Halftheeffort...?

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Panting,Iasked,

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Quietly,Imuttered,

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Tweer,thefigurefisdemonstration.Imimickedit.

Aminiaturefigureappearedinmymind,demonstratingamartialsequence.Meanwhile,appeared:

“SorSparrowBattleTeique,FirstForm.”

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowar

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

“ThisisthefirstformoftheSorSparrowBattleTeique.

“Oh?”

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

likeaflowingstream.

“gratutions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Timepassed.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Theeokeup:

Therewerefivedistinctmoves.Afterpletingthem,Iwasdrenchedi,myqipletelydepleted.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

TomakeacultivatoratFoundatioablishmehismuch—itwastheequivalentofanordinarypersontrainingintenselyforhours.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Thefirstformtainsfivemoves.”

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Thistime,somethingcriticappeared:theactualteique.