Chapter 191: Touching You
"Ribbon Victory, who was stunned by Kitasan Black's opening Burst Front Running, has finally reacted! She's starting to accelerate, launching a full-force chase down the far-side straight after the leading Kitasan Black!"
"A pursuit battle!"
"It's a pursuit battle!"
"This race… is not only Kitasan Black's Burst Front Running, but also an all-out chase—and the one who has struck first—"
"Is Ribbon Victory, who has already moved up into second place!"
The rapid-fire commentary spilled out in a relentless stream, driving the atmosphere of the entire stadium into yet another new peak.
Moments ago, everyone's attention had been seized by Kitasan Black's overwhelming lead. Now, the focus of the crowd shifted completely onto Ribbon Victory.
The unified chant of "Kitasan Black" faltered briefly, replaced by waves of excited discussion that rose and fell across the stands.
"Ribbon Victory… is she going to chase?"
"At this distance… can she catch her?"
"The third corner isn't even here yet—she can do it… catch her! Ribbon Victory!"
"It's getting exciting! Go! Ribbon Victory!"
"Don't lose! Kitasan Black!"
The chatter was instantly swallowed by a new surge of shouting. The stands brimmed with excitement and anticipation.
Countless gazes flickered back and forth between Kitasan Black and Ribbon Victory, turning the entire grandstand into a massive furnace, its heat rising steadily as the figures on the track drew closer to the third corner.
Seizing the moment, the commentator continued to stoke the flames:
"Ribbon Victory and Kitasan Black have faced each other many times before—this chase is definitely not a reckless decision!"
"Her speed is incredible! Every step is like a direct challenge to Kitasan Black as she steadily closes the gap!"
"Satono Rasen is making her move as well! Angel Wing follows right after!"
"Two Pace Chaser racers have chosen to act simultaneously as they enter the third corner—the entire pack is in motion now!"
"Kitasan Black's advantage still holds! She still has a nine-length lead, and the gap to Satono Rasen remains huge!"
"But the runners behind are fully on the move now. Nakayama's final straight is long—more than enough space for head-to-head battles, so—will this unexpected Burst Front Running succeed?!"
"Or will she be heartbreakingly caught?!"
"Just how will this race ultimately unfold?!"
On the track, Ribbon Victory's eyes were fixed on only one thing—the black silhouette ahead.
She could feel her breathing growing faster and heavier, each inhale like an attempt to draw in all the surrounding air, fueling this mad pursuit with an endless supply of power.
Her legs felt like tightly wound machines, cycling at blistering speed, each stride covering an enormous distance.
The ground groaned dully beneath her feet. Her hair whipped wildly in the wind. Sweat streamed down her cheeks and flew backward, the heat sliding once more down her already soaked training top.
She was barely aware of any of it.
In her heart, there was only a single thought.
Catch up to Kitasan Black.
It was the decision she had made before the race, and the resolve she now held in this very moment.
Her trainer was no rookie fresh onto the scene. Before the race, he hadn't failed to consider the possibility of Kitasan Black doing Burst Front Running—he had even accounted for the extremely slim chance of "What if Kitasan Black actually goes Burst Front Running?"
If Burst Front Running really happens, don't force a chase.
Among all the opponents, Kitasan Black likely had the best stamina. But even she couldn't sustain true Burst Front Running indefinitely. Her top speed wasn't high enough; during the middle "cruising phase," she would inevitably slow down a great deal.
That would be the moment to give chase—and when that moment came, it had to be all-out.
Otherwise, not only would it give her a chance to recover, it would also make it impossible to open distance on rivals like Satono Rasen.
Still, this was a running style she had never used before. The risk was enormous, so there was no need to fixate on it—Kitasan Black would probably stick to her usual Slow Front Running, a conventional lead, or a forward-running style.
Those were the instructions she had received.
And now, she suddenly felt grateful—grateful that Kitasan Black hadn't run in the manner her trainer had predicted, but instead had chosen the near-impossible Burst Front Running.
Because of that, she could chase like this—throwing everything she had into pursuing that figure she had chased before, and at some point, without even realizing it, had come to admire.
Perhaps it had been a chance encounter in the cafeteria, when that figure had casually handed her a bottle of lemon drink. Even now, she remembered how flustered she'd been as she accepted it—and the calluses she'd felt when their fingertips brushed.
Or perhaps it had been during training on the field, hearing those carefree "hya!" and "hey!" shouts, glancing over without thinking, and seeing that figure running with exaggerated, almost comical energy.
Of course, the most unforgettable feeling had come later—after she'd asked around out of curiosity and learned that the other girl's path to debut hadn't been smooth. Time and again on the track, she had chased that back… only to find it forever just out of reach.
So why was she able to charge forward so fearlessly, to bloom with such blazing brilliance on the racetrack…?
So why couldn't she do as Angie said—ask honestly, speak bravely, become her friend, and grow to be like her…?
So was this—on the racetrack—the only way she could ever make contact with her…?
So—
The autumn wind poured into her throat, dry and raw, then flooded her burning chest, as if trying to chew up and swallow every shred of her cowardice. Ribbon Victory heard clearly the grinding of her molars—and her own uncontrollable scream.
"Kii—ta—san—Blaaack!!
"At least… at least…"
"Let me—let me touch you!!"
She screamed with everything she had. In the very next instant, her pupils shrank—then lit up with sudden joy.
Like an illusion, or as if the Three Goddess had answered her prayer, the figure ahead… seemed to slow, as though waiting for her.
It wasn't an illusion.
Seen from the stands, the pack had already passed the third corner and entered the fourth.
