Cobra Kai - Okinawa's Honor

After the conversation, Shisa continued to stare at the Miyagi-Do USA group in the distance, maintaining his confident smile as he discreetly gestured for his teammates to leave.

"Let's go," he said calmly, without looking away. "The evaluation is already complete."

Jack, at his side, crossed his arms and commented for a moment before complaining:

"That team seems to have a lot of internal conflicts, I don't think they're all that prepared for this tournament."

Milton, still a little quiet, felt that he was being watched as he left, so he directed his attention to the group they had just evaluated.

"They noticed that we were watching."

"Of course they would notice," Sabrina replied in a direct tone, adjusting her hair. "But so what? That will only make them more nervous."

Kim laughed softly, agreeing with her friend.

"You really like to provoke people, don't you?"

Sabrina replied with a calm smile, but there was a refined glint in her eyes.

"Teasing is a powerful tool, but today I just wanted to evaluate. Tomorrow the real teasing begins."

Kenny, further away, seemed thoughtful. He looked at the Miyagi-Do USA group and said in a low tone:

"Don't underestimate Miguel. He's the kind of fighter who improves a lot under pressure."

Shisa inclined her head in the direction of Kenny's comment.

"Don't worry about him Kenny, you have 14 other dojos to worry about, if we do what we know we'll be rewarded in the end."

The rest of the Team members nodded and continued to disperse, following Shisa.

However, on the other side, in the Miyagi-Do USA group, the tension was evident. They realized that Team Okinawa had been watching them from the beginning, which began to generate a parallel conversation between the members.

At Miyagi-Do USA

"These guys have been looking at us since the beginning. It's kind of weird." Demitri commented as he cast a suspicious glance in the direction of the rival group.

Falcão, with a mocking smile, crossed his arms and replied in a confident tone "They're clearly analyzing the competition. After all, they know we're the favorites."

Devon, who was further away, raised an eyebrow, looking at Falcão from the corner of his eye "Favorites? Don't you think you're exalting us a little?"

Falcão laughed, hitting his own chest.

"Devon, look, these guys may even be good in their dojo, but we're different. We... have me."

Dimitri sighed at the idiocy said by Falcão, shaking his head.

"Oh, great. Here we go again. Seriously, do you remember what happened the last time you underestimated someone? You got your ass kicked by the reserve member of that dojo."

"Man, I know you like to be the idiot of the group, but I'm serious," Falcao replied with a confident smile. "These guys have nothing on us."

Miguel, who until then had just been observing the conversation, decided to intervene. He put a hand on Dimitri and Falcao's shoulders to get their attention.

"Look, it doesn't matter how we feel right now. The only thing that really matters is what's going to happen on the mat. And by the look on their faces, you can see that they came to win."

Samantha, who was next to Miguel, finished with a nod.

"He's right. I noticed that their captain, sensei Chozen's son, that Shisa guy. He's not here just to compete. It seems like he's carrying something bigger... like a mission."

Devon, crossing her arms, looked thoughtfully at the group that was already leaving the place.

"They definitely have something. And even though they are different dojos, I feel like we have more in common with them than with Cobra Kai."

Miguel looked at Devon with a thoughtful face.

"Devon has a point. We are kind of sister dojos. Wouldn't it be better if we tried to talk to them, instead of competing? Remember, their Sensei taught us, so there shouldn't be any rivalry."

Hawk laughed out loud, shaking his head.

"El Serpiente, are you kidding me? This is a worldwide televised tournament, not a family reunion. The only goal here is to win. There is no room for friendship."

Miguel sighed, placing a hand on his forehead.

"That's not exactly what Mr. LaRusso teaches us, Hawk."

Hawk shrugged, still with that confident smile on his face.

"It may be, but at the end of the day, winning is what matters. And I'm going to prove that on the mats." 

Miguel, already tired of Falcão's speech, muttered, "I hope you're right this time..." 

Following the captains' itinerary, Team Okinawa accompanied Shisa and Sabrina to the area designated for the official photo. The gym was bustling with teams from various dojos around the world. While some chatted in a relaxed manner, others discussed strategies or just waited in silence. 

