The Protagonist Is Strong From the Start
"Haha, why are you crying? Did you really think I was gonna ditch you?"
"Hic... hic... Si-hyeoni...?"
Victoria looked up at Si-hyun with her big, teary eyes. The icy glare from just moments ago had melted back into its usual warmth.
"Sniff, sob...! I-I thought Si-hyeoni was really gonna abandon me...! Hic...!"
"Haha, as if. I'll explain later, but for now, don't you dare leave my arms."
"U-uhm!"
Slash!Whoosh!
Si-hyun gripped the sword he'd snatched from the captain upside down and swung it once. The shockwave sent a dozen toy soldiers' heads flying through the air in a single clean stroke. The arc was smooth and elegant, mercilessly precise.
"Ahh~ Should've done this from the start?"
[Confirming intent to attack the people of Krahim.]
[Exterminate the insolent.]
"You tin can bastards. Did you think I'd hand over my little ones?"
The reason he'd shaken off Emilia's hand and strode to the center. The reason he'd put on that cold act, even making Victoria cry.
It was all to steal the sword from that captain toy.
"Not my favorite, but... beggars can't be choosers, right? Haha."
—Kaching.
Every time his sword sliced through the air, the wooden and tin bodies of the toys shredded apart. Si-hyun's sword path was powerful yet refined, sharp yet fluid. Following its melody, the toys' heads snapped off one by one.
"Is this all you've got, soldiers guarding Krahim? Can't even catch one normal guy."
—Rumble rumble!!
At Si-hyun's taunt, the toys' eyes glowed even redder. Soon, dozens, hundreds of mechanically marching toy soldiers drew swords, axes, spears, and charged at him.
[Eliminate the shameless deceiver.]
[Execute the liar.]
Their top priority target had shifted from Victoria to Si-hyun.
"Sh-Shiny oppa... dangerous...!"
"Si-Si-hyeoni... careful...!"
"My little princesses, stay put. Just watch my back. Got it?"
Si-hyun sat Victoria and Emilia in the corner of the dead-end alley and walked back toward the toys.
"N-No...! Si-hyeoni, you can't go...!"
"Shiny oppa, alone is too dangerous...!"
The two girls grabbed his wrist with their tiny hands, trying to hold him back. They knew it was futile given the size difference, but they couldn't let him go alone. The toys' killing intent pierced the heavens, and their numbers had to be in the thousands.
But Si-hyun just grinned playfully and patted their heads.
"Emilia, Victoria. No need to worry. I'll win."
"H-How can we not worry... even so, that's just a toy sword!"
"If Shiny oppa goes, I'll follow too...!"
"Haha, I told you I won't die."
The reason for his unshakable confidence. The reason he feared no thousands of foes.
There was only one.
"As long as I have a sword in my hand, I won't lose to anyone."
—Slash!!
How could anyone move like that? Si-hyun must have taken minor wounds carrying us both. His body had to be on the verge of collapse.
"Si-hyeoni... what are you...?"
"Shiny oppa...?"
Swoosh— Like waves, like wind, his sword traced natural arcs. His flawless, melodic movements drew involuntary awe.
Schwick— With every step, a red line etched the air, and every toy it touched met the same end.
Was this like ants versus a human? His combat was unbelievable, even watching it firsthand.
Si-hyun's sword arced from behind him up over his head in a full circle, then halved back to slice their necks. Perfect rhythm, weightless, resistance-free.
"Shiny oppa... is this strong...?"
Emilia whispered breathlessly. She'd watched him play with sticks since childhood.
— "Little miss, if anyone bullies you, tell me!"
— "Can Shiny oppa beat them with just a stick?"
— "Of course! With one stick, this oppa never loses!"
She'd thought it childish bravado back then.
"Shiny oppa's words were true...!"
—Crack!
Every sword stroke scattered the toys like autumn leaves. Emilia forgot to breathe, lost in his sword dance.
"Victory... Shiny oppa dances while swinging his sword."
"Uhm... it's like a real beautiful dance. So cool...!"
Victoria, holding Emilia's hand, murmured in a trembling voice.
'I've wielded a sword since I was little as a knight... but I could never match Si-hyun's movements.'
