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

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

time figuring out how he had

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

able to somewhat gauge how

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

to have won

of the person who

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

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

fuller as it was packed to the

at that

already heard of

made his appearance. The crowd instantly quieted

gazed at the arena below, the only sound heard

all the demons wanted to do at the moment was catch

arena and city were under the

finally make

couldn't contain their

wanted nothing else but to see him crush

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

at the

was at that

let us welcome the

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

forward, everyone

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

stepped

attention

Tok. Tok.

calm echo of his footsteps resounded throughout the

before he stopped in the middle of the arena. There was a calm look on his

followed by loud cheers, which shook the entire

"Duke!"

"Duke Azenoch!"

"Beat him up!"

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

a faint curl began to spread across

top of one

"The device…"

Dragon's eyes opened wide as he gazed at the device

his mana toward his eyes,

"It's not on."

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 of

or aura, he could

any energy coming out of the Duke's suppressor, he

realizing this, he came up with

planning on

planning on killing White

Dragon's face changed completely once he learned of this as he pressed both hands on the

should've told

Overlord was that

his all-seeing eyes, this was only to be

too lazy to even consider the idea of

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

heard the rules that it was practically impossible to escape

their reputation on the line in front of

would ever let

nothing short of a miracle. Within a span of a single month, he managed to accomplish

Clank.

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

"hm?"

moment he appeared, Lightning Dragons' face

multiple times, a cold

"What?"

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

"...Who is he?"

That...

Reaper he had fought in

He was someone else.