Shisa and Sabrina were in the center of the photo, both with clearly disinterested expressions, as if they wanted to be anywhere but there. Jack and Kim, watching from a distance, could barely hold back their laughter. 

"Shisa's face is priceless hahahaha," commented Jack, trying not to laugh too loudly. 

Kim, laughing too, looked at Sabrina. 

"Look at the look on her face. She looks like she'd kill everyone with that if she could. I bet she's wondering how to destroy the camera." 

Jack agreed, crossing his arms with a smile. 

"Sabrina's definitely scarier than anyone there." 

Meanwhile, Booboo, Milton and Kenny were in another corner, analyzing the teams. Their eyes roamed over the other captains, assessing posture, behavior and interaction. Milton, with a serious expression, commented, "Look at that one over there, from the Russian dojo. He looks pretty barbaric, like a bunch of thugs. Quite possibly it's just attacks, without any defense." 

Kenny discreetly called out to a nearby group, belonging to Cobra Kai Korea.

"They've already started marking their territory. Just by looking at them, you can tell they're trying to intimidate the others."

Booboo, who had been quieter, finally spoke up:

"But what about the Miyagi-Do ones? I haven't seen anything that stands out from them yet, except for that captain, Robby, and the Latino guy. They look strong, but nothing extraordinary. Maybe they're saving everything for the mat."

Minutes later, the photo shoot finally ended. Tory, from Cobra Kai Korea, was the first to leave the formation, visibly irritated. She walked past the Okinawa group without saying anything, but her expression made it clear that she didn't want to be there either.

Soon after, Shisa and Sabrina left together, still complaining quietly.

"If I had known there would be these photos," Shisa grumbled, adjusting her headband, "I would have let Jack be the captain. He loves that kind of thing."

Sabrina laughed, shaking her head.

"Definitely. He would have even offered to take as many pictures as possible."

The two laughed as they walked away from the crowd. When he finally returned to the rest of the team, Shisa simply glanced in the direction of the Miyagi-Do USA team, who were without their captains, and nodded slightly in greeting. Without exchanging a word, he and his team retreated to a quieter area.

When the team was a little further away, Milton broke the silence, asking, "Why don't we talk to them? I mean, it seems like we're dojos that support the same philosophy."

Shisa paused for a moment, looking back in the direction of Miyagi-Do USA before answering. With a calm smile, he said, "Because we want to make an impact when we step onto the mat. Let them know us the right way... as opponents."

Jack laughed out loud, patting Milton on the shoulder.

"See? That's a strategy that works, my friend."

Booboo nodded, with a slight smile.

"That makes sense. They're already trying to size us up. It's better to leave the mystery in the air."

After leaving the photo location, Milton suggested, "How about we have lunch? I'm starving."

Everyone immediately agreed. Kim, in her practical way, commented,

"There's a restaurant nearby that I've heard really good things about. I think it's worth checking out."

Jack transmitted and said, "Then you lead the way. We'll follow you."

Booboo, with his usual energy, added jokingly, "Great, because I'm hungry as hell! I hope they serve generous portions."

Laughing, the group headed to the restaurant Kim had recommended. The place was cozy, with a delicious aroma. During lunch, the mood was light.

As they ate, Booboo broke the silence "So... what will the lineup for the trials be? There are seven of us. Have you thought about that?"

Milton replied, placing his glass on the table "I think we first need to know what the trials will be this year. Then we'll decide who will enter each one. Without information, it would be risky for nothing."

Before anyone could agree or argue, Shisa intervened, with a confident tone "We'll all fight. That's the plan."

The conversation turned to more relaxed topics, such as local cuisine and curiosities about the other competitors that were provided. They laughed, shared stories and enjoyed the moment of camaraderie until they decided to return to the hotel.

When they arrived, the young attendant who had greeted them the day before approached them with a warm smile.

"Good afternoon! Just to let you know, many of the dojos are gathered in one of the hotel's spaces right now. It seems like they're doing a little warm-up or exchanging heat before the tournament."

