Uma Musume: From Being Knocked Ten Meters Away

Chapter 453 wasn't a release?!
At approximately 3:40 PM, the commentator's opening remarks echoed precisely over the Hanshin Arena:
"At this moment! The most thrilling and exciting battle of the first half of the year has finally begun!"

"The heroes who charged ahead and were invincible on the track this spring have gathered here!"

"Grand Prix Takarazuka Commemorative - The battlefield where glory and dreams intertwine, the sacred moment for the official entrance has arrived!!"

The excited shouts instantly stirred up the already boiling stands, and the cheers on the scene were like a surging tide, one wave after another, almost overturning the entire stadium.

Amidst the deafening cheers, at the very front of the stands, facing the finish line, Yasui Makoto's gaze swept quickly over the female racehorses heading towards the gate, soon locking onto Kita Genko.

The rain has stopped, but the wind is still blowing.

In the slightly cool breeze, the girl stood tall, her black and gold winning outfit swaying gently, her ponytail swinging rhythmically with her steps.

She looked more composed now than she did in the preparation room.

Even without seeing their faces, one can imagine the determination and sharp light in those crimson eyes.

Yasui smiled with satisfaction and couldn't help but nod secretly, while Almond-eyed beside her was already standing on tiptoe, vigorously waving her light stick:
"Senior Xiao Bei... is so cool! Go Senior Xiao Bei!"

"He's so handsome!"

Gripping her light stick tightly, Wang Ziding's eyes followed Beifang Xuanju's figure intently, her fair cheeks flushing with excitement.

"No wonder Almond Eyes likes Senior Kobe so much, he's really... so handsome!"

"Oh wow, you think highly of Xiao Bei?"

A playful voice came from behind, and the three of them turned around in surprise at the same time.

The Emperor of the East Sea chuckled, his hands clasped behind his head, while McQueen, with his white eyes, elegantly leaned on a pale purple umbrella. Two racehorse girls had appeared behind him unnoticed.

"Chairman Emperor Emperor! And...Chairman McQueen!"

Wang Ziding was the first to react. She was so surprised that she was speechless. She quickly bowed and said, "Greetings, what brings you two here...?"

"Well, can't we come to watch the game?"

With a cheerful reply, the Emperor of the East Sea and Megumi McQueen greeted Yasui Makoto and Alimee with smiles before walking over to the group.
"Now that all the work is finally done, of course I have to come to the stadium and enjoy myself."

After exchanging greetings, Yasui Makoto's gaze followed the Emperor of the East Sea, glancing out of the corner of his eye at the gate.

The racers have mostly entered the gate. In this race, Northern Black Horse is number 3. The gate is located near the inner lane, and from the stands, only a blurry shadow can be seen.

However, recalling what he had seen earlier, Yasui nodded to himself again, and couldn't help but feel grateful as he looked at the Emperor of the East Sea.

The change in the condition of the Northern Black Steed is likely due to the Emperor of the East Sea.

He had previously entrusted the Emperor of the East Sea to give the Northern Black Steed some guidance, especially on matters such as the palace, which he was unfamiliar with.

Although I didn't expect the Emperor of the East Sea to act so close to the competition, it seems to have been very effective, so I should naturally express my gratitude.

"President Emperor, thank you..."

"stop!"

Before Yasui could finish speaking, the Emperor of the East Sea interrupted him without turning his head, his eyes fixed on the gate.

Then she looked over with a smile, raised her index finger and wagged it, winking mischievously:

"I didn't say anything; I just came to cheer on my promising juniors~"

As she spoke, she looked back at the racetrack:
"However, seeing the look in her eyes at that time, I'm even more looking forward to this Takarazuka memorial event."

"Eh—? So… the president came all this way to watch Kobe-senpai's match?"

Almond had already met the Emperor of the East Sea several times because of the Northern Black Horse, and knew that this guild leader thought highly of his idolized senior.

She hadn't expected them to be so optimistic, coming all the way from such a close distance to watch the game, and it even sounded like they'd gone specifically to cheer her on. She couldn't help but feel excited:

"Then... President Emperor, Senior Xiao Bei... will definitely win this time, right?"

"Well..."

Still smiling, a thoughtful look appeared in the eyes of the Emperor of the East Sea:

"You can't say things like 'it's certain' during a competition."

“…Eh? Can’t it be…?” Almond-eyed was stunned.

At this moment, McQueen, who had been quietly watching the gate, spoke:

"Because anything can happen in the Shining Series, the most anticipated player can lose, and the least favored player can win the championship - perhaps that's what makes the competition so attractive."

"Moreover, this is a Takarazuka memorial event, it's G1, and every rider is currently the most popular and strongest Uma Musume (horse girls), so they should not be underestimated."

"Plus, the rain has complicated the course, so it's too early to say who will win."

As she calmly shared her experiences, she suddenly turned her head, smiled, and reached out her hand, gently tapping her flushed cheek with her fingertips:

"Little almond eyes, right?"
"So you must remember, it's not enough to just crave victory."

"The situation on the field can change in an instant, so you must learn to stay calm."

Feeling a slight coolness on her cheek, Almond-shaped eyes, already flushed with excitement, felt even hotter. Instead, she nodded at McQueen's words, seemingly understanding but not quite.

Wang Ziding, standing beside him, also looked thoughtful with an excited expression, and just as Xingmu was about to speak, the commentator's voice, echoing throughout the arena, suddenly rose eight octaves:

"Alright! All the female racehorses have entered the gate!"

"So, G1, the 2200 meters on the grass, carrying the dreams of the fans and the will to run towards the world's dream, Takarazuka Memorial..."

"Start!"

The moment the gate burst open, everyone's attention was instantly drawn to it, whether it was Almond Eyes, Wang Ziding, the Emperor of the East Sea, Megumi McQueen, or Yasui Makoto.

Amidst the thunderous cheers from the stands, the commentator's speech quickened:

"The start went smoothly, and no runners made any mistakes."

"Dongbao Lone Wolf took the lead, and Tianxia Weiyi was almost in sync. Both contestants seemed to have the intention to take the lead, followed closely by Satomi Noble."

"Is Satomi Noble wanting to change his past style and choose to wear a collar? A very bold idea, and he says it's just a test?"
"So, this is another star who is also good at leading the pack and whose popularity has been soaring recently..."

"and many more!
"Northern Black Steed..."

"It seems the Northern Black Steed didn't get a head start!"
"Closely following behind the Satomi Noble, with the Clever Labyrinth on either side and the clear blue sky behind, this is the choice of the Northern Black Horse for this race..."

"They're going first?!"

As this unfolded, seventeen figures shot off like arrows toward the muddy track.

The sound of footsteps pounding on the grass was incessant, and the line that had been stretched out in a straight line visibly tightened.

The two figures at the front seemed to have agreed beforehand and immediately began a race to get ahead, while those following closely behind accelerated in response.

Further back, several racehorse girls followed steadily, their figures intertwining to form a very close-knit group.

Meanwhile, the stands erupted in chaos, with the commotion spreading rapidly like a tidal wave.

(End of this chapter)