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THE ARENA BUZZED WITH ANTICIPATION as the Cobra Kai team and their peers from other dojos assembled around the towering platforms. Positioned across the sprawling arena, the raised platforms were intimidatingly narrow, their shiny surfaces gleaming under the harsh lights. The energy of the crowd heightened the tension, a mix of cheers, gasps, and scattered conversations creating an electric atmosphere.

The Cobras began speculating about the event, their confidence bolstered by the knowledge that this round was still points-based, giving them room to strategize.

"Do you think it's hand-to-hand only, or can we use weapons?" Park asked, adjusting his belt.

"Definitely hand-to-hand," Yoon replied. "No way they'd risk someone impaling themselves this early."

"It's about balance," Kwon interjected, his sharp eyes scanning the platforms. "These things are way too narrow for real fights. The goal is probably to knock your opponent off before you lose your footing."

Y/n, standing nearby, frowned as she observed the platforms. They were even slimmer up close than they'd appeared from a distance, barely wide enough to allow for quick, aggressive footwork. Her lips tightened. "That's going to be a problem. I take up too much space when I fight."

"Then don't fight like you usually do," Kwon said with a shrug. "Just push them off before they push you. Don't overthink it."

Y/n rolled her eyes but said nothing, knowing he had a point.

Ten minutes later, the official stepped forward, microphone in hand, and the noise in the arena died down. "Attention! The rules for this final points round are simple," the announcer began, his voice echoing across the space.

"In this round, competitors will face off one-on-one on the platforms. The goal is to knock your opponent off. Once you fall, you are out. Points will be awarded based on wins, losses, and time spent on the platform. Final rankings from this round will determine placement in tonight's elimination bracket."

The smirks that had been plastered on the Cobra Kai students' faces faded slightly. y/n's frown deepened, and even Kwon raised an eyebrow at the mention of time being a factor.

"Great," Tory muttered under her breath. "So even if you win, if it takes too long, you still lose."

"Relax," Park said, his tone calm but serious. "Just focus on staying balanced and getting them off fast. The longer you fight, the more likely you'll make a mistake."

As the official began calling up names, Kreese and Kim  stepped forward to address their students.

"You've trained hard for this," Kreese began, his voice low but forceful. "You know what to do. Use your instincts, use your training, and don't let your guard down. Every second up there counts."

Kim, standing tall with her arms crossed, scanned her students with a sharp gaze. "You've fought long enough to know your own strengths and weaknesses. Use your heads. Don't waste time trying to look impressive. Efficiency wins fights. Trust your judgment."

The students nodded, bowing slightly out of respect before stepping back into their group.

"Soru Haruto from Hirobukan on platform one, Devon Lee from Miyagi-do on platform two," the announcer called out.

The crowd erupted into cheers as the fighters took their places. y/n and her team watched intently, studying the early matches to get a sense of strategy.

As more names were called, the energy within Cobra Kai grew lighter when Demetri's name was announced alongside Yoon's.

"Yoon Do-jin from Cobra Kai on platform five, Demetri Alexopoulos from Miyagi-do on platform six."

The students burst into laughter, slapping high-fives and teasing each other at Demetri's expense. "Oh man, poor nerd," Lee snickered. "Do-jin's going to scare him off the platform before they even start!"

Across the arena, Demetri glanced nervously at the Cobra Kai team's boisterous reaction, while his own teammates patted his shoulders reassuringly.

"Henry Poulter from West End Warriors on platform eleven, Kwon Jae-sung from Cobra Kai on platform twelve," the announcer continued.

At this, Kwon simply smirked, rolling his shoulders and adjusting his gi. "Guess it's my turn to shine," he said, his tone dripping with confidence.

"Don't get too cocky," y/n teased, nudging him lightly. "You still have to win first."

Kwon shot her a look, his smirk widening. "Winning's the easy part."

The team watched as Kwon stepped toward his platform, the tension rising as the matches began in earnest. The crowd roared, the sound echoing across the arena as the Sekai Taikai ramped up its intensity.

The announcer's voice echoed through the arena as the match lineup flashed on the big screen. "Y/n l/n from Cobra Kai on platform three!" The crowd roared, with her teammates hyping her up obnoxiously. "Facing off against Miriam Milano of Falchi della Notte on platform four!"

Y/n stepped onto the platform, exuding her usual casual confidence. Her opponent, Miriam, was already there, bouncing lightly on her feet and glaring daggers at the y/h/c-haired girl.

Behind y/n, Kreese leaned in and asked in a low voice, "You've seen her fight before. What's her weakness?"

Without hesitation, y/n smirked and replied, "Honestly, I'm still trying to find her strength."

The response was instant and explosive. Cobra Kai's team dissolved into laughter, some doubling over. Even Yoon had to slap his knee. From the other platforms, fighters turned to look, curious about the uproar. 

It wasn't an act of hilarity, but rather that of intimidation. And it was clearly working because even the Captain who was facing off against y/n was a bit unnerved by the reaction.

Miriam's face turned red as her teammates muttered in Italian, assuming what they think the joke could've meant. Meanwhile, Kim crossed her arms and gave y/n a death glare. "Do not be cocky, l/n," she said coldly. "Overconfidence has taken down greater fighters than you."

