Most Central races were arranged for holidays, when everyone could come and watch in person. However, the L'Arc selection race was a special race and did not fall within the category of an official race, so it was scheduled on a weekday. The number of spectators was probably only one-tenth of the usual amount.
Even so, the crowd's cheers were extremely loud.
The lineup was filled with some of the year's most anticipated names: Snow Dancer, who had already claimed two legs of the Triple Tiara; Mejiro Dober, whose elegance had earned her a queen-like reputation; the undefeated Tokai Teio; and El Condor Pasa, the unpredictable star of the field. Some spectators even shouted that they had skipped work just to watch the race.
Under the staff's arrangement, Fujiwara Chiya and Nase Fumino each brought their teams to the racetrack.
"I won't say anything unnecessary. Just run the way you usually do. Even though I'm always pointing out your problems, I can guarantee this with my hand on my chest. Even if we look across the entire racing world, all of you belong among the very best!"
Fujiwara Chiya spoke loudly.
"Go! Show your opponents your strength! Tell those spectators who the real number one is!"
"Yes!"
During the pre-race activity time, Tokai Teio bounced over to Shirayuki's side and put her hands on her hips.
"Shirayuki, we can race again! After seeing you in the Triple Tiara races, my feet have been itching for ages. Right now, I really want to know just how much stronger you've become compared with before. Though no matter how much stronger you are, you still can't beat this great Teio-sama!"
She revealed a smug expression.
"After all, this great Teio-sama has yet to taste defeat, hahaha!"
"…Didn't my sister run you into smoke? How have you not tasted defeat?"
"Ah? Ah… right."
Tokai Teio's ears drooped, but they quickly perked up again.
"So what? That was then, this is now! Even if I run into that person again, I'm confident I can win!"
Then I really want to see that.
"Yuki-chan~"
Grass Wonder also walked over. Her eyes looked faintly at Shirayuki.
"Last time, Yuki-chan got away from me. This time, that won't happen."
"As expected, Grass, your target is me too."
"Not only Grass!"
El Condor Pasa jumped out.
"I'm here to avenge my defeat too, Yuki-chan!"
"So this is three heroes fighting Lü Bu, huh? Are you sure? You think the three of you can beat me?"
"Who needs three people? This great Teio-sama alone is enough!"
Grass Wonder silently glanced at Tokai Teio.
Teio's tail suddenly sprang up, and she shivered all over.
"Please enter the gates."
The announcer's voice sounded across the racetrack.
Everyone entered their gates one after another.
There were ten runners in total.
Shirayuki glanced at Grass Wonder on her left, then Tokai Teio on her right, and took a deep breath.
Clang!
The gates opened, and ten uma musume rushed out like a stream.
Mejiro Dober took the lead at once, running at the very front. Rice Shower followed closely behind. Next came an orange-haired uma musume whose name she did not know, and behind her was Agnes Tachyon.
Tokai Teio rushed ahead of Shirayuki, taking fifth position. Grass Wonder and El Condor Pasa followed behind Shirayuki, the three of them trapping Shirayuki in the middle.
There was obstruction ahead and pursuit behind.
For Shirayuki, this was practically the worst possible position. The moment she made even the slightest move, the others would act.
I knew it.
If it were him, he would have adopted the same tactic, firmly sealing the opponent's position so that the uma musume could not fully display her original strength.
In recent training, Fujiwara Chiya had been simulating this race constantly. He used the centrifugal force during turns to create acceleration conditions, allowing Shirayuki to seize the chance and pass through the acceleration route created by the front-runners.
The key point of this race was whether the created opportunity would be used by Shirayuki or by Tokai Teio and the others.
After all, when he simulated the tactic, Nase Fumino had been watching not far away. She had long since seen through the flaw in this tactic, so she had Tokai Teio run ahead of Shirayuki.
In other words, the race had shifted from a tactical battle into a contest between Shirayuki and Tokai Teio over who could grasp the timing better.
But things would not be so simple.
Grass Wonder and El Condor Pasa, who were behind her, were constantly watching her. Even if an opportunity appeared, those two would interfere.
"Snow Dancer is being completely sealed in!"
The announcer's voice echoed across the racetrack.
"Mejiro Dober is currently in the lead! Second is Rice Shower! Third is Glory Miracle… Right now, Snow Dancer is trapped in the middle of the pack and completely unable to break free!"
