20demayo Page 27
Page 27
A lot of bits of grass were splashed up by the horseshoes.
The surrounding air, in that instant, was torn into ribbons by the airflow.
The jockeys' brightly colored uniforms left blurry streaks of color as they sped along.
The Emperor's Appreciation (Spring) – This 3200-meter long-distance battle of champions has begun amidst great anticipation!
"Come on!"
"Quick! Quick!"
"Bai Lian! Position! Block the position!"
"Metsubou McQueen! Hurry up! Don't fall behind!"
Kogoro Mouri jumped up excitedly, shouting at the top of his lungs for the horse he had chosen, spittle flying everywhere.
Sato Miwako also came to Takada Yuki's side and saw how engrossed he was.
Instinctively, he was also struck by the energy that suddenly erupted in the arena, and subconsciously gripped the railing, his eyes following the galloping herd of horses closely, especially that chestnut-colored figure—number 15, Megumi McQueen.
Yuki Takada simply watched quietly.
On the huge electronic screen, the names and locations of the horses changed rapidly, and the numbers jumped and flashed.
The deafening roar nearly lifted the roof off the stands, and tens of thousands of hearts pounded with every thud of the horses' hooves.
The once orderly grassland was instantly torn apart by the raging torrent.
Eighteen top racehorses, ridden by top jockeys.
With a burst of energy as if breaking free from its restraints, it soared straight ahead, carrying the sound of the wind and the scent of earth, sweeping towards the first bend of the long track.
"Alright! White Ryan!"
"Great, good position! Third! Keep it up!"
"With just a little more effort, taking first place will be no problem at all."
Kogoro Mouri's roar was still clearly audible amidst the noise.
He was so excited that he stood up and roared. His eyes were bloodshot as he stared intently at the blue and white horse struggling to push forward and take over the race.
On the electronic screen, the numbers representing the rankings flashed wildly.
Two unfamiliar horses led the way, quickly gaining the upper hand with astonishing initial speed and creating a small gap between them.
The second tier, which followed closely behind, was extremely crowded, with five or six horses running side by side.
With their heads almost touching their tails, the riders fiercely contested for inside advantage using the reins, their bodies, and subtle shouts.
Bailian was squeezed at the front of this chaotic second gradient, and every tiny change in position tugged at Kogoro Mouri's heartstrings.
Meanwhile, Miwako Sato's gaze involuntarily followed Yuki Takada as he locked onto that chestnut brown—number 15, Mejiro McQueen.
Unlike Bailian, it did not rush to take the lead and seemed to deliberately restrain its power after the floodgates were opened.
The start was relatively smooth, and it is currently running steadily at the end of the second tier.
They were among the last few in the entire herd.
Its smooth stride appeared unhurried amidst the high-speed galloping herd of horses.
The rider remained seated on his horse, his movements steady, unlike the others who frequently cracked the whip or swayed violently.
"Number 15... seems to be falling behind?" Sato Miwako looked at the scene before her and couldn't help but whisper, a hint of confusion on her face.
The Emperor's Slam is a long-distance race, and strategy is certainly important, but if you fall so far behind at the start, wouldn't it be even more difficult to catch up?
She looked at Yuki Takada.
“Takada-senpai, did we make a mistake with our bets?” Sato Miwako looked at Takada Yuuki beside her and questioned, “This number 15, White McQueen, is at the very back of the count. It seems we’re going to lose this time, and all that money we spent before is probably going to go down the drain.”
Yuuki Takada gently patted Miwako Sato on the shoulder. "Don't worry, Mejiro McQueen won't let us down. I'm sure it will win the Emperor's Prize this time."
Afterwards, Yuki Takada maintained his hands-in-pockets posture, and the knowing smile on his lips remained unchanged.
His gaze, however, remained fixed on McQueen.
It seemed as if one could see through every movement of the galloping racehorses in front of them, clearly see the operation of every muscle, the rhythm of every breath, and how they were constantly accelerating.
"No, it is still gathering strength, waiting for the right opportunity."
Yuki Takada spoke calmly, yet his words strangely pierced through the surrounding noise and reached Miwako Sato's ears clearly.
"3200 meters, premature exertion would be too fatal..."
"...The two leading horses are moving too fast." Yuuki Takada analyzed the current situation on the track for Miwako Sato: "The second-tier horses are crowding each other too fiercely, which consumes more energy. Mejiro McQueen's position seems to be behind, but it is running in the most energy-efficient way, and it is currently in a wide-open area."
"It is waiting for its opportunity, while also letting its opponent get moving."
As if to confirm his words, on the huge electronic screen.
The speed indicators next to the names of the two leading horses began to flash a warning red – their average lap time was significantly lower than the standard pace for long-distance races.
In the first tier, next to Bai Lai'an's name, a flashing marker indicating fierce competition for position was also lit up.
"Bai Lian! Go for it!"
"Don't get blocked! Don't get pushed out!" Kogoro Mori stamped his feet anxiously as he saw White Ryan being suddenly squeezed by a strong brown horse on the outside, its position instantly slipping from third to fourth.
The jockey struggled to control the reins, trying to regain his footing.
