November 29, 1987. Sunday. Tokyo Racecourse.
The late autumn sky was high and crystal clear. Simply looking up was enough to make one feel refreshed and at ease. However, the air was filled not with a sense of coolness or tranquility, but with a heat so intense it felt as though the atmosphere itself might ignite.
"Whoa, Norn, look at this crowd! So this is what Tokyo is like? As expected of an international metropolis—Kasamatsu is just a tiny pond compared to this."
"Isn't that obvious? Make sure you hold onto my hand tight. Don't you dare go getting lost."
"Haha, you hear that, Myny? You're the one everyone's worried about."
"Hey, everyone! Keep up!" Seeing the three of them acting far too relaxed, Twin Turbo couldn't help but shout. Internally, she grumbled: Honestly, have some self-awareness! We're out in public; our behavior as Horse Girls reflects directly on our Trainer's reputation!
Maruzensky gave Fujimaru Ritsuka a cheerful wave and a greeting before leaning in to whisper, "Little El, I'm going to step away for a bit. You'll have to do the honors of playing the host in my stead."
Of course, she wanted to stay with Ritsuka's group. That way, she could naturally take his arm and make all those cute young Horse Girls feel a little bit more "on edge."
However, for a reason she couldn't disclose just yet, she had to excuse herself. She needed to avoid bumping into Symboli Rudolf; if that happened, it would be a real headache.
Applanos was also a Tokyo local, so taking over was no trouble at all. She took the initiative to start the introduction:
"The upcoming race is the Japan Cup. It's an international invitational event that represents the highest honor for Asian Horse Girls. During the two weeks surrounding the race, Tokyo becomes a gathering point for the top Horse Girls from all over the world!"
As she spoke, the girl with long, reddish-brown hair puffed out her chest with pride, looking as though she shared in the glory herself.
This immediately earned her a ruthless jab from Myny: "For someone who's a dirt-track specialist just like the rest of us, you sure talk like you're an expert on turf racing."
Applanos: "💢!"
At that moment, the girl desperately wanted to snap back: Myny! If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all!
The stands were already packed to capacity. A cacophony of different languages filled the air—some in heated discussion over the participating Horse Girls, others shouting words of encouragement. These voices merged into a rolling tide of sound, turning the grandstand into a boiling ocean of excitement.
Oguri Cap watched the track below with great interest, her gaze scanning rapidly over the Horse Girls currently parading on the turf.
Fujimaru Ritsuka patted the girl's head and began to introduce them:
"That one over there is Dyna Actress, a highly popular Japanese contender. Many spectators are hoping she'll take the win. The one closest to the stands is Triptych; she's a very famous British Horse Girl, known as one of the strongest middle-distance runners in Europe..."
Oguri nodded along. Although she didn't fully grasp everything, she could tell that the Horse Girls Ritsuka was mentioning possessed immense strength. Each of them was surrounded by an indescribable aura that made her heart race with excitement.
The girl unconsciously shifted her weight, her long hair swaying. At a glance, she looked like a large cat trying to shake its fur dry. Japanese martial artists would call this the "Warrior's Shiver"—the sensation of the body and soul trembling in anticipation of a clash with a powerful foe.
Oguri's gaze soon settled on a petite Horse Girl with long, platinum-blonde hair. She looked unremarkable at first glance, but Oguri had a premonition that this girl was far more than she appeared to be.
Noticing Oguri's stare, Ritsuka remarked, "That girl's name is Le Glorieux—or 'Glory.' She's from France. Don't let her small stature fool you; she's won G1 titles in both Europe and North America. She's one of the favorites to win today."
There was a hint of pride in his voice, as if he were saying: That kid is something special.
Oguri immediately caught this subtle shift in emotion and asked, "Does Trainer-san know her?"
The girl's tone was hard to read, but her deep blue eyes shimmered with curiosity, as if saying: I'm very interested.
At the mention of France, Twin Turbo immediately made a connection: Wait, I saw the Trainer receive emails in French before. Could it be...
