Chapter 102: Fierce Battle! The Tenno Sho (Spring) – Part 2

Diving into the light, an endless expanse of blue and green scenery unfolds. Today, the Kyoto Racecourse boasts perfect weather and firm turf, with the grass not even slightly worn. With every step, the horseshoes grip the lush turf, each blade offering just the right amount of resistance and spring.

As the horse girls enter the track one after another, I begin my smooth kaeshi-uma (warm-up gallop). The overwhelming number of spectators is almost unimaginable, but I steadily raise my gears with a controlled pace. If I were to unleash my full speed here and let my emotions run wild, it would ruin Tomio’s careful conditioning. This is just a warm-up—I mustn’t forget that.

The Tenno Sho (Spring) is expected to be a straightforward battle of strength. It’s not that tricks or disruptions are entirely absent, but after even the grueling Arima Kinen failed to drain my stamina, many horse girls are predicted to aim for a pure contest of endurance—or so our team has speculated.

They won’t try to win by dragging others down—they’ll come at me with raw strength. The thought of facing rivals who’ve shed their old skins, grown stronger, leaves me restless.

『Apollo Rainbow is running conservatively again today! She passes the roaring grandstand and heads toward the backstretch! She looks in good form!』

『I miss seeing her full-speed warm-up gallop, but with a grueling 3200-meter race ahead… it’s only natural she’s holding back.』

Once the warm-up ends, the 18 competitors gather at the gates. The starting point for the Kyoto 3200m is slightly to the left of the midpoint on the backstretch, as seen from the grandstand. This course is now exclusively used for the Tenno Sho (Spring), requiring us to climb the Yodo Hill twice—just like in the Kikuka Sho, but with an extra 200 meters. A long, punishing battle awaits.

I step up to my assigned gate, taking a deep breath to steady myself. Glancing outward, I see Jarajara, Mejiro Bright, and Seiun Sky. Inward, Special Week and Machikane Fukukitaru stand calmly.

I don’t meet their eyes. To avoid being swallowed by the overwhelming "Territory Zones" radiating from Special Week and Seiun Sky, I fortify my mental landscape. Their auras—Special Week’s "Shooting Star" and Seiun Sky’s "Angling × Skimming"—clash violently with mine at the surface, sending sparks flying.

The blue, flame-like glow of vitality emanating from their bodies makes them seem less like horse girls and more like something else entirely. An indomitable presence looms before the gates, drowning out even the distant fanfare.

It’s overwhelming. A tingling, electric sensation runs from my neck down to the base of my tail—an instinctive sense of insignificance. Like a wild animal faced with an overwhelming force, my body screams at me to flee. But I’ll use this oppressive pressure as fuel for my runaway strategy.

『The fanfare echoes grandly across Kyoto Racecourse as the horse girls enter the gates!』

『With temperatures still rising, let’s hope they avoid heat exhaustion!』

The deafening cheers snap me back to reality. I step forward into the steel gate, and the staff closes the door behind me, sealing me in a temporary, confined space.

『Gate 3, Number 5—Apollo Rainbow has now entered!』

『She looks fired up! That’s a determined face!』

As my vision narrows, I curl my fingers one by one into a tight fist. Bringing it to my chest, I take another deep breath. The opening moment is crucial—the start can decide the entire race.

One by one, my rivals enter their gates. The staff withdraws after securing the last door. I slap my cheeks a few times to psyche myself up, then lower into a standing start position.

『All horse girls are now in the gates! The battle to crown Japan’s long-distance champion begins—NOW!』

The air around the gates—no, the entire racecourse—is taut. A single needle prick might shatter the tension. Then, for just an instant, the pressure eases.

—Now. My body moves on instinct, sensing the gate’s opening. Three others react in sync: Seiun Sky, Jarajara, and—Special Week. My body slices through the wind, hitting overdrive before even 50 meters pass.

