Uma Musume: To The Top!!

Chapter 335 335: 446

The Prince of Wales's Stakes was held twenty days after the Prix d'Ispahan.

After Kuroha and the others finished their rest period in Ireland and threw themselves into more than ten days of high-intensity training, they headed straight for Royal Ascot Racecourse in Britain.

The final result was exactly as expected.

Mejiro McQueen once again defeated the European field by a massive margin of five lengths.

Originally, because of Oguri Cap's overwhelming victory during last year's expedition, the outside world's view of Far Eastern uma musume had changed somewhat.

Even so, the stereotype that Far Eastern uma musume were weak was still difficult to erase.

Now, however, after being tempered by two major international G1 races, the Prix d'Ispahan and the Prince of Wales's Stakes, that stereotype had been completely wiped away.

At this moment, the entire European, even global, uma musume world already knew.

A world-class Far Eastern gray uma musume of top-tier ability, who had seized two crowns in a single month, had burst onto the stage.

But during the Prince of Wales's Stakes, a two-thousand-meter Medium turf race, something happened that left Kuroha deeply surprised.

Aside from McQueen herself, two other uma musume who had stepped into the second stage of Domain appeared on the track at the same time.

On the final straight, they went completely berserk, charging toward the crown with everything they had.

Although they ultimately lost, the grit, strength, and determination they unleashed were enough to leave anyone speechless.

"Terimon... and Environment Friend."

Sitting on the plane back to Ireland, Kuroha silently repeated those two names, unable to keep a trace of emotion from rising in his chest.

Throughout history, whenever a world-class uma musume ruler destined to leave her name behind emerged, enough worthy rivals would always appear around her.

Precisely because those opponents were powerful beyond imagination, the winner who could defeat all of them seemed even more unbelievable.

Clearly, Show Dancer, who would return to the peak by conquering the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp in the future, was currently living in an era dazzling beyond belief.

In less than two months since the expedition began last month, Kuroha had personally seen three Domain-class uma musume.

If Generous, Magic Night, and the other European powerhouses in the data were counted as well, then the number of Domain-class uma musume aiming for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe had already reached six. Add Mejiro McQueen, and there were at least seven.

When Oguri Cap went on expedition last year, when had they ever seen this many top-class uma musume?

Counting Ireland's Elmaamul and Hong Kong's Jirasku, there had only been two in the whole field.

Thinking through the intelligence in his mind, Kuroha could not help developing a premonition.

This year's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe might let him witness a miracle for the ages.

It would be a miracle even more spectacular than the Arima Kinen that, a century ago, began Tracen Academy's seven-crown legend.

"But if McQueen isn't counted, then historically, did Show Dancer face at least five Domain-class opponents and still win?"

Her opponents were already this powerful.

Then just what level would Show Dancer reach in the end, after defeating them and carving her name into Longchamp?

Kuroha stared at the white clouds outside the airplane window, somewhat dazed.

"Hane-kun."

Just then, the goddess called softly from behind him.

Kuroha paused, then looked up. "Godolphin? Is something wrong?"

The blue goddess poked her little head out from behind the seat and looked at Kuroha with a beaming smile.

"My Hane-kun energy is almost running out. I need Hane-kun to give me a strong infusion!"

"...What kind of dangerous wording are you using now?"

At her words, several black lines seemed to fall across Kuroha's forehead.

He raised his hand and condensed a Rasengan of Blessing Power, which Godolphin swallowed in big mouthfuls.

"Ah-mmph. Energy replenished!"

Godolphin smiled, reached out, and brushed Kuroha's bangs over his forehead. "Speaking of which, why were you frowning just now? Did you run into some difficulty?"

"It isn't exactly a difficulty..."

Before he could finish, Kuroha abruptly stopped.

As if thinking of something, he raised both hands and pressed them against Godolphin's soft, round cheeks, holding the goddess's head in place from both sides.

"Godolphin."

"Mm?"

Godolphin blinked at him, giving a muffled sound of confusion.

"You Three Goddesses said before that McQueen is the only active uma musume in this era who has stepped into Domain: World, right?"

