Chapter 39 - Physical Evaluation
(Rodova Military Academy – Department of Physical Monitoring, Biochamber Entry)
Leo stepped off the scanning platform as the assistant gestured toward a towering, capsule-like structure built into the far wall of the testing facility.
It stood nearly ten feet tall, its surface sleek and reinforced with intricate runic inscriptions glowing faintly in rhythmic pulses.
Transparent at the front, its interior was dimly lit with a single seat positioned in the center, surrounded by countless needle-thin tubes and embedded sensor pads.
A Biochamber.
"Alright, you're prepped," the assistant said, flicking through her data slate. "Time to step inside."
Leo cast the chamber a wary glance. It looked more like a containment unit than a testing device.
"Remind me again what this does?" he asked as he approached.
The assistant smirked. "Measures every physical attribute you have down to the cellular level."
Leo gave her a look. "And I just sit there?"
She chuckled, gesturing toward the open chamber door. "Oh, you'll do a lot more than sit, handsome. But you'll see soon enough."
Not reassuring.
Still, with little choice, Leo stepped forward, placing one foot inside the pod, followed by another.
HISS.
A pressurized seal activated, the transparent door sliding shut behind him.
Almost instantly, the temperature inside the chamber dropped, cool air flooding in as countless invisible sensors came to life.
A mechanical voice echoed from within the chamber.
"Vital scan commencing. Subject: Skyshard, Leo."
Leo watched as holographic displays flickered into view before him, scrolling lines of data rapidly analyzing his body composition.
The assistant's voice crackled in through an intercom. "Okay, first phase—passive scan. Just sit tight while we map your baseline stats."
Leo exhaled and leaned back into the chair as thin, flexible restraints coiled loosely around his wrists and ankles—not restrictive, but firm enough to prevent unnecessary movement.
A moment later, the pod's internal walls pulsed with a wave of mana, sweeping over his body in a scanning motion.
Leo didn't feel pain, but he felt something absurd.
A slight tingling sensation, like static electricity dancing across his skin, as holographic data streams flashed before his face.
[Height: 6'1]
[Weight: 72 kg]
[Muscle Density: High]
[Flexibility: Advanced]
[Mana Circulation Efficiency: Unusually High]
The moment that last statistic appeared, the assistant let out an amused hum from outside. "Huh. Your mana circulation is insanely efficient. You must have a lot of great skills now, wouldn't you?"
Leo remained silent, processing the information.
Did he have any skills?
He wasn't sure as without his memories he could not be certain about anything.
He did know that he did possess a strange ability to fight with the world around him being in slow motion, however, he did not know how to activate that skill on-command.
"Alright, time for Phase Two: Strength Evaluation." The assistant said from the outside, interrupting Leo's thoughts, as a cold mechanical voice, within the pod followed.
"Phase two commencing...."
Almost immediately, needle-thin probes extended from the chamber walls, moving toward him with eerie precision, as Leo's muscles tensed instinctively.
Then—
Prick.
A hundred microscopic needles simultaneously pressed into his arms, shoulders, legs, and core—embedding themselves just beneath his skin, latching onto his muscle fibers like some sort of intricate web.
Leo's breath hitched.
The sensation was... strange. Not painful, but unnerving. It felt as if thousands of invisible threads were burrowing into his body, mapping out every individual muscle strand, as outside the chamber, the assistant monitored the data feed.
"Alright, Leo. Don't move. These probes are measuring your exact muscle density and fiber composition." She instructed, as Leo exhaled, forcing himself to stay still as the process continued.
A moment later, the chamber's internal display began rapidly processing the data.
[Strength Potential: 3,210 kgF]
[Muscle Density: High]
[Fiber Type Ratio: 23% Slow-Twitch | 77% Fast-Twitch]
The assistant hummed in approval.
"Only above average raw strength, but..." she trailed off, tapping her data slate.
Then—
"Oh. Oh, damn."
Leo frowned. "What?"
The assistant let out a low whistle.
"Your muscle composition is... weird. Most people have a fairly balanced mix of slow-twitch and fast-twitch muscle fibers. But 77% fast-twitch? That's absurd."
Leo processed the information.
Fast-twitch fibers were responsible for speed and explosive power rather than pure endurance or sustained strength.
Meaning—
He wasn't built for long, drawn-out battles of brute force.
He was built for instantaneous devastation.
The needles suddenly retracted, vanishing into the chamber walls.
Then—
"Strength Evaluation Complete. Proceeding to Explosive Power Test."
Leo barely had time to react before—
BZZZT.
A jolt of electricity surged through the chamber, flooding his nervous system like a violent pulse.
Leo's entire body convulsed for a split second—but then, before he even registered the shock, his muscles instinctively coiled and released.
His back arched. His arms jerked. Every muscle fiber in his body fired at once.
The test wasn't just measuring strength.
It was testing his muscle's reaction time and how fast could his body unleash peak power the moment it was triggered?
The chamber's displays flashed again—
[Explosive Force Output: 9,870 kgF]
Silence.
