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THE CROWD AROUND THE TWO FIGHTERS SWELLED SLOWLY, a tide of defeated students gathering in tense, anticipatory silence. Word had spread fast: the top two students of Cobra Kai were about to face off. There was no cheering, no whispered bets—just a hushed reverence. Everyone knew this fight would be brutal, perhaps the most intense they had ever seen. y/n and Kwon, two captains with wildly different styles, were about to collide.

The girl stood on one side, her breathing steady but shallow. Across from her, Kwon looked as if he had already won. His arms hung loose at his sides, his stance relaxed, but his eyes burned with a feral intensity. He wasn't his usual cocky self today. No smirk, no half-hearted jabs. This wasn't a game to him—it was a hunt.

Kim Da-Eun called y/n to the corner before the fight began. Her sharp eyes bore into the girl's, and her voice, though low, cut through the thick tension. "You are not fighting just anyone. You are fighting him. Kwon is brutal, yes, but every fighter has weaknesses. His strength is his pride. His power is his impatience. Exploit them. If you don't, he'll tear you apart."

Y/n nodded, swallowing hard.

"You're scared," Her sensei said bluntly. "Good. Fear keeps you sharp. But fear alone will get you killed. Remember what I taught you—strike at the joints, the neck, the ribs. Make every move count, because he won't give you second chances."

Her face paled a little, anxiety creeping in...

Kim continued, her tone softer but no less intense. "You are a woman in a world that will never stop testing you. If you cannot protect yourself, no one else will. Use every ounce of strength you have. Strike where it hurts most—physically and mentally."

On the other side of the field, Kreese's voice was low and menacing. "She's not your friend, Kwon. She's your enemy. An enemy doesn't deserve mercy. You know what you need to do. Finish this quickly. Show her why you're the best."

Kwon said nothing, but the slight clench of his jaw betrayed his thoughts.

The two students returned to their respective spots. A minute passed in silence as the crowd edged closer. y/n inhaled deeply, steeling herself. The fear was still there, clawing at her insides, but she pushed it down. She couldn't back out now, even though she knew very well this wasn't going to be an ordinary fight. Kwon stood across from her, rolling his shoulders casually, but the look in his eyes was anything but relaxed. Gone was the playful arrogance he usually carried; in its place was a cold, predatory focus that made her stomach churn. 

He cracked his knuckles, stepping into the center of the ring with a small smirk on his face. "You sure about this, l/n?" His voice was low, teasing, but there was an edge to it. "I wouldn't want you to get hurt."

Y/n didn't respond. She didn't need to. She had nothing left to say. She just needed to survive.

Kwon tilted his head, sensing her nerves, his voice low and steady. "I'll give you the first move."

Y/n's stomach churned at his detached tone, but she refused to show weakness. With a sharp exhale, she lunged forward, aiming a calculated kick toward his midsection. He dodged effortlessly, countering with a vicious hook that the girl barely managed to block.

The fight began in earnest.

As she breathed in deeply, she clenched her fists, nails biting into her palms. The onlookers had fallen into an eerie stillness, save for the occasional murmur or shuffling of feet. Her muscles tensed as she darted forward, feinting a jab to his right, hoping to catch him off guard. But Kwon was too fast. He sidestepped effortlessly and countered with a sweeping low kick that y/n barely managed to jump over. Before she could regain her footing, he closed the distance, grabbing her wrist and twisting her arm behind her back in a lock.

"First mistake," he murmured into her ear, his grip ironclad. "Don't get predictable."

Y/n gritted her teeth, trying to twist out of his hold, but his strength was overwhelming. The pain in her shoulder radiated through her body as she struggled to break free. Kim's voice echoed in her mind, Exploit their pride. Use their impatience.

With a desperate surge of adrenaline, the girl slammed her foot into his shin. It wasn't enough to make him let go, but it gave her just enough leverage to slam the back of her head into his face. Kwon stumbled, releasing her with a grunt of surprise.

"Not bad," he said, wiping a drop of blood from his nose. "For someone who's barely standing."

Y/n didn't reply, her breath coming in heavy gasps as she readied herself for his next attack... but he didn't move an inch.

Mistaking his patience for hesitation, she darted forward, aiming a sharp knee to his ribs. Kwon blocked it effortlessly, his arm like a steel bar. Before she could recover, he countered with a quick jab to her stomach. The impact sent her stumbling backward, her breath knocked out in an instant.

"Too slow," he taunted, circling her like a predator.

Y/n gritted her teeth and launched a feint, pretending to aim for his head. As he raised his arms to block, she pivoted, sweeping her leg toward his knees. The move caught him off guard, and for a split second, he staggered. But Kwon recovered quickly, grabbing her ankle and yanking her off balance. She hit the ground hard, the breath rushing out of her lungs.

"Is that all you've got?" he sneered, towering over her. And without another word, he hauled her to her feet, only to trap her in a crushing headlock. His arm coiled around her neck like a vice, and she struggled, clawing at his forearm. Her vision blurred, and panic surged through her.

