Chapter 176: Domain Reversal: “Red.”

The moment a race begins is, if I had to compare it to something, like an explosion.

A bomb that had been silent until that moment suddenly detonates with the flick of a switch, blowing everything apart—that sort of feeling.

…Well, I’ve never actually seen a bomb explode, so it’s just the image I have from fiction.

In any case, whether it’s children running a footrace or the highest level of competition, that moment is always the same.

And today, that moment arrived.

Clang!

With a sharp metallic crack, the world that had been frozen until then suddenly lurched into motion.

Stillness turned into movement—or perhaps chaos.

Pushed forward by the roar of the crowd, who had been holding their breath in tense silence until now, the twenty of us Uma Musume burst into a run.

Naturally, among them all, I was the one who seized the lead faster than anyone else, reaching top speed in just three strides.

Concentration. Three-Step Flight.

The technique I learned from Ayumu-san had taken firm root in my body.

Just like that, I leapt to the head of the pack, gradually cutting inward to the rail and securing my usual position.

"...Cold."

Under the relentless downpour, my thoughts sharpened to an icy clarity.

Once again, I reassessed both myself and the situation of the race.

First of all, I—Hoshino Wilm—am a runaway-style Uma Musume.

My basic strategy is simple: take the fastest start, break away into the lead, build a large advantage heading into the final straight, and escape the pursuing runners charging from behind.

That said, it’s not as though I can only use that tactic.

Most of the time I rely on it simply because it’s the most standard and versatile style.

If there’s a powerful opponent who can only be beaten with a specific counter, if a chaotic melee is expected, or if another runaway-type Uma Musume is entered in the race, I sometimes follow the plans Ayumu-san prepares and use a different running style.

For example… the Satsuki Sho, where I deliberately held back a lot of power in the middle stage. Or the Takarazuka Kinen, where I purposely didn’t attempt a runaway strategy. And the Arima Kinen, where I caused absolute chaos from the very beginning as a countermeasure against Suzuka-senpai.

Those are the most obvious cases.

In that sense, today’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe is also a race that demands a carefully prepared strategy.

After all, nearly every runner here is a monster. This truly is the highest stage in the world.

Aside from the rabbit—the pacemaker—every Uma Musume here has stats on par with Nature or higher. Some of them are even at the level of Spe-senpai—the one who defeated me last year.

And among them, there’s one particular runner glaring at me with burning eyes… a girl whose ability comes close to matching my own.

To be honest, if we’re talking pure difficulty, it’s about on par with last year’s Arima Kinen.

Back then, there were fellow escape specialists like Suzuka-san and Turbo, and they forced me to burn through my stamina whether I liked it or not.

But in terms of overall ability, this year’s Arc is far higher.

Understandable goes without saying—she’s been marking me relentlessly, her gaze and pressure fixed entirely on me.

Witch-chan, whom I crushed in the Prix Foy, is giving off even more intimidation than she did that day…

…and there’s also one more girl radiating a somewhat dangerous aura.

Ah… this feeling. I’ve felt it before.

The same sensation I had during last year’s Takarazuka Kinen.

…Honestly, what did Ayumu-san say to her? The level of resolve she’s showing is downright abnormal.

Nature is like that too, but my beloved trainer apparently has a bit of a taste for psychological warfare.

About two weeks ago he said, "I’ve got something to take care of," and disappeared for half a day.

He probably planted some idea in her head around then.

Honestly… he really can be ruthless.

And thanks to that, the fire burning in my chest is blazing hotter than ever.

Now then, back to the matter at hand.

In a race with conditions like these, what strategy should I choose?

My trainer and I debated it fiercely during the gaps between training sessions, discussing every possibility.

In the end, though—

We decided I would run the way I always do.

Not because we gave up thinking, but because we chose that path deliberately as a strategy.

According to Ayumu-san, the greatest concern in this race is Understandable’s explosive potential.

Every Uma Musume possesses it to some degree—that explosive growth or awakening that happens on the big stage.

Teio showed it in the Japanese Derby and the Tenno Sho. Nature displayed it in the Kikuka Sho and the Arima Kinen. And I myself experienced it in the Takarazuka Kinen.

When mind and body align perfectly with the race at the crucial moment, a runner can display performance beyond her usual limits—sometimes even something seemingly impossible.

