ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Panting,Iasked,

Theeokeup:

Thefirstformtainsfivemoves.”

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

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Thistime,somethingcriticappeared:theactualteique.

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowar

“SorSparrowBattleTeique,FirstForm.”

Quietly,Imuttered,

“ThisisthefirstformoftheSorSparrowBattleTeique.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

likeaflowingstream.

Aminiaturefigureappearedinmymind,demonstratingamartialsequence.Meanwhile,appeared:

Timepassed.

Halftheeffort...?

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Tweer,thefigurefisdemonstration.Imimickedit.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

So,Icalledforth“me.”

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

TomakeacultivatoratFoundatioablishmehismuch—itwastheequivalentofanordinarypersontrainingintenselyforhours.

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Therewerefivedistinctmoves.Afterpletingthem,Iwasdrenchedi,myqipletelydepleted.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

“Oh?”