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!]

aftermath of her words, the crowd became even more heated and shouted

"Yes!"

"Fight! Fight! Fight!"

Crack! Crack!

two figures scrutinized one another closely, cracks began to

figures soon disappeared from their

Booom—!

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

directly aiming for his head. His attack was fast and fiercesome,

then, SilverStar was not an Emperor

wand pointed at the claw, and several magic circles

a couple of seconds as cracks soon

Crack. Crack. Crack.

to stop the claw from reaching

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

was exactly

Swooosh—!

breeze blew and his hair scattered. With a simple wave of his hand,

wand, he aimed it at the demon. A large magic circle formed at the tip

an elegant tap of his

"Here."

circle transforming into a blue transparent energy

the incoming

"Hmph."

a majestic black hue began to

a fist, and the beam headed toward him was

followed up with his own attack. Raising his hand that was clenched into

the crowd. The opposite could be

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

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

Bang—!

started to

Crack.

depleting mana of the

Crack.

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

"Kh..."

step back and blood started to seep down

his teeth, he continued

Crash—!

second barrier collapsed, causing

as a smile soon

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

look at the crowd, he could feel their malice-filled eyes and words wishing him nothing

was honestly sick

sake of the demon's entertainment had become too much

his anger disappeared as fast as it

the platforms.

'I should start now.'

raised the tip of his wand and a magic circle formed in front of him. In the meantime, DeathBringer had

was then that

from DeathBringer's body suddenly halted, and a horrified look appeared on his face as

so fast that no one was able to notice it. But it was

"Goodbye."

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

***

Dragon snapped his eyes open. His attention quickly turned toward the arena grounds below and he

"Hmmm..."

rested on Deathbringer, his eyes flashed in a certain hue before they returned to their regular

"I see..."

his head to gaze in a certain direction. To be more precise,

lazy eyes

toward the arena, Lightning Dragon saw SilverStar standing in the middle of the arena with a cold look. On

in that short moment he had turned to