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!]

of her words, the crowd became even more

"Yes!"

"Fight! Fight! Fight!"

Crack! Crack!

scrutinized one another closely, cracks began to appear beneath

soon disappeared

Booom—!

an explosive sound echoed throughout the arena. Their figures

in a clawed movement, directly aiming for

then, SilverStar was not an Emperor

hand his wand pointed at the claw, and several magic circles formed at the tips of

as cracks soon started to form on

Crack. Crack. Crack.

stop the claw from reaching SilverStar's head, as they broke apart and continued to head for

however, had lost most of the momentum by the time this had happened,

exactly what he

Swooosh—!

his body back as a breeze blew and his hair scattered. With

the demon. A large

an elegant tap of his staff,

"Here."

magic circle transforming into a blue

incoming attack,

"Hmph."

majestic black hue began to form out his body.

into a fist, and the beam headed toward him was directly

clenched into a fist, he squeezed his back muscles and proceeded

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

was anything but casual, and only SilverStar could sense the

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

Bang—!

sound, the shield started to

Crack.

started to form on the outer shield. Trying to supplement the depleting mana of the shield with his own mana, SilverStar furrowed

Crack.

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

"Kh..."

a step back and blood started to

his teeth, he

Crash—!

collapsed, causing SilverStar's

a smile soon

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

could feel their malice-filled

was honestly

useless game where he had to fight other people for the sake of the demon's entertainment had become too

clench his teeth tightly. However, his anger disappeared as fast as

one of the platforms. After a while, a soft

'I should start now.'

of him. In the meantime, DeathBringer had already rushed in his direction

then that something

that was emanating from DeathBringer's body suddenly halted, and a horrified look appeared on his face as he clenched

that no one was able to notice it. But

"Goodbye."

the stand stopped moving and looked at one another as

***

turned toward the arena grounds below and he paused to

"Hmmm..."

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

"I see..."

certain direction.

and lazy eyes sharpened

the middle of the arena with a cold look. On the ground

that in that short moment he had