Chapter 26: Has the Emperor surpassed the Ashen Serpent?

I understood the moment I saw her expression before the race.

If I were going to lose in the Classic, it would be here.

---

Under a relentless downpour, I kick up the heavy turf and run straight ahead.

Ah, the raindrops are irritating. Every time they patter against my body, my focus is pulled away. As if the wind resistance weren’t enough, even the weather has decided to stand against me today.

…No.
The real enemy is someone else.

The miracle-making Uma Musume—Tokai Teio.

She’s in this race.

"How will she make her move…?"

When I speak, raindrops slip into my mouth. I swallow carefully to keep them from entering my airway. The day of our Classic race—the Japan Derby—has been cursed with torrential rain. It’s been pouring since yesterday, leaving the track in miserable condition, officially classified as heavy going. There’s a green belt, sure, but even the outer turf is in terrible shape.

In a race said to be won by “the luckiest Uma Musume,” it’s almost comical how much misfortune has piled up.

Especially for Teio—post eight, gate eighteen, the far outside. Two races in a row, following the Satsuki Sho. Statistically, that’s eighteen squared: one chance in 324. That goes beyond simple bad luck.

In that sense, she’s “the unluckiest Uma Musume.”
If the Derby’s jinx holds true, victory should be far from her reach.

…And yet, Teio will definitely come up.

My trainer said so, and I believe it too. Just moments ago, when she reached out her hand to me, I felt a powerful sense of déjà vu. Calm as a mountain, with a presence that wouldn’t waver no matter what was said. One look was enough to tell how perfectly honed her body was.

And above all—

"Let’s have a good race today, Hoshino Wilm. The Derby is mine."

The expression she wore when she said that was the same one I’d seen once before—right before a miracle happened.

…Teio-chan had become Tokai Teio.

To me, that fact alone was both the most joyful and the most frightening thing of all. It meant she had become the protagonist who turns the impossible into reality.

An Uma Musume I admire—and my greatest rival.

When she reached out her hand to me, I—

"Yes, likewise. I’m happy to run with you, Tokai Teio. But the one who wins will be Hoshino Wilm. Today as well, you’ll dance right beside me."

Suppressing my racing heart, I clasped her hand in return.

And then, about ten minutes later—

We’re right in the middle of the Japan Derby.

“Now Hoshino Wilm leads the field, charging smoothly down the backstretch! There’s more than ten lengths back to second-place Aqua River—her trademark runaway break as she slices through the inside!”

“An incredible run, considering the heavy track. At this point, no one doubts her ability anymore.”

My trainer said Teio would make her move somewhere, but so far there’s no sign of it. After pulling away early, none of the other Uma Musume have entered the range of my hearing.

…That said, my hearing isn’t as sharp as usual right now. The sound of raindrops hammering the ground, the turf, the rails—it’s too loud. Because of that… I can probably only hear clearly within about seven lengths.

Anything farther than seven lengths is swallowed by the rain’s noise, and I can’t tell whether what I hear is really hoofbeats.

So I can’t rule out the possibility that Teio is plotting something from eight lengths back.

…but seven lengths is roughly eighteen meters. I’m running too—there’s no way she could close that distance in an instant and spring something unexpected.

For now, all I can do is maintain my pace and not miss any hoofbeats coming from behind.

The victory condition my trainer gave me for today’s race was the same as the Satsuki Sho: reach the goal before Teio.

"To be honest, there’s no surefire winning strategy this time. I’ll teach you the fundamentals and a few patterns. Choose the appropriate one on the fly, depending on the conditions. Your tactical judgment has improved a lot over the past month. Trust yourself and run."

That was the policy he gave me.

And after seeing today’s track and Teio’s condition, the option I chose was…the fundamental run he’d described.

Build an eight-length lead before exiting the second corner, then drop to a middle pace and watch the pack behind. Be especially wary of anyone charging in; even if you get passed, ignore it and keep your own rhythm until the late stages. From the fourth corner, gradually increase the pace. On the final straight, shift into a high-to-low pace to clear the uphill stretch.

Beyond the final slope lies the straight—roughly three hundred meters to go. If there’s stamina left, accelerate further—high into high pace, all-out to the finish.

