Emma, spotting Veronica and Celestia seemingly asleep on the bench, let her guard drop for just a second. "Hey, look at those two! They just conked out...!"
It was all the opening Julian needed.
"During a fight, never let your focus waver," he stated, his voice a flat warning an instant before he moved.
He didn't use a fancy technique, just a simple, incredibly fast sweep aimed at her supporting leg. Emma, caught completely off-balance, let out a startled yelp as her feet were taken out from under her. She hit the training ground dust with a soft thud.
"Oof! Hey, that was a cheap shot!" she grumbled, scrambling back to her feet and brushing herself off, her cheeks flushed with a mix of embarrassment and renewed determination.
She got into her stance again, her fists clenched and her eyes blazing. "Fine! No more distractions! But I'm warning you, Julian, I will land a solid hit on you today! I swear it!"
