The Assessment

Upon entering the Player's Association, the top five noticed that the place was very different on the inside when compared to the outside. The outside of the building, on the one hand, was relatively normal, like a modern building with a circular shape and a couple stories tall. But the inside, on the other hand, was almost futuristic, with tons of computers, holograms and other pieces of technology that they couldn't even recognise. 

"If you would follow me this way, please." The man who was guiding them pointed towards an elevator that could fit around ten people and started walking towards it. 

Once they were all on the elevator, the man pressed a button and they started going down. Apparently, the assessment took place in the underground. While they were in the elevator, the guide started explaining what the test they would take entailed. 

"The assessment for new players is very simple in nature." The man said with an ever present smile on his face. "It consists of a physical test, a potential test, and a combat test." 

Everyone seemed to be drawing their own conclusions based on what they had just heard, but the clerk didn't allow them the time, since he continued with his explanation. 

"The physical test is quite simple. You just have to go through five easy sets of exercises while we analyse the way your body responds under pressure." The man explained. 

"So stuff like resistance, speed, strength, etc. are going to be measured, right?" Cyrus asked.

"Exactly." The clerk continued after a couple seconds. "As for the potential test, we use a Fate Crystal, which was acquired once in history from the first ever Dimensional Gate, and only replicated after twenty years since its discovery." 

"And what exactly does this Fate Crystal do?" Asked Rod, who was quite curious about this weird object and its name.

"It quite literally measures your Fate or, so to say, how high your potential to be powerful is." The Association's employee continued. "This doesn't directly correlate to strength in combat, but to talent on one's field of expertise."

After taking a short breath-break, the clerk continued his explanation. 

"Finally, the combat test." He paused and, if Cyrus hadn't seen it wrongly, he could see him momentarily grimace at the mention of the test. "Players are put into a situation of VR combat against the weakest monsters, Goblins, but their brains are engaged 100% unlike with regular VR."

"I-I d-don't underst-tand how that is d-different." Elijah said, quite confused by what it meant to have his brain 100% engaged. }

"It means our pain receptors will also be working, Elijah." Marco answered, immediately noticing what the true danger of this test is. "You are testing more than just our combat prowess." 

"That would be right, Mr. Marco." The clerk said, reluctance clear in his face. "But we don't have much of a choice. We can't risk sending weak-willed people to the battlefronts and having them die because we didn't do our job properly." 

As their conversation continued, the elevator finally stopped and they got off at a room that spoke of only one thing. Technology. The room was filled with state-of-the-art pieces of equipment that the top five had never seen in their entire lives, and some of them had taken many tests with Earth's most advanced machinery. 

"If you wouldn't mind, I would ask of you to choose in which order you are going to take the exams." The clerk asked. Looking at each other once, it was decided that they would go in order of buyers, meaning Cyrus would go first. 

"Welp, guess it's show time." Cyrus said, a happy smile present on his face.

Going first into the physical test, Cyrus wasn't really sure what to expect, since he had never done a test like it. Alas, he once again reminded himself that he had to do his best, since this was a new, different reality. As soon as he entered the room, his demeanour changed completely. Gone was the happy-go-lucky Cyrus everyone had met, his face showing nothing but pure focus now. 

"This guy... and he said he was an average dude..." Marco said while looking at him through a screen outside the room. "That is a face I have only seen in some veterans who've been through hell." 

"Same here... I've only seen that focus on masters of many disciplines." Camille added. That was when they realized there might've been more to Cyrus than they originally thought. 

'He is definitely a special one... if he survives long enough...' Thought the clerk from the Association while looking at Cyrus's test." 

The physical test was really quite simple. It tested running speed, endurance, strength and reflexes through a series of ten exercises, which went from running at full speed to catching balls thrown at up to 120 km/h. Cyrus's results were:

Speed: 10/10

Endurance: 9/10

Strength: 8/10

Reflexes: 10/10

As he came out, Cyrus's demeanour went back to normal, but he could still notice that everyone was looking at him as if he were a weird, unknown animal. It didn't really bug him, but it was a bit uncomfortable, so he said something to try and lighten the atmosphere. 

"So, how was it?" He asked the clerk. 

"An almost perfect score, and a record at our branch of the Association." Was the answer he got. Feeling happy with those words, Cyrus went back to the group, while a different employee brought him a water bottle and a towel. The test wasn't particularly hard, but it was half an hour long because of the endurance test, so they would build up quite a sweat. 

The rest of the group went in order, and their results were varied, but still quite high. 

Camille got: 

Speed: 8/10

Endurance: 9/10

Strength: 9/10

Reflexes: 10/10

Marco was around the same:

Speed: 8/10

Endurance: 10/10

Strength: 10/10

Reflexes: 8/10

Rod had the lowest overall results:

Speed: 2/10

Endurance: 9/10

Strength: 10/10

Reflexes: 3/10

And Elijah had an average physical test:

Speed: 5/10

Endurance: 4/10

Strength: 5/10

Reflexes: 6/10

When they were all over, the clerk proceded to explain that the physical test was not determinant of their capabilities as a Player, but just to check what roles would be better suited for someone. Awakened with below average results were more likely to be hired by the Association as employees than as Players who would raid the Dimensional Gates. 

Once all physical tests were over, the clerk directed them towards a different room, which was almost empty if not for the crystal ball on top of a pillar in the center of the room. 

"This is the test that actually determines someone's future as a Player..." The clerk said while cautiously eyeing the Fate Crystal. "The potential test."