"That's right."

The blue goddess nodded in confirmation.

"Who possessed 'World' before her?"

"Before her..."

Godolphin lifted her eyes and thought about it, then said, "According to Yamato-gawa Fumiki's instructions...?"

Kuroha rolled his eyes. "No nonsense."

As the Three Goddesses of uma musume, how could the three of them not have command of the ultimate power of uma musume?

"Mm... Aside from that..."

Godolphin fell silent for a moment, then spoke several names.

"Eclipse... Gladiateur... Phar Lap... Frankel... Secretariat..."

She listed dozens of names in one breath.

To other people, dozens might sound like a large number, but for the Three Goddesses, who had lived through at least three hundred years, it was very, very few.

Only at the very end did she pause and say the final name.

"Suave Dancer!"

...

At a training ground in France's Tracen Academy.

A dark-skinned girl had just finished training. A towel rested around her neck as she panted lightly, one hand on her hip while she looked at her phone.

"Prince of Wales's Stakes, winner: Mejiro McQueen!"

The commentator's impassioned voice rang from the phone.

"Her second consecutive G1 victory since landing in Europe!"

"This Far Eastern uma musume is announcing her arrival to the world with storm-like momentum! Mejiro McQueen!"

The British commentator's heated voice was broadcast together with the boiling cheers of Royal Ascot Racecourse.

Show Dancer held her phone, her expression somewhat dazed.

She automatically filtered out the background noise, and in her mind, only that purple figure's unrivaled finishing burst on the final straight remained.

"What a terrifying younger generation," a clear voice suddenly came from beside her.

Show Dancer snapped back to herself and saw Suave Dancer standing at her side.

She wore France Tracen's school uniform, her arms folded. Her tied-up long hair reached her waist, and at that moment, she was looking sideways at the phone screen.

Seeing that Show Dancer had finished watching the recording, Suave Dancer directly waved a hand.

"Finished? Then keep training. Don't waste time."

Show Dancer scratched her head.

"Suave-nee, aren't you worried? This Mejiro McQueen is way stronger than what you told me before."

"I even suspect Generous may not be her match."

Suave Dancer glanced sideways at her. "I'm a retired academy employee. What do I need to be worried about? Shouldn't you be the one worrying?"

Show Dancer came to a sudden realization. "Oh, right..."

This idiot.

Suave Dancer shook her head and turned toward the track. But after only a few steps, she stopped.

She turned slightly sideways, her eyes narrowing as she spoke softly.

"Shu."

"Huh? What is it?" Show Dancer responded in confusion.

Suave Dancer was silent for a long while before asking quietly, "Do you think the old me was strong?"

"Of course!"

Show Dancer gave her a thumbs-up without even thinking. "Suave-nee was crazy strong!"

Hearing Show Dancer's praise, the brown-haired girl showed no particular reaction.

Instead, the wind around them seemed to stop for no reason at all.

"...I admit that back then, I did not do everything perfectly, and I was not worthy of the name 'the strongest' that everyone gave me."

"I was arrogant. I was lazy. I neglected my training. I lost, became depressed, and even gave up on myself..."

As she spoke, Suave Dancer paused, then suddenly stood side-on.

Deep within her pupils, a silver light shone with blinding brilliance.

"But!"

Boom!

In the next instant, without the slightest warning, an incomparably surging pressure like a storm and a tsunami erupted from the girl's body.

Endless deep-purple streams of Domain light extended from the void, dancing wildly in every direction and dyeing the entire area into a purple sea.

Show Dancer's mind went completely blank in that instant.

Domain?

Her retired uma musume senior had unleashed a Domain in no way inferior to her own?

What kind of joke was this?

Suave Dancer looked calmly at Show Dancer, who was now completely stunned, and continued.

"Even with all those shortcomings, that era was still my era, and that track was still mine."

"...But now, my era has long since ended. I also did not betray everyone's expectations. I gave my racing career a proper ending."

"So, Shu..."

"Whose era do you think this one is? And whose track?"

(End of Chapter)

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