The Author's POV

"Huu...huuu..."

My body rose and fell as I breathed in and out. With sweat trickling down my body, I slowly closed my eyes and continued doing the same motion. Alongside it, I made sure to carefully move the mana around my body.

"Are you ready?"

It was then that a voice echoed inside the room.

I promptly ignored the voice.

Lowering my body once more, I flexed my muscles and only stopped once my chest and nose touched the floor before moving.

My movement was very slow.

Slow to the point that my muscles started to sting with each movement.

"Haa..."

It was only after I completed the movement that I finally stood up. Taking a clean towel I cleaned my body.

'Warm's up done.'

Clank. Clank. Clank. Clank.

Detaching four large bracelets from my arms, I put them away.

Knock. Knock.

It was exactly at this moment that I heard a knocking sound coming from the other side of the room.

"Overlord, get ready. Your match is about to begin."

"Okay."

Massaging my shoulders, I leaned and stretched my neck.

"What's your choice?"

The same voice from before spoke. As I glanced in his direction, my eyes paused.

Eventually, I nodded my head and mumbled.

"Okay..."

"Good choice."

A smile began to spread on my other self's face.

'I'm starting to think that this was part of his plans...'

I was honestly still strongly opposed to the idea of having him take over my body, but after taking everything into consideration, and realizing that the Duke could use his true strength at any moment and kill me, I realized that I had no choice but to accept his offer.

'It sucks, but I'm still too inexperienced to face a Duke-ranked demon.'

Clank.

Jolting me out of my thoughts, the door to the room opened up revealing several figures standing behind.

As soon as the door fully opened, one of the demons asked.

"Are you ready?"

"...Yes."

Nodding my head, I took a step forward. Walking shoulder to shoulder with me was my other self.

With the same emotionless expression, he muttered.

"Be sure to pay close attention to everything I do. I will show you the true depth of your strength."

Without saying anything, I opened my mouth and softly mumbled.

"Monarch's indifference."

***

In spite of the fact that he had only been defeated a week ago, Lightning Dragon could not believe what he was seeing.

against White

was still having a hard time processing the information as he stepped onto one of

had a hard time figuring out how

strong yes, but from what I've seen, the Overlord should still be a bit stronger

to his eyes, Lightning Dragon was able to

Blood Prince, there was still a bit of a gap

him to have won that

the

had many surprises up his sleeve. Particularly with regards to his upcoming battle with the Duke, which took the whole

in a very long time, the Duke was

fuller as it was packed to

at

everyone here has already heard of the event that's currently

finally made his appearance. The

at the arena below, the only sound

heated, and all the demons wanted to do at the moment was catch a glimpse

and city were under the watchful eye

him to finally make

the demons couldn't contain

but to see him crush the current Overlord, White

against him…but he was the Duke. Of course, they would

the audience.

at that

let us welcome the

at the far end of the arena slowly opened, the demoness's crisp and pleasant voice echoed throughout the entire

forward, everyone

of black hair, two large horns that protruded from the side

Azonech stepped

movement attracted the attention of all

Tok. Tok.

of his footsteps

long before he stopped in the middle of the arena. There was a calm look

of silence was followed by loud cheers,

"Duke!"

"Duke Azenoch!"

"Beat him up!"

fanatical. In spite of this,

a faint curl began to

the top of

"The device…"

as he gazed at the device that the Duke was

toward his eyes, Lightning

"It's not on."

him to detect the general flow of mana in the

or

any energy coming out of the Duke's suppressor, he knew that it wasn't

this, he came up

on killing

was planning on killing

completely once he learned of this as

I should've

Lightning Dragon never once chose to become the next Overlord was that he knew from the very beginning that

eyes, this was only to

fact that he was too lazy to even consider the idea of fighting over one

escape, he could do it without the need to defeat the

knew from the very moment that he had heard the rules that

Duke would ever put their reputation on the line in front of so many

would

have his opponent. Someone whose rise could be described as nothing short of a miracle. Within a span of a single month, he managed to accomplish something that the contestants

Clank.

on the other side of the arena slowly opened up revealing a familiar figure that everyone had seen

"hm?"

he appeared, Lightning

multiple times, a cold chill swept his

"What?"

wet sensation. Unknowingly, his body started to tremble as he

"...Who is he?"

That...

he had fought in the

He was someone else.