NTR: Choice Based System

The third leader, wielding his axe, roared, "You'll regret that! You're just one man against all of us!" He charged, his axe swinging in wide, powerful arcs.

Ye Yang ducked under a sweeping blow, the wind of the axe fanning his hair. He countered with a quick stab, aiming for the man's arm, but the leader was strong, deflecting the strike with the flat of his axe.

"Come on, is that all the Crimson Kingdom has?" Ye Yang goaded, trying to get the man to make a mistake.

He darted around the larger man, weaving through the chaos of the remaining soldiers. His own blade moved like a silver phantom, dispatching the foot soldiers one by one. Each death was swift, a silent, deadly strike.

The third leader grunted, frustrated by Ye Yang's agility. "Stay still, you damn worm!" he bellowed, smashing his axe into the ground where Ye Yang had stood moments before, sending dirt and debris flying.

The fight dragged on for what felt like an hour. Ye Yang's body screamed in protest, his muscles aching, his back burning. But he pushed through, his focus absolute.

He could feel the third leader growing tired, his swings becoming slower, less precise.

Finally, seeing his chance, Ye Yang lunged forward. He parried a heavy axe blow, redirecting its momentum, and then, with a final, desperate burst of energy, brought his sword around in a swift, horizontal arc.

The blade met the third leader's neck with a sickening thud. The man's eyes widened in shock, a gurgle escaping his lips before he collapsed, his axe clattering to the ground beside him.

Ye Yang, utterly exhausted, slumped to his knees, his sword clattering beside him. He gasped for breath, his body trembling from the prolonged exertion.

He thought it was over, that he had finally won. But then, a cold, unmistakable surge of killing intent flared from another part of the clearing.

He forced his aching body to look up. Standing amidst the fallen, injured but still radiating a dangerous aura, was the first leader of the Syndicate.

Even in his weakened state, the Syndicate leader saw Ye Yang as the most immediate and dangerous threat. The battle, it seemed, was not quite over.

Ye Yang hadn't expected another threat, not after the brutal struggle he'd just endured. But as the Syndicate's first leader launched his attack, Ye Yang, despite his exhaustion, managed to parry the blow.

Luckily, the third Syndicate leader was still incapacitated by his injuries, and the second leader remained in a daze, overwhelmed by the horror she had just witnessed.

"Who are you?" the Syndicate leader demanded, his voice hoarse with pain and anger. "And what purpose do you have here?"

Ye Yang met his gaze, his own eyes cold. "I don't belong to anyone," he stated simply, his voice raspy from the fight. "My purpose is your death."

The Syndicate leader's eyes narrowed, his anger flaring at Ye Yang's seemingly indifferent response. "You! You might have succeeded in killing those crimson bastard but you won't survive after facing so many of us?" His attacks became fiercer, each strike fuelled by a mix of fury and desperation.

For another thirty minutes, the two warriors clashed. The Syndicate leader, despite his rage, was already severely injured from the earlier battle with the Crimson Kingdom.

His movements grew sluggish, his attacks losing their edge. Ye Yang, though battered and weary, pressed his advantage.

Finally, the Syndicate leader slumped to the ground, his body giving out. His breathing was shallow, his eyes reflecting a mix of defeat and lingering defiance. Ye Yang stood over him, raising his sword for the final blow.

"Let's see how much progress you'll give me," Ye Yang muttered, and with a swift, decisive strike, ended the Syndicate leader's life.

System's familiar voice echoed in his mind. [World Shard: 18%].

As the Syndicate leader fell, the remaining Syndicate soldiers, who had been watching in stunned silence, knew it was their turn to die if they didn't attack and kill the enemy.

They swarmed at Ye Yang, their faces a mixture of fear and rage. But they were no match for him. Even wounded, Ye Yang moved with a terrifying efficiency, his sword a blur as he cut them down. One by one, more bodies joined the growing pile on the forest floor.

When the last soldier fell, Ye Yang turned towards the second and third leaders of the Syndicate.

They lay there, helpless and defeated, their faces etched with trauma. He looked at Lyra, her eyes still haunted by Valerius's horrific act, and her husband, writhing in pain from his wounds.

A flicker of something, perhaps pity, crossed Ye Yang's face. They were broken, no longer a threat. He left them where they lay and moved on.

As he walked, a new notification chimed in his mind. [Teleporting to the nearest Shard location.]

A faint shimmer enveloped Ye Yang, and the world around him began to warp. The scent of pine and damp earth faded, replaced by a big city entrance.

Ye Yang, now standing at the side of a massive city entrance, suddenly felt a presence behind him.

He whirled around, his hand instinctively going for his sword, only to find himself amidst a vast swarm of soldiers.

This time, however, he wasn't an outsider. He was one of their leaders, part of a formidable force known as the Titan Pantheon. The city before them, under siege, was none other than the capital of the Crimson Kingdom.

Suddenly, a booming horn sound pierced the air from within the city walls. A moment later, a dark cloud of arrows blotted out the sky, raining down upon the attacking soldiers.

Immediately, the Titan Pantheon soldiers raised their large shields, forming a defensive wall against the incoming volley.

Despite their efforts, the sheer number of arrows was overwhelming. Many soldiers screamed as shafts found gaps in their defences, crumpling to the ground, adding to the growing tally of the dead.

Ye Yang, now integrated into this new scenario, felt a surge of unfamiliar power coursing through him—a power that resonated with the immense strength of the Titan Pantheon.

This was clearly another "Shard" event, a new challenge thrown his way.

He looked at the chaos around him, the valiant but desperate defense of the Crimson Kingdom, and the relentless assault of his new 'allies'.

A gruff voice boomed beside him. "Leader Yang! The first wave is always the hardest! Keep pushing!" A burly, armoured man, clearly another leader, gestured towards the city gates. "Once those archers run out of arrows, we breach!"

Ye Yang nodded, his mind quickly adapting to his new role. He watched the arrows fall, calculating the risks and opportunities.

He had just decimated the leadership of both the Syndicate and the Crimson Kingdom in the previous shard event.

Now, he was leading an assault against the very heart of the Crimson Kingdom. The irony was not lost on him.

This 'system' certainly had a twisted sense of humour. He knew he had to lead, to push through this siege, to gather more of these 'World Shards.' He gripped his sword, a grim determination settling on his face. The battle for the Crimson Kingdom's capital had just begun.