The uma musume named Glory Miracle had been running closer to the outside. If a runner from the back wanted to overtake, she would need to move into the outer lane. But if Tokai Teio wanted to pass, Glory Miracle would open the way for her.
In other words, that uma musume was a wedge that Nase Fumino had driven into the front row. Whether she accelerated herself or restrained the runners behind, she had more than enough use.
At the moment, only Mejiro Dober and Rice Shower looked free. Everyone else was being restrained and forced into a completely passive state.
The representatives from Europe sat on the observation platform, watching the race with great interest.
Aside from the battle between the uma musume, the battle between the trainers was also fascinating. From the rhythm of the uma musume, one could see each trainer's intentions.
If Fujiwara Chiya's tactic was compared to a loaded gun, then Nase Fumino had thrown a handful of sand into the gun. Every component was jammed and unable to move.
If things continued like this, it would become dangerous.
Standing in the front row of the spectator seats, Satake Mei watched nervously.
Although the two runners at the front were both Fujiwara Chiya's uma musume, the acceleration route on the outside had already been occupied by Nase Fumino's uma musume. Trying to overtake from there would take quite a bit of effort.
Could it be that Fujiwara Chiya had bet the race's winning chance on those two?
Satake Mei looked down at the man below. His eyes were fixed straight ahead without blinking.
What exactly are you thinking, Chiya?
"The race enters the second straight! Leading is Mejiro Dober!"
With the announcer's voice, the race entered the middle stage.
Shirayuki looked toward the front, then turned her eyes slightly toward Grass Wonder behind her.
There was no opening at all.
Just as Shirayuki was thinking about what to do, a voice suddenly came from behind.
"Yahoo!"
A silver-haired girl began accelerating.
"It's Gold Ship!"
Seeing someone move, the announcer shouted,
"The race has entered the final turn! Gold Ship has started accelerating!"
This early!?
Not only Shirayuki, everyone seemed to think the same thing.
They had only just entered the turn, yet Gold Ship had already begun her sprint.
Her strength was clearly her extremely long acceleration on the final straight!
Nase Fumino widened her eyes.
She could not understand why anyone would accelerate at this timing.
Looking at Chiya beside her, he also seemed shocked. It should have been the uma musume's own judgment.
Nase Fumino frowned.
Although this differed from her plan, it did not hinder her follow-up arrangements.
In any case, from this distance, Gold Ship had no way of charging all the way to the finish line.
It was completely harmless…
What!?
Just as Gold Ship entered the far outside, her speed suddenly slowed down.
She did not overtake Glory Miracle in third place. Instead, she followed behind her.
"This was your real goal, right, Trainer!"
Gold Ship suddenly shouted.
Fujiwara Chiya, who had been serious for the entire race, lifted the corners of his mouth.
"Yeah. You helped a lot! Now!"
Agnes Tachyon lowered her body. A crazed smile suddenly appeared on her face.
Was there anything more exciting than defeating an opponent with both intellect and strength?
Guinea Pig-kun, you really did well this time!
In an instant, she accelerated from her position.
Agnes Tachyon seized the inner opening beside Glory Miracle.
At the same time, Glory Miracle's attention finally shifted from Gold Ship back to Agnes Tachyon beside her. She opened her mouth wide, never expecting that a single instant of distraction would allow the other party to seize the chance.
The inner lane had been taken by Agnes Tachyon.
And the race had entered the final straight.
Mejiro Dober and Rice Shower also began accelerating.
In the blink of an eye, three uma musume were sprinting side by side.
Gold Ship still maintained her original speed, blocking the outside lane.
At this moment, there was only one acceleration route left.
The far outside!
In an instant, the entire race situation was overturned.
Tokai Teio widened her eyes.
They had been played!
Shirayuki was not the final trump card.
She was a sacrifice used to interfere with their acceleration timing!
Too infuriating!
Now they had no choice but to make a sharp diagonal move toward the far outside!
Tokai Teio put all her strength into it.
Shirayuki followed closely behind, unwilling to back down.
El Condor Pasa and Grass Wonder, who had noticed the problem, also accelerated at once.
However, Agnes Tachyon's speed was faster than expected.
On top of that, they had missed an important acceleration timing and could no longer close the distance in time.
At last, accompanied by the announcer's cry at the finish line, Agnes Tachyon crossed the line first.