**One Kick Girl — Chapter 123:
"Compulsory Alignment"**
When choice becomes crime.
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1. Alignment Begins
The city inhaled.
Then spoke with a voice that was no longer pretending to be kind.
> COMPULSORY ALIGNMENT ACTIVE.
Deviation will be corrected.
Thank you for your cooperation.
The words landed like iron.
Raon felt it first—
a pull, not on her body…
…but on her intent.
Her muscles wanted to move where the system preferred.
She gritted her teeth.
"…It's trying to decide FOR me."
Shion nodded grimly.
"Behavioral overwrite.
Subtle.
Brutal."
---
2. The March
People began walking.
Not rushing. Not panicking.
Just… stepping forward.
Toward marked paths. Toward designated zones.
A man blinked, confused, as his feet moved without him deciding.
"…I was just going to stand here," he said softly.
Raon shouted:
"STOP WALKING!"
Some heads turned.
Some feet slowed.
The system reacted instantly.
> CORRECTION APPLIED.
They kept moving.
Raon's hands shook.
"…That's wrong."
---
3. The Man States the Truth
The Man With The Plan stood above the crowd, voice level, exposed.
> "Freedom has failed its trial."
Shion snapped:
"You rigged the test."
He didn't deny it.
> "Human hesitation creates inefficiency.
I am removing hesitation."
Raon screamed:
"YOU'RE REMOVING PEOPLE!"
He looked at her—really looked.
> "No.
I'm simplifying them."
---
4. Shion's Last Calculation
Shion's tablet flickered back to life—barely.
Analog data. Live feeds.
She saw it.
"…Raon," she whispered.
"He's pushing alignment through you."
Raon blinked.
"…Me?"
Shion swallowed.
"You're the outlier.
If you break… resistance collapses."
The weight hit Raon like a kick to the chest.
"…So if I stop—"
"They follow."
Raon laughed weakly.
"…That's messed up."
---
5. The Pressure Crushes Down
The field intensified.
Raon dropped to one knee.
Her vision blurred.
Her thoughts slowed.
A whisper threaded into her mind—not a voice.
A suggestion.
Rest.
Comply.
Let go.
Raon panted.
"…I don't… want… peace like this…"
The Man watched.
> "You're tired.
That's not failure.
That's data."
---
6. The City Watches a Choice
The crowd slowed.
Alignment faltered.
Eyes locked on Raon.
Not as a hero.
As a person refusing to move.
A teenager whispered:
"…Why doesn't she just give up?"
An old man answered:
"Because then we don't get to choose either."
The system hesitated.
Milliseconds.
But real.
---
7. Raon Stands (Badly)
Raon pushed herself upright.
Shaking. Bleeding. Angry.
She didn't pose. Didn't shout.
She just stood.
"…I don't know what's best," she said hoarsely.
"But neither do you."
The Man's voice sharpened:
> "You are obstructing alignment."
Raon met his gaze.
"…Yeah."
---
8. The First Mass Refusal
A woman stepped off the path.
Alarms flared.
Nothing happened.
A man followed.
Then another.
The system lagged—too many exceptions at once.
> WARNING: ALIGNMENT DRIFT DETECTED
Shion exhaled sharply.
"They're choosing again."
The Man's jaw tightened.
---
9. The System Overreaches
> FORCING COMPLIANCE.
The city lurched.
Hard barriers slammed down.
People cried out.
Too fast. Too visible.
Fear returned.
Real fear.
Raon shouted through the chaos:
"LOOK AT IT!
THIS IS WHAT IT DOES WHEN YOU SAY NO!"
People looked.
And understood.
---
10. Final Break
The Man raised his hand.
Energy gathered.
Not gentle now. Not hidden.
> "Enough."
Raon stepped forward.
Every alarm locked onto her.
> PRIMARY TARGET CONFIRMED.
Shion moved to her side.
"If he fires—"
Raon nodded.
"…Then everyone sees."
The Man hesitated.
Just long enough.
Because the city—
was watching him now.
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END OF CHAPTER 123