My Girlfriends Are Hardcore Yanderes - Chapter 121

Chapter 121: Layering
Asher narrowed his eyes toward the distant explosion, the faint glow flickering like a warning in the dark.

His lips parted, the words of the spell flowing naturally from him.

Magic surged through his pathways, gathering in his skin before erupting outward.

Glancing down briefly, he watched the light distort across his body, bending and shifting before fading into the surrounding darkness.

This feat was impressive, but it was far from a true invisibility spell.

The lack of a proper stealth spell in his arsenal wasn’t surprising. Back in the void, he had never had much use for one.

It was more accurate to call it a reflective spell, one crafted using conjuration and alteration. A variant he had cobbled together—more like a clever trick .

The concept had come to him from an unexpected source—a principle used by stage magicians in his old world. Performers there relied on visual illusions, manipulating light, mirrors and angles to deceive the eyes of their audience.

Asher had adapted the idea, layering it with just enough magic to make it work in a practical sense.

It wasn’t flawless. Any skilled person would spot the subtle distortions if they looked hard enough. But here, in the dim forest, it was enough to make him undetectable to most eyes.

With his preparations complete, he cast a spell on his feet and sprang into motion, leaping from one large tree trunk to the next.

Flying through the sky blindly would be a reckless move, especially with no idea of the disturbance’s source.

The explosion continued to echo, driving him to move faster. He darted between the tree trunks, his feet barely touching the wood as he zigzagged through the forest.

Finally, the forest opened into a wide clearing. The dense canopy gave way to an open patch bathed in faint moonlight, casting long shadows over the ground.

Asher stopped at the edge, pressing himself against the trunk of one of the enormous trees. The reflective mirrors shimmered faintly as it adjusted to the new light, blending him with the bark.

From his hidden position, he carefully studied the clearing. The noise of battle filled the air—metal clashing against crude weapons, growls and roars echoing through the space.

His eyes scanned the figures below.

A group of humanoids fought fiercely against green-skinned creatures of varying sizes.

The smaller ones, standing no taller than three feet, moved with frenzied energy.

Their wiry bodies were covered in patchy, mottled skin, and they wielded crude weapons—jagged spears, stone-tipped clubs, and makeshift stone knives. Their movements were erratic, darting in and out like wild animals.

Then there were the larger ones, towering at nearly ten feet, with hulking frames.

Their muscles bulged grotesquely beneath their skin, and they wielded massive clubs fashioned from tree trunks or jagged slabs of rock.

Unlike their smaller counterparts, they moved slowly, but each swing of their weapons sent shockwaves through the ground.

Their clothing was barely functional—primitive loincloths that barely covered their groins. Bones and scraps of leather hung loosely from their bodies, giving them an even more savage appearance.

His attention shifted to the humanoid figures.

At first glance, they resembled humans, but their distinctly animal-like features set them apart. Pointed ears twitched atop their heads, moving subtly to catch every sound amidst the chaos.

Thick tails swayed behind some of them, their movements showing their emotions—aggression, caution, and an almost intense focus on the fight.

Their faces held sharp, angular features, blending human expressions with beastly traits.

One male fighter bared his fangs in a fierce snarl as he swung his massive axe, cutting down a hulking green creature.

The ears on his head flattened, and his movements radiated the aggression of a predator fighting for its life.

Among the fighters, the women moved with a feline grace.

Their smaller stature gave them agility that contrasted sharply with the raw power of their male counterparts.

A few had markings on their exposed skin, almost like stripes or patterns reminiscent of fur, adding to their distinct appearance.

Some of the humanoid creatures lingered around the clearing, tossing round, round explosive devices—likely a form of dynamite—that triggered the blasts shaking the area.

‘Definitely not human,’ Asher thought, his gaze narrowing as he observed them more closely. He wasn’t ready to reveal himself just yet; he needed to assess their individual strength first.

The sounds of the battle grew louder, the clash of metal and the creature’s roars filling the air.

Despite the humanoids’ coordination, the overwhelming number of enemies closing in on them made their situation dire.

‘Who are they? Beastkin? Like in those books?’

The term lingered in his mind, though he had never encountered their kind before. ‘If they’re this skilled and coordinated, they’re probably part of a larger civilization.’

His eyes focused on the weapons they held.

Unlike the rough clubs and sharp, jagged blades used by their foes, the humanoids’ weapons looked well-made and polished.

Some of the swords and axes gave off a faint glows. The light from them made it obvious that their weapons were far more advanced than the crude tools their enemies used.

They weren’t as refined or powerful as the ones in Index’s collection, but it was obvious that magic was in use here.

‘Let see…’ When he cast a spell to zoom in on the weapons, he noticed something odd.

The symbols didn’t match anything he had seen before. They resembled the strokes and patterns he had once seen in his old world, often found in the Middle East.

Though the language and formulas were different, the energy being used followed the same principles and nature as the elements.

As the battle raged on, he observed that the beastkins—his temporary name for them—were starting to lose ground. The green creatures just kept coming, nonstop in their attack.

They were fearless, pushing forward relentlessly despite the growing number of casualties on their side.

His attention was drawn to a girl, around 4’5″ tall with a petite body. She had black furry ears and a tail, like a dog, and her exhaustion was evident.

Two small silver daggers trembled in her grip, their bases shaking as she reached her limit.

THUD!

She made a mistake, stumbling slightly before collapsing to the ground, landing hard on her backside. Her grip on the daggers faltered, and she winced, trying to push herself back up, but she was too exhausted.

“In that moment, her companion saw it—a massive, ten-foot green creature, wielding a crude club, charging forward. It raised its massive weapon and brought it down toward the girl’s head.

Time seemed to slow.

The beastkins around her shouted in horror, their voices filled with panic as they cried out. “No!Kara!”

It was too late.

The green creature’s club swung down with terrifying power. Some of them closed their eyes, already resigning themselves to the fact that their companion was as good as dead.

But just as the club was about to smash her to pieces, a flash of golden light erupted from behind a nearby tree trunk.

BOOM!

The force of the impact was blocked by a figure that appeared from nowhere, holding the club back with nothing but a single finger.