What a huge racetrack... Is this really the kind of crowd a sporting event can attract? Is some superstar actually holding a concert here!?
After setting down her luggage and heading toward the racetrack, Kagura saw the enormous structure in the distance. Its size far exceeded that of an ordinary sports venue, and the black masses of people packed tightly around it gave her a small taste of idol-level shock.
At least on Earth, the only event Kagura could think of that drew this many spectators was some superstar's commemorative concert. She had never really seen a sporting event attract this many people.
She had not even reached the outer perimeter when Kagura could already hear people nearby discussing the same name in scattered conversations—Rudolph Symbol. Just from how frequently the name came up, it was obvious that this entire crowd had gathered for Rudolph Symbol.
"Are all these people the young lady's fans?"
To keep Kagura from getting lost in the crowd, Speed Symbol and Toujou Hana held tightly onto her. Speed Symbol had originally wanted to carry Kagura straight through, but Kagura had desperately rejected the suggestion.
"Yes... Though not necessarily every one of them, most probably are. After all, that new star has already attracted everyone's attention before even debuting. Today, she is taking the first step on her journey."
Toujou Hana spoke with a sigh of emotion. She clearly had great confidence in Rudolph Symbol's abilities.
Kagura had originally been calculating how long she would have to queue before squeezing inside, but she had barely stood there for a moment before Speed Symbol and Toujou Hana dragged her away. Only after they pulled her onto an empty passageway and began walking into the venue did Kagura remember that the Symbol family was a major clan and surely had some privileges. At the very least, they would not need to squeeze through the entrance with everyone else.
Following the red-carpeted corridor deeper into the venue, Kagura marveled inwardly at how nice it was to be rich while observing the exquisitely decorated backstage area, which was almost comparable to a hotel. Rather than a viewing area, the place looked more like a hotel's private room. If one had the leisure, one could even brew a cup of tea and watch the race from here.
However, Kagura was surprised to find that when they reached the private room, someone was already waiting inside. One of them was Maruzensky, the Uma Musume she knew and had met not long ago, who acted familiar with everyone. Reclining on a chaise longue some distance away was an orange-haired girl in a white dress and a white hat. A cat was sprawled across the girl's hat.
"You got here quickly, Akikawa. I didn't keep you waiting, did I?"
Speed Symbol spoke in the natural tone of old friends meeting and walked toward the orange-haired girl. She casually stroked the cat on the girl's head twice, eliciting a pleased sound from it.
"Not at all! Maruzensky and I just sat down ourselves! Old Symbol, don't just stand there. Come sit with us."
The little girl's tone and voice left a deep impression on Kagura. There was a distinct rise and fall to them that reminded Kagura of elderly people from the last century in certain old Japanese dramas.
Kagura did not know who the little girl was, but judging from how naturally she invited Speed Symbol over to sit, her identity was certainly extraordinary. After all, Maruzensky and Toujou Hana both seemed somewhat restrained, while only that girl chatted casually with Speed Symbol.
Observing was one thing, but Kagura had not forgotten her actual job. When the others sat down, she quickly used the tea set and tea leaves in the private room to brew tea and brought a cup to everyone.
"Thank you~ A hardworking little sister is so cute, too. Come here and let Big Sister give you a hug~"
As she spoke, Maruzensky reached out with an eager look on her face. Kagura felt that all the Uma Musume around her especially liked hugging her for no reason, which left her rather depressed. Did she really feel that good to hug?
"Don't tease me... Miss Maruzensky, who is that girl chatting with the Head of the Family over there?"
Kagura did have a question for Maruzensky. While passing by after serving the tea, she lowered her voice and asked. After all, Maruzensky was a student at Tracen Academy and surely knew more than an undocumented outsider like her.
"You mean Chairwoman Akikawa? She's the chairwoman of Tracen Academy. Tracen is also concerned about Rudolph's race, so she came along today."
Since Kagura had lowered her voice, Maruzensky lowered hers as well.
Huh?? That little girl is actually the chairwoman!?
Looking at the girl who was only a little taller than her, Kagura found it hard to believe.
I shouldn't think too hard about things in anime. Maybe she only looks young but is actually quite old... Yes, that must be it.
