As the guard moved closer to Yu i, a flash of steel, and then a "slick" sound.
A dagger, quick as thought, found its mark in the guard's heart. He toppled, his head landing with a sickening thud on Braco's lap.
The entire hall erupted in chaos. Ye Yang's eyes blazed with fury as he entered the throne hall; a fire fuelled by the horrifying thought of his mother enduring such tornt. Even though he knew this wasn't entirely real, the bloodlust and revenge were all too potent.
"Bastard!" he roared, his voice raw with rage.
Braco, surprisingly unperturbed, chuckled. He casually shoved the dead guard's body aside, his gaze fixed on Ye Yang.
A cruel smirk played on his lips as he made a few lewd gestures toward Yu i, who remained in her humiliating position below his feet. The other occupants of the hall guffawed, their laughter echoing the depravity of the scene.
"You bastards will pay for this," Hund rasped, his voice filled with venom.
The two other Crimson Kingdom leaders joined in the mockery, spewing derogatory comnts at Hund and Ye Yang. But to Ye Yang, their words were just a dull hum, a distant noise.
He couldn't even bring himself to look directly at his mother. Sothing inside him began to crack, a part of his being threatening to shatter.
Suddenly the air around him began to change and Then, a sudden "slick" sound silenced the hall.
The laughter died, replaced by blood and silence. A spatial blade, imnse and impossibly fast, swept through the room. It was invisible in its swiftness, sothing that couldn't be seen with naked eyes.
"Thud."
Half side of every head in the hall, including Braco's, hit the ground. The cut was so precise that everyone lost the upper portion of their heads, severed just above the eyes. Braco, however, was the sole exception; his entire head was gone, rolling to a stop near his opulent throne.
Ye Yang moved slowly, his steps heavy, toward his mother. Yu i, still in her dog-like posture, couldn't even lift her head to see her son. But before he could reach her, the world around him began to distort.
A system notification flashed. [World Shard: 70%]. The scene flickered, twisted, and then abruptly changed.
"Mother," Ye Yang whispered, the single word a desperate plea in the sudden new environnt. He was no longer in the grueso throne hall, but a sense of urgency still clawed at him.
Ye Yang's surroundings twisted once more. This was his fourth day in this strange world, and the system had already announced 70% of the event was complete.
It might sound easy, but navigating these ntal and physical challenges was not anyone's cup of tea.
Ye Yang tightened his core, bracing for the next unexpected twist. But when he opened his eyes, he found himself chained in an open public square.
A hostile crowd cursed him, their voices a venomous, pointed towards him. His gaze then fell upon two naked won, also chained, put on a horrifying public display. His eyes widened, a cold dread creeping in. Why was the system playing such cruel mind gas with him?
Then he saw her. His elder sister, Ye Ling, whom he hadn't seen in a very long ti, was chained naked, spears pointed nacingly at her big lemons. And beside her, his childhood friend, Xu Li, was also chained, spears aid at her own petite exposed body.
A guttural roar escaped Ye Yang's throat. He was about to shatter his chains and rush to their aid when a chilling laugh echoed through the square.
Standing before him was a man, a grotesque replica of his dead enemy, the Training Head, but with two demonic horns jutting from his skull. He spoke, his voice booming across the square, "Welco, Ye Yang, to our humble Tegic Kingdom." A mocking smile was fixed on his face, but Ye Yang's eyes were locked on the two horns.
"You like them, boy?" the horned Training Head sneered, gesturing to his head. "A little gift from our glorious God. A mark of true power, wouldn't you say? Much like the power I'll show you when I break you down." He let out another booming laugh, and the crowd joined him, their jeers like daggers.
Ye Yang grit his teeth. "What do you want?" he demanded, his voice trembling with barely suppressed fury. "Why are they here?" He gestured wildly towards Ye Ling and Xu Li.
The horned man's smile widened, a truly sickening sight. "Oh, them? They're just a little incentive, my dear Ye Yang. A push, if you will. To make you truly understand the depths of your helplessness." He sauntered closer to the chained won, his eyes lingering on Ye Ling. "Such a pretty thing, your sister. And so... ample." He reached out a hand, tracing the air just inches from one of the spears pointed at Ye Ling's chest.
Ye Ling, despite her terror, glared at him. "Don't you dare touch , you beast!" she spat, her voice surprisingly strong.
"Feisty, aren't we?" the horned man chuckled, unaffected. He then turned his attention to Xu Li. "And your little friend, here. Rember all those innocent gas you played as children, Ye Yang? Such fond mories. Imagine the new 'gas' we could play now." He winked at the crowd, who roared with laughter.
Xu Li, tears streaming down her face, looked at Ye Yang, her eyes pleading. "Ye Yang... please... make it stop..."
A cold sweat broke out on Ye Yang's forehead. This was beyond cruel. It was designed to break him, to tornt him with the helplessness of watching those he cared for suffer.
He pulled at his chains, the tal biting into his wrists, but they held firm. His rage was a roaring inferno, but it was trapped.
"What is this all for?" Ye Yang yelled; his voice hoarse.
The horned Training Head leaned in, his voice dropping to a theatrical whisper, though still loud enough for the entire square to hear. "It's a test, my boy. A grand performance for the ages. To see if the great Ye Yang truly has what it takes. To see if he's willing to pay the ultimate price."
He straightened up, his voice booming once more. "And let tell you, the price will be steep. Unless, of course, you finally break. Unless you give in. Unless you beg." He paused, letting his words hang in the air, thick with nace. "So, Ye Yang, what's it going to be? Will you save your beloved sister and friend, or will you watch them endure... everything?"
Ye Yang roared, twisting violently against his restraints. He was used all of his power to shatter the tal chains, but then the Training Head's hand clamped down on Ye Ling's breast, a cruel squeeze that made her whimper.
"Aah, you beast" she glares at her with burning eyes.
But Training Head ignored her and looked at Ye Yang, "Break free, and I begin with her," he snarled, his voice a venomous promise.
Ye Yang froze, half his chains already shattered, but a strange block in his mind prevented him from fully unleashing his strength. It was as if his own power was being held back by an unseen force, tethered to the tornt of those he loved.
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