"There is now half a lap remaining. We can see that many runners' stamina has already been exhausted. Among these five competitors, number 2, Rice Shower, is accelerating to fight for the lead. But number 7, Tokai Teio, is biting tightly onto Rice Shower's slipstream and refusing to let go. Number 10, Mejiro McQueen, is catching up from the outside lane, followed by number 8, King Halo. King Halo has already activated her divine skill. Is she planning to settle the outcome here?"
"Number 1, Gold Ship, still has a gap to close with the runners ahead. Number 12, Nice Nature, is currently in an awkward middle position. Can this girl still hold on? Is there anyone among the remaining runners who can charge out again? At present, the situation looks very difficult."
"The glory of victory is right before your eyes. Everyone, do your best!"
The commentator loudly encouraged the exhausted participants.
The host also agreed from the side. "This truly is an arduous race. All the participating umamusume have worked so hard. Thank you to them for bringing us such a spectacular race!"
"The current leader, number 2, should have a very good chance of winning. She looks to be in excellent shape and has the running style to claim victory. But what remains uncertain is how the other runners will perform next. We can see that every one of them is a very strong umamusume."
"But I still favor the first favorite, Mejiro McQueen. Her performance is truly astonishing. Even while being targeted, she can still leisurely run such a good race. That is truly rare. Should I say, as expected of the heroine everyone recognizes? My favorite umamusume, I hope you can break through at the end!"
The commentator and host predicted the champion.
The audience was incomparably tense.
They were now halfway through the second straight of the second lap.
Rice Shower was at full firepower. Her amplified skills and domain were so strong she looked like an invincible monster. Although Tokai Teio was also working hard to stay close, and had even used acceleration, she still could not suppress Rice Shower in this state. At this moment, Rice Shower gave Tokai Teio the same feeling as the Mejiro McQueen of the past. But one had to remember that she was now herself from the past. Even after becoming stronger, she was still being suppressed like this. Was that not too terrifying?
"As expected, Rice Shower, you are strong. Although you've never cared about victory or defeat between us, you truly are a strong runner who can contend with McQueen. But-I have no intention of letting go today. Even if my struggle looks ugly, I will bite down and refuse to release. The current me has already surpassed the future. Witness my possibility!"
The halo of the sun pierced the dark clouds. Although it had not yet reached the point where the course's weather would change, under Tokai Teio's willpower, the weather simulation of the race system was forcibly altered. Under the blessing of sunlight, Tokai Teio's ZONE evolved one step further. Time began to accelerate. This power of possibility could not only change the past, but also lead toward a brand-new future.
Tokai Teio, wrapped in aurora, instantly became an afterimage and clung tightly behind Rice Shower, who was wrapped in domineering aura. The gap between the two was only a head. At this moment, the two had unquestionably exhausted almost every method available to them. Only a few Flash Skills and general skills remained usable. But with their bodies already approaching the limit, neither dared risk using multiple skills. Therefore, the gap could not be widened.
"Rice Shower is so strong."
"Kitasan Black actually lost?"
"Is this Tokai Teio cheating? What is that flash? Is that another form of ZONE?"
"Amazing, too amazing. A race like this..."
"Halo-senpai!"
"Damn it, [McQueen], you disgrace. If you weren't good enough, you should have given your spot to me! I, [Teio-sama], definitely wouldn't have been eliminated this early!"
"The Demon King's interference is way too terrifying. How does she still have interference skills to use by the second lap? How many interference skills does this girl even know? It's too abnormal."
"Thank goodness the Gold Ship in our world is only an alien umamusume, not this cruel and violent Demon King. This is pure hell."
"Secretariat and Dancing Brave didn't show anything at all. They're legendary umamusume, so how can the gap be this big? You have to remember, in other worlds, the Demon King and the others are only second-rate runners."
"Don't even mention it. The Autumn Emperor ranked first in our world also fell. These parallel umamusume from other timelines are total monsters. They feel like the Three Goddesses' own daughters."
"Isn't it strange? Why don't you go look at the skill records in the race log? The Demon King's skills are too abnormal. After being hit by skills like that, just finishing one lap is already impressive."
"It's all the Demon King's fault!"
"Ban the Demon King in future races. A race like this isn't fun at all. Demonic stuff like this should all be sealed!"
"Who can win this race?"
"It should be Rice Shower, right? Her condition looks too good. I looked at her ZONE, and that effect is way too unfair. Plus, she took the power of that monster Kitasan Black. I really don't know how Rice Shower in this form can lose."
"But Tokai Teio hasn't lost by much."