A power almost like protagonist bias.

Ayumu-san calls it "explosive potential," or sometimes "awakening."

And Understandable apparently possesses an enormous—no, frankly absurd—amount of room for that kind of explosion.

After all, in just one year since reaching her peak form, she has already caught up to Hoshino Wilm—someone in her third year of peak performance, someone whose entire fifteen-year life has culminated in racing ability.

That evaluation can’t be wrong.

A natural cheat-level growth talent—like something straight out of a reincarnation story.

…Or perhaps the one and only protagonist of her own narrative.

She’s that kind of existence.

And for someone like her, this race is the decisive battlefield.

A direct confrontation with the overseas Uma Musume she’s always admired, always dreamed of surpassing—a match that might never come again.

For her, this must be a battle of the soul. Like my Takarazuka Kinen. Or my Arima Kinen.

Which means any miracle or magic could happen.

Even with Ayumu-san’s eyes, it’s impossible to fully predict what kind of run she’ll show.

Of course, he has plans and projections based on his knowledge and theories.

But she’s the kind of runner who can casually leap beyond them.

Which is why, if something unexpected happens, I need to be able to adjust instantly.

That’s why we concluded I should use the most versatile foundation possible—my usual running style.

…However.

If there’s one problem with that plan, it’s the track conditions today.

Unless I activate "Anime Reincarnation," my thinking ability isn’t that different from an ordinary Uma Musume.

Well, considering my hearing, I’m probably above average—but most of that capacity is devoted to processing information. You could say there aren’t many resources left for core thinking.

Unlike when I’m using Anime Reincarnation, I can’t perfectly control every movement to match the track conditions.

I’m forced to rely on a semi-automatic manual, so to speak.

In other words, I run by reproducing the "usual running motions" that I’ve hammered into my brain and body through daily training.

But today’s track conditions wouldn’t allow that.

"…………"

Running along the inner rail while rain whitened my vision, I found myself frowning.

The track condition is worse than I expected.

Each step I plant sinks into the turf with a soggy squelch, and a moment later clumps of torn grass are kicked up and flung behind me.

Even through the horseshoe on the underside of my racing shoes—part of my racing outfit—I can clearly feel the soil beneath my feet and the water soaked into it.

According to Ayumu-san, European turf retains water much better than Japanese turf.

There’s something about "cushion values" too, apparently—but the important thing to understand right now is that compared to Japan, the track is heavier and deteriorates more easily.

When El-chan ran at Longchamp, the conditions were so bad the track was described as being like a rice paddy.

Now that I’m actually running on it, I can see that comparison wasn’t much of an exaggeration.

This sensation—like the ground is clinging to my legs, or like my feet are sinking into it.

The turf already has less rebound than what we’re used to in Japan, requiring more force to run on. And now the rain has made it even heavier.

And the rain is still falling, worsening the track even as we race…

Today’s surface may not be quite a rice paddy, but it’s close enough to a muddy farm path.

What deteriorating track conditions bring is a slower overall race pace.

Compared to races here, Japanese races tend to start faster and slow down later.

For someone like me who’s grown used to that pattern—and for a runaway-style runner whose legs inevitably lose power in the final stage—this is quite a disadvantage.

In fact, because the rain is pounding the ground so loudly, it’s hard to grasp clearly—but the footsteps of the pack chasing from behind sound like they’re running at a fairly slow pace.

Everyone is wary of the track conditions, conserving stamina, deliberately holding the pace down…

"In this situation, do you really think that, Will?"

For a moment, I thought I heard the voice of the most terrifying rival I left behind in Japan.

A shiver ran down my spine—one that had nothing to do with the cold.

When I focused my ears again, what I heard behind me was the rain and the sound of feet striking and tearing up the turf.

Those footsteps came from all directions—nineteen runners’ worth—impossible to isolate properly.

Still, I strained a little to listen.

There’s one escape runner. That girl is the rabbit—the pacemaker.

The bay-colored one who looked a little timid. I remember her because she kept glancing nervously in my direction before the race.

From her steps, I can tell she’s trying desperately to maintain her own pace, careful not to be thrown off by mine.

…Wait a second?

Something feels off.

