The Author's POV

While everyone focused on the empty grounds below, the crowd cheered raucously throughout the arena.

Everyone's attention was focused on a certain demoness as she stood in the middle of the arena with a bright smile on her face.

Opening her mouth, she emitted a sweet, seductive voice that filled the arena.

[For today's match on our left side we have DeathBringer, the current Emperor of the King bracket.]

As she spoke, the gate on the left side opened, and a demon appeared from the other side of the arena.

Seeing bat wings splayed across his back and a frame so enormous that it even put some orcs to shame, the crowd became even more enthralled.

"Kill!"

"Destroy that elf!"

"You better make me something you traitor!"

As he stopped in the middle of the arena, he did not bother to look at the crowd. Despite being a demon, he had no sense of attachment toward them. Rather, he despised them with all his being.

As he lowered his head to examine his right hand, his eyes lingered on a small black bracelet.

'Suppressor.'

It was an artifact created by demons that suppressed the wearer's rank. He had no choice but to wear it since the fight was between two Emperor ranks of different brackets.

The more he stared at the bracelet, the bigger the scowl on his face became.

"How fucking dare they..."

Flap—

He flapped his wings once, casting a huge shadow on the ground. An evident display of might by him.

In response to his readiness, the demoness reached across the arena with her right hand. There was an air of excitement in the crowd as her sweet voice swept through the air.

[And on our right side we have SilverStar, the current Emperor of the Duke bracket, and the challenger!.]

Slowly, the gates on the right began to rise. Unlike DeathBringer, SilverStar was met with a lot of hostility.

"Die you eleven scum!"

"I can't wait for you to die!"

"You better die, I bet a lot of money on you."

This was to be expected. Given their pride, the demons would still rather support someone from their own race over someone from another race, regardless of whether that person was a prisoner of war or had committed a hideous crime like ingesting another demon's core.

As SilverStar walked slowly toward the center of the arena, he ignored the noise from the crowd. At this moment, the only thing that was in his mind was his opponent.

DeathBringer.

As soon as he was a few meters away from DeathBringer, his feet stopped. As he stood at the opposite end of DeathBringer, everyone could see their differences in size.

It felt as though an ant was fighting up against a large monster. Their difference was incomparable.

While those who bet on SilverStar regretted their decision, those who bet on DeathBringer secretly rejoiced. The difference in size was enough for most people to feel more secure about their choices.

[Are you two ready?]

In that moment, the voice of the demoness was heard. The arena grounds instantly became intense as everyone stopped speaking for a moment.

"Yes."

"…Yes."

The two contestants answered at the same time. A satisfied smile spread across the demoness' face as she raised her hand and lowered it.

[You may begin!]

the aftermath of her words, the crowd

"Yes!"

"Fight! Fight! Fight!"

Crack! Crack!

closely,

disappeared

Booom—!

figures disappeared and reappeared in front of each other, an explosive sound echoed throughout the arena. Their figures soon reappeared in the middle of the arena, and everyone was able to catch a glimpse of

a clawed movement, directly aiming for his head. His attack was fast and fiercesome, leaving little time

was not an Emperor for

several magic circles formed

as cracks soon started to form

Crack. Crack. Crack.

sufficient to stop the claw from reaching

lost most of the momentum by the time this had happened, so SilverStar only had to tilt his head to dodge

was exactly

Swooosh—!

pushed his body back as a breeze blew and his hair scattered. With a simple wave of his hand, his

his wand, he aimed it at the demon. A

of his staff,

"Here."

to the magic circle transforming into a blue transparent energy beam that headed toward

the incoming attack,

"Hmph."

a majestic black hue began to form out his

and the beam headed toward

was clenched into a fist, he squeezed his back muscles and proceeded to throw a casual punch in SilverStar's

how it looked to the crowd. The opposite could be said for SilverStar who

DeathBringer threw was anything but casual, and

to him, forming a large shield around him.

Bang—!

an enormous explosive sound, the shield started to

Crack.

the depleting mana of the shield with his own mana, SilverStar furrowed his brows

Crack.

form on the shield. It wasn't long before a glass-shattering sound

"Kh..."

back and blood started to seep down

he

Crash—!

barrier collapsed, causing SilverStar's face to

it was enough as a smile

leaving behind one last barrier. As SilverStar glanced at DeathBringer, he could hear the

he could feel their malice-filled

was honestly sick

where he had to fight other people for the sake of the demon's entertainment had become too much for him to stomach.

him clench his teeth tightly. However, his anger disappeared as fast as it appeared. Taking a deep breath, he

glanced toward one of the platforms. After a while, a

'I should start now.'

him. In the meantime, DeathBringer had already

was then that something

suddenly halted, and a horrified look appeared on his face as he clenched his left

notice it. But it was enough time for SilverStar who slowly

"Goodbye."

figure was enveloped by his spell. All the demons in the stand stopped moving and looked at one another as a

***

His attention quickly turned toward the arena grounds below and

"Hmmm..."

that rested on Deathbringer, his eyes flashed in a certain hue before they returned

"I see..."

head to gaze in a certain direction. To be more precise, toward a specific platform in

and lazy eyes sharpened for a

arena, Lightning Dragon saw SilverStar standing in the middle of the arena with a cold look. On the ground opposite him was a simple bracelet, nothing

was clear that in that short moment he had turned to