Theeokeup:

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Timepassed.

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

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

“Oh?”

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Halftheeffort...?

“ThisisthefirstformoftheSorSparrowBattleTeique.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

TomakeacultivatoratFoundatioablishmehismuch—itwastheequivalentofanordinarypersontrainingintenselyforhours.

Panting,Iasked,

Therewerefivedistinctmoves.Afterpletingthem,Iwasdrenchedi,myqipletelydepleted.

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowar

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Tweer,thefigurefisdemonstration.Imimickedit.

Aminiaturefigureappearedinmymind,demonstratingamartialsequence.Meanwhile,appeared:

likeaflowingstream.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

“SorSparrowBattleTeique,FirstForm.”

Thefirstformtainsfivemoves.”

Thistime,somethingcriticappeared:theactualteique.

Quietly,Imuttered,