After all of Japan had spent days waiting with bated breath...
Those brief days had flown by!
Less than half an hour remained before the Japanese Derby began.
And outside the racetrack hosting the Japanese Derby, rain poured without letup.
Yet even the torrential downpour couldn't dampen the spectators' enthusiasm and anticipation.
The crowd was packed shoulder to shoulder. Fans and spectators had started lining up hours ago, and even now, so close to the opening, many were still waiting!
The number of attendees had already far exceeded that of previous years, a testament to how extraordinary this Japanese Derby was.
"Even without Tachyon... at least we still have Platinum! This Derby is absolutely worth watching!"
"Jungle Pocket and Black Ship are both monsters, too. With the Three Strong Contend in such a chaotic state—and on a rare Heavy Track, no less—this race is bound to be hard to predict."
"Even if we can't see Agnes Tachyon challenge for the Undefeated Triple Crown, watching Heavenly Horse Platinum compete for the Triple Crown of Transformation is just as worthwhile!"
"Platinum is definitely strong, but she only rested for a week before taking on a 2,400-meter GI race. There's no way she can win."
"There's never been an Uma Musume in Japan who won two GI races in one week. Even the Emperor couldn't do it!"
Most of the heated discussions centered on Platinum, with Jungle Pocket and Black Ship mentioned next most often.
On the other side of the entrance queue—
Wearing a white coat, Agnes Tachyon, who shouldn't have been here, calmly watched the figure standing before her.
Tachyon had already announced her withdrawal and was attending the Japanese Derby only as a spectator. The moment she arrived, an old acquaintance—her former rival—had blocked her path.
Standing in front of Tachyon was a chestnut-haired girl with sharp eyes and a look of resentment.
Her name was... Jungle Pocket!
At the Satsuki Sho, Jungle Pocket had become the one talent everyone agreed might be able to beat Tachyon. When the announcer spoke of all the Uma Musume in the race, the phrase had been, "Agnes Tachyon, Jungle Pocket, and the rest...!"
That said everything about Jungle Pocket's talent and strength.
But now that Tachyon was out of the way and Jungle Pocket's odds of winning the Japanese Derby had risen considerably, she felt no joy at all.
Instead, she resented the absence of her mighty rival—and the loss of her chance to get revenge!
"Tachyon, I'll prove it in this Derby..."
"I'm the strongest of our generation!"
In response to her former challenger's resentful words, Tachyon replied in an almost indifferent tone.
"Honestly, the outcome of a race has never mattered to me."
To her, racing was just one part of her research.
This monster, already being called the Phantom Triple Crown, seemed not to care about the Japanese Derby at all.
But no one could see that beneath the sleeves of her oversized white coat, the mad Uma Musume scientist had unconsciously clenched her fists. Her sharp nails dug into her palms until they were red and swollen, but she still didn't let go.
If only she could...
Agnes Tachyon didn't want to be merely an observer or experimenter. She wanted to keep racing with her own body, but she would never admit it so easily!
"You won't get the chance to beat me anymore, but luckily..."
"You've got Platinum."
Before leaving, Tachyon shared her view.
"So you don't need to regret losing your chance for revenge."
"Beating that Heavenly Horse is the same as beating me. No doubt about it!"
Want to prove you're the strongest? Then you had to beat Platinum!
"Fine!"
At Tachyon's words, Jungle Pocket recalled the footage of the Oaks she'd watched earlier and thought of that fearsome opponent who had used Looking Back at the Moon.
"If my opponent is Platinum, this could get tricky..."
Jungle Pocket admitted that Platinum was no easy opponent to beat. But at least the track was Heavy today—a special condition that made it hard for Uma Musume who lacked stamina!
She had a very good chance of winning.
"Do you think you'll lose?" Tachyon asked with a laugh.
In the next moment, the chestnut-haired girl's expression turned savage. Like a beast that had caught the scent of its prey, she gritted her teeth and answered fiercely.
"I'll win!!"
A declaration of victory before stepping onto the Heavy Track!
Some time later.
The racetrack was packed to capacity!
The crowd of over a hundred thousand spectators roared their support without pause.
"Miss Platinum, for you I turned into a werewolf, for you I went crazy, for you I put on thick disguises, for you I changed my heart—will we ever get to meet again???"
"Jungle Pocket, don't lose to some measly Oaks champion!!"
"Jungle Pocket, you have to beat Platinum to prove Tachyon > Pocket > Platinum!"
"Quack, we love you, Platinum!"
Among the spectators were many Uma Musume and retired Uma Musume, who couldn't help but marvel at the sight.
"Just seeing a battle between such powerful racers up close is worth the price of admission, even if I die!"
Somewhere in the front rows!
Two tiny little Uma Musume girls gazed ahead with shining eyes, each clutching a cheering sign.
?Heavenly Horse? Platinum
?Triple Crown of Transformation? Platinum
From Sato no Diamond to Kitasan Black, the two little fillies had come to cheer for Platinum.
