vncnus Page 29
Page 29
Not far ahead of the swift and powerful horse is the leader, who is also showing signs of fatigue!
Halfway through the curve, the arc begins to gradually widen.
An even longer straight road lies ahead!
McQueen was on the outer path, with a wide-open space in front of him.
The power that had been dormant and carefully preserved within it for so long, suppressed for so long, was now released under the subtle guidance of the rider's reins, unleashing its original unbridled nature and roaring wildly.
Its deep chestnut-colored body gleamed with a brilliance of anticipation in the sunlight, every muscle taut to the extreme, displaying a devastating beauty of a charge.
"The warm-up... is over," Yuuki Takada said calmly, his voice brimming with excitement at the impending explosion.
He put down his half-eaten hamburger, his gaze fixed on the chestnut-colored figure, and said, "Metsuji McQueen's true acceleration... is about to begin. The goal is straight to the end. All obstacles ahead will be crushed by its accumulated power."
The chestnut-colored lightning streaked across the outer lane, its engine at full throttle, charging headlong into the final straightaway of the second half of the race with unstoppable momentum.
After a long 3200-meter journey, the final outcome, following the thrilling battle at the second bend, will be decided by pure speed and perseverance on the straight track.
On the high-speed racetrack, McQueen's half-body, gliding outwards, was merely a light turn of a leaf blown by the wind.
However, this slight displacement brings about a world of difference.
All restraints are gone!
The wind from the outer path suddenly became clear and unobstructed.
The setting sun shone unhindered on its deep chestnut-colored, glistening, sweat-dampened fur, reflecting a radiance of power about to burst forth.
The sluggish feeling of being forcibly squeezed and having the rhythm interrupted by the swift wind and thunder vanished the moment the contact was broken.
"call--!"
A burst of hot white steam billowed from McQueen's nostrils, as if long-suppressed steam had finally found an outlet.
Its signature, explosive stride regained its perfect rhythm in just one step.
Each step was firmer, each leap more expansive, and the muscles, working in perfect coordination, unleashed astonishing propulsion.
Even after such a dramatic change in direction and acceleration, its breathing remained remarkably steady.
Soon it became clear that everything that had happened before was just a minor stretch during warm-up.
The jockey's body seemed to merge with the horse, crouching low and leaning forward.
With the lead temporarily secured and showing signs of fatigue, the Eagles, the champions, still have their sights set on the straight and wide final showdown ahead!
At this moment, however, the situation was completely the opposite for the swift winds and thunder of the inner path.
It successfully forced McQueen to the outside, briefly maintaining its advantage in the paint, but the cost of this victory was heavy.
That intense confrontation, which almost completely drained their last reserves of energy, was like the last straw that broke the camel's back.
The swift, lightning-fast steps had lost their previous elasticity; each step felt heavy, carrying a sluggish, dragging quality.
His rapid breathing was clearly audible, and the mane on his neck was soaked with sweat, clinging tightly to his skin.
It continues to strive forward, trying to catch up with Mejiro McQueen ahead.
However, due to the previous impact, the second-tier horses caught up and left it far behind, and Swift Wind and Thunder lost their chance to compete for the championship.
The curve gradually straightens, and the view suddenly opens up.
Next came the final judgment for all the horses. The long straight road, over 800 meters long, was a golden road leading to the finish line, shining brightly in the sunlight before all the horses and jockeys.
"Here it comes!" Yuuki Takada smiled faintly. He had long forgotten about the hamburger in his hand, and all his senses were focused on the chestnut-colored figure. He said, "It is still fighting hard. Megumi McQueen's pace is still sprinting, constantly chasing after the eagle in front!"
At this moment, the power within Megumi McQueen was fully awakened.
The reins in the jockey's hand conveyed the clearest instruction: no need to hold back, no need to test the waters.
There is only one goal—the finish line that symbolizes glory at the end of the straight road.
A deep chestnut-colored lightning bolt suddenly erupted in the outer path, unleashing a dazzling light.
Chapter 44 The Champion's Stance
White McQueen was no longer just running; it was creating a gust of air around it that cut through the surrounding air.
The powerful hind limbs unleash a strong thrust, and with each push, the body is propelled forward with a burst of energy.
The stride length increases instantly, and the stride frequency increases simultaneously with amazing coordination.
The stamina accumulated over more than half a journey was now transformed into a pure torrent of speed without reservation.
"So fast!"
"It's still accelerating... Is this a monster?!" Sato Miwako exclaimed in shock, her heart almost leaping out of her body.
She watched helplessly as the chestnut-colored lightning bolt, with an almost ruthless force, began to relentlessly devour the distance between itself and the racehorse Eagle ahead, starting from the outer lane.
Disadvantage of distance on the outside path?
Faced with absolute speed, this moment became a joke.
Seeing that Bai Ryan, who was lagging behind in the second tier, was chasing after the foals ahead.
Bailian's speed showed no signs of slowing down, and it was now accelerating forward.
The outer lane is no longer a disadvantage; instead, it becomes a smooth path for its straight-line acceleration.
The surrounding air was torn apart by the airflow, and the sound of hooves suddenly became a dense drumbeat. Ahead, the figure of swift wind and lightning rapidly magnified in the field of vision.
The gap was ruthlessly erased.
In just a few steps, Bai Lian was already keeping pace with the swift wind and lightning.
The swift jockey felt the pressure approaching from the side and rear, and tried his best to spur the whip, but White Ryan was faster.
That powerful stomping propelled his body, surpassing the speed of wind and lightning.
Ahead lay even closer opponents. White didn't slow down; his target was the colt ahead.
"He's overtaken! Bailian has caught up!" The commentator's voice rose: "Bailian has successfully overtaken Gale Thunder!"
"From being on the verge of falling into the third tier, they once again held their breath and successfully fought their way out of the second tier."
Kogoro Mori held his breath, watching the figure weave through the second tier of the group, gradually chasing after the front.
It quickly approached the foal in front.
The foal in front sensed the threat and began to accelerate even faster.
But White Ryan's charge was too fierce. It exerted its strength again, with an astonishing stride, and now, relying on its powerful body, it was forcefully overtaking many foals from the outside!
They gradually caught up with the positions ahead.
Now, there are many top racehorses ahead of it.
White Ryan tried his best to catch up, but the colt in front was equally fast, and the gap was difficult to close in an instant.
It held its position firmly, creating a distance of several horse lengths between itself and the rear.
Miwako Sato finally let out a breath, her heart still pounding, but filled with immense satisfaction. It really did it, relentlessly pursuing her from the very end.
After observing Bai Lian's final performance, Kogoro Mouri said with slight satisfaction, "Perfect tactical execution! Avoiding the inner path's strangulation and conserving stamina was all for this moment of absolute domination in the open!"
“Swift Wind and Thunder… has reached its limit. Bai Lian can deal with it without any effort and will surpass Swift Wind and Thunder in a short time.”
Just as Kogoro Mouri said, Hayate and Lightning, who were in the inner path, watched helplessly as a figure flashed past from behind and swept past him from the outside.
Its rider anxiously whipped it to urge it on, but the swift wind beneath it only let out heavy, futile gasps, its steps heavy and powerless.
He could only watch helplessly as Bai Lai'an surged forward like an unstoppable torrent, leaving him behind and widening the gap between them.
Meanwhile, the Eagle, which was temporarily in first place, clearly felt the terrifying pressure approaching from behind.
Its rider kept turning back, his face filled with horror, frantically whipping the whip, trying to squeeze out the last bit of speed.
The Divine Eagle was also trying its best to accelerate, but its fatigue was also obvious, and its acceleration was far less than that of the imposing White McQueen behind it!
Halfway through the straight road!
McQueen had completely shaken off the foal on his side and was rapidly closing in on the Eagle at a speed visible to the naked eye.
The distance between the two horses was being shortened at a breathtaking speed by the ferocious charge of the chestnut lightning!
Ten horse bodies... eight horse bodies... five horse bodies!
The roar from the audience reached its peak, with countless people standing up and shouting at the top of their lungs. The enormous roar almost lifted the roof off.
All eyes were focused on this life-or-death race on the straight road, and on that chestnut-colored king that was far ahead of the crowd and had an unstoppable momentum!
Yuuki Takada held his breath and murmured, "Crush... Mechairo McQueen! Let everyone see what a true 'Emperor' looks like! The finish line is in sight!"
McQueen's jockey leaned even lower, almost parallel to the horse's neck, his sharp eyes piercing the finish line as if he could already see the other side of victory.
McQueen, seated beneath the wheel, seemed to sense the finish line champion's call. Every muscle in his deep chestnut body trembled, pouring all his will and strength into the final few hundred meters of sprint.
The wind whistled past my ears, and the ground sped past my hooves. The outline of the finish line rapidly magnified in my vision.
The final showdown will take place on this sun-drenched, straight track.
The final glory will be crowned by speed and indomitable will!
The chestnut-colored lightning, with an unstoppable, all-crushing momentum, charged fiercely toward the final judgment ground.
When Eagle was completely stunned to see Megumi McQueen successfully break into first place, Eagle was completely dumbfounded by what he saw.
Unbeknownst to him, Bai Shi was approaching from behind, and Bai Lai'an would follow from there.
A moment of carelessness led to them both securing second and third place respectively.
The Divine Eagle ultimately finished in fourth place.
The finish line is in sight.
Bailian maintained its high speed, its power undiminished. It firmly held onto third place, with no further wavering.
"First place, Mejiro McQueen!"
"Second place, Shiraishi!"
"Third! Bailian crosses the finish line! Third place, secure!" the commentator confirmed.
The commentator's voice still echoed in the air above the stadium, mixed with the deafening cheers and sighs from the audience.