Marco stepped up first. The second-year student swung his wooden blade through the initial sequences of the Azure Crane Blade with practiced ease.
He transitioned smoothly through the rapid downward chop of the ninth step and executed the low sweeping leg trip of the tenth. Bounding off the ball of his foot, Marco launched into the eleventh mid-air horizontal slash and landed into the twelfth crouching deflection. His footing wavered slightly upon landing.
"You have the first ten steps locked down," Solomon noted, watching Marco regain his balance. "Your eleventh and twelfth forms are getting there. Focus entirely on mastering those two before you even think about attempting the final piercing strike."
Arthur walked into the ring next. The telekinetic boy pushed his spectacles up his nose and swung his practice sword. He managed to complete the first form with decent accuracy, but he stumbled clumsily through the second step while gasping for breath.