Ritsuka saw no reason to hide it and answered candidly, "I had some dealings with her back when I was in France, and we've stayed in touch since. If you ask me who's most likely to win, I'd bet on Glory."
The girl in question had hair like spun sunlight, shining brilliantly like gold under the afternoon rays. Her azure eyes were even more beautiful, reminiscent of the clear skies over France.
Unlike the other Horse Girls, she wore a set of silver-white light armor, with an M-shaped metal circlet on her brow. If the other Horse Girls were high-born ladies attending a gala, she looked like the loyal knight sworn to protect them.
Oguri wanted to say more, but Myny suddenly interjected, cutting her off.
More importantly, Ritsuka suddenly said, "Ah, she's waving at us."
Indeed, sensing a probing gaze, Glory—who was walking the track—immediately looked up and spotted the familiar figure she had expected to see.
The girl in silver-white armor waved toward Fujimaru Ritsuka. She knew her Trainer would definitely respond.
Triptych noticed Glory's "little movement" and wanted to ask what was up, but the signal light for the gate entry lit up, depriving her of the chance to fish for info.
Even if she had asked, Glory wouldn't have told her. After all, England and France shared such a "profound" friendship.
While walking outside, Glory's petite frame was obvious. Once they entered the starting gates, she looked even more "frail" compared to the tall, powerful Horse Girls surrounding her. However, the unshakeable determination in her eyes was impossible to ignore. It compelled people to look twice, only to notice the fleur-de-lis crest engraved on her pauldron.
Unlike the other foreign Horse Girls who exuded a boisterous, outgoing confidence, Glory remained quiet. But no one ignored her presence. For a Horse Girl, traveling to a foreign land to compete was a bold move. Those who returned in triumph were few and far between, and Glory was one of them. For that reason alone, no one could afford to underestimate her.
As the signal lights flickered, the gates slammed open.
In that instant, the atmosphere inside and outside the track changed completely.
The cool breeze vanished in a heartbeat, replaced by a biting gale that seemed to rise from the earth itself. It made the gates creak and the grass bend low, as if bowing to welcome the arrival of mysterious spirits.
As the horseshoes beneath their racing flats slammed into the turf, the ground trembled slightly, like the shifting of a subterranean dragon.
The sound of hoofbeats became a dense drumroll, and the crowd roared in sync with the beat, cheering for their chosen favorites.
Could the sheer force of the wind they kicked up cut a person's cheek? The spectators were too far away to care; they only wanted to see a heart-pounding race!
The announcer Akasaka's voice rang through the venue: "The highly anticipated Japan Cup has finally begun! The start was clean for everyone; they're surging forward in almost a straight line as they begin the battle for position!"
Then, Twin Turbo witnessed a scene she would never forget. The foreign Horse Girls were absolutely ruthless. Shoulders and elbows became their most effective weapons, and many Japanese runners became "victims" of their aggression.
She felt it was a blatant foul!
Ritsuka explained calmly, "This is how international Horse Girl sports are. Accidental collisions happen all the time. As long as it isn't intentional, the referees won't say anything. They're used to it; they don't see anything wrong with it at all."
Consequently, many Japanese Horse Girls took a beating. They were knocked off balance by powerful elbow strikes, nearly losing their rhythm. They were forced to either give up their desired positions or be shoved aside entirely. Only a precious few escaped unscathed.
Leading the pack was the popular Japanese runner "Fuji Xiaguang," controlling the pace with a steady rhythm. Yet, looking across the field, it was the tall, steady-striding foreign powerhouses who commanded the most attention.
Even the most optimistic Japanese fans knew: in the Japan Cup, the "Strong Dragon" usually crushed the "Local Snake." If it hadn't been for Katsuragi Ace and Symboli Rudolf "saving the day" in the past, the win rate for Japanese Horse Girls in this race might well have been zero.
Ritsuka didn't watch the frantic battle for position. His gaze was fixed on the very back of the pack. As he expected, the composed Glory had chosen the tail end of the field. She was conserving her energy, coldly observing the struggle of the other runners, waiting for the moment "heaven and earth would shift."
