October, Kikuka Sho (Chrysanthemum Award), 3000m, Long Distance race.
Competitors dressed in their formal race outfits stepped into this vast Kyoto Racecourse one after another.
Just looking closely at the 3000m-long track, one could feel an immense sense of oppression coming straight at them.
Especially when imagining one's opponents, that pressure became even greater.
The longer the track, the more skills competitors can utilize. Therefore, the Kikuka Sho is also the race with the highest intensity of competition among the Classic races.
Moreover, for competitors who have mastered fewer abilities, the Kikuka Sho can be said to be a place of downfall; without sufficient strength, it is impossible to achieve results in this race.
So, the competitors who dare to register for this race possess a certain level of strength at the very least. As for situations like "mob horse girls" in the game...
Those competitors who would be left behind by a "Great Distance" due to stamina exhaustion—in reality, you wouldn't see them entering a race of this level.
Those who can enter this race must be the 18 individuals who have stepped onto the peak within the year.
Even the competitors just making up the numbers wouldn't be in a situation where they lack the stamina to conquer this track.
And the quality of this year's competitors is even more heavyweight.
From the High School Division of Central Tracen Academy, Biwa Hayahide—this competitor was a powerhouse who won consecutive victories before challenging the Classic races.
And Tokai Teio, the Undefeated Double Crown winner from debut until now—she is the top priority, the biggest favorite of this race.
Just think about it: right now, you have to compete with such powerhouses on a 3000m long-distance track.
That sense of oppression had already been fully conveyed before the race even started.
Skill combinations, stamina distribution, and so on...
Even if one did enough homework in advance, from the moment one truly entered the venue, nervousness was inevitable.
This super-long-distance track, at a glance, looked like a cruel battlefield.
Only the one person who fights through here and survives until the end is the strongest of this generation!
"The last race of the three Classic races, the Kikuka Sho that only the strongest Horse Girl can dominate. What kind of race will the gathered powerhouses show us?"
The commentator's voice seemed rather serious today; after all, this was the last G1 Classic race of the year, and the Kikuka Sho held special significance.
Compared to the uncertainty of the Satsuki Sho and the Japanese Derby, the title of the Kikuka Sho has always been stable: only the strongest competitor of the year can win this race.
Running the fastest, having the best luck—just these are not enough to dominate this race.
Only the one with the strongest comprehensive strength, the true King of this year, can win the laurels of this race.
"Teio-san, do your best!"
Kitasan Black shouted loudly from the very front of the audience seats.
Arriving in front of the gate, Tokai Teio heard this voice, looked up, and instantly recognized Kitasan Black and Satono Diamond of this period.
These two little ones really never miss a beat in any world.
As a fan, Kitasan Black was simply too pure; she would like whoever was the most dazzling and coolest competitor.
Tokai Teio raised her hand and gave a thumbs up toward the two in response.
No problem, I won't lose~
And seemingly because they saw Tokai Teio respond to Kitasan Black, the audience at the scene suddenly began to call Tokai Teio's name enthusiastically.
Tokai Teio sighed helplessly. Can't be helped; being popular is just such hard work~ The corners of her mouth curled up proudly.
Tokai Teio slowly raised her hand, pointing toward the sky, and the sun's brilliance instantly shone.
That magical scene made the entire venue boil over.
Although everyone didn't understand the principle behind such things, they all understood that Tokai Teio was special.
She will definitely win, right! The Undefeated Triple Crown... will definitely be realized too!
It had to be said, Tokai Teio's move arguably stacked all the buffs on herself.
But she didn't care. As the Ultimate Horse Girl, mere "flags" could not stop her hegemony!
Mejiro McQueen in the audience seats couldn't help clicking her tongue: "What a perpetually smug guy. Is she that confident she won't lose?"
Gold Ship spun her Rubik's Cube and said indifferently, "Presumably so. If I had her strength, I'd be even more arrogant than her. Although normally, the strongest of the year is decided only after the outcome of the Kikuka Sho, the current situation is—this race is other competitors challenging Tokai Teio's status as the strongest!"
