Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowar

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

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Panting,Iasked,

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Thistime,somethingcriticappeared:theactualteique.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Therewerefivedistinctmoves.Afterpletingthem,Iwasdrenchedi,myqipletelydepleted.

“ThisisthefirstformoftheSorSparrowBattleTeique.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Halftheeffort...?

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Aminiaturefigureappearedinmymind,demonstratingamartialsequence.Meanwhile,appeared:

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Thefirstformtainsfivemoves.”

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

“SorSparrowBattleTeique,FirstForm.”

Timepassed.

Tweer,thefigurefisdemonstration.Imimickedit.

“Oh?”

TomakeacultivatoratFoundatioablishmehismuch—itwastheequivalentofanordinarypersontrainingintenselyforhours.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Theeokeup:

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

likeaflowingstream.

Quietly,Imuttered,

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”