The day of the challenge arrived quickly.
A large number of tourists poured into Washington D.C. There were not only Americans, but also thrill-seeking visitors from many other countries, all eager to witness the fall of the White House.
Since no specific time had been given, many eager spectators arrived before dawn, hoping to secure a good spot.
But they had underestimated how seriously the American higher-ups took this matter. The area within a kilometer of the White House had already been completely surrounded by the military.
The outermost streets were barricaded by the military, with no one allowed through. Searchlights hung from heavily guarded checkpoints, large-caliber machine guns stood atop watchtowers, tanks waited in formation behind them, and armed helicopters circled overhead.
The area closer to the White House was jointly defended by the CIA, FBI, S.H.I.E.L.D., and the Secret Service. While their heavy weapons were inferior to those of the outer military cordon, their portable firearms were more advanced.
Naturally, the gentlemen inside the White House did not feel comfortable keeping armored units too close. What if some hot-blooded idiot suddenly turned his cannon around and fired a shell at the White House?
After all, this was a miraculous country where tanks could be used to drive away veterans demanding their unpaid wages.
With the current level of defense, Nick Fury believed that even Tony Stark in his armor would be unable to force his way through head-on. Perhaps only the Hulk could do it—and, of course, his powerful outside ally.
Adam Smith, personally brought beside the White House by Alexander Pierce, looked extremely displeased at the sight.
He did not actually care where the decisive battle took place, but he wanted to prove himself. He wanted to personally kill that damned bastard.
With things like this, what if that guy got scared and did not come?
No one knew whether Johnny Tyson was scared, but George Stacy was completely dumbfounded.
Chief George had only been cut for a few days, and his skills were still shallow. He had to work and patrol during the day, leaving him only the nights to secretly practice swordsmanship. With his current strength, there was no way he could force his way in.
Gwen, who had secretly followed her father and hidden among the crowd, was anxious as well.
If she could not get in and could not see anything, how was she supposed to brag to her friends afterward?
As the sky grew brighter, more and more tourists gathered around the White House, shouting in all kinds of languages.
"Punk soldiers, get back to your barracks!"
"We want to see blood flow like rivers!"
"You're restricting the people's freedom! You're violating the federal constitution!"
"Get lost! Washington D.C. doesn't need you!"
The cries rose and fell, yet the American soldiers behind the defensive line showed no reaction whatsoever. They were long accustomed to such scenes. Other than Victory Day after World War II, this army had never enjoyed the welcome of its own people.
With gun barrels and cannon muzzles aimed at the public, everyone only dared to shout from over a hundred meters away and toss over bits of insignificant trash.
Americans might be hardheaded, but they were not stupid. They dared to act impulsively against the police, even throwing homemade Molotov cocktails during riots, but when faced with the military's iron fist, they only dared to shout.
Because they knew the military truly dared to open fire.
Among the crowds arriving from all directions were many eunuchs who had come from across the country. Faced with such a tight defensive line, some hesitated, while others were eager to give it a try.
Anyone who dared to take a blade to himself could not lack ruthlessness in his nature. Practicing Evil-Warding Swordplay for long periods would only worsen one's paranoia and even drive one toward madness.
Those with shallow skills might not dare, but several eunuchs who had practiced swordsmanship for more than one-tenth of a kun-year harbored ambitions of charging through.
No one noticed the cloaked aircraft hovering in the sky. Lin Hao was waiting inside.
As noon gradually approached, seeing that there were enough spectators and that the eunuchs had taken their places, Lin Hao was about to escort them through the situation.
Who would have thought that the surrounding space would suddenly flip like a mirror, dragging the entire aircraft into another dimension?
Lin Hao's expression changed, darkening at once.
He pushed open the aircraft door and saw a floating patch of ground within the shattered, mirror-like space. A bald old nun in an incongruous monk's robe was waiting there.
"Mr. Lin, hello." Ancient One gave a slight nod in greeting.
"Heh!" Lin Hao did not fear her. Gripping the Azure Dragon Crescent Blade, he stepped through the air with Geppo and leaped onto the floating ground.