She’s definitely conscious of me—but while she’s being pulled forward, it feels like she’s being pulled backward even more strongly…?

Meanwhile, the front runners…

Four… no, five… maybe six of them.

It’s messy and hard to distinguish. One of them is slightly farther back, making it difficult to judge.

She’s dropped almost into the mid-pack, running along the innermost lane within the pack…

Those footsteps…

…Understandable!

At the exact moment I grasped her identity and position, the sound of footsteps began to fade behind the curtain of rain.

…No good. The rain is too heavy.

My hearing range has shrunk to about six lengths.

And since I’m steadily widening the distance between myself and the runner in second place, about half the pack has moved outside my range.

Just now, I saw the "18" furlong marker pass through the edge of my vision.

1800 meters remaining. In other words, 400 meters since the start.

At this point, I’ve opened a gap of about four lengths from the front of the pack, and more than six lengths from Understandable.

When I run away at the front, I gauge my pace both by my own sense of speed and by the distance to the runner behind me—the one in second place.

Teio once tried to use that to force me into a slow pace, but…

…Come to think of it, maybe Understandable is doing the same thing.

This won’t be good if things continue like this.

In that case—

I pushed more strength into my legs.

"...!"

The rain striking my face grew sharper, almost violent.

Partly because the rain itself had intensified—but also because I had increased my speed, raising the relative velocity even further.

The distance between me and the pack widened again, and before long the runner in second place slipped beyond the range of my hearing.

Which meant that within six lengths of me, there were no other Uma Musume.

Six lengths is roughly fifteen meters.

If I maintain this lead, I won’t be influenced by the other runners or the pack…

…But at the same time, it means I’ll no longer be able to sense how anyone else is running.

The most unstable element in a race is the pack.

A mass of Uma Musume, each with her own thoughts and intentions, constantly changes its shape and movement from second to second.

To break free from that mass and carve out your own path requires instinctive sense and technique born from experience. Sometimes, even the most brilliant runner can’t escape it—so I’ve been told.

Ever since I started working with Ayumu-san, I’ve only run as an escape runner who breaks free from the pack early, so it’s honestly a bit hard for me to imagine that feeling.

The runaway strategy I usually employ removes those unstable elements almost completely. If you have the ability to back it up, it becomes a way to guarantee victory.

A safety-first tactic that perfectly suits Ayumu-san’s personality.

…Though in exchange, the required specs skyrocket. Without far more stamina than other runners, it’s impossible to actually win with it. In that sense, it’s an extremely high-risk, high-demand strategy.

And if there’s one more weakness to the runaway style…

"Now then. How will they come?"

Ignoring the rainwater slipping into my mouth, I muttered to myself.

A runaway runner can’t know in advance how the runners behind will make their move.

If someone is only one or two lengths away, you can vaguely sense their presence and guess their position or intentions.

But once that gap stretches beyond five lengths, that becomes impossible.

In my case, I can usually detect movements within ten lengths through sound—but with this heavy rain, six lengths is the limit.

Which means I can’t tell how the runners behind will move.

Who will launch their attack, and from where.

When they’ll come.

How they’ll come.

Will they gradually close the gap before the final corner?

Or chase me down in the final straight?

Will they bring some clever tactic?

Or simply throw the full force of their spirit and body into the charge?

I don’t know.

…And that’s exactly what makes it fun.

"...Heh."

A hole in the strategy. An unavoidable flaw.

But depending on how you look at it, it’s also a thrilling surprise waiting to happen.

I can’t wait to see what kind of run they’ll use to corner me.

---

We passed the 1000-meter mark.

With the rain growing even stronger, I entered the third corner.

My speed was squarely in the middle.

By Japanese race standards for me, that’s slightly slow. But considering Longchamp’s heavy track conditions, it would still count as quite a high pace for a G1 race.

Of course, since I’m a runaway-type runner, that’s only natural.

And running at that pace—am I getting worn down?

Actually, no.

More precisely… I’m about to make sure that I won’t.

"...Haa…"

As I rounded the third corner, I took a deep breath.

Because of the centrifugal force pulling outward, the faster you run through a corner, the greater the loss becomes. It’s standard practice to ease off slightly.

And because the speed drops there, you can take a breath.

Ayumu-san called this cornering technique "Maestro of the Arc."

