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 White

having a hard time processing the information as he stepped onto one of the platforms overlooking the

hard time figuring out how he

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

able to somewhat gauge how strong an

to the Blood Prince, there was still a bit of

to have won

expected of the

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

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

have been any fuller as it was packed to the

at that

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

demoness finally made his appearance. The crowd instantly

below, the only sound heard was their rough

do at the moment was catch a glimpse of the

being whom the arena and

finally make an

couldn't contain their

but to see him crush the

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

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

at

us welcome

opened, the demoness's crisp and pleasant voice

that point forward,

protruded from the side of his forehead, and a presence that instantly

Azonech stepped

every movement attracted the attention of all spectators

Tok. Tok.

his footsteps resounded

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

of silence was followed by loud

"Duke!"

"Duke Azenoch!"

"Beat him up!"

fanatical. In spite of this, Duke Azenoch appeared to be enjoying the cheers

began to

of one of

"The device…"

as he gazed at the device that the Duke was

his eyes, Lightning Dragon's

"It's not on."

mana in the air, but they could also allow him to track down the general flow

energy, or aura, he could

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

came

on

planning on

he learned of this as he pressed

I should've told

become the next Overlord was that he knew from the very beginning

his all-seeing eyes, this

that and the fact that he was too lazy to even

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

had heard the

of Duke would ever put their reputation on

if they would ever let themselves

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,

Clank.

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

"hm?"

appeared, Lightning Dragons' face

mouth multiple times, a cold chill swept his

"What?"

sensation.

"...Who is he?"

That...

he

He was someone else.