likeaflowingstream.

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Aminiaturefigureappearedinmymind,demonstratingamartialsequence.Meanwhile,appeared:

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Theeokeup:

“Oh?”

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Thistime,somethingcriticappeared:theactualteique.

Therewerefivedistinctmoves.Afterpletingthem,Iwasdrenchedi,myqipletelydepleted.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowar

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Quietly,Imuttered,

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

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

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Halftheeffort...?

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

TomakeacultivatoratFoundatioablishmehismuch—itwastheequivalentofanordinarypersontrainingintenselyforhours.

Timepassed.

Tweer,thefigurefisdemonstration.Imimickedit.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Panting,Iasked,

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Thefirstformtainsfivemoves.”

“ThisisthefirstformoftheSorSparrowBattleTeique.

“SorSparrowBattleTeique,FirstForm.”

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.