"Tokai Teio's consumption in this state is obviously far heavier than Rice Shower's. Although Tokai Teio is strong, if she keeps going like this, she definitely won't last until the finish."
"Holy crap! Mejiro McQueen is coming up!"
"How did she do that?"
"Too strong. Mejiro McQueen only started using Flash Skills on the second lap. So during the first lap, she really wasn't serious. No wonder the Demon King openly looked down on everyone in her interviews, but treated her as her only opponent!"
Mejiro McQueen's figure was giving off a faint glow. The rainbow light beneath her racing shoes showed no sign of weakening at all. From the moment Rice Shower used Fusion, she had re-entered ZONE and begun using skills to stack speed. As the race continued and the distance to her opponents closed, deep within her sea of spirit, that heavy, ancient stone gate was trembling. She could even hear the voice inside.
"My stamina is gradually recovering. My fatigue is weakening. Merely pushing open a tiny crack has already displayed this kind of power? This heartfelt joy is the love I lacked as an umamusume. The original impulse to run, the joy of racing. The power of an umamusume comes from these feelings, and for me, the destination those powers lead to is only one thing-victory!"
Deep purple flames appeared in both of Mejiro McQueen's eyes. At this moment, however, that radiance looked as dazzling as rainbow light. That ultimate domain finally opened its gate to her.
ZONE-Second Stage, activate!
["Flash" has advanced to "Flash of Victory"!]
The effects she originally possessed changed.
But two additional effects appeared.
First effect:
[Cannot be sealed or deleted by any means!]
Second effect:
[Once only: stamina greatly recovers, mood rises to excellent condition, fatigue greatly decreases, and all skills reset!]
Mejiro McQueen understood her new power in her heart.
First was the first effect. It looked like true invincibility, but in reality it was not. This effect could not immunize her against an opponent's skill interference. It was merely a lower-limit protection effect. Specifically, even if her ZONE were stolen by Rice Shower's Super Fusion, she would still be able to maintain her ZONE state.
Her own immunity effect was still only [Flash]'s original effect: she could choose whether to accept an opponent's skill interference. But this effect's priority was below that of divine skills, so blocking skills enhanced by Sun Power could still hit her.
As for the second effect, it was equivalent to a second life. Worth noting was that this effect was classified under [Flash of Victory]. Even Rice Shower's Super Fusion could only steal [Flash]'s effect and could no longer steal this second effect. Therefore, this effect was the true killing move. Although the stamina it recovered was less than Earth Power's divine skill, it could greatly reduce mental fatigue. For an umamusume at Mejiro McQueen's level, this was extremely useful. And the complete skill reset looked unremarkable, but in practice it was truly incredible.
If she had known earlier that the second-stage power was like this, Mejiro McQueen would never have needed to be so cautious about Rice Shower's Fusion.
At this moment, it was time to go full speed.
Flash Skills fired one after another.
Although Mejiro McQueen's stamina had not recovered to full, through ZONE's ultimate effect and the reset recovery skills, her stamina had already recovered to about half of peak.
And only about 1,000 meters remained.
From now on, it was her turn.
Step, step, step-
She opened her stride freely and sprinted forward, releasing her own power without reservation. How long had it been since she last felt this soaring excitement? Yes. This was the flavor of yearning for victory. Her brain seemed electrified. Extreme calm and a scorching storm like raging waves. The taste of victory truly was addictive.
"Hm?"
King Halo behind her noticed Mejiro McQueen's abnormality, and her brows instantly twitched. Although she did not know what had happened to Mejiro McQueen, that state looked very bad.
"Could she have already entered that realm..."
"Troublesome. This is the first time I've seen McQueen in that state with my own eyes. What is this feeling being pulled inside me?"
Joy?
No.
She only felt panic.
McQueen's performance was too abnormal.
Why could skills already used be used again? Why was McQueen's mental state still so healthy at this point? Was McQueen truly that much stronger than them?
One had to know that even King Halo, who had a second stamina bar, was already feeling mental fatigue at this moment. This was not a question of stamina, but wear on the will. This race was that torturous. And she had also used her ZONE ability to delay all of Demon King Gold Ship's skills, which meant that compared with Mejiro McQueen and the others, she herself had not actually been hit by any blocking skills in this race. Her previous appearance had only been deliberate acting.
But even so,
in terms of condition, she was still inferior to Mejiro McQueen.
This was too abnormal.
What power did the second realm of ZONE possess?
"No matter. The plan has already advanced to this point. My calculations tell me I cannot lose this race!"
