...
Mejiro McQueen instinctively wanted to chase after Mejiro Ryan, but she ultimately calmed down, adjusting her heart rate and breathing.
The thought lasted only a moment.
A knight can be proud, but she must also have her own judgment and convictions!
This wasn't yet the moment for her to go all out.
But she also couldn't let Mejiro Ryan escape her control, so she needed to pick up speed.
Diagonal movement wasn't allowed during the race, so she could yield at most one horse length—she absolutely couldn't let the other block her sprint path.
And the timing she needed to wait for... was the exact instant they exited the turn!
The roaring wind drowned out the cheers from the stands, yet Mejiro McQueen began her contest against the wind itself.
Clop clop—
With her next stride, dazzling light erupted beneath Mejiro McQueen's feet, like magma bursting from an awakening volcano.
Bright, yet terrifying—light so intense it inspired fear, strong enough to overshadow and assimilate the glow emanating from the surrounding horse girls.
"Mejiro Ryan currently holds first!"
"Mejiro McQueen is accelerating—now third, now second!"
...
Mejiro Ryan's expression was no longer as composed as before. The pressure from Mejiro McQueen was overwhelming, like a heavy mountain crushing her chest, leaving her breathless.
Was she doomed to repeat the same nightmare again...
Mejiro Ryan gritted her teeth, squeezing every last drop of remaining stamina to its maximum!
Yet even so, she still couldn't shake off the nightmare-like shadow of Mejiro McQueen trailing right behind her.
"Ryan, I will crush you... with absolute dominance!"
...
"Woooahhh—!!!"
Waves of cheers piled one upon another; the audience roared, the sound waves of "Mejiro McQueen" and "Mejiro Ryan" colliding in a surging, passionate clash!
From the spectators' view, Mejiro McQueen had brutally eaten back the one-horse-length gap and overtaken Mejiro Ryan with unstoppable momentum.
"Mejiro McQueen! Mejiro McQueen!"
"The closest to the finish line is Mejiro McQueen!"
Amid the announcer's excited shouts, Mejiro McQueen finally pulled one full horse length ahead of Mejiro Ryan, returning the favor and claiming the championship.
One victory in the Tenno Sho (Spring)—achieved!
...
In the exit tunnel, the entire "Dream" team sent blessings to the returning Mejiro McQueen.
"McQueen! Amazing! As expected of my rival!" Tokai Teio rushed forward for a hug, but Mejiro McQueen stepped back slightly before steadying herself.
Lucian noticed the detail immediately. "Teio, McQueen is very tired right now—don't go overboard."
"Private horse race~" Tokai Teio smiled sheepishly.
"McQueen really is my rival's rival! Impressive desu!" Twin Turbo folded her arms, putting on the air of a little senior and nodding in approval.
Meisho Doto's eyes were full of envy. "If only one day I could be as amazing as McQueen-senpai desu ne╰(´︶`)╯."
Nice Nature, Matikane Tannhauser, Rice Shower, and the others felt their fighting spirits rise, looking forward to the day they too would stand on such a grand stage.
Only Dextrous Bailey's eyes held nothing but envy. "Trainer, accepting reality is really hard..."
...
This year was packed with "Dream" events, so Lucian had pushed all training camp matters to next year.
In May, the G2 NHK Mile Cup officially began.
Nice Nature, Matikane Tannhauser, Twin Turbo, Hayano Ditus, and Dextrous Bailey's names were prominently listed.
For this race, Lucian strangely couldn't feel nervous—probably because the participating horse girls were all just too cute.
Even their pre-race trash talk lacked any real hostility or gunpowder tension.
"Trainer! Why aren't you analyzing everyone else's running styles for me too!" Right before heading out, Twin Turbo was still nagging about it.
Such a simple reason—even an idiot could understand it, yet Twin Turbo didn't.
Lucian: "Tannhauser, you know why, right? Explain it to Twin Turbo."
"Trainer." Matikane Tannhauser looked pure and innocent, eyes clear. "Why? I don't get it."
Lucian: "..."
He turned his last hope to Nice Nature. "Nature, you know, right?"
Nice Nature gave Twin Turbo and Matikane Tannhauser a sympathetic glance. "Because we're all on the same team, it's not convenient for the Trainer to analyze us—it's to avoid suspicion."
"Excellent." Lucian gave a thumbs-up.
Nice Nature's mouth twitched, a few black lines appearing on her forehead—she felt the Trainer was treating her the same as Twin Turbo and the others.
"Hmph! Even so, can't the Trainer give me some special treatment? Then maybe I'd be the defending champion!"
"Twin Turbo, are you still half-asleep and dreaming?" Nice Nature shot back mercilessly.
"That's the confidence battle the Trainer always talks about—what would you know, Nature?" Twin Turbo pouted, cheeks puffed out to the side.
"I said information battle... What exactly were you listening to during pre-race guidance..." Lucian sighed.
Garlic bird garlic bird~ The horse girls he chose himself—even if a little silly, he'd raise them on his knees.
Matikane Tannhauser: "What about making money?"
"I said pre-race!" Lucian sighed again—good temper really was cultivated this way. "Alright, alright, you're about to head out. Do I have to drag you to the gate?"
Matikane Tannhauser seriously considered it. "Then to save time, we should form a train. Otherwise Trainer pushing us one by one is too slow."
Lucian's fist hardened. "Not going yet? I'm going to get the whip."
Twin Turbo: "Trainer's going to punish us! Everyone run!"
Watching them scamper away laughing like children, a helpless smile appeared on Lucian's face.
He turned to the last member still standing in place. "Bailey, you should head out too."
"Mm... Trainer, can you encourage me a little?"
Lucian walked over and patted her head. "Encouragement right before the race feels a bit like last-minute cramming... but please, Bailey, do your absolute best—give it everything."
He knew Dextrous Bailey had still been suffering these days.
"Whether you choose to pick up the last ember of glory from the ashes of applause, or turn and let your back fade into the nameless corridor... the Trainer will always be your silent footnote."
"Go on—don't overthink it. Bailey just needs to focus on running."
Tears shimmered in Dextrous Bailey's eyes. She nodded firmly. "Mm!"
...