The Tiger Claw team gathered in a quiet corner of the hotel lobby after the draw. Sensei Yazuko stood at the head of the group, his eyes fixed on his two captains. The fighters were stood in a loose circle as Kai sat beside Emiko, his jaw clenched as he processed the draw.

"Zara Malik," Emiko muttered, her brow furrowed, "she hasn't dropped a point all tournament."

"She's tough, no doubt," Takeshi said, his voice steady, "but so are you. You've got speed on your side, Emiko. Use it."

Emiko gave a small nod, but doubt flickered in her eyes. "Her strikes are lethal, and she knows how to cut off the mat. If I make one mistake, it's over."

Sensei Yazuko stepped forward. "You've faced tougher odds and come out victorious. Remember, her strength is also her weakness. She's aggressive, which leaves her open when she overcommits. Find those gaps and exploit them."

Rae leaned forward, her tone encouraging. "We've all seen you pull off things that no one else can. Zara won't know what hit her."

Emiko exhaled, nodding again.

Kai's gaze was fixed on the floor, his thoughts elsewhere. Takeshi nudged him. "What about you, Kai? Elijah's no joke."

Kai's eyes snapped up, and he shrugged, though the tension in his shoulders betrayed him. "I know what he's capable of. He's ruthless, but he's reckless. If I keep my cool, I can beat him."

"Easier said than done," Masahiko said, "he may have trained for less time than you but the guy fights like he's got nothing to lose."

"Exactly," Kai said, his voice tightening, "he's dangerous because he doesn't care about the rules or the consequences. But that's what I'll use against him. The more he loses control, the more sloppy he becomes."

Sensei Yazuko nodded approvingly. "Good. Focus on precision and discipline. Let him burn himself out."

Later that evening, Kai found Sam sitting right outside the hotel gazing out at the Barcelona skyline. Kai went and sat beside her, breaking the comfortable silence.

"Long day." he said.

Sam smiled faintly. "Yeah."

Kai nodded, his fingers tapping the side of the bench he was sat on. "So, Tory, huh? How do you feel about that?"

Sam sighed, leaning back in her seat. "It's complicated. We've had so much history - good and bad. I know how she fights, but that doesn't make it easier."

Kai tilted his head, studying her. "You think she's out for revenge?"

Sam shook her head. "I don't think it's about me, not entirely. She's carrying a lot right now - whatever's going on with Cobra Kai and her own stuff. That makes her dangerous."

"Sounds like we both have our hands full."

Sam turned to him, her expression softening. "You're up against Elijah. Are you ready?"

Kai hesitated, his gaze drifting. "Honestly? I don't know. He's got this fire in him, like he wants to destroy everything in his path. It's something personal. It can't just be about winning in karate."

"Do you think he's targeting you?" Sam asked, her tone serious.

Kai shrugged. "Maybe. Maybe not. But I can't let that get in my head. If I do, he wins before we even step on the mat."

Sam nodded thoughtfully. "You're right. Focus on what you can control. You're one of the best fighters I've ever seen."

Kai chuckled softly. "Thanks. High praise coming from you."

They sat in silence for a moment, Kai's arm slung around Sam's shoulder. Finally, Sam broke the quiet.

"We've got this," she said, her voice steady, "all of us. We just need to stick to what we know and trust ourselves."

Kai smiled, turning to look at her. "You're right, we've come this far. We're not backing down now."

Sam nodded and edged closer to Kai, gently placing a kiss on his lips. "I'm going to go get some rest, you should too."

"Yeah, I'll come with you."

The next morning Kai was up bright and early for a morning run with Emiko - Takeshi had grudgingly agreed to wake up early and accompany them. After the run, he met Sensei Yazuko in one of the training rooms. At this point, everyone else had woken up and were stood in the room.

Emiko was practicing with Aramis, with him shadowing Zara's aggressive fighting style. Sensei Yazuko called out. "Emiko, she will come at you with speed and power. Your footwork must remain impeccable. Use her aggression against her."

Emiko wiped sweat from her brow and nodded. Her movements were light, but there was a tension in her stance. After a particularly messy exchange, she stopped, frustrated.

"I don't know if I can beat her," she admitted, her voice quiet. "Zara's got years of experience on me. She's faster, stronger-"

"Stop," Sensei Yazuko interrupted, his tone leaving no room for argument. He stepped closer, his voice softening. "Experience means nothing if you lose control of your emotions. Channel them. Don't let fear or doubt consume you - let it sharpen you. Do you remember why you fight?"

Emiko nodded.

Yazuko placed a hand on her shoulder. "You told Takeshi your reasons for doing this. You are fighting for yourself. That's what is going to set you apart from her. Trust yourself."

Rae chimed. "You've got this, Emiko. We'll help you with whatever you need."

Meanwhile, Kai was working with Masahiko and Takeshi practicing sequences of movements that he thought would be useful up against Elijah. He had the advantage of having fought the St John before, he knew what to expect.

In the Cobra Kai training room, Kreese stood beside Elijah, speaking to him in a low, commanding tone while Sensei Kim worked with Tory nearby.

"Elijah," Kreese said, "you have everything you need to crush this fight. But I need you to stop holding back."

"I haven't been holding back Sensei."

"Oh but you have," Kreese said, "I know what you're capable of. You've only shown us half of what you can do. It's time to truly be yourself."

Elijah's jaw tightened, his fists clenched at his sides. "Yes, Sensei." he said through gritted teeth.

"Good," Kreese said with a nod, "That pain, that fire, you channel it, and you destroy anyone who stands in your way. You're not just a fighter, Elijah. You're a weapon. You will be the one to lead Cobra Kai to victory. No mercy Elijah, absolutely none."

Elijah gave a short nod, his eyes cold.

For Sam, her training alongside Robby was intense. Miguel was helping out alongside Johnny and Daniel and it included lots of running. They knew that they would have to have their stamina up, especially Robby, if they wanted to stay in the fight.

The next day, the stage was set. The arena buzzed with anticipation as everyone settled in, ready for the semi finals. Back home in America, Kai's parents were watching their son with pride as the tournament was broadcasted all over the world.

"The moment you've all been waiting for," Braun announced to the room, "the tournament of champions. Each dojo will retain the points they have accumulated thus far."

Kai glanced at the scoreboard. Tiger Claw were currently second and eight points behind Iron Dragons.

"Each match will consist of three two-minute rounds with unlimited scoring and no stoppages. One point for a hit. Ten for a knockdown. And should anyone score a knockout, that's worth twenty. So it's still anyone's tournament to win. Because at this stage of the tournament, no deficit is too large to overcome. Best of luck to you all. And may the best dojo win."

In the moments before his fight, Kai stood with his team. His teammates surrounded him, encouraging their captain.

"You've got this, Kai," Takeshi said, clapping him on the shoulder. "stay focused."

Aramis added with a grin, "And if he tries any of his cheap tricks, make him regret it."

Sensei Yazuko stepped forward. "Remember, Kai-san, He thrives on anger. He will try to provoke you, make you lose control. But you are better than him. Fight with precision, not rage. Trust your instincts."

"Yes Sensei."

Just before stepping onto the mat, Kai felt a hand on his arm. He turned to see Sam, her face glowing with support. "Good luck." she said simply, knowing he was too focused for anything more.

The crowd roared as the fighters took their places. Elijah stood opposite Kai, his expression cold and lacking any form of emotion. Kreese gave Elijah a pat on the shoulder before he walked onto the mat.

"Fighters, take your positions!"

The match begun and Kai moved quickly, his footwork fluid and precise. Elijah charged first, but Kai dodged it easily. It was a game of patience, he just waited until the right moment to strike unlike Elijah who always striked first.

Kai scored his first point with a sharp roundhouse kick to Elijah's ribs, and another with a quick jab to the chest.

2-0.

Elijah's face twisted into a snarl. Kreese's voice boomed from the sidelines, urging him to fight harder and fight meaner. Elijah shifted gears, his strikes growing more aggressive. He cornered Kai, using his height and strength to his advantage.

Then came the moment the crowd gasped - Elijah swept Kai's legs out from under him, sending him crashing to the mat and finished the move with a swift jab to Kai's torso which left him winded and gasping for air. The impact was brutal, and the referee counted it as a knockdown.

