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"FEAR DOES NOT EXIST IN THIS DOJO... DOES IT?"

"No, sensei," Tory replied, her voice trembling with restrained emotion, but strong nonetheless.

Kreese's eyes darted to y/n l/n, who stared dead ahead, her expression as cold and detached as ice.

"Pain does not exist in this dojo, does it..?"

"No, sensei," the girl answered firmly, her voice void of hesitation. 

Her stomach churned with something dark and raw—a feral need to win, no matter the cost. This wasn't just about a tournament anymore. This was about proving herself, about clawing her way out of the abyss she'd buried herself in, even if it meant letting history repeat itself...

Her mind flickered with memories—times when she'd crossed lines to win, times when she'd felt the rush of victory at the expense of her opponent's pain. The thrill of those moments called to her now, a siren's song luring her back to the edge.

The old man's voice grew sharper, his words sinking deep into the psyche of the team.

"Defeat does not exist in this dojo... does it?"

"No, sensei," Kwon smirked, cracking his neck. His casual confidence masked the storm brewing beneath his cool exterior.

"Good." Kreese's tone softened, though his presence remained electrifying, a storm ready to unleash its fury.

Sensei Kim strode toward Tory, the arena's air thick with unspoken tension.

"Nichols," she began, her voice steady but probing. "Is the Keene boy why you've been fighting so poorly?"

Tory rolled her eyes, shifting uncomfortably. "Yeah, yeah, I know what you're going to say—forget about the boy, he's just a distraction."

Kim smirked, a glint of something sharp and dangerous in her expression. "No."

Tory's head snapped up, startled by the unexpected response.

"Whatever he's making you feel—confusion, heartache... anger—feel all of it. And then use it."

The blonde blinked, her breath hitching as Kim's words sank in. The older woman's gaze flicked briefly to Chozen, standing in the corner of the arena. Her lip curled in disdain.

"What, you think you're the only girl who's ever been hurt by a boy?" Kim scoffed, glaring. "We can let them get away with it... or we can make them pay."

A spark ignited in the girl's oceanic eyes, one that had been extinguished for far too long. Her fingers clenched into fists as the fire inside her roared back to life.

At the other end of the mat, y/n stood next to Kwon, her fingers laced with his, squeezing his hand firmly. The announcers' voices echoed faintly from the arena outside.

"Because both Miyagi-do and Cobra Kai are tied at one and one, the winner of this match advances, and the loser... is eliminated."

Kwon nodded firmly, his usual playfulness replaced by something fierce and chaotic.

As he rose to step onto the mat, y/n let go of his hand, watching him go with unwavering determination. But before Kwon could enter, Tory shoved past him, stepping onto the mat instead.

"What the fuck?" Kwon muttered, throwing his arms up in confusion.

Tory Nichols squared off against Robby Keene, her stance aggressive and purposeful.

"FIGHT!"

The blonde girl wasted no time, launching a vicious kick that her ex barely blocked. She didn't let up, throwing punch after punch with relentless speed, her strikes fueled by raw emotion. Robby, clearly shaken, countered weakly, his usual confidence crumbling.

She drove him into a corner, landing a brutal kick to his chest that sent him sprawling to the ground.

"POINT!"

The Cobra Kai team erupted in cheers as Robby struggled to his feet, dazed.

"Robby, tag me in," Sam called from the sidelines, extending her hand.

"She's mine," y/n interjected sharply, stepping forward.

Tory hesitated for a moment before slapping y/n's hand, tagging her in. The y/h/c-haired girl cracked her knuckles as she stepped onto the mat, her movements deliberate and intimidating.

The tension in the air was palpable as y/n and Sam faced each other. Though their personal feud had long since cooled, the history between them lingered like a ghost. This wasn't just a fight—it was a reckoning.

Sam's eyes narrowed as y/n began to hop lightly in her stance, not striking first for once. Her cold, detached gaze sent a shiver down Sam's spine.

