Uma Musume: To The Top!!

As the date of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe drew closer, the atmosphere throughout Europe gradually became tense and strangely oppressive.

That crushing pressure even crossed the ocean and reached another continent on the opposite side of the world.

Kentucky, United States, North America.

An enormous academy stood here, officially known as White Eagle Tracen Academy.

At that very moment, inside the student council office, a tall and slender horse girl with long, fiery-red hair stood casually before a full-length mirror.

Even dressed in an ordinary school uniform, the girl reflected in the mirror could not conceal her striking curves.

Above them was an exquisite face brimming with flamboyant confidence.

"Mm! I'm every bit as irresistible today as ever!"

The red-haired girl nodded adorably, showering herself with praise without the slightest hesitation.

On the nearby sofa, a brown-haired horse girl glanced up from her phone. Disdain immediately appeared in her eyes as she looked at her narcissistic companion.

"I'm telling you, Secretariat, as the academy's student council president, shouldn't you pay a little more attention to current events?"

"Stop spending every day thinking about how to show off in front of the younger students."

"Oh, don't say that~"

Despite having her admiration of her own beauty interrupted, the red-haired horse girl named Secretariat did not seem bothered in the slightest.

She tossed her waterfall of crimson hair over her shoulder with a dashing flourish.

"You can't spend every day thinking about work, Slew. Everyone needs a little time to herself."

Secretariat blinked and casually asked as she approached, "By 'current events,' are you talking about the battle for supremacy taking place in Europe?"

"Yes. Several of our younger students have entered this year's Arc. We should at least give their situation some serious thought."

Seattle Slew answered with a solemn expression.

If anyone else had been present, they would undoubtedly have recognized these two horse girls immediately.

After all, both had once been absolute rulers who dominated their respective eras.

Secretariat!

And... Seattle Slew!

Secretariat was universally recognized by the North American racing world as both the greatest and the strongest horse girl in history.

From the moment of her debut, she had effortlessly swept aside her peers and seized the U.S. Triple Crown.

She had even created an invincible legend by finishing an entire thirty-one lengths ahead of second place in a G1 race!

Her subsequent record was even more glorious. More often than not, she had already left every opponent far behind before exerting her full strength, casually shattering one racing record after another.

She currently served as the student council president of White Eagle Tracen Academy.

Seattle Slew was the second horse girl after Secretariat to capture the Triple Crown and had reigned as the supreme ruler of American racing for two consecutive years.

Now retired, she served as Secretariat's assistant and the student council vice president.

"Give their situation some thought? Hahahaha! Do you mean we should devise some brilliant strategy to help them win the Arc? Hahahahaha!"

Upon hearing Seattle Slew's words, Secretariat reacted as though she had just heard the funniest joke in the world. She clutched her stomach and roared with laughter until tears nearly spilled from her eyes.

Annoyed, Seattle Slew grabbed a plush hand puppet from the sofa and hurled it at her.

"Isn't that exactly what we're supposed to do? What's so funny about it?"

"Keep laughing, and when we go to the cake shop after class, you can stand in line by yourself!"

"Uh..."

Secretariat effortlessly caught the puppet as it flew toward her with a sharp gust of wind. Upon hearing Seattle Slew's threat, she finally restrained her laughter.

She casually leaned against the edge of the desk, tossed the toy a few times, then flung it back.

"Slew, do you honestly believe those girls have any chance of winning?"

"They still have to try."

Seattle Slew caught the puppet just as steadily. Her face remained expressionless as she avoided answering the question directly.

"Hah! Try?"

Secretariat paced across the office as she spoke and soon arrived before the window.

She raised her head and drew a long, contented breath of fresh air.

"Whew—"

Without warning, a fierce gust of wind howled through the open window, sending the strongest horse girl in American history's silky red hair whipping wildly around her!

Secretariat turned and regarded Seattle Slew with an ambiguous smile.

"This year's Arc is nothing like the mediocre fields from the previous few years."

"With those two monsters competing, those young girls don't stand a chance. Even if you were sent there at your absolute peak, you still wouldn't necessarily win."

Secretariat deliberately paused. Then, wearing an expression of wild confidence, she pointed her thumb at herself.

"If we're being honest, I'm the only one who could guarantee victory in that race!~"

Faced with such an outrageously conceited declaration, Seattle Slew merely rolled her eyes and refused to engage.

Her own journey had ended long ago, and her former glory had already been engraved upon history's monument. She had no reason to bicker with Secretariat over a meaningless boast.

Looking at the two racing photographs that had just appeared on her phone, Seattle Slew sighed softly.

"I understand everything you're saying... but is there truly nothing we can do?"

"Nothing!"

Secretariat answered without the slightest hesitation.

"The difference between those girls and those two is the same as the difference between my opponents and me back in my era."

"It is an uncrossable chasm that no scheme or strategy could ever overcome!"

"However..."

A strange light suddenly flickered through Secretariat's brilliant eyes.

She lightly leaped onto the windowsill and sat down, bending one leg and planting her foot on its edge. Raising her head toward the ceiling, she murmured to herself.

"Mejiro McQueen... and Shangri-La!"

"To think that two [Worlds] could be born in the same era. I'm truly... envious."

For once, a trace of loneliness appeared in the eyes of the usually flamboyant red-haired girl, and her voice became unusually soft.

But in the very next instant, all her energy returned as she suddenly jumped down to the floor.

"All right! I've decided."

"?"

Seattle Slew narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

"What are you plotting this time?"

"What do you mean, 'plotting'?"

Secretariat let out an indignant huff before loudly and righteously announcing her decision.

"I'm taking a few days off! I haven't had a proper break in ages, and you're not allowed to refuse!"

"...You're going to Europe to watch the race in person?"

"Mm-hmm~ I knew you understood me better than anyone, Slew!"

The brown-haired girl immediately pressed a hand to her forehead and sighed in agony.

"If you simply waltz off, while Ruffian and Ghostzapper continue refusing to handle any regular business, won't all the student council's work fall on me?"

"That can't be helped. I desperately want to witness this historic moment with my own eyes!"

"I already missed the chance to attend the Irish Champion Stakes. I suffered a terrible loss!"

Secretariat chuckled and walked over. She gently rubbed Seattle Slew's head and spoke with great sincerity.

"Besides, you need to take better care of yourself too, Slew!"

"It doesn't matter if the work piles up a little. We could even throw it all at the racing association and make them deal with it."

"We only have a few short decades in this world. You need to seize the moment and learn to enjoy your life!"

"It may be difficult for other people to live that way, but we've earned the right to do it!"

Feeling the warmth of Secretariat's hand atop her head, Seattle Slew lowered her gaze. Her cheeks grew slightly warm, but she ultimately nodded in resignation and muttered one final request.

"...Come back soon."

"Yes, Vice President-sama!"

Secretariat playfully snapped to attention and gave her an adorable military salute.

...

It was not only the Americas.

Asia, Africa, Oceania...

Wherever horse girls existed, everyone—from ordinary racing fans to the legendary horse girls who had appeared throughout history—had been swept up in the racing storm that began on the European continent.

At that moment, the eyes of the entire world were focused upon a single place.

France!

(End of Chapter)

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