Seeing that Ming Yu wasn't pressing his attack, Rolfe felt a flicker of anger. He understood Ming Yu's intention; he was being used as a stepping stone.
"You are a bit too arrogant, sir!" Rolfe said in a low voice.
"Whether I'm arrogant or not, you'll find out if you try," Ming Yu said, patiently waiting for Rolfe to recover, showing no sign of impatience. However, the hand hidden under his cloak trembled slightly. It was a good thing his mastery of the Inch-Heart Fist Technique had deepened, allowing him to control its power much better, preventing the overload situation from the first time. Otherwise, that strike, capable of breaking the defense of a Templar-class Honkai Beast, wouldn't have just broken Rolfe's bone. But then, Ming Yu wouldn't have been much better off either.
Rolfe tended to his arm briefly. Although he couldn't use it with force for a short while, it wouldn't affect the rest of the fight. Carefully observing his opponent, Rolfe secretly considered his countermeasures. It was clear he was at a disadvantage in terms of strength, so he had to rely on agility and experience.
Having made up his mind, Rolfe's left hand formed a claw and reached for Ming Yu, aiming straight for his head.
Despite gaining the upper hand earlier, Ming Yu wasn't the least bit arrogant. He understood his own inexperience; facing these battle-hardened opponents, a single moment of carelessness could create a huge opening.
Although his words were dismissive, Ming Yu was inwardly vigilant. Now, facing Rolfe's claw, Ming Yu also extended his left hand, intending to grab Rolfe's left wrist.
Seeing Ming Yu's reaction, Rolfe smiled inwardly. His left hand was a feint. With a quick movement to draw Ming Yu's attention, his right foot shot out in a side kick aimed at Ming Yu's chest and abdomen.
Caught off guard, Ming Yu couldn't retract his left hand in time and could only hastily block with his right fist.
With a *bang*, having been caught by the calculated move, Ming Yu was directly knocked back two steps by the kick.
Rolfe knew his strength was inferior to Ming Yu's, so he had no intention of letting him recover. Taking advantage of Ming Yu's instability, he unleashed a barrage of attacks like a storm. Side kicks, flying kicks, roundhouse kicks—although his right hand was injured, Rolfe's offensive didn't falter in the slightest, each strike sharp and fierce.
Ming Yu had never faced such an onslaught before and was instantly put on the defensive, forced to parry clumsily.
*I can't let this continue. I can't let him control the rhythm. I'll lose!* Alarm bells rang in Ming Yu's mind. He had to find a way out, quickly.
Facing another of Rolfe's side kicks, an idea sparked in Ming Yu's mind. He spun around, took half a step back, and his right hand swept across Rolfe's calf, momentarily halting the attack.
Immediately after, Ming Yu pushed off with his left leg, launching himself into the air. Using his core, his body spun horizontally, completing a three-hundred-and-sixty-degree rotation. In the midst of the spin, Ming Yu's right fist rubbed against the air at high speed, emitting a dazzling yellow light that brightened the entire room.
"Inch Strike: Cloud Mist!" Ming Yu shouted inwardly as his right fist slammed into the ground right next to Rolfe's body.
With a loud *BOOM*, the stone slabs in the room exploded, even creating a crater a meter in diameter.
Rolfe was completely stunned. Even though Ming Yu's attack had deliberately missed him, his body was still numb, whether from fear or the shockwave from the punch.
"Hoo~" Ming Yu let out a long breath before standing up again, shaking his numb and sore right fist. Forcibly charging up that strike was still a bit of a strain for him, but it seemed to have a good effect.
Patting the dazed Rolfe on the shoulder, Ming Yu looked at Otto, who had been watching the fight, and said coolly, "Well? Am I qualified now?"
*Clap, clap, clap*. Otto smiled and applauded. "I believe in Mr. Yu's strength now. Mount Taixu is indeed full of talent. With Mr. Yu's help, I am even more confident." Otto was indeed very satisfied with this Ming Yu. Although a bit inexperienced, his strength was solid and formidable. Even his strongest subordinate, Rolfe, was no match for him. This was comparable to the elites in the Valkyrie units. However, the stronger Ming Yu was, the more help he would be to his plan. The chances of rescuing Kallen were now much greater.
Otto also walked over to Rolfe and patted his shoulder to console him. Rolfe looked ashamed and said, "My lord, I was incompetent."
"You did very well. Mr. Yu's strength is above yours; you don't need to be so hard on yourself," Otto said, looking completely unconcerned as he comforted Rolfe.
"I wonder if Mr. Otto could inform me of your plan. I think I should know these things to facilitate our upcoming actions," Ming Yu said unhurriedly, casually pulling over a chair and sitting down, his hands crossed on his knees, after seeing Otto settle things with Rolfe.
"Of course, my friend," Otto smiled, very openly. "You should have some understanding of Schicksal by now. I'm sure you noticed when you entered the city that security has been much tighter recently. Our Lord Overseer seems to value Kallen a great deal."
At this point, a hint of mockery appeared on Otto's face. Schicksal's strongest Valkyrie, not sacrificed on the battlefield against the Honkai, but to die at Schicksal's headquarters. What an irony for humanity.
Without pausing for long, Otto continued, "To prevent Kallen's former subordinates from rescuing her, the Overseer has sent them all out on missions. So, there aren't many Valkyrie units in the city, which is to our advantage. However, in response, the Overseer has dispatched a large number of knights to supplement the city's armed forces. These people, while not as formidable as the Valkyrie units, are not to be underestimated. That is all the strength Schicksal has in the city: a small number of Valkyries and a large number of knights."
Ming Yu stroked his chin. He had considered all of this; it seemed Schicksal had no secret weapons. Otto hadn't mentioned the knights using Honkai Energy weapons. It seemed Schicksal wasn't that crazy on this matter, which was good news. But he still had to be prepared and assume the worst of them.
Not seeing a panicked expression on Ming Yu's face, Otto was somewhat surprised by his intelligence-gathering capabilities, that he had even investigated all this. With a more serious expression, Otto placed his hands on the desk, cupping his chin, and said slowly, "With the forces I currently command, even including you, it is impossible to break through Schicksal's forces head-on. However, they have forgotten that in the dungeons beneath the Schicksal Cathedral, the most dangerous monsters are imprisoned. Those Honkai Beasts captured by Kallen are the most powerful force in the entire city. As long as we release them, even if all of Schicksal's forces were here, it would be futile. This way, we can dismantle all of Schicksal's deployments."
As he said this, a smile appeared on Otto's face, clearly pleased with his plan. In the warm candlelight of the study, Otto's smile seemed somewhat sinister, and a chill spread throughout the room.