The wooden floor of Miyagi-Do had never felt so heavy with footsteps. Students and senseis from every corner of the Valley filled the dojo, voices low, eyes darting, some uneasy and some hungry for war.
Daniel stood at the front, hands folded, eyes scanning the faces. Chozen stood like a sentinel at his side, arms crossed, silent but commanding. Amanda sat on the porch outside with Sam, overhearing every word.
Iron Dragons had arrived first, their leader flanked by Kwon and Zara. Zara's smirk never wavered as she leaned against the wall, arms folded, eyes flicking across the dojo as if she owned it. She had spotted Hawk, but her gaze kept darting back to the door — waiting for Robby, waiting for Andrea, though neither were present.
Topanga's crew filed in next, quieter, calmer. Their sensei, Master Lee, looked around with wary eyes. "We're not soldiers," he said under his breath. "We're protectors."
Finally, a few smaller dojos filtered in, their students crowding the sides. Some held makeshift weapons — staffs, sticks, even broom handles — while others carried nothing but the weight of fear in their eyes.
Daniel cleared his throat, and the room silenced.
"Thank you all for coming," he began. His voice was steady, though exhaustion bled through. "I know this isn't easy. It's not normal. Dojos shouldn't have to unite for war. But Cobra Kai… has left us no choice."
Chozen's eyes swept the room like blades.
Daniel continued, "We've seen what they've done. Miguel is gone. My son Anthony is gone. Cobra Kai isn't just a dojo anymore — they're an army. If we don't stand together, none of us will last."
Zara's voice cut through the silence like a knife. "Then why waste time talking?" she asked, pushing off the wall. "You want them stopped? You want blood for blood? Then you fight. You don't defend, you don't wait. You strike first. Strike hard. No mercy."
Kwon nodded beside her, his arms folded. "Cobra Kai won the tournament. They're stronger, faster, and now they're killers. You think standing still is going to save you? Defense won't win a war."
Master Lee from Topanga shook his head sharply. "And offense will only bring more death. We don't train our students to become assassins. We teach balance, protection, control. We cannot stoop to their level."
Zara smirked, stepping forward. "Balance won't save you when Andrea Johnson is cutting through your students like paper. You haven't fought her. I have. And I plan to again." She glanced sideways, smirking, eyes glinting with hunger. "And when I see Robby… maybe I'll show him where his real loyalties belong."
Chozen's jaw tightened, but he stayed silent. Daniel raised a hand before voices could boil over.
"This isn't about pride," Daniel said firmly. "This isn't about who's stronger, or who's the better fighter. This is about survival. If Cobra Kai keeps spreading, there won't be any dojos left. No balance. No defense. No offense. Nothing."
The Iron Dragons' sensei, Master Wu, stepped forward. "Defense will get us killed," he said coldly. "Violence is their language. If we don't speak it back, we lose. Simple."
"No," Lee countered, voice sharp. "If we become like them, we've already lost. Our students will lose themselves."
"Better to lose ourselves than to lose our lives," Zara shot back, a cruel smile tugging at her lips.
The room erupted in murmurs, some students nodding toward Zara, others muttering in agreement with Topanga.
Chozen raised his voice, cutting through the noise. "Enough." His tone was calm but heavy. "We vote. Each dojo chooses. Defense or violence. And majority decides."
The murmurs grew louder. Students exchanged nervous glances, whispering heatedly.
Daniel stepped forward, his voice commanding. "Before you decide, hear me out."
The room hushed. Daniel's eyes swept across every face.
"I've lived my life believing in balance. Believing in Mr. Miyagi's teachings. He taught me that karate is not for war — it's for defense. But Cobra Kai has taken that, twisted it, and turned karate into a weapon. They've made our streets unsafe. They've taken my son. They've taken Miguel. They've taken everything we thought karate stood for and burned it to the ground."
His voice cracked slightly, but he pushed through.
"If we only defend, Cobra Kai will keep coming. If we only attack, we'll become just like them. So the question isn't defense or violence. The question is: are you willing to fight for balance? Are you willing to fight not just with fists, but with your hearts? Because Cobra Kai fights like killers. But we fight like protectors. And when protectors stand together, they don't lose."
Silence.
Zara scoffed, but her smirk faltered slightly.
Master Lee bowed his head, thoughtful. "Balance. Protection. Yes."
Wu frowned, his arms crossed. "You think speeches will stop Cobra Kai? You'll see soon enough."
Chozen's voice cut through, quiet but strong. "We vote."
One by one, senseis and students raised hands. Topanga chose defense. Iron Dragons chose violence. The smaller dojos split down the middle, muttering, unsure.
The room tensed, every eye flicking between Daniel and Chozen.
Finally, Chozen stepped forward. "Majority is balance," he said firmly. "But…" His eyes hardened. "We prepare for both. Defense when we can, violence when we must."
Daniel nodded, voice steady. "Then it's decided. We train together. We fight together. And when Cobra Kai comes, we'll be ready."
Zara's smirk returned, sly and dangerous. She leaned toward Kwon, whispering just loud enough. "Balance won't save her. Andrea's mine."
Chozen's eyes flicked to her, sharp as steel. But he said nothing.
The room broke into clusters, dojos mingling uneasily. Some students exchanged nervous glances; others whispered about weapons and strategies. But under it all, a fragile unity held — forged by grief, fear, and the spark of defiance.
Daniel exhaled, closing his eyes for a moment. His voice carried over the room one last time:
"We don't fight for pride. We don't fight for vengeance. We fight to end this. And we fight to protect what Cobra Kai has tried to destroy."
The room fell silent, the weight of his words heavy on every shoulder.
The war council was over. The storm was just beginning.