Kagura gently caught and moved away the hand Maruzensky had somehow placed on her head. She was just about to return to the window to stand by and observe the racetrack when that childish voice, full of dramatic inflection, suddenly called out to her:
"Wait! Little Uma Musume over there! Could you come here for a moment?"
Kagura turned around and saw the chairwoman looking at her with curiosity. Speed Symbol, seated to the chairwoman's left, smiled and nodded at Kagura, seemingly signaling that she should not be nervous.
"Hello, Chairwoman Akikawa. Is there anything you need?"
Kagura walked over to the chairwoman and, still unaware of what she wanted, asked in the standard work response.
But the chairwoman did not speak right away. She simply stared at Kagura as if studying or observing something. The intense gaze made Kagura feel uneasy, and she subconsciously glanced at Speed Symbol. Speed Symbol remained as she had been, nodding to signal Kagura not to be nervous.
"Familiar! Little Uma Musume, you remind me of someone I once knew, so I ended up looking at you for a little too long."
Kagura kept her professional smile in place, but Chairwoman Akikawa's words surprised her. She had no idea which old-timer her face could possibly resemble.
"Curious! I heard from Maruzensky and Trainer Toujou that you have excellent talent. Is that true?"
"Um... Sorry, I'm not really sure myself."
Kagura had no real idea how strong she was, so she did not dare readily agree with such a claim.
"A while ago, this child ran sixteen hundred meters with me. Using the Great Escape Tactic on grass, she crossed the finish twelve lengths ahead of me... I really did my best. Akikawa, don't look at me like that. You know I've never neglected my training. Leaving me behind isn't that easy. Trainer Toujou saw that child use the Great Escape Tactic a few days ago. If you don't believe me, you can ask her."
Before Kagura could finish speaking, Speed Symbol suddenly cut in. After her casual words fell, the entire private room sank into frightening silence. Kagura felt every gaze in the room instantly focus on her.
Head of the Family!!
Feeling the pressure surge, Kagura struggled to maintain her professional smile while silently howling inside.
She did not know what it meant to outrun Speed Symbol, that veteran Uma Musume, but everyone else present did. A young Uma Musume who had not even fully matured had left Speed Symbol—a former professional racer—in the dust and opened up a huge lead. Even though Speed Symbol had grown old, her ability was absolutely not something an ordinary young Uma Musume could leave far behind. That was already talent worth looking forward to.
"Little sister, you're amazing... Do you have a trainer coaching you?"
In the end, Maruzensky was the first to break the silence.
"No, that child doesn't have a trainer yet. At least, I haven't arranged for anyone to train her."
Speed Symbol immediately added another comment.
"Oh..."
Another small chorus of surprise followed, and Kagura felt the gazes directed at her grow even more fervent.
"Hehe... She isn't old enough to enter the racetrack yet, so there's no need to rush. We didn't come here today to discuss my maid's talent, did we? Don't forget to watch the entrance ceremony, everyone."
Speed Symbol ended the topic at exactly the right moment and naturally shifted the subject back to today's race. It was like fishing: she had already cast out the bait, and after learning this information, everyone present would surely have their own thoughts. What happened next was up to them.
This was information released by the Head of the Symbol family, and it carried considerable weight. Based on her understanding of these old acquaintances from Central Tracen Academy, no one present could remain unmoved after hearing it. By telling them in advance, she could save Kagura a great deal of trouble if Kagura eventually chose to enter the racetrack.
The gazes directed at her finally weakened, and Kagura, who had been tense the whole time, finally relaxed. She returned to her place by the window to stand by and observe the area below.
Once the entrance ceremony began with an atmosphere resembling a fashion show, the competitors stepped forward one after another. Kagura felt that it was a little like the trash-talk segment her best friend used to watch before esports matches began: everyone came out to show themselves, then traded a few threats and taunts.
When the chestnut-haired Uma Musume who looked extremely imposing stepped forward, the entire venue erupted in enthusiastic cheers. The host also announced her entrance with great excitement.
"—The number-one favorite, Rudolph Symbol!"
The enormous cheers nearly drowned out Kagura's ears. Once again, she experienced what true fanaticism meant. Rudolph Symbol's influence far exceeded her expectations. Even though today was her debut race, the first race on her journey, countless fans were already waiting for her.
She's amazing...
