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

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

how he had been able to beat

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

eyes, Lightning Dragon was able to somewhat gauge how strong

Prince, there was still a bit

to have

expected of the person who

his sleeve. Particularly with regards to his upcoming battle with the Duke, which took the whole

time, the Duke was finally going

any fuller as it

at that

already heard of

made his appearance. The

at the arena below, the only

wanted to do at the moment was catch a

arena and city

to finally make an

couldn't contain their

nothing else but to see him crush the current Overlord, White

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

he gazed at the audience. Their thoughts

was at

us welcome the

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

forward, everyone stopped

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

stepped

movement attracted the attention

Tok. Tok.

echo of his footsteps resounded throughout the whole

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

moment of silence was followed by loud cheers,

"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

faint curl began to spread

at the top of

"The device…"

eyes opened wide as he gazed at the device that the Duke

mana toward his eyes, Lightning Dragon's

"It's not on."

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

energy, or aura, he

to not detect any energy coming out of the Duke's suppressor, he

realizing this, he came up

on

Duke was planning on killing White

face changed completely once he learned of this as he pressed both hands on the window of the

I should've told

never once chose to become the next Overlord was that

eyes, this was

lazy to

the need to defeat

he had heard the rules that

Duke would ever put their reputation on the line

if they would ever

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

Clank.

the arena slowly

"hm?"

the moment he appeared, Lightning Dragons'

multiple times, a cold chill swept

"What?"

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

"...Who is he?"

That...

White Reaper he had fought in the

He was someone else.