"Come on, y/n," he whispered harshly. "Fight back."

Kim's voice echoed in her mind: Strike the joints. Use his strength against him. Summoning all her remaining focus, y/n twisted her body, driving her elbow into his ribs. The blow was awkward but effective, something she'd practiced only once with Yoon last week before puking her guts out for the next 20 minutes. Kwon felt nothing, but loosened his grip nevertheless, just enough for her to slip free.

She staggered backward, gasping for air, but there was no time to recover. Kwon was already coming at her again, his movements fluid and relentless. A powerful roundhouse kick grazed her shoulder, sending a jolt of pain down her arm. She managed to block his next punch, but the force still almost shoved her down.

The crowd watched in stunned silence. Whispers broke out among the students.

"She's not gonna last," someone murmured.

"She's tougher than she looks," Yoon replied sharply, though the doubt in his voice was clear.

Kwon didn't waste time. He came at her with a flurry of strikes—each one faster, stronger, and more precise than the last. A roundhouse kick whizzed past her head, followed by a brutal elbow aimed at her ribs. y/n managed to dodge most of his attacks, but a powerful dragon sweep to her heels sent her sprawling to the ground.

"Get up," Kwon said, his voice devoid of mockery now. "You're not done yet."

Y/n pushed herself to her feet, ignoring the throbbing pain. She knew she was outmatched in strength and stamina. Her only chance was to exploit the boy's aggression was to make him overcommit. So she stayed on the defensive, dodging his strikes by the barest margins. Each near miss left her more exhausted, her muscles screaming for rest. But she couldn't stop. Every time Kwon came at her, she focused on dodging and countering, using his momentum against him. A mistimed punch on his part allowed her to land a sharp kick to his side, and for the first time, she saw him falter.

"You're holding back," she accused, narrowing her eyes as she noticed him intentionally missing the block. Kwon's expression didn't change, but there was a flicker of something in his gaze—something playful. "Do you really want me to stop?"

She launched herself at him again, ducking under a high kick and sweeping her leg toward his ankles. Kwon jumped back just in time, his smirk returning.

"You're faster than I thought," he admitted, eyes scanning her slowly. "But speed won't save you forever."

Kwon was relentless, his attacks a brutal combination of high kicks, low sweeps, and devastating punches. Each movement was precise and calculated, forcing the girl to rely heavily on her agility, ultimately draining her off it. His strength was overwhelming, his energy seemingly endless, and every hit that landed sent shockwaves through her body.

"You're better than this," Kwon taunted as she ducked another punch. "Or maybe I was wrong about you."

His words stung, but they also lit a fire in her. Kim's advice played on repeat in her mind: No one will protect you. Fight back.

The next time Kwon charged, she waited until the last possible second before sidestepping, using his momentum to throw him off balance. She landed a quick but precise kick to his face, her heel connecting to his mouth. Kwon faltered, and for the first time, she saw a flicker of surprise in his eyes.

"Lucky shot," he said, wiping a drop of blood from his lip.

As the fight progressed, the score stood tied at 2-2. y/n's body ached, every muscle screaming in protest, but she refused to give up. She noticed subtle changes in Kwon's movements—hesitation in his strikes, an almost imperceptible lightness in his kicks. He was holding back even more after noticing her more than evident exhaustion.

"Why aren't you finishing this?" she demanded, dodging another punch.

Kwon's eyes flickered with something unreadable. "Maybe I just like watching you fight."

"Bullshit," she snapped, landing a solid hit to his shoulder. "Stop treating me like I'm fragile!"

His expression hardened. "Careful what you wish for."

In a wordless command, he lunged at her with a speed that made her heart leap into her throat. She dodged his first punch but wasn't fast enough to avoid the spinning kick that followed. Though blocked, the force still sent her reeling, but she managed to stay on her feet.

"Ready to give up yet?" he asked, his tone mocking.

"Not a chance," She shot back, though her voice wavered slightly.

Kwon came at her with everything he had. A barrage of punches and kicks forced her to retreat, her defenses barely holding up, until he finally managed to lure her close enough to flip her over, throwing her to the ground. As she struggled to get up, Kwon grabbed her arm and twisted it behind her back, pinning her face-down. 

"You've done this before... stop overthinking." He said quietly, his grip tightening.

For a moment, y/n considered forfeiting. Her body was screaming for her to stop, to go home and cry in her shower. But then she remembered what exactly he was referring to.

With a surge of desperation, she twisted her body, using her free hand to drive her elbow into Kwon's face. The impact was brutal, and he let go with a grunt, blood streaming from his nose.

Y/n didn't waste the opening. She lunged at him, delivering a fierce kick to his chest that sent him stumbling. Summoning the last of her strength, she followed up with a spinning elbow to his temple.

As Kwon crumpled to the ground, dazed... their fight finally reached its end.

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