Because of the rain, the range I can hear is narrower, and I can’t finely control my lead…but in short, it’s about managing my stamina my way and running an escape-and-pounce race.

Not worrying about the pack behind—running in a way that’s unmistakably Hoshino Wilm.

…If there’s a problem, it’s this.

With my usual run, Teio might just run me down at the line.

My trainer said as much after his earlier words.

"Tokai Teio’s strength this time is an unknown variable. We don’t know what she’ll do or how far she’ll extend. One thing is certain—you need to stay on guard. If, in the latter half, a situation arises that even the patterns I explained can’t handle, then choose the best method you can think of."

It’s true—today’s Teio is clearly giving off the aura of someone strong, and apparently she’s mastered a Domain as well.

On top of that, she’s Tokai Teio.

Things like inferior specs or time away from racing don’t matter to her.

Ignoring all of it and blowing past everyone anyway—that’s the miracle’s protagonist, Tokai Teio.

So… I’ll be honest.

Right now, I’m a little rattled.

Over the past month, Teio-chan has become the Tokai Teio I know.

For the current her, nothing is impossible.

She’s an Uma Musume who creates miracles with that extraordinary finishing kick.

Today, too, she’ll definitely corner me.

There’s no way this will be an easy fight.

Even so… I don’t want to lose this race.

“Now the leader, Hoshino Wilm, is running through the third corner! Aqua River in second is more than ten lengths back as they exit the straight! Tokai Teio is currently in fourth, with Rionatal in seventh, both watching the development from the inside!”

“The leader holds steady as they pass the Big Keyaki and head into the fourth corner. This is where the race will start to move. Oh—and here comes Tokai Teio, breaking out of the pack and gradually increasing her pace. There’s still 800 meters left—can her stamina hold?”

Is she coming…?

If it were the usual Tokai Teio, she’d start inching up her position around the third corner. By the time she entered the fourth, she’d either take the lead or settle into prime position, then completely run me down on the final straight.

…Or maybe not.

Even as we enter the fourth corner, I still can’t hear her hoofbeats. She’s not within seven lengths yet.

Just as my trainer predicted, it looks like she has no intention of taking the lead at the corner—that is, becoming the leader at the fourth turn.

She’s simply breaking out of the pack and bringing the distance between us into striking range.

Which means she’s still holding plenty in reserve.

In that case, she’ll come from the final straight after all.

Either way, she can’t go all-out on the corner. She’ll slowly close the gap through the fourth turn, then make her move on the home stretch.

Just under 500 meters in total, with another 300-meter straight after clearing the slope—the true battlefield for a front-runner.

Naturally, that’s where this race will be decided.

Running tight along the inner rail, careful not to shift my center of gravity, I think.

How fast will Teio come at me?

How long will the seven-length wall really hold?

Just how sharp will her finishing kick be?

How much will it surpass my own sprint?

To think about that, the single most important factor is—

The Domain.

A privilege Teio and Nature possess—and I do not.

That terrifying zone state, where one runs beyond their limits inside their own world.

Will Teio’s Domain open—and if it does, just how fast will she become?

That’s the true dividing line of this race.

Against Nature, I’d only been able to make a modest sprint, and her Domain let her close the gap all at once.

This time, though, I’ve conserved more stamina so far.

I should be able to unleash a sprint worthy of being called a razor-sharp finish.

“Now they’re out of the fourth corner and into the final straight! The Tokyo Racecourse straight is long—can Hoshino Wilm hold on!?”

“Tokai Teio is charging in second place now, about eight lengths behind the leader! The rest of the field is desperately trying to close in as well!”

Clearing the corner, I look up far ahead and see the finish line of this race.

Fifty meters to the final slope—dash through, climb it, and then at last…!

…She’s here.

Seven lengths back—this clean, light rhythm is unmistakably Tokai Teio’s hoofbeats.

From here, factoring in her Domain… if I can keep more than six lengths until I crest the slope, I should win!

I step onto the wet, slippery incline and focus solely on maintaining my pace.

My legs are still moving well—if I keep this up…!

A shiver runs through me.

…She’s inside six lengths now.

Fast. Too fast.

We haven’t even climbed a third of the slope yet.

This is bad—I have to raise my pace too… or she’ll run me down!

Instinctively, I shift up to a high-middle gear.

This should—no, even now she’s closing in!

