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i'm sorry for all the notifications but us writers work hard on these chapters. i know i ask this a lot, but i really don't like ghost readers because i work super hard on these chapters so when i see views going up but votes are not... its hard for my motivation!

Belle stood in the center of the All Valley Sports Arena, her heart pounding like a war drum inside her chest. The bright overhead lights cast an almost blinding glow over the mat, illuminating the sea of spectators in the stands. Excited murmurs rippled through the crowd, but all Belle could hear was the rush of blood in her ears. Anxiety twisted in her stomach, coiling tighter with every passing second.

She stood beside Robby, her fingers twitching at her sides. He caught her gaze and gave her a small nod, silent reassurance in the face of the overwhelming pressure. She exhaled slowly, forcing herself to nod back.

Belle's eyes shifted toward the Iron Dragons' lineup. Axel stood at the front, tall and composed, but when their eyes met, his usual easy smirk was replaced with something softer. He smiled at her-just barely-but before Belle could fully register it, Zara elbowed him hard in the ribs. Axel winced and turned away, his smile vanishing under the weight of whatever she had whispered to him. Belle's stomach clenched.

A hush fell over the arena as Gunther Braun walked onto the mat, microphone in hand.

"It is my great honor," he announced, his voice booming through the speakers, "to introduce our guest referee, a local hero and former All Valley champion... Darryl Vidal!"

The crowd erupted in applause as Darryl Vidal stepped forward, raising his hands in acknowledgment. His presence carried a weight of history-one of the original competitors from decades ago, now standing in the very tournament that had defined so many before him.

"Thank you, Mr. Braun," Darryl said, his deep, steady voice commanding attention. "Now tell me-are you ready for the world's best karate?"

Cheers exploded from every corner of the arena. But none were louder than Amanda LaRusso's.

"Yeah, Robby! Kick some ass! YEAH!" she hollered, making Belle stifle a laugh.

Gunther waited for the excitement to settle before continuing. "Of the world's sixteen best dojos, it has all come down to our final three. The Iron Dragons... Miyagi-Do Karate... and Cobra Kai."

Belle's amusement faded as her gaze landed on Tory. Unlike the other competitors, she stood alone, without a single sensei beside her. Belle frowned, her heart aching for the girl who had once been her rival but now looked more isolated than ever.

"The rules are simple," Gunther continued. "Each dojo will retain the points they earned in their Barcelona competitions. Our unfinished boy's semifinal will reset to zero-zero, and the remaining girl's semifinal will take place tomorrow."

Belle's attention flickered back to Axel. His confident facade had cracked for just a moment, his shoulders stiff as he listened to his sensei whisper something into his ear. Sensei Wolf's expression was unreadable, but whatever he said made Axel's smile disappear completely.

Gunther cleared his throat and continued. "Each match will consist of three two-minute rounds with unlimited scoring. One point for a hit, ten for a knockdown, and twenty for a knockout. The finals will determine our individual champions, and the dojo with the most cumulative points will be crowned grand champion."

Belle barely registered the words. Her mind was too scattered-between Robby, Axel, the pressure of the tournament, and the ever-present weight of loss.

Gunther paused, his tone shifting to something more somber. "Now, will everyone please stand and join me in a moment of silence for our fallen competitor, Kwon Jae-Sung."

The entire arena lowered their heads. A quiet hush blanketed the crowd, a stark contrast to the electric energy from moments ago. Belle inhaled sharply, closing her eyes. Kwon should have been here. He should have been fighting. He should have had the chance to stand on this mat, to show the world the kind of fighter he was.

The silence stretched on... or at least, it should have.

A faint crunching sound broke through the solemn air.

Belle furrowed her brows and turned her head ever so slightly-just enough to see Mitch, crouched down with a bag of chips in his hands, casually munching away as if he hadn't noticed the weight of the moment.

A quiet snicker escaped her lips before she could stop it.

Gunther lifted his head, his voice steady once more. "Thank you."

The energy in the room shifted again, anticipation thick in the air.

"For our first match-or should I say, rematch..." Gunther paused, his gaze sweeping over the two fighters. "Axel Kovacevic versus Robby Keene."

