Pegasus? Actually, I'm a doctor!

With that, nearly all the Uma Musume surged out of the starting gate at the same time!

Only from the eighth gate on the outside lane, a white-haired girl as cute as a porcelain doll, moved noticeably half a beat late, as if unprepared, or perhaps... careless? Or inexperienced?

The favored Daiwa Scarlet noticed an Uma Musume with a slow start, but she didn't pay much attention to Platinum, just dismissing her as a typical Uma Musume who makes mistakes at crucial moments and falls behind.

Daiwa Scarlet's delicate face was filled with excitement. After leaving the gate, she accelerated and surged ahead with powerful strides.

"Alright, no surprises now!!"

The voluptuous girl with long, crimson hair gazed at the scenery as she raced to the front, her heart surging with excitement.

Daiwa Scarlet wasn't very good at strategizing. Her specialty was maintaining a leading position and then galloping all the way to the finish line!

Why would a true powerhouse need any tactics? They should simply lead honorably and sprint to the finish line!

In Daiwa Scarlet's opinion, for a mere debut race, the only possibility of defeat was a poor start that would leave her blocked behind, preventing her from performing at her full potential.

But now, that was impossible. Having surged to the front and taken the lead, she would race like this all the way to the finish line and win!

"Teio-senpai and Vodka are watching! In front of them, just winning my debut race to qualify isn't enough!"

"I have to... win beautifully!"

Daiwa Scarlet, full of fighting spirit, had a smooth start, maintaining a position within the top three. She then continued her charge with undiminished momentum!

Behind Daiwa Scarlet, most of the participating Uma Musume were focusing their attention on her, viewing her as the most formidable opponent in this debut race.

In an unnoticed corner, at the very back, there was a certain white-haired girl who, due to having no prior experience or training in racing or even starting, simply didn't react!

By the time Platinum started to move, she had already fallen behind significantly, visibly trailing all the other Uma Musume.

"In an instant, the Uma Musume broke from the gate and began to sprint."

"The favorite, Daiwa Scarlet, runner number four, truly lives up to her reputation as an honor student, already securing a strong second position!"

The commentator on the stage was suddenly astonished.

"And runner number eight, Platinum, who is on the outside, seems completely unprepared for the start, showing a clear slow start and falling to the rear so early in the race!"

"With Platinum on the outside lane and a slow start, her situation doesn't look very optimistic."

This was a debut race; only the winner would gain the qualification to become an official Uma Musume. The importance of this was self-evident.

Even for a debut race, such a significant slow start was uncommon. From a professional's perspective, the performance of this newcomer, Platinum, was like that of an outsider who had stumbled into a professional competition.

The commentator's position required neutrality, and they usually spoke tactfully. When even the commentator stated that the "situation doesn't look very optimistic," it was enough to indicate the gravity of the crisis.

However, on Platinum's pretty face, there was no sign of panic. She was extremely calm, maintaining a steady pace and staying with the middle pack.

(This... is a slow start?)

(I remember in the anime, the main character from the first season, Dai-chan, had a slow start too.)

Platinum gazed ahead at the many Uma Musume, observing Daiwa Scarlet, the favorite, who had already overtaken the lead and was setting the pace before the first turn.

Having a slow start without preparation, did she really stand a chance against the exceptionally excellent honor student, Daiwa Scarlet?

Doubt did not arise. Instead, Platinum felt an unprecedented calmness, and her legs felt lighter than she had imagined before the race.

For her, racing was perhaps like [going to work]. Compared to working on the continent of Terra, this job was so much easier!

So, at the very least, she should get serious and test her strength a little, right?

Besides, winning the race meant a hefty prize. Even if it was just for the money, she couldn't slack off too much.

The Kulantta girl no longer hesitated. She felt her heart rate gradually increasing, and a slight spark of fighting spirit ignited within her.

"Then—"

"Get ready, honor student, I... am going to accelerate!"

As the leading Daiwa Scarlet was about to enter the second turn, it symbolized that the race was nearing its halfway point.

As the atmosphere intensified! The next moment!!

Because of that unexpected slow start, the white-haired girl, who was in the last position, erupted with incredible speed!

