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

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

a hard time figuring out how he had been able to beat the current

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

Lightning Dragon was able to somewhat gauge

White Reaper to the Blood Prince, there was still

have won that

expected of the

to his upcoming battle with the

time, the Duke

arena couldn't have been any fuller

was at

has already heard of

his appearance. The crowd

the demons eagerly gazed at the arena below, the only sound heard was their

the demons wanted to do at the moment

arena and city were under the watchful eye

finally

the demons couldn't contain their

see him crush the

against him…but he was the

he gazed at the audience. Their thoughts were so easy

was at that

let us

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

forward,

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

Azonech stepped into

attracted the attention of all spectators and

Tok. Tok.

of his footsteps resounded throughout the whole

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

silence was followed by loud

"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

to spread

the top of one of

"The device…"

gazed at the device that the Duke was

mana toward his eyes,

"It's not on."

of mana in the air, but they could

demonic energy, or aura, he could see through

any energy coming out of the Duke's suppressor, he knew that it wasn't

realizing this, he came up with one

planning on

was planning on

he learned of this as he pressed both hands on the window

I should've told him

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

his all-seeing eyes, this was only

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, hence why he never

from the very moment that he had heard the rules that it was

Duke would ever put their reputation on the line in

they would ever let

month, he managed to accomplish something that the contestants had never been able to accomplish in the past, and that is to fight

Clank.

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

"hm?"

appeared, Lightning Dragons' face

his mouth multiple times, a cold chill swept

"What?"

felt a wet sensation. Unknowingly,

"...Who is he?"

That...

wasn't the White Reaper he

He was someone else.