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!

one another closely, cracks began to appear beneath

disappeared

Booom—!

front of each other, an explosive sound echoed throughout the arena. Their figures soon reappeared in the

demon extended his arm in a clawed movement, directly aiming for his head. His attack was fast and fiercesome,

then, SilverStar was not an Emperor for

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

as cracks soon started to

Crack. Crack. Crack.

sufficient to stop the claw from reaching

the time this had happened, so

that was exactly what he

Swooosh—!

as a breeze blew and his hair scattered.

demon. A large magic circle formed at the tip of the

tap of his

"Here."

transforming into a

the incoming attack,

"Hmph."

his wing, a majestic black hue began to form out his body. The entire arena

toward him was

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

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

DeathBringer threw was anything but casual, and only

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

Bang—!

sound, the shield started to ripple as

Crack.

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

Crack.

the cracks continued to form on the shield. It wasn't long before a glass-shattering

"Kh..."

SilverStar took a step back and blood started to seep down

he

Crash—!

second barrier collapsed, causing SilverStar's face to

enough as a smile soon

the second barrier collapsed, the attack finally ceased, leaving behind one last barrier. As SilverStar glanced at DeathBringer,

the crowd, he could feel their malice-filled eyes and

was honestly sick

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

disappeared as fast as it appeared.

his head he glanced toward one of the platforms. After a

'I should start now.'

and a magic circle formed in front of him. In the meantime, DeathBringer had already rushed in his direction and was only a couple of meters away

then that

a horrified look appeared on his face as

no one was able to notice it. But it was enough time for

"Goodbye."

in the stand stopped moving and looked at one another as a bright wave of energy

***

turned toward the arena grounds below

"Hmmm..."

his eyes

"I see..."

certain direction. To be more precise, toward

languid and lazy eyes sharpened for a

attention back toward the arena, Lightning Dragon saw SilverStar standing in the middle of the arena with

short moment he had turned to look away, the