She gave directions to the location, and the team thanked her before following the indicated space. As they entered, the place was bustling with activity, with fighters of various nationalities interacting with each other.

A sound of impact caught the group's attention. A Russian fighter was testing the height of his kick against a chalk mark made on the wall. The blow elicited murmurs of approval from those present, but it was not enough to achieve the record.

Kwon, who was watching closely, gave a solicitous smile and commented aloud, "It wasn't even close. The record is still mine."

Kwon's confidence drew curious glances, but what really caught Shisa's attention was the moment when Kwon turned his face to the side. His gaze met the Miyagi-Do USA group.

There was a brief silence, as if the air had thickened. Kwon kept the smile on his face, but there was something in his eyes that indicated interest and perhaps even provocation.

Jack, always aware of the environment, muttered to Shisa, "I think things are starting to heat up."

The Miyagi-Do Team USA group had barely entered the space when Kwon noticed their presence. With a provocative smile, he crossed his arms and said loudly, "Team USA? Everyone knows that Americans are better at everything, right?"

His words drew mocking laughter and agreement from the other dojos.

Kwon then stepped forward, pointing to the American group.

"Come on, I want to see! Show us what you've got!"

He began to shout, clapping his hands to keep up with the rhythm, "U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A! Come on! Are you scared?"

Falcão, with his usual impatience, stepped forward, facing Kwon head-on.

"Okay, big guy. Want to see? I'll show you!"

Before he could move forward, Yoon, one of Kwon's colleagues, approached with a mocking smile.

"Are you seriously the best your Dojo has to offer?"

Falcon immediately retorted:

"I'm good enough to kick your ass, that's for sure."

Kwon laughed loudly, drawing everyone's attention.

"Shut up, man. You're not even a captain. By the way, where is he?"

Before anyone could respond, Robby appeared, walking calmly towards the group. He stopped next to Falcon, staring at Kwon.

"I'm here. And we're leaving."

Miguel, who had been watching the situation, nodded.

"Come on, guys. We don't need this."

But Kwon didn't seem willing to let the provocation die down. He stepped forward, smirking.

"What's wrong? Do you always run away from challenges? Or is it just because your girlfriend is in Cobra Kai now?"

Robby stopped, slowly turning to face Kwon. Miguel immediately tried to intervene, "Robby, it's not a good idea to fall for that."

Falcon, however, was already excited. He picked up a piece of chalk that was on the floor and handed it to Robby.

"Show them who's boss, Robby!"

Robby looked at the chalk in Falcon's hand, then at Kwon. He walked over to the line marked on the floor and, with a smirk, asked, "Is that it? Kick over the line?"

Kwon laughed, pointing to the mark on the floor.

"You think this is easy? Then let's make it more interesting. How about a bet? You kick first, then me. If you win, you get my room. If I win, your room is mine."

Robby narrowed his eyes and held out his hand to Kwon.

"Deal."

Dimitri, panicked, quickly approached.

"You're betting our room? Shouldn't this be a joint decision?"

Robby smiled, unconcerned.

"I'm not betting. I'm getting an extra room."

Demitri turned to Miguel and Falcao, gesturing nervously.

"That's literally betting! What if he loses?"

As Demitri continued to complain, Robby positioned himself, placing the chalk on the tip of his shoe. Falcao approached, trying to give him pointers.

"Look, Robby, the Russian guy, couldn't do it because..."

Demitri interrupted him, exasperated.

"Falcao, shut up man! This is a pair thing, I know physics, and that's why I'm going to MIT! It's all about angulation and..."

Falcao rolled his eyes, imitating Dimitri in an exaggerated way.

"'Oh, sure, I'm going to MIT.' We already know that crap!"

Miguel intervened, placing a hand on each of them.

"You two, stop! Robby is focused. Robby decided to do this, let him do it, he's the captain."

Robby took a deep breath, adjusted his posture and, in a quick and precise movement, turned his body, delivering a strong kick. The chalk left a clear mark above the established line, provoking murmurs of approval from the audience.

Kwon raised an eyebrow, impressed but not letting it show.

"Impressive... for an American."