Then, from outside the chamber—
"Holy. Shit."
The assistant stared at the readings, her fingers tightening around her data slate.
"That... that's absurd."
Leo exhaled sharply, feeling the residual charge still flickering across his nerves.
His body wasn't built for slow, overwhelming force.
It was built for instantaneous destruction.
However, the sheer output it could produce, was absurd to the point where Leo's readings mirrored those of an average passout, as a first year.
"Professor Marvin is going to have a field day with you.... I can already estimate his elated reaction when he looks over your student data panel" The assistant said, as she clicked a few buttons on her data slate, causing a oxygen mask like thing to fall from the top of the chamber.
"Put it on, pull it over your nose and mouth, and fasten the strap–" She instructed, as Leo followed.
"The third test will be for your lung and blood function. Things like your lung capacity and how fast your blood can carry oxygen to your organs and muscles. Also, how your muscles perform under lactic acid buildup" The assistant said, as upon her command, the third test began.
"Third test, commencing....." The mechanical voice within the chamber droned as immediately a burst of pure oxygen hit Leo's nose.
The air rushing through the mask was crisp, almost unnaturally refreshing, as his lungs instinctively expanded to take it in.
It felt... clean. Too clean. As if every breath was stripping away any exhaustion, flooding his bloodstream with nothing but pure, untainted energy.
For a few seconds, nothing else happened.
Then—
HSSSSSS.
The oxygen supply cut off, replaced by a sudden shift in air composition.
Leo's chest tightened slightly as he realized the breathable oxygen was rapidly decreasing, being replaced by thinner, less concentrated air.
"Your body is now being exposed to low-oxygen conditions, simulating high-altitude environments. This will measure your lung capacity, oxygen absorption rate, and overall endurance under stress." The assistant said, as Leo inhaled slowly, adjusting to the sudden change.
He took deeper, controlled breaths—maximizing the intake with every inhale, minimizing unnecessary exertion, as soon another stream of data flickered to life on the holographic display inside the chamber.
[Resting Oxygen Saturation: 99%]
[Heart Rate: 52 BPM]
[Lung Capacity: 8.1 Liters]
[Oxygen Absorption Efficiency: 34% Above Standard]
A low whistle came from the assistant outside.
"Damn. Your lung capacity is already beyond most first-year recruits. And your oxygen absorption efficiency... That's noteworthy as well."
Leo remained silent, focusing on his breathing.
Even though the air was thinning further, he didn't feel lightheaded, nor did his body show signs of distress.
Then, without warning—
BZZZT.
A low-voltage shock pulsed through his system, not strong enough to cause pain but enough to make his muscles react.
At the same time, the chamber's air thinned even more.
Leo's pulse quickened, his chest tightening as his oxygen demand surged.
"Alright, now we're testing how well your blood carries oxygen under stress," the assistant's voice carried a hint of intrigue. "Your muscles are being forced to work harder, while your oxygen supply keeps dropping. Let's see how long you can last before your blood starts screaming for air."
Leo exhaled slowly, keeping his breathing steady.
Data continued to stream—
[Blood Oxygen Saturation: 94%]
[Heart Rate: 91 BPM]
[Energy Output Under Oxygen Deficit: 42% Above Standard]
The assistant let out an amused chuckle.
"Well, look at that. Your blood oxygen retention is absurdly high."
Leo didn't need her to tell him that. He could feel it.
Most people would have started feeling dizzy or sluggish under these conditions. Their muscles would scream, their vision would darken, their instincts would panic.
But Leo felt... fine.
His body wasn't reacting with distress—it was adapting.
Adjusting.
Thriving.
He could endure.
But then another shift occurred. The oxygen levels plummeted further.
Leo exhaled through his nose, keeping himself grounded, forcing himself not to react as the test reached its final phase.
For nearly three full minutes, he sat there, still and composed, lungs adjusting, blood circulating, muscles primed, before he started to lose vision, his body giving out as the test finally ended.
Then—
HSSSSSS.
The oxygen surged back.
Leo inhaled deeply, feeling the flood of air rejuvenate him instantly, as the chamber's mechanical voice confirmed:
"Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Test: Complete."
For a moment, Leo remained still, breathing heavily until his body recovered, while the assistant remained stunned reading his data.
Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Assessment:
➤ Lung Capacity: Superior. Cadet demonstrates an exceptionally high oxygen intake and efficient utilization. Capable of prolonged exertion with minimal fatigue buildup.
➤ Blood Oxygenation Efficiency: Exceptional. Rapid oxygen distribution throughout muscles and organs, allowing for quicker recovery and sustained peak performance.
➤ Lactic Acid Tolerance: High. Cadet's muscle endurance remains stable under lactic acid buildup, significantly delaying fatigue compared to standard recruits.
Overall Cardiovascular Rating: Excellent. Cadet possesses superior endurance potential, with physiological markers indicating elite stamina under high-intensity conditions.
The machine had given Leo an excellent assessment, placing him at the top percentile amongst his peers for the few physical tests that had been performed.