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DEEP IN THE HEART OF THE WOODS, the Cobras drilled with fierce precision. The Sekai Taikai selections were imminent, and the stakes were as brutal as the training itself. Senseis Kreese and Kim's expectations were set impossibly high, and each student knew the demands of excellence weren't just encouraged-they were mandatory.

Kwon Jae-sung, now donning the leader's badge he'd practically ripped from Yoon, understood that the challenge wasn't simply taking the position; it was about proving himself worthy in every moment, especially to those loyal to Yoon. His leadership here meant nothing if it didn't lead to victory on the global stage. He had to play it smart, train harder than ever, and embody discipline, even if that meant occasionally biting back his usual brutality.

During sparring, Kwon kicked his opponent down with a blow to the head, but instead of his usual knockout finish, he stopped, standing over the stunned boy with a look that surprised everyone. "To learn your own way of fighting, you must unlearn everything you think you know," he said, voice steady yet commanding. He added with a smirk, "Also, cover your damn head. No head, no fight."

The class exchanged looks, half-impressed, half-baffled by this oddly restrained version of Kwon. His opponent staggered to his feet, still processing the unexpected shift. But there it was again... before the boy could escape, the raven sweeped his legs and knocked him out with a strong punch. "Pathetic."

From the sidelines, Da-eun watched, narrowing her gaze as she noted his new approach. It seemed that Kwon was borrowing a page from Yoon's playbook, adopting leadership tactics in an attempt to unite the class. She had to admit, it was impressive-perhaps nothing was more dangerous than a fighter who knew when to rein in his fire. She glanced at Kreese, who seemed lost in his own world, an unsettling gleam in his eyes as he observed the session without reacting to the subtle power shift rippling through the class.

As Sensei Kim dismissed the students for a quick water break, she approached Yoon, the ex-leader, hoping for insight. "He won fair and square, Sensei," Yoon admitted reluctantly. "It stings, but... Jae-sung's a force. I learned a lot just by fighting him." There was no resentment in his tone, only the grudging respect a warrior gave to a worthy opponent.

Kwon, meanwhile, chugged from a bottle of cucumber-lemon water. He'd seen y/n drinking it yesterday and-after her stubborn insistence that it was good for his skin and "vital organs or whatever"-decided to give it a shot. He snapped a quick picture of the bottle and sent it her way, waiting for her reply.

He watched his screen for a moment, almost impatiently, until her message appeared.

***
(Left = Kwon; Right = y/n)

Troublemaking dipshit:

U srsly enjoy this crap?
*attached image of stupid water*

Weird obsessive tutor:

It's good for the skin and rejuvenates your kidneys.
Oh, and relieves pressure from the liver.

Troublemaking dipshit:

God u sound just like halmoni
And whats with the puncturasion
U sound like old man

Weirdly obsessive tutor:

Punctuation*
Do I need to tutor you for English as well?

Troublemaking dipshit:

Excuses excuses...
Just ask me out if ur so obsessed lol

Weirdly obsessive tutor:

*attached dumb meme*
Dream on.
Aren't you supposed to be at your Karate Cult anyway?

Troublemaking dipshit:

Not cult and arwnt u supossed to be grading my paper
Arent*

Weirdly obsessive tutor:

No can't do, buckaroo.
I'm at the convenience store torturing my friend with the kind of food she can't eat cuz she's in school, rotting in math😎
+ Supposed*

Troublemaking dipshit:

So much for "rejuvenating ur kidneys" 🤡
Grammer police.

Weirdly obsessive tutor:

Grammar*

Troublemaking dipshit:

Have fun 👍

***

The boy chuckled at his phone screen, re-reading his texts, but before he could set it aside, Kreese's voice cut through his thoughts, startling him. "That girl..." Murmured the older man, casting a curious, almost calculating glance at Kwon's screen. Kwon quickly locked his phone, throwing his sensei a side-eye-he'd learned to tolerate nosy behavior from his grandma, but this was a bit different, though he kept telling himself that it was an old-people thing. Kreese's gaze was razor-sharp, intent, almost as if he were unraveling pieces of some unseen puzzle.

"She your girlfriend?" He asked, settling down beside the teenager.

Kwon scoffed, shaking his head. "Girlfriend? Hardly. We're barely on speaking terms half the time." There was an edge to his voice, as if admitting it annoyed him, but Kreese only nodded slowly, as if absorbing each word.