But… even so, I have to keep this pace.

If I push any harder, I’ll burn out right at the very end and fade.

So just like this… at this pace, no matter what, I’ll hold on all the way to the finish!

“Tokai Teio shakes off the rest and comes charging in! At the 400-meter mark, she’s six lengths back! Can she maintain this pace!?”

“She’s steadily reeling in Hoshino Wilm! If she keeps closing at this rate, even the serpent’s stronghold may crumble!”

I’m going to lose.

At this rate… I’ll lose.

"Hah, hah… i-it’s cold…!"

A chill runs through me.

A cold unlike anything I’ve felt before creeps in, freezing my heart.

Calm down. Don’t rush. It’s fine.

Even if I lose… my trainer will still be waiting for me.

So I’ll be okay.

I can handle this cold, too.

So stay calm—just keep the pace for now…!

“Now the leader, Hoshino Wilm, crests the hill! We’re into the final 300 meters!”

“Tokai Teio with a staggering finishing kick! Can she close the gap like this!?”

At last, I clear the slope.

Teio’s hoofbeats are… five lengths back!

Tokai Teio closed to seven lengths right as we started climbing the hill—around 450 meters remaining. And now, with the slope finished and 300 meters to go, that means she’s gained two lengths in just 150 meters.

If Teio keeps coming at the same pace, I can barely hold on by one length—but…!

Tokai Teio’s hoofbeats surge even faster.

…She’s still accelerating!?

I recall my trainer’s words.

“Don’t let Tokai Teio close in. Keep at least a two-length gap. Her Domain probably can’t activate unless there’s someone right in front of her she can overtake.”

Four lengths left… at this rate, she’ll enter the danger zone with about 200 meters to go.

What do I do—like this, I can’t hold her off.

I want to go faster, but… damn it, my legs are heavy!

Even though I ran along the green belt, the wind, the rain, and the heavy track have drained too much stamina. On top of that, I raised my pace on the hill earlier—there’s not even the bare minimum left.

Then how is Teio still running like this?

Did she store her strength somewhere?

Or did she simply come in this well-prepared?

Back at the Satsuki Sho, her stamina was supposed to be far lower than mine…!

“…!”

No—this is it. I can’t go any faster.

This is bad. What do I do—what should I do!?

“Tokai Teio is closing in fast! Can Hoshino Wilm hold on!? Under 200 meters to go, the gap is below two lengths!”

“This development resembles the closing stages of the Satsuki Sho—but this time, the pace has been high from the start! Can she accelerate further and escape the pursuing Emperor!?”

“Gh… ugh…”

And then, finally—

The gap drops below one length.

With a gust of wind, the world is repainted.

Even the torrential rain can’t stop it—blue sky spreads out before my eyes.

Within it, a single Uma Musume is leaping freely.

"The one who wins… is me!"

More freely than anyone, lighter than anyone, she leaps skyward—and reaches out toward the stars beyond.

“Tokai Teio!!”

A sudden gale lifts her back.

---

Even amid the rain, at that instant, I hear the sound of her foot striking the ground.

"Let’s settle this—aaaaaaaah!!"

That—

"—ngh!"

It carries such overwhelming presence that it crushes even me.

In an instant, she erases the distance between us—

“Tokai Teio, Tokai Teio!!

Tokai Teio draws up alongside Hoshino Wilm—no, she doesn’t stop there!! She passes her, she passes her! Tokai Teio takes the lead!!”

“What an unbelievable finishing kick from Tokai Teio!! Is this the true depth of power of the Emperor’s chaser—no, the Emperor herself!?”

I’ve been overtaken.

…I lost.

There’s nothing I can do.

I can’t catch up to Tokai Teio at this speed.

I can’t even cling to that back as it pulls farther and farther away.

It’s so cold.

Losing.

The certainty of losing feels cold.

So cold.

Cold, but—

Even colder… and yet more than that.

What… is this feeling?

There’s something hot, burning inside my heart.

Something I’d always felt from Nature.

Something I feel now, unmistakably, from Teio.

It’s inside me—right now.

“…I…”

What is this emotion?

Cold, yet hot.

What’s happening to me?

No—none of that matters.

There’s only one thing that does.

"I don’t… want to lose!"

My thoughts freeze solid.