Though Sato no Diamond had absolute faith in Platinum's abilities, she still looked up at the wet grass below and grew worried.
"It's raining, and the track isn't just a little soft."
"It's a truly fearsome Heavy Track!"
"This is so unfair! Miss Platinum is racing with every debuff imaginable. She has to deal with Experienced Battles and no time to rest, and she only debuted a month ago—now she's facing a Heavy Track that tests stamina and strength!"
If it had rained a day or two before the race, the grass might not have fully dried, leaving it a little damp—just a slightly soft track.
But the rain was still going strong, even with the race about to begin!
This might be the most treacherous track of the year, and the GI race that tested Uma Musume the most!
"Ugh... It's so unfair. Miss Platinum has the worst luck!"
Plenty of Heavenly Horse fans like Sato no Diamond and Kitasan Black were worried.
The mood had gradually begun to shift, both in the stands and among the public at large!
Changes in conditions had a considerable impact.
Japanese tracks were known for being high-speed tracks, and were harder than those in Europe and America.
To put it simply, Japanese tracks called for high Power and Speed, while European and American tracks required both Power and Speed at high levels! That was one reason so many Japanese Uma Musume performed so poorly overseas.
But a Heavy Track greatly increased the need for Power. Uma Musume who didn't train their strength much or lacked stamina would be seriously affected, and would feel as weak and helpless as they would on European grass.
Could Platinum overcome the fearsome Heavy Track?
Inside the racetrack, in the competitors' waiting area.
Nearly twenty Uma Musume were gathered there, but one was missing: the Heavenly Horse who was the most popular and eagerly anticipated.
"Gates open in two minutes. Time to head over."
"Could she have... decided to withdraw because of the Heavy Track?"
"After all, neither her gate position nor the Heavy Track favors Platinum."
Jungle Pocket, in the waiting area, couldn't help feeling surprised.
Black Ship, the foreign Uma Musume beside her, was equally puzzled.
A few seconds later, footsteps sounded in the corridor outside the waiting area.
Then came the voice of a URA staff member.
"Sorry, Miss Platinum. Your complete Winning Live Costume is... truly unprecedented!"
"So the inspection took a little longer than usual. Please forgive us."
"There won't be another review before the race. As the top favorite, please get ready to enter the starting gate!"
The voice carried down the corridor to the waiting area, reaching the ears of the sharp-eared Uma Musume.
Winning Live Costume? Unprecedented? They had to inspect it?
In an instant, they all turned their heads, curious to see the mysterious Heavenly Horse who was about to arrive.
Even the powerful, wild beast of a chestnut-haired girl, Jungle Pocket, looked over.
The next second, Jungle Pocket froze and couldn't help drawing in a sharp breath.
Miss Heavenly Horse, wearing her white Winning Live Costume, calmly walked up to them. The quiver and bow slung across her back were impossible to miss, catching everyone's attention at once.
"Why is there an Uma Musume carrying a bow and arrow onto the track?"
"Ugh... My Winning Live Costume doesn't even have a tiny weapon. The Three Goddesses must favor the Heavenly Horse way too much!"
"That's so cool! I've never seen a Winning Live Costume like that. No wonder they had to inspect it for so long."
Platinum calmly glanced around at the faces of her rivals. Her gaze lingered a little longer on Jungle Pocket.
She locked eyes with her strongest opponent in the Japanese Derby.
The icy, formidable Mugyuu Alliance's Platinum Grand Seat couldn't wait to try out her bow and arrow and the quiver effect. She was very interested in her new skin and its special effects!
The Heavy Track and all those powerful rivals failed to make Platinum feel the slightest worry or fear!
Jungle Pocket met her gaze for only a moment before feeling an incredible pressure. She bared her teeth slightly and clenched her fists.
(Just from her stance, I can tell she's ridiculously strong!)
(But... I can't lose. I'll beat Platinum and prove I'm stronger than both her and Agnes Tachyon!!)
Platinum smiled faintly and strode toward the entrance.
"Everyone, I'll be going on ahead."
At the racetrack!
The next Uma Musume to make her entrance was the Heavenly Horse Platinum, who was aiming for the Triple Crown of Transformation—a challenge more difficult than the Undefeated Triple Crown—and was hailed as one who dared to go beyond the impossible!
The frontrunner and top favorite, Platinum, was about to take on the Japanese Derby on an exceptionally rare Heavy Track. Could she show the same strength as always?
Let's watch and see, and await the sight of the Heavenly Horse taking flight!
At the announcer's rousing introduction!
At last—!
Platinum had arrived!
Even with the rain still falling!
Wearing her Winning Live Costume, Platinum made a calm entrance with her bow on her back. The giant screen immediately zoomed in on her.
In an instant...
The more than a hundred thousand spectators erupted into a frenzy! Countless people had never even heard of an Uma Musume carrying such a large weapon, let alone seen one with their own eyes!
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