The Author's POV

"This will be a short fight."

Overlooking the arena from above, SilverMoon's eyes narrowed. All of the top Duke bracket competitors were standing beside her.

"That's good for Skull Crusher."

"Yeah."

"It was a given considering his strength. Although he's nothing much himself."

None seemed to be interested in the upcoming fight. There was an air of certainty about the fight, despite the fact that it hadn't even begun yet.

Who was going to win was already clear to them.

"Why do you even bother with that human, anyway?"

A lazy-looking figure languidly asked. His shoulder-length black hair spread across the sofa as he leaned back against the sofa and stared up at the ceiling with his yellow-colored eyes.

From his mouth, he took out a popsicle and looked at SilverMoon.

"I admit that he is strong, but Skull Crusher should be able to handle him."

"I know."

SilverMoon replied. Glancing back at the figure, she asked.

"You're also a human, what did you think of him?"

"Him?"

The figure leaned back once again on the sofa and crossed his arms behind his head as he gazed at the ceiling of the room.

"Huaaam."

He let out a yawn.

"He aight. Nothing special apart from his hair."

That was the last thing he said before he closed his eyes

"I see..."

SilverMoon nodded her head and once again turned to look at the arena below. However, this was merely a pretense. Her attention was secretly drawn to the human from earlier.

'Rank 3, Lightning Dragon.'

He was the individual that SilverMoon feared the most out of all the bracket contenders. His strength was quite unknown as he always ended an opponent within a couple of moves, but SilverMoon always felt this unsettling feeling whenever she saw him.

She couldn't explain it clearly, but there were times that she would fear him above the current Emperor.

Perhaps it was because her instincts had been honed over a long period of time, but she knew that the human sitting on the sofa was bad news.

Had it not been for his lazy personality, who knows...

He could've even been the current Emperor.

'What am I thinking?'

After shaking her head to clear her mind, SilverMoon returned her attention to the arena.

With the demoness already present and preparing to announce something, SilverMoon's eyes narrowed even further.

"The match is about to start."

Her words drew the attention of everyone in the room as they all gazed at the arena.

"Should we bet on how long the human will last against Skull Crusher?"

"Sounds fun."

"I want in."

***

In a calm manner, I got up from the bed and walked toward the cell door.

"Are you ready?"

"Yeah."

Nodding, I pressed my hand against the cell door and opened the door.

Clank—!

My ears were pricked up by the sound of several demons waiting on the other side of the door.

I didn't pay much attention to them since I was used to such scenes.

turned around and walked deeper into the

"Follow me."

"..."

followed him from behind. As for the other demons, they followed me from behind, trapping me completely. This was so

I had any plans to

At least not yet.

*

arena were the

closer I grew to the arena,

you end the fight as soon as

ears. Glancing in his direction, I lowered my

'That's the plan.'

had already antagonized the top ten rankers in my bracket,

I fought the Emperor. Someone who was

"We're here."

in front of an enormous gate made out

will start any

lowered my head, I did not respond. I took a deep breath and concentrated on the noise coming from the arena

in the right corner,

from the other side of the gates. It was the same voice I had been hearing over and over again for the past week

[...Please welcome White Reaper!]

Clank—!

low rumble, the doors soon started to

entered the

"White Reaper!"

"Fuck him up!"

"Skull Crusher! Destroy him!"

the moment I stepped into the arena, I could hear the loud cheers of the spectators.

paid them

focus was directed toward the towering figure

"We meet again."

smile spread across Skull Crusher's face as he cracked

Crack. Crack. Crack.

"..."

him, I didn't

what will happen next. We clearly gave you a way out. I hope you

"Sure."

The look on Skull Crusher's face changed when he realized I wasn't taking

to the fact that no one could see him, his appearance did

to

tone. In the midst of the loud

slowly nodded my

'Yes.'

the two contestants

pause on me. I glanced

"Yes."

[Skull Crusher?]

"Yes."

also gave her a

hand and the noise in the arena ceased. A slight

became tense as she held her hand in the air. At the exact moment the

[You may fight!]

start of the fight and

'The one.'

to a halt. Neither Skull Crusher nor

other self slowly

remained standing. From the corner of my eyes, I kept

Skull

was only then that I took

Tok.

***

'What's going on?'

gray eyes, Skull Crusher felt his muscles loosen as he couldn't muster any strength in them. He was paralyzed on

body

to glance at his hands, he muttered in a

"Is this fear?"

had

Actually, not quite.

not too long ago. Back when he met the current

without losing a single match, he had

biggest

it not been for his

'I...impossible.'

one coming from the

even stronger

dull-grey gazes stared back at him once more as

"Ah..."

out a

"What are you doing?!"