“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

“Oh?”

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Theeokeup:

TomakeacultivatoratFoundatioablishmehismuch—itwastheequivalentofanordinarypersontrainingintenselyforhours.

Thefirstformtainsfivemoves.”

Therewerefivedistinctmoves.Afterpletingthem,Iwasdrenchedi,myqipletelydepleted.

Quietly,Imuttered,

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Tweer,thefigurefisdemonstration.Imimickedit.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

So,Icalledforth“me.”

“ThisisthefirstformoftheSorSparrowBattleTeique.

“SorSparrowBattleTeique,FirstForm.”

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Thistime,somethingcriticappeared:theactualteique.

Panting,Iasked,

Halftheeffort...?

Timepassed.

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowar

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

Aminiaturefigureappearedinmymind,demonstratingamartialsequence.Meanwhile,appeared:

likeaflowingstream.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain: