“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Aminiaturefigureappearedinmymind,demonstratingamartialsequence.Meanwhile,appeared:

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Thistime,somethingcriticappeared:theactualteique.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Panting,Iasked,

Theeokeup:

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowar

likeaflowingstream.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Quietly,Imuttered,

Timepassed.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Tweer,thefigurefisdemonstration.Imimickedit.

“SorSparrowBattleTeique,FirstForm.”

Halftheeffort...?

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

“ThisisthefirstformoftheSorSparrowBattleTeique.

TomakeacultivatoratFoundatioablishmehismuch—itwastheequivalentofanordinarypersontrainingintenselyforhours.

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

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Therewerefivedistinctmoves.Afterpletingthem,Iwasdrenchedi,myqipletelydepleted.

Thefirstformtainsfivemoves.”

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

“Oh?”

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

So,Icalledforth“me.”