The way Uma Musume looks at me is so scary!

Xiu Xingmeng turned to the audience and waved gently to the crowd.

Meanwhile, the Holy King's Aura silently clenched his fists within the crowd.

Hoping to inherit her mother's top-notch reputation, Seio-o Halo, who has always considered herself a first-class racehorse girl, suffered a crushing defeat in last year's race.

Last year, Saint King Halo only won its debut race and the G3 Tokyo Sports Championship. And of course, it failed to win any of the Triple Crown races, which each horse girl only has one chance in her lifetime.

Despite being a top-tier racehorse girl, she has never won a single G1 race.

This was a huge blow to the Holy King's Halo, who had always had a strong sense of self-esteem. Although she acted as usual in front of her friends and sister, her skin, which had been pinched white by her fingernails, showed her unwillingness.

However, Saint King Halo glanced at his friends beside him, then at Xiu Xingmeng standing on the field, and finally let go of her hand.

She put her hands on her hips and said loudly.

"It's just a temporary setback. My glory is right there, and I will take it for myself!"

"After all, I'm a top-notch racehorse girl! Oh ho ho ho ho ho—"

Upon hearing that familiar laughter, the little followers beside the Holy King's Halo also cheered skillfully.

"Next up is the second most popular contestant, number two, Orihime. Will this legendary aloof genius be able to claim the championship today?!"

"Then comes the third most popular contestant, number three, Narita. Shining like the sun, she'll channel the fans' support into her full potential and sprint forward!"

When their names were called, Ai-hime and Narita waved to the audience.

After hearing the two introductions, Xiu Xingmeng slowly lowered her hand.

Horse girls with high popularity before the race are usually the top choices. It seems my judgment was right. These two are indeed very strong.

However… Xiu Xingmeng slowly closed her eyes.

She stood quietly in place, waiting for the commentator to finish reading the list, and only opened her eyes when the players were finally announced to enter.

At that very moment, all the perceptive racehorse girls present noticed something.

The atmosphere at the Tokyo racetrack had changed; even the bright sunshine couldn't bring them any warmth, as if a gleaming blade had already been drawn from its sheath behind them.

Even just standing still, you can feel wave after wave of danger.

Narita and Aigumi, being among the most powerful horse girls present, naturally noticed this as well.

They had even sensed the source of this pressure.

Looking at Xiu Xingmeng, Cheng Tianlu seemed somewhat dazed.

She simply couldn't imagine how the racehorse girl, who had just been talking to her and teasing her intentionally or unintentionally, could have become a completely different person in just a few minutes.

Ai Musou's eyes gleamed. This formidable opponent, who had suddenly revealed his sharp edge, made the championship, which had been within reach, seem much more distant.

"All players, please take your positions!"

Before they could think any further, the commentator's declaration rang in their ears.

Despite some unease, Narita and Orihime stepped through their own gate, quietly awaiting the sound of a gunshot.

"Peng!"

Soon, as the starting gun fired to signal the start of the race, the gates opened simultaneously, and all the racehorses stepped out with all their might.

The posture was perfect, and the footwork was correct! This start was perfect! Narita adjusted his center of gravity perfectly the moment he burst out of the gate.

Just as she was mentally cheering for her successful start, a red streak of light flashed past her like lightning, leaving her far behind before she could even blink a few times.

"Eh?"

This stark contrast made Narita Richi involuntarily begin to doubt himself.

Did I misjudge the start? Have everyone already overtaken me because they're all running so fast?

She instinctively looked around, trying to find the answer in her surroundings.

But Narita didn't see a track where she was the only one; all the racehorse girls she saw were staring blankly ahead, just like her.

If everyone is still nearby, it means I haven't made any mistakes.

What exactly was that red light just now?

Thinking of this, Naritaji trembled inexplicably.

It's as if instinct has already realized it, but reason stubbornly refuses to admit it, as if admitting it would lead to something irreversible.

However, Naritaji's instincts and reason soon made him forget about this entanglement.

