The WGP final, the last 600 meters!
The final stretch of the Tokyo Racecourse, which seemed endless, became at that moment the ultimate stage of judgment!
On the track, Dawn's perfect and artistic racing posture began to show a visible and uncoordinated stutter.
She, like a robot whose internal program had completely failed, visibly slowed down!
And right behind her, having conserved their energy and awaiting the final horn blast, were Symboli Rudolf, the Wolf King Narita Taishin, and the little heroine, Rice Shower.
Like three arrows launched from a bowstring, carrying the decree of final judgment!
They surged forward!
...
In the VIP box.
Catherine Underwood looked at the big screen, which was constantly flickering with striking red alerts that indicated:
[The level of emotional contamination is increasing drastically!]
Her golden eyes, which always brimmed with confidence and control, were now covered with frantic red lines!
She screamed at the control panel in front of her, in an almost hysterical voice:
"Activate! Overload Mode"
"Temporarily protect her nerves from pain! Use maximum power biostreams to forcibly suppress her!"
"I will never allow it! My most perfect creation! To become a piece of trash... contaminated by emotion!!!"
The climax of the final battle had arrived!
The "awakening" of humanity against the "repression" of the machine!
The final and most tragic struggle broke out!
...
Symboli Rudolf, Narita Taishin, Rice Shower
They formed a wedge surrounding the white figure struggling to break through, right in the center!
Their goal was no longer to overtake!
But... Resonance!
Third movement: The final "song" of the royal road, solitude, and protection!
Symboli Rudolf ran together with Dawn
In her eyes, which shone like the sun, there was no longer a desire for victory, but the solemn guidance of a king toward a youth.
Her aura seemed to silently announce to Dawn
"Look, Dawn! Run carrying everyone's expectations and trust! This is heavy and lonely! But it is also the greatest glory and responsibility of a king, the reason why she is king"
"She was transmitting the emotion called [Responsibility]"
The Wolf King, Narita Taishin, ran on her other side.
She used her singular posture, one that embraces limits and dances on the razor's edge, to resonate with the collapsing soul in Dawn!
Her will seemed to roar in silence.
"Limits are not scary! They are not the final point that makes you despair! But the most magnificent and unique stage that proves why you are you"
"She was transmitting the emotion called [Self]"
And the little heroine, Rice Shower, followed Dawn in silence.
On her small face, which always reflected a hint of shyness, now wore a sweet but firm smile, like that of a saint!
Her faith, which was more powerful than any word, seemed to be offering the final prayer for Dawn
"It's okay... it's okay... Even if the whole world blames you and abandons you... we will continue to bring you happiness..."
"So please... run for your own happiness"
"She was transmitting the emotion called [Being Loved]"
Responsibility, Self, Being Loved... Under the impact of these three powerful, pure, and yet complex high-level emotions of "humanity"...
In Dawn's pure white inner world!
The "gray tear" that had just been born exploded instantly!
It transformed into a wide and raging river!
Countless fragments of her own emotions — joy, sadness, pain, solitude — which she had forcibly suppressed and sealed deep within her soul, burst forth frantically at that moment, like a volcano that had slept for billions of years!
The cold and solid "blue firewall"...
Shattered inch by inch!
...
"No-!!!"
Observing the system in the monitoring room, the "Level of Emotional Contamination" had reached the maximum!
Catherine, with a disfigured face, pressed the last button, one she never thought she would use, representing total destruction.
[Emotional Core · Emergency Format Program · Activate!!!]
She wanted to completely and permanently erase the "heart" of Dawn's awakening.
"Keep dreaming"
By the side of the track, Kaito snapped his eyes open!
In those black eyes, which were always full of a sweet smile, a flash of majestic golden light, like that of a deity, flashed!
He activated his strongest and riskiest move to date.
[Hand of God · Soul Resonance · Final Arcanum!!!]
