Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowar

Tweer,thefigurefisdemonstration.Imimickedit.

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

“ThisisthefirstformoftheSorSparrowBattleTeique.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

“SorSparrowBattleTeique,FirstForm.”

Panting,Iasked,

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

likeaflowingstream.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Thefirstformtainsfivemoves.”

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

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Theeokeup:

Thistime,somethingcriticappeared:theactualteique.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Aminiaturefigureappearedinmymind,demonstratingamartialsequence.Meanwhile,appeared:

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Quietly,Imuttered,

Halftheeffort...?

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Timepassed.

“Oh?”

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Therewerefivedistinctmoves.Afterpletingthem,Iwasdrenchedi,myqipletelydepleted.

TomakeacultivatoratFoundatioablishmehismuch—itwastheequivalentofanordinarypersontrainingintenselyforhours.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.