Belle inhaled sharply, looking from Robby to Axel.

It was time.

Belle's heart pounded in her chest as she watched Robby bow to their senseis before stepping onto the mat. She swallowed hard, nerves twisting in her stomach. Robby had fought Axel before-last time, it hadn't ended well.

Her eyes flicked toward Axel as he stood with his sensei. Sensei Wolf was whispering something to him, his expression cold, unreadable. Axel nodded, his face tightening as he stepped onto the mat. Belle's hands clenched into fists. She had seen the way Sensei Wolf operated, how he manipulated his fighters, how he twisted their minds into believing that winning was the only option-no matter the cost.

The fight began.

Axel launched the first kick, but Robby swiftly pushed it down, neutralizing the attack. Axel spun, sending another kick toward Robby's head, but Robby dodged just in time. The two fighters moved like lightning across the mat, their bodies a blur of strikes and blocks.

Axel came at Robby with a rapid succession of punches, but Robby blocked each one effortlessly. He was in control, staying calm, focused. Belle chewed on her nails, tension gripping her entire body.

Then Robby saw an opening. He spun and delivered a powerful kick straight to Axel's chest.

"Point!" Darryl Vidal called out.

The crowd erupted in cheers. "Robby! Robby! Robby!"

Belle's eyes flickered to Axel, who turned his head slightly to glance at Sensei Wolf. Belle scoffed. She knew that look. That silent exchange. Sensei Wolf wasn't just coaching him-he was controlling him. And Axel, despite everything, still sought his approval.

Axel's jaw tightened. He turned back to Robby, his entire stance shifting. The growl that rumbled in his throat sent a wave of dread through Belle.

"Shit, shit," she muttered under her breath, her fingers digging into her palms. Her voice dropped into a whisper, barely audible. "Don't do this, babe, please."

Axel lunged forward, attempting an uppercut, but Robby caught it just in time, blocking the strike. He almost had him-until Axel suddenly shifted, using his other leg to slam his foot into Robby's chest.

"Point! Two points!"

Belle sucked in a sharp breath, her heart hammering against her ribs. The fight continued, each movement faster and more brutal than the last. She could barely watch, her hands covering her face, peeking through her fingers only to wince at every blow exchanged.

And then-it was the final round.

Both fighters let out a battle yell, charging at each other. Axel kicked, but Robby blocked. They threw kicks and punches in perfect sync, neither giving the other an inch.

And then-it happened.

Robby kicked his leg out in an attempt to land another strike, but Axel grabbed it mid-air. Before anyone could react, Axel twisted Robby's leg harshly, yanking him off balance.

A sickening crack echoed through the arena.

Belle's stomach dropped.

The entire crowd gasped in horror as Robby crashed onto the mat, a scream tearing from his throat.

Belle shot up from her seat, panic surging through her. "Axel! What the hell!?"

Axel froze at the sound of her voice. His face paled, his hands trembling slightly.

Belle didn't have time to process his reaction-Miyagi-Do's senseis were already rushing onto the mat, kneeling beside Robby. Miguel tried to push forward, fury in his eyes, but Sensei Toguchi grabbed his arm, holding him back.

Belle stood frozen, her breath shallow, her entire world spiraling around her.

Robby was hurt. Badly.

And Axel...

Axel had done it.

Belle stormed down the narrow hallway of the arena, her hands clenched into tight fists at her sides. The muffled noise of the crowd still roaring in the main arena felt distant, almost like white noise compared to the thundering of her pulse in her ears. Her heart was racing, her chest tight with anger, hurt, and disbelief.

She turned a sharp corner, and there he was-Axel.

He was standing with his hands braced against the wall, his head bowed, his breath coming in short, uneven bursts. His knuckles were white, pressed against the cold concrete like he was trying to steady himself. But the second he looked up and met her furious gaze, the tension in his body shifted, and his expression hardened as if he were bracing for impact.

"Belle-"

"What the hell is wrong with you!?" she exploded, her voice echoing off the walls. She didn't care that they were in a public hallway, didn't care if anyone overheard. All she could see was Robby on the mat, his face twisted in agony, his scream still ringing in her ears. "Do you even realize what you just did!?"

