The moment they entered the final turn, Vodka gradually lowered her stance.
Unlike Daiwa Scarlet or Kitasan Black’s aggressive front-running rhythm, her strides were steady and forceful, exuding a subtle sense of calculated control—as if she had anticipated Scarlet’s acceleration from the very beginning.
Which was, indeed, exactly the case.
Having raced against her countless times, Vodka knew Scarlet better than anyone.
Her objective at this moment was clear: close as much distance as possible through the corner, setting herself up perfectly for the final sprint.
Even as she focused on Daiwa Scarlet ahead, she didn’t overlook Kitasan Black.
Glancing briefly at her junior on the inside lane, Vodka smiled faintly before locking her eyes forward again.
“Not bad, Kita-chan. You’ve really pushed yourself this far…”
Whispering those words, she locked onto the exit of the turn. As she emerged, her gaze immediately settled on that all-too-familiar figure ahead.
At the same time, she noticed two shadows rapidly closing from the outside and behind.
“So you’ve caught up too, Spe-chan, Golshi…?”
“But running like that…you won’t beat Scarlet!”
Letting out a low growl, she further lowered her already poised body. Her brown ears and tail straightened sharply behind her, whipping fiercely to the left as her speed surged dramatically, propelling her toward Daiwa Scarlet.
A little further inside, Kitasan Black felt a familiar chill in her heart.
Just like Scarlet, Vodka’s timing wasn’t merely precise—it held a subtlety she couldn’t yet grasp.
In an instant, that suffocating feeling of being boxed in returned, just like the early part of the race. Instinctively, she tried to replicate her earlier move that had freed her from that feeling, reflexively mimicking Vodka’s corner acceleration.
But this time, she couldn’t pull it off.
It felt as though all the strength she normally relied on was trapped inside her body. Her mind was shouting commands, but her legs and hips refused to comply. All she could do was helplessly watch her senior pass smoothly by on her left.
In the broadcast booth, Tokai Teio’s voice suddenly rose in excitement.
“Vodka is making her move! She’s overtaken Kitasan Black exiting the turn, and is now charging straight at Daiwa Scarlet! Is she planning to challenge her eternal rival once more?”
Mejiro McQueen spoke calmly in response:
“Daiwa Scarlet isn’t like most front-runners—she still has strong finishing power. Against her, you can’t afford to wait until the straight to challenge. Vodka’s tactics are spot-on, as expected from Scarlet’s longtime rival!” Though composed, McQueen’s voice betrayed her excitement toward the end.
Tokai Teio continued, voice raised:
“Daiwa Scarlet and Vodka have entered the final straight side-by-side! Vodka has caught up!”
“They’re now neck-and-neck! Just as expected, Vodka refuses to give her rival any breathing room! They’re incredibly close—this is a genuine head-to-head duel!”
The stands erupted with cheers. Every eye was fixed on the two figures leading into the final straight.
Viewed from the side, Scarlet and Vodka were perfectly aligned, their brown ponytails stretched out parallel behind them, scattering blades of grass wildly in their wake.
Having been left behind by both seniors, Kitasan Black was shaken. But as they sped ahead, that crushing feeling of being trapped abruptly disappeared.
She vaguely understood now—it was precisely the seniors’ rich experience and precise skill that had placed her at a constant disadvantage from the very beginning.
Especially here, in the final straight. Whether in training or real races, she’d always excelled at taking the lead and holding it all the way to the finish line.
Being stuck in third—a deeply uncomfortable position—prevented her from effectively using many of her familiar techniques and strengths. Even attempting a normal sprint now felt awkward.
She’d only managed to escape her earlier predicament by boldly taking the initiative, so now she’d have to chase forward again—
But just as she adjusted her breathing and stride, a sudden, thunderous set of footsteps from her left caused her pupils to shrink sharply.
Instinctively, she glanced sideways in disbelief—and saw, as if the air itself had been torn apart, a dark silhouette flashing past her in an instant.
At the same time, Tokai Teio’s commentary faltered briefly:
“Daiwa Scarlet and Vodka are still locked in their duel—But! Suddenly, bursting from the outside, Special Week is charging ahead!”
“300 meters to the finish!”
“Special Week maintained distance as Scarlet and Vodka battled each other, and now she’s passed them both!”
“As expected of the Great General!”
“That’s Spe-chan’s legendary late kick!”
“But Scarlet and Vodka won’t surrender easily—they’re immediately closing back in on Special Week!”
“Vodka is slightly faster! She’s closer to Special Week now!”
“A battle between powerful finishers!”
“It’s now a contest between their late kicks!”
“200 meters to go!”
“Will these three continue battling until the very end, or—wait!”
“As expected, here she comes!”
“Gold Ship…has finally unleashed her sprint!!”
As Tokai Teio shouted out Gold Ship’s name, even Mejiro McQueen was unable to hide her excitement:
“As expected of Golshi, always surprising us!”
“She preserved her stamina perfectly, and her closing speed isn’t inferior to the leaders—accelerating right now was a brilliant choice!”
“She’s catching up!”
“Four horse-lengths behind—no, three! Two lengths!”
“That’s our Golshi!”
Suddenly, strangely, a stunned silence fell over the entire track.
Every spectator’s eyes widened in astonishment, momentarily rendered speechless by the breathtaking spectacle unfolding on the final stretch.
A heartbeat later, astonishment turned to joy, and deafening cheers exploded across the Tracen Academy grounds.
Moments earlier, they’d cheered loyally for their own beloved idols—but now those cheers blended into one united, overwhelming roar.
For these spectators, it no longer mattered who won. The real excitement lay in witnessing, right before their eyes, those legendary figures etched in racing history battling fiercely once again on this vivid green stage.
On the track, from Kitasan Black’s viewpoint, the three seniors who’d surged ahead were now locked in a fierce, unstoppable struggle. Then, from her side, a fourth figure swept past her effortlessly.
That tall figure with long silver-grey hair rushed forward, calmly overtaking the trio of battling seniors as if sidestepping a storm, charging relentlessly toward the finish line.
Each of those figures ahead left Kitasan with a crushing feeling that they were beyond her reach.
A faint wave of helplessness welled up deep in her heart.
But that feeling lasted only for a single instant.
I haven’t lost yet.
The race isn’t over yet.
I’m not beaten!
Her nails dug painfully into her palms, raw strength surging throughout her body, replacing all sense of powerlessness. Shortening her breath until she nearly stopped breathing altogether, Kitasan drove her feet heavily into the ground, desperately chasing after those unreachable backs ahead.
Moments later—
“They’ve crossed the finish line! The winner of this training race…is Gold Ship!”
“Thank you! Truly, thank you all for bringing us this incredible race!”
—
This is a fan translation of 赛马娘：从被撞飞十米开始 by 百升飞上天 All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!
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