"Mr. Lin, when Layman Zhang Heng founded S.P.E.A.R., it was to protect humanity from invasions by alien races. S.P.E.A.R. and S.H.I.E.L.D. were originally one family, so why must you..."
"Hahahahaha!" Lin Hao laughed in fury and demanded, "When Nick Fury slaughtered my S.P.E.A.R. colleagues at the end of last year, why didn't I see you step forward and tell him that S.P.E.A.R. and S.H.I.E.L.D. were one family?"
Ancient One was speechless. She sighed softly. "Conflict between nations is unavoidable. Kamar-Taj and S.P.E.A.R. are both organizations that operate in the shadows to protect all of human civilization..."
"Bullshit!"
Lin Hao roared, smashing the Azure Dragon Crescent Blade heavily into the floating ground as overwhelming Conqueror's Haki poured toward her.
Ancient One frowned slightly, but she showed no discomfort.
This old nun had lived for centuries, constantly drawing power from the Dark Dimension. Combined with her deep study of the magic of the trinity of Vishanti, her spiritual power had long surpassed the ordinary.
"You keep talking about human civilization. If you truly cared about human civilization, you would have led Earth into the cosmos long ago. After centuries, even if we couldn't rival the Kree Empire, we should at least have reached Xandar's level."
"You've seen so many civilizations and witnessed so many different timelines. Don't you know that all human conflict arises from resources?"
"Humanity is not ready to enter the cosmos. Recklessly venturing out would only bring destruction upon humanity." The old nun's patience was limited. Even she would lose her temper when someone cursed her to her face.
"Hehe, have there been few aliens visiting Earth over the past several thousand years?" Lin Hao sneered. "They're allowed to treat Earth as their battlefield, while all we can do is drive them away? Are we supposed to deserve watching our own people suffer every single time?"
"..." Ancient One furrowed her brows, finally taking Lin Hao seriously. She said solemnly, "Your way of thinking is too dangerous!"
"Talking is useless. Let's see what you can do with your hands!"
Lin Hao coated his blade with Conqueror's Haki. Violet-red lightning immediately gathered around it, while the power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit formed a mass of white light along the blade.
He swung at Ancient One. The force of vibration spread out first, shattering vast numbers of mirror fragments around them. Violet-red lightning clung to a black blade arc as it flew toward Ancient One.
Ancient One moved both hands, and layer upon layer of golden shields floated before her.
The black blade arc descended, and the golden shields shattered one after another into drifting golden fragments before vanishing in an instant.
After delivering that slash, Lin Hao charged forward, attempting to engage Ancient One in close combat.
The great blade moved like a supple willow in Lin Hao's hands, twisting freely as he wielded it. Another strike stabbed from a tricky angle toward a spot protected by fewer shields.
As the blade came at her, golden footholds appeared beneath Ancient One's feet. She used them to leap upward, circling her hands to create a red ribbon-like rune, which she flung toward the blade.
The Azure Dragon Crescent Blade was bound by the Crimson Bands of Cyttorak, and Lin Hao could not break free for the moment.
He decisively abandoned the weapon and raised both fists. A layer of black covered his arms, while violet-red lightning coiled around both of them.
His fists, reinforced by Armament Haki and Conqueror's Haki, hammered against the golden shields, destroying them layer by layer like peeling an onion as he rapidly closed in on Ancient One.
Ancient One had not expected Lin Hao to become even fiercer after abandoning his weapon. She immediately drew a circle with her left hand and opened a portal, while a golden Sword of Vishanti appeared in her right hand and stabbed directly through the portal.
The other side of the portal was behind Lin Hao's head.
His Observation Haki issued a frantic warning. Having foreseen a fragment of the future, Lin Hao suddenly turned around. His left hand grabbed the Sword of Vishanti, while his right hand risked passing through the portal and threw over the white mass of energy he had been holding in his clenched palm. Then he pulled his hand back at top speed to avoid being sliced apart by the spatial tear.
Lin Hao's predictive ability and reckless move caught Ancient One off guard. By the time she saw the drifting mass of energy, it was already too late to defend herself.
The mass of energy exploded violently.
Lin Hao, who had anticipated it, raised both arms before his head and flew backward.
Ancient One, who took the full force of the energy blast, no longer retained her earlier composure.
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