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.

he turned around and walked deeper into the tunnel, one

"Follow me."

"..."

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

any plans

At least not yet.

*

from the crowd inside the arena were the first thing I heard as I neared the

the arena,

you end the fight

my ears. Glancing in his direction, I lowered my head

'That's the plan.'

my bracket, there was no need for me to

end them quickly to save my energy for when I fought the Emperor. Someone who was most likely going to be extremely hard

"We're here."

of an enormous gate made out of

will start

did not respond. I took a

the right corner, with an

also hear the announcer's voice coming from the other side of the gates. It was the same voice I had been hearing over and

[...Please welcome White Reaper!]

Clank—!

a low rumble, the doors

the

"White Reaper!"

"Fuck him up!"

"Skull Crusher! Destroy him!"

arena, I could hear the loud cheers of the spectators. They were

paid them

because my current focus was directed toward the towering figure standing

"We meet again."

Crusher's face

Crack. Crack. Crack.

"..."

at him, I

a

"Sure."

changed when he realized I wasn't taking him

that no one could

you going to

my gaze, he asked in a soft tone. In the midst of the

my head in his

'Yes.'

two

demoness's gaze pause on me.

"Yes."

[Skull Crusher?]

"Yes."

also gave her a

arena ceased. A slight smile hung

At the exact moment the tension reached

[You may fight!]

lowering her hand, she announced the start of the fight and I quickly activated one of my

'The one.'

as I activated 'The one,' everything came to a halt. Neither Skull Crusher nor Demoness dared

time, my other self slowly moved

eyes still locked on Skull Crusher, I remained standing. From the corner of my eyes, I kept my focus on my

behind Skull Crusher and

only then that I took

Tok.

***

'What's going on?'

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

body

to glance at his

"Is this fear?"

that he had not felt for quite a long

Actually, not quite.

this emotion not too long ago. Back when he met the current Emperor of the Duke

without losing a single match, he had grown ignorant and had

the biggest mistake of

it not been for his mercy, he

'I...impossible.'

of dread he felt from the current emperor, the one coming from the small figure standing

stronger than the emperor!?

at him once more

"Ah..."

out

"What are you doing?!"