“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Aminiaturefigureappearedinmymind,demonstratingamartialsequence.Meanwhile,appeared:

“ThisisthefirstformoftheSorSparrowBattleTeique.

Halftheeffort...?

“Oh?”

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

“SorSparrowBattleTeique,FirstForm.”

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowar

Theeokeup:

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Therewerefivedistinctmoves.Afterpletingthem,Iwasdrenchedi,myqipletelydepleted.

Quietly,Imuttered,

TomakeacultivatoratFoundatioablishmehismuch—itwastheequivalentofanordinarypersontrainingintenselyforhours.

Thistime,somethingcriticappeared:theactualteique.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Timepassed.

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

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Thefirstformtainsfivemoves.”

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Panting,Iasked,

So,Icalledforth“me.”

likeaflowingstream.

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Tweer,thefigurefisdemonstration.Imimickedit.