“How about this then?” Steve gripped the circular shield with both hands as he used his own weight to try to crush Kyle directly beneath him.
“Not bad,” Kyle replied with laborious breaths. He firmly pressed his left shoulder against the shield, with one knee and his right palm sunk into the muddy ground.
Steve wanted to bring the shield down and overpower Kyle, while Kyle aimed to push the shield away and rise to counterattack. At this moment, their battle became a pure power struggle, a tug-of-war of sheer strength!
“Kyle, surrender!” Steve said solemnly, as he began pouring in his full strength to exert pressure upon Kyle, and the shield gradually began to lower. After all, occupying the higher ground, Steve believed that he was not inferior to Kyle in terms of raw strength.
“It won’t be that easy,” Kyle gritted his teeth as he replied back while maintaining his position of shielding without wavering. The lowering of the shield was, in fact, just the ground beneath them collapsing under Kyle’s feet.
Although he was wearing a tight black Combat Uniform, the bulging muscles all over his body were visibly expanded. With his right palm supporting the ground, his fist clenched tightly at some point. The golden sunlight shone on Kyle’s body which is crafted like that of a Greek God, making him look like a bronze sculpture representing pure power.
Under the astonished cries of the American soldiers and Steve’s incredulous gaze, the shield pressing down on Kyle began to rise inch by inch at a rapid pace.
“If you want me to surrender, this alone is far from enough,” Kyle pushed Steve’s shield away and took a few steps back, panting heavily, and spoke with an exhausted expression on his face.
“I admit that but now, your stamina is almost depleted,” Steve said, his eyes filled with complex emotions. Kyle had exerted his full strength and pushed the shield aside, disregarding everything else and this indeed had won back a slight glimmer of hope for Kyle, but it also pushed him into a desperate situation.
Steve continued, “Your attacks have no meaning against this shield.”
“Steve, it seems you’ve forgotten,” Kyle suddenly smiled and said, “I haven’t used my weapon yet. Do you really think you’ve already won?”
Saying that Kyle reached back and gripped the hilt of his sword with his left hand, pulling out the Carbonadium Sword. Compared to the Adamantium Shield with its colorful graffiti patterns, the Carbonadium Sword was simply a single-handed sword, with a smooth mirror-like blade that exuded a suffocating sharpness.
“While close-quarters combat is not bad, it’s too troublesome to rely on fighting to kill enemies on the battlefield,” Kyle said coldly as he tightened his grip on the sword with his left hand.
He still possessed the green Ability Card for Swordsmanship.
But what was more important was not just the Swordsmanship, but leveraging the sharp characteristics of the Carbonadium Sword to significantly increase his attacking power.
Even if he had weapons like the Carbonadium Steel Claws or the Carbonadium Steel Knife in his hands, the difference would not be that significant.
With a sharp cold weapon, Kyle could achieve a one-hit kill with any of these weapons!
At the outermost edge of the soldier crowd…
Joseph looked at the two weapon-wielding individuals in the central area and quickly walked up to Agent Carter. “Agent Carter, those two guys are really going all out now. If we don’t stop them soon, there might be an accident!”
Agent Carter shook her head lightly, her gaze never leaving the battlefield as she spoke, “Now they’re going all out? Haven’t you noticed it already? They’ve always been serious about wanting to defeat each other.”
Joseph asked in confusion, “What’s going on? Their fight came out of nowhere, and isn’t it almost time for Operation Whitestar to begin?”
“I can only speculate,” Agent Carter muttered with a sharp and complex look in her eyes. “Steve has been holding onto something for a long time, wanting to let it out. It’s because no matter what they do, Kyle always manages to be one step ahead of him, leading the way.”
“The qualification for the Super Soldier Program, the Adamantium Shield, these were all indirectly given to Steve by Kyle. Despite this, Steve still feels that the gap between him and Kyle is getting bigger and bigger.”
“He even feels a lack of confidence in his own title of Captain America, he is perhaps questioning himself— why can he only huddle under Kyle’s protection despite having better opportunities and weapons? He also wants to be at the forefront like Kyle, holding up a shield for him.”
“So, as a Captain who is about to lead soldiers into enemy territory, Steve wants to find himself and regain his confidence through this fight with Kyle.”
After Agent Carter finished speaking, the intense battle in the central area was reaching its climax.
The fierce clash of sword and shield produced no sparks due to the dissipation of kinetic energy, only the crisp sound of metal striking against each other reverberated clearly in the square.
After their sword strikes and shield defenses neutralized each other, the two combatants brushed past each other, still delivering painful blows with their fists! Kyle and Steve were the best friends and rivals in this world, each possessing their own pride and indomitable spirit.
Both wanted to be at the forefront, winning more stages and attention in this era.
Under the sun, on the square. Kyle and Steve, one with a sword and the other with a shield charged towards each other with a resounding roar.
This awe-inspiring scene was imprinted in the eyes and minds of over a thousand American soldiers at the base, remaining as vivid as if it happened yesterday even half a century later. And even half a century later, this scene would be transformed into a physical sculpture by the most accomplished sculptor, standing proudly in front of the War Memorial.
“Bang!!!”
The Carbonadium Sword flew high into the air, spinning countless times before embedding itself in the muddy ground not far behind Steve.
Steve maintained his shield-swinging posture, while Kyle was forcefully thrown backward, leaving a noticeable mark on the ground. Finally, he lay motionless on the ground feeling thoroughly exhausted.
“Captain Steve?” The soldiers were prepared to cheer for the victor, but at this moment, Steve raised his hand and exhaustedly admitted his defeat. “I’ve lost.”
A clear bloodstain appeared on the side of his neck. It seemed like a minor injury, but blood continued to drip from it.
“You must be tired,” Kyle struggled to get up and brushed off the dirt from his body as he spoke. The final decisive blow wasn’t when his sword slipped from his hand. It was when he deliberately threw the sword as a hidden weapon after taking a shield strike.
If he hadn’t held back, Steve would have been decapitated by now.
“Kyle, did you use all your strength?” Steve gasped as he covered his wound, his eyes fixed on Kyle, seeking an answer.
Kyle hesitated for a moment before he nodded and said, “Yes.”
Although he hadn’t used “Stealth” and “Vibranium Bracer” yet, Steve was the most formidable and challenging opponent he had ever encountered.
“Is that so?” Steve nodded with satisfaction, clenching his fists firmly. He said with unwavering determination, “This time, I’ll let you take the lead, but someday, I’ll definitely surpass you! Otherwise, I would have let down your expectations!”
“Then I’ll wait to see that day,” Kyle replied with a faint smile. He glanced around at the surrounding soldiers, took a deep breath, and spoke coldly, “Are you all ready? Follow us to annihilate the enemy on the battlefield!”
“We’re ready!” The resounding shouts of the massive answer echoed throughout the base. Five hundred American soldiers rose to their feet with a brush, gazing fervently at the two figures in the center.
“Then grab your weapons and follow our lead!” Steve shouted loudly, taking up the command. The assembled soldiers immediately gripped their ready firearms and collectively made way for a path.
After this battle, both of them were covered in wounds, but their prestige was multiplied several times compared to before the fight, and the morale of the troops was at an unprecedented high.
“So, what are we waiting for? Let’s go!” At the command of Kyle and Steve, the two of them charged ahead, leading their team out of the base, and departing with great momentum.
Watching this scene, Joseph exclaimed, “These two might just change the course of the war.”
“No,” Agent Carter watched the team depart and stated firmly, “They will definitely change it!”
(End of Chapter)
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