Fails with the correct error on Xubuntu 22.04 with a manually compiled 5.38.2 perl:

$ perl -wE'say $];require (0 + 5.040)'
5.038002
Perl v5.40.0 required--this is only v5.38.2, stopped at -e line 1.
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Also fails correctly with the system perl:

/usr/bin/perl -wE'say $];require (0 + 5.040)'
5.034000
Perl v5.40.0 required--this is only v5.34.0, stopped at -e line 1.
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Running the tests of your dev version on my 5.38.2 also seems to detect the correct perl version:

$ perl Makefile.PL 
Checking if your kit is complete...
Looks good
Generating a Unix-style Makefile
Writing Makefile for Syntax::Construct
Writing MYMETA.yml and MYMETA.json

$ make test
cp lib/Syntax/Construct.pm blib/lib/Syntax/Construct.pm
PERL_DL_NONLAZY=1 "/home/cavac/bin/CavacPerl-5.38.2/bin/perl" "-MExtUt
+ils::Command::MM" "-MTest::Harness" "-e" "undef *Test::Harness::Switc
+hes; test_harness(0, 'blib/lib', 'blib/arch')" t/*.t
t/00-load.t ........ 1/1 # Testing Syntax::Construct 1.036_001, Perl 5
+.038002, /home/cavac/bin/CavacPerl-5.38.2/bin/perl
t/00-load.t ........ ok   
t/01-invalid.t ..... ok   
t/02-constructs.t .. DEBUG: require 5.024 in 5.038002: 1 at t/02-const
+ructs.t line 346.
t/02-constructs.t .. 1/? DEBUG: require 5.026 in 5.038002: 1 at t/02-c
+onstructs.t line 346.
DEBUG: require 5.030 in 5.038002: 1 at t/02-constructs.t line 346.
The Unicode property wildcards feature is experimental at (eval 31) li
+ne 1.
Use of uninitialized value in string eq at (eval 35) line 1.
DEBUG: require 5.038 in 5.038002: 1 at t/02-constructs.t line 346.
DEBUG: require 5.010 in 5.038002: 1 at t/02-constructs.t line 346.
DEBUG: require 5.018 in 5.038002: 1 at t/02-constructs.t line 346.
DEBUG: require 5.022 in 5.038002: 1 at t/02-constructs.t line 346.
:const is experimental at (eval 101) line 1, <> line 1.
DEBUG: require 5.034 in 5.038002: 1 at t/02-constructs.t line 346, <> 
+line 1.
DEBUG: require 5.014 in 5.038002: 1 at t/02-constructs.t line 346, <> 
+line 1.
DEBUG: require 5.008001 in 5.038002: 1 at t/02-constructs.t line 346, 
+<> line 1.
DEBUG: require 5.040 in 5.038002: 0 at t/02-constructs.t line 346, <> 
+line 1.
DEBUG: require 5.036 in 5.038002: 1 at t/02-constructs.t line 346, <> 
+line 1.
DEBUG: require 5.016 in 5.038002: 1 at t/02-constructs.t line 346, <> 
+line 1.
DEBUG: require 5.020 in 5.038002: 1 at t/02-constructs.t line 346, <> 
+line 1.
DEBUG: require 5.028 in 5.038002: 1 at t/02-constructs.t line 346, <> 
+line 1.
DEBUG: require 5.012 in 5.038002: 1 at t/02-constructs.t line 346, <> 
+line 1.
DEBUG: require 5.032 in 5.038002: 1 at t/02-constructs.t line 346, <> 
+line 1.
The Unicode property wildcards feature is experimental at (eval 195) l
+ine 1, <> line 1.
t/02-constructs.t .. ok     
t/03-hooks.t ....... ok   
t/04-extra.t ....... 1/4 Useless use of split in void context at (eval
+ 12) line 1.
t/04-extra.t ....... ok   
t/05-functions.t ... ok   
t/06-alias.t ....... ok   
All tests successful.
Files=7, Tests=121,  1 wallclock secs ( 0.05 usr  0.01 sys +  0.53 cus
+r  0.07 csys =  0.66 CPU)
Result: PASS
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Here is the same test on another Xubuntu 22.04, using a manually compiled 5.40.0:

$ perl Makefile.PL
Checking if your kit is complete...
Looks good
Generating a Unix-style Makefile
Writing Makefile for Syntax::Construct
Writing MYMETA.yml and MYMETA.json

$ make test
cp lib/Syntax/Construct.pm blib/lib/Syntax/Construct.pm
PERL_DL_NONLAZY=1 "/home/cavac/bin/CavacPerl-5.40.0/bin/perl" "-MExtUt
+ils::Command::MM" "-MTest::Harness" "-e" "undef *Test::Harness::Switc
+hes; test_harness(0, 'blib/lib', 'blib/arch')" t/*.t
t/00-load.t ........ 1/1 # Testing Syntax::Construct 1.036_001, Perl 5
+.040000, /home/cavac/bin/CavacPerl-5.40.0/bin/perl
t/00-load.t ........ ok   
t/01-invalid.t ..... ok   
t/02-constructs.t .. DEBUG: require 5.016 in 5.040000: 1 at t/02-const
+ructs.t line 346.
t/02-constructs.t .. 1/? DEBUG: require 5.028 in 5.040000: 1 at t/02-c
+onstructs.t line 346.
DEBUG: require 5.024 in 5.040000: 1 at t/02-constructs.t line 346.
DEBUG: require 5.010 in 5.040000: 1 at t/02-constructs.t line 346.
DEBUG: require 5.040 in 5.040000: 1 at t/02-constructs.t line 346.
DEBUG: require 5.020 in 5.040000: 1 at t/02-constructs.t line 346.
DEBUG: require 5.026 in 5.040000: 1 at t/02-constructs.t line 346.
DEBUG: require 5.032 in 5.040000: 1 at t/02-constructs.t line 346.
The Unicode property wildcards feature is experimental at (eval 98) li
+ne 1.
DEBUG: require 5.014 in 5.040000: 1 at t/02-constructs.t line 346.
DEBUG: require 5.018 in 5.040000: 1 at t/02-constructs.t line 346.
DEBUG: require 5.038 in 5.040000: 1 at t/02-constructs.t line 346.
DEBUG: require 5.034 in 5.040000: 1 at t/02-constructs.t line 346.
DEBUG: require 5.012 in 5.040000: 1 at t/02-constructs.t line 346.
DEBUG: require 5.008001 in 5.040000: 1 at t/02-constructs.t line 346.
DEBUG: require 5.030 in 5.040000: 1 at t/02-constructs.t line 346.
The Unicode property wildcards feature is experimental at (eval 167) l
+ine 1.
Use of uninitialized value in string eq at (eval 171) line 1.
DEBUG: require 5.036 in 5.040000: 1 at t/02-constructs.t line 346.
DEBUG: require 5.022 in 5.040000: 1 at t/02-constructs.t line 346.
t/02-constructs.t .. ok    
t/03-hooks.t ....... ok   
t/04-extra.t ....... 1/4 Useless use of split in void context at (eval
+ 12) line 1.
t/04-extra.t ....... ok   
t/05-functions.t ... ok   
t/06-alias.t ....... ok   
All tests successful.
Files=7, Tests=118,  1 wallclock secs ( 0.03 usr  0.00 sys +  0.26 cus
+r  0.01 csys =  0.30 CPU)
Result: PASS
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