Chapter 63: Self-Reproduction

"And they’re off!"

The instant I hear the metallic clatter, I launch forward with everything I have.

The sensation traveling up through my legs is… heavy. I’d already sensed it during the pre-race inspection, but the track condition really is awful. I can’t plant my feet the way I do on normal turf; with every step, my legs sink just a little. It feels less like grass and more like packed dirt.

…Even so, the me right now… can handle this.

"All eighteen Uma Musume burst out of the gate at once! Taking the lead immediately is Japan’s standard-bearer, Hoshino Wilm! Once again, she’s pulling away from the pack at a blistering pace as she charges up the incline!"

About half a year ago, at the Takarazuka Kinen, I followed my trainer’s strategy. To neutralize Mejiro McQueen-senpai’s immense stamina, I deliberately set a slow pace, positioning myself like an ordinary front-runner instead of going all out.

Just like back then, Mejiro McQueen-senpai is running in this Japan Cup as well—but after discussing it with my trainer, we decided to do the opposite this time. A high pace, full-on great escape, just like always.

There are several reasons for that.

First, to show my runaway pace to the overseas Uma Musume who aren’t used to Japan’s lighter turf, and throw them off their rhythm. Second, unlike the Takarazuka Kinen, there’s no need to be overly wary of Ryan-senpai’s finishing kick or Sky-senpai’s schemes. And finally… because my trainer judged that now, I can fight McQueen-senpai head-on and hold my own.

Yes—now, I can.

After running even more with Nature, Rice-chan, and Bourbon-chan… after all the training my trainer put me through…

I can face McQueen-senpai straight on… and even surpass her.

"…Hah!"

I keep my stride wide, pushing farther ahead than anyone else—farther and farther.

Just like this… I’ll blow them away!

"Duaring Stella is desperately trying to close in from the outside, but the gap only keeps widening—two lengths, three lengths, stretching farther apart!"

"The tempo is as fierce as ever. As expected, it looks difficult for anyone to take the lead away from Hoshino Wilm."

Judging by the sound of footsteps behind me, the pack really is falling away smoothly. I doubt there’s anyone reckless enough to pull what Sky-senpai did back then.

…Yeah. Just like my trainer said, this pace really was the right call—judging by the distance from the pack and how my stamina is holding up.

Because the race is hard to predict, the strategy my trainer gave me this time is extremely simple: start fast, and don’t let up—run it through to the end. It’s a style close to that otherworldly runaway runner, Silence Suzuka-san’s. …You could even say it’s an even higher-tempo version of the kind of running Bourbon-chan is aiming for.

Racing is tricky. Going all-out from start to finish doesn’t automatically mean you’ll reach the goal the fastest.

If I’m being blunt, Double Jet-shishō is a perfect example of what not to do. Push the speed too far, and even we Uma Musume start to struggle to breathe. Oxygen circulation drops, muscles stop responding properly, and even your thoughts slow down. You burn through your stamina and fade—that’s how it goes.

That’s why you can’t run too fast. You have to determine the optimal pace for yourself in that moment and stick to it. Losing control of your pace—what we call “getting carried away”—is often fatal for that very reason. …Well, with people like Suzuka-san or me, who have enough stamina that even getting carried away isn’t a problem, or when there’s simply an overwhelming gap in specs, that’s a different story.

Of course, just because too fast is bad doesn’t mean slower is better. Thinking you can win a race without speed at all is naïve. This is a place where athletes push their limits and compete head-on.

So, in the end, the conclusion is simple. We Uma Musume have to maintain a pace that’s neither too fast nor too slow—our optimal pace.

It sounds obvious, but that “obvious” part is surprisingly difficult. Instincts get stirred and you lose control, or conversely, your fighting spirit gets crushed and you lose heart. We Uma Musume are influenced far too strongly by those around us. And if you get swallowed up inside the pack, there’s no way you can keep running at your own pace.

That’s why, unless you’re a front-runner or a deep closer, you have to constantly improvise your running style—taking into account the pack’s condition, your own mental state, and countless other factors.

In that sense, front-runners like us have it easy. Unless something goes seriously wrong, we don’t get caught up in the pack. And if we pull far enough ahead, we don’t even feel their presence anymore. All we need to consider are our own legs, the track condition, the course layout—corners and slopes—and any other Uma Musume using the same strategy.

On top of that, Bourbon-chan and I… have Ayumu-san.

A top-class trainer who can precisely assess our strength and calculate the exact numbers we should be aiming for.

