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AFTER AN INTENSE EVENING WITH SENSEI KIM, y/n felt like she was running on fumes. The meeting had stretched well past dinner, with the older woman meticulously dissecting video clips and explaining the tactics she planned to drill into them during their early-morning training session. It was mentally exhausting, and though the girl usually thrived under pressure, this level of preparation was pushing her limits.

Still, she understood the stakes. The sponsors' insights into the upcoming events were one of Cobra Kai's biggest advantages. They didn't know the exact details, but the outline was enough to give them an edge. Tomorrow's schedule was clear: two elimination events. The first was a one-on-one, straightforward enough, but the second—a two-on-two—was where things would get tricky. And that also happened to be the event which would determine who would go big, and who would go home...

That was what Kim had focused on, emphasizing the importance of synchronization and strategy between y/n and Kwon, two of her most promising fighters.

Now, as she exited Kim's hotel room and made her way to the elevator, exhaustion weighed heavily on her. Her feet dragged slightly with each step, her mind replaying the clips and instructions like a broken record. Reaching the elevator, she pressed the button and leaned back against the wall, closing her eyes for just a moment.

The soft ding of the elevator's arrival pulled her from her thoughts. Straightening up, she stepped forward—only to freeze in her tracks as the doors slid open.

Inside, standing side by side, were Sam Larusso and Devon Lee from Miyagi-do.

The tension hit her like a wall. Sam's eyes widened slightly before narrowing in recognition, and Devon's lips pressed into a tight, annoyed line. The hostility was palpable, radiating off all three of them in waves. y/n felt her stomach twist, a surge of old grudges and rivalries bubbling to the surface.

For a split second, she considered turning around and taking the stairs. Anything to avoid the suffocating tension that would inevitably fill the tiny space. But as her eyes flicked to the staircase sign, the idea of climbing twelve flights to her room on the fourteenth floor made her shoulders sag.

With a resigned sigh, she stepped into the elevator, her movements slow and deliberate. The doors slid shut behind her with a soft thud, sealing them all inside.

Sam and Devon didn't say a word, but y/n could feel their judgmental gazes burning into her side. She stared straight ahead, her face a mask of indifference, though her jaw tightened ever so slightly.

The silence was deafening. The hum of the elevator was the only sound, and it did little to ease the awkwardness. y/n's muscles were coiled tight, her mind racing with memories of every fight, every insult, every blow exchanged between Cobra Kai and Miyagi-do, both in the past, and present time too.

Sam crossed her arms over her chest, her posture stiff and defensive, while Devon shifted uncomfortably, her irritation evident in the slight scowl tugging at her lips.

Y/n took a slow breath through her nose, forcing herself to stay composed. This was just a few minutes. She could endure it. But the weight of the unspoken animosity was almost suffocating, each second stretching longer than the last.

Her hands curled into fists at her sides, her nails digging into her palms as she fought the urge to say something—anything—to break the unbearable silence. But she knew better than to engage. Not here, not now.

The elevator began its slow ascent, the numbers above the doors ticking up one by one. The y/h/c-haired girl kept her gaze fixed on them, counting silently in her head to distract herself. Sam and Devon, meanwhile, seemed intent on staring anywhere but at her, their tension almost murderous.

Y/n's nose twitched, and she fought the urge to sneeze. Of all times for her body to betray her, it had to be now. The sheer awkwardness of making any noise in this strained atmosphere was enough to make her cheeks warm. But she couldn't stop it.

A sharp sneeze escaped her just as the elevator dinged on the sixth floor. The doors slid open, and with it, a burst of energy entered the space.

"What's up, everyone? It's your queen of karate here!" Zara Malik, the undefeated female captain of the Iron Dragons, stepped into the elevator, holding her phone up for an Instagram livestream.

Sam and Devon instinctively shuffled back, startled by Zara's loud and bubbly demeanor—a stark contrast to the intense fighter they'd seen on the mat.

"It's been exactly 8 days since the matches began, where the Dragons absolutely slayed," Zara announced with exaggerated enthusiasm to her viewers. "Although, it was awesome to see other badass girls of karate fighting it out there!"

Her gaze flicked to Sam for a moment, her lips curving into a smug smile as if she were about to say something. Instead, she turned to y/n, her expression lighting up with over-the-top excitement.

"Speaking of badass warriors," Zara said, shifting the camera to Y/N, "look who it is! Cobra Kai's very own Medusa, the only fighter out here who's actually worth a match against me. This girl's got skills, y'all. Big respect!"

Y/n blinked, caught off guard by Zara's unexpected praise but quickly recovered. "Well, you're not so bad yourself," she replied with a small smirk, her voice light. "Takes one to know one, right?"

"Damn right," Zara said, grinning as she flipped her hair dramatically. "If anyone's dethroning the Dragons, it's gotta be someone with actual talent like you."

The two shared a rare moment of camaraderie, exchanging compliments about their fighting styles. For a brief moment, the hostility in the elevator seemed to dissipate, replaced by a surprising air of mutual respect.

As the elevator reached the tenth floor, Zara glanced at her phone one last time. "Alright, let's see if Team Cobra Kai can actually try to take us down tomorrow," she said, blowing a kiss to her followers. "And to all my fans, I'm here to win for you. Stay tuned—I'll post again after the next event. Zara out!"

She ended the livestream, slipping her phone into her pocket as the doors opened. The second the camera was off, her demeanor shifted.

Her smile turned sharp as she looked at Sam and Devon. "Sorry, I only do intros on my stories for fighters who... win their events," Zara said, her voice dripping with faux sympathy. "It's a brand thing—don't take it personally."

And with that, she strutted out of the elevator, leaving an uncomfortable silence in her wake.

Devon scoffed, her arms crossing tightly over her chest. Sam muttered under her breath, "Wow. It's a brand thing."

Y/n glanced at the two Miyagi-do girls, their postures rigid and their expressions clouded with frustration. A flicker of guilt stirred in her chest. Images of Yoo-mi and her friends flashed through her mind—memories of being mocked, put down, and made to feel small. She'd lived through it, and she knew the sting of such moments all too well.

Clearing her throat, y/n spoke softly but firmly, her voice cutting through the tension. "You know," she began, "the Sekai Taikai isn't just some random tournament. Sixteen dojos. The best in the world. And you're here. Miyagi-do is here."

Sam and Devon glanced at her, their expressions shifting slightly.

Y/n turned to Devon, her tone steady. "You were chosen as one of the top six students from your dojo. That's not random. That's earned. Doesn't matter what others feel about it. I'm sure your sensei...s know what's best for the team."

Devon's scowl softened, her posture relaxing just a fraction.

"And you," y/n said, her gaze moving to Sam, "are their captain. You lead them here. That means something. Don't let anyone make you feel otherwise. Not Zara. Not anyone."

Sam blinked, her lips parting in surprise. "I didn't expect you to be so... nice," she mumbled after a moment.

Y/n turned to her with a faint smirk, her tone sharp but not unkind. "I'm not being nice. I'm being fair. There's a difference." She stepped forward as the elevator slowed to her floor, the number twelve lighting up above the doors.

"But just so we're clear," y/n added, her voice dropping slightly, "when the time comes, I won't think twice about destroying you on the mat."

The doors slid open, and without waiting for a response, y/n stepped out, leaving behind two stunned girls as the elevator continued upward.

It'S a BrAnD tHiNg...

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