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

having a hard time processing the information

out how he had

I've seen, the Overlord should still

able to

there was still a

him to have won

expected of the person

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

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

have been any fuller as it was

was at that

everyone here has already heard of

finally made his appearance. The crowd instantly

at the arena below, the only sound heard

and all the demons wanted to do at the moment was

supreme being whom the arena and city were under the

to finally make an

demons couldn't contain their

to see him crush the current Overlord,

really have hard feelings against him…but he was the Duke. Of

Dragon's eyes squinted as he gazed at the audience. Their thoughts were

at that

us welcome

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

forward,

horns that protruded from the side of his forehead,

stepped

attracted the attention of all spectators and demons

Tok. Tok.

his footsteps

the arena. There was a calm look on his face as he gazed toward the other end

was followed by loud

"Duke!"

"Duke Azenoch!"

"Beat him up!"

In spite of this, Duke Azenoch appeared to be enjoying the cheers as he basked in them

curl began to

top of one of

"The device…"

Dragon's eyes opened wide as he gazed at the

his mana toward his

"It's not on."

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

mana, demonic energy, or aura, he could see through it

out of the

realizing this, he came up

planning on

planning

changed completely once he learned of this as he pressed

should've told him

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

this was

too lazy to even

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

very moment that he had heard the rules that it was practically impossible to

mean, what kind of Duke would ever put their reputation on the line in front of so many

if they would ever

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

Clank.

of the arena slowly opened up revealing a familiar figure that

"hm?"

the moment he appeared, Lightning Dragons' face

closing his mouth multiple times, a cold chill swept

"What?"

touch his face, he felt a wet sensation. Unknowingly, his body started to tremble as

"...Who is he?"

That...

wasn't the White Reaper he had fought in

He was someone else.