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

a hard time processing the information as he stepped onto

out how he had been able to beat the current

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

able to somewhat gauge how strong an opponent someone

Reaper to the Blood Prince, there was still a bit of a gap between the

have

of the person

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

long time, the Duke was finally

have been any fuller

was at

sure everyone here has already heard of

appearance. The crowd

the arena below, the only sound heard was their rough

heated, and all the demons wanted to do at the

the arena and city were under the

finally

the demons couldn't contain their

see

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

squinted as he gazed at the audience.

was at that

us welcome the

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

forward, everyone

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

stepped into the

the attention of all spectators

Tok. Tok.

echo of his footsteps resounded throughout the whole

he stopped in the middle of the arena. There was a calm

followed by loud cheers,

"Duke!"

"Duke Azenoch!"

"Beat him up!"

for him at the top of their lungs sounded borderline fanatical. In spite of this, Duke Azenoch

to spread across the

top of one

"The device…"

wide as he gazed at the device

his mana toward his eyes, Lightning Dragon's eyes

"It's not on."

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

demonic energy, or aura,

him to not detect any energy coming out of the Duke's

came

planning on

was planning on killing White

once he learned of this as

I should've

to become the next Overlord was that

eyes, this was only

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

wanted to escape, he could do it without the need to defeat the Duke, hence why he never saw

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

kind of Duke would ever put their reputation

they would

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

Clank.

her words faded, the gates on the other side of the arena slowly opened up revealing a familiar figure that everyone had seen in

"hm?"

moment he appeared, Lightning

and closing his mouth multiple times,

"What?"

a wet sensation. Unknowingly, his body

"...Who is he?"

That...

White Reaper he had fought in

He was someone else.