The Only Opportunity
Following close behind Kitasan Black, Tokai Teio kept her gaze fixed on the figure ahead, precisely catching every movement of her junior:
Every footfall erupted with astonishing explosive power; her steady, prolonged breathing drowned out the howling wind; the lines of her muscles flexing and contracting were exceptionally fluid...
She had actually glimpsed this aesthetic fusion of speed and strength long ago—in Anjing Zhen's training reports, the feedback from training and Race Footage, and through witnessing it firsthand.
But now that they were running together, she could feel that astonishing growth in full:
"Her stamina and endurance have been brought out completely, and her explosive power has improved considerably as well...
"Her control of pace and technique through the turns are also superb, and she has her own understanding of rhythm...
"Well, she's completely different from that child who only knew how to charge straight ahead..."
But admiration was admiration. As a Horse Girl, she would naturally never go easy in any race.
Taking advantage of the gap while switching her stride, she drew several deeper breaths. Feeling her nasal cavity fill with the scents of dust and grass, she slightly arched her back, allowing her core strength to spread more effectively throughout her body.
She tried to close in through the turn, only to have her route effortlessly blocked by the junior ahead, just as she had expected.
She was not discouraged. On the contrary, she felt greatly relieved, her gaze sharpening as she grew even more serious.
Kitasan Black's growth truly was impressive. Teio had to give her full effort to handle her, and that little test just now had proven it.
But in an actual race, they had only just passed the opening stages. There were still... many places ahead where they could compete.