"Understood, Sensei," y/n said with a bow, but her smirk betrayed her.

The platform shook slightly as the referee blew the whistle. The commentators, clearly ready to pounce, jumped into action.

"And here we go, folks! y/n l/m, our beloved Medusa of Cobra Kai, versus Miriam Milano... known as... well, Miriam, of Falchi della Notte. Medusa, famous for her precision and reflexes, is stepping up as the first Cobra Kai fighter of the day."

"Right you are," the second commentator chimed in, his tone already brimming with amusement. "But can we talk about Milano for a second? She's got aggression, she's got power... It often makes her enemies look like they're playing dodgeball at night."

As the whistle blew, the brunette charged at y/n with full force, her intention clear: shove the girl off the platform before she could even react.

But y/n's instincts kicked in faster than her brain. Literally.

Without even thinking, she raised her leg, planting her foot squarely on Miriam's face in a textbook example of a defensive high kick.

THUD.

The shove sent Miriam flying backward with comical exaggeration—arms flailing, feet scrambling for nonexistent ground, and an audible whoop from the air escaping her lungs. She spun once before landing flat on her ass in the safety zone below.

The entire arena fell silent for a heartbeat.

Then, chaos erupted.

"OH MY WORD! DID THAT JUST HAPPEN?" the first commentator practically shouted, his voice cracking with disbelief. "Medusa didn't just kick her—she launched her into next week! Somebody check the flight schedule because I think Milano just departed!"

"Unbelievable!" the second commentator said, struggling to contain his laughter. "That match lasted—what? Eight seconds? I mean, blink and you missed it!"

"Eight seconds? That's generous," the first commentator retorted. "Did you see that reflex? l/n didn't even look like she was trying. I think the Italian Captain's ego might need medical attention more than her face right now."

The big screen replayed the moment in slow motion, zooming in on y/n's calm expression as her foot met Miriam's face. The crowd lost it all over again. Even the commentators couldn't hold back.

"Look at that form!" one of them said through laughter. "She's not even aiming! That's a casual 'please step out of my personal space' kick!"

The second commentator wheezed. "I've seen reflexes like that in kung fu movies, but this? This was pure 'nope, not today' energy."

The arena shook with laughter, with some fans wiping away tears and others banging on their chairs. y/n, still on the platform, blinked at the chaos around her, her expression a mix of confusion and mild amusement. She turned to the referee and asked innocently, "Does that count?"

The microphone caught her words, and the crowd erupted into fresh laughter.

"It definitely counts!" the commentator confirmed loudly. "Ladies and gentlemen, y/n l/n takes the win in record time! And Miriam Milano? Well, I think we can safely say she just took the most graceful fall of the day."

Before anyone could add on, a sudden crackle came through the loudspeakers. 

Chancellor Gunther stormed into the announcer's booth and snatched the microphone. His face was a mix of fury and barely contained frustration as he barked into the mic, his thick accent making every word more dramatic.

"Enough!" he bellowed, silencing the commentators and much of the crowd. "This is not a comedy show! This is the Sekai Taikai, the most prestigious martial arts competition in the world! Professionalism, people! I demand professionalism!"

He pointed an accusing finger at the commentators, who were now frozen in terror. "You two! Do you think this is funny? Making a mockery of this event? Do you want to be replaced? I have a list of people waiting to take your jobs! And believe me, they won't be laughing like hyenas on live broadcast!"

The first commentator stammered, "I-it was just--"

"Silence!" Gunther roared, cutting him off. "I will not tolerate this circus act! Any more jokes, and you will be out of here faster than Miriam Milano was off that platform!" He paused, realizing his accidental punchline, and turned red with anger as the crowd erupted into even louder laughter.

Gunther's scowl deepened. "If I hear one more degrading comment from either of you, I will personally—PERSONALLY—escort you out of this arena! Am I clear?"

The commentators nodded furiously, their microphones trembling in their hands. "Crystal clear, Chancellor," one squeaked.

Gunther huffed and slammed the mic back onto the desk. "Good. Now show some dignity!" With that, he stormed off, leaving the entire arena in stunned silence for about three seconds before the crowd started laughing again, now at his expense.

Back on the platform, y/n fought to keep a straight face, turning to her teammates with a subtle smirk. "Well," she muttered, "that just got interesting."

Behind her, the team roared with laughter, including Sensei Kreese. Kim muttered under her breath, "Idiots, the lot of them," though even her lips twitched with a suppressed smile as the matches resumed.

Miriam scrambled out of the safety zone, her face red with embarrassment as her teammates tried to console her. y/n hopped down from the platform, greeted by her teammates' raucous cheers and high fives.

"You didn't even try! That was amazing!" Tory shouted, laughing so hard she had tears in her eyes.

The Cobra Kai team laughed harder than ever, their energy contagious as the next fighters stepped onto their platforms. The arena buzzed with excitement, but it was clear—Medusa's lightning-fast victory had set the tone for Cobra Kai's dominance in the competition.

Little did they know, this was just the beginning...

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