The first strike came from l/n—a sharp kick to the brunette's side, which she blocked with her leg. y/n followed up with a swift knee, but Sam pushed her off, countering with a front kick that y/n ducked under. The girl spun low, aiming a back kick at her opponent's stomach, but Sam sidestepped, retaliating with a spinning heel kick aimed at y/n's face.

Y/n dropped to the ground, rolling away before springing back to her feet.

Something was off about Samantha Larusso. Her movements were aggressive, her defense uncrackable. But y/n didn't falter. She liked a challenge.

The girl charged again, delivering an axe kick that Sam barely dodged. Sam's eyes widened as y/n closed the distance, unleashing a barrage of punches that left no room for counterattacks.

The crowd roared as the fight escalated, the stakes rising with every exchanged blow.

For y/n l/n, this wasn't just about winning. It was about survival. It was about proving, once and for all, that Cobra Kai was more than the sum of their scars. 

And she would do whatever it took to win—no matter the cost.

The tension in the arena was unbearable, the air thick with anticipation. y/n and Sam circled each other like predators, neither willing to give an inch. The audience was on the edge of their seats, the commentators barely able to keep up with the ferocity of the match.

Sam attacked first, her speed catching y/n slightly off guard. She unleashed a flurry of attacks—punches and kicks that were calculated to push her enemy onto the defensive. The girl blocked most of them, her movements sharp and precise, but Sam's aggression was relentless and also out of character...

A spinning back fist from Sam grazed y/n's temple, followed by a roundhouse kick that the girl narrowly avoided by ducking low. With a sharp pivot, y/n retaliated with a high kick aimed at Sam's head, which the brunette managed to block with her forearm, staggering slightly from the impact.

"Come on, y/n!" Park yelled from the sidelines, his fists clenched.

Sam's stance shifted as she lunged forward again, delivering a swift combo of punches and a knee strike aimed at y/n's midsection. The y/h/c-haired girl caught the knee with her hands, using her strength to push Sam back, but Larusso countered with a spinning heel kick that connected with y/n's hip-bone, forcing her to stumble.

However, since the attack was under her belt, it wasn't a point.

The air in the arena felt heavy, every cheer and gasp from the crowd amplifying the stakes of the match. y/n l/n and Samantha Larusso circled each other like predators, their movements sharp, calculated, and unrelenting. 

The stress was at an all time high, a brewing storm that kept everyone on the edge of their seats.

Sam struck first this time, launching a flurry of aggressive moves that tested y/n's defense. A rapid sequence of punches drove the girl backward toward the edge of the mat. Sam's calculated aggression felt almost desperate, as though she was determined to corner her opponent.

Y/n blocked and dodged, but the relentless barrage made her footing unsteady. Sam aimed a spinning kick at her side, forcing her even closer to the edge. Just as it seemed like y/n was about to be cornered, she pulled off a daring aerial cartwheel, propelling herself out of the trap and back to the center of the mat.

The crowd erupted in cheers and gasps, some laughing in astonishment. The commentators joined in, their voices animated:

"Did you see that? Medusa's got some moves!"

"With stunts like that, Cobra Kai really ought to open a gymnastics studio next!"

Landing gracefully, y/n's face lit up with shock and excitement. She instinctively turned toward Sensei Kim, her wide eyes sparkling. "Sensei! Did you see that?" she called, her voice filled with rare joy.

Kim, arms crossed, gave a subtle nod of approval. Her voice was strict yet tinged with warmth. "Very good. Now focus. Continue."

Y/n snapped back into her stance, her grin fading into a look of fierce determination. Sam, momentarily stunned by the unexpected maneuver, charged again. This time, y/n was ready.

The fight resumed with renewed intensity. y/n dodged a high kick and retaliated with a spinning elbow aimed at the brunette's shoulder, which she narrowly avoided. Sam countered with a front kick, but y/n deflected it, pivoting to sweep her opponent's leg out from under her.