『—AND THEY’RE OFF! A brilliant start from Apollo Rainbow, Seiun Sky, and Jarajara! Special Week surges forward, securing an economical position!』

『As expected, the early race will be a battle among the front-runners!』

Amid the sweltering heat and roaring crowd, the Tenno Sho (Spring) begins. A rocket start puts me a full length ahead immediately. Seiun Sky and Jarajara trail in second, with Jarajara already at full speed, cutting inward to chase me down.

Unlike the Kikuka Sho’s 3000m, which starts on an uphill slope, the Tenno Sho’s 3200m begins on flat ground. From the backstretch starting point to the third corner is roughly 400 meters, with the 4.3-meter Yodo Hill awaiting beyond.

The positioning battle won’t end until we clear it. Conversely, if a front-runner like me hasn’t taken the lead by 400 meters, the race is as good as lost.

In short—Jarajara will fight tooth and nail to cling to me for those first 400 meters. The order settles: 1st Apollo Rainbow, 2nd Jarajara, 3rd Seiun Sky, 4th Special Week. The opening 100 meters pass in this formation.

Maintaining my early lead, I accelerate as if this were a sprint—this is the ultimate race strategy I’ve envisioned. No one keeps up—I dominate every segment. Half-hearted stamina won’t even let them reach me. If they try to close in, I grind them down. A flawless plan, leaving no openings.

—And yet. If there’s one weakness in this strategy, it’s the very beginning. My lead over Jarajara is just 1.5 lengths. I can’t shake her. Why? Because the difference in top speed hasn’t manifested yet. The decisive gap between my full throttle and hers won’t emerge until later—perhaps not until the final 100 meters.

『100 meters in, and it’s Apollo Rainbow and Jarajara leading the charge! Apollo Rainbow holds a slim lead, with Jarajara desperately clinging on! What a fierce battle for the front!』

『But Jarajara is struggling. Almost no one has managed to break Apollo Rainbow’s rhythm. For today’s stayers, countering her runaway strategy is a must. Simply chasing her won’t be enough.』

This is the first time Jarajara and I have fought like this since my debut. Nostalgic memories flash through my mind. Surrendering to acceleration and impulse, I catch Jarajara’s profile at the edge of my vision.

It was just like this back then. I’d take the early lead, then battle for position as the race progressed, clashing fiercely until—well, you know the rest.

What’s the situation now? A two-length gap separates me from Jara Jara, while she holds a one-length lead over Seiun Sky. Behind them, the pack is tightly bunched—meaning the battle for the lead has boiled down to a head-to-head duel between Jara Jara and me.

Jara Jara accelerates, her shadow stretching as she tries to latch onto my tail. I refuse to glance back, hammering my hooves into the turf as if fleeing her shadow. Shifting from a stayer’s top speed to a middle-distance runner’s peak. My legs coil like springs, roaring as they propel me forward, forward, forward.

Victory is never guaranteed. That’s why I’m willing to carve away my very life to seize it. That mindset hasn’t changed. The reason I can push my body to its absolute limit, even as it grinds my soul to dust, is because my will is borderline insane.

—Jara Jara. Do you really think you can match me? Can you sprint 10,000 meters at full throttle? Can you sustain this speed over an ultralong distance? If not, don’t even think about challenging me. A prolonged duel would be pointless—you’d only destroy your own legs.

150 meters from the start, my lead over Jara Jara stretches to two and a half lengths. She’s beginning to realize something’s wrong. Why isn’t the gap closing? Her top speed has improved drastically since her debut. Against any ordinary front-runner, she’d have torn ahead and seized the lead by now. Yet against me, her speed seems to vanish into thin air.

Not that I care. I only move forward. Charge ahead, claim glory. I burn through my boundless stamina like kindling, converting it into explosive power at my hooves.

From a middle-distance runner’s top speed to a miler’s peak. The wind distorts, the earth trembles. Jara Jara, caught in my slipstream, suddenly widens her eyes—I sense her momentum waver. But she’s no pushover. A true horse girl never surrenders. She grits her teeth, briefly narrowing the gap before—her jaw jerks up, gasping for air.