Falcão smiled, clapping his hands ironically.

"Now it's your turn, you idiot. Come and take second place!"

Kwon walked to the line, picking up the chalk. He braced himself confidently, removed his jacket and let out a scream that echoed through the space, attracting curious looks. He got into position, adjusted his breathing, and kicked with all his might, narrowly missing the line Robby had previously drawn.

The crowd reacted with whistles and applause as Kwon approached Robby with a cocky grin. He reached out, taking the room card that belonged to Robby and Dimitri.

"Thanks for the gift, champ," Kwon teased, waving the card in front of Robby.

Robby remained silent, visibly uncomfortable. Before things could get any worse, Shisa appeared, walking calmly but with a confident stance. He approached the group, catching everyone's attention.

"Hey, hey, guys, how about we calm down? This isn't over yet," Shisa said, crossing his arms and watching Kwon with a slight smile.

Kwon turned to him, recognizing him immediately.

"Look who showed up! If it isn't the captain of some neighborhood in Japan," Kwon scoffed, drawing laughter from his group.

Shisa just laughed, unfazed.

"Is that all you got? I was expecting something more creative."

Kwon arched an eyebrow.

"What do you want, then?"

Shisa pointed to the hotel cards in Kwon's hand.

"I want a bet. Double or nothing. If I win, I get your room and one more at Miyagi-Do. If I lose, you get our two team rooms, which, by the way, are on a higher floor and much more luxurious."

Kwon laughed loudly, but hesitated for a moment. Yoon, sensing the danger, walked over and whispered something in Kwon's ear, probably trying to convince him to back off.

Ignoring the warning, Kwon squeezed Shisa's hand tightly.

"Challenge accepted. Let's see what you've got."

Shisa smiled calmly.

"Since I'm the one who proposed it, you go first. Show us what you've got."

Kwon nodded, stepping back to the line with confidence. He took a deep breath, adjusted his stance, and with a mighty shout, kicked, just missing the mark of his last kick. He turned to Shisa, smiling smugly.

"Good luck, captain."

Shisa took a few steps forward, calmly removing his jacket. To everyone's surprise, he also removed his shirt, leaving the top half of the shirt uncovered. This caused a buzz among the crowd.

"What's the need for that?" Demitri muttered in the background, while Hawk just crossed his arms, watching intently.

Sabrina, who was watching from afar, sighed and shook her head, already wondering why.

Shisa took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment to concentrate. He adjusted his position, jumped high and applied a powerful spinning kick, easily surpassing the line marked by Kwon.

Silence took over the place for a second before exploding in applause and exclamations.

Shisa came down from the movement gracefully, turning to Kwon with a calm smile.

"Now, the cards, my dear friend," he said, holding out his hand.

Kwon handed over the cards reluctantly, trying to maintain his composure.

"It was luck," he muttered, visibly irritated.

Shisa just laughed.

"Luck? No, my friend, that's called talent. If you want your cards back, ask your sensei to come to me." 

With that, he walked away, twirling the cards in his hand with a nonchalant air. 

Sabrina approached, handing him the shirt and looking at him with a serious countenance. 

"Why did you have to take your shirt off? Really, Shisa?" 

He gave a playful smile. 

"There are lots of pretty girls here. I thought it was worth impressing." 

Sabrina rolled her eyes and slapped him lightly on the arm. 

"Put on your shirt and jacket. Now." 

Laughing, Shisa obeyed, getting dressed as he walked towards Miyagi-Do USA's group with a quiet smile, followed by his team members. He stopped in front of Robby, keeping a firm and specific gaze. Devon wasn't there, as he had gone out with Kenny, mentioning that he wanted to tell him something important. 

Shisa held out the cards to Robby, but before handing them over, she spoke in a calm but slightly provocative tone "It's not because we're your older brothers that we have to clean up your mess." 

Falcão, with his characteristic impulsiveness, didn't let it go.

"Hey, nobody asked for your help!"

The comment drew laughter from the Okinawa team, but they clearly ignored Falcão, which only made him angrier.

Sabrina crossed her arms and turned to Robby with a stern look.