Fast, precise, and beautiful swordsmanship. Suddenly, Victoria recalled the day she first met him.
Her first impression: tall, handsome guy. But in their spar, she realized his sword was different from ordinary people's.
"Dojin Master's words were true..."
— "Haha, Victoria Master probably doesn't know what kind of guy he is."
— "Si-hyun is a sword genius. You know those sword masters from fantasy? Maybe he's born with that talent. Haha."
— "I've seen many geniuses in my life. Some with astonishing sword comprehension. But... no matter how many geniuses, there's only one peak. And I think he's that peak."
Sword master, the pinnacle of geniuses. She'd thought Dojin exaggerated. A normal guy without awakening powers as the ultimate genius? Just praising his employee.
"Dojin Master's words weren't a joke... that's Si-hyun's true skill..."
Seeing him hold off thousands with a single toy sword, Victoria finally understood.
—Squeeze.
Emilia and Victoria gripped each other's hands, waiting for Si-hyun's return.
"Emilia...! Let's trust Si-hyeoni and wait. He'll smash them all and save us!"
"Uhm... Shiny oppa can do it."
Staring at his reliable back, they pondered his feelings as he protected them. Probably a warm, steadfast resolve for his precious ones.
"Hmm... looks like we're screwed. What now? Haha."
I laughed hollowly and glanced back briefly.
"Go Shiny oppa, fighting...!"
"Si-hyeoni! You got this!!"
The girls sat on the alley floor, cheering their hearts out. Emilia flushed red with fervor, Victoria teary-eyed and touched, gazing at me. Waving what looked like cotton puffs—who knows where they got them—the SD girls cheered desperately. I sighed inwardly.
'Too cute... but kids, we're about to take a one-way trip to the Jordan River.'
Stamina was fine, confidence full. But one big problem: the sword's condition sucked.
"Craftsmen don't blame tools... but a toy sword is straight-up overkill."
Crack. Snap.
After slicing hundreds, the blade was chipped everywhere, body crumbling.
"Won't last much longer?"
If there was another decent sword like the captain's, it'd be different, but—
—Rumble rumble!!
[Execute the intruder.]
[Exterminate our enemy.]
The toys had wised up—no more swords they could lose to me.
"Damn cowards. Lending a sword won't kill ya."
Weapon breaking was imminent, toys multiplying. Plus two girls to protect.
"Gotta risk Emilia and Victoria finding out... use it?"
As I considered activating the beginner package—
"Huh...?"
—Rustle.
A warm breeze rose from the ground, brushing my face. Then—
Click clack.
A wooden door unlocking.
"That...?"
To the right-bottom of the oncoming toy horde. From a small hole in the alley floor, a hooded girl peeked out.
Like a paused screen glitching with an intruder pixel, this unknown girl appeared suddenly.
Look— look—
Peeking just her head, she scanned around, then motioned to me with her tiny pink lips. No sound to avoid detection, but mouthing clearly:
[This] [way] [es] [ca] [pe]
Normally I'd suspect a trap, but
"No time to hesitate!"
With thousands charging eyes ablaze, who cares? Follow it!
"First, clear a path."
I raised the crumbling sword straight and called to Victoria.
"Victoria! Remember I promised to teach you a Phantom move?"
"Uhm...? Si-hyeoni, why bring that up now?"
"Watch closely. Showing you now!"
Sword raised to the sky, slashed straight down in perfect line. My original that one-shotted Eclipse!!
"No Moon."
—Slaaaash!!
The packed siege of toy knights split clean in half from one No Moon.
Crack crack!! Zap!!
"Now! Girls! Grab my hands!"
"Uhm!"
Dodging the halved toys, I scooped up Emilia and Victoria and sprinted to the hole.
[Hurry] [come]
The hooded girl motioned once more, then ducked inside.
"Better than toy chase!"
Clutching the girls tight, I dove into the hole.
But soon, I realized something was wrong. No, we were fucked!
Because—
—Whoooosh.
"Shiny oppa, we've been falling over 30 seconds now."
"Si-Si-hyeoni...!! A-Are we gonna die falling...?! Waaahhh!!"
The hole was way deeper than thought!
No, how long are we fallingggggg!!!———