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Y/N L/N AND YOON DO-JIN sat on the floor near the corner of the arena, legs stretched out as they warmed up and strategized for their upcoming match against Urda Tigra. The Russian team had a reputation for brute strength and intricate fighting styles that often caught opponents off guard.

"Their moves are strong but predictable," Yoon began, pushing forward into a hamstring stretch. "Not very agile, though. Mischa and Vlad rely on power to overwhelm."

Y/n nodded as she leaned to touch her toes. "Vlad's not much of a threat. He's all muscle, no brain. Mischa, though..." She paused, straightening up. "He's desperate to prove himself. If they tag him in, he'll come out swinging with everything he's got. We need to stop them from tagging out entirely."

The boy tilted his head thoughtfully. "Makes sense. If we force Vlad to stay in the ring too long, he'll burn out. Mischa's eagerness could work against him too."

"Exactly," y/n agreed. "We've got to keep the pressure on and make sure no one gets comfortable."

They glanced over to the rest of the team as the first round wrapped up. Iron Dragons and Cobra Kai had emerged victorious, already knowing their next opponents. Iron Dragons were up against Hirobukan, the Japanese team, and Miyagi-do would face Redentores, the Brazilian team. Tempête de Vipères was most likely against Furia de Panthera, leaving Cobra Kai and Urda Tigra to face off.

As the team huddled together outside the mats, Kwon crossed his arms, his gaze sharp as he shared an update. "Mischa's injured. Took a nasty hit from the Iron Dragons captain last round. He's definitely not fighting."

A collective sigh of relief rippled through the group.

"Well, that simplifies things," Park said, grinning. "With only two worthy fighters left on their team, it's going to be a walk in the park."

Yoon raised an eyebrow. "Not so fast. They might compensate for the lack of numbers with more aggression. We can't get cocky."

Park shrugged. "Still, it's a chance to play it smart. I say we let Yoon start, rack up as many points as he can, and then I'll tag in and clean up. Easy peasy."

Lee nodded, his expression thoughtful. "It's not a bad plan. That way, y/n and Kwon can be reserved for the final round. Keep our strongest fighters fresh."

Y/n leaned back on her hands, smirking. "Are you saying I'm stronger than you, Lee?"

Lee shot her a mock glare. "Don't let it go to your head, Medusa. You're just... slightly less terrible."

Park snorted. "Lee, stop glazing. It's embarrassing."

"I'm not glazing," Lee retorted, indignant. "I'm being strategic!"

Kwon, who had been silent, finally chimed in with a smirk. "Strategic glazing, huh?"

The group burst into laughter, the lighthearted banter cutting through the tension of the upcoming fight.

Park clapped his hands together. "Alright, so it's settled. Yoon starts, I finish up, and you two"—he gestured at y/n and Kwon—"sit pretty until we need you for the final boss fight."

Yoon rolled his eyes but smiled faintly. "Just don't get too comfortable, Sun-woo. I'll tag you in when I feel like you've been humbled enough by my superior skills."

"Big talk for someone who still owes me ice cream for losing Sunday's chess game," Park shot back.

Y/n grinned, shaking her head as the group dissolved into more teasing and laughter. But amidst the jokes, the plan was clear. Cobra Kai's strength lay not only in their individual skills but in their ability to strategize and adapt as a team. As they prepared to step onto the mats, they knew the next round was theirs for the taking.

As the final teams of Round 1—Hirobukan and Redentores—wrapped up their match, it became clear that Round 2 was about to kick off. Cobra Kai, having finished first in their bracket, was almost certainly going to be up first again for this round. The team stayed gathered in their corner, finishing their water and finalizing their strategies, the mood relatively relaxed.

That was, until the y/h/c-haired girl noticed something—or rather, someone—was missing.

"Where's Tory?" she asked, looking around.

The others glanced at each other, and it was Park who finally muttered, "Wait... yeah, where is she?"

Kwon shrugged, leaning against the wall with a casual air. "She's been brooding all day. She's probably off somewhere sulking."

Y/n shot him an unimpressed look. "You're so compassionate, really," she deadpanned, rolling her eyes but choosing not to argue.

The team did a cursory glance around their immediate surroundings, but no one moved to search for their missing captain. It wasn't until y/n caught sight of the familiar blonde on the top floor of the arena.