"Don't let yourself be carried away by the provocations of the other competitors. And, most importantly, don't get into trouble because of your girlfriend who ran away."

Robby raised an eyebrow, surprised.

"How do you know that?"

Kim, who was next to Sabrina, said with a sideways smile.

"It's obvious. Besides, someone who lets themselves be influenced so easily will be an easy target here."

Robby remained silent, reflecting on his words. Meanwhile, Shisa looked away at Miguel, who was looking at him with a serious but respectful expression.

Shisa spoke and began to speak directly to him.

"Miguel Diaz. I know who you are, 'El Serpiente' to those closest to you and 'the unbeatable' to your enemies. You recovered from asthma and came back from an injury that could have left you paraplegic in record time. An admirable achievement, my friend. I really admire that about you." 

Miguel didn't look away and replied calmly, "Thank you. I think you have good confidence too." 

Shisa nodded slightly, confirming the answer, but continued. 

"It's a shame we can't fight in the final. Only captains have that honor." 

Miguel maintained his posture, although there was a slight disappointment in his voice. 

"Yes, it really is a shame." 

Just then, Kenny appeared, approaching the group with a confused expression, as if he had missed something important. Noticing his arrival, Shisa took a step back and looked at her team. 

"Well, we've had enough fun around here. Let's retire." 

Meanwhile at the Buffet

Chozen and Barnes entered through the buffet door, the atmosphere was elegant, but marked by a slight tension, since Daniel and Johnny were arguing with Kreese near the entrance counter. Kreese, as always, had a provocative smile on his face, while Daniel dismissed his presence with a gesture.

"I have more important matters to deal with," Daniel said firmly, before noticing the two entering.

Johnny followed Daniel, but not before showing the middle finger to Kreese. He just shrugged, as if he was amused by the scene.

When Daniel and Johnny approached Chozen and Barnes, the atmosphere became awkward. Barnes cut the silence with his usual sarcastic tone.

"Wait a minute, let me get a whiskey before you start chatting."

Johnny laughed, always ready to make fun.

"There's no alcohol here, you idiot."

Barnes made an exaggerated expression of indignation and looked directly at Chozen.

"Are you kidding me? This looks like a party for gossips! You lied to me, Chozen."

Chozen, with a serious but clearly ironic expression, replied:

"I also thought there would be alcohol."

Daniel, who had been silent until now, raised his voice.

"Can we please stop this? We have more serious problems to deal with."

Barnes turned to Chozen with a smile.

"I told you he would freak out sooner or later."

Johnny, with his direct manner, interviewed.

"I warned you from the beginning, LaRusso. The Chinese guy is up to something. And now he brought that Silver henchman with him... No offense to you two."

Barnes laughed.

"I hate that guy."

Johnny quickly replied, with an amused expression.

"Of course you do. I'm everything you wanted to be, but couldn't."

Barnes tried not to laugh, but failed, while Chozen looked at the two, shaking his head. He then interrupted.

"Enough of this. Let's talk, but first... I'm going to get some food."

Johnny, always ready with a comment, warned:

"There's no steak."

Chozen stopped abruptly and looked at Johnny with an expression of disbelief.

"What do you mean there's no steak? What kind of buffet is this? People can choose as much as they want, and there's nothing left?"

Johnny responded happily to Chozen's comment.

"That's exactly what I thought. I had to fight with an idiot over that."

Chozen sighed, clearly disappointed.

"I'll get something. You guys pick a table."

As Chozen headed for the food area, Barnes turned to Johnny with a mischievous smile.

"This is better than a Mexican soap opera."

Johnny patted him on the back.

"Welcome to the party, Barnes."

As soon as Chozen returned to the table with a plate of sushi and grilled vegetables, Daniel was quick to approach him, gradually leaning forward.

"Chozen, what are you expecting, being the sensei of that dojo together with Barnes? What's going on?"

Chozen sighed, as if he had already expected the question, and placed the plate on the table before calmly answering:

"It's a countermeasure, Daniel-san. In case Terry Silver or John Kreese decide to do something in this tournament, we need to be prepared."

