Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

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

Aminiaturefigureappearedinmymind,demonstratingamartialsequence.Meanwhile,appeared:

Tweer,thefigurefisdemonstration.Imimickedit.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

TomakeacultivatoratFoundatioablishmehismuch—itwastheequivalentofanordinarypersontrainingintenselyforhours.

Quietly,Imuttered,

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

“Oh?”

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Thefirstformtainsfivemoves.”

Therewerefivedistinctmoves.Afterpletingthem,Iwasdrenchedi,myqipletelydepleted.

Panting,Iasked,

“ThisisthefirstformoftheSorSparrowBattleTeique.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowar

likeaflowingstream.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Timepassed.

Theeokeup:

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Thistime,somethingcriticappeared:theactualteique.

“SorSparrowBattleTeique,FirstForm.”

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Halftheeffort...?