—Her stride falters, just slightly. She slows to regain her footing.

(—JaraJara…)

The battle for the lead is decided. 171 meters from the gate, I shift gears for the final phase.

After burning stamina, I ignite my passion. The frustration of holding back erupts—I shatter the wall of my top speed. Gratitude for the friends and seniors who supported me.

The watchful eyes of Double Trigger, Luminous Glory, and my longing for Kahla beyond the sea in the "Unknown Territory Zone." Finally, the blazing love in my heart for Momozawa and Mio detonates, catapulting me from a miler’s peak to a sprinter’s maximum velocity.

A pale-blue flame kindles in my chest, licking across my skin. My eyeballs burn—this is my fury made manifest. The emerald turf ignites as the flames carve hoof-shaped scars into the grass, searing my path and kicking scorched debris behind me.

I feel the earth groan. The wind writhes, dancing, surging alongside me. Scattering flames and snowflakes, I charge forward with a pounding heart. Four lengths ahead of Jara Jara—just as we cross the 250-meter mark.

『Oh! JaraJara’s struggling—her head’s tilting up! She’s losing speed—no, wait, Apollo Rainbow’s accelerating! She’s hitting the slope at Yodo first, and she’s not slowing down! Is this a repeat of the Kikuka-shō!?』

About 150 meters in, the infamous Yodo slope looms—a 4.3-meter elevation change. While the others brace for Japan’s steepest incline, I’m already cresting the hill, swinging into the third corner.

The positions solidify: JaraJara in second, Seiun Sky in third, and Special Week, who opted for an early push, settling into fourth. Just as we predicted. Seiun Sky doesn’t seem surprised—she must’ve anticipated this. JaraJara, though? Not so much.

『Into the third corner, descending Yodo slope! Apollo Rainbow leads, Jara Jara in second, Seiun Sky third, Special Week fourth—the rest are locked in a scramble!』

『Special Week’s playing the front-runner. Smart move, leveraging her inside draw.』

『But the real issue is this pace—it’s even faster than the Kikuka-shō! If they don’t rein in Apollo Rainbow’s runaway lead, they’re done for! What’s Special Week planning!?』

I surrender to gravity on the descent, reckless and brake-free. For most, the downhill saps stamina—but for me, it’s just another chance to accelerate. Why hold back when I can burn stamina without a second thought?

Flames and frost scatter in my wake as I tear through the third and fourth corners at sprinter-like speeds. The rivals behind me seem to hesitate—too late, I’m already rounding the fourth turn.

With a six-length lead, I maintain my top speed, uneasy. JaraJara’s panic is one thing, but Seiun Sky and Special Week’s eerie calm gnaws at me. They should be desperate. Why aren’t they chasing? Do they really think they can win by ignoring me?

…Impossible. This is like a sprinter running 3,200 meters. Unless they’ve somehow unlocked an even more absurd late-race burst than mine—

—Wait. What if I’m not the only one who’s broken past my limits?

Their composure suggests they can match this madness.

A chill races down my spine. No way. But it’s the only explanation. Right—after the Arima Kinen, tricks and gambits stopped working. I knew this Tenno-sho would be a pure battle of strength. I just didn’t expect their growth to be this monstrous. This is Japan’s elite. Their evolution is terrifying.

The "Territory Zone" has evolved into the "Unknown Territory Zone," forging them into greater monsters. Seiun Sky’s last race, the Nikkei Shō, and Special Week’s Osaka Hai showed no signs of this… Were they hiding it? Or did they awaken just before the Tenno-sho? Whatever the case, underestimating them means defeat.

Run. Faster. Push beyond a sprinter’s acceleration. Surge past even Mōshin’s limits.

I carve through the final corner, defying centrifugal force to accelerate further. My stamina burns inefficiently, my arms pump wildly, my legs spin like turbines—blood boils through my veins as I clear the fourth turn. Eight lengths ahead of second place.