Daniel took a deep breath, visibly relieved, but his curiosity was not diminished.

"I see... But where did you find those children? And why didn't you tell me you had a son the same age as them?"

Chozen gave a slight smile before starting to explain.

"These children are Okinawa's best young fighters. They were trained from an early age at Miyagi-Do, by me and my uncle Sato. You could say that all six of them grew up under his wing. As for my son. Shisa Toguchi." 

He paused briefly, his pride evident. 

"Shisa is the best young fighter in Okinawa. In fact, he's much better than I was at his age. And he's the best young fighter in this tournament, without a doubt." 

Johnny, unable to resist, interrupted with his provocative tone "HAA! He's no better than Robby or Miguel. I bet the kid only knows how to defend and pose for Miyagi Karate." 

Barnes didn't mince his words and immediately retorted, "Oh really? This kid can fight both of them at the same time and still come out on top. What's more, even Kenny, who you always underestimate, would give your kids a hard time. " 

Johnny, with a debauched smile, crossed his arms. 

"Kenny? The same Kenny who lost in the race to my champion, Devon? Okay, Barnes."

The conversation started to escalate, but Chozen intervened, raising his hand with an air of authority.

"Enough. We're not here to discuss who's better. If you need help, Team Okinawa will be ready. And if nothing goes wrong, you can take second place." 

Johnny stared at Chozen, incredulous that he thought he was serious, and punched the table lightly. 

"Are you kidding me? You keep talking nonsense, I'm going to end up punching you, Chozen. Who says we're going to come second?" 

Chozen, with his usual serenity, beamed. 

"It's obvious, Johnny-san. My team has more experience and works better together than yours." 

Barnes, always ready to poke, added, "Let's be honest, Lawrence. Robby's not concentrating because Tory's on his rival. Miguel is jealous of Robby's captaincy. Samantha is full of doubts about the tournament. Hawk and Demitri aren't getting along. And Devon seems completely lost." 

Johnny rolled his eyes and snorted. 

"I don't know how your wife puts up with a guy as annoying as you."

Suddenly, as if something had popped into his mind, Johnny looked at Chozen.

"By the way, speaking of which... What about your boy's mother? I bet she must have a lot of patience to put up with you."

Before Chozen could answer, he felt a presence. An aura that seemed close and intense. He slowly turned around and saw his wife watching him with her arms crossed, clearly listening to the conversation.

A cold sweat broke out on his forehead, but he kept his composure.

"My wife? She's a woman... very beautiful, a fearless warrior, incredibly intelligent and... who never gives up easily."

Barnes started laughing while Johnny muttered to himself, "Nice try, Chozen."

Daniel, still curious, turned to Chozen.

"What about your wife, Chozen? Does she know Miyagi Karate too?"

Chozen shrugged, trying to avoid the subject.

"I offered it to her, but she didn't want to learn. She preferred to follow her own path. And I... didn't insist."

The short answer left Daniel satisfied, but not completely. Before he could ask anything else, Chozen finished eating, wiped his mouth with the seasoning and spoke.

"Daniel-san, Johnny-san... Let's leave. We need to go over the plans with the children. A tournament of this level requires concentration and strategy."

Barnes nodded, standing up soon after.

"You should do the same. This isn't just another neighborhood fight. We're talking about an internationally recognized tournament. If you don't do your best, you're going to get crushed."

Johnny, with his typical confident expression, gave a mocking smile.

"Are we going to get crushed? Barnes, you should look at your own nose before you say things like that. It'll be fun to watch us run over your dojo."

Barnes rolled his eyes but maintained his composure, while Chozen gave a slight smile before walking away, signaling for his colleague to follow him.

"Good luck, Johnny-san," Chozen said with a tone of respect, but also a hint of teasing.

"You're going to need it more, Chozen," Johnny replied, leaning back in his chair with a satisfied smile.

Daniel sighed wearily as he watched the two leave.

"Johnny, can we avoid fighting with everyone before the tournament starts?"

Johnny laughed, taking a cupcake from Daniel's plate.

"Relax, LaRusso. We're in control."

THE END