Uma Musume: Rising From the Countryside to Legend!!

Oi Racecourse

A curtain of rain draped low, casting the entire venue in a misty, damp haze.

The muddy track shimmered with a dim luster under the lights, and every splash of mud carried a heavy, wet tension.

Yet this did nothing to dampen the crowd's enthusiasm.

On the contrary—it only added a primal, wild atmosphere to the fierce showdown that was about to begin.

Thunderous cheers and shouts rumbled like rolling thunder, heralding the arrival of the Tenno Sho 2000m dirt race!

The announcer's voice pierced through the rain and echoed across the entire racecourse:

"Ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to Oi Racecourse for today's sixth race—the Tenno Sho Dirt 2000m!"

"Running in the rain on a heavy track—this will be a massive test for all competing Uma Musume. Now, the girls are lining up at the gates!"

By the time Kuroha and Fujimasa March arrived at the spectator stands, all the participants had already entered the track, scattered sparsely across the field.

Among them, Inari One at gate four was without a doubt the brightest spotlight of the evening.

Eight wins. Zero losses.

An undefeated monster in a local OP-level race like this!

Inari One stood quietly at the gate. She made no excess movement—just calmly stood in place.

And yet, the other Uma Musume around her felt an invisible, suffocating pressure silently radiating outward from her presence!

It was like a tangible gravity field.

Their muscles involuntarily tensed, their breathing hitched.

They felt an illusion—no, a terrifying realization—that this was no ordinary opponent standing next to them.

It was a dormant volcano, moments from eruption.

Just standing near her felt like being scorched by an overwhelming aura that could burn everything to ashes.

Even though they tried to maintain composure, a deep unease surged through every one of them.

"Inari One is absolutely the scariest opponent in this entire race!!!"

Unspoken yet unanimous—everyone suddenly shared the same thought.

"All Uma Musume are now in the gates!"

The announcer called out.

"Then, Oi Racecourse – Tenno Sho Dirt 2000m Race... START!"

Click!

The gates flew open, and more than a dozen silhouettes shot out like arrows, mud flying in their wake.

In the scramble for early positions, Inari One's figure stood out as especially calm and composed.

She didn't fight for the lead, nor did she rush forward.

Instead, she quietly, almost modestly, stayed at the rear of the pack.

She had chosen her signature strategy—End Closer.

It was the strategy she and Kuroha had agreed on before the race.

Though running from behind on a heavy track was undoubtedly a massive disadvantage.

The muddy surface would drain the stamina of any Uma Musume. Every step took more effort, and it dulled the late-stage sprinting strength that End Closers relied on.

But today's Inari One was not the same as before.

Thanks to Kuroha's training, she had developed an exceptional adaptability to "heavy tracks."

She was no longer the girl who stumbled in the mud.

She was reborn.

Inari One's stride was stable and rhythmic.

Every lift, every stomp of her leg, was precise and powerful.

It was as if her steps fused with the muddy ground, feeling the rebound of the slush and converting it perfectly into forward momentum.

The heavy track no longer hindered her—it had become a stepping stone on her path to victory!

"Gates are open, and all the girls have launched smoothly!"

"Now fighting for the lead is Inner Lane's Ose Peace, closely followed by Odashinden..."

"Inari One remains at the rear of the pack, seemingly making no move for an early position!"

The announcer explained the current state of the race at a steady pace.

...

Up in the bustling stands, two middle-aged men sat in a higher vantage point, observing the track.

"Not good," said the man in the suit with concern.

"What now?" the man in casualwear took a sip of tea steeped with goji berries, rolling his eyes.

"Haven't we had almost all heavy tracks this month?"

"I'm talking about Inari One!"

The man in the suit explained, "Heavy tracks are way too rough for End Closers like her!"

"Look…"

He pointed toward Inari One's position.

"The girls in front of her—wherever they came from—are subconsciously forming a wall to block her path."

"That means even if she saves stamina by running the inner rail, she'll have to spend that saved energy trying to break through the wall ahead during her final dash!"

"Her strategy becomes pointless—and with that rear positioning, she'll be at an even worse disadvantage!"

The suited man opened his own thermos cup, frowning with confusion.

"Why are they trying to block Inari One anyway?"

"Sure, she's the crowd favorite—but this is still odd!"

"Maybe they just sense danger from her?"

The casual man shrugged. "Who knows with Uma Musume..."

"So, you're saying Inari One will lose?"

"Under normal circumstances, Inari One won't be able to break through."

The suited man spoke with the confidence of years of experience watching races.

...

"Trainer, what should we do in this kind of situation?"

Fujimasa March, with her sharp racing instincts, picked up on the dynamics.

But as someone who typically ran as a Front Runner or Pace Chaser, she had little experience with scenarios where the field boxed you in.

"Well, if Uma Musume were machines, this situation would definitely happen," Kuroha chuckled softly.

"Machines?" Fujimasa March echoed, puzzled by the term.

Kuroha smiled and offered a hint.

"March, what's the first thing on your mind when you race?"

"When I race..."

Fujimasa March thought for a moment, then responded:

"Victory!"

"Exactly."

Kuroha nodded. "Uma Musume aren't tools. They're alive. They run to win—not just to stop someone else from winning."

"A human wall might form, yes. But it's a short-lived instinct."

"To win, they'll eventually conserve stamina—or lose their rhythm and make an early dash. That's the uncertainty of a real race."

"Especially on a rainy, heavy track—it clouds their judgment. Remember how you exploited this during the Keihin Cup to throw off the girls behind you?"

Kuroha broke the race down for Fujimasa March to analyze.

She was a Front Runner, after all—understanding tempo and detail was key.

After finishing his breakdown, Kuroha paused, then smiled as he looked at the petite figure moving stealthily behind the main group.

And he whispered:

"Even without all those factors—Inari One won't lose."

"Because she's already in another dimension compared to the others."

Right now, Inari One was the strongest active Uma Musume.

On the track, Inari One hugged the inner rail, steadily trailing behind the group.

Though the girls in front of her were blocking the way, her expression remained eerily calm.

And beneath that calm—

A streak of crimson light began to silently rise within her eyes.

(End of Chapter)

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