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THE DOJAND BUZZED WITH SUBDUED ENERGY... Students were lined up, half-heartedly practicing blocks Tory Nichols had painstakingly demonstrated. The blonde walked among them, her sharp gaze dissecting their movements. A frown tugged at her lips as she noticed how clumsy their form was—not because of their lack of skill, but because their focus wasn't on defense. It was always about attack. The very philosophy hammered into them by Cobra Kai: crush the enemy, strike first, strike hard, no mercy. But Tory had learned better.
Defense wasn't weakness. It was survival.
As she paused near one group of students, she couldn't help but overhear the muttered complaints.
"These are just blocks," one boy grumbled.
"Boring," said another, rolling his eyes.
Tory exhaled, annoyed. She turned to face the group, her tone sharp but composed. "You think this is useless? That defense doesn't matter?" Her voice rose slightly, cutting through the low hum of practice. "Let me tell you something. These blocks aren't just random moves. They're precise. Designed to counter specific attacks. If you're too arrogant to see that, you'll pay for it when you're eating dirt in a fight."
Her words hung in the air, but not everyone was convinced. Tory caught sight of Kwon leaning lazily against the wall, arms crossed, his expression unimpressed. He muttered something under his breath, just loud enough for her to catch.
"Stupid is what these are..."
Tory's head snapped in his direction, her jaw tightening. Typical Kwon. Always cocky, always craving action from what she'd seen during training the past week. He had raw talent, sure, but his attitude grated on her nerves. She wasn't about to let him derail her lesson.
"Alright, Kwon," she called out, stepping toward him. The entire room quieted, heads turning. "Since you think this is so stupid, let's see what you've got."
Kwon straightened, his signature smirk creeping onto his face. "What do you want me to do? Punch someone?"
"No," Tory shot back, her tone firm. "Wax on, wax off."
The smirk faltered, replaced by a flicker of confusion. "Seriously?"
"Seriously," Tory replied, planting herself in front of him. "You're going to block. I'm going to throw punches. Let's see if you can keep up."
The room was dead silent now, all eyes on them. Kwon hesitated for a split second, then shrugged, raising his hands. "Fine. Let's do this."
Tory didn't waste any time. She launched a quick jab at his left side. Kwon's arm moved instinctively—wax on. The punch glanced off harmlessly. Tory followed with a sharp right hook—wax off. Again, the boy deflected it. Her attacks came faster, more deliberate, each one met with the fluid circular motion of the technique.