Axel exhaled sharply, rolling his shoulders back like he was preparing for a fight. "It was a match," he said flatly, his voice lacking any remorse. "That's how it works."

Belle let out a bitter, humorless laugh, shaking her head. "A match?" she repeated in disbelief. "You snapped his leg in half, Axel! That wasn't just some sparring session-that was you blindly following whatever your dumbass, controlling, abusive sensei tells you to do, no matter who it hurts!"

His jaw tightened. "I don't-"

"Don't even try to deny it." Her voice was sharp, cutting through the thick tension between them. "I saw the way you looked at him before the match, how you waited for his approval before making a move. I saw him whispering to you before you stepped on that mat. You weren't fighting for yourself, Axel. You were fighting for him."

Axel scoffed, running a frustrated hand through his damp hair. "You don't get it, Belle. You never did."

"No, you don't get it," she shot back, stepping closer, her eyes blazing. "You have so much talent, so much skill, and you're throwing it all away just to impress that manipulative asshole. What happened to you? You used to fight with honor. Now you're just his puppet."

"I'm not his puppet!" Axel suddenly shouted, his voice raw with emotion. His fists clenched at his sides as he glared at her. "You think you know everything? You think you know what it's like for me? Maybe I don't have the luxury of fighting 'the honorable way' like you do."

Belle's chest rose and fell with heavy breaths, but she refused to back down. "No, Axel. You don't have the courage to fight the right way. You're so afraid of disappointing him that you'd rather hurt the people who actually care about you than stand up for yourself."

His nostrils flared, his whole body rigid with frustration. "I don't need to hear this from you."

Belle stared at him, searching his face for something-remorse, guilt, anything. But all she saw was stubbornness, walls built so high she wasn't sure if he even realized they were there anymore.

Finally, she let out a slow, measured breath, her shoulders dropping as the weight of it all settled in her chest. She shook her head, her voice softer now but no less firm.

"You know what? I don't even want to look at you right now."

Axel flinched, just barely, but she caught it.

She didn't wait for him to say anything. She turned on her heel and walked away, her heart twisting painfully.

And for the first time since she had met him, Axel didn't follow her.

Belle sat curled up on the couch in her dimly lit living room, staring at the untouched cup of tea in her hands. The only sound in the house was the faint ticking of the clock on the wall and the occasional rustle of wind against the windows. The events of the day replayed over and over in her mind-Axel's betrayal, Robby's screams, the weight of everything pressing down on her like an anchor.

Her mother, Aaliyah, sat beside her, watching her daughter closely. She had noticed Belle's silence the moment she walked through the front door, her usual fire dimmed. Now, as they sat together, she could see the turmoil written all over Belle's face.

"Sweetheart," Aaliyah finally said gently, reaching out to tuck a stray curl behind Belle's ear. "What's going on? Talk to me."

Belle let out a shaky breath, setting the tea down on the coffee table. She hesitated for a moment, her fingers twisting in her lap, before finally whispering, "I think...I might drop out of the Sekai Taikai."

Aaliyah blinked, surprise flashing across her face. "What?"

Belle exhaled, staring down at her hands. "I don't know if I want to do this anymore, Mom. After what happened today... after what Axel did to Robby..." Her voice cracked slightly, and she shook her head, swallowing the lump in her throat. "I just don't know if I can keep fighting like this."

Her mother studied her carefully, her expression softening. "Belle, you've been training for this for so long. You love karate."

"I do," Belle admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "But it's not just about the sport anymore. It's about power. Control. Winning at any cost. And that's not why I started doing this." She paused, her eyes dark and full of emotion. "I don't want to become like them. I don't want to be part of something that pushes people to fight without honor."

Aaliyah sighed, reaching over and taking Belle's hands in hers. She squeezed gently. "It sounds like you're really struggling with this."

Belle nodded. "I am. And I just... I needed to say it out loud. To tell someone who wouldn't try to talk me into staying." She looked up at her mother, her expression vulnerable. "I thought you might be disappointed."