Rudolph Symbol calmly responded to the cheers from the entire venue. There was not the slightest hint of nervousness about her, and Kagura genuinely admired that. She did not even dare imagine what state she would be in if she stood up there. She would probably melt away under all those gazes and cheers.
"How is she? Isn't Rudolph handsome?"
As the voice reached her ears, Kagura felt someone gently stroke her head. She found that Maruzensky had somehow come over.
"The young lady is really amazing. If I were standing there, I probably would've melted into a puddle by now..."
"Mhm~ After all, she's always been someone who stands beneath the spotlight."
"Come to think of it, Miss Maruzensky, you and the young lady are classmates, right? Are you also preparing to debut and compete?"
"We're both in the upper division, but I'm a little older than Rudolph... As for competing..."
For some reason, Kagura felt that Maruzensky did not really want to discuss competing, so she hurriedly added:
"I was just asking out of curiosity. If it's inconvenient for you to say, you don't have to tell me. It's fine! A professional racer's privacy is important, too!"
"Oh my~ Little sister, you're so considerate. Thank you~"
Maruzensky happily hugged Kagura and rubbed against her. Kagura, almost buried between Maruzensky's ample breasts, hurriedly struggled free to avoid a tragic breast-crushing incident.
Damn... This is what a class enemy looks like!!
Kagura looked at the flat plain where not the slightest rise was visible on her own chest, then looked up at the rolling mountain range on the other side. All she could do was sigh inwardly.
14. An Overwhelming Victory
—That little chairwoman seems to know me.
As Kagura watched Rudolph Symbol prepare to enter the starting gate below, she had just taken out her phone to snap a picture when words suddenly appeared on its screen, left there by Eclipse.
Huh? Really?
—You look like me. The person she could be reminded of by looking at you should only be me, unless another Uma Musume who looked similar to me appeared during these past few centuries.
Miss Eclipse said before that hardly anyone knew about you...
—It's true that hardly anyone knows me, but there are still some people who do. There will always be a few well-informed people who know. She is the chairwoman, after all, so it's not strange for her to know more than most. Besides, when we visited Tracen Academy that day, didn't you see that sentence on the student council's wall? Do you remember? The one that said, "Eclipse First, the Rest Nowhere."
Kagura remembered that when Rudolph Symbol had shown her around Tracen Academy that day, she had indeed mentioned that sentence. She remembered Rudolph Symbol's explanation at the time: One horse leads the way, leaving ten thousand horses in darkness.
—That sentence came from my era. Her explanation isn't wrong; most places interpret it that way now, too. Unless someone has specifically studied history, not many people know that the sentence actually has another interpretation.
Is that sentence related to Miss Eclipse?
—Yes. Think about it carefully. Isn't Eclipse my name? That sentence was how people of that era described me... "When Eclipse appears, ten thousand horses lose their light." Sounds imposing, doesn't it?
Kagura could not see Eclipse's face, so she could not guess what expression she wore now. Eclipse did not seem to be boasting about the words. If anything, Kagura felt that Eclipse had quite a few regrets about them.
—Your blood does flow with mine. As time has passed, few people know about me, and even fewer should be able to recognize the resemblance between you and me. If people found out that you were connected to me, it might bring you some small troubles.
Troubles? Uh... Why? What kind of troubles?
—They are troubles unique to adults. Nothing especially troublesome, and you don't need to understand them now. Once you grow up, you'll naturally know.
Eclipse did not seem inclined to explain the specific reason. Kagura could not think of what trouble could be involved, but Eclipse had warned her of the same thing a few days earlier, so she stopped asking. She simply silently remembered that she must not tell anyone about her connection to Eclipse in the future.
After Eclipse stopped speaking, Kagura's attention returned to the racetrack. The host had already finished introducing the venue and the competitors, and Rudolph Symbol had entered the gate. From here, Kagura could clearly see the condition of every Uma Musume. For some reason, she felt that the other Uma Musume looked somewhat fearful and despairing.
They're really nervous...
The noisy stands around them also fell briefly silent. The entire venue waited for the announcement that would signal the start of the race. Affected by the atmosphere, Kagura felt herself grow nervous as well.
"Clack!"
