“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Halftheeffort...?

“SorSparrowBattleTeique,FirstForm.”

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Thefirstformtainsfivemoves.”

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Timepassed.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Thistime,somethingcriticappeared:theactualteique.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowar

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Tweer,thefigurefisdemonstration.Imimickedit.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

“ThisisthefirstformoftheSorSparrowBattleTeique.

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Panting,Iasked,

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

“Oh?”

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

likeaflowingstream.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Therewerefivedistinctmoves.Afterpletingthem,Iwasdrenchedi,myqipletelydepleted.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Quietly,Imuttered,

Aminiaturefigureappearedinmymind,demonstratingamartialsequence.Meanwhile,appeared:

Theeokeup:

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

TomakeacultivatoratFoundatioablishmehismuch—itwastheequivalentofanordinarypersontrainingintenselyforhours.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.