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Y/N L/N'S GUT WRENCHED as the world seemed to tilt dangerously out of balance. For a moment, she was sure she'd misheard. But then her eyes locked onto the girl standing in front of her, and the truth slammed into her like a punch to the face.

Tory... with a 'y'.

The name reverberated in her mind, drowning out the noise of the dojang, Kreese's speech, and even her own frantic heartbeat. It was impossible. Unreal. And yet, there she was—Tory, the girl y/n had once trusted, once defended, once run away from.

Her heart thudded against her ribs like it was trying to escape. The air felt too heavy, her breaths too shallow. Memories she had spent two years burying clawed their way to the surface: Tory's sharp voice echoing in the halls during the school fight, the blur of fists flying, Miguel lying unconscious at the bottom of the stairs. And before that, the night of the party—the blonde pulling her away, saving her, showing her a side of herself no one else had ever seen.

She blinked rapidly, her vision swimming. The icy glare Tory now wore was nothing new, but it felt different. Harsher. More calculated. y/n's stomach twisted painfully as she forced herself to stay rooted in place, even though every instinct screamed at her to run. Don't let her see you break. Don't let her know the past still has that power over you.

Tory, on the other hand, stood motionless, her face unreadable. She was good at this—masking whatever storm was brewing inside. Her shoulders were squared, her chin lifted, her body radiating defiance. But deep down, beneath the layers of anger and determination, she felt the faintest crack in her armor.

She hadn't expected this.

Two years. Two years of wondering what had happened to the y/h/c-haired girl after she vanished, leaving nothing but silence in her wake. Two years of trying to forget that night at the party and the look in y/n's eyes when she had stood beside her during the fight. Two years of building walls around herself, of learning not to care about people who didn't stay.

And yet, seeing y/n here—alive, present, and yet so different—sent a jolt through her. Tory's jaw tightened as she fought the urge to speak. What would she even say? Where have you been? Why did you leave? She clenched her fists, nails digging into her palms, the only thing keeping her from unraveling.

Kwon and Yoon stood to the side, watching the tension unfold with growing curiosity.

With his arms crossed and eyebrows raised, the boy studied y/n. Her face had gone pale, her hands trembling ever so slightly. He followed her gaze, landing on the new recruit. His lips curled into a smirk.

"That's it?" he muttered in Korean to Yoon, unimpressed by the blonde. "This is the big 'ruthless weapon' Kreese was hyping up?"

Yoon didn't reply right away. Instead, his sharp eyes flicked between y/n and Tory. There was tension in the air—thick, heavy, unmistakable. He leaned closer to Kwon, lowering his voice. "Why does she look like she's seen a ghost?" 

Kwon's eyes narrowed as he glanced between the girl and the new recruit. The blonde didn't seem like much—tall, lean, and intense, sure, but nothing extraordinary. And yet, the way y/n stared at her was unsettling.

"They know each other," Kwon replied, his voice low and confident. "No way they don't."

"Think they were friends?" Yoon asked, arching a brow.

Kwon snorted softly. "Not with that look. Enemies, maybe. Or something worse."

Y/n barely registered their words, her focus glued to Tory. She could feel Kwon and Yoon's eyes on her, but she didn't care. All she could think about was the girl in front of her, the girl who had once saved her and then shattered everything.

Her mind raced. Why is she here? How does Kreese know her? Does she hate me? The questions swirled like a hurricane, each one more suffocating than the last.

Tory's gaze flicked to y/n briefly, her expression unchanging. But inside, her thoughts were anything but calm.

So this is where you ran off to? She thought bitterly, her chest tightening. She wanted to be angry, but the sight of the girl—so different and yet the same—stirred something deeper. A flicker of guilt. A whisper of the bond they once shared.

Kreese clapped his hands sharply, pulling everyone's attention back to him. "Enough staring. Positions, now!" he barked, his voice cutting through the tension like a blade.

The students scrambled into formation, though y/n's movements were mechanical, her mind still racing. She could feel Tory's presence behind her, a heavy, unrelenting weight.

Kreese began pacing slowly, his boots echoing against the mat. "You think this is a game?" he growled, his voice dripping with disdain. "The Sekai Taikai is not some local tournament. It's a war. A war that will test every ounce of your strength, your skill, and your loyalty."

His words were menacing, but y/n barely heard them. Her head was still trapped in the past, replaying scenes she had tried so hard to forget.

