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.

Duke against

processing the information as he

had a hard time figuring out how he had been able

from what I've seen, the Overlord should still be a

his eyes, Lightning Dragon was able to somewhat gauge how strong an opponent someone

Blood Prince, there was still a bit of a gap between

him to have won

the person who

had many surprises up his sleeve. Particularly with regards to his upcoming battle with the

first time in a very long time, the Duke was finally going

arena couldn't have been any fuller as

was at that

already heard of the event that's

made his appearance. The crowd

demons eagerly gazed at the arena below, the only sound

and all the demons wanted to do

and city were under the

him to finally

couldn't contain their

wanted nothing else but to see him crush the

have hard feelings against him…but he was the Duke. Of course, they would root

as he gazed at the audience. Their thoughts were so

at that

us welcome

the arena slowly opened, the demoness's crisp and pleasant voice echoed

that point forward, everyone

hair, two large horns that protruded from the side of his forehead, and a presence that instantly overtook

stepped into

attracted the attention of all

Tok. Tok.

echo of his footsteps resounded throughout

stopped in the middle of the arena. There was a calm look on his face as

by loud cheers, which shook the entire

"Duke!"

"Duke Azenoch!"

"Beat him up!"

the top of their lungs sounded borderline fanatical. In spite of this, Duke Azenoch appeared to be enjoying the cheers as he basked in them

faint curl began to

top of

"The device…"

as he gazed at

his eyes,

"It's not on."

Dragons' eyes were special. Not only could they allow him to detect the general flow of mana in the air,

demonic energy, or aura, he could see through

energy coming out of the Duke's suppressor, he knew

realizing this, he came up

planning on killing

planning on killing White

Dragon's face changed completely once he learned of this as he pressed

should've told him

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

eyes, this was only to

that he was too lazy to

it without the need to defeat the Duke, hence why he never

already knew from the very moment that he had heard the

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

would ever let

on the other side of the arena, we 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 had never been able to accomplish in the past, and that is to fight against the current Duke! Welcome the current Overlord, White

Clank.

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

"hm?"

moment he appeared, Lightning Dragons'

and closing his mouth multiple times, a cold

"What?"

his face, he felt a wet sensation. Unknowingly, his body

"...Who is he?"

That...

the White Reaper he had fought

He was someone else.