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!]

crowd became even more heated

"Yes!"

"Fight! Fight! Fight!"

Crack! Crack!

figures scrutinized one another closely, cracks began to appear beneath

soon disappeared from their

Booom—!

arena. Their figures soon reappeared

clawed movement, directly aiming for his

not an Emperor for

the claw, and several magic circles formed at the tips of each nail, stopping them in

for a couple of seconds as cracks soon started to

Crack. Crack. Crack.

circle's power was not sufficient to stop the claw from reaching SilverStar's head,

this had happened, so SilverStar

was exactly what he

Swooosh—!

blew and his hair scattered. With a simple wave of his

aimed it at the demon. A large

elegant tap of his staff, he

"Here."

the magic circle transforming into

at the incoming

"Hmph."

majestic black hue began to form out

squeezed into a fist, and the beam headed toward him was directly dispersed in the air, much to

that was clenched into a fist, he squeezed his back muscles and proceeded to throw a casual

crowd. The opposite could be said for SilverStar who stared at

punch that DeathBringer threw was anything but casual, and only SilverStar could sense the strength

three magic circles materialized next to him, forming a large shield around him. The

Bang—!

explosive sound, the shield started to

Crack.

on the outer shield. Trying to supplement the depleting mana of the shield with

Crack.

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

"Kh..."

weak groan, SilverStar took a step back

his teeth, he

Crash—!

barrier collapsed, causing SilverStar's face

as a smile

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

to look at the crowd, he could feel their malice-filled

was honestly

for the sake of the demon's entertainment had become too much for him to

anger disappeared as fast as it appeared. Taking a

he glanced toward one of the platforms. After a while, a soft smile

'I should start now.'

In the meantime, DeathBringer had already rushed in his direction and was only a couple of meters away from

then that

a horrified

one was able to notice it. But it was

"Goodbye."

stand stopped moving

***

attention quickly turned toward the arena grounds below and

"Hmmm..."

his eyes flashed in a certain hue before they

"I see..."

he turned his head to gaze in a certain direction. To be

languid and lazy eyes sharpened for a brief

in the middle of the arena with a cold look. On the ground opposite him was a simple bracelet,

was clear that in that short moment he had