Uma Musume: From Being Knocked Ten Meters Away

Chapter 578 The Prelude to the Outbreak

The resounding metallic clang of the eighteen gates opening simultaneously shattered the silence like a thunderclap, instantly igniting the long-simmering fervor at Tokyo Racecourse. The shouts of hundreds of thousands of spectators exploded like a landslide and a tsunami, the massive sound almost uprooting the clear autumn sky.

Almost instantly, before the sound had fully dissipated, the figure with black hair and red eyes inside gate box number 1 transformed into an arrow and shot out into the air.

The Northern Black Steed's start was breathtakingly fast, showcasing its unparalleled explosive power to the fullest.

In that instant, she felt her heart pounding like a war drum, and the scalding blood pumping out surged into her limbs and bones.

She could clearly feel the solid feedback from the first hard blow of the horseshoe into the turf, as well as the explosive power released by the instantaneous tension in her leg muscles.

A unique scent, a mixture of grass clippings and freshly turned soil, suddenly filled my nostrils. In my ears came the sharp whistling of the wind tearing through the air, and the mixed sounds of the gates popping open behind me and other racehorses struggling to get off the ground.

The powerful force held her firmly on the track, and the scenery on both sides of her field of vision blurred and stretched instantly.

"All the racehorses had a beautiful start... Amazing! Absolutely amazing!"

The commentator's excited voice blared through the loudspeakers, instantly bringing the atmosphere to a climax:
"An amazing gate-opening response! Incredibly fast!"

"Number 1, Northern Black Steed!"

"She sprang out from the innermost gate like lightning, without the slightest hesitation. Her goal was very clear: she wanted to seize the inner lane's leading position!"

The audience had already begun cheering, and at the same moment, figures in various colored final suits burst out from the other seventeen gates.

The No. 3 Golden Star and the No. 7 World's Only Horse both started quickly. The moment they left the gate, these two female racehorses pounced on the golden position behind the Northern Black Horse like cheetahs that smelled blood, biting the latter's figure and trying to form the first blockade.

Outside the box, Number 8 unleashed a ferocious power that belied her petite frame, like a cannonball fired from a gun.

Further out, California's dazzling golden figure was even more eye-catching. With her strong physique and wild sprinting posture, she forcefully squeezed in from the outside lane, trying to gain a favorable position before entering the bend.

Many other female racehorses, such as Ronhouzai, Nagoya, and Shimakaze, appear more composed.

Instead of engaging in a fierce battle for rankings at the outset, they skillfully controlled the pace, like an experienced ship steadily adjusting its course and converging towards a favorable inner channel.

The entire team surged forward like a burst dam or a migrating herd of animals, roaring and surging toward the first bend.

The Northern Black Horse's senses are highly focused.

She could hear the slightly rapid breathing of the only person in the world not far behind her, feel the wind pressure disturbance brought by the approaching California Radiance on the outside, and even catch a glimpse of that dazzling gold out of the corner of her eye.

Several powerful auras locked onto her from different directions, attempting to exert pressure. The sound of horseshoes striking the ground behind her converged into a rapid drumbeat, pounding on her nerves.

But she simply lowered her body slightly to reduce wind resistance.

Silently reciting the three words "inner path, economy, rhythm" that Yasui Makoto had instructed her, she precisely placed each step on the most solid position next to the inner path line, using slight body swaying and rhythm changes to firmly block the shortest path to the lead.

In that instant, she could already see the white arc marker of the first bend in her peripheral vision.

She subconsciously tightened her abdomen, slightly lowered her left shoulder, and adjusted her center of gravity along the curve of the track. This was a "cornering energy-saving technique" that Yasui Makoto had repeatedly emphasized before the race—using body inertia to counteract centrifugal force, saving a lot of energy compared to forcibly changing direction. Meanwhile, in the stands, most spectators were cheering with the same fervor as in the previous race…

"Pretty!"

At the very front of the stands, Yasui Makoto almost let out a low growl from his throat.

His clenched fists were so tight that his knuckles turned white, but his eyes were sharp as an eagle's, following closely the unstoppable black figure.

"First step! Perfect! Exactly as planned!" he thought to himself.

The Northern Black Horse's lightning-fast start perfectly executed the most important pre-race tactical plan, using its powerful burst of speed and the innermost gate number 1 to lay the first step in securing victory.

Beside her, Alice pushed up her glasses, the lenses reflecting the light and shadows flashing by on the field, and a smile of almost fanatical satisfaction curved her lips.

"The gate release reaction time... is approximately 0.08 seconds, and the peak instantaneous acceleration should reach 102.3% of the preset value..." Her voice was soft, but filled with the excitement of a researcher seeing experimental data perfectly confirm their hypothesis.
"Perfect! Perfect data! Indeed, incorporating 'neural response activation' and 'phosphagen system overload' training into daily extreme training was the right decision!"

Although Yamato Akachi didn't exclaim in surprise, her tense shoulders visibly relaxed a little. She nodded vigorously and gave a concise assessment: "We got the position." As the team's most composed pillar, she knew exactly what the success of this most difficult first step meant.

The tactical initiative is now firmly in our hands.

She was about to continue when she was excitedly interrupted by almond-eyed girls waving banners that read "Northern Black Horse Support":
"Charge! Charge! Go, Xiao Bei senior!"

Such figures were quickly blended into the cheers rising and falling in the stands, and were then drowned out by the commentary echoing in the stadium.

"The first bend is just ahead! But the Northern Black Horse has already taken the innermost lead!"

The commentator's voice trembled noticeably, clearly ignited by the rapid momentum of the opening:

"The only one in the world and the Golden Performer followed closely behind, almost side by side! They were trying to form a pincer movement at the bend to block the route of the Northern Black Horse!"

As expected, they've arrived. The Northern Black Steed's heart tightened, but he remained calm.

She could feel the breath of the only one in the world getting closer and closer behind her. But that wasn't the most important thing. Even though they were both Japanese racehorse girls and had received training for the Japan Cup, their racing habits were still at a more "gentle" level.

On the right, California's shimmering golden hair exploded in the wind, exuding a wild and oppressive aura that was almost tangible. Her purpose was all too obvious; she was trying to use her body to resist and force her to shift outward.

Sure enough... here it comes. The thought flashed through her mind again, and at the same time, she suddenly quickened her pace.

This was a high-frequency shuffling step that had been practiced repeatedly during pre-race training. This sudden acceleration caught everyone off guard. The previously close-knit "The Only One in the World" was instantly pulled away by half a horse's length, while "California Shining" missed its target and swayed due to inertia.

Taking advantage of this fleeting opening, the Northern Black Steed completely blocked the inner lane tangent, precisely stepping on the white marking line on the inside of the curve, drawing a perfect arc like a sharp blade cutting along an ink line.

"A brilliant adjustment! The Northern Steed has broken free of its entanglement in an instant!"

The commentator's shouts, mixed with the audience's cheers, pierced through the wind: "She held firm on the inside line, this position is crucial, she held onto the inside advantage and cut into the first corner!"

(End of this chapter)