“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: