My Girlfriends Are Hardcore Yanderes - Chapter 176

Chapter 176: Eryx Part 5
Asher searched through his space bag, pulling out a small, cold chunk of metal. It was heavier than he expected, the weight of it pressing against his palm.

Lucia’s eyes widened as she watched him hold it up. At first glance, the metal seemed unremarkable, just a regular piece of ore, but something about it made her skin crawl.

This was a mineral from the Void, something that Index had discovered in one of the ancient ruins.

He wasn’t sure why it was in the bag. Maybe Index had put it there and just forgotten about it.

That’s why he assumed it wasn’t important. If it had been, he doubted that she would have simply let it sit inside the space bag for so long.

There were other items inside the bag, most of them precious materials. However, crafting was not his forte, and because of that, he hadn’t yet found a use for most of them.

He placed the chunk of metal in his right hand and held his left hand over it, softly chanting a spell.

A faint orange glow appeared around his fingers, and the air around the metal began to heat up.

Slowly, the dull silver surface changed, changing to a deep red as the metal glowed from the change in temperature.

Lucia leaned closer, watching him with a raised eyebrow. “What are you doing now?”

“We need to hide our faces” Asher responded, not looking up. “If we go out there like this, people will recognize you. These should help.”

Lucia didn’t argue with his reasoning; she understood it was for her own protection.

Most of the facilitators would recognize her, and with the event being the biggest in Eryx, it was bound to attract locals eager to see the outsiders.

Small wisps of steam rose as the heat intensified, softening the metal until it looked pliable.

Once it was ready, he chanted another spell. A gust of wind formed around the softened metal, spiraling in controlled bursts.

The swirling air bent and twisted the glowing piece , reshaping it with precise control.

Sparks scattered with each adjustment, their brief flashes reflecting off his focused expression.

He continued the process, cooling parts of the metal with a faint flick of wind while leaving other areas bendable.

The spell required care and precision, and his control over the elements showed as the lump of metal gradually took the shape of a mask.

Narrow eyes appeared first, cut into the surface with sharp angles. The mouth followed—a downturned, somber frown.

Once the first mask was done, Asher began shaping the second one.

The same careful heating, bending, and cooling began again, though this time the design was different.

The second mask had a sly grin, the kind that seemed to mock its surroundings. Each detail, from the curve of the smile to the slant of the eyes, was deliberate, giving the mask an almost lifelike quality.

When the work was done, he picked up the masks, now cool to the touch.

They gleamed faintly in the dim light, simple but effective in their design. He wiped his hands on his cloak and glanced at Lucia, holding out the grinning mask.

“Here. Put this on.”

She stared at the mask for a moment before taking it, running her fingers over the surface.

“I guess this will work,” she muttered, though the craftsmanship surprised her.

Asher said nothing, strapping the sad mask over his face. The fit was perfect, snug against his skin.

Next, he snapped his fingers, and the fabric of his robe changed right before Lucia’s eyes, turning a deep jet black.

Silver patterns appeared along the edges, curling into simple but sharp designs that matched the sad expression on his mask.

He gave the cloak a slight tug to make sure it fit well.

“This should work,” he nodded, sounding satisfied with the color.

Lucia’s surprise showed in her wide eyes. She had not expected his robe to be an artifact, let alone do that.

“You didn’t mention your robe could do that,” she said, crossing her arms.

Asher glanced at her. “You never asked,”

Lucia didn’t press further, though her curiosity lingered. She couldn’t help but wonder what other tricks he was hiding.

When they stepped out of the coach, it immediately began to move again, its rune-powered wheels glowing faintly as it rolled away.

They continued walking toward the entrance, blending in with the crowd. No one seemed to find their masks strange; in fact, many others were wearing one with different patterns and design.

From their clothes, it was clear that everyone here came from different places, each with its own culture, which showed in their sense of style.

The line moved forward slowly, the soft murmur of voices filling the air as participants waited their turn.

Asher and Lucia stood side by side, the glass pillars ahead of them glowing faintly, each one holding sixteen small, star-shaped lights.

When they reached the registration window, the staff member, a tall woman gestured toward another line.

“Step forward when it’s your turn,” the facilitator called out. “Touch the pillar to measure your power. To qualify for the tournament, you need to light up at least eight out of the sixteen stars. Anything less, and you’re out.”

Lucia’s gaze flickered over to Asher as they moved into position.

Without a word, he turned to her, lowering his voice. “How many stars did you light up last time?”

Lucia hesitated, but the mask hid the uncertainty in her expression.

“Seven,” she answered with a slight frown. “It was the best I have ever hit, but now… I think I can hit nine, maybe ten.”

Asher raised an eyebrow. “Ten, huh? ”

If someone of her caliber was only that confident, it spoke volumes about the kind of strength it took to reach the full sixteen stars.

While he was thinking about the test, a sudden gasp echoed through the crowd.

He turned to see what the commotion was about.