The instant she entered the Final Bend, Vodka slowly lowered her body.
Unlike Daiwa Scarlet and Kitasan Black's front-running pace, her strides were remarkably steady and powerful, carrying an unmistakable sense of order, as though she had long anticipated Daiwa Scarlet's acceleration.
And that was indeed the case.
Having faced her several times throughout her career, she knew Daiwa Scarlet all too well.
Her goal at this moment was clear: before the Final Straight arrived, she would use the turn to close the gap as much as possible and prepare for the final sprint.
And while keeping a close eye on Daiwa Scarlet, she had not overlooked Kitasan Black.
Glancing at the junior on the Inner Lane from the corner of her eye, Vodka smiled faintly before fixing her gaze ahead again.
"Not bad, Little Kita. To think you can run this well..."
As she murmured, her eyes locked onto the exit of the Final Bend. The instant she exited the turn, her gaze settled on the all-too-familiar back at the very front.
At the same time, she caught sight of two figures running abreast on the Outer Lane, charging hard from diagonally behind.
"So you caught up too, Spe, A-Fun...
"But like this...
"You can't beat Daiwa!"
With a low growl, she lowered the body that had been gathering momentum since entering the turn once more. Her long brown ears and tail snapped straight back, then she swept out an arc toward the left side.
With her speed suddenly surging, she charged straight after Daiwa Scarlet ahead of her.
Slightly ahead on Vodka's inner side, Kitasan Black felt a familiar pang of unease.
Like Daiwa Scarlet, this senior, Vodka, had not only chosen an incredibly precise moment to accelerate, but possessed an indescribably subtle quality that she could not