Hearing the cheers ringing into the heavens, Daiwa Scarlet stood there with her mouth hanging open for a long time before she finally snapped back to herself. She nearly collapsed to the ground and burst into tears on the spot.
That race had been far too dangerous.
For one brief instant, she had truly thought Xingyun Liuge was going to lose to that petite horse girl.
Agnes Tachyon grabbed hold of her "hopeless" junior and hauled her upright, scolding her in a lecturing tone.
"You think too much, Daiwa. How could Xingyun possibly fall here? She's the strongest horse girl of this generation—no, the strongest active horse girl, period!"
Throwing her arms wide, Tachyon's pretty face lit up with unrestrained excitement as she shouted,
"The strongest. The fastest. Do you get it?"
"But…" Daiwa Scarlet's voice was already trembling with the edge of tears. Clearly, she still had not recovered from the shock of seeing Xingyun Liuge get overtaken.
"There is no but. A big win is still a big win. You saw it too, didn't you? She was obviously messing with us on purpose. If she didn't have the confidence and the strength, how could she have overtaken her again in the final hundred and fifty meters and then kept widening the gap?"
Tachyon patted her on the shoulder several times, as though she were educating a clueless child. She looked very much like she wanted to lean in and whisper something extremely improper in Daiwa's ear.
If she could, she really did want to say:
If you understand her this little, then I won't hold back, you know?
Honestly, she truly, truly wanted to horse around with Xingyun Liuge.
If not for the fact that she didn't want to set a bad example for Daiwa Scarlet, she would have already started researching bizarre chemical concoctions. As for their effect…
Well, why not call them Elixirs of Love?
Losing to her on the track meant nothing. Making her unable to get out of bed afterward—that would be real skill.
Symboli Sirius chimed in from the side, "Exactly. Daiwa, you should really learn from me and believe in Xingyun Liuge with your whole heart."
That was what she said, but her legs were visibly trembling even now.
Far away in Tokyo, Central Tracen had likewise erupted into a sea of jubilation. From the chairwoman down to the ordinary staff members, everyone was cheering in celebration of Xingyun Liuge's latest victory.
After all, she had won while racing on the turf of the King George without ever having properly familiarized herself with it. In other words, she had defeated British, Irish, and French horse girls all at once while carrying a disadvantage so severe it could only be called absurd.
She had proven once again that she was a world-class horse queen.
If only the other Japanese horse girls were stronger, the chairwoman would have wanted Rudolf Symbol to organize an international exchange event immediately and invite American and British horse girls to race in Tokyo.
…Though, if that actually happened, Japanese horse girls would probably get battered half to death.
The moment the chairwoman recalled all the humiliating disappointments Japanese horse girls had suffered in the Japan Cup, a cold sweat broke out all over her.
In the cafeteria, Fujimasa March was practically glaring at Oguri Cap as she shouted,
"Did you see that, Oguri? That's Xingyun's strength!"
"Yeah, of course!" Oguri Cap dreamed of racing a Xingyun like that again. She was even starting to regret it now. If only she had followed Xingyun Liuge's example and gone overseas earlier, they could have trained together and improved together.
Unlike now, when all she could do was watch Xingyun Liuge's graceful figure through a screen.
Fujimasa March's intended meaning sailed right over Oguri's head. Instead, Oguri began dreaming out loud.
"The Kikuka Sho—no, Xingyun definitely wouldn't bother with something that meaningless. The Autumn Tenno Sho! I'll make the Autumn Tenno Sho my goal!"
Thanks to Rudolf Symbol's temporary rule changes, horse girls who had accumulated enough prize money could now enter the Classic races through a supplemental registration system. Oguri Cap had thus gained the right to run in the Kikuka Sho as well. But after watching Xingyun Liuge's dazzling performance, she suddenly felt that whether she ran in the Kikuka Sho or not didn't matter anymore.
Xingyun Liuge had already accomplished the goal she set when she left Japan. She had become a world-class horse queen.
So what about her?
How could she let something as trivial as the Kikuka Sho capture her attention now?
They had promised they would sweep the world together. Xingyun Liuge had already shown what she was capable of. Of course Oguri Cap had to answer that challenge.
"The Autumn Tenno Sho, the Japan Cup, and then the Arima Kinen! I'm going to fulfill my promise with Xingyun and become the strongest active Central horse girl!"
Oguri Cap clenched her fist, her brilliant smile shining with unwavering resolve.
She was aiming for the pinnacle of Central racing. That was her declaration.
Kitahara Jones tilted his head in confusion.
"Oguri… even though Xingyun hasn't run in Central yet, she's obviously already the strongest Japanese horse girl. So isn't that goal a little off?"
There was no need for her to come back and race in Japan at all. Xingyun Liuge was already the strongest in the country. Oguri's target seemed completely wrong, didn't it?
Oguri Cap only looked more bewildered. She gestured as she replied,
"But… the strongest active Central horse girl… isn't Tamamo Cross? What does that have to do with Xingyun? Isn't Xingyun a regional horse girl?"
Looking into those clear, innocent eyes, the others found they truly had no way to argue.
Xingyun Liuge had never once been a Central horse girl.
If anything, it was the powerful people in Central who had to worry about her becoming a foreign one.
That was exactly the painful and bittersweet problem Rudolf Symbol was facing right now.
At the same time, at Ascot Racecourse—
Looking at the twelve-length gap shown on the big screen, Mototo was still coughing and gasping violently, to the point it seemed possible she might be sent to the hospital at any second. But compared to that, what weighed on her mind more was the result itself.
In the end…
…she had still lost.
Her ears drooped flat against her head, and her tail hung limp and spiritless behind her.