"The lone leader enters the first corner with a massive gap! Second favorite Mejiro McQueen watches sharply from within the pack. Third favorite Witch Evening may have started slightly farther back!"

"Duaring Stella has taken the second position, but this is a much faster pace than she usually runs. She may have gotten carried away. Hopefully she can settle down."

The furlong marker marked “20” flashes past my side. Two thousand meters remaining. That means I’ve covered four hundred meters, and the gap to the rear of the field… about four lengths. They’re hanging on better than I expected.

Are they getting carried away… or is it a strategy?

Either way, all I need to do is execute our plan.

My trainer calculated my optimal pace based on my physical specs and the data from my training sessions. All that’s left is for me to stay calm and carry it out.

When it comes to running calmly, there aren’t many who suit it better than I do.

Right now, my thoughts are frozen solid. Even when I register the presence of other Uma Musume, it’s like the surface of a lake sealing over with ice—not a single ripple forms.

Yes. When I’m “cold,” I don’t get carried away. I wouldn’t say I’ve completely surpassed Uma Musume instincts, but I’m focused enough to suppress them. I’m pouring the immense processing power of this “anime reincarnation” almost wastefully into a single point—the race itself.

Perceived speed, the load on my legs, the racing lines, the course beneath me, the remaining distance. I can’t perfectly fine-tune my pace using all that information, but I keep running while clinging to the rhythm I drilled into my body over the past week.

…Even if someone starts chasing me, I won’t panic. I’ll stay calm and composed.

As I said before, maintaining your optimal pace is the key to winning a race. Which means anyone who chases me—anyone who gets carried away and forces their pace—will only self-destruct.

The ones I really need to be wary of are the Uma Musume I can’t sense right now. Those who are keeping their own pace, fighting not the visible me, but their own instincts.

Those are the ones who truly come charging at the end.

…For example, someone like McQueen-senpai, still buried in the pack, her presence undetectable.

"Through the second corner with sixteen hundred meters remaining! The leader is still Hoshino Wilm, with about seven lengths back to second place. The field has already stretched into a long line of over twenty lengths!"

"This is the familiar pattern in races where Hoshino Wilm runs. Faced with such an enormous gap, can the overseas Uma Musume respond correctly? Timing their move will be crucial."

The dragging sound of footsteps fades farther and farther away, until even the runner in second is hard to hear. Another two lengths or so, and they’ll be completely out of range.

From here on, it’s truly a solo battle.

This great escape suits me perfectly—no, it’s practically a one-of-a-kind match for my abilities. With ordinary front-running, the pack stays too close; my hearing doesn’t really help, and I can’t fully exploit what’s apparently my very high stamina. There’s also the risk of being caught or swallowed up by the pack.

In that sense, maybe it was fate that I accidentally learned this style during my debut race. Back then, I didn’t know anything about pace control—I was just desperately trying not to lose. …If I hadn’t picked up the knack for this kind of runaway running then, what would’ve happened? Maybe Teio would’ve run me down in the Derby.

Anyway, putting that aside—

"…Hah."

The footsteps are gone.

Right now, within ten lengths of me, there isn’t a single other Uma Musume.

To be honest… it feels a little lonely.

Running together with others is fun.

Nature, Teio, Rice-chan, Bourbon-chan. Racing and training alongside so many Uma Musume taught me that.

Thinking about why someone made a move, slightly quickening your pace as a bluff, deliberately slowing down to apply pressure—those mind games, the reading and misreading of each other’s runs.

Or pushing your pace to escape someone who’s charging relentlessly, or driving your legs beyond their limits just so you won’t lose. Those all-out battles, too.

Running together with someone is incredibly fun. It heats up the instincts deep in our guts and makes us feel truly alive.

…But.

This kind of running—a great escape like this—doesn’t allow for that.

This is a way of running that imposes my own strength to win—arrogant above all else, and utterly without play.

There’s no room for reading opponents or tactical maneuvering. I eliminate as much uncertainty as possible and aim to win safely and surely.

If you have enough specs, that stability is exceptional—but precisely because of that, you can’t really compete with other Uma Musume.

…The only downside to this style of running is probably just how lonely it feels.

Even so, this solo lead…

…its end is approaching.

At that realization, a tiny flicker of heat rose from deep inside me, licking at my frozen heart.

"Now the leader is through the backstretch and entering the third corner, still holding a massive gap of twelve to thirteen lengths! Yet even at this point, the Dragon’s momentum shows no sign of stopping! Will any Uma Musume be able to catch up to the Dragon’s back from here!?"

