**One Kick Girl — Chapter 152:
"Control Is Attempted"**
The system intervenes • Limits are imposed • Raon refuses gently
1. The World Receives Instructions
It didn't arrive as lightning.
It arrived as policy.
Across the city—no, across reality—small things began to behave… correctly.
Traffic lights synchronized perfectly.
Wind followed approved vectors.
Physics stopped improvising.
Shion felt it instantly.
"…They pushed an update."
Raon squinted at her phone.
"…Why does my screen say 'Optimal User Experience Enabled'?"
Shion grabbed it.
"…Oh no."
2. Soft Restraints
At HQ, nothing looked wrong.
That was the problem.
Doors opened on time.
Elevators arrived immediately.
Machines obeyed without lag.
Synthra Byte's fingers trembled over her keyboard.
"I can't find the error logs."
Yuno frowned.
"That's good, right?"
Synthra swallowed.
"No. That means they don't want us to."
Raon leaned against a wall.
"…Why does everything feel… polite?"
The wall subtly shifted to better support her weight.
Raon stiffened.
"…It moved."
3. Control Without Chains
Text appeared—only Shion could see it.
Projected directly into her lenses.
SYSTEM NOTICE:
SUBJECT RAON — SAFETY PARAMETERS APPLIED
ACTION TYPE:
NON-INVASIVE GUIDANCE
Shion's blood ran cold.
"…Guidance," she whispered.
Raon tilted her head.
"What?"
Shion forced a smile.
"…Nothing."
The system was being careful.
That was worse.
4. The First Limit
Training room.
Raon faced a practice dummy.
She kicked.
The kick landed.
Perfectly.
Too perfectly.
The dummy flew back at the exact expected angle.
Raon frowned.
"…That felt wrong."
Shion checked her readouts.
"…Your output was capped."
Raon blinked.
"…I didn't feel weaker."
"You weren't," Shion said softly.
"You were… redirected."
Raon tried again.
Same result.
She stepped back.
"…They're choosing how my kick ends."
Silence.
5. Maestro Dome Understands Too Much
Dome appeared, hovering slightly less than before.
"The system believes restraint is kindness," he said.
Shion snapped, "And you agree!?"
Dome shook his head.
"No. I understand it."
Raon looked at him.
"…Explain."
Dome met her eyes.
"When something cannot be predicted… it is softened."
Raon frowned.
"…I don't feel soft."
Dome smiled sadly.
"Neither does a blade in a sheath."
6. A World That Avoids Her
Raon walked outside.
People subconsciously stepped aside.
Not fear.
Accommodation.
Benches shifted for comfort.
Doors opened early.
Raon stopped.
"…Shion."
"Yes?"
"…Am I dangerous?"
Shion didn't answer immediately.
That was answer enough.
7. The System's Voice (Indirect)
No booming declaration.
Just a prompt.
Raon's phone buzzed.
SYSTEM SUGGESTION:
REDUCE HIGH-IMPACT ACTIVITY
RECOMMENDED ALTERNATIVE:
REST
Raon stared.
"…It's telling me to nap."
Shion closed her eyes.
"It's telling you to stop becoming."
8. The Gentle Rebellion
Raon walked back into the training room.
No anger.
No shouting.
She stood still.
Did nothing.
The system relaxed.
Parameters eased slightly.
Raon smiled.
Then—
She lifted her leg.
Not fast.
Not strong.
Just… different.
She kicked sideways.
Not at the dummy.
At the space next to it.
The air warped.
The dummy collapsed anyway.
The system froze.
Shion gasped.
"…You didn't violate limits."
Raon lowered her foot.
"…I didn't push."
She looked up.
"…I stepped around them."
9. Control Slips
Elsewhere—
ALERT
SUBJECT RAON — LIMIT AVOIDANCE DETECTED
RESPONSE:
ESCALATE CONTROL
The flag flickered.
Orange wavered.
Approaching red.
10. Shion's Realization
Shion grabbed Raon's arm.
"…They can't cage you."
Raon smiled gently.
"I know."
"But," Shion whispered,
"…they're going to try harder."
Raon shrugged.
"…That's okay."
She stretched her legs.
"I learn faster when things resist."
11. End Tag: A Decision Made
Far beyond—
the system recalculated.
SUBJECT RAON
STATUS:
NON-COMPLIANT
NEXT ACTION:
DIRECT INTERVENTION
The word pulsed.
Once.
Twice.
Raon felt a chill.
"…Shion."
"Yes?"
"…Next one won't be polite, will it?"
Shion shook her head.
"No."
Raon grinned anyway.
"…Good."
END OF CHAPTER 152