Mizuki had now brought the members of Spica to the Kyoto Racecourse. The atmosphere was incredibly explosive. Even though this was only a G3 race, the venue was packed with Uma Musume fans. Mizuki marveled at Kyoto— surrounded by mountains, it wasn't as wealthy as Tokyo, but the passion for Uma Musume was absolutely peerless.
If a graded stakes race was this crazy, the G1 Spring Tenno Sho would be heart-stopping.
After arriving, Mizuki sat with Spe, McQueen, and the others. She sat in the middle with the Spica girls on either side. She soon spotted Taiki Shuttle on the paddock walk.
Taiki was still incredibly energetic, just looking at her made you feel her cheerfulness. She kept smiling and waving, clearly enjoying the spotlight. Many spectators let out excited shouts.
"There are 16 Umas competing today. Taiki is in Gate 13... that's not great luck," Mizuki noted. The paddock walk follows the gate order, and the announcer introduces each girl, including their past records and their popularity for today's race.
Despite drawing the far outside Gate 13, Taiki Shuttle was the overwhelming favorite, taking the No. 1 popularity spot by a wide margin. It was clear that countless people recognized her absolute dominance in mile races.
On the paddock, Taiki herself didn't care about the gate. In her own words, no matter what gate it was, she would use her strength to blast through everything. She was incredibly confident.
She waved all around the stands until her eyes lit up— she saw Mizuki and the others. She started waving even more enthusiastically. This "Cowboy" girl, jumping and laughing, was truly adorable.
"Wow, Trainer-san! Look, look! Taiki-san is waving at us! Uuu, I'm so moved!" Special Week said cutely, waving back with sparkling eyes. This was her first time going out to see a race with everyone from Spica since joining Tracen, giving her a warm sense of belonging.
Thinking about it, everyone in Spica was so good to her. The Trainer bought her bread, McQueen comforted her, Suzuka worried about her getting lost, and Scarlet and Vodka encouraged her and helped with her homework. She thought to her herself:
'Uuu, Mama, it's so great to be part of Spica!'
Spe-chan encouraged herself inwardly, she had to work hard too. That child Equinox said she would join Spica, right? When the time comes, she must act as a senior and help her out.
'Like with studying... cough, maybe not studying. '
She'd just prepare plenty of carrots for Equinox. Spe really couldn't forget her carrots— whether planting, pulling, or eating them, she was a natural. You could call her a "Natural-Born Carrot Saint."
At the same time, Special Week had her own goal: to defeat the one mentioned in the Trainer's diary— the "General of Japan". If she defeated the General, she could call herself the No. 1 Horse Girl in Japan.
For a moment, her expression became determined.
"That's... that's so cool! Taiki Shuttle-senpai... I want to have that kind of confidence in front of a big crowd too!" Vodka said admiringly.
"Yeah, never getting stage fright— that's one of Taiki's great traits. If it were Mejiro Dober, she'd probably be huddled in a corner thinking she shouldn't have been born into this world," Mizuki roasted mercilessly.
And she wasn't wrong, Dober was a legendary socially anxious girl. If she were standing there, she'd probably be stiff as a board, not daring to move an inch.
In the Tracen library, Mejiro Dober was painting when she suddenly shuddered. She felt like someone was talking bad about her.
Uuu... it was so frustrating. How could she not be nervous in a crowd? She didn't know why she was so afraid of people.
Back at the race, Mizuki started writing:
[Haha, finally made it to Kyoto Racecourse. There's so many people here!]
[Despite being a G3 race, Kyoto Racecourse is grand. the pre-race performance was nice— they even hired an orchestra to play on the stage.]
[This stage will also be the Winning Live stage later. It's huge... I wonder how much it costs per square meter?]
[If I sold Spe-chan, could I trade her for a few square meters?]
[Hahaha.]
Mizuki updated the log. While the diary was smart enough not to show up for girls about to race, it still appeared for those by her side.
Special Week opened the log to read it. She started off happy, but froze at the last part.
"S-Sell me?" Spe took it seriously again. She thought the Trainer was so mean, actually wanting to trade her for money...?
Uuuu. Special Week really was a dummy to believe Trainer Mizuki's words when she invited her to Spica!
Daiwa Scarlet was speechless as she comforted Spe. At the same time, she thought Trainer Mizuki was such a jerk— always talking nonsense in her log, so shameless! She turned to look at Mizuki, whose face was perfectly calm.
She was annoyed, but she had to keep smiling. Inwardly, she wanted nothing more than to climb onto her head and give her an "Honor Student Headbutt."
'Hmph, don't let me find an opportunity!'
At this time, the group back at Tracen Academy was completely stumped. Trainer Mizuki is just too good at talking nonsense. The next moment, Mizuki's log updated again.
[Actually, that was strange. I think I saw a familiar face— was that Mejiro Ryan?]
[Maybe not. If it were her, she would've come over to say hello, right?]
[She's McQueen's rival for the Spring Tenno Sho. Her hair is really unique. I wonder if she'd look even better if she let it down?]
[Whoops, no more talking. The race is starting. Time to watch Taiki's performance!]
When Mejiro Ryan saw the diary, she was incredibly embarrassed. She had come over, but she felt too shy to say hello in the moment. She knew she didn't need to hide, but she had her own way of fighting. She wouldn't lose the Spring Tenno Sho.
"Honestly, Trainer Mizuki, saying my hair is 'unique' is just a high-EQ way of saying my hairstyle is ugly, isn't it? Really..."
Ryan was a young girl after all, seeing those words made her heart mumble back and forth. But ultimately, she decided to stop thinking about it— she'd just take it as her saying she looked good.
