How to Handle a Yandere Harem - Chapter 38

The weight of the colossal armor around Adriel felt suffocating, every step he took a struggle. The sound of metal clanging with each movement echoed through the arena as if the entire gym was filled with the clatter of a great machine. But he wasn’t moving. The armor seemed to have a mind of its own, lunging and blocking with incredible precision, its massive arms striking down the Beast Hunters with terrifying force.

Adriel watched, wide-eyed, from within, his body stiff as the armor moved him like a puppet.

“What… what is this thing doing?!” Adriel shouted, his voice reverberating through the helmet. He could see through the visor, but it was as if he was merely a spectator to his own fight.

Makoto stood nearby, sword at the ready, though there was little for him to do. Every attack their opponents launched was effortlessly parried by the armor. One of the Beast Hunters swung a massive sword, but the armor countered with a brutal punch that sent the opponent flying across the arena.

But it wasn’t Adriel’s doing.

Adriel’s heart pounded. (Is this really what I’ve become? Someone who has to rely on this thing to fight for me? Am I this weak?)

The thoughts gnawed at him as the battle raged. Every strike the armor landed felt like a blow to his confidence. It wasn’t him out there winning — it was the armor, this hulking piece of metal that had taken control. He clenched his fists inside the suit, but his hands were useless against the overpowering control of the machinery.

(What’s the point of being here if I’m not even fighting? I’m just sitting in here, watching. I… I didn’t sign up for this.)

The Beast Hunters were relentless, even though their every move was met with a crushing response from the autonomous armor. But for Adriel, the sight of his opponents being knocked down one after the other wasn’t a victory — it was a reminder of how powerless he felt.

(Am I really this pathetic? I can’t even win my own battles.)

The frustration built within him, growing hotter with each passing moment. He could hear the crowd cheering, but it felt distant, hollow. He wasn’t earning their cheers. He was just a passenger in a fight he had no control over.

“I don’t want this,” Adriel muttered under his breath, his hands trembling as they pressed against the cold metal inside the suit. “I don’t want this.”

The armor blocked another attack with ease, its massive shield deflecting a flurry of strikes. One of the Beast Hunters let out a scream of frustration, but it was no use. The armor was simply too powerful.

Adriel felt his body tense. His mind screamed at the armor to stop, to let him fight, but nothing happened. It kept moving on its own, keeping him trapped inside. He clenched his teeth tightly, anger boiling over.

“I don’t want this!” Adriel shouted, slamming his fists against the inside of the armor. “Let me out!”

Outside, Emma watched from the stands, her eyes gleaming with satisfaction. (Look at him. He’s unstoppable now. Everything’s going just as planned. He’s the hero I knew he could be.)

But then, she noticed something strange. The armor hesitated, stumbling slightly as if something inside it was malfunctioning. Adriel’s fists pounded against the interior, and the once fluid movements of the armor became jerky, uncoordinated.

(What’s he doing?) Emma thought, her brow furrowing in confusion. (Why is he resisting? He’s winning. Isn’t that what he wants?)

Adriel’s fists continued to strike the metal around him, the sound reverberating through the suit like thunder. He gritted his teeth, his frustration turning into raw anger.

“I can’t just sit here and let this thing do everything for me!” Adriel yelled, his voice filled with desperation. “I’m not going to hide behind this armor!”

The metal groaned under his fists, the suit’s control beginning to falter as Adriel’s strength surged through his limbs. He slammed his fists again and again, the armor trembling with each blow.

From the stands, Seda watched with narrowed eyes. (What’s he trying to do? Is he trying to break free?)

Seda could see the struggle in Adriel’s movements, the way the armor twitched under his resistance. Unlike Emma, who watched in confusion, Seda understood. She saw the determination in Adriel, the way he was fighting not just his opponents but the very thing that was protecting him.

(He wants out.) Seda thought. (He wants to fight his own battles.)

The opponents, already exhausted from the relentless assault of the autonomous armor, were staggering and struggling to keep up the fight. Losing to Adriel was out of the question.

But the fight wasn’t over for Adriel. Inside the suit, he felt trapped, caged by the very thing meant to protect him.

“I won’t let this control me!” he shouted, throwing his full weight against the interior. 

The metal buckled slightly, sparks flying as the armor’s systems struggled to maintain control.

Emma’s eyes widened as she saw the armor falter. (Adriel, what are you doing?! Stop! You’re winning!)

But Adriel didn’t care about winning anymore. He didn’t care about the cheers or the spectacle. All he wanted was to fight with his own strength, without being a puppet in this monstrous suit of metal.

Seda rose from her seat, her eyes locked on Adriel’s trembling form. (He’s close to breaking free, but he needs help.)

Without a word, Seda moved toward the arena, weaving her way through the startled crowd. She approached the edge of the battlefield, her calm expression hiding the urgency she felt.

“Adriel!” she called out, her voice cutting through the noise.

Inside the suit, Adriel heard her voice. It grounded him and pulled him back from the edge of frustration. He turned his head slightly, though the armor kept moving.

“Adriel, focus,” Seda’s voice was steady, calm. “You’re almost there. You can do this. You don’t need that armor to fight.”

Adriel, breathing heavily, slammed his fists against the armor one last time, the metal groaning in protest. He could feel the cracks forming inside the suit, the control slipping away.

Seda’s eyes met his, her expression one of quiet encouragement. (You’re stronger than you think, Adriel.)

With one final surge of strength, Adriel pushed against the armor, his body shaking with the effort. The suit shattered around him, pieces of metal falling to the ground with a deafening crash. The weight lifted, and Adriel stood free, his own body now exposed, his breath ragged.

The opponents, already weakened and beaten down by the armor, stood trembling, their weapons lowered in shock. They had no energy left to fight.

Adriel wiped the sweat from his brow, his heart still racing. But this time, it wasn’t from fear. It was from relief.

Seda watched from the sidelines, a small smile crossing her lips. (He did it.)

Emma, still sitting in the stands, stared in disbelief. (He broke free… but why? He was winning! Why would he give that up?)

The crowd murmured, unsure of what they had just witnessed. But one thing was clear: Adriel had chosen to fight his own battles.

Seda, watching proudly from above, grinned. (That’s my Adriel.)

Adriel, now too exhausted to continue, slumps to the ground. The battle is not over yet. Adriel has already won in his own way, even if he loses the fight. He has to prove to everyone that he doesn’t depend on Emma, Elizabeth, or Seda. He wants to fight using his own strength—not because of the armor, but because of his own abilities. Adriel is there, struggling to stay on his feet, yet ready to keep fighting.