At precisely 3:00 PM, the exhibition parade for the Arima Kinen contenders began.
For the spectators, this was a cherished opportunity—an intimate moment to exchange gazes with their favorite Uma Musume. For Shuta An, however, it held no such meaning.
"Everything that needs to be prepared is already prepared. What remains—belongs to Oguri alone. Even if something were noticed during the parade, there would be no time to issue new instructions. In that case, I'd rather rest my eyes."
With that conclusion, he leaned back against the sofa in the VIP box, closed his eyes, and allowed himself a brief nap. He had no concern about oversleeping. Berno Light would never be cruel enough to let him miss the Arima Kinen. When the parade ended—ten minutes, at most—the chestnut-haired Uma Musume would naturally wake him.
Compared to the tension of the Japan Cup, Symboli Rudolf's responsibilities today were far lighter. There were no foreign reporters to placate, no overseas Trainers or URA officials to entertain. All she needed to do was remain in her box, observe the race, offer a dignified wave to the media at the proper moment, and later ascend the stage to present the awards.
"Kaiichoouu, I have a suggestion~"
Tokai Teio deliberately coated her voice in honey, clinging to Symboli Rudolf with exaggerated sweetness.
"What suggestion?" Symboli Rudolf replied calmly. She didn't mind Teio's tone—if anything, she was curious what idea could possibly emerge. Of course, if it turned out to be nonsense, she was fully prepared to immediately assign Teio some exhausting work.
"President, don't you think a Trainer's role is extremely important to an Uma Musume generally speaking?"
Rather than answering directly, Tokai Teio posed another question. The thought had come to her after observing Inari One's Trainer recently—and it certainly wasn't meant as mockery, especially not toward one of the many reasons behind her beloved President's frustrating American expedition.
"Indeed," Symboli Rudolf replied, nodding without hesitation.
"Then," Tokai Teio seized the moment, "when presenting the award to the winning Uma Musume, shouldn't her Trainer also receive an award?"
"That's a good idea," Symboli Rudolf murmured after a brief pause. "It would also be appropriate to recognize the supporting Uma Musume. Their efforts should not be overlooked."
"However—if this were implemented for flat races as well, the URA Association might hesitate due to the increased expense. It would be wiser to limit it to graded races." She folded her arms, thinking aloud. "I'll bring this proposal to the URA Association. If all goes well, I'll push for it at the mid-year meeting next year, with implementation starting in the latter half of the year."
With those words, the matter was settled.
"As expected of the President such decisive authority," Tokai Teio thought, eyes sparkling. "It would be amazing if I could take over someday."
As for how to take over—and what to do afterward—the current Tokai Teio hadn't thought that far ahead.
By the time the exhibition parade concluded, it was already 3:20 PM.
Five minutes remained before the start of this year's Arima Kinen.
Shuta An was abruptly yanked awake. After shaking his head to clear the haze, he walked toward the floor-to-ceiling window.
"Oguri's in gate one," he said calmly. "She'll be the first to enter—and the one who has to wait the longest."
Then, with a faint exhale of relief, he added, "Fortunately, Oguri isn't the impatient type. Otherwise, waiting that long could become a risk."
"She'll be fine," Berno Light declared without hesitation. Her trust in her sister was absolute.
On the turf of Nakayama Racecourse, Oguri Cap was indeed the first to step into the starting gate. She thought of nothing else—only the sensation beneath her feet, the subtle resilience of the grass.
Winter…No snow in Tokyo recently. The turf is as dry as expected.
Her gaze flickered briefly.
The inner track has been trampled for two months straight. Its condition is clearly worse than the outer lanes.
Still, there was no anxiety in her heart.
Poorer turf means less distance to run. I don't need to swing wide in search of comfort. I only need to maintain my acceleration line along the inside.
With that resolve, the gray Uma Musume unconsciously rose onto the toes of her right foot.
In stark contrast, Inari One—assigned to a far outside gate—was restless.
The outermost lane and a curve immediately after the start. Should I really hold back and wait?
But if I do will the final straight repeat the nightmare of the Japan Cup?
She had analyzed the race countless times beforehand. Rationally, she knew the chance of being boxed in again was minimal. And yet, standing here now, that question surfaced unbidden.
The memory of the Japan Cup's final stretch was too heavy. Heavy enough that Inari One believed it would haunt her—until the day she claimed another G1 victory.
Once all sixteen Uma Musume had entered their gates, the live commentator raised the microphone—
"Glory—will never fade."
"The impact that shakes the heart. The miracle that defies imagination. The honor of defending a crown—For thirty-four years, countless legends have been etched upon this dream stage known as the Arima Kinen."
"Who will write her story today? Consecutive triumph? Long-awaited revenge? Or the fulfillment of a lifelong wish?"
"Please, in these next two minutes, quiet your hearts—and witness this dream stage with anticipation!"
"To viewers across the nation—this is Nakayama Racecourse! All middle-long-distance powerhouses have gathered here! On this unmissable Christmas Eve, the Arima Kinen is about to begin!"
The co-commentator quickly followed.
"By the way, Miss Oguri Cap is wearing a newly designed Christmas-themed racing uniform today—absolutely stunning. The URA Association has already released the same design on its official online store, and sales are reportedly breaking records."
"After all, she received nearly two million votes in the Arima Kinen fan poll. In both strength and popularity, Oguri Cap stands unrivaled in Japan. I believe she will deliver a performance worthy of that title today at Nakayama."
"She is, after all, last year's Arima Kinen champion. If this were merely her comeback, doubts might remain—but after what we witnessed in her true return at the Japan Cup, few would question her ability to defend her crown."
