The 3000-meter Chrysanthemum Award tests an Uma Musume's comprehensive strength, including stamina, speed, strategy, and willpower.

An Uma Musume capable of winning the Chrysanthemum Award is usually considered the “strongest” Uma Musume.

Therefore, Lu Jue was actually very nervous about this race, which was filled with strong competitors.

It was difficult for him to give guidance to his team members for a specific race, and while nervous, he also looked forward to the performances of Seiun Sky and Special Week.

“Trainer,” Rice Shower tugged at Lu Jue’s sleeve.

“What’s wrong, Rice Shower?”

“Your banner is upside down.”

Before the race, Uralala bought many blank banners and had Lu Jue write “Japanese Number One!” and “Seiun Sky is the Best!” on them, two for each person.

“Oh, my bad.” Lu Jue quickly adjusted it, realizing he had been holding it like an idiot for so long.

“Onee-sama…” Rice Shower called out softly, “Are you very worried? I called you many times just now, but you didn’t respond to Mimi.”

“I’m sorry, Mimi.” Lu Jue apologized, but unfortunately, he couldn’t free his hand to pat Rice Shower’s head, “I’m just a little nervous.”

His gaze swept across the entire racecourse again, “Although a Trainer isn’t on the track, he can empathize. When Mimi races, I will definitely be just as nervous.”

“A Trainer doesn’t help you grow, but accompanies you as you grow.”

“Onee-sama… will you cheer for me then?”

“Mimi, remember this.” Lu Jue’s eyes suddenly became gentle, like the warm sun of March shining on Rice Shower’s heart, “If one day no one cheers for you, remember to look back; a Trainer’s embrace will always be open for you.”

“Lu Jue-jun, what secrets are you whispering to Rice Shower?” Silent Suzuka’s gaze was drawn over at some point.

Seiun Sky bullies her, and Rice Shower wants to join in the fun too? Well… it seems there’s nothing that can be done.

“Nothing, nothing.” Lu Jue winked at Silent Suzuka and looked back at the track.

Rice Shower, meanwhile, had not yet recovered from Lu Jue’s words.

......

“All the competitors have entered the gate!”

“The race begins!”

Upon entering the gate, the competitors were already highly focused, so everyone had a very good start.

Seiun Sky was number 4, and she easily cut into the inner lane. At first, she ran neck and neck with a number 6 Uma Musume, but she quickly pulled ahead using her speed.

Special Week, number 17, was in the middle to back of the pack, calmly following the Uma Musume in the middle group.

Before entering the first turn, Seiun Sky was already in first place.

“Is Seiun using Great Escape this time?” Lu Jue frowned as he watched the situation on the track.

A 3000-meter race, he was very worried that Seiun Sky might not be able to keep up halfway through.

His little butterfly had already flapped its wings, so everything in the anime was only for reference.

Now, Lu Jue only believed in himself and his Uma Musume.

......

After the first turn, Seiun Sky was still in the lead, and the number 6 Uma Musume was hot on her heels, about one and a half horse lengths behind.

“Seiun…”

Special Week was about ten horse lengths behind Seiun Sky at this point, and the many Uma Musume in front of her obscured her vision, so she could no longer see Seiun Sky’s shadow.

“Stay calm, stay calm, don’t rush, maintain your own rhythm.” Special Week silently chanted to herself.

Soon, they entered the second turn.

When they were two-thirds of the way through the turn, Seiun Sky bared her fangs and accelerated again.

And Special Week, at the turn, finally saw Seiun Sky’s figure already charging towards the straightaway.

The other Uma Musume were also like this, which made the already fast-paced race even faster!

......

Seiun Sky and the number 6 Uma Musume had opened up a certain gap with the fastest number 8 competitor behind them before entering the third turn.

“Hmph, can you still keep up with me?” Seiun Sky snorted coldly and urged her legs on again.

And the number 6 Uma Musume, who had been biting at her heels from the start, finally had her rhythm disrupted, falling behind bit by bit at a visible rate.

The two were like a train with only one car; now the locomotive continued to drive forward, while this car gradually connected with the cars behind it.

(If you’re interested, you can watch this horse race.)

This is the “Great Escape” method, a stratified lead!

......

“It starts from here!”

Special Week, who had been accumulating strength for a long time, began to exert herself in the third turn, which was also the final turn.

Her choice also exceeded Lu Jue’s expectations; she actually chased the Uma Musume in front of her in one go from the outermost lane!

Her goal was only Seiun Sky in the very front, while Seiun Sky’s goal was the finish line pole of the Chrysanthemum Award.

......

During the final straight sprint, the cheers from the audience grew louder and louder.

Who would have thought that Special Week would run from over a dozen places into the top five! And by the time they were halfway through the straight, she was almost even with second, third, and fourth place!

This terrifying late-game chasing ability and explosive power made Special Week feel like a tsunami in the hearts of the other Uma Musume, powerless to resist, with only the fate of being submerged.

Lu Jue, watching from the stands, saw the same thing. At the moment of the sprint, he could see the flowing brilliance igniting on several Uma Musume.

But the moment Special Week overtook them, the light on their bodies was completely absorbed—the faint glow of a firefly cannot obscure the vast brilliance.

“Seiun, let’s settle this!” Special Week shouted in her heart, her entire aura bursting forth again.

If the track were a few hundred meters longer, Special Week really would have had a chance to win the race with her stamina and burst.

But the pros and cons of strategy were fully revealed at this moment.

Seiun Sky was like a sharp arrow piercing through a tsunami, shooting straight to the finish line of the Chrysanthemum Award!

The winner has been decided!

“First place is competitor number 4, Seiun Sky!”

“And… a new record has been set! 3 minutes, 2 seconds, 4!”

“Second place is Special Week, third place is Manhantans Cafe, fourth place is Mejiro Ramonu, fifth place is King Halo.”

Most Uma Musume who can enter Teresen Academy possess considerable strength and potential.

However, there can only be one champion, and at the feet of the one who reaches the top must lie a mountain of defeated Uma Musume.

This is also why Eishin Flash burned her life to win the Derby, and why Seiun Sky made her century Great Escape to take the Chrysanthemum Award!

One horse leads, ten thousand horses lose their light.

......