How to Handle a Yandere Harem - Chapter 37

The virtual battlefield of the Augmented Reality Gladiators tournament roared to life as the match began, with the digital avatars of Adriel and Makoto charging toward their opponents, the infamous Beast Hunters. Despite the bravado in their earlier words, Adriel and Makoto had a clear plan — keep their distance, use hit-and-run tactics, and try to outsmart the stronger team.

“Stay close, but don’t get too aggressive,” Makoto muttered, his avatar holding its shield at the ready. “They’ll use brute force if we give them the chance.”

Adriel nodded, his grip tightening on his staff. “Got it. We’ll tire them out.”

Their strategy was simple, like a beginner’s approach to any difficult situation: avoid danger, keep moving, and strike when it was safe. It was like trying to take the long way around the school just to avoid a bully in the hallway — a safe strategy, but not always effective.

They moved cautiously, testing their opponents with small, measured attacks. Adriel fired off bursts of magic from his avatar’s staff, while Makoto sent in quick jabs and defensive strikes. But each attack barely seemed to dent the Beast Hunters’ avatars. The power gap was undeniable.

One of their opponents, a towering avatar with massive spiked armor, deflected Makoto’s sword like it happened to be nothing. He laughed, his voice echoing ominously through the virtual arena. “Is that the best you’ve got, Makoto? This is pathetic.”

Makoto gritted his teeth tightly. “We just have to outlast them,” he muttered, mostly to himself.

Adriel, casting another spell, saw the same result — minimal damage, easily blocked. He tried to focus. (Stay calm. Think of it like when you’re trying to carry too many books at once. Don’t panic. Just balance everything.)

But it wasn’t working. Every move they made felt like they were running on a treadmill, getting absolutely nowhere. Their opponents, on the other hand, seemed untouchable, their attacks so overwhelming that dodging them felt like trying to escape the rain without an umbrella.

Adriel swung his avatar’s staff again, sending a burst of lightning toward one of the Beast Hunters, but the lightning dissipated against their shield with a fizzle.

(Why does everything I do feel so weak?) Adriel thought, frustration bubbling inside him.

One of the Beast Hunters smirked, raising his weapon. “You can’t even touch us. Give up already.”

Makoto, sensing the fight slipping out of their control, tried to shift their strategy. “We need to change tactics. Hit them with something unexpected.”

Adriel glanced at him, unsure. “Like what?”

“Anything! Just — try something they won’t see coming.”

Adriel hesitated, racking his brain for an idea. (Unexpected… like how Emma surprises me by appearing out of nowhere every morning? No… that won’t work here.)

Makoto, always the more direct one, swung his avatar’s sword low, aiming for the legs of one of the Beast Hunters. It was a classic move, like trying to trip someone in a game of tag. But their opponents weren’t playing games. The Beast Hunter dodged effortlessly and countered with a crushing blow that sent Makoto’s avatar skidding backward.

“Makoto!” Adriel shouted, firing another burst of magic to cover his retreat.

“I’m fine,” Makoto muttered, gritting his teeth. “But we’re running out of options.”

The Beast Hunters closed in again, their towering avatars casting long shadows across the battlefield. “Face it,” one of them sneered, “you’re both weak. Just like we said.”

The words hit hard, and Adriel found himself questioning everything. (Are we really that weak? Are we just outclassed?)

And then, suddenly, the battlefield around them flickered. The digital landscape distorted, and the colors began to warp. Adriel and Makoto stopped in their tracks, confused.

“What’s happening?” Makoto asked, his voice tense.

Adriel looked around, his heart racing. “I don’t know, the AR system — it’s glitching.”

The crowd, sensing the shift, began to murmur, and the virtual avatars of both teams flickered as if struggling to maintain their form. Then, with a deafening crack, the entire AR system short-circuited. The virtual arena disappeared, and for a moment, everything seemed to freeze.

With a bright flash, the gym was enveloped in a glowing light. Adriel felt the AR glasses on his face heat up, and before he could react, something massive formed around him — a gigantic suit of armor, real, tangible, and incredibly heavy. It locked into place with a loud metallic clank.

“What… is this?” Adriel gasped, his voice echoing from within the armor.

Makoto stood nearby, equally stunned as the virtual battlefield was replaced with a physical arena. The gym had transformed — walls shifted, bleachers retracted, and the floor gave way to a real combat zone. The avatars of the Beast Hunters were gone, but their real-world counterparts stepped forward, equally armed with weapons of terrifying power.

“This isn’t part of the tournament…” Makoto muttered, gripping his now-physical sword tightly.

From her seat in the stands, Seda’s eyes narrowed. (H-How did this happen? I had control over the logistics. How did Emma do this without me noticing?)

Emma, sitting comfortably near the front, smirked to herself. (Perfect. Now Adriel has the chance to be a real hero. I’ve given him the spotlight — now all eyes will be on him.)

The armor around Adriel hummed with raw energy, towering over the rest of the arena. He tried to move, but the weight of it was overwhelming, like trying to walk with a stack of boulders on his back.

“What’s going on?!” Adriel shouted, struggling to understand how the AR tournament had turned into something so real, so dangerous.

One of the Beast Hunters stepped forward, now wielding a massive sword in the physical world. “This… this is what a real battle looks like, Adriel. Are you ready?”

The crowd watched in stunned silence, some gasping at the transformation of the gym, others staring in awe at Adriel’s imposing armor. But no one was more focused than Emma, her eyes glued to Adriel as the chaos unfolded.

(You’ll be the hero today, Adriel. Just like I planned.)

Seda, on the other hand, was far from amused. Her calm demeanor cracked for just a moment as she considered the possibilities. 

As the two teams stood at opposite ends of the now-real arena, the tension rose to new heights. The battle was no longer a game. It was real, and Adriel and Makoto had no choice but to fight for real now.

Makoto glanced at Adriel, his expression serious. “This just got a whole lot more dangerous.”

Adriel, his heart pounding in his chest, nodded his head. “Yeah… let’s try not to die.”

And with that, the real battle was just about to get started.