Cobra Kai: Under the Cobra Emblem

"Did you argue with Sensei Wolf?"

Thump! Thump! Thump!

Inside the combat cage, Max and Ryan continued their training.

With Ryan's cooperation, Max practiced varying attack modes, including straight punches, kicks that only seasoned fighters could execute, and strikes designed to disrupt defenses.

Max had always been shorter than most opponents, and because he often faced much larger fighters, kicks had become his specialty. A well-executed spinning kick emphasized speed, surprising opponents. While not as powerful as direct punches, these kicks were effective enough.

By targeting the most exposed and least defended areas of his opponent, Max believed victory was possible as long as the impact was precise.

Now that he had grown taller and heavier, his strength had increased, and his reach was longer. This necessitated adjustments to his fighting techniques.

Max focused on keeping his jab sharp while strengthening his straight punches, spinning strikes, and surprise kicks—still his greatest assets.

In this combination of attacks, he also refined his defensive moves, which he used as a last-resort counterattack to finish fights.

After over an hour of training, both fighters were drenched in sweat.

The humid weather required constant ventilation to stay cool. Although the gym was well-ventilated, the intense exercise left their clothes soaked and repeatedly drying, forming salty sweat stains on their shirts.

After a brief rest, they began sparring again.

This time, Ryan took the offensive, while Max focused on defense.

For a skilled fighter, offense and defense were equally critical. A fighter adept at both tended to last longer in matches without being defeated.

Over the past three decades, many fighters had exemplified this balance.

"You're not thinking about your moves. You need to be more precise," Max said, frustrated by his friend's distracted and overly aggressive fighting, which wasn't his usual style.

In most cases, a fighter with a troubled mind couldn't focus in a scenario where calm and composure were essential. Ryan was clearly distracted.

Max considered stopping the fight but decided to let his friend release the pent-up stress.

Thud!

Their increasingly intense sparring drew the attention of other fighters in the gym, but no one intervened.

"Are you angry? Fighting like this, even a novice could knock you out," Max said, delivering two quick punches to Ryan's stomach.

"I'm not angry."

Thud! Thud!

Ryan tried to counter, but Max quickly locked him in a grappling hold. The strength Max applied was overwhelming, leaving Ryan unable to break free.

"I give up..."

Max released him, stood up, and removed his mouthguard. "You need to clear your mind, my friend. Even if you're angry, you must focus when you fight."

Max had learned this lesson the hard way. Fortunately, he was more resilient and tougher than Ryan.

That might seem like an advantage, but it wasn't necessarily one.

Ryan needed to focus if he wanted to fight seriously and let go of being an event organizer.

Max didn't want his friend to take unnecessary beatings, so he pointed out his mistakes.

"Go take a shower. Tomorrow's another day."

Ryan removed his gloves and exited the cage, heading toward the showers and disappearing from sight.

Amid the sudden silence, Max looked at the empty cage, wondering if he was right to guide his friend when he himself had struggled with worse behavior.

"Are you okay?"

Max looked up and, seeing it was Devon, nodded slightly. "You should spar. Remember to wear headgear."

"Of course."