Chapter 41 Overtaking (Please continue reading)
Just then, the herd of horses prepared to charge into the first bend.
The centrifugal force at high speed caused the horses to involuntarily drift slightly to the side.
The two leading horses were forced to run a larger outer arc, and their speed was inevitably affected slightly.
The second gradient is even more chaotic, with everyone vying for a shorter path.
The jockeys engaged in a more intense battle, with horses rubbing and colliding, disrupting their rhythm and suddenly increasing their energy expenditure.
In the chaos, Megumi McQueen, who had been at the back and close to the inner edge of the fence, seemed to finally have a chance to fight back.
Its rider keenly detected a slight gap on the inside and did not force the acceleration.
Instead, he controlled the horse with extreme precision, taking advantage of the inward curve to silently overtake three or four opponents who had lost some speed due to the pressure from the outside.
Its ranking quietly jumped up a few places on the electronic screen.
"Takada-senpai, look!"
"It's Megumi McQueen! Number 15 is up here!" Sato Miwako exclaimed, her heart leaping.
At this moment, she finally understood what Yuuki Takada meant by accumulating strength and waiting for the right opportunity.
Amidst the chaotic curves, McQueen, positioned at the rear, avoided the most intense collisions and seized the fleeting opportunity to accelerate and surge ahead.
A faint, expected glint flashed in Yuki Takada's eyes.
He turned his head slightly and said to Miwako Sato, "The bend is the first screening point."
"The leading fast horse is starting to pay the price, while the horses squeezed in the middle are wasting unnecessary energy. And number 15, Megumi McQueen, is just getting warmed up."
He paused, his gaze returning to the track, where the chestnut-colored figure steadily cut into the straight along the optimal line. He said calmly, "The real race is just beginning..."
As the herd emerged from the bend and entered the relatively straight first stretch of road, the lead horse's decline became more apparent, and its speed visibly slowed down.
The horses in the second tier, having just gone through a fierce battle, were also showing signs of fatigue.
McQueen, with a slight, almost imperceptible urging from the jockey, suddenly increased his stride, unleashing a smooth and powerful burst of acceleration.
Like a chestnut lightning bolt, it began to overtake its rivals one after another at an astonishing speed!
"Mejiro McQueen!"
"Number 15, Megumi McQueen, is charging up!" The announcer's voice suddenly rose, filled with incredible excitement. "Amazing speed! It's closing in from behind the herd at high speed! Now its ranking is steadily moving up... Seventh! Sixth! And it's still rising...!"
"What?!" Kogoro Mouri turned around abruptly, staring incredulously at the rapidly rising number "15" on the electronic screen.
His chosen player, Bai Ryan, lost his position in the chaotic battle on the bend just now.
Because of that bend, who was struggling in third or fourth place, he has now fallen to fifth place. Meanwhile, Megumi McQueen, who had been ignored by Kogoro Mouri, suddenly showed the ability to overtake White Ryan and move ahead of him.
Sato Miwako held her breath, watching the chestnut-colored figure advance forward with a steady and unstoppable momentum.
She glanced instinctively at Yuuki Takada, only to see that he remained calm, though his hands in his pockets seemed to tighten slightly. The all-encompassing smile on his lips was particularly clear and profound amidst the deafening cheers and the frantically flashing lights of the electronic screen.
He had only run one-third of the long 3200-meter journey.
The deafening clatter of hooves, like a dense drumbeat, reverberated throughout the racetrack. The long, straight track, like a cascading emerald ribbon, became Meguri McQueen's stage to unleash his full potential.
Having escaped the chaos and pressure of the bend, the view ahead suddenly opened up.
The jockey no longer needed to control the reins much; his body leaned slightly forward, almost blending into the neck and back of the chestnut horse.
It was just a very subtle movement, perhaps a gentle flick of the fingertips on the reins, or a barely perceptible touch of the heel.
"law--!"
McQueen always received the clearest instructions in the shortest possible time.
Its fiercely determined eyes were fixed on the swaying horse tail and jockey's uniform ahead, and the explosive power buried deep in its blood was instantly ignited.
Its long and powerful hind legs unleashed astonishing pushing force, its stride suddenly increased, but its stride frequency did not decrease, flowing so smoothly that it was like a chestnut torrent that had been unleashed!
"So fast!" Sato Miwako almost held her breath, her eyes fixed on the chestnut-colored figure moving at high speed on the track.
I could hardly believe what I was seeing.
It is no longer merely catching up, but has begun a true massacre-like transcendence with a steady yet breathtakingly rapid pace.
Ahead, the horses, having barely managed to regain their footing after the chaotic battle around the bend, were still struggling to adjust their breathing rhythm.
I felt a strong gust of wind, carrying a powerful sense of oppression, whistling past my side.
Before they could even react, the chestnut-colored lightning had already sliced into the gap ahead.
"Sixth! Fifth! Fourth!" The announcer's voice was completely ignited, roaring out the ever-increasing numbers.
"incredible!"
"Metsubou McQueen! Number 15, Metsubou McQueen! It actually accomplished the impossible, it actually did it! Its last leg is amazing!"