"And now, each horse girl has entered the gate. These elite runners are about to set sail into the world of 3,000 meters. The Kikuka-sho, said to be won by the strongest horse girl. Will the victor be the undefeated Double Crown winner, Mihono Bourbon? Or will Rice Shower and Machikane Tannhauser block her path? Or perhaps another horse girl will defy all expectations—and they're off!!
Eighteen chosen elites have started! Mihono Bourbon moves forward, but there is another horse girl launching a Great Escape even more extreme than hers!!"
The Kikuka-sho had finally begun. Everyone expected the signal fire to be Bourbon's lead, but another racer launched an escape so massive it overshadowed even the cyborg.
"This is the only way I can beat you, after all!! Alright, I'm gonna keep flying~ like an arrow from a bow~!!"
"It's the well-known Great Escape Artist, Kyoei Bowgun!! In yesterday's interview, she declared she wouldn't yield the lead to Mihono Bourbon, and she has executed exactly as promised! Mihono Bourbon sits in second, Machikane Tannhauser follows behind her, and Rice Shower has secured an excellent position!"
Kyoei Bowgun. Her style of "Run and Escape" was the same as Bourbon's. That was why she knew: if she let Bourbon take the lead even once, she could absolutely never win.
So she launched her Great Escape.
She had three idols she respected: Kaburaya O, who achieved the legendary Derby Great Escape; Twin Turbo, the "Dokkan Turbo"; and the world's fastest and strongest horse girl, Mejiro Rampage. As an escape runner, she couldn't help but aim for these three, and she had been studying them relentlessly. Now was the time to show that power.
"I expected as much. That speed and acceleration... I judge that to be the result of researching Mejiro Rampage-san's Great Escape."
But Bowgun wasn't the only one doing research. For escape runners, Rampage's running style was a kind of ultimate form: constantly leading, yet possessing a late-game burst of speed like a Closer. Naturally, Bourbon had studied it too. Especially since her trainer, Kuronuma, had supervised Rampage's training menu in the past, giving them access to even more detailed information.
Using that—and the Shinzan Iron shoes on the slopes—she had prepared for this moment.
"Coming into the first stand, it's Kyoei Bowgun, two lengths ahead of Mihono Bourbon. Glued to Bourbon's back left is Rice Shower, and one length behind her is Machikane Tannhauser. About seven lengths back, Duo Prewen and Taisho Kojin follow."
The only unexpected development was chasing Bowgun, but otherwise, the race was unfolding largely as predicted. Well, there was one misconception...
"Go, go, Bowgun!!!"
"Keep going! Run away with it~!!"
"GO GO BOWGUN, GO GO BOWGUN!!"
In recorded history, running in this Kikuka-sho derailed Kyoei Bowgun's destiny, but as a horse girl here, she was quite popular. Or rather, "Escape" horse girls had become a trend in recent years. While that was undoubtedly due to Rampage and Turbo... Bowgun was actually the 5th favorite in this race. She was treated as a genuine contender for victory.
Feeling the support, Rampage couldn't help but chuckle.
"What are you laughing at?"
"Nothing... just, how do you find the Japanese cheers?"
"Not bad. Every horse girl has solid fans, and everyone's eager for a real fight."
For Sunday Silence, this was her first time watching a Japanese G1 race live, and it left a very good impression. In overseas races, you sometimes had "rabbits"—horse girls whose only job was to help a specific teammate win. Seeing a pure "Escape" strategy be so popular was fresh and interesting. Above all, the Japanese cheers were packed with heat. It was amusing, as if the fans were running the race themselves.
"So, Sunday-san. From your perspective... how does it look from here?"
"Bowgun, was it? She's got pretty good legs. Depending on her guts, she might cling to a high placement... but her opponents are just too nasty."
They had passed the stands and were about to enter the backstretch. Bowgun's run was starting to show tremors. A Great Escape in her first 3,000m attempt was simply too risky; even Rampage wouldn't be confident pulling that off. She probably should have referenced Palmer instead.
As they entered the backstretch, Bowgun's pace began to disorder little by little. She corrected it in places—Sunday's read on her guts was accurate—but the only misfortune was that the level of the horse girls closing in from behind was simply too different.
"Passing the third corner, Kyoei Bowgun is still in front—but here comes Mihono Bourbon taking the lead!! Kyoei Bowgun looks like she's suffering! Rice Shower and Machikane Tannhauser are moving up too!! The pack is closing in, but Kyoei Bowgun shows her pride here!! She re-accelerates, refusing to let the others pass!! What incredible guts!!"
The battle just before the fourth corner. Bowgun, who had led continuously, finally fell back. Maintaining a Rampage-like pace for the Kikuka-sho was indeed impossible, but even now, she pushed forward on sheer willpower.
Ahead of her ran Bourbon, followed by Rice and Tannhauser. Rice, in particular, had stayed glued to Bourbon's rear the entire time.
"As expected of Rice... but I will not lose!!"
"---!!!"
An abnormal presence—a killing intent—radiated from behind. This aura had been directed solely at her the entire time. It was heavy and suffocating; no matter how much air she gulped, the pressure remained. Rice's focus, honed entirely on Bourbon, acted as a massive debuff.
That Bourbon continued to run without faltering, suppressing the pressure with her iron will, was praiseworthy. But just as the goal came into view, a sudden gust of wind blew from behind.
"IYAAAAAAAHHH!!!"