"You're not here to make friends," Kreese continued, his eyes sweeping over the students. "You're here to win. To dominate. To show the world that mercy is for the weak."

Y/n felt her fists clench involuntarily, the old mantra stirring something deep inside her. She hated how easily those words could still light a fire in her chest, even now.

"And that's why we brought her here," Kreese said, his tone softening just enough to be dangerous. He gestured toward Tory, who stepped forward with military precision.

"She has fought harder than anyone in this room to get where she is. She's someone who understands pain—someone who knows what it means to fight and survive."

Y/n's breath hitched. Someone who knows pain? The words felt like a knife twisting in her gut. She couldn't help but think of Tory's life—the sick mother, the struggles, the anger that had always seemed to consume her.

But then Kreese's voice dropped, his words laced with venom. "She's not here to blend in. She's here to lead. To take this team to victory. You could all learn a thing or two from her."

Yoon leaned closer to Kwon, his voice barely a whisper. "He's really building her up, huh?"

Kwon smirked faintly, but his eyes remained fixed on Y/N. "Yeah. But y/n/n doesn't look impressed. She looks... scared."

Kim stepped forward, her sharp eyes scanning the group. "Tory Nichols is your sixth member. And I suggest you treat her with the respect she deserves."

The name hung in the air like a bomb waiting to detonate.

Y/n swallowed hard, her heart racing as Tory's name echoed in her mind. She couldn't move, couldn't think. All she could do was stare as the girl who had once been her friend stood tall and unflinching, her eyes cold and unreadable.

The air in the dojo was electric, crackling with unspoken tension as Tory's name settled over the group. The students exchanged wary glances, while y/n's heartbeat thundered in her ears. She couldn't tear her eyes away from Tory, whose expression betrayed none of the turmoil she had to be feeling.

Kim's sharp voice sliced through the silence. "l/n. Nichols." Her tone was commanding, leaving no room for argument. "Step forward."

Both girls hesitated, their feet rooted to the mat as if moving would solidify the surreal moment. the girl's stomach churned, her thoughts spinning out of control. Why now? Why her?

Tory's fists tightened by her sides, her face a careful mask. She didn't want this. Not like this. Not after everything.

Kim's dark eyes narrowed. "I won't repeat myself."

Slowly, stiffly, y/n and Tory stepped forward, stopping in the center of the dojo. The rest of the team parted around them, the faint sound of murmurs from Kwon and Yoon barely registering in her ears.

Sensei Kim da-eun addressed the dojang, her voice cold and calculating. "With Tory Nichols on the team, the hierarchy must be reestablished. There can only be one female leader among you. The best fighter. The one who can lead my grandfather's legacy into the Sekai Taikai without faltering."

Kreese took a step closer, his boots echoing ominously against the mat. "That means a fight," he said, his words slow and deliberate, his gaze flicking between the two girls. "y/n, you've proven yourself to Sensei Kim and me. But Nichols here has earned her place here too. The two of you will settle this now."

...A fight? With her?

Tory's jaw clenched, her mind racing. She glanced at Kreese, then at Kim, then back to y/n. For once, both of them were speechless, staring at each other in stunned silence. The weight of their shared history pressed down on them like a vice, neither one willing—or able—to make the first move.

The senseis exchanged a glance.

"Enough," Kim snapped, her tone sharp enough to make y/n flinch. "If you won't move, I'll make you move."

Kreese gestured toward Tory, his voice low but firm. "Same goes for you."

When neither girl responded, Kim strode toward y/n, gripping her by the arm and dragging her toward one corner of the dojo. Kreese did the same with Tory, pulling her to the opposite side.

Y/n's mind was a blur as Kim spun her around, her steely gaze locking onto hers. "What are you doing?" Kim demanded, her tone clipped and unforgiving. "This is not the time to hesitate."

The girl stared at her, her voice barely above a whisper. "You knew."

Kim didn't blink. "Of course I knew. John and I discussed this weeks ago. You're the captain of this team. That title doesn't come without challenges."

"You didn't think to tell me?" y/n shot back, her voice trembling with a mix of anger and disbelief.

"That was Sensei Kreese's decision," Kim said coolly. "He wanted you unprepared. He wanted both of you unprepared. It's his way of testing strength under pressure."

Y/n felt a wave of betrayal crash over her. "And you just went along with it?"