Aaliyah's heart clenched at that. She reached out, cupping Belle's face gently. "Oh, honey," she said softly. "I could never be disappointed in you for following your heart."

Belle's eyes welled up slightly, and she let out a small, relieved breath.

"If this doesn't feel right to you anymore," Aaliyah continued, "then you have every right to walk away. It takes strength to stand up for what you believe in, even if that means letting something go."

Belle bit her lip, nodding slowly. "So... you support me?"

Aaliyah smiled warmly, brushing a thumb across Belle's cheek. "Of course I do. I support you, honey. No matter what you decide."

Belle let out a breath she hadn't even realized she was holding. For the first time all day, some of the tension in her chest eased. She leaned into her mother's embrace, closing her eyes as Aaliyah wrapped her arms around her.

"Thanks, Mom," Belle whispered.

"Always," Aaliyah murmured, pressing a kiss to the top of her daughter's head. "Whatever happens next, you're not alone."

Belle stood on the LaRussos' front porch, her hands stuffed into the pockets of her hoodie as she stared at the door in front of her. The weight of her decision sat heavy on her shoulders, but she knew she had to do this. She owed Daniel LaRusso an explanation-he had given her and the others everything, trained them for this moment. And now, she was walking away.

Taking a steadying breath, she raised her hand and knocked.

A few moments later, the door swung open, revealing Sam. Her eyebrows lifted in surprise when she saw Belle standing there, her expression unreadable.

"Hey," Sam said, leaning against the doorframe. "What's up?"

Belle shifted on her feet, glancing past Sam into the house before looking back at her. "Is your dad home? I need to talk to him."

Sam studied her for a moment before nodding. "Yeah, sure. Come in." She stepped aside, letting Belle into the house. "I'll go get him."

Belle lingered in the foyer, her heart pounding against her ribs. She rubbed her hands together, trying to work out the nervous energy buzzing through her. This was the right thing to do-she had already made her decision. But still, facing Daniel after everything? That was daunting.

She didn't have to wait long. Within a minute, Daniel walked out from the kitchen, a warm but slightly concerned look on his face. The moment his eyes met Belle's, his expression shifted, reading her immediately.

"You're not fighting today, are you?" he said gently.

Belle's throat tightened, and she slowly shook her head. "No."

Daniel nodded, exhaling softly as if he had expected this.

"I'm so sorry," Belle said quickly, her voice thick with emotion. "I know I should've told you sooner. I just... I couldn't do it. Not after what happened with Robby. Not after everything I've seen. I-I don't think I want to be part of this anymore."

She braced herself for disappointment, for frustration, for anything that might make her feel worse than she already did. But instead, Daniel simply studied her for a moment, his gaze understanding.

"Belle," he said calmly, "you don't have to apologize."

Belle blinked, caught off guard. "But-"

Daniel shook his head. "You're making a choice that feels right for you. That's never something to apologize for." He offered her a small smile. "I know how much this tournament meant to you. But I also know how hard it can be to walk away from something when your heart isn't in it anymore. And if this isn't where you want to be, then you're making the right decision."

Belle swallowed hard, her chest tightening-not with guilt this time, but with gratitude.

"I just didn't want to let you down," she admitted quietly.

Daniel's expression softened even more. "Belle, you could never let me down. You've trained hard, you've grown, and you've learned a lot about yourself. That's what really matters." He placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "No matter what, I'm proud of you."

Belle let out a shaky breath, nodding. She hadn't realized how much she needed to hear that until now.

"Thank you," she whispered.

Daniel smiled. "Anytime."

From the doorway, Sam watched the exchange, her expression thoughtful. She didn't say anything, but when Belle turned toward her, Sam just gave her a small nod-one of understanding.

For the first time all day, Belle felt a little lighter.

Belle stood in the All Valley Sports Center later that day, the bright lights illuminating the massive crowd gathered for the semifinals. A strange sense of relief coursed through her veins. She had made her decision-she dropped out of the Sekai Taikai-and for the first time in weeks, she felt like she could breathe.

Still, there was tension in the air. She could feel Axel's gaze burning into her from across the arena, but she refused to look at him. Not after everything.

