Chapter Thirty-Five: Captain America's Passive Ability—An Even Match

On the square, over a thousand American soldiers sat encircling the central area. Just a moment before, Kyle and Steve stood silently facing each other; the next, both exploded into motion, charging fiercely toward their opponent.

From a bystander's perspective, in the blink of an eye, the two had already collided in a heated close-quarters battle.

"Careful now," Steve said, seemingly aware that he couldn't let Kyle seize the initiative. He pressed forward, left hand coiled back like a whip, lashing out at Kyle’s face with brutal force.

Brother, you never hit a man in the face, Kyle thought, resisting the urge to retort. He reacted swiftly, raising his unarmored right forearm to block the blow.

A dull thud rang out.

The strike didn’t land; Steve bent his left leg back, knee poised at an angle, driving upwards in a relentless attack. He intended to give Kyle no respite, overwhelming him with continuous pressure.

But Kyle anticipated the move, lifting his left leg and kicking Steve’s exerting thigh, stopping the incoming knee strike just shy of his abdomen.

Steve frowned, surprised to find himself outmaneuvered so quickly by the difference in their experience.

He gritted his teeth, refusing to retreat, and continued to press the attack, fists and feet flying as he grappled with Kyle at close range.

Blow after blow, their bodies collided with a force that sent sharp, explosive sounds rippling through the air, though they fought with nothing but fists and feet.

"They really are super soldiers..."

"So strong—one punch from them could kill an ordinary man!"

"Cough, could those in the back move further away? I’m starting to get nervous back here."

The soldiers watching were dumbfounded. Those seated closest instinctively slid back, terrified that the fight might spill over and catch them in its wake.

Kyle parried another punch. Though he handled the attacks with ease, constant defense under Steve’s relentless assault was beginning to leave him breathless.

Steve felt a surge of satisfaction; his gamble on aggressive offense was paying off. But as their bodies brushed past each other, he caught a flash of a smile on Kyle’s cold, steely face.

He’s smiling.

Sweat broke out on Steve’s brow. At this point, locked in close combat, there was no way to stop; he had to see it through, regardless.

"So you’ve finally realized," Kyle said, his smile lingering. Steve knew him well—he understood that Kyle’s offensive skills far surpassed his defensive ones. That’s why he pushed so hard from the start, determined not to let Kyle take the initiative.

"But you missed something. You’ve sacrificed your natural defensive advantage," Kyle murmured, shifting his defensive stance and suddenly transforming into the attacker.

Counter-fighting.

Endurance combat.

Military boxing! Grappling techniques!

...

Seamlessly, Kyle unleashed a dozen types of fighting styles in succession.

Steve’s face changed dramatically. Kyle’s techniques shifted too swiftly—he tried to switch from offense to defense, but a flurry of blows landed on him, leaving him unable to muster any response.

"Let me show you what real offense looks like!" Kyle said coldly, relentlessly suppressing Steve, his fists landing with force, giving Steve no chance to resist.

Steve could only force a bitter smile, raising his hands to protect his face as he was battered like a punching bag.

"What...what is happening?"

"Wasn’t Lieutenant Kyle just under pressure? How did he suddenly start pummeling Captain Steve?"

"I can’t make sense of it either..."

The crowd of soldiers erupted into confusion, watching the dramatic reversal unfold in the center.

"You rascals! That’s what you get for neglecting your combat training," came a voice from outside the crowd. Some soldiers turned to see Colonel Joseph, clad in officer’s uniform, who had somehow joined the audience.

Joseph watched the fight and commented, "Steve’s combat skills are far inferior to Kyle’s—if Steve knows five kinds of fighting techniques, then Kyle knows over fifteen."

He chuckled and sighed, "That kid is a monster among monsters!"

"Go down!" Kyle shouted in the center, unleashing a powerful straight punch that struck Steve cleanly in the abdomen, sending him flying.

Steve groaned in pain, his shield scraping the ground as he slid until he finally stopped among the surrounding soldiers.

"Admit defeat, Steve. There’s still a clear gap between us. If you were my enemy, you wouldn’t survive fifty rounds," Kyle said, breathing heavily, his gaze fixed on Steve lying on the ground.

Physically, the two were equals. But even without deadly moves, Kyle’s prowess overwhelmed Steve—the difference in skill was just too great, as Joseph had said.

Steve’s techniques, Kyle knew as well; but Kyle’s repertoire extended far beyond Steve’s.

It wasn’t Steve’s fault. Even with his aptitude for quick learning, he still needed time and effort to study and hone his skills in combat.

Kyle, on the other hand, didn’t even need to learn—he could simply acquire skills instantly. It was like a game where a privileged member faces a player with cheats—utterly powerless.

"Not yet..." Steve struggled to his feet, spitting out blood, and said resolutely, "I haven’t admitted defeat. I could keep fighting like this for another day!"

"Suit yourself," Kyle shrugged, ready to press the attack, but Steve’s next move surprised him.

Steve strapped the adamantium shield onto his left arm.

"Now that’s more like it, otherwise it would be too dull," Kyle smiled, suddenly accelerating and charging forward.

This time, Steve didn’t rush in blindly. Watching Kyle’s direct approach, he calmly raised his shield and, with a sudden twist of his left arm, hurled the shield forward—

He was using it as a ranged projectile!

Kyle’s eyes narrowed. He raised his right fist to meet the incoming shield.

He managed to block it, but with a whirring sound, the shield, like a boomerang, reversed course back toward its thrower.

"This shield—damn!" Kyle realized the danger and tried to retreat.

But it was too late. Steve had already leapt above him, catching the returning shield and slamming it down from above.

Kyle could only meet it with an improvised elbow strike; as his elbow hit the shield’s surface, all the force was instantly absorbed.

At the same moment, Steve’s shield strike pressed down with overwhelming force, forcing Kyle to one knee, his weight sinking into the earth and leaving a pronounced crater.

Kyle, facing the adamantium shield’s unique properties for the first time, had suffered a major setback.

The shield’s vibranium content had absorbed all the kinetic energy! Any attack landing on its surface was instantly negated!