I entered the room fully expecting some kind of magical crystal ball that would reveal my stats and skills with a single, mystical flash.
But instead… the Physical Assessment Room turns out to be… a gym?
A massive room stretches out in front of me, complete with a running track, weights, and various gym equipment scattered around. Not a single crystal ball in sight.
So that’s how they’re going to evaluate me—by making me work out?!
“Felicia, are you excited?” Eris asks, her eyes practically sparkling with anticipation.
“Yeahhhh…” I reply, trying to sound upbeat, though my enthusiasm is struggling.
I mean, I don’t mind a good workout, but I was kind of hoping for something more… magical.
“Alright then, let’s get started,” GuildmasterKarlogen says, leading us into the room.
————————-
Now, as he explain to me how the system and evaluation process work, I have to accept my reality…
There is no status menu.
There is no list of skills.
There is no litRPG.
Instead, it’s just a standardized physical assessment created by some old guy named Duramire centuries ago. It measures adventurers based on three main aspects: strength, speed, and stamina. That’s it—no fancy magic, just good old-fashioned physical tests. Disappointingly simple. Mind-numbingly simple.
“Alright, let’s measure your strength first!” Karlogen announces, handing me a small, handheld device.
I examine it. Yup. It’s a hand dynamometer—a gadget for measuring grip strength! It has a sturdy wooden frame with a coiled metal spring for resistance and a small, flat stone embedded in it to display the amount of force applied. The only magical part is the glowing stone that shows the results.
“You know, grip strength is super important for adventurers,” Eris chimes in with a grin. “It helps with wielding your sword, climbing walls, and carrying heavy gear. Honestly, it’s one of the most important measures of strength for dungeon explorers!”
“I-I see…” I nod.
Yes, I already know that, actually!
As a former gym rat, I know that grip strength is key for all sorts of physical fitness and health. It’s not just for crushing handshakes or opening stubborn pickle jars; it’s even a biomarker for life expectancy!
“Alright, here I go!” I say, taking the dynamometer firmly in my hand.
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And then, “Nyaaaarrrrhhhhhh!!!”
I squeeze with all my might, my hand turning white with the effort.
However, despite me squeezing out every bit of gripping power I have, the dynamometer barely budges.
“Ten kilograms,” Karlogen announces, reading the glowing stone.
“Ehhhh?” Eris squints.
What? Ten kilograms? That’s it?
In my past life, my best grip strength was 60 kg!
I expected more!
“Is… is that bad?” I ask, clinging to the hope that maybe kilograms work differently in this world. Maybe ten kilograms here is more impressive than back on Earth?
“Well… it’s about the strength of an average eight-year-old girl,” Karlogen says.
…..
GOD. FREAKING. DARN. IT!!!
I flop to the ground, staring at my pathetic, trembling hands.
I’m so sad right now.
My grip strength has betrayed me!
NOOOOOO!!!!
“C-come on now, grip strength isn’t everything! There are more tests—you’ll do better!” Eris says, patting my shoulder, though I can tell she’s holding back laughter!
“A-alright, I’ll show you!” I force myself to stand, putting on a determined smile. “Guildmaster, what’s the next test?”
“Very well,” Karlogen says, gesturing toward a target pad mounted on the wall. “The next test is punching power.”
I quickly put on the provided boxing gloves, bracing myself to give that pad a solid punch.
—————————-
And so, I’m put through a gauntlet of physical tests: punching, lifting, running, sprinting, and even chasing a tiny dot of light around the room to measure my reaction time.
And now…
The final results.
Gulp.
I wait anxiously.
According to the Duramire Standard, each category receives a score based on the strength of an average 18-year-old male adult. For instance, a strength score of 2 means being twice as strong as an average 18-year-old. Adventurer ranks are also determined by this test:
* F rank: 1.2 - 2 overall rating
* E rank: 2 - 5 overall rating
* D rank: 5 - 10 overall rating
* C rank: 10 - 20 overall rating
* B rank: 20 - 50 overall rating
* A rank: 50 - 500 overall rating
* S rank: 500+ overall rating
“Ahem!” Guildmaster Karlogen clears his throat, looking over the results. “Test results have been calculated according to the Duramire Formula. For Felicia…”
* Strength: 0.3
* Speed: 2.0
* Stamina: 0.4
* Overall Physical Rating Formula: 0.45 Str + 0.15 Spd + 0.4 Stm
* Overall Physical Rating: 0.6!
“AAAAA!!! NOOOOOOOO!!!!” I wail.
0.6? That’s the score of a child! A 12-year-old girl would beat my ass in a physical assessment!
“Now, now, you can still improve!” Eris says, trying to keep a straight face but clearly on the verge of laughter. She’s hiding it, but I can see the tears in her eyes! “And look, your speed is 2.0! You’re fast!”
Yeah, I’m speedy, but it doesn’t change the fact that my other stats are utterly pathetic!
“Eris, what’s your overall physical rating right now?” I ask, a bit sourly.
“Hmmm… I’m around 6.5, about as strong as a D-rank adventurer,” she says.
“And what was it when you first started?”
“Oh, around 3.0, I think?”
I immediately give her side eyes.
Eris giggles, patting my shoulder again.
“A-Anyway, since your score is… uh… slightly below the minimum for an F-rank adventurer,” GuildmasterKarlogen says diplomatically, “I’ll make an exception and adjust it to meet the requirement.”
“Oh… thank you, Guildmaster,” I mumble, feeling utterly defeated. “But you don’t have to sugarcoat it. I know my results are trash.”
“Well then,” Karlogen says, clearing his throat, “shall we move on to the magic test?”
My spirits lift instantly. “Oooooh! A magic test?”
Since I shattered the world record for mana earlier, maybe my physical shortcomings are because I’m just too magical? Yes, that has to be it! I might not have the strongest muscles, but maybe I have the most overpowered magical potential!
“Bring it on! Magic test!!!”
“Alright, follow me.”
Karlogen says before leading us to a different room, much smaller and dimly lit, with a large crystal ball sitting atop a table.