The commentators, whose perspectives are even broader than those of the players, have already eagerly stepped forward.

"Number One! Number One, Xiu Xingmeng, has escaped! So fast, she's left everyone behind in an instant! Five horse lengths! Six horse lengths! She's even accelerating!"

A spirited female voice picked up the microphone and began to explain.

The guests, who should have been calmly analyzing the situation, couldn't maintain their composure and just kept calculating into the microphone.

"Is it possible? Can we maintain this speed until the end? Could we slow down at the bend first—"

The audience was in a frenzy. They never expected to see such a spectacular escape in a debut match they randomly chose to watch. Witnessing that red light pass through the race of horse girls was definitely worth the ticket price!

Amidst the crowd, the Holy King's halo, surrounded by cheering followers, blinked incredulously, opening and closing its eyes repeatedly as if in disbelief.

No matter how many times you blink, the facts before your eyes cannot be changed.

My own sister, the sister who had always been left behind by me during training, actually made it through the debut battle in such a way.

"Wouldn't this make me even stronger than when I debuted...?"

Amidst the cheering crowd, the Holy King's Halo murmured to himself.

Chapter Seventeen: Treson's Must-Read List

Xiu Xingmeng, who was on the track, naturally had no idea about the Holy King's halo talking to itself. She just kept sprinting and didn't slow down at all, even when crossing the bend.

When Xiuxing Meng stepped onto the Tokyo racetrack again, she did not choose to chase after the enemy, but instead chose to flee. One of the reasons was because of the purple skill called Tokyo Swift.

Even without fully triggering the attack, Xiu Xingmeng could feel her speed increase. Since she had such an enhancement, why not just use the Great Escape Technique?

Fortunately, her debut race only required her to run one lap at the Tokyo Racecourse. The 1200-meter distance was enough for Hideyuki Hoshino to finish, not to mention her resilience that gave her a second burst of energy when she was exhausted.

The second reason is that this mission is different from the initial one. Xiu Xingmeng doesn't have an unlimited number of opportunities to remember everyone's location, and her chasing technique is not yet mature and too risky. It would be bad if something unexpected happened.

However, what Xiu Xingmeng did not expect was that although she no longer had a comprehensive grasp of the other racehorse girls, the experience she gained in that rainy scene was etched into her very bones and remained clear even after nearly ten years.

When to turn at the bend, when to choose the sprint point, everything about this track—when Xiu Xingmeng returned to this track, it was as if the gods were whispering in her ear, and she remembered it all.

Why did you have to advise Narita not to feel like he was letting others down before the match even started?

For Xiuxingmeng, the outcome of this match was already decided.

The champion of this debut competition can only be himself.

As her footsteps kicked up dust on the grass, Embroidered Star Dream surged past the bend, while many other racehorses were still halfway through the bend, watching Embroidered Star Dream continue her charge down the straight. They could only lower their heads and do their best to secure second place.

"Shh!"

In the final 600-meter straight at Tokyo Racecourse, Xiuxing Meng couldn't hold on for long under her sprint. With a whooshing sound, a row of crimson characters slowly appeared on the giant screen standing on the track.

First place: Embroidered Star Dream.

After stopping, Xiu Xingmeng took off the red ribbon from her head, letting her long black hair flutter in the air.

She tied the silk ribbon to her hand, raised it, and waved it at the audience.

Seeing the dancing red streaks of light, the audience could no longer contain their enthusiasm and seemed to cheer.

"Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh!"

"Xiao Meng is so cool! I'll always support you!"

The cheers of the crowd filled the huge Tokyo Racecourse like a tsunami, and the enthusiasm of the audience was even hotter than the sun at that moment.

The Holy King's Halo in the crowd silently lowered her head; she didn't know how to describe her feelings at that moment.

As Xiu Xingmeng's older sister, she should congratulate Xiu Xingmeng on her outstanding achievements. In fact, the Holy King's Halo was indeed very happy for Xiu Xingmeng.