"Still," the main commentator concluded steadily, "the essence of the Twinkle Series lies in its unpredictability. No one can ever be absolutely certain."
"The moment is upon us—let us witness the performance of these sixteen Uma Musume!"
With a sharp click, the starting gates sprang open in unison.
"What's this—?! Oguri Cap is late out of the gate!"
The commentator's voice rose in surprise, catching a scene no one had ever truly witnessed before. In the past, when Oguri Cap had started from behind, it had always been deliberate—an intentional tactical choice. But this time was different. The delay was unmistakable, genuine. Calling it a "slow start" was not exaggeration—it was fact.
"Oguri Cap-san— could it be pressure?" Inside the Student Council's private box, Air Groove frowned deeply. "A mistake like that—it shouldn't happen to an Uma Musume of her caliber."
"So even gate one weighs heavily on her?" Symboli Rudolf's gaze darkened as she followed the race. "Did Shuta-kun fail to notice something? Didn't he help her release the pressure beforehand? Or…is Oguri Cap carrying something unseen?"
Tokai Teio, standing beside her, said nothing. She only narrowed her eyes, thoughts churning silently.
—
In the VIP box, Shuta An blinked hard, as if hoping his eyes had deceived him.
"She really was late—"
His mind raced. "How could this happen? Oguri's starting motion feels wrong—but there were no issues during the checks. Did standing in the gate for too long disrupt her posture?"
The thought was rejected almost instantly.
"No—impossible. Oguri has far too much experience. She wouldn't make such an elementary mistake."
A darker possibility surfaced.
"Could she have been injured at the exact moment of the start?"
Shuta An shook his head sharply, almost violently.
"No. That can't be it. I have to trust the hospital's results—there's no way."
Beside him, Berno Light's expression was tense, worry written plainly across her face.
"I hope Oguri's okay—"
To Berno Light, Oguri Cap was more than a teammate. More than a friend. She was family. If fate demanded a price, Berno Light would have chosen to bear it herself—anything but letting harm come to the gray Uma Musume.
—
For Oguri Cap herself, the delayed start was unexpected—but panic never crossed her mind.
'If I look at it calmly—'
On Nakayama's broad inner track, accelerating immediately to contest the lead after already falling behind would exact a tremendous cost. Forcing her way forward now would disrupt her rhythm and introduce unnecessary uncertainty.
'Compared to that—It's better to stay back.'
Waiting patiently would conserve stamina, even if it meant a straight-up sprint finish against Inari One later. The risks were clearer—but manageable.
'I'll wait. And then strike.'
Starting from gate one meant she naturally held the inner line without extra effort. Yet a new problem surfaced immediately.
Ahead of her—only the back of Dyna Carpenter's head.
The movements of most of her rivals were hidden from view. At best, she could steal a glance to her left and catch sight of Inari One.
But Oguri Cap remained composed.
'There's no meaning in watching them now. No one will make a decisive move this early.I'll wait until we pass the starting line again.'
With that resolve, the gray Uma Musume settled quietly at the very rear of the pack, suppressing herself, biding her time.
"A chase—" Tokai Teio quickly grasped Oguri Cap's intent. "Oguri Cap-senpai using a chase strategy—that's rare. Is this the first time I've seen it?"
"There's no alternative," Maruzensky replied calmly. "After a slow start, and without wasting stamina fighting for position, this is the optimal choice. It's just that…many Uma Musume are eager to seize the lead today. That makes Miss Oguri Cap's position look even further back."
—
Right after the start, the field plunged into a sharp downhill turn.
Dyna Carpenter, who had declared her intent to lead even before the race, showed no hesitation whatsoever. She surged forward with overwhelming momentum, tearing ahead as if unstoppable, utterly unconcerned with the stamina being drained by the centrifugal force of the curve.
The Uma Musume in the leading pack, all harboring ambitions of victory, did not recklessly match her pace. Instead, they gathered behind Super Creek, who took command of the front-running group, maintaining what they believed to be a controlled rhythm.
Yet—unnoticed by them—
Driven by instinct, by the fear of being left too far behind the front-runner, their pace had already crept beyond what was ideal. When Dyna Carpenter passed the 1000-meter mark, the commentator announced the split—
"First 1000 meters—59.5 seconds!"
For a 2500-meter race, it was blisteringly fast.
Shuta An's eyes sharpened as he calculated almost instantly.
"Super Creek should be around sixty seconds—"
His brows lifted slightly.
"The leading group's pace is still too quick. At this rate—it might turn into a chase race in the final stretch."
A thought surfaced, unbidden.
"Could Oguri's slow start—actually be a blessing in disguise?"
Hearing his analysis, Berno Light quietly let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.
"If it really is a blessing in disguise" She clasped her hands unconsciously. "Oguri—you can do it."
—
But for Oguri Cap herself, there was no sense of fortune in disguise. At the very instant the gates opened, a sharp pain had flickered through her right ankle.
That pain—was the true reason for her delayed start.
It hadn't vanished. Each time she lifted her right foot, the pain dulled slightly—but the moment it touched the ground again, it returned with clarity.
'Did I injure myself right at the start?'
Oguri Cap's expression remained steady, betraying nothing. Yet the beads of sweat forming on her forehead blurred the line between exertion and pain.
One thing, at least, brought her reassurance.
'It's not affecting my acceleration.'
She could still run. She could still fight. And even if it did worsen—Even if it threatened to tear her body apart— Oguri Cap would still grit her teeth and run this Arima Kinen to the very end.
Because—
Mom is watching me…
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