The right-hand curve of Nakayama Racecourse stretched like a fully drawn bow, casting the figures of the racers under the glow of the autumn sun.
Kitasan Black's black hair still snapped violently in the wind, her stride still maintaining a frightening rhythm—but fine beads of sweat were already sliding down her neck, spreading dark stains across the white collar of her athletic wear.
The pursuit led by Ribbon Victory was like a pair of razor-sharp scissors, steadily cutting apart Kitasan Black's original nine-length advantage.
Eight lengths. Seven. Six…
The commentator sounded almost panicked.
"Kitasan Black's speed… appears to be dropping!"
"Ribbon Victory has closed the gap to five lengths! Satono Rasen and Angel Wing are right behind her—the distance is shrinking even further!"
The cheers in the grandstands now carried a strange tension. Some people clenched their cheering flags tightly; others leaned their entire upper bodies over the railing. Every shout seemed to come with a suffocating hesitation, lacking the earlier sense of release.
Makoto stared through his binoculars without blinking. Kitasan Black's back was completely soaked with sweat, her athletic top clinging tightly to her skin, outlining the sharp rise and fall of her shoulder blades with each labored breath.
Yet his expression remained relatively calm—and he still said nothing.
Beside him, Manhattan Cafe, just as tense as the other spectators while watching the pack charge in from the right side of the stands, suddenly nodded and murmured softly:
"I see. It's bold… but if this is meant as a rehearsal for the Kikuka Sho, then this level of risk… is still acceptable."
"Still, the final battlefield… I hope she can hold on."
"The final straight! The final straight!"
On the commentary side, it was obvious the announcer had slammed the desk and jumped to his feet. Amid the deafening shouts that made the microphone screech with feedback were dull thudding sounds.
"The leading group right now is Kitasan Black, Ribbon Victory, and Satono Rasen! The gaps are four and a half lengths, and one length!"
"Angel Wing has caught up—Angel Wing is now running neck and neck with Satono Rasen!"
"Ribbon Victory is closing in as well! She's now only three and a half lengths behind Kitasan Black!"
Three lengths.
Kitasan Black's ears twitched, her mind registering a number different from what the commentator had just called.
She could clearly hear the heavy footfalls pounding behind her—drawing closer and closer, like the relentless beat of a death drum.
Her lungs burned with searing pain. Her legs felt as though they were filled with lead. Even her arms seemed unwilling to swing anymore.
But she could still run!
The finish line of the St. Lite Kinen… was not yet in sight!
At 2,200 meters, this race was still a full 800 meters shorter than the Kikuka Sho's 3,000 meters. If she couldn't fully bring out the advantages she'd built through the training camp here, then what right would she have to talk about winning a month from now?
Two lengths.
Suddenly, harsh, ragged breathing reached her ears, tinged with a tearing edge. The corresponding footsteps drew even closer. Kitasan Black could even feel the airflow kicked up by the runner behind brushing against her ponytail.
Her vision began to blur, sweat dripping endlessly, but as she clenched her teeth and forced herself onward, she felt a strange new strength rise within her.
Because she had a premonition.
The opponent behind her was Ribbon Victory.
So then…
Even though she was such a powerful rival…
Even though the pressure she brought was no weaker than Rice Shower-senpai's…
Even though she was an opponent who demanded everything, who forced you to stake it all…
How could she—how could she possibly—forget her name…?
One length.
"Kitasan Black!!"
At that moment, time itself seemed to freeze.
The roars from the grandstands, the commentator's cries of shock—even the wind and the pounding of footsteps—all vanished. The only thing Kitasan Black could hear was that all-out scream, exploding against her eardrums.
'Yeah… yeah… I…'
"I heard you!!!"
A nearly feral grin curved up at the corner of her mouth as an unprecedented light burst from Kitasan Black's eyes.
That light pierced through her blurred vision like a powerful electric current, instantly surging through her entire body—awakening every cell that had already been groaning, sweeping away the exhaustion clinging to her.
The wind howled past her ears. Her heartbeat and her footsteps became perfectly synchronized. In her field of view, there was nothing left but the marker of the finish line—and beyond it, the deep blue sky and the vivid green grass.
"The finish! First place—Kitasan Black!!!"
She heard those words only dimly, as if from a great distance. Kitasan Black suddenly stumbled.
Fatigue crashed down on her like a tidal wave, like a mountain collapsing upon her, and she was overcome with the urge to collapse onto the track.
But she didn't fall.
Sweat streamed down her face, sliding along her cheeks, gathering at her chin before dripping down and splashing into tiny droplets on the track.
She spun around sharply, the arc of flying droplets tracing a crystal-bright, dazzling curve in the autumn afternoon sunlight.
Her throat burned like it had been cut by a blade, and the muscles in her face felt completely numb.
She looked at the figure behind her, equally gasping for breath, and forced the corners of her mouth upward. With effort, she opened her mouth—her voice hoarse, yet unwavering.
"I… heard you…"
"I heard… your voice…"
"Ribbon… Victory…"
<+>
If you want to see more chapter of this story and don't mind paying $5 each month to read till the latest chapter, please go to my Patreon[1].
Latest Post In Patreon: Chapter 274: Adjusting the Start and Pacing Rhythm[2]
Link to the chapter: https://www.patreon.com/posts/155512898?collection=1617249[3]
https://www.patreon.com/collection/1617249?view=condensed[4]
[1] https://www.patreon.com/collection/1617249?view=condensed
[2] https://www.patreon.com/posts/155512898?collection=1617249
[3] https://www.patreon.com/posts/155512898?collection=1617249
[4] https://www.patreon.com/collection/1617249?view=condensed