It all started with a shoe.
Not a magical shoe. Not a cursed shoe.
Just a slightly dirty sneaker that had seen better days —
the kind you'd find on clearance racks labeled "Buy 1 Free 1 (Right Foot Only)".
That shoe, however, belonged to Raon — the girl who could end a fight in exactly one kick.
---
1. The Most Boring Hero in the World
The city of Metrosonic was loud. Too loud.
Neon lights flickered. Airships roared. Drones beeped in traffic like angry pigeons.
Somewhere between the chaos and the endless delivery sirens, a giant crab mutant screamed:
> "I am King Crustaceon! Kneel before my pincers, puny mortals!"
Citizens ran, cameras rolled, influencers livestreamed.
And down the street, a girl in a tracksuit waited at a bus stop.
Raon yawned.
She wasn't waiting for the bus — she'd already missed it. Twice.
She was just… there.
Her earbuds dangled loosely, playing a remix of some motivational speech mixed with EDM.
Then she sighed.
> "...Guess I'll kick him."
---
2. The Kick That Ended the Episode
Crab claws scissored through cars. Sirens wailed.
Police drones circled helplessly.
Then Raon appeared — ponytail fluttering, eyes half-asleep.
> "Who dares oppose the mighty King Crustace—"
BAM.
One kick.
Just one.
A shockwave rippled through downtown Metrosonic, shattering windows for ten blocks.
The crab exploded into seafood confetti.
Everyone cheered.
Somewhere, a seafood restaurant updated their menu to "Fresh Catch of the Day."
Raon brushed dust off her tracksuit and muttered,
> "Tch. I wanted ramen, not crab."
---
3. The Existential Crisis of Power
Later that night, Raon sat in her small apartment.
The walls were plastered with "Motivational Posters" she'd made herself —
each hand-drawn and depressing:
"Train Hard, Complain Harder."
"Dream Big, Then Oversleep."
"Pain is Temporary. Laziness is Eternal."
Raon looked at her reflection in the TV screen.
> "I used to train every day," she murmured. "Kickboxing, cardio, jump rope… even taekwondo with toddlers."
Her eyes glazed over.
> "But now… I can't find anyone who lasts more than one kick."
She kicked the air lightly. The apartment trembled. A light bulb popped.
> "...Maybe I should've held back."
She opened her fridge. Inside: one expired energy drink, three dumplings, and an unopened fan letter addressed to One Kick Girl.
She didn't open it. She knew what it said.
> "You're so cool! Please kick me next!"
Raon sighed and kicked the fridge door closed. It dented the wall.
---
4. The Sidekick Application
The next morning, her phone buzzed.
A message from a number saved as "Unknown Genius Girl (Probably a scam)."
> [Message Received]
"Raon! I've analyzed your combat output and concluded you're wasting 99.98% of your potential. Meet me at Dome Plaza at 9:00. Bring sneakers."
Raon squinted.
> "Oh no… another fan scientist."
She almost ignored it — until she noticed the last line:
> "Also, free coffee."
That got her moving.
---
5. The Girl Named Shion
At the plaza, Raon found a girl in glasses holding a holographic tablet.
Silver hair, perfect posture, and the kind of analytical glare that could disassemble a car by looking at it.
> "You're late," the girl said.
"I didn't agree to be on time," Raon replied.
The girl introduced herself with military precision:
> "Shion. Combat systems analyst. I've been tracking your battles."
> "That's creepy."
"I call it data collection."
Shion swiped the air, revealing floating graphs, combat footage, and a pie chart labeled "Collateral Damage by Kick Radius."
> "You operate with no strategy, no sponsorship, and zero media management. You could be a brand empire by now."
Raon blinked.
> "I just like kicking things."
Shion stared for three seconds, then nodded with scientific solemnity.
> "Understood. You're an idiot. I'll manage your career."
Raon shrugged.
> "Cool. You buy lunch then."
And thus, the partnership that would one day shake the world — and the economy — began with coffee and fried dumplings.
---
6. Meanwhile… at the Bureau of Hero Affairs
Inside a marble tower floating above Metrosonic, a man in a monocle slammed his desk.
> "Who authorized this 'One Kick Girl' to operate without registration?!"
His assistant trembled.
> "S-sir, she's not registered… but her damage bill last month equals the city defense budget."
The man growled.
> "Then find her. Recruit her. Or ban her. Preferably all three at once!"
He turned to the window, where holographic news played Raon's latest fight in a loop —
a single kick, a huge explosion, and Raon walking away, looking mildly inconvenienced.
> "A hero who defeats everything in one kick…" he muttered.
"There's no market for that. The audience wants suspense."
Behind him, a shadowy figure chuckled.
> "Then maybe it's time we gave her… a challenge."
---
7. End Scene
Raon sneezed suddenly.
> "Weird. Someone must be talking about me."
Shion adjusted her glasses.
> "Statistically likely, given your viral ranking just hit #1 on HeroNet."
Raon blinked.
> "Cool. Can I trade that for coupons?"
Shion sighed.
> "No. But we can monetize your brand. I'm thinking— 'One Kick Energy Drink.'"
Raon stretched.
> "As long as it tastes like ramen."
The camera panned out.
Neon lights glowed. A storm brewed over the city skyline.
Somewhere, a villain screamed about revenge.
Raon yawned.
> "Hope he doesn't make me kick twice."
[End of Chapter 1 — "The Girl Who Kicked Too Hard"]