Power Level was a reflection of comprehensive abilities, mainly divided into two categories.
Physical attributes like strength, speed, and endurance.
And proficiency with weapons, including cold weapons like swords, spears, and staffs, or firearms.
These attributes were evaluated together to determine a person's Power Level.
"Ed, Power Level one hundred ninety-seven—fail."
A cloaked Revolutionary Army member announced expressionlessly.
The boy named Ed clenched his fists, his face filled with frustration—just three points short!
Hearing this result, the crowd stirred.
"One hundred ninety-seven? Just three points away!"
"What a shame."
"But it's fine. Ed will definitely pass next time."
Koala's expression softened. As Ed walked out of the square dejected, she quietly offered him some encouragement.No one knew what was said, but the dejected young Ed instantly perked up, brimming with fighting spirit.
"Is the passing score two hundred?"
Watching this scene, Rhode frowned slightly.
Intensive sword training had significantly improved Rhode's physical condition, especially his arm strength, but compared to others, the gap was still quite noticeable.
Time passed gradually.
Most of the young men and women who came for the test scored below two hundred, failing to meet the passing mark and leaving dejectedly.
Only a small number exceeded two hundred, and those who surpassed three hundred could be counted on one hand, barely crossing the threshold.
These individuals were naturally thrilled but pretended not to care, squinting their eyes and basking in the envious gazes of their peers, proud as peacocks.
At that moment, a slightly surprised voice suddenly rang out across the field.
"Rez, Power Level three hundred eighty-seven, excellent!"
Three hundred eighty-seven?!
That was nearly superhuman!
People couldn't help but turn to look.
There stood a cold-faced, burly young man, towering at two meters twenty, his muscles bulging, exuding an extremely fierce wildness like a beast from the jungle.
Facing the crowd's uncertain stares, Rez remained calm, as if this outcome was entirely expected.
"Though he's indeed impressive, this guy... really deserves a beating," someone nearby muttered under their breath.
Originally, everyone's results were similar, with no one standing out too much.
But then Rez showed up, his Power Level almost double the passing score!
Such a crushing performance naturally stole all the spotlight, drawing the girls' attention, much to the other boys' chagrin.
Rhode's expression flickered briefly before settling back into calm. After all, these were just minor characters who wouldn't last more than an episode or two.
One by one, they stepped up to test—some disheartened, others smug—but with Rez's staggering score, the subsequent passes felt dull and uneventful, failing to stir any excitement.
Soon, it was Rhode's turn, which piqued the crowd's interest slightly.
"Huh? Is Doctor Rhode also taking the test?"
"With his frail physique, how could he possibly pass?"
"Not necessarily. Lately, his sword practice seems quite disciplined."
Whispers spread through the crowd. Thanks to his unique medical skills, Rhode was quite well-known in Baldigo, so many eyes turned his way.
Rhode slowly walked onto the square, where the recorder said indifferently, "Punch the target with all your strength."
"Understood."
Rhode nodded slightly, then took a deep breath.
Only by joining the Revolutionary Army and relying on such a powerful organization could he obtain the most crucial cultivation knowledge to grow stronger! Standing before the target, Rhode planted his feet firmly, twisted his body slightly, and channeled tremendous force from his waist and hips, transmitting it through his arm in an instant.
Rhode's fist shot out like a sword's tip, leaving a faint afterimage before striking the target with a loud thud.
As the punch landed, Rhode's eyes gleamed faintly.
"Feels good. All the force went through."Rhode didn't know boxing techniques, and his punching power was likely insufficient, so he directly employed the straight thrust technique from swordsmanship that delivers the greatest explosive force—treating his fist like a sword thrust. This approach indeed yielded good results.
"Explosive power, pass."
The recorder nearby remarked in surprise.
As an official member of the Revolutionary Army with formidable strength and keen insight, he could naturally tell that Rhode had nearly channeled all his force into that punch, executing it with perfect fluidity.
"Technique is quite good, but remember not to sacrifice your body's balance just to deliver all your force."
"That would be a case of the gain not worth the cost."
The recorder gave Rhode a slight nod as he spoke.
"Mhm."
Rhode nodded slightly in return.
What a pity.
Explosive power could be finessed, but when it came to the other physical tests—speed, endurance, and the like—Rhode's true colors showed. He failed every single one.
Fortunately, he had expected this and wasn't particularly bothered.
The repeated failures quickly made people lose interest in Rhode, and they stopped paying attention to him.
The record-keeper, however, was kind-hearted and kept trying to comfort him.
"It's alright. Physical strength takes time to build. You're still young—eat well, train for a few years, and you'll meet the standard eventually."
His tone, as if speaking to a child, made Rhode both amused and exasperated. He had never expected his physical abilities to meet the standard in the first place.
After all, he had only been in this world for three months. How could his body possibly compare to those of his peers who had trained since childhood?
He was training, but so was everyone else.
"I can pass the test."
Seeing that the record-keeper seemed ready to launch into a long lecture, Rhode quickly spoke up. He was confident—and that confidence came from the weapon mastery portion of the test.
But the record-keeper didn't know that. Watching Rhode's self-assured expression, he couldn't help but shake his head slightly. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but in the end, he held back.
He really didn't want to crush Rhode's spirit too much.
With Rhode's abysmal physical scores, unless his weapon mastery results were off the charts, there was no way he could reach the required Power Level of 200.
At this point, Rhode had finally finished the physical tests and moved on to weapon mastery.
The Power Level's weapon mastery test didn't require proficiency in every weapon—that would be unrealistic.
Generally, everyone had their own preferred weapon.
Rhode, of course, chose the sword.
A real sword.
Its blade gleamed coldly under the sunlight, radiating a sharp metallic sheen.
The moment Rhode gripped the hilt, his entire demeanor changed abruptly.
Normally, he was gentle, polite—a doctor who saved lives.
But now, his eyes were sharp, his expression icy, exuding an unmistakable edge.
The record-keeper suddenly felt that even some of the formidable swordmasters he had seen in the past paled in comparison.
"How is this possible? He's so young—how can he be compared to a swordmaster?" He shook his head. It must be an illusion.
Whoosh! Rhode suddenly stomped the ground and lunged forward.
In that instant, his focus sharpened entirely, converging onto the blade.
As if guided by instinct, the corner of his mouth lifted slightly, and he delivered a single, effortless slash.
Shhht! The air split with a tearing sound.
Under the record-keeper's stunned gaze, the gleaming blade sliced through the black testing stone as if it were butter, then continued downward without pause, cleaving the wooden stand beneath it in half—Crack!
The next moment, the wooden stand, unable to bear the weight it was never meant to hold, shattered violently.
Then, with a thunderous crash, the severed halves of the black stone slammed onto the ground.
"This…"
Witnessing this astonishing sight, the record-keeper nearly popped his eyes out, his face a mask of disbelief.
That stone was known for its extreme hardness. While it couldn't compare to steel, much less seastone, it was still the primary material used to construct fortress bases!
And Rhode had just sliced through it with a single strike. Did that mean…
"That was a swordmaster's slash!"
The way the record-keeper looked at Rhode had completely changed.Even Koala, who had been watching from a distance, showed a slight change in expression. Although she had long known Rhode's swordsmanship was strong, she never expected he had already reached this level.
"This guy is only sixteen..."
Koala's lips twitched. A sixteen-year-old swordmaster.