Gunther Braun's voice echoed through the speakers, commanding the attention of the entire room. "The Sekai Taikai has always been unpredictable, but this year has been like no other." He paused, letting the weight of his words settle. "Isabelle Wu has elected not to fight."

Belle finally turned her head, just for a second. Across the mat, Axel's eyes widened, his expression stunned. He hadn't expected this. Belle swallowed hard and quickly looked away. She didn't want to see whatever emotions flickered across his face-confusion, betrayal, or maybe even relief.

Gunther continued, his voice steady and official. "This decision officially ends Miyagi-Do Karate's impressive underdog run." A brief pause. "Let's give them a round of applause."

The audience responded with polite clapping, though there were murmurs throughout the crowd-some disappointed, some understanding. Belle caught sight of Sam, Demetri, and Hawk in the stands. Sam gave her a small nod, a silent reassurance that she made the right call. Belle exhaled slowly.

Gunther straightened his suit and addressed the audience again. "This now concludes our semifinal matches. Cobra Kai not naming a replacement for their fallen captain means that Axel Kovacevic automatically becomes our new male champion."

There was another round of clapping, but it wasn't as enthusiastic as before. Belle glanced toward the Iron Dragons, catching the way some of Axel's teammates exchanged uneasy glances. Even Axel himself seemed stiff, his jaw tightening at the announcement. She knew him well enough to recognize that this wasn't how he wanted to win.

But then-

"However," Gunther added, and Belle's ears perked up at the shift in his tone, "Cobra Kai has named a replacement."

A ripple of confusion passed through the Iron Dragons' ranks. Belle saw some of their faces fall, their confidence faltering for the first time. That's when she smirked.

Gunther turned toward the entrance of the arena, the anticipation building. "Joining Tory Nichols on Team Cobra Kai will be... Miguel Diaz!"

A burst of applause and excited chatter erupted throughout the arena as a thick puff of smoke filled the entrance. Belle's grin widened as two familiar figures emerged from the haze, dressed in black and yellow Cobra Kai gis.

Tory Nichols and Miguel Diaz strode onto the mat together, moving with precision and confidence. The crowd cheered wildly, and Belle didn't hesitate to cup her hands around her mouth and yell, "Go, Tory and Miguel!"

Miguel glanced toward her in the stands, catching her grin, and sent one right back at her. It was good-natured, almost teasing, but there was something genuine in it too-an unspoken acknowledgment that they had come a long way since their breakup.

Gunther wasn't finished yet. "Coached by the two-time All Valley champion and their new sensei... Johnny Lawrence!"

The noise in the arena swelled to a roar as Johnny Lawrence stepped out next, his signature smirk firmly in place. He joined Miguel and Tory on the mat, standing tall with his arms crossed.

Belle watched as Miguel, Tory, and Johnny took their places, the energy of the moment crackling around them like electricity. Despite everything-despite dropping out, despite her complicated feelings about the tournament-she couldn't help but feel excited.

This wasn't just about winning anymore. This was a fight for something bigger.

ASH SPEAKS!!!

sorry for skipping a lot of robby and axel's fighting scene. i was getting annoyed 😭😭 it was a long scene
i cant remember if i accidentally wrote earlier on in this book where sam was gonna fight in the semi finals or not... if i did that was a typo and it should have said belle

also im sorry for the long wait on this chapter😭 i couldn't bring myself to write this episode cause i hate writing fighting scenes🥲

PLEASE DONT BE A GHOST READER!!!
COMMENT AND VOTE! IT HELPS US WRITERS STAY MOTIVATED:) STOP BEING A GHOST READER!! PLEASE!!!! PLEASE JUST VOTE AND COMMENT!! ITS NOT HARD

STOP BEING A FREAKIN GHOST READER!!! VOTE PLEASE!!!!!!!!

STOP BEING A GHOST READER!! PLEASE!
i'm sorry for all the notifications but us writers work hard on these chapters. i know i ask this a lot, but i really don't like ghost readers because i work super hard on these chapters so when i see views going up but votes are not... its hard for my motivation!