But this burning feeling drives my legs forward.

Win.

This race.

Against Tokai Teio.

…No matter what I have to use!

It’s a one-shot gamble.

I haven’t practiced it—not even once. It exists only as a concept in my head. If it fails, there’s no telling what might happen.

Even so, if I don’t use it, I’ll lose to her like this.

If I want to win, I have no choice.

I’ve been thinking about it for a long time.

The human body isn’t shaped for running. It’s complex and versatile, and precisely because of that, it isn’t specialized for the act of running. The surface area that catches the wind is large, so air resistance inevitably saps momentum.

It slows you down.

So what should be done?

How do you run more efficiently?

How do you reduce resistance to the absolute minimum?

…Ironically enough—

The one who taught me that was Teio, running right in front of me now.

Tokai Teio’s running style is built on extraordinarily flexible joints. In other words, no matter how much you study it, you can’t replicate it without natural-born talent.

…But looked at another way, if you do have flexible legs, it becomes possible to attempt a reckless running style.

In that case, there’s no reason I can’t do it.

After all, I’m a reincarnated cheat Uma Musume, blessed with a body strengthened by special privileges!

Again and again and again and again, I watched her ankles and knees. How to modify that outrageous running style. How to adapt it to my own body. How to bridge the gap between my ideal form and the reality of my movement.

I kept thinking—unceasingly—for an entire month.

And finally, I assembled that form within myself.

Lean my upper body forward.

Stretch my stride even wider.

Maintain a body that wants to fall forward by forcibly kicking the ground away beneath me.

All right.

It’s a nickname the world was kind enough to give me.

From here on out, I’ll act like a serpent.

"Fuuuuuuuh…"

…All-or-nothing forward-leaning sprint—start.

“What—Hoshino Wilm is losing her balance…!?

N-no, that’s not it! She’s running! This isn’t an accident—she’s accelerating!

What is this… this extreme forward-leaning posture!?”

“It’s a running style that calls to mind the Ashen Monster, Oguri Cap!!

Don’t tell me this Uma Musume has inherited not only something otherworldly, but a monster as well!!”

Ah—this really is so much better.

The wind, the rain—their resistance has shrunk. With this, I won’t tire as quickly, and I can run faster with less effort.

Even so, I’m still slower than Teio inside her Domain, but…

Hey, Teio.

Can you really maintain that speed for all three hundred meters?

About 130 meters left, maybe.

At the moment the distance between Teio and me widens to three lengths—

The wind dies.

Her stride begins to lose strength.

…Just as I thought. Just as I thought.

Teio, you pushed too hard to take the lead.

Once you entered the final straight, you spent everything you had left in a bold burst to seize first place. When you hit your limit, you eased off and tried to escape with the lead you’d built.

The reverse of my own tactic—escape and then strike.

A strategy of striking first, then escaping, all within the three-hundred-meter stretch.

But, Teio—

…Don’t underestimate Hoshino Wilm.

The way I am now, I can close in on your speed.

I can reach you!

“This is it! Tokai… Teio!!”

“The gap to the rest of the field has already blown wide open—once again, a head-to-head match between the Serpent and the Emperor!!

It looked like the Emperor had completely shaken her off, but now the Serpent is closing in again!!”

“The roles have reversed between the escaping Uma Musume and the challenger!

One hundred meters to go—will the Emperor who runs as if flying through the sky hold on, or will the Serpent crawling along the earth overtake her!?”

“…kh—hah.”

First, I can’t… breathe properly.

My vision turns white, warping. Before I realize it, there’s no sensation left in my legs. Even my thoughts scatter—I’m barely managing to maintain my form and track the distance to Teio.

This running style…

It puts more strain on me than I expected.

Probably—no, without a doubt—this way of running is bad for the body.

My life… the lifespan of my legs, is being shaved away.

Even so—

The distance to Teio is closing.

And finally—now—

We’re close enough for our voices to reach each other.

"I knew you’d come, Wilm!"

Teio turns toward me. From her eyes, I feel something spill out—something that looks like both light and flame, the same color as the sky spread out before us. Her fighting spirit is overwhelming, an oppressive force screaming that she won’t lose.

…But there’s no way she has any leeway left either.

Her expression is filled with agony and seriousness—and joy.

We don’t need words to understand.

