Catgirls And Dungeons (Yuri)-Chapter 42: Physical assessment

I step into the room, bracing myself for something grand—maybe a magical crystal ball that will glow and reveal my stats with an otherworldly hum. Maybe even an enchanted mirror that displays my skills and abilities in shimmering golden letters.

But instead…

I walk into a gym.

Not just any gym, but a full-fledged training facility!

The room is huge, stretching out before me with a running track, free weights, and various gym equipment neatly arranged in different sections. Racks of dumbbells, squat racks, even what looks like a rock-climbing wall stand at the far end of the room. There's a section with targets lined up for ranged attacks, a platform for strength testing, and even an area designed for combat sparring.

I blink.

Not a single crystal ball in sight.

So this is how they're going to assess me?

By making me work out?!

Aww man!!!

Eris claps her hands together, grinning ear to ear. "Felicia, are you excited?"

She's practically bouncing with energy, her tail swishing eagerly behind her.

"Yeahhhh…" I reply, stretching the word out, trying really hard to sound enthusiastic.

Truthfully? I was hoping for something more magical—a simple scan and done kind of deal. Instead, I'm about to be thrown into what looks like an adventurer's fitness test.

I let out a quiet sigh.

Well, no choice now.

"Alright then, let's get started," Karlogen announces, striding toward the center of the room. His deep voice echoes slightly in the open space, his sharp, golden eyes surveying the area.

Eris nudges me playfully. "Think you'll pass?"

I gulp.

Oh boy.

Here goes nothing!

————————-

As Karlogen explains how the system and evaluation process work, I slowly come to terms with a brutal reality.

There is no status menu.

There is no skill list.

There is no LitRPG system.

Instead, I'm stuck with a standardized physical assessment created by some old guy named Duramire centuries ago. It measures adventurers based on three simple categories:

Strength

Speed

Stamina

That's it. No fancy magic. No glowing stats appearing out of thin air.

Just basic, old-school, medieval fitness tests.

Disappointingly simple.

Mind-numbingly simple.

"Alright, let's measure your strength first," Karlogen announces, handing me a small, wooden device.

I take it and blink.

Wait… this is just a dynamometer.

A grip strength tester—like the ones they use in gyms!

It's built from sturdy wood and coiled metal springs, with a small, flat stone embedded in the handle. The only magical part is the glowing stone that displays the force applied.

"You know, grip strength is super important for adventurers," Eris chimes in with a grin. "It helps with wielding swords, climbing walls, carrying heavy gear… Honestly, it's one of the most important strength measures for dungeon explorers."

"I-I see…" I nod, trying to sound impressed.

Yes, Eris, I already know that.

Updat𝓮d fr𝙤m ƒгeeweɓn૦vel.com.

As a former gym rat, I know grip strength is crucial. It's not just about crushing handshakes or opening stubborn pickle jars—it's a key biomarker for overall fitness and even life expectancy.

Alright! Time to redeem myself!

I square my stance, tighten my grip around the device, and squeeze with all my might.

"Nyaaaarrrrhhhhhh!!!"

My hand turns white from the effort, my muscles straining as I pour everything into this one test.

The dynamometer barely budges.

Karlogen glances at the glowing stone. "Ten kilograms."

"Ehhhh?" Eris squints at the number.

Wait.

WHAT?

Ten kilograms?

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—just maybe—kilograms work differently in this world. Maybe ten kilograms is actually impressive here?

Karlogen clears his throat. "Well… it's about the grip strength of an average eight-year-old girl."

…

GOD. FREAKING. DARN. IT.

I flop onto the ground, staring at my pathetic, trembling hands.

My grip strength has betrayed me.

NOOOOOOOO!!!

"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.

I clench my fists, forcing myself to stand.

Alright. That was just a warm-up. Time to redeem myself.

"A-alright, I'll show you!" I declare, putting on my most determined face. "Guildmaster, what's the next test?"

Karlogen gestures toward a target pad mounted on the wall.

"The next test is punching power."

Oh.

OH.

Now this? This I can do.

I quickly strap on the provided boxing gloves, rolling my shoulders as I step up to the target.

Alright.

Time to punch my pride back into existence!

—————————-

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 like a hyperactive kitten to measure my reaction time.

And now…

The final results.

Gulp.

I wait anxiously as Guildmaster Karlogen reviews the numbers. His golden, slitted eyes scan the parchment, his tail flicking slightly as he calculates.

According to the Duramire Standard, every category is scored based on the strength of an average 18-year-old male adult. A score of 2.0 means being twice as strong as an average young man, while a 5.0 would mean five times as strong, and so on.

This same system also determines adventurer ranks:

F Rank → 1.2 - 2.0 overall rating

E Rank → 2.0 - 5.0 overall rating

D Rank → 5.0 - 10.0 overall rating

C Rank → 10.0 - 20.0 overall rating

B Rank → 20.0 - 50.0 overall rating

A Rank → 50.0 - 500.0 overall rating

S Rank → 500+ overall rating

"Ahem!" Guildmaster Karlogen clears his throat, looking over my 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:

(0.45 Strength) + (0.15 Speed) + (0.4 Stamina) = 0.6

———————————-

"AAAAA!!! NOOOOOOOO!!!!" I wail, dropping to my knees in sheer existential despair.

0.6?!

That's the physical rating of a child!

A 12-year-old girl could wreck me in a fight!

This is worse than I expected!

This is pathetic!

This is shameful!

"Now, now, you can still improve!" Eris says, trying to keep a straight face.

She's hiding it well, but I can see the tears in her eyes.

She's laughing.

"Y-you did great, Felicia!" she squeaks out. "A-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 narrow my eyes.

"Don't talk to me anymore, you muscleborn genius."

Eris giggles, patting my shoulder again.

"A-Anyway, since your score is… uh… slightly below the minimum for an F-rank adventurer," Guildmaster Karlogen 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.