“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”
“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”
Quietly,Imuttered,
“gratutions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”
Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.
likeaflowingstream.
TomakeacultivatoratFoundatioablishmehismuch—itwastheequivalentofanordinarypersontrainingintenselyforhours.
Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.
ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.
Panting,Iasked,
Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:
Themountaiobesappingmystrength.
Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.
“ThisisthefirstformoftheSorSparrowBattleTeique.
Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:
Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.
“SorSparrowBattleTeique,FirstForm.”
Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”
Halftheeffort...?
“Oh?”
Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.
Theeokeup:
Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowar
Aminiaturefigureappearedinmymind,demonstratingamartialsequence.Meanwhile,appeared:
So,Icalledforth“me.”
“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”
“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”
Timepassed.
Thistime,somethingcriticappeared:theactualteique.
Thefirstformtainsfivemoves.”
AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?
Tweer,thefigurefisdemonstration.Imimickedit.
Therewerefivedistinctmoves.Afterpletingthem,Iwasdrenchedi,myqipletelydepleted.
Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.
“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”