—Now that I think about it, that name really is quite something.

Since he taught it to me early on, this technique has supported my running style, which demands enormous stamina.

As long as I have it, I can keep going for quite a while longer.

And on top of that… right now—

"First, one."

Something else in my world had come to my aid.

The world rewrote itself, centered around my stepping leg—

—or perhaps around my heart.

The rain-whitened racetrack was replaced by the scenery of a sunny grassland.

Not the peculiar atmosphere of Europe I’m gradually getting used to…

But the crisp, cool air of my homeland.

Beneath my feet was not the muddy turf of the racecourse, but the sensation of slightly overgrown, vibrant grass.

The wind swayed the blades, brushing against my feet through my shoes.

This was the world of Hoshino Wilm.

The inner landscape carried by one Uma Musume born into this world.

The place where I had run the longest.

The place most familiar to me.

The place meant for running.

"...Now then."

Once more—

I slowly moved my legs forward.

What filled me was an overwhelming sense of happiness.

The joy of being born an Uma Musume.

The joy of being able to run like this.

Carrying those feelings in my chest, I gradually increased my pace.

And when the movement of my legs aligned perfectly with my run in reality—

"The real fun starts now."

A cold, yet gentle wind pushed against my back.

My breathing grew steadier.

More and more energy to run welled up inside me.

My second Domain.

What Ayumu-san had named "Blue-Burning Kurikara."

This was a two-stage Domain—one that opens once in the middle of the race, and then opens again in the final stretch.

In the middle stage, once I’ve consumed a certain amount of stamina, the conditions are fulfilled.

This familiar world opens, restoring both my will to run and my physical strength.

Then, in the final stage, the grassland—my past itself—becomes fuel, pushing me even further forward.

This Domain sustains my stamina even more.

It’s the greatest reason I can maintain this pace across 2400 meters on a heavy track.

"Hah… hah… heh…!"

A smile slipped out as I ran.

Partly from the bliss of opening the Domain—

But more than anything, because of the situation I was in.

Together with my beloved trainer, I was challenging an enormous race.

At the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, unleashing a massive runaway lead.

On the world’s greatest stage, displaying a run that no one could call reckless.

I can’t understand the language of the crowd, and even if I could, I wouldn’t be able to make out every word—but countless spectators are watching me, surely cheering.

And above all—

There are still Uma Musume behind me who will chase me down.

It’s perfect.

As a racing Uma Musume, there’s nothing more I could possibly wish for.

The heat overflowing from the depths of my heart could no longer be contained.

Even the relentless rain couldn’t extinguish it, couldn’t cool it—it only burned more fiercely.

But that’s fine.

There’s no need to hold it back anymore.

After all… I could finally hear the footsteps closing in.

The final corner. Just under 1000 meters remaining.

Already, the Uma Musume had begun to close the distance between us.

I didn’t even need to strain my ears to know who it was. Those were Understandible’s footsteps.

…Once again, they were incredible.

The weight of them felt like they could shake the earth itself, a power strong enough to brush aside any weaker runner. Where in that small body—only slightly larger than my own—could such strength possibly reside?

And yet, even with that force, her footsteps still carried clear reserves of energy.

She had firmly locked onto me within her range, charging forward with explosive momentum that bordered on reckless… yet she had lost none of her composure.

It may sound strange coming from me, but her stamina is outrageous.

And the terrifying part?

Unlike me, she hasn’t even opened a Domain yet.

Actually… from what we know, Understandible hasn’t awakened to a Domain at all.

…Right.

If Ayumu-san’s analysis is correct.

Understandible has never used a Domain before.

Despite remaining undefeated and claiming four consecutive G1 races equivalent to the Tiara events across various countries, she has never once displayed a Domain.

In two of those four races, other girls reportedly activated their Domains… yet Understandible overcame them through sheer ability alone.

I did something similar during the Derby, but fighting a Domain user without one of your own is extremely reckless.

To be honest, if I had to face Teio or Nature as they are now, even I wouldn’t be confident of winning without opening my own Domain.

And yet Understandible has accomplished that feat twice.

One of those victories was a complete rout—winning by more than three lengths. An utterly one-sided triumph, like twisting a baby’s arm, leaving her opponents unable even to touch her shadow.

