“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Therewerefivedistinctmoves.Afterpletingthem,Iwasdrenchedi,myqipletelydepleted.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Timepassed.

Halftheeffort...?

likeaflowingstream.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Quietly,Imuttered,

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

So,Icalledforth“me.”

TomakeacultivatoratFoundatioablishmehismuch—itwastheequivalentofanordinarypersontrainingintenselyforhours.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

“Oh?”

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Tweer,thefigurefisdemonstration.Imimickedit.

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowar

Theeokeup:

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Panting,Iasked,

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

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

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

“SorSparrowBattleTeique,FirstForm.”

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Aminiaturefigureappearedinmymind,demonstratingamartialsequence.Meanwhile,appeared:

“ThisisthefirstformoftheSorSparrowBattleTeique.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Thistime,somethingcriticappeared:theactualteique.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Thefirstformtainsfivemoves.”