"And entering the gates now is number seventeen, Tokai Teio. Starting from the furthest outside post is usually seen as a distinct disadvantage, but..."
"Is it?" Rampage cut in, her voice cool and casual. "I certainly don't think so. From out there, you don't have to worry about getting boxed in, you can hit top speed immediately in a 2000m sprint, and it's easier to keep an eye on everyone else's positioning. For a smart racer, the 'outside draw' doesn't exist. I was stuck in the outside post for most of my big races, and well... I won all of them, didn't I?"
"She's really enjoying herself up there, isn't she?"
Trainer Minamisaka, whom Rampage had earlier compared to Zhuge Liang, watched the gates from the sidelines. He was desperately fighting back a laugh as he listened to her commentary. Rampage was peppered her analysis with "Rampage-isms"—personal anecdotes that defied the common sense and conventional wisdom of the racing world. But that was exactly why the fans loved her; they wanted to hear the perspective of the woman who broke all the rules.
"Listen, a post draw shouldn't be enough to stop Teio," Rampage continued. "If it affects her, it's not because of bad luck—it's because of her own weakness."
"Her... weakness?" Akasaka stammered.
"I don't mean a lack of luck. I mean a weakness of spirit. A real champion should be able to look at a disadvantage and tell the world it's actually a plus."
Beside them, Trainer Sasada wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead. She's a commentator, and she's already being this harsh? he thought. But that was Mejiro Rampage—take her or leave her.
"The field is set! The gates are locked!"
"Every athlete gathered here is a peak performer, a rival of the highest caliber! They all have their eyes on the Autumn Shield! And they're off!" Rampage suddenly shifted into high gear, her voice overlapping Akasaka's. "A clean start for everyone, but Twin Turbo is already exploding out of the gates! She's screaming 'The lead is mine!' and engaging the Dokkan Turbo for a massive breakaway! But look at that—Mihono Bourbon is challenging her! The Cyborg, the Child of the Slopes, the two-crown winner is pushing for the front! It's a two-horse race for the lead, with Mejiro McQueen following behind, but the pace... is the pace a little too fast for her!?"
"W-Wait, let me say something too!" Akasaka cried, fighting to reclaim his microphone. "Behind Mejiro McQueen, we have the jet-black stayer Rice Shower, followed by Nice Nature and Matikanetannhauser! Team Canopus is holding the line, while Tokai Teio bides her time in the back, with Yamanin Zephyr close by!"
It was a bizarre spectacle. The commentator was effectively hijacking the play-by-play, and the announcer was desperately trying to keep up. It was a chaotic, high-energy exchange that the audience found surprisingly refreshing.
"Twin Turbo is still redlining!" Rampage shouted. "She's maintaining that initial burst of acceleration, but Mihono Bourbon is right on her heels, refusing to yield! It's a head-to-head battle for the lead, a total dead-heat with no brakes! At this rate, someone is going to burn out before the finish!"
Watching Turbo through her sharp, expert eyes, Rampage noted her condition was perfect. But Bourbon's start had been technically superior—her body control was simply on another level. In a pure contest of speed where neither side held back, Bourbon had the edge.
However, there was someone else who had caught Rampage's eye.
(McQueen... even with this suicidal pace, her rhythm hasn't wavered an inch. She's as steady as Ikuno. And more than that... she's not even looking at Turbo or Bourbon. Her eyes are fixed on the finish line and nothing else. This is going to be trouble for you, Turbo.)
The pace set by Turbo and Bourbon was blistering. The only ones managing to stay in contention were the Canopus girls—who had spent months training alongside Rampage—and the powerhouses Teio and McQueen. The rest of the field was struggling just to stay in the slipstream to conserve energy.
"The crowd is roaring! 1000 meters in 57.6 seconds!" Akasaka screamed. "Any race with this girl in it is guaranteed to be a scorcher! Twin Turbo, the Goddess of the High Pace, is living up to her name!"
"That pace isn't just Turbo; Bourbon is pushing her," Rampage added. "Turbo gets nervous when she's pressed, so her competitive streak is making her accelerate even more to stay ahead. Wait—Rice is moving up! Is the stayer going to use her legendary endurance to strike early? Nature is following her! They're starting a long-distance spurt, but McQueen... McQueen isn't moving. She's waiting for the perfect opening. And Teio is holding back too!"
"It's my turn again!" Akasaka yelled. "The race is shifting! Yamanin Zephyr is making a massive move! She's tearing through the pack! And here comes Ikuno Dictus! Tokai Teio has ignited! Zephyr and Teio are surging forward, and the rest of the field is being dragged into their wake!"
McQueen's refusal to move was creating a palpable sense of pressure. The leaders were so far ahead that most racers felt they had to start their sprint now or they'd never catch up. It was the "correct" tactical choice. But...
(If she hasn't moved yet... then McQueen's target is...)
"They're clearing the final turn! Twin Turbo and Mihono Bourbon are still in the lead! Can they hold on, or will—Wait! Mejiro McQueen! MEJIRO MCQUEEN IS COMING!"
"There she is!" Rampage shouted.
At the exact moment the curve straightened into the final stretch, McQueen shifted her center of gravity. For a fraction of a second, she was balanced on a single leg, her muscles coiling like a high-tension spring. Then, she released it.
In an instant, McQueen's body seemed to blur. She became a gale, a silver flash threading through the gaps left by the other surging runners.
"McQueen is going for it! Then so am I!" Turbo yelled from the front, trying to find another gear. But her legs wouldn't respond. The pace had finally taken its toll.
"McQueen delayed her sprint to perfectly calculate her energy," Rampage analyzed, her voice filled with admiration. "The others used their acceleration to catch up to the lead, but McQueen used the lead's momentum to fuel her finish. It's a masterclass in distribution."
"Dammit... did I let Turbo pull me along too far!?" Teio gritted her teeth as McQueen surged past her.
"Mejiro! Mejiro! Mejiro!" Akasaka's voice was hoarse. "Mejiro McQueen is tearing up the track! Carrying the pride of the Mejiro name, she refuses to let this race go! She's like a lightning bolt!"
"But Zephyr won't be outrun!" Rampage countered. "The Wind is howling! Teio is closing in! Rice is coming! Ikuno is surging! Who will take the Shield?! It's—"
"GOAL! Mejiro McQueen takes first place! Yamanin Zephyr takes second! Nice Nature in third! Tokai Teio in fourth, and Rice Shower in fifth!"
McQueen was the first to cross the line. It was a dignified, commanding performance—a perfect answer to the weight of her family's legacy. Watching her, Rampage knew: McQueen had officially reached her zenith. From this moment on, the world was her stage.
"As expected... McQueen is truly strong," Rampage said softly. "If I had been out there today... I'm not even sure I could have beaten her."
"Then... the opponent you feared most... was her?" Akasaka asked, breathless.
"We'll never know now," Rampage smiled, a hint of something nostalgic in her eyes. "Though, as a trainer... I suppose I'll be standing in her way soon enough."
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