My Girlfriends Are Hardcore Yanderes - Chapter 197

Chapter 197: Instant Part 3
Fear.

This was the first time he felt it since coming to this world. It gripped his heart for a moment, and the thought of activating his protective artifact flashed through his mind.

But just as he was about to do it, he stopped himself.

‘I can do this without it,’ he thought, his eyes narrowing in concentration.

Every nerve in his mind sent signals to his body, a sensation he thought he had lost due to the lack of threats in his life.

But now, that same feeling—the one that had driven his exponential growth time and time again—was boiling in his chest.

CRACK!

She wasted no time. Her curses were fast and precise. In no time, only his original body remained.

Just as went for the kill, a blinding light erupted again.

When her vision cleared, she saw that there were now more than fifty copies flying through the air.

It was an annoying turn of events, but she didn’t mind. Right now, she had an overwhelming amount of energy to spare.

CRACK!

Another one was reduced to nothingness, its form shattering in the air like glass.

CRACK!

Then another. And another.

Asher, for his part, sent a few energy-based attacks toward her from time to time, but each one was easily obliterated by the barrier surrounding her.

Her protection was airtight, impenetrable to simple energy attacks.

While the exchange was happening, the whole crowd was in full cheer, their excitement visible in their faces.

Both sorcerers did not disappoint the spectators. The copies had now reached 200, their mobility more refined and smoother, making it harder for her to figure out which one was the real deal.

He was improving in real time, but so was her. The curses became more efficient, and now, she could turn five copies to stone at once.

“Surrender now,” she finally spoke, though her mouth did not move.

“Why should I do that?” he asked.

“You can’t win this fight by just dodging. Sooner or later, you’ll deplete your energy.”

“Deplete my energy?” he almost broke into a smile. His cloaking spell made it impossible for anyone to see through his reserves, so she was just guessing.

“Give up now, so you can keep your life. With your performance, you’ll still get scouted even if you don’t win the tournament,” she added.

He scratched his head, and without saying another word, he unleashed 70% of his power.

BOOOOM!

Golden energy erupted from his body, filling the arena with a blinding light.

The pressure grew so intense that it quickly surpassed the barrier protecting the crowds, sending shockwaves that rattled the stands.

Exchanging nervous glances, the facilitators who had been monitoring the battle scrambled to reinforce the shield, working together to maintain its integrity.

Sweat beaded on their foreheads as they struggled against the growing force that continued to increase each passing second.

“We need more sorcerers!” shouted one of the facilitators.

“What is happening? Did he use an artifact?” another one gasped.

It was the only explanation that made sense to them, though it was far from the truth.

If there was one thing he had more of than anyone else, it was the sheer quantity of his reserves. He was even confident that not even the so-called Sorcerer King could compete with him in this department.

“You said I’d run out of energy?” he asked, his golden neon eyes burning brighter.

“I…” She regretted taunting him, but it was too late now. All she could do was give her all and kill him.

If there was a silver lining here, it was that now, he was easier to spot.

Her curses shot through the air, a dark force capable of bypassing his defense.

No matter how strong he was, he couldn’t escape an attack that could not be blocked.

But even after a couple of seconds passed, nothing happened .

She tried again. Each attempt only drained her further, and still, nothing. It was as if the curse had no effect.

“Now it’s my turn.” he raised his right hand and began chanting.

The air around him vibrated before a giant magic circle appeared on the ceiling, its edges stretching to encompass the entire arena.

Then, sparks of electricity crackled across the surface of the circle, lighting up the arena.

She knew it was a large-scale attack that required a long casting time, so she focused her attention on the magic circle itself, attempting to petrify parts of it to disrupt the spell.

But as soon as one line was destroyed, it was instantly replaced by another.

For a moment, the two engaged in a battle of speed, each trying to outpace the other.

In the end, the rate of the magic circle’s formation far outclassed her curse. It was only a matter of time before he completed it, and when he does, the arena would be engulfed in its devastating power.

‘No, I can still win this,’ she reassured herself, clinging to the hope that she just had to withstand the first wave, then go for the kill once he was exhausted.

But then, out of nowhere, as if to prove her wrong, another giant magic circle appeared.

Then another, and another, until five layers of them hung ominously above her.

‘Impossible, how can he have this much power…’ Her voice trailed off, unable to comprehend what she was witnessing.

This could no longer be explained by him using an artifact for many reasons.

Even if a sorcerer relied on an artifact, the amount of power they could draw from external sources was limited by the capacity of their body.

Borrowed power would always be just that—borrowed. It wasn’t meant to circulate through their magic paths, so there were always side effects.

That’s why, when she used one, her body began to deteriorate, forcing her to turn to stone to mitigate the damage.

However—

He didn’t look uncomfortable nor in pain, which shattered everything she had learned in the academy.

In a moment of clarity, a terrifying thought gripped her heart.

‘D… Don’t tell me… He’s not using any artifacts at all?’