“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

“Oh?”

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

likeaflowingstream.

“SorSparrowBattleTeique,FirstForm.”

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Thefirstformtainsfivemoves.”

Tweer,thefigurefisdemonstration.Imimickedit.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Quietly,Imuttered,

So,Icalledforth“me.”

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Therewerefivedistinctmoves.Afterpletingthem,Iwasdrenchedi,myqipletelydepleted.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

“ThisisthefirstformoftheSorSparrowBattleTeique.

Halftheeffort...?

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Panting,Iasked,

Thistime,somethingcriticappeared:theactualteique.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Timepassed.

Theeokeup:

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowar

Aminiaturefigureappearedinmymind,demonstratingamartialsequence.Meanwhile,appeared:

TomakeacultivatoratFoundatioablishmehismuch—itwastheequivalentofanordinarypersontrainingintenselyforhours.

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

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

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”