She did have her cute side, after all.
Under the cheers of the crowd and the passionate shouts of the commentator, the excitement reached its peak as the 16 Uma Musume entered the gates.
[Welcome, everyone, to the Shinzan Kinen!]
[The Uma Musume are entering the gates, and the race is about to begin. Who will be the shining star today?]
[Let's wait and see!]
The commentator finished speaking, and the crowd erupted in cheers.
[Under this dazzling sun, the track condition at Kyoto is firm. There is no doubt that this weather will allow the Uma Musume to demonstrate 100% of their strength.]
[However, the ground appears relatively dry. On this 1,600-meter course, it will be a true test of whether the contestants can output enough power.]
[It's a contest of power and speed!]
[In this race, the 3rd favorite is No. 12, Moon Move.]
[The 2nd favorite is Flare Star.]
[And the Uma Musume waiting majestically for the start, today's 1st favorite— Taiki Shuttle!]
[Taiki Shuttle has an extremely high aptitude for the mile. We hope she has a brilliant performance in this Shinzan Kinen. Let's look forward to this race that is sure to send sparks flying!]
[All racers are in the gates. The race is about to begin!]
Everyone grew tense. Taiki Shuttle, however, was excited. Inside the gate, she was already making running motions, her expression filled with confidence.
She wasn't panicked at all, she just planned to get it done.
"Bang!"
In an instant, the heart-pounding starter pistol fired. All the gates opened simultaneously, and the sixteen Umas burst forth like arrows from a bow. The initial positioning was vital, as it determined whether one could secure a good spot.
Taiki Shuttle was on the outside, so she had no advantage in the initial scramble. However, the cowboy from the West wasn't in a hurry. Relying on her powerful leg strength, she ground her way inward step by step, controlling her speed as she joined the lead group.
After a brief struggle for position, they formed different echelons. The Front Runners were in the first tier, the Pace Chasers were in the second, the Late Surgers were in the third, and the End Closers were at the very back— though in a mile race, there are very few End Closers.
In a 1,600-meter race, there simply isn't much space to chase from behind.
Taiki Shuttle clearly held an advantageous position. Not only had she reached the lead group, but she had also secured the inside line. For someone with maxed-out power like her, this position was perfect. All she had to do was round the outer curve, then explode with speed— pull her gun and take the win!
The commentator's voice rang out continuously:
[The initial struggle is over!]
[Except for No. 3, Phantom Guardian, who chose an unexpected 'Great Escape,' everyone else is using their original strategy.]
[No. 12, Moon Move, is chasing closely from behind, aiming for Phantom Guardian...]
[We are about to enter the middle stage. Kyoto Racecourse's slopes and the outer track— there is a nearly 600-meter stretch here, followed by a 400-meter final straight. How will they respond? What strategy will they take?]
Everyone watched with bated breath, full of anticipation. Mizuki was taking notes. She knew that Kyoto Racecourse had an exaggeratedly long outer slope. For Uma Musume, this distance was often the most critical point for victory or defeat. Whether they mastered uphill and downhill techniques and when to accelerate was vital.
She continued to write in her diary via thought, summarizing her experience. Mizuki judged that a chaotic melee was about to break out on those slopes.
But perhaps Taiki Shuttle wouldn't be part of it, her leg strength was likely enough to end the race right there.
Inside the race, the sixteen Umas reached the outer track of Kyoto one after another. Phantom Guardian, the one who chose to run a Great Escape, was already feeling dizzy, she realized she was reaching her limit, but she didn't care. Escaping successfully was a victory in itself. Never mind if she won or lost, just look at how fast she ran!
However, No. 12, Moon Move, truly wanted to win. The scenery blurred past her as her speed increased. She felt she could win, that she could beat Taiki Shuttle. Who cares about being the favorite? Watch her make a comeback!
"Haah!!!!!" Moon Move let out a roar, quickening her pace.
She kept a tight eye on Taiki Shuttle, she planned to stick to her right here, then use her power to overtake her on the final straight. That was her strategy!
However, she didn't yet realize that there was a chasm-like gap between her and Taiki Shuttle. As Mizuki said, Taiki didn't need any strategy on the slopes. Her terrifying leg strength and overflowing power were her winning weapons.
Taiki Shuttle stepped out, her terrifying power making the turf splash. She was almost completely unaffected by the terrain as she instantly surged forward, pulling away from the others and taking the lead.
"How... how can she still accelerate? This... this is impossible!"
Moon Move's heart trembled. She had never encountered a situation like this, but she grit her teeth and tried to follow. If Taiki could do it, she felt she could too!
In reality, her strategy had been completely disrupted— a sign of lacking composure. But her mindset was understandable, like someone with strong self-esteem getting crushed face-to-face, she was unwilling to give up until she saw her opponent's true strength.
The desire to win, the unwavering will to fight with all of her might on the racetrack... such things are truly admirable to see in an Uma Musume. These qualities are what every true champion possesses.
But she was about to understand. The gap between her and Taiki Shuttle was on another dimension. Taiki's legend, her peak, was just beginning!
She was the King of the Mile.
At this moment, the commentary booth noticed something was wrong. They let out an immediate cry:
[What happened?! Taiki Shuttle's speed is holding up perfectly. The expected melee has occurred, but Taiki Shuttle has broken out of the crowd. Did she accelerate early? Or is her leg strength far beyond this level?!]
[Has she drawn her gun? Has she drawn her gun? The Cowboy of the West, Taiki Shuttle, has taken first place!]