The way Uma Musume looks at me is so scary!

"Number one in popularity! Contestant number three, Xiu Xingmeng!"

"Let us witness your brilliance!"

As the commentator gave his enthusiastic introduction, the already excited audience became even more excited, and the stands erupted in a thunderous roar.

Despite the rain soaking their clothes, some leaned out to wave support flags. Others clenched their wet hands tightly, their knuckles turning white from the effort. And then there were the children riding on their fathers' shoulders, their clear eyes reflecting the shimmering water on the track.

Some people even stepped out from under the rain-shielding canopy just to make their voices heard more clearly.

Their enthusiasm transformed into a tangible heat wave, causing the falling raindrops to evaporate into a hazy white mist in mid-air.

Amidst the crowd, Saint King Aura stared blankly at the black and red figure waving to the audience on the field, unconsciously gripping the railing tightly. The cold metallic touch came through her gloves, but she seemed oblivious.

Looking around at the crowd of spectators cheering for Xiuxingmeng with all their might, Saint King's Halo was shocked.

Saint King Halo, who hadn't been to the Embroidered Star Dream competition for a long time, realized just how much anticipation and attention his younger sister had garnered.

As the older sister who also carries expectations, Saint King's Halo couldn't help but feel a little worried about Xiu Xingmeng.

But as a fellow racehorse girl, Saint King Halo was also encouraged by such cheers. Her instinctive desire for racing made her subconsciously want to witness, to see what kind of shock this racehorse girl who caused such a tidal wave of praise could bring her.

"So... we've already come this far."

In the heart of the Holy King, that little embroidered star dream who felt uneasy when stepping into an unfamiliar environment for the first time, who longed to be surrounded by people, and who was happy to receive gifts, has grown into a powerful racehorse girl in places unseen by the Holy King.

Saint King's Halo's fingertips dug deeply into the railing, her knuckles turning white from the force. She suddenly leaned forward, half her body breaking through the barrier of the rain. The icy rain instantly soaked through her hair, rolling down her cheeks and neck, wetting the fabric of her clothes.

"A-Meng—!"

You have to win!

The shout ripped through the deafening roar of the arena, like a blazing meteor piercing the gloomy rain and the surging crowd. The pupils of the Saint King's halo trembled slightly, his gaze fixed intently on the black and red figure in the center of the track.

The distant Embroidered Star Dream seemed to sense something and suddenly turned around.

The rain blurred their vision, but the Holy King's halo clearly showed Xiu Xingmeng's lips slightly raised as she nodded firmly in his direction.

Standing behind the Holy King's Halo, Yongwu smiled. The Holy King's Halo had reconciled with her, and as a mother, she had one less thing to worry about.

but……

Yongwu turned her gaze to the arena, looking at the figure that seemed to cut through the rain like a blade, and her brows furrowed with worry.

As a world-class racehorse girl, she recognized the talent of the embroidered star dream very early on.

As a mother, all she hoped for in Xiuxingmeng was a peaceful and safe life. As a world-class racehorse girl, she was capable of providing Xiuxingmeng with such a tranquil yet happy life.

However, that stubborn child from a young age seemed to have already developed his own ideas.

No matter how subtly you try to dissuade someone, all you get in return is empty words and no real understanding.

Even though she personally asked the trainers not to choose Xiuxingmeng, she still relied on her own strength to get to this point and step onto the stage called Gaoyue Award.

Yongwu slowly closed her eyes, listening to the tidal wave of cheers from the audience. She had heard such cheers many times before, but the burning emotion did not diminish in the slightest. It was like fuel, reigniting her heart, which had gradually cooled down due to her retirement.

In a daze, Yuu seemed to return to the era when she was still racing on the track: the 2000 Guinness Stakes, the Eclipse Stakes, the Arc de Triomphe. Those years, when she was bathed in glory, were the most dazzling years of Yuu as a racehorse girl.

"There are no weaklings who can step onto the G1 track."

Yongwu said softly, her voice gradually trembling, but this time it wasn't because of her worry for Xiuxingmeng, but because of the excitement of her racing instincts as a racehorse girl.

"Some of them carried the hopes of others, some carried the love of their families, and some carried their own expectations."

Everyone has a reason why they can't afford to lose.

"However, when one horse leads the way, all others pale in comparison."

"According to the rules of the competition, there can be three winners on the stage. But for all the horse girls who step onto the field, there will only be one of them to receive this glory."

