Uma Musume Girl, I'll tell you about my Santa Hat special move too?

The super acceleration brought about by this high-frequency running style is simply incomparable to the racehorse girl named Stardust Illusion in front of us.

Victory is just around the corner...

2 horse length.

1 horse length.

Half-horse body!

Stardust illusion, Bourbon Macao, perhaps I should thank you for your great escape that crushed all my other opponents. But now…

Sorry, little sister, you should blame yourself for not having reached your peak strength yet... Hmm?

The sudden heat and the frenzied aura of wild beasts completely enveloped the Tree Express, and even the air seemed to be filled with the smell of blood.

The cowboy froze, feeling as if he were being watched by a wild beast.

What happened?!

Could someone be catching up with us from behind?

...No, not behind.

It's ahead!!!

------------------

With over 700 meters remaining in the final race, Stardust Illusion had already changed its running posture.

Miracle Runner of the Holy Night, this inherent skill once again proved effective. Although it couldn't seal the victory like it did with Oguri Hat, the triple boost to stamina, speed, and acceleration made Stardust Illusion feel much better.

At this moment, every step she took left a firm footprint on the grass, and her arms swung with a wonderful rhythm. Her running posture, which had already been corrected by the system, was evolving into an even more perfect form.

As the race continued, Miura Bourbon, who was breaking through the wind at the front, also broke away from the team, and Stardust Illusion was able to perceive the current situation.

With its already mediocre stamina attribute, the frantic acceleration of the Great Escape made it extremely difficult to maintain its stamina throughout the entire race, even with someone breaking through the wind ahead, three consecutive white stamina recovery skills triggered, and a Holy Night Runner.

At that moment, the Tree Express caught up from behind, and it seemed to be doing so easily. Stardust Illusion suddenly realized that if he didn't have enough stamina to forcefully stop the Tree Express's breakthrough, the victory in this game might very well slip away.

Does the Big Tree Express really have such strong endurance? Even after its rhythm was disrupted, it was still able to keep up with the escape and still do so with such ease?

No, she's definitely just bluffing!

On the field, time ticked by, but the footsteps of the speeding car behind them grew closer and closer, impossible to shake off.

The two figures stepped into the final bend together, and at that moment, the feeling of being locked on that had been there since the beginning suddenly erupted!

boom!

It was a gunshot as swift as a thunderclap.

The bullet, aimed at piercing her heart, flew from the revolver in Big Tree Express's hand, completely shattering her chest...

Without hesitation, Stardust Illusion bit down hard on the tip of its tongue, instantly erasing the illusion.

The bite was so forceful that Stardust Illusion immediately felt its mouth filled with the taste of blood, and it no longer had time to think about the problem.

Although she had only been stunned for a moment, at this moment... the figure of the Big Tree Express, accompanied by the almost continuous sound of its footsteps, had already entered the edge of her field of vision.

They were less than a horse's length away!

How is that possible?!

Stardust Illusion suddenly turned her head to look, only to be met with a pair of sharp eyes that seemed to pierce her eyelids.

That was the opponent's thirst for victory!

This will almost materialized, filling the revolver called the Great Tree Express, and it was aimed at the stardust illusion blocking its way and pulled the trigger.

Impossible, impossible, impossible!!!

Even at this point, how could the Tree Express still have enough stamina to unleash such terrifying and rapid sprinting power?!

She's just a champion in the mile, how could she possibly have the endurance to rival a long-distance runner? She must be at her limit, she's bound to lose speed!

However, no matter how much the stardust illusion deceived her at this moment, the gun was already pressed against her back.

Stardust Illusion could even feel the flames from the exploding bullets licking her back—the scorching heat, the oppressive force…

This cannot be explained by mere bluster; the Big Tree Express is undoubtedly reaching out its hand towards the final crown of victory.

No, my current level of running isn't enough to shake off top runners like Big Tree Express.

Stardust Illusion gritted its teeth, desperately trying to think of a way to win. Should it stop her? Should it use its positioning to hinder her sprint?!

However, the more anxious she became, the less her brain would cooperate. Forget about techniques for blocking runners behind her; she couldn't even recall what she had previously trained and learned. Her mind was almost completely blank.

Even his running form was no longer perfect, which further depleted Stardust Illusion's already limited stamina. At this rate, he might not even be able to complete the final sprint.

No, I can't do it...

You have to rely on your own two legs to beat runners like Big Tree Express and seize that one and only chance!

How can I stop her now? Think quickly, there must be a way!

it hurts……

No, faster! I need to go even faster!

Once I calmed down a bit, I could feel that with every step I took, my muscles felt like they were being torn apart, and every inch of my lungs, which were desperately trying to inhale fresh air, felt like it was being pierced by golden needles...

Even just keeping going is difficult enough, how can I possibly keep running...?

Run! My body, hold on a little longer!

I can't take it anymore... I'm too exhausted...

My consciousness is starting to... become... a little... blurred...

Will I...lose...?

Eh?

How strange, it suddenly got dark, and I can't see anything...

.

.

.

In the pitch-black darkness, Stardust Illusion could not think of a way to win.

An obsession with victory, and an aversion to defeat.

Anger, sadness, passion, responsibility...

All these emotions have been numbed.

You have failed.

In this situation, even if you try a thousand times, you won't succeed even once.

At this moment, the more passionately you invest in hoping to create a miracle, the more you will be overwhelmed by the helplessness brought about by defeat.

A seductive voice seemed to whisper in her ear, drawing her deeper and deeper into the darkness.

But... should we just give up like this?

Stardust Illusion doesn't understand what it really wants now.

[Emperor of the East Sea! Emperor of the East Sea! Emperor of the East Sea—!!!]

At that moment, I suddenly heard the familiar shouts of the commentator.

The darkness before Stardust Illusion's eyes gradually began to change, and scenes began to flash by.

She still remembers those scenes.

That was during the match, when she was leaving the Bourbon team, and I saw her expression—she was almost exhausted but still determined.

It was the tired yet merciless reprimand from Toyama Scarlet, the trainer who had accompanied her countless times during the week.

It was that god-like runner who raced across Arima Kinen, tearing through the race and creating a victory that transcended miracles.

It was during his debut battle that he almost lost the ability to run, yet he unleashed the fiery power of a phoenix in a desperate situation.

what is this?

The burning sensation in his chest jolted Stardust Illusion awake from its hypnotic spell.

Are we just going to give up like this?

How is that possible?!

The voice might be right. Objectively speaking, the gap between her and the Big Tree Express had indeed reached the point where even if she tried a thousand times, she wouldn't succeed even once.

However, this does not mean that there is no possibility of success.

Run!

If you can't succeed even once after trying a thousand times, then try your best on the thousand and first try!

Even if you succeed on the 1001st try, the facts won't change, so why bother with this pointless persistence?

The voice asked a question in my mind.

That's because... I don't want to lose.

The Stardust Illusion tasted the rusty blood again, and she grinned:

After that defeat, I made up my mind that from then on I would never lose again; I would keep winning.

I am now burdened with countless obsessions, and countless people are working hard for my career.

So I must win! I must become the runner who surpasses the Emperor of the East Sea, the runner who surpasses all the racehorse girls! I…

"—I will absolutely not let the chance for victory slip through my fingers!!!"

A fierce gale swept in from all directions, clearing away all the complicated thoughts in the Stardust Illusion.

At this moment, her heart was completely calm and still.

Her right foot stomped out suddenly, creating a deep trench in the grass. An invisible shockwave burst forth from the point of impact, spreading outwards.