That's right, the final Crown of this year's Classic races was just this absurd.
Even though the race hadn't started yet, everyone knew clearly, including the competitors participating—the strongest competitor was Tokai Teio!
"Special Week's situation is very dangerous. I, Gold Ship, can't see any chance of her winning at all."
Gold Ship really couldn't understand.
Why was Special Week so stubborn? She had already lost twice, yet she still wanted to challenge that Tokai Teio.
That guy was absolutely a rare monster, even in the history of Horse Girls.
"Which side are you on anyway?!" Daiwa Scarlet shouted immediately.
"Of course I'm on our side, but we can't ignore reality, can we? Do you think Special Week can outrun Tokai Teio?"
"Of course not."
"...You're really decisive."
Gold Ship was dumbfounded.
"Hmph~ Special Week's strength, you and I both know well. But that guy Tokai Teio... I still can't see the depth of her strength even now."
Daiwa Scarlet's eyes were serious.
And judging by the strength Tokai Teio had shown so far, that intensity was already very exaggerated.
"That's right, and that move during the Japanese Derby before—was that also a skill? Although it looks like it has a usage time limit, there's simply no way to counter that move." Vodka also chipped in.
Indeed, mentioning the Japanese Derby immediately brought to mind Tokai Teio's time-stopping skill.
There were many analyses online regarding the principle of that skill, but basically none had an accurate answer.
Calling it "Time Stop" wasn't actually accurate, because if time stopped, they wouldn't be able to maintain thought activity.
But if it was just a state of accelerated thought, how to explain Tokai Teio being able to move her body in that world?
That was incomprehensible, super-standard power. If this world didn't already have supernatural phenomena and gods, Tokai Teio would have been dragged into some research lab long ago.
Although the power of skills was already unscientific, the ability Tokai Teio displayed was clearly power above Ultimate/Unique Skills.
Only a few who understood [Limit] and [Flow] roughly understood Tokai Teio's state at that time, but even knowing this, they found it incredible.
"No, that move of Tokai Teio doesn't count as a threat."
Mejiro McQueen said calmly.
"The restrictions on that move are huge. I'm afraid she can't even maintain it for one second in reality."
While everyone was awed by the power of that skill, she, who regarded Tokai Teio as a rival, instantly caught the problem with this move.
Tokai Teio used this ultimate technique during the Japanese Derby, yet she didn't use this move to run directly to first place.
Given that guy's smug personality of loving to show off, it probably wasn't that she didn't want to do it, but that she couldn't.
Just as the stronger the ability, the heavier the burden on oneself—the burden of that move on the body must be absolutely terrifying.
"Although I really don't want to admit it, Tokai Teio's strength is definitely not because of skills."
According to intelligence gathered by the Mejiro family, Tokai Teio possessed a perfect physique—the most ideal body for an athlete.
Mejiro McQueen felt that was Tokai Teio's most powerful weapon, and this weapon was simply invincible on the long-distance track of the Kikuka Sho.
Mejiro McQueen didn't even want to run a simulation this time, because she simply couldn't imagine how to outrun that monster on a long-distance track.
The three looked at Mejiro McQueen strangely, as if surprised she would speak up for that Tokai Teio.
But this was prejudice. Mejiro McQueen was definitely not a little princess controlled by petty temper; she was top-class both as a young lady and as a Horse Girl.
"Don't look at me like that. I'm annoyed by Tokai Teio, true, but I'm not so far gone that I can't correctly distinguish the strength of an opponent. Even though I'm very unwilling, I have to admit now that Tokai Teio is very strong. Even I don't have much confidence in outrunning her on this track..."
"Shocking! McQueen actually bowed her head!"
"Indeed very surprising..."
"McQueen, did you eat something bad?"
"Shut up, you guys!"
The cool composure on Mejiro McQueen's face broke quickly.