"H-Here comes Machikane Tannhauser!! At the end of the fourth corner, Machikane Tannhauser leaps into the lead!! What incredible legs! With amazing acceleration, she passes both Mihono Bourbon and Rice Shower!! Can she adorn her long-awaited first G1 victory with the final crown of the Classics!!?"
Tannhauser, who had undergone "guidance" (read: being chased around) by the legend Sunday Silence, took the lead. Originally possessing high overall stats even within Canopus, the leg strength she gained from successfully escaping a legend was substantial. She passed even Bourbon and Rice.
The driving force was evident in her voice—
"Just pretend Sunday-san is coming from behind—NOOOOOOOOO!!!"
"Oi. Something amazing is happening, but in a totally weird way. What exactly did you do to her?"
"I didn't do nothin'. She had potential, so I just put a little spirit into chasing her."
"That doesn't explain that reaction."
Sunday had certainly put "spirit" into it, but...
WAIT UP, ORAAAA!!
NOOOO SCARYYYYYYY!!!??
Tannhauser had experienced a form of terror—being chased by a serious-faced Sunday Silence—and remembering that trauma allowed her to disengage her limiters. The result was this speed, so it really wasn't a laughing matter.
Finally entering the home stretch, Tannhauser ran desperately to escape the phantom behind her.
But here, Bourbon accelerated explosively.
"Mihono Bourbon is stretching, stretching!! She instantly puts Machikane Tannhauser in range and passes her!! What a horse girl! That spurt is reminiscent of Mejiro Rampage herself!!!"
I have my pride too. And I have the desire to win. I want to win. I want to beat you both.
As if screaming I won't lose!, Bourbon sprinted.
And then—
"Activating: Operation Rampage Turbo!!!"
As a final push, she played her trump card: a hybrid of Rampage's full-body running form and Turbo's "Dokkan Turbo." Accelerating further, she completely overtook Tannhauser and charged toward the goal. Everyone thought victory was Bourbon's.
But that assumption was instantly denied.
"From the outside! From the outside, Rice Shower! Rice Shower!! Mihono Bourbon can't shake her off! If anything, Rice Shower is closing the gap!!"
Rice, who had stuck to the rear, finally bared her fangs. The Professional who had waited behind Bourbon, neither disordering her rhythm nor rushing, finally seized her moment. As if to say Not yet, Rice's eyes glowed a deeper, piercing red, and the blue flames around her roared.
"Rice won't... Rice won't... lose!!!"
At that moment, Rampage's eyes went wide.
What Rice did wasn't just a simple spurt. She took the hybrid technique Bourbon was using right in front of her, completely made it her own, and then accelerated even further.
Bourbon saw the red eyes burning within the blue flame. It was as if Rice had stolen her own running style.
Rice accelerated more and more, and finally—she surpassed Bourbon.
"Rice Shower passes!! Rice Shower has passed Mihono Bourbon!! Bourbon is stretching, Tannhauser is closing in, but Rice Shower has broken away completely!!! Mihono Bourbon in second!! Rice Shower in the lead, she crosses the finish line!! Rice Shower has done it!! A magnificent victory, defeating the undefeated Double Crown Horse Girl, Mihono Bourbon!! The Kikuka-sho Horse Girl is Rice Shower!!
2nd is Mihono Bourbon, 3rd is Machikane Tannhauser, 4th Kyoei Bowgun, 5th Duo Prewen...
And look at this time!! 3:04.8!! It's a Record!! Rice Shower wins with a Record Time!!"
Rice Shower had won the Kikuka-sho. Finally, she had beaten her rival, Bourbon.
Rampage almost trembled at the sight, but simultaneously felt a pang of anxiety.
But she quickly realized it was unnecessary.
Because—a massive roar of cheers erupted.
"YEAAAAAAHHHH!!!"
"RICE~!!!"
"CONGRATULATIONS~!!!"
"I'M SO MOVED~!!!"
"Bourbon, you fought hard~!!"
"That was an amazing run~!!"
"Best race ever~!!"
"Tannhauser, you did great too~!!!"
"Get that G1 next time~!!"
"You were so cute~!!"
There was no ominous silence, only an overflow of joy. Sure, there were voices biting back disappointment... but those quickly turned into cheers of support. In this Kikuka-sho, there wasn't a single person speaking ill of any horse girl.
"Rice... Rice beat... Bourbon-san...?"
"Splendid work, Rice. It was a complete defeat..."
Rice, still unable to fully grasp the situation, looked bewildered by her own victory. But when Bourbon offered a handshake, understanding slowly dawned on her. Her ears twitching, she timidly took the hand, and finally, a smile broke across her face.
Tannhauser joined them to celebrate.
"You were really amazing, Rice-chan!! I was going full power and still couldn't catch you!!"
"B-But Tannhauser-san passed Rice once, right?"
"Yes. That run was truly terrifying."
"Hehe... It's all thanks to Sunday-san~."
Watching the three of them wrapped in smiles and a fun atmosphere—hard to believe they had just fought a fierce battle—Trainer Kuronuma felt no regret. His horse girl had displayed her maximum potential. And at the end of it, she had gained something far greater than a title: a rival she wanted to beat from the bottom of her heart. The feeling of Next time, I will win.
Seeing Bourbon smiling with that new resolve was enough to satisfy Kuronuma.
"Good for you, Bourbon... Now then, next is the Japan Cup, was it...? Things are going to get busy."
With the corners of his mouth lifting, Kuronuma murmured to himself. In his mind's eye, he could already see Bourbon running in the next race.
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