of the middle group and held that spot.

Fortunately, the others behind me were completely drained by the hill—few had the energy left to chase.

"Mihono Bourbon has conquered the peak of Yodo Hill! It’s downhill from here! Is there anyone who can catch her!?"

Mihono Bourbon hit the downslope and instantly began accelerating, momentum on her side.

Normally, she’d keep her pace steady—but not this time. She was making up for the time lost on the climb.

Damn it—can I reach her!?

"And now the others are cresting the hill! How much acceleration can they squeeze out of this descent? That will decide the outcome of this race!"

"On the climb, they cover 400 meters, but on the descent, only 200 meters. Whether a runner can handle this steep downhill is also crucial to conquering Kyoto."

At first, I thought breaking into mid-pack was ‘bad luck,’ but it wasn’t. Had I stayed at the back, catching up to Mihono Bourbon would have been impossible.

I shook off the phantom image of King Halo that flashed through my mind.

With 800 meters remaining, I began accelerating, taking advantage of the downhill.

"Whoa! Mithialx is surging! Using the slope to accelerate!"

"She’s breaking out from mid-pack and closing in on the leaders. That’s not typical of her style—but given Kyoto’s course, it makes sense."

"But can she actually catch Mihono Bourbon up front!?"

Downhill running is trickier than it seems. It’s not just a convenient stretch to gain speed.

It’s not about using it to accelerate—it’s about being forced to accelerate. Without conscious effort, your form can falter, sapping more stamina than usual. That’s what a downhill slope does.

And being forced to accelerate inevitably makes it harder to take corners properly.

"Whoa, Mithialx drifting wide! Kyoto’s turns three and four are notorious for runners losing control at high speed."

"Even those behind her are drifting wide! The pack is in chaos—a total free-for-all!"

I’m relatively good at corners, but running down Yodo Hill while holding the line proved tough.

I made a decision: I’d go wide on the final corner and sprint to the outside.

"Here comes the final corner! 600 meters to the finish!"

Kyoto’s final straight is about 400 meters. Maintain the speed here, and I could launch everything on the flat stretch toward the goal!

"Up front is Mihono Bourbon! Two lengths back is Bridge Comp, another two lengths back are Polite Salute and Mithialx!"

Though I had Bridge Comp in my sights, closing in here would be a clear mistake.

I analyzed the leaders as we took the corner. Bridge Comp and Polite Salute were already breathing heavily—soon they would falter. But Mihono Bourbon? Her breathing was calm, steady. How was that possible!?

"The leaders round the final corner into the stretch! Mihono Bourbon still ahead! Can she hold on all the way!?"

"I didn’t expect her to maintain her lead after Yodo Hill… everyone behind is slowing, the atmosphere is tense."

"Huh?"

Suddenly, I felt a tingling down my spine. That prickling sensation I’d noticed since running down Yodo Hill—it was approaching.

The sound of hooves pounding the turf reached my ears.

"K-King Halo’s coming up!? Using the downhill to accelerate, she’s closing in fast! But does she have the stamina!?"

"This is…"

400 meters remaining in the final stretch. The tingling fear and urgency grew, and she was right behind me.

King Halo was coming. My breathing quickened, my legs felt heavy. Damn it—I didn’t expect to feel this pressure in the real race as I did in practice!

"Mithialx can’t gain! King Halo is closing in!"

"The leaders Polite Salute and Bridge Comp are fading. This might be impossible!"

"No—Bridge Comp is holding on! Incredible guts!"

I wouldn’t lose. I forced my heavy body and mind forward, pressing hard into the turf with every step. Using the packed grass beneath me as springboards, I pushed forward, converting ankles and legs into catapults for acceleration.

But even that wasn’t enough. My vision blurred white, and a violent surge of speed hit my body.

"Amazing determination from Mithialx! She’s passed Polite Salute! But King Halo isn’t backing down either!"

Even so, King Halo had the edge. Pressure struck from behind again. My acceleration wasn’t enough—I could barely maintain posture. In the next instant, King Halo surged past my side.

"King Halo breaks through! She’s taken the lead! Overtaking Mihono Bourbon! The Golden Generation shows its true power!"

With lightning speed, King Halo shot ahead and crossed the finish line, churning up dirt and turf—truly the image of a ‘king.’

I followed after Mihono Bourbon and Bridge Comp, crossing fourth.

"First place, King Halo! Overcoming the seemingly unstoppable Mihono Bourbon! Truly, the Golden Generation is formidable! Unbelievably strong—King Halo!"

"I never imagined it would turn out like this…"

It was a complete defeat.

I lost in strategy, in spirit, and in sheer guts.

I thought King Halo had slowed on Yodo Hill… but that wasn’t the case at all. She had charged up the hill with determination, then maintained that momentum down the slope, accelerating as she went. Exploiting every lapse in my focus, she surged straight to the front and claimed victory.

"Second place, Mihono Bourbon! Third place, Bridge Comp! This race showcased the true depth of the senior-class Uma Musume!"

I slowly inhaled and exhaled.

There were so many points to reflect on in this race. I had been swallowed by the atmosphere and failed to execute my strategy. I lost track of the right moment to strike, and in the end, the very finishing push that I usually relied on had been turned against me.

Back in the locker room, I slammed my fist against the wall in frustration.

"Lux…"

I snapped back to reality at the trainer’s concerned voice.

Looking down, I saw my fist was swollen and tinged red.

"Sorry, Trainer. I… wasn’t calm."

"It can’t be helped. But King Halo… what an incredible Uma Musume. There are late-blooming runners like her from time to time, but one like that is rare."

"Is… that so…?"

"Yeah. I never expected her to mimic your running style, Lux."

I tossed a piece of chocolate into my mouth and slowly started to rest my body.

"Her final acceleration was incredible. Well, that was…"

"No, that’s not it. Lux, King Halo deliberately set out to destroy your pace, down to the last detail."

"...What?"

No, no, no… that can’t be.

Sure, I had clearly been unable to run my usual race this time. But are they saying it was all exactly as King Halo planned?

Thinking back, I did feel moments where my mind was strangely foggy.

A chill ran up my spine.

"This year’s URA Finals… looks like it’s going to be wild."

I could only nod silently at my trainer’s words.

[Mile Championship] King Halo Claims a Victory of Grit and Determination

August ○× | 12:34 PM | 231

Despite being covered in dirt from head to toe, King Halo crossed the finish line in first place.

In the Mile Championship, the winner was King Halo, a member of the Golden Generation. While her performance had been unremarkable through the middle of the race, everything changed in the final stretch. Using the downhill slope to accelerate and relying on her innate guts, she snatched the lead and powered through to claim first place at the finish line.

With this victory, King Halo achieved her 3rd G1 win. Fans have expressed a mixture of astonishment and admiration at her ability to win across short, mile, and middle-distance races.

In a post-race interview, King Halo announced that she would retire from the Twinkle Series at the end of this year. She declared that her final race will be the Arima Kinen.

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