Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Halftheeffort...?

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Aminiaturefigureappearedinmymind,demonstratingamartialsequence.Meanwhile,appeared:

Panting,Iasked,

“Oh?”

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Thistime,somethingcriticappeared:theactualteique.

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowar

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Therewerefivedistinctmoves.Afterpletingthem,Iwasdrenchedi,myqipletelydepleted.

Theeokeup:

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

“SorSparrowBattleTeique,FirstForm.”

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Tweer,thefigurefisdemonstration.Imimickedit.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

likeaflowingstream.

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

TomakeacultivatoratFoundatioablishmehismuch—itwastheequivalentofanordinarypersontrainingintenselyforhours.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

“ThisisthefirstformoftheSorSparrowBattleTeique.

Timepassed.

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

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Quietly,Imuttered,

Thefirstformtainsfivemoves.”