Kim's eyes narrowed. "You don't have the luxury of questioning my decisions. If you want to lead this team, you fight. If you hesitate, you lose everything you've worked for. Do you understand me?"

The girl swallowed hard, her throat dry. She nodded reluctantly, though the weight of the older woman's words pressed heavily on her chest.

Kim's voice softened, just slightly. "You've fought harder battles than this. You've endured more than most. Use that. Channel it. Prove to me, to Kreese, and to her why you're the leader of this team."

On the opposite side of the dojo, Kreese stood in front of Tory, his hands clasped behind his back. His piercing gaze bore into her, but Tory wasn't backing down.

"You knew," Tory said, her voice sharp and accusing.

"I did," Kreese admitted, his tone calm and measured.

Tory's lips curled into a bitter smile. "Of course you did. You always have a plan, don't you?"

Kreese took a step closer, his voice dropping. "You're angry. Good. Use it. Let it fuel you."

"I didn't come here to fight her," She snapped, her voice cracking slightly. "I came here to be part of this team, not to tear it apart."

Kreese tilted his head, his expression unreadable. "Do you think wars are won without bloodshed? Without sacrifice?"

Her hands tightened into fists. "This isn't war. This is--"

"This is exactly what it needs to be," Kreese interrupted, his voice rising. "Do you know why I brought you here, Nichols? Because I see potential in you. Because I see a fighter who doesn't quit. Because I see in you what your mother always wanted you to become..."

Her face fell a little at hearing of her late-mother's wishes. "But if you hesitate now, if you falter, you'll lose everything. Your place here, your chance at redemption—it'll all be gone."

Tory's chest heaved as she fought to steady her breathing. "I don't need redemption," she said through gritted teeth.

Kreese smirked. "Then prove it. Show me. Show Kim. Show her."

Tory's gaze flicked back to y/n, who was standing across the room, her face pale but resolute. The tension between them was palpable, a storm waiting to break.

Kreese leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a near-whisper. "This isn't just about the team. This is about you. Do you want to win, or do you want to disappear again?"

Tory's jaw tightened, her eyes blazing with determination. "I'm not going anywhere."

"Good," Kreese said, stepping back. "Then show me what you're made of."

In the center of the dojo, Kim and Kreese returned to their places as the two girls stepped forward, their faces unreadable. The rest of the team watched in silence, the air thick with anticipation.

Y/n and Tory faced each other, the burden of their past hanging heavy between them.

The silence was almost deafening, the tension in the woods thick enough to suffocate. y/n felt her pulse in her throat, her body taut like a coiled spring. But before anything could begin, Kwon stepped forward from the sidelines, his movements deliberate and unhurried. His dark eyes were focused on the y/h/c-haired girl as he approached the ring, and she blinked at him in confusion.

"What are you doing?" she mumbled as he came to a stop in front of her.

"Relax," he muttered, his tone low and casual, though his hands moved with precision as he reached for the belt of her gi. "Your belt's a mess. You can't fight like this."

Y/n glanced down, realizing her belt had indeed loosened during the earlier commotion. She wanted to tell him she could fix it herself, but before she could protest, he was already retying it with practiced ease.

As he pulled the knot tight, he leaned in just slightly, his voice dropping into a near whisper that only she could hear. "Listen carefully. She will lead with her right foot, but it's not her strongest. Her balance most likely shifts when she throws a punch—watch her hips, not her hands. She's clearly very aggressive... you can tell by her body language, but that'll make her predictable. Use that."

Y/n's brow furrowed as she processed his words, glancing up at him. "You got all that just by looking at her?" she asked quietly, half in disbelief.

Kwon smirked, the faintest hint of his usual cockiness breaking through. "It's a gift," he said lightly, but his tone quickly sobered. "Trust me on this. You're quick—use that to your advantage. Don't let her control the pace."

She nodded, her confusion fading into focus as she absorbed his advice. 

The boy finished adjusting her belt, giving it a firm tug to ensure it was secure. Then he stepped back, his expression unreadable but his voice softer than she'd expected. "You've done this before, okay? Don't overthink."

And just like that, he was gone, retreating to the sidelines with the rest of the team. y/n took a steadying breath, her fingers brushing against the freshly tightened knot of her belt. The weight of his words settled in her mind, grounding her in a way she hadn't anticipated.

She looked up again, meeting Tory's gaze. The moment of reprieve had passed. 

It was finally time...

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