No. Run faster. They’re hiding their fangs. Concealed in their grasp are razor-sharp weapons—tools to sink into the back of a fleeing opponent like me and snuff out their last breath.

Only now do I realize how terrifying it is to not see my rivals’ faces. I can’t read their thoughts. I know they’re not fools enough to let me run unchecked without a plan. That’s what scares me. The fact that I’m running too freely feeds this dread. Run. If I don’t widen the gap further, they’ll reel me in.

『Rounding the 4th corner, they enter the first homestretch!! The crowd erupts in thunderous applause!! Has Apollo Rainbow, pressured by the roar, gritted her teeth and pushed the pace even higher!? The lead over 2nd place is a staggering 8, 9 lengths!! Jara Jara, now in 2nd, has begun racing at her own rhythm—but even so, the pace behind her is blistering!!』

『Seiun Sky in 3rd slips into Jara Jara’s draft, while Special Week in 4th tucks behind Seiun Sky to conserve energy. They must be saving everything for a final, all-or-nothing sprint.』

A thousand meters since the start. The homestretch greets me with deafening cheers as I tear down the back straight. I prepared for this Tenno-sho down to the last detail. At full strength, I should win. During training, I clocked 3:08.2 for 3200 meters—at 80% effort—smashing the national record. There’s no scenario where I lose.

—Then why? Why do they fill me with this suffocating terror, even when I’m at my absolute peak? It’s so horrifying I could cry. My conditioning is flawless. My body, perfected. So why this unease? No—the ones who’ve gone beyond reason are them. Special Week. Seiun Sky.

As confusion swells, their presence looms larger in my mind. Dread solidifies into certainty. The specter of defeat, sudden as a gust over turf, seizes my heart. A scream claws at my throat—ebbing, surging, dragging me between despair and defiance.

Sweat pours unchecked, synced to my hammering pulse. The pressure from behind makes even my "infinite" stamina flicker at its edges. Stay calm. They can’t catch me. Can they?

By the time I hit the 1st corner, my lead stretches to 14 lengths. Yet I’m the one mentally cornered—Seiun Sky and Special Week show no strain.

When will they strike? The midpoint between corners? The back straight? Surely they must panic if the gap widens further. But all I can do is run. Am I toying with them, or are they toying with me? I no longer know.

『The field stretches into a single file as they round the 1st corner!! Even Apollo Rainbow, the leader, now wears a pained expression!! JaraJara, too, struggles to maintain her role as pacemaker!! The gap from 1st to last? A shocking 25 lengths!! Can anyone close this from the rear!?』

『JaraJara’s always faltered in 2nd place. Another runner in front disrupts her focus—she can’t settle into her own rhythm.』

Into the 2nd corner, 18 lengths ahead. The race passes 1600 meters—the turnaround point. The lead should be insurmountable. Yet I haven’t slowed. My legs still hold acceleration. Then how could they possibly close this?

Get a grip. Stand tall. Don’t break form. Think. To catch me now, they’d need to burn their lives in a sprint beyond reason. And I am the master of that desperate, all-consuming fire. That agony. That terror. This is my domain. I won’t yield it.

Yet my thoughts spiral. My form holds, but my mind fractures.

Then—just as I near the back straight again—25 lengths behind me, a flash.

A gray trickster’s body ignites with light.

Cold steel licks my sweat-slicked skin—not a blade, but the pressure of a world-shaking final kick. The gleam of the "Territory Zone"—no, the "Unknown Territory Zone."

The air I once ruled is rewritten by Seiun Sky. My flames and snowflakes vanish, overwritten by an endless ocean under a boundless sky.

—So it’s true. They’ve awakened. To the "Unknown Territory Zone." For a split second, my eyes meet Seiun Sky’s, far behind.

I was afraid. Terrified. Yet somewhere, I wanted this. Craved a repeat of that Satsuki-sho’s brutal war. Glory and despair hang in the balance. Fate will decide all.

(—Who will seize victory?)
(—Who will stand atop—)

""“—ME!!!”""