"Only the most dazzling racehorses can stand out and bask in this glory."

She slowly opened her eyes, her crimson pupils seemingly burning with flames, her scorching gaze seemingly able to pierce through the rain and reach the center of the arena.

At this moment, she is no longer the worried mother, but the legendary world-class racehorse, Yuu-mai, who once dominated the Arc de Triomphe racetrack.

"Let me witness it with my own eyes—"

Her voice was deep and firm, like the beating of a war drum, each syllable carrying the glory of the past and the intensity of the present.

"—Your brilliance!"

Chapter Thirty-Three: Gaoyue's Appreciation

Her own barely audible breathing drowned out the cheers of the audience. On the track of Zhongshan Racecourse, Xiu Xingmeng's heart was pounding rapidly with her eyes closed, as if even the rain curtain had turned into a raging fire that was about to melt her.

All the efforts, all the sacrifices, everything that has led us to this point will come to an end here.

Are you nervous? Of course you are.

Are you scared? You don't need to anymore.

Before the Good Opera challenged her, Hideyoshi Yume, who was somewhat disappointed by the potential assessment, even considered giving up the Satsuki Prize and focusing her attention on the Japanese Derby held at the Tokyo Racecourse.

If it rains on the day of the derby, the fully activated Tokyo Swifts might give them hope of victory.

For Xiu Xingmeng at that time, this was perhaps the only way to win that she could think of.

Without a good opera that creates a confrontation that is both oppressive and inspiring, Xiuxingyu might have really avoided this Satsuki Sho.

But now she understands that the Holy King's Halo and Yongwu, as the best teachers, have already told Xiuxingmeng that the only outcome of running away is running away, and only by raising her blood and fighting hard can she have a chance of winning.

This is the same as when we faced the Emperor of the East Sea; only by giving up everything can we possibly gain everything.

Because the time span of the script's world was so large, Xiu Xingmeng forgot about this, but fortunately, she eventually regained that feeling.

Can I really open up a new realm? I don't know.

Can you really win after opening up a new domain? I don't know.

What if you burn everything and still can't win the championship?

Then let's burn ourselves out first.

Inhale, exhale, exhale, exhale. Each breath of air surged into her lungs like a raging fire, and the raindrops hitting her body had no coolness like spring rain, only the heat of molten iron. Her heart was pounding, and Xiu Xingmeng had made herself the fuel for this furnace of her body.

What will result is an unparalleled burst of energy.

When Xiuxingmeng opened her eyes, all the racehorse girls shuddered. A piercing, metallic sound, like swords being drawn, echoed in their ears, their instincts screaming a frantic warning within them—

Something is coming.

In the distance, the opera singer, who was waving to the audience, suddenly broke into a wild smile.

The girl with the wicked grin disappeared; only the overlord remained on the field.

The heavy pressure seemed to make the sky kneel down. Before the other racehorse girls could recover from the sound of swords being drawn, they immediately felt an extremely strong gravity pressing down on their bodies.

Shoulders, spine, legs—the suffocating pressure caused some less resilient racehorses to bend over, heads bowed, gasping for breath on the grass.

On the left is a drawn blade.

On the right is the king's authority.

Although the competition has not officially started yet, the first batch of losers has already been determined.

All the racehorse girls who instinctively lower their heads to avoid panting due to pressure and trembling will become the first sacrifices of the Satsuki Sho. They will become fuel, sacrifices on the stage, using their failures to make the winner shine brightly.

Narita pursed her lips, carrying the expectations of her friends and trainers.

The Satsuki Sho, as the opening race of the classic Triple Crown, is something all horse racing girls dream of, and Naritaji is no exception. She has been training for this day for who knows how long.

Therefore, even when facing formidable opponents, and enduring the suffocating heat and immense pressure, she will fight tooth and nail to claim the championship. Despite her gentle nature, she is still a racehorse girl, yearning for that glorious moment as well.

Ai Mu clenched her fists, the water droplets on her cheeks indistinguishable as rain or sweat, she could not allow herself to fail, burdened by the mission to atone for her sister's sins.

No matter how powerful or suffocating the opponent may be, she will lead her sister to become a first-magnitude star shining in the sky.

Outside the stadium, the excited audience and the passionate commentators created a lively and bustling scene.

Inside the arena, the immense pressure from Xiuxingmeng and Haogeju plunged the grass into a deathly silence.

Time is far too long for everyone.

"All players, please take your positions!"