If she had been deliberately holding back, it might make sense.

But she’s not that kind of runner.

Which means, quite simply…

…she probably hasn’t awakened her Domain yet.

That isn’t reassuring.

If anything, it’s terrifying.

After all, according to Ayumu-san, she will almost certainly awaken her Domain during the Arc itself.

When I asked why he thought that, he shrugged and said:

"Our battles are always like that, aren’t they? A rival suddenly awakens their Domain at the crucial moment and ruins my plans. It happens all the time."

Apparently, the scars left behind by Teio and Nature are still pretty deep.

…But then he gave a small, wry smile and continued.

"Seriously though, there’s no way she won’t awaken it.

She’s already received her racing outfit, and she’ll be pushing both her body and mind to their absolute limits for the Arc. She’ll enjoy running against you.

As long as you’re ahead of her—with greater ability—Understandible opening her Domain is inevitable."

When he put it that way… it did make sense.

At the Arc… the current Understandible meets every single condition necessary to open a Domain.

A girl overflowing with this much talent wouldn’t fail to grasp the sensation forever.

Just as Ayumu-san predicted, she will undoubtedly open her Domain in this race.

…The real problem is what kind of Domain it will be.

Domains come in different types.

Some are simple enhancement types that strengthen the user’s own running. Others are interference types that distort the runs of others. And then there are unusual exceptions like Witch-chan’s.

What shape does Understandible’s inner world take?

How will it manifest—shaped by her racing outfit and the image her fans hold of her?

I don’t know enough about Understandible to even begin guessing.

Which means I’ll have to respond to whatever unexpected Domain appears… purely on instinct.

And that, in part, is why we chose to run "the usual way."

As I maintained my speed while watching her approach…

Understandible kept closing the gap relentlessly.

The six-length lead I had didn’t even last a hundred meters.

Five lengths.

Four.

Three.

Steadily shrinking.

And with it, her presence—her pressure—her heat—came surging closer.

The boiling, blazing heat of a racing Uma Musume… like molten magma.

And that heat ignites a fire in my own sky.

Ah… good. Let’s settle this.

From the relative distance between us, she’ll enter within one length of me just as we reach the final straight.

If that’s the case…

Then I’ll show her my world.

My sky.

What it means to be a star.

No matter what kind of world she reveals…

I’ll meet it with two worlds of my own:

The starry sky—and the raging wildfire.

My legs naturally grew more eager, and a smile slipped from my lips.

Forgetting even the pelting rain striking my face, I simply poured the storm raging within me into my legs and slammed it into the heavy turf.

The conditions for my two Domain Expansions are different.

The first Domain, "Malevolent Star Dragon/天星の邪竜" requires another Uma Musume to come right beside me—within one length or ahead.

The second Domain, "Blue-Burning Kurikara," activates when the mid-race conditions are fulfilled and we enter the final straight.

In the Prix Foy, by coincidence, Witch-chan fulfilled both conditions at once.

Thanks to that, I was able to activate both Domains simultaneously using "Anime Reincarnation."

And now, almost as if reenacting that same development, Understandible is closing in at the perfect speed.

Which leaves me with only one choice.

Then we entered the false straight just before the final stretch.

I could hear Understandible’s footsteps—and several other Uma Musume further behind her.

Eight hundred meters to the finish.

I see. Since they avoided exhausting themselves early, they’re planning to close the gap with a long final spurt.

That’s a plan typical of runners who excel in power and stamina.

But… for me, that’s convenient.

After all, my world can’t open unless someone pushes me to the brink.

Now then.

Three lengths remain before the hero’s hand reaches my back.

…Two lengths.

………One and a half.

Now!!

The timing was perfect—not too early, not too late.

The instant we entered the final straight, and the gap between Understandible and me shrank to a single length—

With a deep emotion resonating in my heart, I drove my leg into the turf with all my strength—

"Willm, if you do that, you’ll lose."

…Just before it happened.

I thought I heard the voice of the strongest rival I left behind in Japan.

Instinctively, I ran my thoughts through "Anime Reincarnation."

What was that?

What did I miss?

That just now…

That was the experience of racing against the real genius—Teio—within me.

And it was sounding an alarm.

Why?

…A sense of unease.

Yes. Unease.

