The Author's POV

Clank—!

"Follow me."

Coming out of my cell, I followed a demon out.

Everything happened out of nowhere. I was just quietly relaxing in my cell, and before I knew it, a demon came to my room and called out for me.

I was quite clueless about where I was going, but I decided not to say anything and just followed along.

There was no point in asking questions that I would not get an answer to.

That, and...

The fact that I already had an idea of what was going on.

'This might actually be a good chance for me...'

Glancing toward my left and right, as I followed the guard, I realized that the security was fairly lax.

There didn't seem to be many demons patrolling the area, and to make matters even stranger was the fact that my mane wasn't sealed.

It had to be noted that the demon in front of me was ranked lower than me. If I wanted to, I could kill him with a simple slap.

Not that I had any plans on doing that since I had a goal in mind.

Finding Amanda's dad.

Furthermore, I was sure that the security-only looked lax. In reality, it was probably extremely tight. Had this not been the case, many of the prisoners would've long escaped.

Tok. Tok.

The steady and calm of our footsteps echoed throughout the corridors. The corridors were pretty badly maintained as I could see cracks everywhere. Not only that, but they were also quite narrow, forcing me to move sideways sometimes.

To make matters worse, lingering in the air was an old and stuffy smell.

"We're here."

Walking for who knows long, we soon stopped in front of a large metallic door. Standing beside the door were a couple of demons.

With a simple nod, the demon walked toward the door.

To Tok—!

He then proceeded to knock on the door.

For the first couple of seconds, he was met with no response. However, this did not last for long as the door soon started to open.

Clank—!

Once the door was half-opened, I was finally able to catch a glimpse of what was behind it.

A luxuriously decorated room that far contrasted the shabby room I was previously staying in. A nice red carpet blanked the floor, and all sorts of decorations appeared in the room. From sofas to paintings and other things that would make one drool at the sight.

'So this is how the top rankers live...'

Gazing at the room for a bit, my line of sight paused on a few individuals inside the room. After a quick look, I was able to assess that they were the top rankers of the Duke bracket.

It was hard not to notice them. The pressure that their bodies emitted was quite frightening. It was at a level where I needed to take them seriously if I wanted to win.

Not that I showed it outwardly as I kept a straight face and stepped into the room.

The moment I stepped into the room, I felt everyone's gazes pause on me, carefully scrutinizing every part of my body. Not bothered by them, I calmly walked toward where the sofas were and leisurely sat down.

Crossing my legs and leaning back, I opened my mouth.

"So..."

I looked at everyone in the room.

"What did you guys want to talk about?"

"..."

Silence.

No one in the room said a word as they continued to stare in my direction.

It was then that someone finally spoke up.

seems to be

height with a long ginger beard was a dwarf. Raising

"Herr...Herr...not bad."

his hand,

five

Reaper, Rank thirty in the

shook his hand back. As I did, I suddenly smelt a

'His breath stinks.'

to not make any strange faces.

"White Reaper."

lady staring in my direction. She had a rather long scar tracing down her face, and I could feel hints of insanity in her eyes.

straight into

"You are?"

"Rank two, Silvermoon."

in a

why we've called you

"Somewhat."

head. The other people in the room became

what do you think? Will you

I smiled.

'Group, huh?'

self about what this group was all about. It was essentially

was so that they could monopolize all the top ten spots, and support

I had a chance to respond, she took a step to

join a group like ours can you have the

I not been warned beforehand, I might've even been tempted by her

"Oh..."

her a half-hearted

she noticed the tone of my reply, and the room became

to know that

"I do."

I nodded.

Of course, I did.

was something that was told to me on the very first day that I

games

you know, then why do you look so disinterested. Are you perhaps not keen on the idea of freedom,

sprung out from her body before heading in my

just not interested in joining

were sudden, I was caught off-guard a bit. Even then, I retained a passive and nonchalant look on my

with bloodthirsty looks, I leaned back on the sofa and calmly

do you want me

instantly disappeared. A smile soon replaced

"Much better."

a satisfied tone. Clasping her

"Lose your next game."

"Hm?"

my head forward

"Lose my next game?"

"That's correct."

certain individual standing not so far from where I was. Turning my head, my eyes paused on a

'He's big...'

entered the room, but now that I took a closer look at him, there was this

the bloodthirsty

"Skull Crusher."

underneath my breath. I would only have to be

me, it was quite pressurizing. It felt as though I was back in Issanor, in the presence of the

my words,

looks like you've recognized

she patted him on

next opponent, and someone who you will lose

"I don't need this."

the elven lady's hand off, Skull Crusher glared

in our next match.

may be right, but

to look in

your own good. If you're interested in ever becoming free, then this is

her brows knit for a couple of seconds. She

Crusher said, any one of us in the room is enough to crush you. It is in your best interest to

a while, she extended her hand in my direction. Her face was filled with confidence when she said

you say, will

her extended branch,

"Tempting..."