King Halo began consuming large amounts of stamina to activate skills, using stamina consumption to remove the restrictions on her own skills.
Demon King Gold Ship had originally been about to catch up to King Halo, but in the next second she saw King Halo suddenly accelerate forward. Demon King Gold Ship's expression turned incomparably ugly. Before this, she had not considered King Halo an opponent at all. She had not expected that in this final, King Halo would be so troublesome. Although this scheming woman had disguised herself well, as the Demon King, how could Gold Ship not notice that her skills had never taken effect on this girl?
"Damn it. How could this Demon King be schemed against by you?"
Divine skill, activate.
Skill-use restrictions completely released.
Multiple skills lit up at the same time.
Before this invincible power, what would you use to block me?
None of you will escape!
"The race has reached the final turn. This development is far too surprising! Number 10, Mejiro McQueen, is counterattacking and catching up! Rice Shower and Tokai Teio seem to have no spare strength to target Mejiro McQueen. At this rate, they should be overtaken by Mejiro McQueen! Number 8, King Halo, and number 1, Gold Ship, are also only now beginning to burst with their full strength. These two divine skill holders are showing astonishing final-leg bursts at this moment. The race situation seems to have changed in an instant!"
"Mejiro McQueen's position is favorable!"
The audience was stunned by the sudden change.
"What's going on? How do they still have this kind of strength?"
"Rice Shower's speed rose!"
"Tokai Teio too."
"Crap, I forgot the Demon King's strongest point is burst."
"No way. Can you even play if the Demon King isn't banned?"
"No, no, the strongest one isn't the Demon King. What is going on with Mejiro McQueen and King Halo? They ate the Demon King's skills, so why are they still this energetic?"
"Mejiro McQueen has overtaken them!"
The commentator shouted.
In the final 100 meters of the last turn, Mejiro McQueen completed the overtake. Sacred white feathers spread, accompanied by gorgeous rainbow light. Mejiro McQueen's speed was rising terrifyingly.
Clearly,
the number of stacked skills had become extremely high at this moment.
Mejiro McQueen's burst could be called terrifying.
Originally, Mejiro McQueen's final-leg burst counted as strong. But now, with the number of stacked skills, Mejiro McQueen's final-leg burst was no weaker than Demon King Gold Ship's or King Halo's.
Rice Shower clenched her teeth. "I lost..."
Tokai Teio managed a difficult smile. "As expected of you, McQueen. To think you were still hiding a killing move like this."
At that moment,
a dragon's roar howled through the wind, and a shining road began to extend. King Halo, looking somewhat fierce, overtook from behind.
Her stamina was burning at tremendous speed.
King Halo could no longer maintain her calm.
"Don't joke with me. In this situation, how could I possibly lose? I absolutely refuse to acknowledge this inexplicable miracle!"
"Damn it! McQueen-"
Demon King Gold Ship was behind King Halo. Because of overload, veins bulged hideously across her forehead. The red light around her body was like evaporating blood. Not only had she used her divine skill to remove skill restrictions, she had also brought back the Overload mode she had temporarily discarded before. This terrifying power made her burst power faintly surpass King Halo's by a notch.
But King Halo did not treat Demon King Gold Ship as an opponent at all. In the next instant, as her stamina was about to empty, King Halo decisively activated the final burst effect. Her speed skyrocketed again.
"The final 200 meters!"
"Mejiro McQueen is leading! But King Halo is about to catch up! This burst is far too astonishing!"
Mejiro McQueen heard the footsteps behind her, and her expression could not help changing. This gap was too dangerous. But she could not let go. She absolutely could not hand the victory before her eyes to King Halo.
"Don't push your luck too far!"
"I will win!"
"McQueen!!!"
Demon King Gold Ship's expression was extremely ugly.
Damn it.
How could they catch up?
She had clearly used so many skills at once, so why still could she not catch McQueen?
Trash.
Demon King Gold Ship's eyes turned vicious. Useless garbage. And this thing dares call itself invincible? What kind of joke is that?
Give me power!
Demon King Gold Ship poured all her energy into Overload mode.
Even she did it subconsciously, pouring every skill and her divine skill into Overload mode's performance. In an instant, countless cracks appeared across Demon King Gold Ship's stat panel, radiating dangerous red light. The numbers displayed on it were rapidly changing.
ZONE?
Skills?
Divine skill?
All of it, turn into the most fundamental power for this Demon King!
Three figures crossed the finish almost simultaneously.
Accompanied by cheers that shook the heavens and the sound of salute cannons,
everyone looked toward the big screen.
...
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