Dash's Decision

"Samanta LaRusso's match is underway. If you want to keep fighting, that will be your decision, but you must understand that if you get hit again in your wound, you may not be recovered for the tournament in China," Mr. Kim said, returning to the room where Dash was talking to Devon about some advice for his next fight.

Upon these harsh words from Mr. Kim, Dash was naturally thrilled to participate in both tournaments. Now that he was in the final, he knew that even if he bled again, he wouldn't miss this opportunity that would take him directly to China.

Thanks to all his effort, he had reached the final. It was naturally a great novelty for Dash to participate in such events because, for him, all of this still felt like a sweet dream that he wholeheartedly wanted to embrace.

Although the sensation of bleeding was horrible, there was no wound on his body that would make him stop because he had experienced even more traumatic things than any of the people in this room could imagine. Just thinking about how he felt until recently, his hands itched at the mere thought of quitting a fight.

"That's right, Dash. You've come a long way, so you must consider staying in the best condition now to be able to participate in that tournament you say you want to be a part of. If you are injured again in the same area, things may not turn in your favor, and you might not be ready for the tournament in China," Zoe, Devon's mother, advised Dash, who had been silent until now.

As time passed, Dash looked at Devon, and she nodded.

"Let's make a deal. If I receive a blow to my wound, the fight will be over. That's much better than not participating and doing it anyway. I want you to know that my purpose is not to make you worry but to show all the hard work I've been putting in with Devon. There's no malice involved," Dash said.

"Alright, that's a good proposal. What do you think of that, Mr. Kim?"

Mr. Kim nodded, satisfied with Dash's proposal, who had no intention of giving up from the start. The fact that he wanted to keep competing was something to admire simply because many kids his age at this moment would be crying out of fear.

"Then my match goes before Devon's, right?"

"That's correct. As far as we know, Sam's match hasn't ended yet, so you still have time to stabilize your mental state."

"Heh, heh..." Dash smiled cheekily, getting his way, while thinking to himself, "It's a surprise that my parents weren't against me participating in this tournament after being injured. Maybe some things have changed after getting a second chance."

"Devon, now we have time to analyze your opponent, and what you need to focus on is the defenses of that girl named Sam." Dash looked at his friend, who was still silent, and began explaining some details for her to win the fight.

The reason Daniel LaRusso's style resembles Northern Dragon Kung Fu is simply because the karate he was taught comes from China. In that case, with similar martial arts, what Dash could recommend to Devon is to stay calm.

"Hmm, then I'll focus on feints and keep my distance if possible. If Devon didn't have much training experience thanks to her effort and Mr. Kim's teachings, she might not understand how to face Sam's karate, who had been winning until now.

"If you make correct use of your feints, the fight is yours. But remember not to panic when you get hit, and it gives your opponent a point. The most important thing is to maintain control in the martial art I'm teaching you, so if you lose control even for a second, things won't go well for you."

After hearing these words, Devon nodded and said, "I don't know what it is, but Sam hasn't had any tough opponents throughout the tournament, and that's why she has reached the final. I don't want to call this luck since that doesn't exist, but it's certainly unusual."

Dash shook his head while letting out a long sigh. He didn't want to believe that something known as the power of the script existed in real life, giving someone a magical win with much less training and a new move learned the day before.

It's not that he compared himself to those events since he knows all the hard work he has done and what motivates his fights. But it's strange that such a thing happened in real life. At least he didn't want that to happen to his friend when she faces Samantha LaRusso if she makes it to the final.

If luck were to be inherited, Daniel LaRusso must be the reason his daughter won. Truth be told, even though he admired him, Dash certainly wasn't on his side when he first saw his story. Of course, everyone can think what they want and be free to give their own opinions.

Dash, with a slight smile on his face, said, "We're in the final, different divisions but the same goals, so you should be able to win without me telling you anything since you have everything prepared, right?"

"Like my last fight, I'm not arrogant to think it would be so easy... After all, last time, I almost let my emotions take over, and I was about to lose. So now I have a new way to face fights, so you don't have to worry."

Dash nodded, committing to Devon. He knew it wouldn't be easy for her to face a defeat, especially with a girl of a similar age, so he now understood that to win, she needed to first keep calm.

"If we win, we'll eat until we burst. Make sure to be faster than me, or my fame will increase more than yours in no time," Dash said with an ironic smile as he stood up.

At first, Devon was still very agitated by all the things that had happened lately, but seeing Dash being the same as always, she smiled cheerfully and nodded. As long as they support each other, no one will be able to stop them, and without realizing it, both were getting closer to each other.

"Sorry for the intrusion. If the competitor Dash Hale intends to participate in the final, he must be ready in five minutes." An administration man entered the infirmary and announced.

"We'll be there. Dash Hale will participate!" Mr. Kim, who looked at the entering man and addressed his students, said, "Alright, guys, it's time to make history!"

"Yes, Sensei!" Dash and Devon said in unison as they approached the door.