In the whole team, only Silence Suzuka stood with hands clasped, looking at Special Week on the track with eyes full of worry.
"Spe-chan..."
Although the chance of winning was slim, Special Week hadn't gave up yet. Silence Suzuka knew this better than anyone.
On the track, Special Week's expression was serious.
Her usually goofy expression became incomparably cold at this moment, her whole body radiating a powerful aura of having returned from hellish special training.
"I want to become Japan's Number One Horse Girl!"
"For this, I must win this race!"
Rose-colored flames were burning in Special Week's eyes, and a steady yet ethereal aura draped over her body.
Tokai Teio looked thoughtful: "Ho? Zone and Flow... has she stepped in?"
And it wasn't just Special Week alone; these [Asuras] returning from hell—it was almost everyone.
Tokai Teio looked up at the sky. There seemed to be some haze above, but the sun remained dazzling and unshaken.
She didn't know if this situation was normal or abnormal; the memories of those two didn't give her much experience in dealing with this situation.
Is this the correction force of fate? Or is this the pressure one must experience to clear Story Mode?
How did Saint McQueen and Demon King Ship handle it... Tokai Teio thought about it and couldn't help smiling; those two seemed to have just crushed through directly.
And today's sun had already told her the answer: as the summit, she would not be shaken.
"Bring it on."
Tokai Teio walked into the gate with an unchanging expression.
So what if there were auras of [Asuras] around? She was the summit!
The result would not change; the future had long been grasped by her. This was an unshakable fact!
"Competitors have started entering the gates one after another."
"Favorite #3, Nice Nature. Having achieved many good results in previous races but missing out on first place, can she challenge successfully this time?!"
"Favorite #2, Biwa Hayahide. As a strong veteran competitor, even after failing the Triple Crown challenge, she is still a formidable opponent not to be underestimated in today's race!"
"Finally, Favorite #1, Tokai Teio. This year's King, the Undefeated Double Crown Horse Girl since debut. Can she successfully dominate the Kikuka Sho today and claim the historic honor of the Undefeated Triple Crown?!"
"All competitors have entered the gates. Preparation complete—"
The indicator lights on the gates lit up at this moment.
The competitors rushed out of the gates together.
"They're off!"
"So fast! Surpassing the race start record! Leading is Seiun Sky!"
Seiun Sky ran at the very front with hollow eyes, aqua-blue flames burning on her body.
Giving almost no preparation time to other competitors, this guy who usually looked unmotivated entered an explosive state right at the start of the race.
At the same time, Special Week and the others looked up sharply at that figure.
"This guy!" Biwa Hayahide was shocked.
She had experienced the burden of the Zone.
It was a burden more violent than using multiple skills simultaneously. She hadn't expected Seiun Sky to dare explode right at the start of the race.
Nice Nature was silent for a moment, her eyes glowing slightly red, re-locking onto Tokai Teio.
"Interesting. Put hard work into hit rate and range, huh? You really are quite 'Nice Nature'."
Tokai Teio truly envied Saint McQueen now; she was getting fed up with these "debuff breeds."
But the problem was, she had no confidence in awakening the kind of rule-breaking Zone Saint McQueen had, which was one of the reasons she hadn't truly awakened her Zone.
Demon King Ship was a good negative example. The awakening of the Zone was too critical; if opened casually, the only one suffering in the end would be herself.
Moreover, Tokai Teio currently couldn't think of what kind of power she wanted. She had neither Demon King Ship's domineering psychology nor Saint McQueen's pure desire for victory.
Plus, without the oppression of pressure, she couldn't think of why she should pursue the power of the Zone, so her Zone awakening progress had literally zero change.
And at this moment, Seiun Sky running at the very front had completely widened the gap. That wasn't an ordinary Escape running style; that was the legendary—Great Escape!
Not to mention other competitors, even Tokai Teio couldn't help frowning at this moment.
Seiun Sky's great explosion was shocking the world right now!
...
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