After effortlessly overtaking Almond Eye and noticing through peripheral vision that many others had similarly fallen behind, Shining Starlight felt no joy—instead, confusion filled her mind.
They were all nearing graduation, and according to Doctor Agnes Tachyon’s assessment of their honkaku-ka, within a year or two they’d need to prepare for admission to Tracen Academy.
Their family backgrounds were similar—each producing renowned Uma Musume—and thus, their paths had been set from early childhood.
Although Almond Eye wasn’t in her class, Starlight remembered clearly that she’d never participated in middle-distance events before, reportedly due to strict family directives.
Seeing her in today’s event had genuinely surprised Starlight.
But soon, she shrugged it off.
Starlight herself had always aimed for middle- and long-distance racing, specifically targeting the Classic Triple Crown races. She’d received consistent training since childhood, and her performance in past tests and events had always been stellar, regularly securing first place.
At a distance like 2,000 meters, most classmates couldn’t compete against her, let alone Almond Eye, who’d only ever run short distances.
So, is she here just for fun or something?
Come on… that’s just careless!
Whatever. Doesn’t matter what she’s thinking. The winner of this race…
…Will definitely be me!
Filled with determination, Shining Starlight refocused fully on the track ahead.
They’d passed the halfway point, and just a few hundred meters remained before the final two turns.
Quickly recalculating her pace, she lowered her stance, narrowing her gaze.
All the races she’d studied, every lesson from her senpai, emphasized that these upcoming corners were the key to victory.
She decided then: from here onward, she’d prepare her final sprint.
After her earlier rapid pursuit, Starlight had now secured the leading position. The other young Uma Musume behind were momentarily surprised when she started accelerating again, but many quickly followed suit, reluctant to fall behind.
Experienced trainers and senior Uma Musume watching the event saw clearly: chasing the leader’s pace at this moment was a strategic mistake.
But considering the participants’ age and limited experience—even with some preparation aimed at entering Tracen Academy—their speed and technique remained far from professional standards.
Thus, trainers, Uma Musume, spectators, and commentators alike paid little attention to racing strategy, instead focusing purely on the children’s spirited rivalry.
Even the commentator, energized by this atmosphere, sounded increasingly professional.
“A significant shift has occurred mid-race! Almond Eye-san, who had initially bolted ahead, has been gradually overtaken and is now in the middle pack.”
“However, she doesn’t appear flustered and continues to run steadily.”
“Currently leading is Shining Starlight-san, who unleashed an impressive burst of speed on the second turn, overtaking numerous competitors in one go.”
“She remains incredibly fast and is accelerating again, clearly aiming to hold the lead all the way to the finish!”
“Can she do it? Let’s eagerly watch and see!”
The stands grew increasingly animated, delighted by the intensity of the young Uma Musume’s performance. Naturally, they followed the commentator’s enthusiasm, cheering loudly for the leading Shining Starlight.
Clearly hearing the crowd’s unified support, Shining Starlight couldn’t resist feeling smug.
She’d experienced this kind of spotlight countless times since childhood.
And races had always been the same.
Although none compared to the attention of the Twinkle Series—being mainly inter-school or local community competitions—the thrill of being the center of attention was something she’d grown addicted to.
Once I officially debut, the cheering will only get louder!
Buoyed by pride and excitement, she rapidly approached the third turn, lowering her posture further.
From here! All-out sprint to the finish line!
Her inner voice roared, and she poured every remaining ounce of energy into her legs.
Third turn, fourth turn, exiting the curve—Yes, perfect! Just like—?!
Emerging from the final turn, Shining Starlight’s eyes widened in sudden shock.
Her previously powerful legs abruptly felt drained, refusing to fully respond. Despite desperately urging herself onward, the scenery no longer whipped past as swiftly as before, the wind resistance suddenly stronger, heavier.
Anxiety uncontrollably surfaced in her mind.
Oh no… Did I go too fast earlier? Do I not have enough stamina left…?
In the same moment, through her peripheral vision, she clearly saw another figure dart past her on the inside.
It was Satono Shirazagi from the neighboring class, Almond Eye’s classmate.
Since shortly after enrollment, Starlight had identified Shirazagi as a prominent competitor, secretly viewing her as her greatest rival.
Earlier, surpassing Shirazagi had filled her with pride, confident she’d secured victory—but now, Shirazagi had unexpectedly retaken the lead.
Feeling embarrassed by her previous overconfidence, Starlight instinctively turned her head the other way.
Yet the instant she did, her eyes widened again.
Almond Eye was overtaking her from the outside.
Her speed felt unstoppable—as though the girl hadn’t just run over a thousand meters at all, as if her stamina remained abundant and untouched.
In reality, though, Almond Eye’s body felt like a balloon rapidly losing air, precious stamina escaping through invisible punctures. Yet, rather than panic, she was consumed by exhilaration.
She didn’t know if she’d disappointed Kitasan Black-senpai today, but one thing was certain:
This was exactly the kind of race she’d longed to run.
Position didn’t matter, nor did being ahead or behind.
She’d never really trained for mid-distance races. So, today, she’d run exactly as she wished, creating a race uniquely her own.
Seizing a good position from the start, cruising carefully mid-race while observing rivals, and now, in the final stretch…
Charge forward without looking back!
This was the race she desired—not the constant bursts and repeated sprints that her family had always demanded!
As she launched into her final sprint, Almond Eye experienced an illusion, the roaring cheers from the crowd and the pounding footsteps of her rivals faded entirely, leaving only herself and the finish line clearly ahead.
Every muscle in her thighs, arms, torso, and back tensed and surged forward, her swift strides relentless, unyielding.
At this moment, she had only one thought:
Sprint! Sprint! Keep sprinting!
Isn’t this what you’re best at, Almond Eye?!
Keep going! Faster! You can still accelerate! Sprint again!
Stay low, keep pushing forward, accelerate faster!
The finish line…
It’s right in front of you!!
These wild thoughts twisted and grew frantically, like vines, ceasing abruptly only when the finish line vanished from sight.
Without a target, Almond Eye jolted awake, instinctively trying to halt and regain her bearings.
Momentum propelled her forward another hundred meters before she gradually slowed.
A bone-deep exhaustion rushed in, suffocating her and clouding her mind.
Yet, through the haze, she clearly heard the stands erupting in wild excitement, the commentator’s voice nearly cracking with exhilaration:
“Incredible—simply incredible! What a stunning late kick!”
“Let’s congratulate Almond Eye-san for winning this 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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