She and I are the same.

Drunk on a boiling, searing heat.

No matter what it takes—even if we burn our very lives away.

We just want to win this race, right now.

We can’t stand the thought of not surpassing the greatest rival standing before us.

That’s all.

That is the only thing that exists between us.

"Teio!"

Even though breathing is painful, the word bursts out of my mouth. I know it’s nothing but a waste of stamina. And yet, it pierces straight through the mask of self-control, the heat surging up from my guts spilling out through my lips.

"I’m the one… who’s going to win!!"

Faster. Faster still. Surpass that back. Tokai Teio… the Uma Musume I once admired!

Run, run, runrunrun!

Move my legs, force myself through it, maintain this reckless, twisted form. Even if my vision warps, even if all sensation fades—stake everything!!

Run!!

It’s closing.

The gap is closing.

One length to Teio.

How many meters to the finish?

About… thirty?

…I won’t make it.

The genius racing beneath the blue sky can no longer be stopped by anyone.

She’s going to the finish just like this—

Like hell I’ll let that happen!

"—gh, aaaaaaaaahhhhh!!"

“The remaining distance is razor-thin! The gap between the Serpent and the Emperor is razor-thin! Which one is it, which one, who’s going to win!?”

“The Serpent’s jaws close in on the Emperor’s neck! But does she fall just short!? Will the Emperor strike first and escape to the line!?”

I won’t give up. I’ll never give up!

Tokai Teio never gave up!

Even when people said it was impossible, even when no one expected anything of her—she still never gave up!!

So neither will I. I won’t give up until the very end!

My body has already reached its limit, but the heat overflowing from every part of me shoves it forward.

There’s a reason I have to win. I want to thank the person who brought me this far.

There’s a wish not to lose. I want to answer, in my own way, the cheers and expectations I once received.

But just as strong as those… there’s a selfish desire.

A burning, searing heat, the complete opposite of my ice-cold body—so hot it would scorch anything that touched it.

I…

…No—me too!

Me too, I want to win!!

"…Your win, Wilm."

The blue sky melted away into the rain and vanished.

“A photo finish goooaaaal!!

Right at the line, by the slimmest margin, Hoshino Wilm cuts in front and claims the Japan Derby by a nose!!

Escaping and striking, striking and escaping—then striking back at the very last instant! An unbelievable race that shook everyone who saw it!!”

“She inherits not only something otherworldly, but even the monster, and claims victory in the Derby that Uma Musume never reached!

An old legend carried on and woven anew—this is a new era! This is the new champion!!

Hoshino Wilm remains undefeated and claims the two crowns, and this new legend will be carried on to autumn in Kyoto!!”

…We did it.

I won.

Now, Trainer, too…

Da—rby… trai—ner…

---

…What happened afterward.

After taking first place in the Derby, I lost consciousness immediately after the race and collapsed, then was rushed straight to the hospital. Teio, who finished second by a nose, was examined on the spot by emergency responders; with a suspected fracture, she was likewise taken to the hospital.

The proud Japan Derby ended amid an indescribable sense of unease and an awkward atmosphere.

Since neither Teio nor I were present, the Winning Live was apparently a huge ordeal. Especially for Rionatal, who finished third after being left far behind—I really put her in a difficult spot. I’m truly sorry.

As for me, it turned out I’d just fainted from lack of oxygen… but that wasn’t the end of it.

That reckless running caused a mild muscle tear, and I ended up confined to a hospital bed for an entire week. …I’m really glad nothing broke or swelled up.

According to the doctor, if I rest for about three days and then start rehabilitation, I should be able to run normally again in roughly a week. It apparently wasn’t something that even required hospitalization, but since “she’d definitely start training on her own if left alone,” my trainer forced me to stay admitted.

So little trust. If my trainer seriously told me to stop self-training, I would. …As far as I remember, anyway.

While I was hospitalized, my trainer seemed incredibly busy, running all over the place. He’d give brief updates, encourage me for a bit, put together rehab menus—and then leave the room in a hurry every time, barely able to make small talk.

It’s a little lonely… but, well. It can’t be helped.

Apparently, among the Junior-class Uma Musume, my trainer is known as a hardline, Spartan type. From the public’s perspective, he probably looks the same.