"It looks like the overall pace of the pack is slightly increasing as well. This is where the real battle begins!"

For the past two weeks, I’ve been practicing pace control.

…Well, when I practiced with Bourbon-chan, she got so carried away that it wasn’t very effective, but…

At least for the past week, I’ve been running solely with my pace in mind.

As a result, even if I’m not at Bourbon-chan’s level, I can maintain a fairly accurate pace now.

…Of course, this is just a temporary skill. If I lose my composure, I’ll immediately lose it.

Still… at least until the final stretch, I will not make a mistake.

"Through the third corner with 1,000 meters remaining, the time so far… 83.0 seconds! Average lap 11.9 seconds—under 12! A truly high pace!"

My trainer set a goal around an 11.6-second lap average. The pace I’m running now accounts for the worsening track condition slightly slowing things down.

For an ordinary Uma Musume, anything in the 11-second range is extremely fast. Even someone with Hoshino Wilm’s specs would find it difficult to maintain this pace all the way through, but… my uniqueness allows me to achieve this unreal, lap-based running.

Honestly, this speed is probably impossible for any half-decent Uma Musume to even keep up with. This is essentially a pace comparable to a last sprint for a less skilled runner—yet I’ve been running at it from the very start.

…Even so.

Surely, there will be Uma Musume who come.

After all, this is a mixed-class G1 race—the Japan Cup. A race prestigious enough to stand alongside the Eight Major Races… a battlefield where overseas Uma Musume come mercilessly to seize the crown.

And above all, that senpai is participating.

"The leader Hoshino Wilm crosses the Great Zelkova and enters the fourth corner! And here, Mejiro McQueen escapes through the pack, fiercely closing the gap! The pace of the field surges in response!"

"Silver Pigeon begins her pursuit as well! Pulled along by Hoshino Wilm’s unbelievable high pace, the overall race tempo has already increased significantly! Can they maintain this speed all the way to the finish!?"

They’ve come.

Just as I thought—they’ve come.

I start hearing footsteps. One… then, following the elegant yet fierce steps of McQueen-senpai, the sound of several more Uma Musume rapidly approaching.

"The corner ends, and it’s the final straight! How much of this massive gap can be closed along the long Tokyo Racecourse straight!?"

They’ve come.

They’ve come, they’ve come, they’ve come.

I hear the footsteps—many of them. The scythe of death pushing me toward defeat, the rivals whose blazing fire gives me heat. They’re almost upon me.

Everyone is desperate, grasping for victory as if their lives depend on it. Everyone stretches out their hands with all their strength, willing to bleed, to spill everything they have. Every ounce of life, every shred of will, fully invested.

…Ah. I can feel my blood heating.

If they catch me, it’s game over. If I hold them off, it’s game clear. The objective is simple—and the time left to accomplish it… about thirty seconds.

They’re coming at full power. There’s no reason I shouldn’t respond in kind.

So… I click a switch inside myself.

The frozen thoughts melt, regaining flexibility—and at the same time, the world slows.

Of course, it’s just an illusion. Time is relative; when your awareness—or processing ability—increases, everything naturally feels slower.

Either way, it’s perfectly advantageous for me.

I can think while running.

Now, with the world slowed, it’s time to reconsider. To calculate the perfect way to escape the Uma Musume chasing me—and secure victory.

I let my eyes sweep, my ears listen, my nose catch the air, my legs kick off the track, gathering information. Gathering. Gathering…

I connect it all systematically—calculate, verify, anticipate—

"Alright."

With a single blink, the calculations are complete.

"Let’s go."

The moment my hooves grip the ground, I… soar, light and free.

Nothing binds me.

Air resistance. Postural limits. The fatigue stored in my body. Even the past itself—

All of it is released in this instant.

"Hoshino Wilm leans forward! Is she about to unleash her signature spurt!? And taking second position is Mejiro McQueen!! From behind, Silver Pigeon is closing in!!"

Sorry to disappoint—but I have no intention of accelerating.

After all, my strategy this time is to maintain a steady pace. This forward posture is purely to reduce stamina consumption and lessen the strain on my legs.

…Normally, such an unusual posture would actually increase strain, like it did during the Japan Derby. But depending on how you channel your force, and on the flexibility of your joints, it’s possible to reduce wind resistance while easing the load on your legs. It’s a little like acrobatics.

