It was only then that the bald man sensed something was amiss, and he began to feel flustered. He urged his horse harder, spurring it to increase its speed, but he didn’t stop there. Frantically, he continued to hit its rear, hoping to outpace Hera and the others.


    However, his horse had expended much of its energy maintaining its speed from the start until it reached the three-quarter-mile mark. Now, it was running on fumes, its energy steadily depleting with each stride.


    Observing herpetitor’s horse, Hera smirked knowingly. She spurred Diamond to increase its pace, tapping into the fastest speed they had achieved during their training sessions just a few days prior. With only a few meters remaining until the finish line, the bald man began tog behind. His horse’s nose now barely reached Diamond’s belly, while Hera remained neck and neck with Xavier and Zen.


    With just a 2-inch lead, Hera was in front. Sensing his decline, the bald man’s expression turned malicious as he made a desperate decision. Swinging his horsewhip to the other side, heshed out at Diamond’s rear, his actions betraying his desperation.


    Swoosh-


    Fortunately for Hera, her vignce paid off. From the moment she took the lead, she kept a keen eye on her opponent, anticipating any potential moves. As she noticed the subtle shift in his posture and the glimmer in his eye while he moved his horsewhip to the other side, she instantly recognized his intentions. Reacting swiftly, she readied her own horsewhip in response.


    As the bald manshed out with his horsewhip, Hera swiftly intercepted it with her own, catching him off guard. His gaze snapped towards Hera, who met his stare with a cold, unwavering gaze. Meanwhile, her horsewhip shielded Diamond’s rear, thwarting the attack that had been rigged with small needles.


    They held their ground in a tense standoff for a few seconds. Then, without warning, Hera pushed his horsewhip forcefully, catching him off guard. With a startled yelp, he lost his grip on the whip, watching helplessly as it tumbled onto the race track. Seizing the opportunity, Hera urged Diamond into a final burst of speed, widening her lead from the rest by a mere 8-9 inches, but it proved to be enough to clinch victory as they crossed the finish line first.


    Hera crossed the finish line with a narrow lead over Xavier, followed closely by Zen. However, the bald man, having pushed his horse too aggressively, fell behind, eventually being overtaken by the previous 2nd and 3rd ce contenders, relegating him to 6th ce in the race.


    The MC’s voice resounded across the tranquil racetrack, proiming the victor of the race, as a hush descended over the spectators, gripped by the intensity of thepetition that had pitted the four contenders against each other in a high-speed battle.


    The MC’s announcement rings out even as Hera and the others are still catching their breath. "Diamond, the two-time consecutive champion, returns to im its third championship title on the national stage! This young steed hasn’t lost an ounce of its momentum despite a year’s failure due to an ident from racing! Congrattions to the winner!"


    Only then did the spectators seated along the track rise up in a fervent uproar.