Chapter 244: A Fierce Prelude
Kitasan Black's surge was like a bolt of black lightning, instantly tearing apart the already intense situation on the racetrack.
Almost at the same moment, the runner positioned at the front of the pack all changed their expressions.
In their eyes were solemn focus, shock, disbelief—and even panic under the impact of such overwhelming power.
Gold Actor reacted the fastest. She had long evaluated the advantages and disadvantages of staying ahead of Kitasan Black, and had already judged that the greatest drawback was the drastic consumption of stamina.
The moment she sensed the sudden acceleration beside her, she didn't hesitate at all. With precise timing, she cut inward a few steps and let Kitasan Black surge ahead of her without any obstruction.
At the same time, Sounds of Earth's pupils shrank.
She had originally been immersed in the passionate fantasy of "performing a duet" with Kitasan Black, and she had also anticipated that Kitasan Black might suddenly explode with speed.
She liked this junior very much. After Kitasan Black won the Kikuka Sho, she even went out of her way to collect recordings of all her races.
When she noticed that Kitasan Black often came to watch her training during the preparation period, she returned the courtesy by observing several of Kitasan Black's training sessions as well.
What she hoped for—aside from victory in this grand year-end spectacle—was to perform a beautiful "movement" together with such a powerful opponent.
But Kitasan Black's explosive acceleration still made her heartstrings tremble.
That burst of momentum was like a heavy hammer smashing down on the carefully composed melody she had built in her mind, making her body shudder slightly against her will.
What surprised her even more was that Gold Actor had yielded the lead position so easily.
She could run at the front, but even compared to her own abilities, her leading pace was definitely two levels weaker than her pace when running just behind the leaders.
In this race, her ability to lead was even more "inferior."
Among her peers, Gold Actor and Marialite were better at leading. Among the juniors, Kitasan Black and Lia Fail were also superior—some of them even having more experience than she did.
Her early decision to run in front had been a tactical gamble. She had hoped that the fierce competition among so many front runners would create an opportunity for her to seize the most advantageous position.
However, Kitasan Black's explosive power and Gold Actor's sudden retreat made it impossible for her to execute the plan she had prepared before the race.
The unexpected change disrupted her smooth rhythm, and her steps stumbled noticeably for a moment.
In the split second that followed, she had no choice but to adjust her stride, slipping into the diagonal rear angle behind the two opponents ahead.
Her instincts told her this was already the best position available.
If she wanted to carry out the rest of her planned tactics, the best option was to stay here and observe the situation.
'So this is the variation… how wonderful…'
'It's truly wonderful!'
'Continue… keep going!'
'I can already sense it, this Arima Kinen… will be an even more beautiful performance than I imagined!'
The setback did not make her panic. Instead, she felt both surprise and excitement, eagerly anticipating what would come next.
Compared to Gold Actor and Sounds of Earth, however, Lia Fail and Marialite felt far more uneasy.
Lia Fail's eyes widened, filled with confusion and alarm.
The lightning-fast overtake by Kitasan Black during the Kikuka Sho replayed wildly in her mind—and now that scene was happening again.
And this time, it came even faster.
Her breathing suddenly grew tight, her heart pounding wildly in her chest like a trapped bird struggling to escape.
She had still been hesitating about whether to follow her trainer's instructions, but now she was completely overwhelmed by Kitasan Black's imposing momentum.
Her mind went blank.
Even her legs unconsciously slowed, as if bound by invisible shackles.
Marialite was also somewhat flustered.
She had just been rapidly calculating in her mind how to break through the defensive line ahead and find an opportunity to charge forward.
But Kitasan Black's sudden burst of power, Gold Actor's decisive retreat, Sounds of Earth's quick maneuvering, and Lia Fail's hesitant steps…
All of these, when linked together, accidentally and subtly formed a wall right in front of her, instantly turning all her previous plans into nothing.
She felt like someone groping forward in the darkness who was suddenly struck by a blinding beam of light—her vision turning completely white as she lost her sense of direction.
But she did not give up.
Even amid her confusion, a determined light shone in her eyes.
She knew very clearly that in this Arima Kinen, she was not the most dazzling runner.
The Queen Elizabeth Cup a little over a month ago had been the first—and so far the only—G1 victory of her career.
In the races before that, although she had consistently placed well and even achieved good results like first and second place, only two of them had been graded stakes.
And among those, she had finished only fifth in one G2 race and second in one G3.
Even in that G1 Queen Elizabeth Cup where she won first place, she had only been the sixth favorite.
Compared to the other competitors—who possessed numerous G1 titles and many graded race victories—she was hardly noticeable.
She had simply been a lucky runner who, supported quietly by fans who had continued believing in her, had finally managed to qualify for the Arima Kinen as the twelfth favorite.
But even so—and precisely because of that—no matter what stood in front of her, she would give everything she had to find her own path to victory.
Further back, Lovely Day frowned for only a moment.
With a serious expression in her eyes, she calmly surveyed the chaos unfolding ahead.
Her original judgment had indeed gone slightly off course because of Kitasan Black's extraordinary burst of speed and the chain reaction it triggered.
But it was obvious that the other competitors ahead had also been caught off guard.
And the entire field would now have to endure the series of changes brought about by that surprise.
Which meant everyone had to face the same pressure—to observe, think, and make judgments.
Even Kitasan Black, who was currently leading, had to bear and consider the same things.
A race was never something one person could control alone—after so many races, she understood this clearly.
It was like throwing a stone into a calm lake: the entire surface would ripple.
And the stone itself would also have to face the pressure of the ripples rebounding back.
If that was the case, then the essence of the situation had not changed.
The pace was still being set by a front runner, the only difference was that it had changed from Gold Actor to Kitasan Black.
The one she truly needed to watch carefully was still there…
As her thoughts raced, the corner of her eye subtly glanced toward the back.
All of this had happened right at the opening of this Arima Kinen.
The stands were already boiling with excitement at the intense scene before them, and the commentator could hardly contain his enthusiasm, his passionate voice echoing throughout the entire stadium:
"Here it comes! Kitasan Black's breakthrough!"
"Just like in the Kikuka Sho, Kitasan Black bursts out of the pack with incredible speed, overtaking Gold Actor and taking first place!"
His words came rapidly, each sentence like a stone thrown into the lake of the audience's hearts, stirring wave after wave of excitement:
"Kitasan Black is currently in the lead!"
"And the most popular horse, Gold Ship, is—as usual—positioned at the very back in the end closing position, while the second favorite, Lovely Day, is waiting at the front of the pace chasing group, ready to strike!"
"The pack tangles together as they charge at high speed toward the turn. From the very start we already have such a fierce prelude—this…"
"This is the Arima Kinen!"
"What kind of clashes will unfold next among the sixteen runners? Let's wait and see!"
<+>
<+>
<+>
<+>
<+>
<+>
Tn: I updated the story daily, but if you want to see more chapter of this story ahead of time, please go to my Patreon.
Latest Chapter: Chapter 314: Kita, You're Truly Amazing[1]
Link: https://www.patreon.com/Thatsnakegirl/posts/umamusume-it-all-161293563?collection=1617249[2]
[1] https://www.patreon.com/Thatsnakegirl/posts/umamusume-it-all-161293563?collection=1617249
[2] https://www.patreon.com/Thatsnakegirl/posts/umamusume-it-all-161293563?collection=1617249