Panting,Iasked,

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Therewerefivedistinctmoves.Afterpletingthem,Iwasdrenchedi,myqipletelydepleted.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Thefirstformtainsfivemoves.”

Tweer,thefigurefisdemonstration.Imimickedit.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

“SorSparrowBattleTeique,FirstForm.”

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

“Oh?”

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

TomakeacultivatoratFoundatioablishmehismuch—itwastheequivalentofanordinarypersontrainingintenselyforhours.

Halftheeffort...?

“ThisisthefirstformoftheSorSparrowBattleTeique.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

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

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Quietly,Imuttered,

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Aminiaturefigureappearedinmymind,demonstratingamartialsequence.Meanwhile,appeared:

Thistime,somethingcriticappeared:theactualteique.

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowar

likeaflowingstream.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Theeokeup:

Timepassed.