Uma Musume: Rising From the Countryside to Legend!!

"Inari, are you truly running for yourself?"

Kuroha's words struck Inari One's heart like lightning.

Who am I running for?

Her mind drifted back to her childhood.

She remembered herself crying and sniffling until Tatsuko Yuzuhara found her.

"Don't worry. Everyone in this town is your friend—we're all family," Tatsuko had said with a warm smile.

"So stop crying all the time. You can't become a strong Uma Musume if you cry every day."

The memories came rushing back.

Tatsuko, the neighbors who'd pass her coarse rice snacks and sesame treats, the group that looked like a gang but were full of loyalty and love...

"I'm going to become... a strong Uma Musume too...!"

Finally, Inari One's Heart Lake appeared.

It was a uniquely Oi racetrack—somewhat chaotic but brimming with vitality. The stands were packed with familiar faces: the old friends she'd made at Oi, the food stall owners, the audience who silently supported her.

They weren't the glamorous type of fans, but people steeped in the scent of everyday life—warm, earthy, and real.

Their eyes sparkled with hope, calling out her name, cheering her on.

She saw herself crossing the finish line, all the hardship she'd endured over the years turning into that final moment of triumph.

She would carry that glory to all the people who believed in her.

To become an Uma Musume more brilliant than anyone else!

Not just for herself, but for everyone who saw her as their pride and their hope.

That heavy—yet incredibly sweet—sense of duty wrapped tightly around her heart like an invisible net, pushing her forward.

Her fists clenched unconsciously, knuckles whitening, her body tensed as if she were ready to burst forward at any second.

Suddenly, a hand landed gently atop her head.

That familiar warmth radiated from above, snapping her back to herself.

"The bond of family shouldn't be your chains. Everyone should grow together and support each other like real family, don't you think?"

"Bear!!"

It was like fire erupting inside her.

A wild, unshakable aura burst from her body. Though her breathing grew heavy, it remained rhythmical—like a beast poised to strike.

She felt a fire burning inside—not anger, but a determined will to crush all obstacles in her path.

...

"She's no longer just running for others. Inari's hidden danger is resolved."

Kuroha quietly observed the two. He could feel the fierce energy emanating from them—an invisible pressure made of will and desire.

He knew they had taken that first step.

"Good."

He spoke softly, a trace of satisfaction hidden in his tone.

What should have been a shackle that trapped most Uma Musume—the so-called Domain—was pierced through effortlessly by Kuroha.

"Now, open your eyes. You've already found your reason to run."

Fujimasa March's lashes trembled slightly before slowly lifting.

Her gaze was clear, filled with an unprecedented resolve.

From her eyes, a dazzling white glow radiated—the first stage of the Domain, which Kuroha had named True Self Form.

Inari One, on the other hand, exuded raw aggression. She already had the potential to step into the second stage of the Domain.

Now, her eyes burned with magma-like red light, and her entire body began to emit black-and-red streaks of energy.

The light lashed against the ground, leaving behind searing flames in its wake.

Watching such an unreal spectacle, Kuroha's eyelid twitched slightly.

He had seen lightning-wrapped Uma Musume like Tamamo Cross before, but seeing the second stage of the Domain up close like this—it was a first.

Passion Form.

That was the name Kuroha gave to the second stage of the Domain.

The two girls stretched out their limbs. Every motion radiated power.

"Now comes the real training."

Kuroha led them to the track. It hadn't rained recently, so the dirt was fairly dry—barely passable as a Good Track.

"A full awakening of the Domain requires intense confrontation. You need to unleash the power you felt in your Heart Lakes through extreme competition."

"Remember—right now, the two of you are rivals."

He stood by the starting line, stopwatch in hand.

"This parallel run has no finish line. Run until your strength is completely exhausted—or until the Domain manifests."

As he said those last words, his eyes turned toward Inari One.

For Fujimasa March, entering True Self Form was already her current limit. But Inari One was different.

Kuroha wanted her to fully master Passion Form through this race!

Their stat differences didn't matter. What he sought was for March's Domain to trigger Inari One's own.

Domain versus Domain—that was the essence of this parallel sprint.

A streak of silvery light flashed across Fujimasa March's eyes. She met Kuroha's gaze and instantly understood his intentions.

Unlike Passion Form, which ignored all tactics, styles, and technique in favor of raw explosive power—

True Self Form released 100% of one's physical potential while maintaining a state of extreme mental clarity.

Fujimasa March and Inari One stood side by side at the starting line.

The atmosphere turned heavy in an instant—even the air felt thicker.

No words were spoken.

Only their eyes met, locked in silent understanding, clashing and sparking.

March's gaze was like a bottomless vortex—calm and deep.

Inari One's was ferocious and invasive—wild and intense, like a wildfire sweeping across the plains.

"Ready—!"

Kuroha's voice echoed powerfully through the empty field before he blew his whistle.

Boom! Boom!

Two figures shot forward like arrows released from the string.

At first, their speed was neck and neck. The dirt beneath their hooves echoed with rhythmic thunder, and their suppressed breathing could be heard between each stride.

Fujimasa March ran with fluid and elegant steps, each motion carrying a precise rhythm—like a marching symphony.

Yet she clearly felt the terrifying pressure surging beside her.

Inari One's every step landed with explosive force, like she was trying to break the ground itself.

Even the breathing Kuroha had taught her had transformed into a searing blaze, each exhale like fire hissing from her lips.

"Still not enough!"

Kuroha's voice rang out again, like a hammer pounding at the last barriers in their hearts.

"Feel that longing. Turn it into fuel for your bodies! Fight for it! Surpass it!"

Fujimasa March's breaths grew ragged, her lungs burning—but she refused to slow down.

She remembered the cheers she heard in her Heart Lake. She remembered Kuroha's gentle and proud gaze.

She wanted to make that vision real!

Her body instinctively adjusted. She leaned slightly forward, each arm swing cutting the air like a blade.

She felt a hot surge rise from her core, spreading through her limbs—a tingling, blazing current.

This was the kind of overwhelming power only Uma Musume destined to create legends could wield.

And right now, it flowed through her—pushing her to race against Inari One with everything she had!

(End of Chapter)

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