Sam hit the mat with a thud, the crowd roaring in anticipation. y/n seized the opportunity, dropping down and pulling her arm back to deliver a punch to Sam's stomach—a guaranteed point.

But Larusso, acting on pure instinct and past trauma from her last fight against the girl back in West Valley High, kneed upward, her leg connecting with y/n's face in a brutal strike.

A sharp gasp rippled through the arena as y/n staggered backward, clutching her face. Blood poured from the reopened gash on her cheek, the wound from the ambush now exacerbated.

The refs blew their whistles, signaling a halt. The crowd's cheers turned to stunned silence, followed by angry boos aimed at Miyagi-do.

"I-I didn't mean to!" Sam exclaimed, her face pale with guilt and shock. She instinctively stepped forward, wanting to check on y/n, but the refs held her back.

"Return to your senseis at once!" one referee ordered firmly.

Sam hesitated, looking at y/n with wide, apologetic eyes. "I'm so sorry," she mouthed before reluctantly retreating to her corner.

Meanwhile, y/n was being led to the sidelines by medics. Blood stained her hand as she clutched her cheek, her expression a mix of pain and disbelief. The Cobra Kai bench was in uproar.

"That should've been a point deduction!" Yoon yelled, his voice cutting through the crowd's noise.

Lee added, "Are you kidding me? A warning? That's it?"

Even Kreese was livid, pacing along the edge of the mat. "She fouled! That's blatant! Where's the fairness, Gunther?"

The refs remained firm, explaining their decision. "It was unintentional. The Miyagi-do fighter receives a warning."

The crowd erupted into boos, their frustration echoing through the arena.

Sensei Kim stepped closer to the medic station, her usually stoic demeanor cracked by a rare flicker of concern. "Can she continue?" she asked curtly.

The medic shook his head. "The cut's too deep. It'll need stitches."

Kim's jaw tightened, but she gave y/n a subtle nod of acknowledgment. "You fought well. Rest."

Tory's eyes darted to Terry Silver, standing at the edge of the arena, his expression unreadable but his presence undeniably sinister. A chill ran down her spine as she connected the dots. 

She knew his game all too well...

Back on the mat, the commentators tried to regain their composure.

"This is a tense moment, folks. Cobra Kai's beloved l/n is out for this round."

"And under such controversial circumstances... the stakes just keep climbing!"

Y/n's vision blurred as she stumbled toward the exit, the metallic taste of blood filling her mouth. Her hand pressed against the searing gash on her cheek, the pain now a dull roar compared to the sting of humiliation. 

Her eyes began to water, but she kept her head down, refusing to let the audience—or her team—see her cry.

The medics quickly comforted her, their voices low and urgent. "Come on, let's get you to the infirmary," one said, guiding her toward the exit. The y/h/c-haired girl didn't resist, her shoulders slumping as the weight of the moment bore down on her.

The arena fell into a stunned silence, the earlier cheers and jeers replaced by an eerie stillness. Even the commentators were at a loss for words.

"The match has come to a halt under... grim circumstances," one finally announced, his voice heavy with tension. "This is not the way anyone wanted this fight to go."

In the Cobra Kai corner, Kwon clenched his fists, his jaw tight with barely restrained fury. Tory stood frozen, her eyes following y/n as she was led away.

"Dammit..." She muttered under her breath, her voice trembling with anger and frustration.

Across the mat, Sam stood near her corner, her face pale and stricken with guilt. "I didn't mean to..." she murmured, but the words felt hollow even to her.

Sensei Kim's gaze didn't waver as she watched y/n disappear into the shadows of the arena. Her expression was unreadable, though her hands tightened into fists behind her back.

Kreese's voice cut through the silence, cold and commanding. "Focus. This isn't over. We'll deal with this after."

But for y/n l/n, the fight was over—at least for now...

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