A week after the Tenno Sho Autumn ended, streets and alleyways across Japan were still immersed in the race.
Reruns, Winner's Stage, special programs... traces of the race could be seen everywhere.
At Tokyo's Shinjuku Station, the giant electronic screen played that rainy breakout every day. Beside it, neon tubes formed the four characters for "Queen of Autumn," flickering against the night sky after dark.
Outside convenience stores in Shibuya, apron-clad clerks held up festival-themed merchandise and eagerly promoted it to every passerby.
Screens covered the exterior walls of buildings in Ginza as well, playing the entire race almost without interruption.
And whenever the slow-motion replay of Kitasan Black crossing the finish line appeared, many pedestrians on the street would unconsciously stop, raising their arms and cheering at the screen with excitement and admiration.
Compared to all that, aside from the Tenno Sho Autumn posters that had yet to be taken down, the building housing the URA Association showed little sign of promotion.
That day, after a meeting ended and they had seen off wave after wave of reporters, Tokai Teio entered a lounge. After sighing in relief, she suddenly reached into her pocket with a grin.
"Right, McQueen, this is for you."
Standing beside Tokai Teio was Mejiro McQueen, who had attended the meeting and dealt with the reporters alongside her.
As she poured herself some water at the dispenser, Mejiro McQueen looked over curiously at her friend's words.
"What is it... Huh? This... wasn't it still in production?"
In Mejiro McQueen's eyes, Tokai Teio held two palm-sized plush dolls.
They were none other than the currently red-hot Kitasan Black.
The two Kitasan Black dolls were identical, both dressed in G1 Victory Outfits, with a sash slung diagonally across them bearing the words "Tenno Sho Autumn Champion."
"They've already