He didn't reply, but Kwon sensed the question left hanging. Kreese had an uncanny way of sitting in silence, a presence thick with unspoken intention. As the break ended and class resumed, and the man's thoughts lingered, his mind elsewhere. He'd been waiting for the right piece to fall into place, and the mention of the girl-a girl with such fire, such potential-sparked an idea that crackled like electricity.

When the class finally wrapped up and Kwon took his leave, Kreese wasted no time. He knew the look in her eyes-unbridled, wild, but also searching, ready for something that only the way of the fist could give her. If only he could get her back...

He strode through the fading evening, heading straight to the convenience store mentioned in her texts with Kwon that he'd read. There, under the artificial glow of the lights, he caught sight of her through the glass-y/n l/n, weaving between aisles, focused, yet seemingly alone in her thoughts. He hovered outside for a moment, studying her with the calculating gaze of a hunter zeroing in on his prey.

To her, this was likely just a routine stop, but to Kreese, it was the first step of his plan.

He watched her closely from outside the convenience store, taking in every detail. She hadn't changed much-perhaps her hair was a bit different, her face more mature, the wear of life subtly etched into her features. But her y/e/c eyes still blazed with that same wild, restless intensity he remembered. In fact, they were fiercer now, barely contained, like a caged animal yearning for release. Perfect. She was exactly the kind of fighter he needed, someone capable of unleashing chaos with precision. The Sekai Taikai demanded more than discipline; it needed ferocity. And the y/h/c-haired girl had it in spades, even if she hadn't realized it yet.

Two years ago, things hadn't ended well between them. Their last exchange a bitter and explosive argument after she blamed him for her best friend's misfortune-a tragedy that had left her shaken, breaking her once-iron resolve. She'd called him ruthless, heartless, and worse, said that his methods were the reason everything had spiraled out of control. She'd left the dojo shortly afterward, expelled from West Valley High, and he'd lost all trace of her. Rumor had it she'd cut ties with everyone, vanishing as if she wanted to bury that part of her past.

But now, here she was, in the city of Seoul, within his reach again. Kreese knew she was still scarred, still burdened by what had happened, mind filled with resentment. That didn't matter though. He didn't need her to forgive him or understand; he needed her anger, her lethality. Those were his tools to shape her into the ultimate weapon. And this time, he'd make her see it his way. He'd prove to her, through blood and sweat, that his way was the only way-brutal, merciless, but undeniably effective. It wasn't mercy that won battles. Mercy had caused that accident. Mercy had softened her, made her weak.

Kreese leaned back, shadowed by the flickering light of the streetlamp, a plan forming in his mind. He couldn't approach her head-on, not yet. She was still too sensitive, too mired in her own twisted sense of guilt. But he'd wait for the right moment, the perfect words to remind her of who she was beneath it all-a fighter, a force of nature waiting to be unleashed. The kind of soldier he'd been waiting for.

As she moved toward the cashier, he stepped back, the beginnings of a predatory grin stretching across his face. Soon, she would understand that she could only find her true self in Cobra Kai. And this time, he wouldn't let her slip through his fingers...

Kreese's gaze followed her every movement as she exit the store, his calculating eyes narrowing slightly before he stepped forward, making his presence known.

"Y/n l/n... we meet again." He said smoothly, his voice calm yet carrying a weight of authority that hadn't softened over the years.

At the sound of his voice, the girl froze. Her eyes widened in shock, and for a brief moment, something like nostalgia flickered in her expression. "Sensei-" she breathed, a small smile ghosting her face. But then, just as quickly, memories of their last encounter flooded back, filling her with renewed anger and bitterness. Her gaze hardened, and she instinctively shifted her stance, her entire body radiating defensiveness. "What the hell are you doing here?" Her voice was icy, carrying a bite that barely concealed her shock. She stepped back, her gaze sharp and mistrusting. "I mean, what the actual fuck are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be tormenting kids back in the States?"

Kreese smirked, undeterred by her hostility. "Funny. I thought a fighter like you wouldn't care much about geography."

She scoffed, her tone colder than ever. "Geography's fine. It's you I'd like to stay far, far away from." She crossed her arms, eyes narrowing. "So why don't you save us both some time and get to the point. What do you want?"

"Is that any way to greet your old teacher?" Kreese asked, amusement lacing his voice as he watched her reaction. "You don't have to look so ready to fight me off. I didn't come here to pick a fight." His tone remained calm, but there was an edge that y/n hadn't forgotten, the same edge that had always unsettled her.

"Fight?" she bit out, sarcasm dripping from her words. "Not sure I'm interested in whatever definition of 'fight' you're selling, Kreese. Those days are long gone."