In front of Platinum, several Uma Musume in the middle pack immediately showed expressions of astonishment. From their perspective, they could already see the approaching figure of the Kulantta girl who had started slow.

This meant the gap between them had become negligible!

"Gah... She's a 'Chaser' who had a slow start."

"Is this girl crazy? Daiwa Scarlet, a monster like her, is in this race, and she dares to accelerate so early?"

"Someone who can't even start properly will definitely run out of stamina and slow down. We can't let her disrupt our rhythm."

"Did her trainer not teach her about starting and race pacing??"

Those few Uma Musume had various expressions, clearly shaken.

Even though they were all rookie Uma Musume who hadn't officially debuted yet, in all the races they knew of, they had never seen an Uma Musume like this!

After all... that was a Chaser's running style!

5. Suspense! Platinum vs. Daiwa Scarlet?!

Uma Musume have four different running styles during a race: [Escape Horse], [Follower], [Mid-runner], and [Chaser].

An Escape Horse dashes ahead, leading the pack as one of the top contenders, just like Daiwa Scarlet is doing now.

Followers are the first echelon, closely trailing the Escape Horse, staying in the front group before seizing an opportunity to break out.

Mid-runners maintain a position in the middle of the pack, possessing enough burst power and needing to conserve some stamina. They unleash a powerful final sprint at the last moment, overtaking all enemies ahead in a very short time.

These first three running styles are the most common, logical, and normal approaches, with the vast majority of Uma Musume choosing one of them.

Only the last style, the Chaser, can be called the least common and most special, as its position is even further back than that of a Mid-runner!

Therefore, usually, only Uma Musume who have a poor start or are late out of the gate are forced into the Chaser position, which is last place. This style places immense demands on burst power, stamina, and strength.

Consequently, this is a running style that severely tests the Uma Musume themselves and is extremely difficult to win with, but it simultaneously possesses the most intense visual impact. Victory can only be achieved through the greatest reversal of fortune! It's a crazy, thrilling running style that no spectator could dislike!

And now, the favorite, Daiwa Scarlet, as an Escape Horse, has completely taken the lead, occupying the throne of first place; meanwhile, Kulantta girl Platinum, who was late out of the gate and overlooked, has finally begun to exert her strength as a Chaser from the last position.

Under the astonished and surprised gazes of the Mid-runner girls in the middle positions, Platinum, continuously accelerating, arrived beside them in the very next moment!

Too fast! So fast that there wasn't enough time to react!

That white-haired girl, who seemed so delicate she could shatter with a touch, had, in an instant, overtaken the Mid-runner group.

That brilliant radiance, capable of tearing through everything in front, began to shine brightly on the track under Platinum's name!

And she began to advance forward, all the way towards Daiwa Scarlet, who had already taken the lead!

"Incredible! Truly incredible!"

"Competitor Platinum, who fell behind to become a Chaser due to being late out of the gate, is fearlessly starting to run!"

"Before the third corner, she has already surpassed the Mid-runner group and reached fifth position, and she's still accelerating!"

"It seems Platinum isn't worried about the risk of slowing down due to stamina loss, setting her sights on Daiwa Scarlet at the very front!"

The commentator's voice rose in pitch, becoming somewhat excited.

The Chaser style, already quite rare and difficult to win with, was accelerating so early!

Being late out of the gate, at the very back of the track, as the sole Chaser, even with a considerable gap to the leader, she shouldn't be accelerating this early.

This debut race is over a thousand meters long, often a significant test for rookie Uma Musume, and accelerating this quickly would surely consume a lot of stamina!

From the commentators to most of the audience in the stadium, everyone was filled with such questions, and their curiosity and excitement were piqued.

At the same time, their gazes finally deigned to shift away from Daiwa Scarlet, who was leading the pace at the very front, and began to focus elsewhere.

Was it Platinum, the Kulantta girl's moment... about to unfold?

"Huh? She... dares to accelerate this early?"

Vodka, seated in the front row of the audience stands, tilted her head slightly. Even she, who was focused on her rival Daiwa Scarlet, couldn't help but look at Platinum seriously.