For now, I stick to the late 11-second pace. Even if I may need to make emergency decisions, if a stable strategy can secure victory, there’s no reason to overcomplicate things.

"Mejiro McQueen surges forward in one decisive move! As expected of the strongest stayer, there’s no sign of faltering in her stride! From behind, Silver Pigeon has made an early move and is chasing closely!"

Now, if there’s any concern, it’s the trailing Uma Musume…

I strain my ears to the rear. The pounding of hooves, fluttering and thunderous—

From those sounds, I narrow down the ones who haven’t broken form. The ones still conserving stamina.

And from that group, I search for those who still seem capable of accelerating…

Just one stands out.

Her steps feel effortless, yet heavy—powerful, yet light.

"As I thought… McQueen-senpai…!"

She doesn’t feel defeat at all. No—stronger than fear or anxiety, she runs purely for her own victory.

What drives her is responsibility—the belief that she must win. And above all, the will to answer the expectations placed upon her.

And now, those forces align perfectly…

Rewriting the world itself.

---

Within the beautifully adorned garden, she runs—straight ahead, without hesitation.

"Now is the time to fulfill your noble mission."

Even if the rain pours down relentlessly. Even if the garden is cruelly scattered. Even if the world itself is swallowed by darkness…

Even so, she will never stop.

"Carrying everyone’s expectations on my back, I will…"

As she continues running, the rain clouds are torn apart—

Beneath a vast, crystal-clear blue sky, a path meant for her alone opens.

"—I’m going to win!!"

---

"…!"

This is similar to what I’ve seen before—and yet completely different. This is her true, unquestionable full power. Her very essence…!

In a mere instant, her speed skyrockets. At an absurd pace, the gap closes.

Eight lengths. Seven. Six. Five. Four…!

In only a few seconds, the lead I built is wiped away.

I’d heard from the trainer that “Mejiro McQueen struggles with acceleration,” but there isn’t even a hint of that now. Overwhelming explosive power—and a finishing kick that only keeps extending. To possess both qualities an Uma Musume needs…

Right now, she truly embodies the orthodox ideal of an Uma Musume. You could honestly say her legs are nearly perfect.

"Mejiro McQueen breaks free!! What a finishing kick!! In just seconds, with a run as graceful as if she’s dancing through the air, she closes in on Hoshino Wilm!! Is the legend of invincibility finally coming to an end!?"

"Many Uma Musume are charging up from behind as well, but has this blistering pace taken its toll? There’s a slight dullness in their sharpness!"

…Yeah. Looks like both the trainer and I got our assumptions wrong.

An Uma Musume’s true strength isn’t determined by specs alone. And that isn’t something limited to someone like me, who has cheats.

As if to walk alongside fate—or overturn it—Uma Musume possess a power known as a “Domain.”

Just like how I ran through the Takarazuka Kinen without losing control, yet without causing an accident, straight to the finish line. Just like how McQueen-senpai, after countless twists of fate and hardship, claimed victory at the Kikuka-shō.

The power to carve open your own path when challenging destiny—that is the Domain.

…And now, McQueen-senpai is refining that Domain even further. She’s made it her own, understands its essence better than anyone, and wields it completely.

I see… there’s still more ahead.

Beyond destiny, in a race that feels like a dream, Uma Musume—no, we—can go even further!

…Once again.

Revising my evaluation of Mejiro McQueen upward. Scenario prediction. Calculations accounting for the deteriorating turf, distance sense, and speed…

At this pace… she’ll catch me.

Sorry, Trainer. With this plan, we can’t win.

So—from here on out, I’m going by my own judgment!

"Just over 200 meters to go—Mejiro McQueen is right on her heels!! Third place trails by more than five lengths—this is no longer a race for anyone but these two!!"

"An incredible battle!! Course-record pace—no, world-record pace from these two!! Which one will carve their victory at the very end!?"

McQueen-senpai is closing in.

Behind me… three lengths… two…

The closer the distance becomes, the hotter my heart burns. A rival who races with me, who fights me, who pushes me further—this ultimate race…

It’s unbearable.

And it sets me ablaze.

Then—one length remaining.

The heat fully circulates through my heart…

And my Domain opens.

My own world. A universe filled with countless shining stars, stretching endlessly onward.

My Domain has only just opened—nowhere near as polished as McQueen-senpai’s. Forget refinement; honestly, I probably haven’t even reached the stage where I can truly control it.

…Even so.

Within this Domain, I can run more freely than anyone.