"There she is," she mumbled, her gaze locking onto Tory's figure leaning against the railing above, her posture radiating frustration and isolation.

The others followed her gaze.

"Guess that's her brooding spot for the day," Kwon said dryly.

"I'll go get her," the girl said, waving off the rest of the team as she started toward the stairs.

As she climbed, weaving through the bustling crowd, a familiar voice stopped her in her tracks. Her breath hitched as her eyes landed on Miguel and Robby, talking to each other near the concession stand.

It was the first time y/n had seen Miguel since he'd left her life so abruptly, and a thousand emotions stirred in her chest at once. She wanted to go over, to say something—but the team's event was about to begin, and she knew she had to find Tory first. She tore her eyes away with a quiet sigh, vowing to find the boy later.

Reaching the top floor, y/n spotted Tory just ahead, her head bowed slightly as she stared out over the arena below. But something else caught her eye—a petite figure close by.

It was Zara Malik, perched a few feet away, phone in hand as she chatted animatedly with her followers on a livestream.

The y/h/c-haired girl hesitated for a moment, considering whether to interrupt. Zara had always been friendly with her—they followed each other on social media, exchanged skincare tips, and occasionally hyped each other up in their posts. 

Y/n's lips twitched into a small smile. She was neutral Zara. They weren't best friends or anything, but they shared an easy camaraderie online. And while the girl was far too lazy to follow most of Zara's skincare advice, she'd devoted an entire Pinterest board to it anyway—half filled with routines she'd never try but loved to look at.

Shaking her head at her own thoughts, she refocused on Tory. "Later," she thought, making a mental note to say hi to Zara when time allowed. For now, her priority was getting Tory back downstairs before their match was called.

Y/n was just a few steps away from Tory when she heard Zara's voice ring out, loud and clear.

"What's my secret?" The fighter purred, holding her phone aloft, clearly mid-livestream. Her smug expression was reflected on the screen as she leaned casually against the railing. "All day, I work hard... but at night I play even harder. Isn't that right, Nichols?"

Zara smirked, casting a sidelong glance at Tory, who was still leaning silently against the railing.

Y/n froze in her tracks, her brows furrowing as she observed the sudden tension between the two. Something about this exchange felt off.

She knew Tory wasn't exactly Zara's biggest fan. Zara's habit of flirting with every guy in sight during the field trip had grated on the blonde's nerves—especially when it came to the boys from Cobra Kai and her own boyfriend too. 

The only exception had been Kwon, but that was likely because he'd shut her down with a menacing warning: "Don't. even. think. about it..."

Still, this animosity had been simmering for weeks. Ever since Zara had defeated Tory in their first match, practically humiliating her in the process, the two girls had barely tolerated each other. y/n had always brushed it off as petty rivalry, but now...

Now it felt personal.

Tory's hand clenched the railing tightly, her knuckles turning white. Her jaw was set, and y/n could see the faint tremble in her shoulders as if she were barely holding herself together.

Before the girl could step in, Tory exploded.

In a blur of motion, she charged at Zara, snatching the phone right out of her hand.

"It's true," Tory snapped, holding the phone up to the camera, hijacking Zara's livestream. "Zara's secret? She's a two-faced bitch who doesn't give two shits about her so-called karate sisters. Unless, of course, it's to steal their boyfriends."

The words echoed like a thunderclap.

Y/n's jaw dropped. Her mind struggled to process the accusation, her heart racing. She did WHAT?!

The y/h/c-haired girl didn't even realize she was moving until she was right in front of Zara, shoving her back with enough force to make her stumble slightly.

"What the hell is she talking about?" y/n snapped, her voice sharp and furious.

"Don't touch me!" Zara barked, her accent thickening as her composure cracked. She forgot all about her phone, now dangling precariously from Tory's grasp.

"Oh, I'll do more than touch you if you don't answer me!" y/n shot back, stepping closer, her words dripping with fury. "First, you flirt with every guy in a five-mile radius like it's some kind of hobby. Now, you're going after people's boyfriends? What, Zara? Can't find anyone desperate enough to actually want you, so you have to steal someone else's?"

Zara's mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water, clearly caught off guard. She recovered quickly, her eyes narrowing as she sneered. "Please, as if I need to steal anyone. Maybe if you girls spent less time acting like a jealous, insecure little brats and more time keeping your men happy, you wouldn't have to worry about me."

