Nimble Beret clamored, 'The latecomer will be superior!'
Relying on her physical strength, she charged forward, unimpeded, as if no one was there.
Even though Special Week was aware, she was caught off guard by Nimble Beret's aggressive tactics, getting pushed aside.
In a race, running diagonally is a foul, but this kind of running style isn't.
"That was close!" Special Week quickly stabilized herself, adjusted her breathing, and slowly found her rhythm again.
At the same time, the 'Dream' team watching from the sidelines breathed a sigh of relief.
It's important to know that Uma Musume can run at speeds of 50-70 km/h.
In such a situation, if one loses balance, it's not as simple as just a fall.
Teacher Lu, on the sidelines, frowned, his face darkening. Only by seeing it firsthand could he understand the risks involved.
...
The latter half of the race became increasingly intense.
After Nimble Beret took the lead, she surpassed the front-runner to become first, but Special Week was not to be outdone, catching up quickly and holding a steady second place.
The two gradually pulled away from the pack behind them, subtly hinting at a one-on-one showdown.
"Hmph," Nimble Beret subtly turned her head, glancing back with her peripheral vision. "Get down there!"
With that, she stomped her right foot, and the soft turf beneath her was easily crushed by her horseshoe, sinking in slightly.
Then, Nimble Beret used the recoil to push off backward, sending several clumps of dirt flying directly towards Special Week's eyes behind her.
Special Week reacted immediately, swiftly turning her head to easily dodge.
"Tch."
Seeing that she hadn't succeeded, Nimble Beret repeatedly harassed Special Week in the same manner.
But the latter dodged each attempt.
"No, I can't let this continue."
Special Week seized the opportunity, and after rounding the final bend, she began to run at full throttle.
Her legs moved so fast they created afterimages, and the whistling wind in her ears seemed to cheer for her arrival.
Special Week easily caught up to Nimble Beret, running alongside her, and was now surpassing her at an ever-increasing speed.
Nimble Beret had originally thought victory was assured, but only when Special Week caught up did she panic, gritting her teeth and saying, "I won't let you succeed!"
As Special Week was about to pass her, Nimble Beret actually stuck out her elbow, attempting to use brute force to shove Special Week away.
But Special Week accelerated again, instantly surpassing Nimble Beret and dodging that deadly, insidious blow.
"Come on, go, go, go!!"
"Special Week, come on, only two hundred meters left!"
"Special Week, you are the best!"
...
For Uma Musume participating in their debut race, most of them cannot run the entire course with absolute dominance.
The closer they get to the finish line, the slower their speed becomes, but from their expressions and running posture, it's clear they are still exerting themselves.
However, for Uma Musume like Special Week and Nimble Beret, who possess a certain level of talent and foundation, the last two to three hundred meters before the finish line are the ultimate test!
Special Week burned her remaining stamina, pulling away from Nimble Beret by a significant margin—one horse length, two horse lengths, three horse lengths...
On the large screen, the entire audience focused on Special Week, and there were no other Uma Musume beside her.
She spread her arms, as if opening a pair of beautiful wings, and reached the finish line, "Mom, I did it!"
...
Special Week walked to the grassy area facing the stands, receiving a thunderous ovation from the enthusiastic audience.
She bowed slightly, then walked proudly into the exit tunnel.
"Xiao Te, Xiao Te, this is bad! This is bad!"
Special Week was halfway there when Uralala ran towards her, looking panicked.
"Uralala? What happened? Take your time," Special Week was still wondering why Teacher Lu and the others weren't in the exit tunnel.
Uralala caught her breath, "This is bad, Trainer is arguing with someone!"
"Trainer is arguing with someone?!"
"Yes! It's that Uma Musume who physically confronted you on the track."
"Where? Take me there quickly!"
...
Teacher Lu had originally been waiting for Special Week with his team.
But Special Week came down late, and he saw Nimble Beret first. Earlier, in the stands, his expression had already been extremely grim.
Now, encountering Nimble Beret was like lighting a fuse to dynamite; it instantly exploded.
"You are... Teacher Lu?" Nimble Beret looked at Teacher Lu, who was blocking her path, with a confused expression. "Why are you stopping me?"
Teacher Lu hadn't expected the other party to recognize him, which only made him feel more obligated to give her a lecture. "Don't you think you should apologize to my team member?"
"Huh? Apologize?" Nimble Beret frowned. "Why should I do something like that?"
Silent Suzuka and Seiun Sky, seeing that the situation was not right, tugged at Teacher Lu's sleeve.
It was their first time seeing Teacher Lu angry, and it was quite frightening.
"Nimble Beret, is it? You don't think no one noticed those little tricks you pulled during the race, do you?"
Once or twice, you could call it strategy.
No problem, Teacher Lu tolerated it.
But three or four times, and the splashing dirt was all aimed at Special Week's eyes—how could Teacher Lu tolerate that?
"Wh-what tricks? Please move aside!" Nimble Beret wouldn't admit it so easily, and she moved to the side.
Throwing caution to the wind, she didn't even call him "Teacher" anymore.
Teacher Lu didn't block her path either. "Fine, I will apply for arbitration with the organizers. If you get suspended or exposed then, don't come regretting it."
He didn't leave any room for Nimble Beret to negotiate.
"You!?"
Nimble Beret was scared. She stood rooted to the spot and turned around, meeting Teacher Lu's sharp gaze.
It was like a sharp arrow piercing her heart, and Nimble Beret trembled all over.
She turned her head away, unwillingly saying, "I know, I'll apologize to her, isn't that enough?!"
"I don't like your attitude. If you're so reluctant, then let's not talk about it at all."
A bad person needs to be dealt with firmly; if you're weak, she'll be tough.
Teacher Lu turned to leave, and Nimble Beret naturally became even more flustered, quickly saying, "Wait! I, I..."
Admitting her mistake seemed harder for her than anything else.
"I'll give you three seconds."
"I... I was wrong..."
Teacher Lu wondered why the other party suddenly sounded like she was about to cry. He looked back and, sure enough, she was actually crying.
But even so, Teacher Lu wouldn't soften.
"Too quiet. Crying? Crying counts towards the time too." Teacher Lu held up three fingers, then lowered one.
"I was wrong! I will apologize to Special Week!"
After shouting it out, Nimble Beret's tears fell like raindrops.
She pursed her lips, but her facial muscles trembled slightly, looking utterly aggrieved.
Teacher Lu ignored her. "Good, tomorrow afternoon at the 'Dream' lounge entrance, we'll be waiting for you there."
...