The instant she passed through the turn, Kitasan Black quietly sighed in relief.
She could feel the sweat on the back of her neck trickling down her spine into her victory outfit, but her breathing still maintained the rhythm Anjing Zhen had demanded: "Inhale every three steps, exhale every two."
They had already entered the first turn. Ahead lay the curve and the second turn. The thunderous roar from the stands continued, cries of "Kitasan Black" crashing against her eardrums wave after wave, yet they seemed to drift slightly farther away amid the dense support flags rolling like ocean waves.
The track ahead had suddenly opened up.
Feeling her current condition, Kitasan Black nodded to herself.
Good. The start had gone smoothly. Next...
"Now entering the opening stage! Kitasan Black has begun controlling the pace!"
The commentator's voice calmed slightly as he shifted into tactical analysis:
"She did not simply sprint at full speed. Instead, she chose a 'Slow Escape' strategy.
"This is the style she excels at most—using a steady Cruising Speed to wear away at her opponents' patience while conserving stamina for the challenges of the latter half.
"Now, let's confirm the current state of the race.
"Kitasan Black, who burst forward from the Start Gate, is in the lead.
"Close behind her is Tenka Yuiitsu, while California Spangle holds the Inner Lane. These two racers seemed particularly focused on Kitasan Black and put on fierce pressure during the opening stage, but they now appear to have changed tactics, tightly clinging to her tail.
"Behind them are Golden Lyric and Futanari Shingang. Kitasan Black's lead is not especially fast, so the lead group is larger than in many races.
"Meanwhile, the highly anticipated Frostfall and Bafur are currently leading the Advance Group. They are very close to the