Kreese arched a brow, his face unreadable, but there was a glint in his eyes, like he'd been expecting this reaction. "Gone? You and I both know that's not true. You can't just turn your back on what you were, l/n. Fighting was in your blood, remember?"

She let out a harsh laugh, crossing her arms defensively. "Yeah, it was. Until your 'lessons' nearly destroyed my life. I won't ever go back to that. You don't get to just hop on a flight to fucking Seoul and pretend that none of that happened. How did you even find me anyway?!"

He took his time, looking her over with a disturbingly calculating gaze. "There it is... that fire in you-it's still burning. I saw that potential in you once, and I see it even more now."

She gave a bitter laugh, her eyes flashing with fury. "Potential? Don't you dare act like you ever cared about me. All you wanted was a weapon. Someone to follow orders without questioning them, to do your dirty work."

"Think whatever you want," he replied, voice level, unreadable. "But you're wrong about one thing-I do care for you." He kept his gaze steady, unyielding. "You're still running, y/n. I thought I'd give you a reminder of who you used to be."

She scoffed, crossing her arms in a way that seemed to shield herself from his words. "Right. Because what I 'used to be' is exactly what I'm running from. Thanks to you and your obsession with 'strength,' I nearly lost everything."

Kreese's gaze turned colder, his voice dropping lower, almost taunting. "Everything? Or just your nerve? You used to understand what it meant to be strong, to hold your own in a world where people who hesitate get crushed. But look at you now-walking away like all the others. Like that 'sensei' of yours, Lawrence." His voice sharpened with disgust as he mentioned Johnny. "He turned weak too, didn't he? Didn't have the guts to teach you the way you needed."

The girl's fists clenched, her knuckles whitening. "You're wrong about him. Sensei Lawrence taught me how to actually fight, not just turn into a weapon for someone else's gain. Unlike you, he gave a damn about what we lost. And as for you? You're nothing but a parasite."

A flash of something dark crossed Kreese's eyes, but he kept his composure. "Is that what you tell yourself at night? That I was the bad guy because I taught you how to defend yourself?" He took a small step closer, his voice growing softer, sinister. "Deep down, you know the truth. Sensei Lawrence didn't give two shits about you. You were just like any other student to him until you fought his son at the All Valley tournament. But did he reward you for your victory, or punish you for your spirit?"

"The All Valley was a miserable failure. I don't hold him accountable for that mishap, not that it's any of your concern." She scoffed.

"Johnny's ways might have worked during that primitive karate competition with amatuers... but you saw a glimpse of what happens in the real world..." He sneered.

"Yeah? And what's that?" Her eyes narrowed.

"That mercy is what landed your friend in the hospital."

Her face paled, an unguarded flicker of pain revealing how deeply that still haunted her. "Don't you dare--"

"I'm only saying what you already know," he cut in, his voice barely above a whisper, but cold and sharp. "You were strong. And then you gave it up. Became sensitive, all because you let sentimentality and weakness get the better of you." He smirked, watching the fury spark in her eyes. "Now look at you, hiding halfway across the world, living in shame."

Her voice came out as a hiss, every word laced with fury. "I am not hiding. I left because I couldn't stand people like you, pushing everyone past their limits just to satisfy your own twisted beliefs. And if you think for a second that I'll go back to that-"

Kreese tilted his head, eyes narrowing. "You will. Because deep down, you miss it, don't you? The rush, the power. You think that little life you're trying to build here will protect you?" He paused, his tone now calm but deadly. "It won't last, l/n. That bandaid on your nose is a testament to my statement. You'll come back eventually because fighters like you-true fighters-don't just disappear."

She shook her head, her expression hardening, fury overtaking any trace of uncertainty. "I am done with you. And I'm telling you now-I will never strike again. You lost me the moment you turned me into something I couldn't stand." She looked him squarely in the eyes, daring him to challenge her.

Kreese studied her face with a faint glimmer of regret, his words losing some of their harshness. "Y/n... you were always my best. All I ever wanted was to help you see that."

"Maybe you should have thought about that before you turned me into your little puppet." Her voice cracked, cold and unrelenting. She stepped back, eyes fixed on him one last time. "Goodbye, Kreese. For good." And with that, she turned, leaving him alone, the weight of her words sinking in. He watched her go, a ghost of something unspoken on his face, as though realizing he'd lost more than a student that night.

But just as the walls of his dojo once stated: defeat does not exist...

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