Chapter 65 - 66: Testing Begins!

Chapter 65: Chapter 66: Testing Begins!

Gareth Quinn stopped speaking and glanced at the students from the Five Top Academies ahead.

"Since they were selected by the High Command, their talents are certainly impressive."

"More importantly, they’ve already received systematic training at the Five Top Academies."

"Their class development, skill mastery, and practical combat experience are far beyond what an ordinary high school student can match."

"No matter how strong your talent is, you’re still an unpolished piece of jade."

"If you take the same test as them, you might not have the advantage."

After listening, Nathaniel simply nodded.

"Mm."

Gareth was taken aback.

"Mm?"

"That’s all you have to say?"

Nathaniel replied,

"What you said makes sense."

The corner of Gareth’s mouth twitched.

"Then why are you still so calm?"

Nathaniel looked toward the testing area ahead. His expression didn’t change.

"Because whether what you said makes sense and whether I’ll lose are two different things."

Gareth’s footsteps stopped.

He looked at Nathaniel’s profile, momentarily at a loss for words.

The sentence had been spoken calmly.

Yet that calmness revealed a deep confidence.

Nathaniel wasn’t trying to sound tough.

He wasn’t forcing himself to appear confident.

He seemed to genuinely believe he could win.

Gareth remained silent for two seconds before suddenly smiling.

"Fine."

"Now I’m really looking forward to this."

Ahead of them, Instructor Garrick Dain had already stopped.

Everyone looked up.

A massive black building stood before them.

Instructor Garrick Dain led the group inside.

The moment the heavy doors opened, Nathaniel’s field of vision widened.

Inside was an enormous enclosed hall.

The surrounding walls were made of special alloy, with countless formation patterns engraved across their surfaces.

Various instruments that Nathaniel had never seen before filled the room.

There were transparent crystal pillars taller than a person.

Silver rings suspended in midair.

Huge metal drums covered in runes.

And several devices that resembled combat pods.

A control console stood beside each instrument.

Several staff members dressed in white uniforms had been waiting inside.

When they saw Instructor Garrick Dain enter, they immediately approached him.

"Instructor Dain."

Instructor Garrick Dain nodded.

"Prepare to begin."

"Yes, sir."

The staff members quickly spread out and activated the equipment.

Hum!

The formation patterns across the hall lit up one after another.

Instructor Garrick Dain stood before the newcomers and spoke.

"The newcomer test has six parts."

"The four primary attribute tests are worth fifteen points each."

"Strength, Agility, Constitution, and Spirit."

"In addition, the combat test is worth twenty points, and the Potential Test is worth another twenty."

"The total score is one hundred points."

"During the test, external equipment that increases your attributes is forbidden."

"Temporary potions are also prohibited."

"No assistance from others is allowed."

"Skills are forbidden in every test except the combat test."

After explaining the rules, he took out a roster and looked at the first name.

"Meridian Academy."

"Adrian Frost."

"You’re first."

A silver-haired young man slowly stepped out of the crowd.

He had a slender build, a cold temperament, and clear fluctuations of magical energy around him.

The other students from Meridian Academy looked at him with confidence.

Clearly, Adrian Frost held a high position among them.

Seeing him step forward, Gareth raised an eyebrow.

"Well."

"Adrian Frost from Meridian Academy is going first."

Nathaniel looked at him.

"You know him?"

Gareth nodded.

"I’ve heard of him."

"He’s a well-known magical talent."

"His Spirit attribute should be quite high."

Nathaniel looked ahead.

Adrian Frost had already walked toward a massive metal drum.

The drum stood over three meters tall.

Its surface was dark red, with dense rings of runes covering its face.

More than a dozen silver conduits were connected to its body, extending toward a testing platform beside it.

A hint of curiosity appeared in Nathaniel’s eyes.

Gareth noticed his expression and asked,

"You’ve never seen one of these before?"

Nathaniel shook his head.

"No."

Gareth slapped his forehead.

"Right. I almost forgot."

"You haven’t attended university yet."

"This equipment is quite common at universities."

"It’s a special device used for the Strength Test."

As he spoke, he pointed toward the giant drum.

"The method is simple."

"Stand in front of it and throw a punch with all your strength."

Nathaniel asked,

"Does it only measure the Strength attribute?"

"Of course not."

Gareth shook his head.

"If it only measured your status panel, there would be no point in testing your technique."

"The score is calculated by multiplying the Base Coefficient by the Technique Coefficient."

Gareth paused before continuing.

"The Base Coefficient starts at two."

"That represents the average attribute value of Professionals at the same level, based on large-scale statistical data."

"If your Strength is twice the average for your level, your Base Coefficient is four."

"Three times the average gives you six."

"And so on."

Nathaniel nodded.

"What about the Technique Coefficient?"

Gareth replied,

"The Technique Coefficient starts at one."

"One means you have no special technique. You’re simply releasing your strength through a basic strike."

"If you understand how to apply force, generate explosive power, coordinate your body, and concentrate your strength without using skills, your Technique Coefficient will increase."

"The other three attribute tests work in much the same way."

"Agility, Constitution, and Spirit are all calculated by multiplying the Base Coefficient by the Technique Coefficient."

Nathaniel considered this for a moment.

"In other words,"

"Even if someone’s Technique Coefficient is low, they can still score well if their attributes are high enough."

"They might even get full marks."

Gareth grinned.

"That’s how it works in theory."

"This world is simply unfair."

"Some people train for ten years, yet they still can’t match someone born with exceptional attribute growth."

"There’s no point complaining about it."

He then added,

"However, there’s one thing I should correct."

"Having high attributes alone doesn’t guarantee a perfect score."

Nathaniel looked at him.

Gareth raised one finger.

"Each of the four primary attribute tests is worth fifteen points."

"If your Technique Coefficient is only one, your Base Coefficient must reach fifteen to get full marks."

"In other words, your base attribute must be more than seven times the average for your level."

"More than seven times!"

Gareth clicked his tongue.

"Do you understand what that means?"

"Even the strongest graduates from the Five Top Academies usually have average base attributes of around four times the standard."

"And those people are already considered monsters."

"Seven times?"

"That’s no longer a genius."

"That’s a beast."

Nathaniel was speechless.

Gareth didn’t notice his subtle expression and continued.

"That’s why universities place so much importance on training."

"Attribute growth has limits."

"But technique allows you to draw more power from the same attributes."

"That’s far more reliable than blindly stacking attributes."

Nathaniel nodded.

Then he asked curiously,

"I understand the four attribute tests and the combat test."

"But how do they measure the Potential Test?"