The Duke's Worthless Daughter Awakens an SSS+ Guide Core

The pale blue illumination beneath Platform Twenty-Seven intensified until it completely enveloped Merianah, bathing her surroundings in a cool, vibrant radiance. A transparent energy barrier rose smoothly around the circular platform, separating her from the other candidates who were preparing for their own evaluations.

Similar shimmering walls materialized across the entire arena as the remaining ninety-nine applicants entered their designated testing zones to await further instructions. The cold, mechanical voice echoed once more through the massive stadium, demanding the immediate attention of everyone present.

[Phase One: Strength Assessment.]

The tone was entirely devoid of emotion, cutting through the nervous chatter of the crowd.

[Objective: Demonstrate maximum force output.]

Immediately following the announcement, the solid metal floor vibrated gently beneath Merianah’s feet. A large cylindrical pillar slowly emerged from the center of the platform, rising with a heavy, rhythmic grind.

It stood nearly three meters tall, its dark alloy surface intricately covered with countless luminescent blue circuits that pulsed with power. At chest level, a single circular target illuminated with a sharp, distinct flash.

[Strike the target with your strongest attack.]

The digital voice delivered the final parameter of the trial.

[One attempt only.]

Merianah quietly examined the towering machine, her gaze calculating and precise as she searched for any mechanical flaws. She noted that there were no visible joints or obvious structural weak points along the dark metal casing.

The design was entirely seamless, built specifically to withstand immense, repeated pressure. She realized the pillar was not designed to test advanced combat technique or specialized martial forms. It was measuring nothing but raw, unadulterated kinetic force.

Around the expansive arena, the examination had already begun in earnest for the other participants. A burly commoner stepped forward on Platform Twelve, throwing his entire weight into a thunderous punch. The target on his pillar flashed brightly as the system registered the heavy impact.

[Force Output: 892 Units.]

A wave of enthusiastic applause erupted from nearby candidates who were impressed by the display of physical power.

A moment later, another participant, a noble Sentinel trainee, kicked his designated target with impressive, fluid speed. His form was elegant, drawing murmurs of admiration from the aristocratic spectators in the lower galleries.

[Force Output: 1,164 Units.]

Satisfied smiles spread across the viewing stands as the upper-class families celebrated the high score. Several more results quickly climbed above the one-thousand mark, creating a buzz of excitement throughout the testing grounds.

Merianah remained completely motionless on her platform, unaffected by the rising noise around her. She was not watching the impressive numbers flickering across the distant scoreboard.

Instead, her eyes were fixed entirely on the internal mechanics of the testing devices. She found the behavior of the machinery rather interesting. Every individual pillar absorbed the initial physical impact, dampening the vibration before calculating the final kinetic output.

This specific design feature meant that sheer power was not the only variable being evaluated by the system. Internal energy efficiency and structural stability mattered just as much as the initial blow.

She slowly raised one hand, letting her fingers uncurl in the cool air of the arena. Instead of clenching her fist immediately, she carefully adjusted the alignment of her shoulders, hips, knees, and feet.

Her breathing became incredibly slow and rhythmic. She focused entirely on grounding her weight against the smooth metal floor. It was a familiar, deeply ingrained stance from a completely different lifetime.

Countless hardened combat instructors during Earth’s brutal apocalypse had drilled one foundational lesson into every surviving soldier. True strength always began from the solid earth, moving upward through the body. It never originated solely from the fist.

The automated system overhead chimed loudly, drawing the attention of the surrounding sector to her platform.

[Candidate Twenty-Seven.]

The computerized voice issued the final prompt for her section.

[Please proceed.]

Merianah inhaled deeply, filling her lungs as she locked her gaze onto the center of the circular target.

Then, she moved.

There was no dramatic shout to rally her energy, nor was there any exaggerated wind-up to telegraph her intentions. Her entire body rotated in one smooth, continuous motion, flawlessly transferring kinetic force from her feet through her legs, hips, spine, and shoulder.

The energy culminated perfectly in her knuckles as she struck the dark alloy surface.

Bang!

The sound of the collision echoed sharply across the immediate vicinity of the arena. The massive steel pillar trembled visibly from the base, its internal circuits flickering wildly for a fraction of a second.

A surprised murmur spread among several nearby instructors who recognized the unique resonance of a perfect strike. The electronic display screen paused for several long seconds, processing the unusual data before finally flashing the result.

[Force Output: 978 Units.]

A few of the watching candidates blinked in confusion, clearly unimpressed by the triple-digit number.

"Only 978?"

One noble applicant muttered from a few platforms away, shaking his head.

"I actually expected less from her."

Another teenager laughed softly, turning his attention back to his own equipment.

"She is just average, after all."

Kaelen Viremont glanced sideways from Platform Twenty-Eight, his eyes scanning her scoreboard with detached amusement. A faint smirk appeared on his lips as he adjusted his pristine combat gloves.

"I suppose that mediocre result suits Lady Emperion perfectly," he murmured to himself, satisfied with his own superior standing.

Yet Colonel Serena Vale had not looked away from Merianah since the exact moment her fist connected with the machine. Her sharp, experienced eyes narrowed slightly as she analyzed the young woman’s post-strike posture.

"Interesting," she whispered, her interest thoroughly piqued by what she had just witnessed.

The senior technician standing beside the Colonel looked completely confused by her sudden intrigue.

"Colonel?" he asked, tapping the glass of his monitoring console.

Serena pointed toward the high-definition replay currently displayed on her tactical tablet.

"Slow the footage down to one percent speed," she commanded, her voice firm and unyielding.

The recording replayed frame by frame, revealing the intricate mechanics of Merianah’s physical execution. The young woman’s movement was absolutely flawless under the scrutiny of the ultra-high-speed camera.

Not a single ounce of kinetic motion had been wasted or misdirected during the strike. Every joint had aligned in perfect geometric harmony, and every muscle group had activated in precise, mathematical sequence.

The technician’s eyes widened in sheer astonishment as he reviewed the efficiency readouts on his monitor.

"One hundred percent force transfer," he gasped, his fingers freezing over the controls.

Serena folded her arms across her chest, a grim smile touching the corners of her mouth.

"No," she corrected him quietly, leaning closer to the digital display.

"It is closer to ninety-nine point eight percent structural efficiency."

The technician stared at the analytical report in complete disbelief, unable to reconcile the perfect data with the mediocre score.

"But if her technique is that flawless, then why isn’t her score much higher?" he inquired, looking up at his superior for an answer.

Serena’s gaze returned to the arena floor, locking onto the silver-haired figure below.

"Because that physical body isn’t strong enough yet to channel her true potential," the Colonel explained calmly.

She watched the young woman step back from the smoking pillar, completely unconcerned with the mocking whispers circulating through the stands.

"If she currently possessed the hardened physique to match that level of mastery," Serena continued, her voice dropping to an almost inaudible whisper, "this testing machine might not have survived the punch."

The Director of Admissions quietly picked up her stylus and circled one specific name on her evaluation tablet.

Candidate No. 27 — Merianah Emperion.

"Keep the primary cameras focused on her," Serena instructed the technical crew, her eyes never leaving the platform.

"I have a distinct feeling the physical strength test isn’t where she will truly surprise us today."