The metal crash of eighteen starting gates springing open at once split the silence like thunder, instantly igniting the long-simmering frenzy of Tokyo Racecourse. The cheers of more than a hundred thousand spectators erupted like a landslide and tsunami, the immense roar nearly overturning the clear autumn sky.
Almost before the sound had fully spread, the black-haired, red-eyed figure in Stall No. 1 had already shot out like an arrow loosed from a bow.
Kitasan Black's start was so fast it was suffocating. Her unrivaled Instantaneous Burst Power was on full display at that moment.
In that instant, she felt her heart pound heavily like a war drum, pumping scorching blood through her limbs and bones.
She could clearly feel the solid feedback when her horseshoes first struck hard into the turf, as well as the explosive force released when her leg muscles tensed in an instant.
Her nostrils filled sharply with the distinctive scent of grass clippings and freshly turned earth. Beside her ears were the piercing whistle of the wind tearing through the air, along with the chaotic sounds of the gates opening behind her and the other Horse Girls kicking off with all their strength.
The powerful momentum pinned her firmly to the track, and the scenery on either side of her vision instantly blurred and stretched.
"All the Horse Girls have made beautiful starts—astonishing! Absolutely astonishing!"
The commentator's excited voice boomed through the loudspeakers across the entire venue, instantly driving the atmosphere to its peak.
"An astonishing reaction out of the gate! Unbelievably fast!"
"No. 1, Kitasan Black!"
"She shot out of the innermost gate stall like lightning! Without the slightest hesitation, her goal is crystal clear—she wants to seize the inner-lane lead position!"
The spectators had already begun cheering, while at the same time, figures