Her platinum-blonde hair, tied in a braid, swung rhythmically behind her with every stride.
Twin Turbo clenched her hands nervously while Oguri Cap watched without blinking, her blue eyes tracking Glory's figure. She instinctively felt something unusual was brewing.
The first half of the race was relatively stable. Upon entering the middle stage, the "front-runner" group finally made their move. Although Fuji Xiaguang remained steady, the foreign powerhouses behind her were already getting restless, putting pressure on her and forcing her to accelerate.
The pace of the race quickened imperceptibly. The air felt as though it might ignite from the friction of the hoofbeats; sparks seemed to fly. The foreign and Japanese runners clashed, doing everything in their power to break the other thirteen opponents. The Japanese runners fought back without yielding an inch. The atmosphere grew increasingly tense.
Glory remained at the very back, the gap between her and the pack even widening slightly. This caused a few confused murmurs to ripple through the stands.
"What is she waiting for?" Twin Turbo whispered.
Ritsuka didn't answer directly, only suggesting: "Even if you fall to the very back, you must keep your mind working. Keep your breathing in your own rhythm. You can't let a bad position make you panic. You have to stay calm and constantly look for the chance to overtake."
The chance came at the final 800 meters.
The leader, Fuji Xiaguang, finally began to show signs of fatigue. The long-dormant predators chose this moment to bare their fangs!
Triptych narrowed her eyes, her explosive acceleration kicking in as she charged from the outside, instantly throwing the battlefield into chaos! Almost simultaneously, Southern Jet made a sudden surge from the inside!
The formation of the front-runners was torn apart and reconstructed in a heartbeat. Intense blocking, overtaking maneuvers, and a pure contest of speed played out before the third corner.
Dust billowed, and the wind shrieked!
And Glory was still at the very back. It was as if the fierce struggle had nothing to do with her—as if the entire race was irrelevant to her existence. She just kept running in silence.
But that wasn't the case. A light, growing ever brighter, was condensing in those azure eyes. It wasn't the frantic desire to clash with the strong; it was an unshakeable resolve.
She seemed to be saying: Patience. Have patience, Glory. The opportunity you've been waiting for... it's coming.
The leaders entered the final bend. The trailing pack was practically crushed together, everyone fighting for an opening, interfering with one another and being suppressed by the pressure from ahead, to the point where no one could break free.
The melee reached a fever pitch.
Hearing the commotion behind her, Triptych shook her head inwardly, thinking: Have they lost their minds because they couldn't take the pressure? Isn't the outer path wide open?
Even if it meant running extra distance, it was surely better than being jammed together in a cluster.
"Triptych has overtaken Fuji Xiaguang! She's taken the lead! But right behind her, Southern Jet is surging up! Neither runner is giving an inch! Could it be that the champion is—Dyna Actress! Dyna Actress is catching up too!"
"In this moment, she is the hope of Japan! Who will emerge victorious?!"
The Horse Girls threw everything they had into the fray. Their speed reached terrifying levels. The horrifying wind pressure pulverized massive patches of turf, exposing the dark, scorched earth beneath.
Seeing the runners fighting for the lead, the crowd's cheers became deafening.
"Whoa! This is it! This is exactly what I came to see!"
"Seeing a clash this intense—this ticket was worth every penny, even if I die tomorrow!"
Feeling the momentum radiating from Southern Jet, Triptych took a deep breath. A soul-piercing light ignited in the depths of her eyes.
BOOM!
Crimson flames erupted from the corners of her eyes as if she were about to take flight. A terrifying heat radiated in all directions.
Triptych gritted her teeth, pushing her stamina output even further.
A high-pitched roar echoed through the heavens!
"You want the victory? You're still a long way off!" Southern Jet sneered. A cold glint appeared in her eyes, expanding at lightning speed.
With a resonant hum, a brilliant emerald light flashed across the track.
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