So when the Uma Musume under such a trainer’s care—one who was undefeated and had claimed two crowns, no less—collapsed unconscious after a race, of course it caused a huge stir.

I really did something terrible to my trainer.

Even if I wanted to give him the title of Derby Trainer… I never meant to make him develop those dark circles under his eyes.

Even when he said, "It’s fine. I’ll take care of everything properly, so you just focus on your rehabilitation," it didn’t help much.

When he looks at me with that expression… I can’t help but worry.

…In the end, the Japan Derby this time around—

Because Teio also suffered a fracture at the same time, the general public apparently settled on the impression that "after an excessively fierce, life-draining race, two champions ended up falling together."

"Teio… I hope you recover quickly."

As expected—Teio really did break something.

She’s currently hospitalized in the same hospital as me.

…But from what I’ve heard, although she won’t make it in time for the Kikuka-sho, she’s expected to make a full return around the end of the year.

Honestly, my memories are hazy, but in my previous life’s anime… yeah, I think she didn’t return to racing until the spring of the following year.

Compared to that… of course it’s regrettable that it couldn’t be avoided, but still, this is a much better outcome.

Was it thanks to the rescue team my trainer arranged responding so quickly?

…Or perhaps because, at that moment, she herself closed off her Domain and eased off her speed.

From what I heard later, when Teio ran in the Derby, she made one promise with her trainer.

She was free to run seriously, with everything she had. But in return, if she felt even the slightest abnormality in her legs, she had to shorten her stride and reduce her speed—no matter what.

And Teio kept that promise.

Not just to pursue victory in this race, but to keep winning in the races to come.

…It seems Horino Trainer’s earnest advice truly meant something.

Really… yeah, it feels like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders.

"This time my legs couldn’t quite hold out, so I barely lost—but my Twinkle Series is only just getting started!

I’ll heal properly, train even harder than before, and then I’ll challenge you again, Wilm!

You too, Nature—and you, Kaicho! Someday, I’ll leave you all in the dust!"

When I visited her as part of my rehab, Teio said that with a bright smile.

…It didn’t feel like a forced smile.

I think it was a satisfied expression, one that looked toward the future.

In my previous life’s anime, Teio was pretty shaken by this, but in this world, she’s still fired up and looking ahead.

Could it be that running against me changed something for her? …That might be getting a little too full of myself.

Either way, Teio… it seems she was able to face that harsh fate head-on and overcome it.

Yeah. That’s a relief.

She’s already one of my favorite rivals—and friends—standing alongside Nature.

So…

"Yes. Let’s race again someday. …But next time, I won’t lose, Teio."

I’m sure that someday, at a different distance or on a different track, I’ll compete with her again.

Thinking of that future, I let the corner of my mouth curl upward just a little.

---

A week passed, and I was able to leave the hospital normally, but…

The truth is, the real problem started after that.

"…………"

"Um, Trainer."

"…………"

"I’m… really sorry."

In the trainer’s office, I bowed deeply again and again to my silent trainer.

No, really—I caused him so much trouble.

I made him nervous with how hard the Derby turned out, then ran on my own without even telling him about my technique, collapsed unconscious and worried him, sparked a huge wave of public speculation… and on top of that, I was hospitalized for a full week and couldn’t train at all.

There’s only one week left until the Takarazuka Kinen.

He said it would be an even harsher race than this one, and honestly, he probably wanted to push my training even further.

While I was thinking about what else I could possibly say to apologize, my trainer slowly opened his mouth.

"The one who needs to apologize is me.

I misjudged Tokai Teio’s ability and failed to come up with an appropriate strategy.

As a result, I pushed your legs far too hard and brought about this outcome."

"That’s not true. I acted on my own."

"It is true.

I’m sorry, Hoshino Wilm. In the end, I still…"

He shook his head once, then returned to his usual expressionless face—

No… wait.

That’s not it?

What is that look…? I’ve never seen such a cold expression before.

"I need to talk to you, Hoshino Wilm. This is a very important matter concerning your future."

"Are you talking about withdrawing from the Takarazuka Kinen? No, even if I lose, the current me—"

"No. Something far more important."

To me, standing there confused beneath my mask…

With a cold, unreadable expression I had never seen before, he said:

"Hoshino Wilm.

Would you consider receiving guidance from another trainer?"