Y/n barked out a harsh laugh, folding her arms. "Oh, trust me, Zara, you're the last thing I'd ever worry about. You're like a cheap knockoff perfume—loud, fake, and makes everyone around you gag. The only thing you're good at is embarrassing yourself."

Zara's cheeks burned with fury as she stepped closer, her voice rising to a sharp, cutting tone. "You think you're better than me? Seriously? Look at yourself!" she sneered, her arm flinging toward Y/N in a theatrical gesture.

"That face of yours," she hissed, her lips curling into a cruel smirk. "It's pathetic. That scar—ugh, it's repulsive. You look like some kind of freak show reject. No one could stand to look at you for more than a second without cringing."

Her eyes glinted with malice as she leaned in, her voice dropping to a venomous whisper. "You think people care what you have to say? Newsflash—they're too busy wondering how something so ugly even dares to walk around like it's normal. If I were you, I'd be covering that disaster with a paper bag."

She laughed coldly, stepping back to let her words linger. "Better yet, maybe just stay in the shadows where you belong. That way, no one else has to suffer the sight of you."

Y/n's expression darkened, her body tense. "Excuse me?" she laughed, taking a step closer.

"You heard me," Zara shot back, her lips curling into a mocking smile. She tilted her head, her voice dripping with feigned innocence. "But maybe you're too distracted to pay attention. After all, isn't that boyfriend of yours—what's his name? Kwon—keeping you busy?"

The girl's smirk widened, her tone turning sharper. "I mean, I get it. Poor guy probably feels sorry for you. You think someone like him would actually choose you? Please." She laughed, the sound harsh and derisive.

"You're just his charity case, l/n," she sneered, leaning in slightly. "A little side project for when he's bored. Why do you think I tried taking you under my wing anyway?"

Y/n snapped.

"Listen here, you knockoff Chanel ad," the y/h/c-haired girl spat, her voice dripping with venom, "I don't know what your deal is, but if you think you can talk about my boyfriend—or anyone's boyfriend really—when the closest thing you've ever had to a relationship is stalking people's Instagram DMs, then you're more pathetic than I thought."

Zara's eyes narrowed slightly, but she recovered quickly, her brows raised in mock disbelief. "Oh, please," she scoffed, folding her arms. "Are you seriously willing to throw this away"—she gestured dramatically between herself and y/n—"because of Nichols...?"

She let out a sharp, bitter laugh. "The girl's nothing but a glorified gutter rat. What's her claim to fame? Starting fights and playing the victim? She's trash, y/n, and you know it. She's the reason Cobra Kai is always stuck at #3. She's deadweight."

"Say that again," Y/n growled, stepping into Zara's space.

"Enough!"

Before either girl could throw the first punch, Kim's voice rang out, sharp and commanding.

Kim stepped between them, her expression like thunder. She grabbed y/n by the arm, holding her back as she turned her piercing gaze on Zara. "You," she said curtly, snatching the phone from Tory's grip and shoving it into Zara's chest. "Leave. Now."

Zara looked like she wanted to protest but thought better of it. With a huff, she turned on her heel and stormed off, muttering something under her breath.

Kim then turned her attention to her girls, frustration evident.

"I am tired of this off-the-mat nonsense," Kim snapped, her voice cutting through the tension like a blade. She looked at Tory first. "You need to focus. Stop letting every little thing get under your skin. We don't have the luxury of distractions."

Then she turned to y/n, her gaze even harsher.

"And you," she said sharply, "stop thinking with your fists and use your damn brain for once. If you get disqualified for this kind of behavior, you're not just letting yourself down—you're letting the entire team down."

Y/n opened her mouth to argue but quickly shut it again, guilt simmering beneath her defiance.

Kim let out an exasperated sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose. "When did I become a babysitter?" she muttered under her breath before storming off.

As silence fell between them, y/n turned to Tory, who still looked furious.

"You okay?" She asked softly.

The blonde didn't respond, her gaze fixed on the floor.

"Hey," y/n tried again, her voice gentler. "Whatever she did, screw her, okay? She's not worth it."

Tory finally looked up, her expression softening just slightly. "Thanks," she muttered.

Y/n nodded. "Come on. Let's get back before Kim has another reason to yell at us."

The two girls walked back to the team corner, the tension lingering but slowly beginning to fade...

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