Right now, I feel that something is off.

But what exactly feels wrong?

The answer is obvious… it’s about Understandible.

First, the premise.

Understandible is a fan of mine—of me, Hoshino Wilm, the racing Uma Musume.

And not just a casual fan. From the information I’ve gathered, she has dug deeply into everything about me. A rather intense fan.

Apparently, she spent an entire year running with the goal of catching up to me.

Naturally, that means she must have studied me thoroughly. I’m sure she has watched my race footage so many times the screen could practically develop holes.

And up until now, I’ve opened my Domain quite a number of times in official races.

Especially my first Domain—I’ve used that one five times in total.

Any diligent team would already know the conditions and the effects inside and out.

Of course, Understandible’s camp would be no exception.

And there’s something else.

A follower of Hoshino Wilm like Understandible—would she really skip watching my race in the Prix Foy?

Would she not study the run I showed there?

Of course not.

She must have seen how, the moment we entered the final straight—when someone closed in to within one length behind me—I unleashed that explosive acceleration.

Since I didn’t take the Tenboshi spurt stance, it should also be obvious that the acceleration was something special, different from my usual bursts.

In fact, it’s entirely possible she already knows that the latter condition—someone closing within one length—matches the activation condition for my Domain.

From Witch-chan and the other runners in that race, she might even know that I activated two Domains simultaneously.

And yet…

Even knowing all that…

She still closed the distance to exactly one length the instant we entered the final straight.

Almost perfectly timed with my speed… deliberately creating this exact situation.

This isn’t a coincidence.

Just like how she slowed the overall pace of the pack earlier in the race—she already seems capable of mild race-making.

Just like Teio in the Osaka Cup. She’s probably not a specialist like Nature, but she can still shape the flow of the race itself.

Someone like that wouldn’t accidentally lead the race into a development she should have been avoiding.

There’s no way she’d make that kind of mistake.

Which leaves only one possible conclusion.

Understandible is intentionally trying to make me use both of my Domains.

And why would she do that?

…Simple.

If you consider her personality, the answer becomes obvious.

Understandible is always searching for an endlessly higher wall to overcome.

A hero grows stronger by confronting the greatest possible trials.

And she is the same.

The higher the wall before her, the brighter she shines… and the stronger she becomes.

Which means—

Activating both Domains at the same time would be…

…a suicidal act that makes her even stronger.

“…!”

Instinctively, I stop the Domain activation.

One of them—I can still stop.

The first Domain, "Tenboshi no Jaryū," I barely manage to halt its expansion.

…But the second one, "Blue-Burning Kurikara," is too late.

Maybe because it had already partially opened during the mid-race, I can’t stop it anymore.

Ah, damn it.

If that’s how it is… then I have no choice but to go through with it!

In the sky of my vision, the grasslands appear once more—and blue flames ignite across them.

The culmination of my life.

Every moment of my past becomes fuel to drive Hoshino Wilm further forward.

And so I burn everything I am, running forward—forward—forward—

“…Ah… what a sight.”

Someone’s voice reaches me.

A familiar one… fluent, like a voice spoken directly from the heart.

"To run while burning away your entire self. How intense… how destructive… and how beautiful.

So this is it… this is it! The star I aim for shines with such terrifying brilliance! And the dragon I must defeat is so monstrously strong!"

From within my world—overlapping my Domain…

In other words, from inside someone else’s Domain—

Her voice reaches me.

Understandible’s voice.

"That’s why! That’s why I want to surpass it!!

Because you’re a star I should never be able to reach!! Because you’re an opponent I should never be able to defeat!!

That’s exactly why—right here, right now!! I want to beat you!!!"

…No.

That’s not it.

Our Domains aren’t overlapping.

If anything… this is…

The same as my Domain…?

No—impossible! That can’t be right!

This is supposed to be my world.

My Domain alone…!!

And yet—

As if to say that in an Uma Musume race, the impossible is exactly what happens—

Whoosh.

A red flame pushes aside my blue fire.

"I…!"

The grassland—

A grassland that is no longer mine alone—

Is consumed by crimson flames like flowing blood.

Burning away her past.

Her life.

Perhaps even her future.

"I will defeat you… by beating you at your own way!!!"

Without question—

That was the flame of Understandible’s life itself.