Even though this is just a debut battle, the Holy King's Aura can see just how much potential his younger sister has. With such a performance in the debut battle, she may even win the championship in this year's Classic Triple Crown Tournament!

However, a sense of resentment welled up in Saint King's Aura's heart. Even she had not yet won a single G1 tournament, and Xiu Xingmeng, who had never beaten her before, had won the championship first.

Then what about myself, who always talks about top-notch racehorse girls?

Deep within her heart, where even the Holy King's halo failed to be aware, she even felt a trace of fear. She had always considered herself a first-class older sister and the mentor of Xiuxing Dream. If her younger sister were to surpass her, how would she look at her?

Is she just a boastful, arrogant older sister? Or does she simply not even give me a second glance, and I, as the laggard, might be cruelly abandoned?

The Holy King's Halo unconsciously clenched his fist.

Beside her, a little follower who was cheering for Xiu Xingmeng noticed the strangeness of the Holy King's halo and asked her with some doubt.

"Holy King, what's wrong?"

Upon hearing her companion's question, the Holy King's Halo raised her head and spoke in her characteristic proud tone.

"As expected of my sister! She'll definitely become a top-notch racehorse girl someday!"

When her face reappeared in the public eye, it had returned to its normal appearance.

Saint King's Halo pointed at Embroidered Star Dream waving a red ribbon on the field, then turned to his companions and said.

"Could you please do the usual one?"

After exchanging glances, the followers spoke in unison to the Holy King's halo.

"learn!"

Just then, Xiu Xingmeng, who was waving her silk ribbons, suddenly saw that familiar scene in the crowd.

What is your sister's name?

"Little Dream!"

"Stronger than anyone else?"

"The winner!"

What will the future hold?

"Sparkling and dazzling, the most anticipated racehorse girl~!"

"That's right, when it comes to a first-rate younger sister, it's—"

"Embroidered Star Dream!"

"Oh ho ho ho ho ho!"

Looking at the eye-catching Holy King's Halo and her friends in the audience, Xiu Xingmeng's eyebrows twitched wildly, but she had to force a smile and wave to the audience. Her face gradually turned red with embarrassment.

Xiu Xingmeng suddenly realized that the way the audience looked at her had changed. Before, they looked at her with longing, but after the Holy King's halo, their eyes started to look like, "No wonder we're sisters."

While waving her hand, Xiu Xingmeng gritted her teeth and cursed the Holy King's halo in her heart.

It's one thing for you to enjoy this game because you're a chuunibyou (middle school syndrome) sufferer, but why are you dragging me into it?!

"KiO Special Forces".

Unfortunately, just as Xiu Xingmeng was so embarrassed she wanted to disappear into a hole, Cheng Tianlu, who had witnessed the scene, whispered something in Xiu Xingmeng's ear, as if to get revenge for Xihongshi's words.

The girl's hot, humid breath mingled with her words, and Xiu Xingmeng's horse ears involuntarily twitched. Startled, she instinctively took a step back to the side.

Looking at Narita, who was flashing a V sign at her, Xiuxingmeng covered her ears and said with a hint of embarrassment and annoyance.

"Is this the kind of persona you portray?!"

Seeing Xiu Xingmeng, who had been scared back by him, Cheng Tianlu puffed out his chest triumphantly, as if to say, "Hehe, I'm going to win back."

However, seeing Xiu Xingmeng's ashamed and indignant gaze, Narita Lu secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

That's great! I thought the previous conversation was fake.

It seems she only switches to that state during matches; it would be terrifying if she couldn't switch back.

Chapter Eighteen: A Detailed Account of the Horse Jumping

After playfully fighting with Narita for a while, Xiu Xingmeng returned to the players' room with her.

Although we've only known each other for a short time, the distance between us has unknowingly shrunk considerably.

However, this is understandable, as Xiu Xingmeng, influenced by excellent qualities, has always had a good impression of gentle and hardworking people like this.

Narita-ji, with her gentle personality, is able to make friends with many people; otherwise, she wouldn't have become the class president.