After all, a Chaser accelerating this early... is extremely rare.

"Could it be that her stamina is so good that she can handle a middle-distance race of two thousand meters?"

Tokai Teio, standing beside her, couldn't help but wonder in her heart.

If she didn't have the ability to handle two thousand meters, she wouldn't be able to accelerate so confidently and early after being late out of the gate in a debut race of over a thousand meters.

But for such an incredibly young rookie Uma Musume... is this really possible?

Is this confidence born from skill, or is it ignorance-fueled arrogance? Her opponent is Daiwa Scarlet, a leader of the next generation.

"Platinum... who exactly is this little one?"

"Despite her start gate, stride, and even rhythm seeming somewhat amateurish, she dares to accelerate like this?"

Even Tokai Teio, a senior who had debuted long ago and shouldn't have much interest in future generations, showed a look of interest.

Could this be a monster who has been dormant for a long time and is about to make a name for herself? Or is she simply an ignorant fool?

"It feels... surprisingly easy."

After the third corner, Miss Heavenly Horse felt a hint of surprise.

It was unexpected, and at the same time, it felt like enjoying a dessert on a hot summer day, her mood becoming joyful, calm, and composed.

Ahead of her were the Follower Uma Musume, and the gap was continuously closing!

Platinum had thought that as a first-time participant with no prior training, she would struggle against professional, seasoned opponents, so her fighting spirit wasn't strong initially, and she didn't even take the start gate seriously.

But unexpectedly, the speed she maintained after being late out of the gate had surpassed many opponents. If she continued to accelerate, the only strong enemy she would face would be... Daiwa Scarlet at the very front!

The most crucial point was that even while accelerating like this, Platinum didn't feel like she was giving her all, nor did she feel the pain in her lungs from physical strain or the fatigue in her legs! Was the power and endurance contained within her body really this strong??

This was only the second day after she transformed into Platinum, and without understanding the race, she had been running wildly... and she still didn't feel tired, even feeling surprisingly relaxed?!

Could it be—that her transformed form, [Kulantta Girl Platinum David Hintleia], is actually very powerful?

As an archer skilled in archery, she surprisingly possesses immense potential in running as well!

A sliver of excitement, for the first time, arose in the heart of the languid white-haired girl. She was even starting to want to get serious and see just how far she could run.

Her rare excitement was piqued, after all, her opponent was Daiwa Scarlet, a formidable rival with significant screen time and undeniable potential in the Uma Musume anime.

If she could truly win against Daiwa Scarlet...

Then, the so-called unprecedented Triple Crown of Transformation, a legendary feat, might just be within reach!

Platinum immediately abandoned her thoughts, focusing on the impending final moments. The gaze from her clear, serene emerald green eyes grew sharper, completely locking onto the crimson figure at the very front.

The next instant, the girl named Platinum seemed to transform into an arrow loosed from a bowstring! She began to charge forward with an unstoppable presence!

Even more incredibly, the seemingly petite, soft, and even cute white-haired girl unleashed an indescribable, astonishing aura.

It was as if a monster forged from sheer willpower had taken human form and was now galloping freely on the racetrack!

She, who should have been an assassin like a bow and arrow, unleashed an aura and speed that seemed too powerful for this world. Even the followers ahead, gritting their teeth and desperately trying not to be caught, were helpless!

A flood of beasts seemed to be charging directly from behind!

"Oyster... a monster of this caliber... why is she appearing in her debut race?"

"So strong, is it just my imagination, but her pressure has become no less than Daiwa Scarlet's?"

"An opponent like this should only be seen in graded races on TV, why are we encountering two of them at the same time!"

"My legs feel heavy, it's like being targeted by a monstrous beast, oyster!!"

The wide-eyed followers, no matter how unwilling, could only watch as the silver-white brilliance reached their sides... and without any hesitation or pause, she surged past them!

Instantly, the vast racetrack erupted in cheers. The audience who had come for Daiwa Scarlet completely acknowledged the strength of the late-starting Uma Musume, Platinum!

Then!

Even the commentator's voice grew more impassioned as he uttered words of utter amazement.

"Truly incredible, the intensity of this debut race is astonishing."