Time passed, and Daniel's cousin took matters into his own hands by burning Johnny's car. Understandably, Johnny responded with anger, confronting him and delivering a well-deserved beatdown. However, this time, Johnny's first thought wasn't to attack Daniel but to approach him like an adult. Given the improved relationship between Johnny and Daniel, their misunderstandings were resolved much more quickly. Daniel agreed to get Johnny a new car, and he followed through, gifting Johnny a Dodge Hellcat. They decided to put their past behind them and share a few beers together.
Currently, I was training for the All Valley Tournament. I jumped up, turned sideways, and attempted to spin as many times as I could. As I landed, I heard a voice from behind me.
"You are training that move again," Daniel remarked.
"Yes, Sensei," I replied, preparing to try again.
Daniel cautioned, "You know that move will be banned immediately if you use it, right?"
I landed and said, "I know, so I'll use it only in an emergency." I moved to a nearby punching bag, focused my energy, and executed the move properly. I jumped into the air, spinning, and used my momentum to kick the punching bag with all my strength. The ropes snapped, and the bag flew back, hitting the wall.
"That's too dangerous for any type of competition," Daniel cautioned.
"You're right. If used to its full potential, it could kill someone," I admitted, pausing for a moment before adding, "I'll name it Hakai."
Daniel nodded and offered me some pointers on how to better utilize Hakai.
Suddenly, we heard a voice. "Mr. LaRusso."
We turned around to see Robby, dressed in a grey top and black shorts. Daniel introduced us, saying, "Oh, Robby, this is Jack. He has been my student for the last ten years." I greeted Robby, and he returned the gesture.
"Now let's get to training," Daniel said.
"Wax on, wax off," I chimed in with a grin.
"Exactly," Daniel replied.
With a mischievous smile, I said, "I'll go get Sam," and I dashed to the house. When I returned with Sam, we found Robby cleaning the car. We sat down and watched as his frustration grew with every passing moment.
I exchanged a glance with Daniel, who nodded, and I approached Robby, who had been at it for over an hour. "You know why you're doing this exercise," I said.
He shot back, "You want to destroy my patience! I'm not learning karate!"
I replied with understanding, "I feel you. I had the same opinion ten years ago, but there's a reason for everything."
"Stop the exercise and stand in front of me," I commanded, my presence compelling him to comply. "Show me wax on, wax off."
He executed the move sloppily, so I corrected him. "Show me wax on, wax off," I repeated, then punched forward. To his surprise, he managed to deflect my punches.
"You've learned karate!" I exclaimed, and he smiled. But then I punched his stomach, making him fold in half. "But you have a lot more to learn." Sam burst into laughter.
I turned to Daniel and asked, "How am I doing as a sensei?"
"Good, but the last punch wasn't necessary," Daniel replied.
"I don't know if I can fix that; it's my own style," I shrugged.
"As you may," Daniel said. "Now let's continue with our training."
Lately, I had been forgetting details from my old life. I was diligently writing down every detail about Cobra Kai, but my memory was becoming foggy. The only things I could clearly recall were Miguel's fall, the All Valley tournaments, and Sekai Taikai. I thought to myself, From now on, I'll have to freestyle. I just have to destroy my enemies and wait for the chance to join Cobra Kai. I never liked Miyagi-Do; I learned it for its usefulness, and it will provide me with the chance to win the All Valley.
Miyagi-Do was strong because it was based on Gōjū-ryū, which means hard-soft style. It's one of the main traditional Okinawan styles of karate, featuring a combination of hard and soft techniques. Gōjū-ryū incorporates both circular and linear movements, blending hard striking attacks like kicks and close-hand punches with softer open-hand circular techniques for attacking, blocking, and controlling the opponent, including joint locks, grappling, takedowns, and throws. Miyagi believed that "the ultimate aim of karate-do was to build character, conquer human misery, and find spiritual freedom."
Those strong beliefs of Miyagi didn't resonate with me. I believed in absolute power. The Cobra Kai karate style primarily traces its roots back to Korean karate, Tang Soo Do, and incorporates Shotokan karate, Judo, and even elements of American military hand-to-hand combat. From what I understood, Kreese learned that style from veterans during the Vietnam War and then taught it to Johnny and the rest of the Cobra Kai students. This style was designed specifically for hand-to-hand and close quarters fights. The game changer for me was the principle of incorporating full strength behind each attack, making it deadly. For someone with my strength, Cobra Kai's techniques would be a lethal weapon. That's why Johnny and Robby thrived under Cobra Kai.
Determined, I continued my training without slowing down. Nothing would stop me, not now, not ever