Quietly,Imuttered,

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Theeokeup:

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

“Oh?”

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Halftheeffort...?

likeaflowingstream.

Tweer,thefigurefisdemonstration.Imimickedit.

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowar

TomakeacultivatoratFoundatioablishmehismuch—itwastheequivalentofanordinarypersontrainingintenselyforhours.

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

Thefirstformtainsfivemoves.”

Timepassed.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Therewerefivedistinctmoves.Afterpletingthem,Iwasdrenchedi,myqipletelydepleted.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Thistime,somethingcriticappeared:theactualteique.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

“ThisisthefirstformoftheSorSparrowBattleTeique.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

“SorSparrowBattleTeique,FirstForm.”

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Panting,Iasked,

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Aminiaturefigureappearedinmymind,demonstratingamartialsequence.Meanwhile,appeared:

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.