Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Aminiaturefigureappearedinmymind,demonstratingamartialsequence.Meanwhile,appeared:

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Therewerefivedistinctmoves.Afterpletingthem,Iwasdrenchedi,myqipletelydepleted.

Thefirstformtainsfivemoves.”

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

TomakeacultivatoratFoundatioablishmehismuch—itwastheequivalentofanordinarypersontrainingintenselyforhours.

“ThisisthefirstformoftheSorSparrowBattleTeique.

Theeokeup:

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

“SorSparrowBattleTeique,FirstForm.”

Panting,Iasked,

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

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

likeaflowingstream.

Thistime,somethingcriticappeared:theactualteique.

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Halftheeffort...?

“Oh?”

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowar

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Tweer,thefigurefisdemonstration.Imimickedit.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Timepassed.

Quietly,Imuttered,

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”