10 points to Elijah.

2-10.

"Regroup Kai!" he heard his team shout from the side.

Kai got up slowly, his jaw clenched in fury. He glanced at Sensei Yazuko, who gave him a subtle nod, a silent reminder to stay calm. But it wasn't easy. Elijah's tactics weren't blatantly illegal, but they were undeniably dirty. There was malice in every move Elijah made.

Elijah, smirking, lunged at Kai again. But this time, Kai was ready. He ducked, dodging a vicious strike, and countered with a spinning elbow to Elijah's side.

"Point!"

The momentum shifted. The crowd's cheers grew louder as Kai found his rhythm.

Kai landed a flurry of blows, his precision slicing through Elijah's defences. Each strike earned him a point. But Elijah wasn't backing down. He went for his signature move, the move that Silver had taught him - the Silver bullet.

Kai saw it coming. In a split second, he ducked, spinning on his heel, before delivering a kick that connected squarely with Elijah's jaw. The impact echoed through the arena. Elijah crumpled to the mat, motionless.

The referee stepped in, raising his hand. "Knockout!"

Kai stood tall, his chest heaving as the arena erupted into cheers as the announcer's voice rang out.

"Winner by knockout - Malachai Hilton of Tiger Claw, with a final score of 26-10! He is the first to advance to the boys' final."

As the medics attended to Elijah, Kai walked back to his team. Takeshi and Masahiko clapped him on the back, while Rae handed him a water bottle. They didn't have long to talk before Emiko was called to the mat.

"Good luck." Takeshi said to Emiko as she made her way to where Zara was stood. When it started Zara wasted no time asserting her dominance, her strikes were fast and whilst Emiko tried her best to dodge and defend, it was no use. Point by point, Zara pulled ahead and when she went 6-0 up she blew a kiss to the crowd.

"Focus!" Kai shouted to Emiko, who was obviously rattled.

"Come on! You've got this!" Takeshi shouted, his voice cutting through the noise.

Emiko gritted her teeth and focused. She feinted left, then darted right, landing a strike to Zara's shoulder. The crowd cheered as the referee awarded her a point. Encouraged, Emiko pressed forward, managing to score another point with a swift counterattack.

2-6.

But Zara wasn't rattled. She switched tactics, drawing Emiko into her range and exploiting openings with devastating accuracy. With each blow, the score widened further. Emiko did her best to fend off the onslaught, but Zara's experience and skill proved too much. When the buzzer sounded, the final score was 11-3.

Emiko bowed respectfully before walking back to her team, her head low with disappointment.

Sensei Yazuko stepped forward, placing a firm hand on her shoulder. "You fought with honour, Emiko. For the time you've been back, this was an achievement. Be proud."

Her teammates quickly chimed in. "Seriously, you held your own," Rae said warmly. "Zara's just a machine."

Takeshi grinned. "You scored points on her. That's no small feat. You're the first person to do so."

Whilst Emiko was obviously disappointed, her team's words of encouragement did help. She did prove the point she was hoping to prove by competing here, she wasn't broken. In fact, this tournament just fuelled her desire to continue with karate - it was her own personal therapy.

The second boys' semi final began shortly after and Kai was intrigued to see how it was going to go. Robby was offensive first so Axel immediately went on the defensive, his movements perfect. Robby tried to break through with quick strikes, but Axel blocked each one effortlessly.

With a shout from his Sensei, Axel switched gears. His attacks were sudden and overwhelming and within moments, Axel landed two clean hits, pulling ahead 2-0. Robby adjusted, shifting to defence, but Axel's relentless offense pushed him back, driving the score to 5-0.

"Are you going to keep defending," Axel taunted, holding Robby with both his hands, "or are you going to fight?"

He shoved Robby to where the Cobra Kai team were stood. Before Robby could regain his footing, Elijah and Kwon grabbed him, holding him in place. The crowd gasped as Elijah drove his elbow into Robby's ribs, Robby shouting in pain.

The outrage was immediate. It was a cheap shot from Elijah, a dirty shot.

Kai rushed over to help, disgusted by Elijah's behaviour but was stopped by Axel who shoved him to the ground.

And that was when all hell broke loose.