"Cough… cough… That girl… even with a debuff that heavy… well, I guess that's what you'd expect from a world-class horse queen…"
Subconsciously, Mototo looked toward Xingyun Liuge, who was practically soaked from head to toe.
"In the end, she won everything without even going all out."
On the surface, Xingyun Liuge certainly looked as though she had fought with everything she had. But Mototo did not believe that for an instant.
In the King George that had just concluded, Xingyun Liuge had used at least four different Domains. Two of them had been copied on the spot. Mototo had no idea how she'd done it, but all it told her was that Xingyun Liuge was a playful, infuriatingly unserious horse girl who didn't respect her opponents enough.
If Xingyun Liuge had truly respected them, then she should have used a single Domain from start to finish, instead of wasting stamina and mental energy on copying other people's powers.
Whether it was Glory's rain of feathers or Kahyasi's White Chalk Citadel, Xingyun Liuge had only borrowed them casually and discarded them just as casually. Even that rolling black mist of hers had felt half-hearted, as though she had never taken any of it seriously.
If it had been Xingyun Liuge, then she should have been able—no, she definitely could have pushed those powers to their very limits.
If she had used them seriously instead of showing off by pulling out four different powers in a single race, she absolutely could have widened the gap even further.
Only the lightning at the end had truly been overwhelming—so overwhelming that Mototo knew she would never forget it for the rest of her life.
A horse girl leaping into the air and smashing back down—
That was just too absurd.
That simply wasn't something a horse girl should be able to do.
The commentator, who had not actually seen the full thing, had still said something incredibly fitting:
Xingyun Liuge had extended her dominion on turf. The dynasty was still continuing.
Just then, Xingyun Liuge slowly walked over to Mototo and held out a hand.
"Are you okay? That was a really good race, you know~ Though of course I was always going to win in the end."
"...Ha." Mototo gave a bitter laugh and took her hand. "Yeah. Just like you said—you really weren't even serious."
To Mototo, Xingyun Liuge's behavior was nothing short of contempt. Yet she couldn't do a thing about it. They had lost—that was all there was to it.
Being dragged into a huge losing margin despite the other girl holding back—that was the true humiliation.
Mototo hated Xingyun Liuge's attitude. But what she hated even more was herself, the one who had lost.
What could be more maddening than failing to seize a perfect opportunity when it was right in front of you?
There was nothing worse. Nothing at all.
Sensing the nearly tangible storm of negativity radiating off Mototo, Xingyun Liuge thought for a moment, then firmly rubbed the petite girl's head and said softly,
"Still not satisfied? I'll go all out in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. If you're unhappy, then let's settle it there."
Her voice was gentle, but the heat and sharpness in her eyes were so intense that even Mototo was startled.
Maybe it was because Xingyun Liuge was being too serious.
For all at once, Mototo's vision blurred.
She bit down hard, trying not to show weakness in front of Xingyun Liuge, but she couldn't stop it.
She thought bitterly:
Damn it. So I'm really being pitied… cared for… by my own opponent? Something like this… something like this…
The bitterness of defeat nearly swallowed her whole. And being shown concern by the very girl who had beaten her only intensified that bitterness all the more.
So her tears fell like rain.
Join here to read ahead.
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 178)
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 180)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League ( 126 )
TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter110)
Yu-Gi-Oh! — Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl 285
"Is this chat group even serious?" 150
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (This matter is completely finished.)
Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 77
From Kiana, Lord Ravager, Onwa 255
Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 210
From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass Volume2/20
Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 305
Zenless Zone Zero, but Kamen R 76
Multiverse Crossover: The Perf 66
My Cyberpsycho Girlfriend 65
Uma Musume: The Dark Trainer (This matter is completely finished.)
Uma Musume: A Calamity Born fr 154
I, a Reincarnation-Loop Player Volume4/40
The Violent Girl Group Is Beat 130
Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 67
Uma Musume: From Beginner 155
Becoming a Horse Girl, I Will 85
Uma Musume: I Want All 120
I Can Copy Unique Skills 120
Summoning an Evil God, but the 75
Supernatural Multiverse 155
My Harem Is Indescribable 105
Jujutsu Kaisen: Heroic Spirit 110
Uma Musume: Today Is Another Romantic Battlefield 110
Still playing traditional Honk 96
The Most Filial Son Under Heav 95
What Should I Do After Switchi 51
Reincarnated as a Demon, Skill 80
Hell-Difficulty Dungeon? 55
Transmigrated as Sukuna 105
Checking In in Demon Slayer 95
The Reincarnating Trainer of Tracen Academy 105
I Refuse to Become a Heroic 95
My Best Friend Into a Slime? 80
A Saiyan Stands Above Marvel (This matter is completely finished.)
What Do You Mean by Using a Lab Mod to Be the Hero? 95
Tanya Starts from Re:Zero 90
Why did they assign me to Uma 80
MYGO Beauties 75
DanMachi: Emiya the Giant Hero 80
The Gacha Merchant Who Started 100
Honkai's Otherworld? Wait—Who Are You People?! 120
Emiya Shirou, Determined to Slay Every Curse and Evil Spirit 65
The Uma Musume Who Became 70
I'm Definitely Not the King of 105
After Maxing Out Every Class 110
Honkai: World Modulation Mode 95
I, the Elden Sword Saint 60
Dio Brando Is Challenging FGO 60
No One Knows Pokémon Better 60
I, Sakazuki, Won't Go Down Tha 69
From Trilobites to Titans 57
Chainsaw Man: Contracted with 75
DanMachi: My Party Members Are 86
An Anime Heroine Darkened 60
Yu-Gi-Oh!: Duel Links 70
Honkai: The Fire Devil 70
Honkai Transformation Cards Volume2/30
Age of Heroes, I'm Just a Back 45
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