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

hard time processing the information as he stepped onto

figuring out how he had been

the Overlord should still be a bit stronger even if his rank

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

to the Blood Prince, there was still a bit of a

to have won

expected of the person

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

a very long time, the Duke

fuller as it was packed to the

at

here has already heard

finally made his appearance. The

below,

atmosphere was heated, and all the demons wanted to do at the

and city were under the watchful

him to finally

the demons couldn't contain their

see him crush the current Overlord, White

against him…but he was the Duke. Of

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

at

us welcome

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

that point forward, everyone

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

stepped into the

movement attracted the attention of

Tok. Tok.

footsteps resounded

a calm look on his face

followed by loud cheers, which shook

"Duke!"

"Duke Azenoch!"

"Beat him up!"

spite of this, Duke Azenoch appeared to be enjoying

faint curl began to spread across the

of one of the

"The device…"

as he gazed

his eyes,

"It's not on."

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

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

out of the Duke's suppressor,

he came

on killing

planning on killing

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

should've told

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

eyes, this was only to be

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

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

that he had heard the rules that it was practically impossible to escape from

would ever put their

they would ever

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

Clank.

the gates on the other side of the arena slowly opened up revealing a familiar figure

"hm?"

appeared, Lightning Dragons'

closing his mouth multiple times,

"What?"

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

"...Who is he?"

That...

White Reaper he had fought in

He was someone else.