For a moment, the audience fell silent, even the hushed discussions temporarily ceased.
Although they hadn't yet accepted this latecomer, and many even felt a sense of aversion, it didn't mean they lacked respect.
All the trainees and Valkyries present couldn't help but wonder: if they were in the same situation, what would they be able to do?
For most active Valkyries, this wasn't a difficult scenario. It wouldn't even require an A-rank Valkyrie; a veteran B-rank Valkyrie could mount a better counterattack, even achieve a comeback kill, without a corresponding battlesuit.
However, the Ming Yu before them was just a trainee.
Though he couldn't be compared to those battle-hardened Valkyries, he had already proven that he wasn't some incompetent, clueless person.
In the short half-minute since the start, Ming Yu had earned their initial respect with his strength.
His gaze swept over the injured Chariot-class Honkai Beast. Its thick, white forelimb was pierced nearly halfway through, and a light purple fluid slowly seeped from the wound, leaving a winding trail.
However, for a massive Chariot-class Honkai Beast, such an injury was not serious. It merely shook its injured forelimb and prepared to charge again, its movements only slightly uncoordinated.
Such high defense and thick blood!
Ming Yu marveled inwardly, but his hands didn't slow in the slightest.
He tightened his grip on the Spirit Blade, his legs pushing off the ground forcefully. After dodging another charge from a Knight-class Honkai Beast, his body transformed into a silver streak, heading straight for the Chariot-class Honkai Beast that was still adjusting its posture.
Closing the distance rapidly, Ming Yu took advantage of its injured and immobile forelimb. With a quick tap of his toes and a flick of his wrist, the long, narrow blade of Sakura Fubuki traveled up the Honkai Beast's thick foreleg.
With a tearing sound, the crimson tachi sliced across the Honkai Beast's white forelimb, cutting through the thick carapace along a smooth arc and plunging straight into its relatively small head.
"Sever!"
Ming Yu shouted softly, and a bright blade aura erupted from the Spirit Blade, blooming from within the Honkai Beast's body.
Sensing the Honkai Beast's aura beneath him weaken abruptly, Ming Yu didn't linger. He pushed off its huge red eyes with his feet, his body flipping over as he swiftly moved away from the Chariot-class Honkai Beast's position.
The next moment, a huge white spear stabbed viciously toward the spot where Ming Yu had just been, mercilessly piercing the head of the dead Chariot-class Honkai Beast.
Watching the white spear slowly retract, Ming Yu, still in mid-air, couldn't help but break into a cold sweat.
If he had been a step slower, he would have been run through, wouldn't he?
Although the Valkyrie Rank-Up Exam used an advanced protection system that could terminate the test before a fatal blow was landed, there were still many who were seriously injured in every exam.
After all, determining a fatal blow was extremely complex. Moreover, being a Valkyrie was a high-risk profession; getting injured in battle was a common occurrence for many, and the exams were no exception.
But soon, Ming Yu had no time to marvel at the Templar-class Honkai Beast's decisiveness.
Watching the massive Honkai Energy cannonball rapidly approaching, its round, yellow shell faintly revealing a dangerous red glow, Ming Yu could already imagine the immense power it contained.
Taking a quick breath, Ming Yu ignored his body's fatigue and hastily mobilized his still-chaotic Honkai Energy, channeling it into Sakura Fubuki.
As the Honkai Energy gathered, the already brilliant blade grew even more magnificent, emitting a faint red glow.
"Go!"
With an urgent shout, Ming Yu timed the distance perfectly and swung the Spirit Blade in his hand, sending a powerful blade aura slashing towards the Honkai Energy cannonball.
Boom!
Upon impact with the blade aura, the Honkai Energy cannonball exploded violently. The energy contained within erupted instantly, forming a massive fireball with a three-meter diameter in the air—a truly spectacular sight.
Though the sparkling scene was rather beautiful, Ming Yu, who was facing it directly, was in no mood to appreciate it.
The scorching heatwave surged, slamming into his body and sending him tumbling on the ground for several rolls before he could finally halt his retreat.
Shaking his slightly dizzy head, Ming Yu quickly dodged to the side to avoid another charging Chariot-class Honkai Beast.
What annoying creatures!
Panting, Ming Yu glanced at the Arbalest-class Honkai Beast, which was already gathering another Honkai Energy cannonball.
Sure enough, in a team fight, taking out the ADC first is key.
But he couldn't get to the back row at all right now!
Watching the Templar-class Honkai Beast once again shield the Arbalest-class Honkai Beast, Ming Yu couldn't help but feel a trace of helplessness.
A third of his Sword Heart state had already passed, and he had only taken out a single, low-level Chariot-class Honkai Beast.
Coupled with the drain on his stamina, his already less-than-optimal condition became even more strained.
If he couldn't break the stalemate soon, his situation would only worsen as time went on. He might be defeated even before his Sword Heart state ended.
Should I use that?
Ming Yu's left hand was held open, a wisp of black flame secretly appearing in his palm, emitting a faint, dangerous aura.
No, not yet. At least not now! Especially not in front of that person.
Glancing in Rita's direction, Ming Yu decisively extinguished the black flame in his palm.
Whether that was Rita or Otto, he couldn't summon that thing in front of them.
At this point in time, neither he nor Theresa was ready to reveal it. Therefore, that power was something that absolutely could not be used right now.
But in that case, passing this exam would be no simple matter!
Squinting his eyes slightly, Ming Yu gripped the Spirit Blade in his hand even tighter.
"It seems a test of this difficulty is a bit much for him," Rita said with a light chuckle, seeing Ming Yu at a disadvantage.
Indeed, Ming Yu's performance was already quite good for a normal trainee. But in Rita's eyes, it was merely so-so.
Especially for someone who had caught the Overseer's attention, Ming Yu's performance was, frankly, unsatisfactory.
As a genius, one of only three S-rank Valkyries in Schicksal, Rita certainly had the right to look down on Ming Yu.
After all, she had passed even the S-rank Valkyrie exam perfectly, let alone this B-rank exam, which in her eyes was like child's play.
"Perhaps," the Principal replied, seemingly unconcerned with the question, just giving a perfunctory answer.
Has he still not fully recovered after all?
Theresa knew very well that unleashing the power of a Divine Key placed a great burden on the user. For an ordinary person like Ming Yu, it would cause severe strain on his body.
Otherwise, even without being able to use the Divine Key, Ming Yu's condition would be much better than it was now; he wouldn't have ended up in this predicament.
Hang in there!
Watching the still panting youth in the arena, Theresa prayed worriedly in her heart.