He transcended the spatial barrier and directly, with force, injected his powerful and warm will into Dawn's mental world, which was about to be formatted!
In Dawn's chaotic inner world!
The cold "blue format cursor" representing Catherine, bent on erasing everything!
And the warm "little golden sun" representing Kaito, bent on protecting everything!
The final and silent confrontation has broken out!
"Dawn! Can you hear me? Wake up"
Kaito's warm voice, full of absolute power, resonated in her chaotic inner world like the horn of creation.
"Do not fear pain! Do not fear sadness! Both feelings, just like the joy and hope you feel, are part of you! They are proof that you live as a human being"
"Come back, Dawn"
"Return to this world, which is imperfect, but incredibly real"
"Come back with us"
"We are waiting for you"
BOOM!!!
...
On the track!
Dawn's body trembled violently!
In her eyes, which had always been hollow and sapphire-like, for the first time!
And the only time in history!
A brilliantly radiant light, belonging to "Being" itself, broke through!
In her inner world, the "little golden sun" shone with intensity!
It completely swallowed the cold "format" cursor!
She raised her head!
It was no longer a silent and dazed race!
Instead, she let out a long cry full of pain, full of anger, full of catharsis, and also full of... new life, which echoed throughout the sky!
After this long cry, which represented the liberation of her soul!
The invisible and spiritual shackle that connected her to the "Skynet" system...
Was completely shattered!!!
...
In the VIP box, all the screens displaying data in front of Catherine instantly turned into a blur filled with static.
Finally, with a "pop," they went out completely.
A deathly silence.
Dawn, free from all control.
For the first time, she controlled her body with her own will.
She felt intense muscle pain.
She felt the caress of the wind on her cheeks.
She felt her own — heart, which was beating frantically, longing for "freedom".
She did not pursue the Umas who had already overtaken her.
Nor did she stop her steps.
She was simply... running.
Running toward the man waiting for her at the finish line.
And more so, running for herself.
For the first time, a vivid and human expression appeared on her face.
Warm tears flowed endlessly from her eyes!
But her lips slowly curled... curled... finally forming a smile that was incredibly bright, mixed with tears and sweat, beautiful like the first sun after the rain.
In the end.
Symboli Rudolf was the first to cross the finish line.
Winning the most important general championship of the WGP is a great achievement for Tracen Academy.
But at that moment, no one cared about the rankings anymore.
The eyes of the entire world were on that singular figure.
The newborn "Dawn" who crossed the finish line in fifth place, smiling and crying.
After crossing the finish line, she didn't stop.
She passed by all the Umas who had brought her a "heart" and who were preparing to congratulate her.
Stumbling directly... she ran to hug the only man waiting for her at the finish line with open arms and a smile... the one who had given her a new life and a "heart".
[Ding—!]
[Treatment finished!]
[Congratulations, Host!]
[You have successfully awakened the independent personality of 'Dawn' and established a 'New Life' contract with her!]
[The target has completely transformed from 'Container' to 'family'! The level of trust has reached the MAX!]
[Warning: The target's emotional module has just been reset; her mental age is approximately... 5 years old. Please, Host, be patient when guiding her]
[Hand of God System, Final Module, Unlocked —]
['The Heart of the World!']
[Now you can... (Loading data...)]
...
In the VIP box.
Catherine looked at the words [SIGNAL LOST] appearing on the big screen.
Then she looked at her adopted daughter, who was sobbing loudly in Kaito's arms.
All the anger and madness reflected on her face slowly faded.
Replaced by a sense of... defeat, of a deathly gray, complete and endless.
The race was over.
The victory belonged to Tracen.
But Kaito's "battle" was not over yet.
How would he face this last "patient," Catherine, who was completely defeated and perhaps on the verge of a mental breakdown?
He would use his completely sublimated "Hand of God" to perform a final "treatment" on this last "patient".
And what kind of sweet, painful, and historic — final reward would his group of women demand from their "King" after conquering the entire world?