"Do your best, Hoshino Wilm!"

"Please, don’t lose!"

"Go! Go!!"

Voices.

So many voices—so many stars—their light pouring down on me, illuminating me, warming me.

"Hoshino Wilm-san……!"

"Wilm-senpai, forward!"

A familiar radiance guides me toward the path I must take.

And more than anyone else……

"Hoshino Wilmmmm!!"

……that first-magnitude star is guiding me.

So—!

Grit—! Our Domains grind against each other.

The feelings carried through those splintered fragments are no different from my own.

It’s just that we are—each other’s.

"Then let us settle this!"

"Let’s settle this!"

Yes—we declared it.

"Hoshino Wilm still has strength left!? She accelerates even further here!!"

"The gap is now razor-thin! Will Hoshino Wilm hold on to the lead!? Or will Mejiro McQueen overtake her at the line!?"

The winner will be—!!

"It’s me!"

"It’s me!"

As if perfectly synchronized, we shout the same words.

And then……

"Now—finish!! The margin is half a length! Just barely holding on, the victor of the Japan Cup is Hoshino Wilm!!"

"The time is—an astonishing 2 minutes 20.9 seconds!! A dominant world record for 2400 meters on turf!!"

"Unfazed by a field packed with elite contenders, Hoshino Wilm overwhelms the race with sheer power! Her legend now carries on toward the year-end, the race of the century—the Arima Kinen!!"

I won the Japan Cup.

---

"Hah… hah… hah…… cough. …ugh."

…Well, yeah. That figures.

After the race, I was completely wiped out.

Which, honestly, was only natural.

In the first place, the pace where you burn through every last drop of stamina and just make it to the end is around 11.8 seconds per split. And yet, over the final 600 meters I completely ignored that limit—especially over the last 200 meters, which were truly, absurdly fast.

Of course I had no stamina left. Not a shred. My willpower and grit were pushed to their absolute limits too. My legs are trembling, and at worst, I might even have mild inflammation.

…But.

"Hah…… whew. I did it."

I won.

I won!

Against McQueen-senpai, who revealed that unbelievable Domain and a finishing kick worthy of being called the best—I won!

Right now, that alone makes me happy.

So happy that if I’d had even a little stamina left, I probably would’ve started dancing.

"Hoshino Wilm-san."

While I was still shaking, McQueen-senpai—who had already caught her breath before me—spoke up.

Her expression…… held strong frustration, yet not the slightest hint of cloudiness.

"That was a magnificent run. It’s frustrating, but for today, I must concede defeat gracefully."

"McQueen-senpai too…… whew. I never imagined you’d close in that much…… Thank you for such an incredibly fun moment!"

"The one who should be thanking you is me. The reason I was able to reclaim my own running…… is thanks to your trainer."

"My trainer…?"

McQueen-senpai shared a little about herself.

How she had been losing repeatedly since the start of the year, anxiety creeping in, the gears within her no longer meshing properly.

How she couldn’t bring herself to talk to her trainer about it, and carried everything alone.

……And how, through guidance from my trainer, Ayumu-san, McQueen’s own trainer finally sat down with her and talked things through—resolving that slump.

I see. Trainer really did help McQueen-senpai.

Somehow…… yeah. I’m glad.

"And today, after watching your run, I was able to grow once more. You’ve helped me time and again. I’m truly grateful."

"The feeling’s mutual. Seeing your running showed me that I can go even higher. Thank you very much!"

When I bowed, McQueen-senpai chuckled softly and said—

"You don’t need the ‘senpai.’ Between rivals, there’s no older or younger. Please, just call me McQueen."

"—! Y-yes! McQueen-se— um, McQueen-san! Uh, then please call me Wilm…!"

"Very well. It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance properly, Wilm-san."

With that, we shook hands……

And wrapped in thunderous cheers, McQueen-san grinned and said—

"Next time, at the Arima Kinen. I’ll be the one to win."

"No. ……Next time too, the winner will be me!"

And so, after officially becoming rivals with McQueen-san……

Hoshino Wilm’s Classic-year Japan Cup came to an end.

---

Now then—there’s just one race left on this year’s schedule.

Special Week and Silence Suzuka, the two protagonists of the first season of my past-life anime—and in this world, two living legends.

Along with many other named competitors like Sky-senpai, and rivals bound by fate such as Meek-senpai, Teio, and Nature.

The year-end festival—the Arima Kinen.

Somehow…… it really feels like the final sprint.