When Adayar caught sight of the figure pressing in from the corner of her eye, she also clearly heard the faint crackle of grass blades snapping.
It was Futanari Shingang.
She was incredibly fast. The wind had flattened and folded back her ears, while her ponytail had snapped straight behind her in midair.
But this opponent's breathing rhythm was exceptionally steady—steady to an almost frightening degree. It showed that this burst of speed was nothing strenuous for her, merely routine.
The proof was that every time she pushed off the ground, she landed with precision near the theoretically optimal point of force.
"Coming... faster than I expected." As she let out a low hum through her throat, Adayar felt the hairs on the back of her neck tremble faintly.
She withdrew her gaze and fixed it ahead, yet Futanari Shingang's glance still lingered in her mind.
It was the look of someone who had locked onto her prey after countless tactical simulations.
That look conveyed one thing with startling clarity: "I've already seen through your plan."
Futanari Shingang truly had seen through Adayar's plan.
More precisely, her opponent's current actions were exactly as Anjing Zhen, Symboli Rudolf, and the other Trainers and team members had predicted:
"Adayar excels at chasing the pace, not taking the Lead Position. It's almost impossible for her to seize the lead.
"But this race has something especially unfavorable for her.
"The one most likely to claim the Lead Position is Little Kita.
"You've trained with Little Kita and raced against her many times. If Little Kita controls the pace, you'll be running in a very comfortable range for most of the race.
"That's what puts Adayar—and all the other opponents—at a disadvantage.
"They aren't familiar with Japan's racing tempo.
"In that case, anyone capable of