Finally, after introducing all the players to the audience, commentator Akasaka announced the start of the game.

Many of the racehorse girls breathed a sigh of relief. Some patted their cheeks, while others clenched their fists and muttered to themselves. But whatever they did, they eventually took their steps and walked toward the gate as if they had made up their minds.

"Who does Mr. Sugimoto think has the best chance in this competition?"

As the players began to enter, the two commentators kept the atmosphere lively by engaging in casual conversation.

"As expected, it's still Xiuxingmeng. After all, she has an undefeated record."

The female commentator from Akasaka was replaced by a calm, middle-aged male voice.

"A very rational choice, as expected of Sugiki-sensei."

"But Narita-ji, who is second in popularity, and Orihime, who is third in popularity, are not to be outdone. From their debut battle to the Yayoi Award, we can see that the gap between them and Hideki-yuuki is getting smaller and smaller."

As a commentator, Ms. Akasaka certainly couldn't let the winner be so certain, otherwise it would be difficult to arouse the audience's curiosity. So, as a professional, she immediately brought up the fact that she admired Orihime and Naritaji.

"Indeed, perhaps this Satsuki Sho will feature a classic three-way battle."

After saying that, the commentator hesitated for a moment before continuing.

"However, I have also noticed another player."

"Oh, which racehorse girl is it?"

The commentator, Akasaka, immediately chimed in, preventing the content from falling into place.

"It's the fifth most popular opera."

"Good opera? I remember her best achievement was winning the G3 Daily Cup."

"Yes, but I always felt that this racehorse girl had a peculiar quality about her."

Commentators are not racehorse girls, after all. Standing outside the track, they cannot perceive the changing dynamics on the field. They can only judge a racehorse girl's strength based on her performance and speed on the track.

However, there are always some astute commentators who can use their intuition and experience to discover things that onlookers cannot perceive.

While most viewers focused on Xiuxing Meng, Narita Ji, and Ai Mu Orihime, the commentator named Sugiki Kentaro relied on his years of experience and keen intuition.

As someone outside the racetrack, he vaguely sensed the true nature of the racehorse girl named Good Opera.

That aura of a conqueror at the end of the century will be truly revealed to the world at this Satsuki Sho.

Chapter Thirty-Four: Overlord and Sharp Blade

Inside the gate, all Xiu Xingmeng could hear was her own heartbeat, the commentator's analysis, and the audience's cheers. Everything outside the arena was no longer relevant to her.

Once a horse girl steps onto the racetrack, all she needs to think about is how to win.

"Peng!"

As the starting gun fired, the seventeen racehorses burst out of the gate simultaneously, instantly cutting through the rain in several white streaks. In the instant after receiving the gunshot, all the racehorses had already traveled several meters away.

And this was just the beginning. Everyone was a seasoned racehorse girl, who found their position according to their plan within seconds of stepping out of the gate.

"Oh? Xiu Xingmeng is actually at the back of the group. Did she make a mistake at the start?!"

Commentator Akasaka looked at the striking red figure at the back of the team with some surprise, even in the gloomy rainy weather.

"No, it should be a specially designed chasing running style. But this is the first time I've seen her use this running style. Did she train specifically for this competition?"

Another commentator, Sugimoto, was also somewhat surprised, as they had never seen Xiuxingmeng use this running style before.

Based on previous experience, Xiuxingmeng should have been a runner or a leader in the tactic of leading the way. But this time, they unexpectedly became the pursuers.

In the stands, Saint King's Halo, who was staring intently at the race, was also somewhat worried. Like most of the audience, she was concerned about Xiu Xingmeng's sudden change of running style.

Only Yongwu raised an eyebrow slightly and muttered to himself.

"Her running form and positioning are much more refined than in previous races. Is this the running style she's truly good at?"

As expected of a world-class racehorse girl, she saw through the truth in an instant due to her familiarity with the racetrack.

In previous matches where she had overwhelmingly dominated, Xiuxingmeng could use her unfamiliar tactics of advancing first and retreating to put pressure on her opponents and slow them down, thus maximizing the advantage of this ability.

But this time was different. Satsuki Shoko's abilities were far superior; in fact, her stats were only average to below average among the seventeen racehorse girls.

We must preserve our strength.

Xiu Xingmeng squinted, her vision blurring slightly in the rapidly moving rain, but the purple-gold figure remained crystal clear.

Good Opera used a cloze running technique this time, keeping a very close distance from her, so all you had to do was follow behind her.