Smart Falcon felt much better running this time than in the Seaside Stakes she participated in previously.
She found that running on the dirt was becoming increasingly easier for her.
However, this race was a different story for Smart Falcon.
The competition wasn't as fierce as in the last OP-level Seaside Stakes.
"The other team should be one of the best active-duty Umamusumes in the US..."
Smart Falcon muttered to herself, feeling that her victory this time wasn't due to her speed, but rather because the other team had inexplicably gone easy on her.
After all, an American Umamusume who comes to Japan on an exchange program must be one with excellent racing results.
Smart Falcon looked back, wanting to see what was going on with her competitor.
--
Lillian crossed the finish line several seconds after Smart Falcon.
Listening to the cheers of the Japanese Umamusumes around her for Smart Falcon, she wondered:
"She should be satisfied now..."
Lillian looked toward the Umamusume with chestnut-brown twin ponytails ahead of her and suddenly saw her turn around to look at her.
"What happened? This isn't your true strength, is it?" Smart Falcon asked suspiciously. "Are you feeling unwell? You look like you're in a lot of pain."
Lillian was startled again; she had been found out.
"You... senpai is very fast, better than me. I admire you... I'm just feeling a little unwell today."
Lillian stammered, trying to appear weak, hoping to gain some sympathy from this Umamusume.
"You really did hold back!"
Smart Falcon suddenly put her hands on her hips, looking indignant.
"Falco only told you to compete seriously. Why did you hold back?!"
Smart Falcon was somewhat afraid that Lillian would bump into her on the track, but she didn't want to win a victory that someone had handed to her.
That would only make her feel as though she were being given charity.
"Clearly, Falco felt she was in good form this time."
"No… she wasn't given a chance to use her Zone, and she's angry!!"
Lillian watched as Smart Falcon, her face puffed out as she approached and questioned her, sweat pouring down her cheeks.
"Falco is asking you, are you giving Falco charity?" Smart Falcon asked softly as she drew closer.
Lillian's legs went weak at the sound of her voice, and she collapsed onto the track, bursting into tears and sobbing uncontrollably.
"I was wrong! I don't have a Zone yet! Please don't be angry! Don't be angry! Waaah..."
Lillian didn't run away. She had noticed during the race that Smart Falcon was incredibly fast on the dirt track.
And according to the commentator, Sakura Bakushin O, Smart Falcon seemed to be a first-time dirt competitor.
She assumed this was Smart Falcon's first dirt race and that she was achieving such speed solely through her leg strength.
Lillian couldn't even imagine how terrifying it would be to run on the Turf.
Lillian herself, as a dirt runner from Abyss, was actually among the top three active-duty dirt Umamusumes in Pluto.
She had even reached the point where she could create air currents while running on the dirt.
But now, seeing Smart Falcon's puffed-up face, she couldn't muster even a thought of running away.
After all, the gap between her and a Zone Umamusume was still enormous.
Right now, on the dirt track, Smart Falcon might be slightly inferior to her due to her unfamiliarity with the dirt track.
However, once they returned to the Turf, or when Smart Falcon activated her Zone, she would definitely be caught.
Caught in a terrible dilemma, Lillian's inner defenses finally crumbled, and she simply sat down on the ground and cried.
Smart Falcon had only taken a few steps when she saw Lillian suddenly burst into tears. The feigned, puffed-up expression on her face vanished, replaced by a sudden look of panic.
"Falco isn't angry, Lillian. What's wrong? Why are you like this all of a sudden? Did someone bully you?"
Unexpectedly, when Lillian heard Smart Falcon ask who had bullied her, she cried even harder.
In the hall, the surrounding Japanese Umamusumes were completely bewildered by Lillian's wailing and Smart Falcon's panicked and helpless expression.
"What's going on? What happened to that American Umamusume? It's just a loss; it can't be that serious, right?"
"I don't know. Maybe Falco-senpai ran too fast?" another Umamusume said, also confused.
"But when I saw Daiki Shuttle running with others, their opponents weren't this bad!"
The Tracen Academy Umamusumes discussed among themselves, ultimately failing to reach a reasonable conclusion.
However, this scene appeared quite different to the American Umamusumes watching.
They shared Lillian's opinion of Smart Falcon.
In their minds, Tokai Teio and Mejiro McQueen, who had just defeated Catttleya, ranked second among the active-duty Umamusumes of Pluto Academy, and Bonnie, ranked third, were merely Smart Falcon's juniors.
Since the three of them were from the same team, it was unquestionable that the high school Smart Falcon was stronger than middle schoolers Tokai Teio and Mejiro McQueen.
And such a powerful opponent should have been faced by Golden Crown Eagle.
Instead, she encountered Lillian, an Umamusume who had only mastered the "Airflow" level.
Lillian's bad luck was obvious.
However, Lillian suddenly raised her hand to forfeit just before the match.
Afterward, she suddenly collapsed to the ground, sobbing uncontrollably.
Undoubtedly, her psychological defenses were shattered, leading to her mental breakdown.
Therefore, what could damage an Umamusume's spirit was undoubtedly her aura.
"This seemingly cute, always smiling Umamusume is actually so terrifying!"
Many American Umamusumes had this thought.
If Smart Falcon had acted like Mejiro McQueen, aloof and domineering, they wouldn't have felt so afraid.
But the key was that Smart Falcon's every gesture and word was cute and endearing.
Smart Falcon's outward appearance formed a stark contrast to the cruelty she inflicted on Lillian.
The contrast was striking.
"She's practically a demon!!"
In stories, only a demon would smile while committing such cruel and ruthless acts.
While many American Umamusumes were looking at Smart Falcon with fear, they suddenly saw Smart Falcon, whom they had already regarded as a demon, turn her head.
"Someone come help! Isn't she one of your companions?!" Smart Falcon cried out in distress.
"Who dares to go?!" The American Umamusumes were all terrified.