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