In the silence, the gates opened with an especially crisp sound, and every Uma Musume inside burst forward like arrows loosed from a bow. Rudolph Symbol ran steadily among the front-runners, keeping pace beside the Uma Musume who took the lead.
Rudolph Symbol's performance was exceptionally steady and composed. She firmly followed the pace she had trained for, staying behind the leading Uma Musume. Kagura could tell that Rudolph Symbol still had plenty of strength to spare. The other Uma Musume, however—especially the leader ahead of Rudolph Symbol—looked as if they were running desperately out of fear. The Uma Musume beside her also seemed to be struggling to maintain her pace, as if merely staying synchronized with Rudolph Symbol already demanded all their strength.
"Rudolph Symbol's pace is incredibly steady! She has locked onto the leading group! The leading group can't widen the gap any further!!"
Kagura heard the commentary from the other side of the venue, along with the cheers rising once again below. Many spectators were shouting the same name.
Rudolph Symbol on the track perfectly embodied the meaning of "One horse leads the way, leaving ten thousand horses in darkness." Compared with her opponents, who were already showing signs of collapse, this race had become a one-person exhibition!
There was no denying that the phrase suited Rudolph Symbol perfectly. Her radiance stole everyone's attention, leaving every Uma Musume behind her dimmed and overshadowed.
Only first place can debut in a debut race, and there can only be one first-place finisher. They can't catch her... The gap is that despairingly wide. No wonder they look so dejected.
Remembering the disappointment, fear, and despair on the faces of the Uma Musume in the gates at the beginning, Kagura finally understood why they had looked that way.
Rudolph Symbol was a monster, a completely unreasonable monster. The leader ahead could still maintain her advantage only because Rudolph Symbol was still observing and temporarily following the racing style she had trained for.
The young lady's strength is utterly overwhelming... This race is already over.
Kagura sighed and shook her head. The race was not even halfway finished, but there was already no suspense.
Soon, she heard one or two faint cries of "Oyster!" from the track below. By then, Rudolph Symbol had passed through the turn and entered the final straight. It seemed she had confirmed that no opponent could challenge her, so she decisively accelerated to break out. On the turn before the final straight, she shot out of the front-running group with lightning speed. In the blink of an eye, she passed several competitors and opened a gap of several lengths.
"Rudolph Symbol!! She's accelerating again on the final straight!! She's shaken off the trailing pack without even breaking a sweat!!"
"Three lengths! Four lengths! Five lengths!!! The gap is still growing! Rudolph Symbol is still accelerating! Not a single Uma Musume can catch her!!"
"A Triple Crown isn't a dream!! For her, it's an absolute certainty!!"
The commentator's voice was extremely excited. Kagura felt that the female commentator was probably also a fan of Rudolph Symbol. Of course, given Rudolph Symbol's performance, Kagura thought that even anyone who was not a fan had been won over by now.
This was an utterly one-sided crushing victory. The entire racetrack had become Rudolph Symbol's stage alone.
Everyone's gaze was fixed on Rudolph Symbol running at the very front. They cheered and applauded for her. Her radiance was so dazzling that the Uma Musume chasing behind her seemed to have been swallowed by darkness, vanishing from sight.
This hopeless gap... She looks a little like I did back then.
Eclipse also left a sigh on the glass in front of Kagura.
"She's crossed the finish line!! Rudolph Symbol has perfectly demonstrated her formidable strength!! She has won by an overwhelming margin!!"
There had been no highlights to this race—or rather, Rudolph Symbol herself was the only highlight. She shone so brightly that Kagura could no longer see anything else clearly. There had been no contest, only a simple crushing victory. For Kagura, the race had merely shown her what competition among Uma Musume looked like.
Kagura looked at Rudolph Symbol, who had already crossed the finish line and was waving to the spectators, then at the exhausted and dispirited Uma Musume farther behind. She let out a soft sigh.
The other Uma Musume who had participated in the race could only be said to have had bad luck. In such an important debut race, they had happened to run into this widely anticipated genius.
"Little sister, your eyes have been fixed on Rudolph the whole time. So, what do you think? Have you been captivated by how handsome Rudolph is~?"
As she spoke, Maruzensky pinched Kagura's cheek.
"Ahaha... Yes. It feels as if the entire racetrack has been reduced to just the young lady. She's... so dazzling."
Before you continue