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 been

the Overlord should still be a bit stronger

Dragon was able to somewhat gauge how strong an opponent someone

Blood Prince, there was still a

him to have won that

the

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

long time, the Duke was finally going to make

any fuller

was at

already heard of

his appearance.

at the arena below, the only sound heard was their

was heated, and all the demons wanted to do at the moment was catch a glimpse of

being whom the arena and city were

him to finally make

demons couldn't

nothing else but to see him crush the current

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

at the audience. Their thoughts were so

at that

us

arena slowly opened, the demoness's crisp and pleasant

forward, everyone stopped

lustrous set of black hair, two large horns that protruded from the side

stepped

attention of

Tok. Tok.

echo of his footsteps resounded throughout the whole

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

was followed by loud cheers, which shook the entire

"Duke!"

"Duke Azenoch!"

"Beat him up!"

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

curl began to

the top of one

"The device…"

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

his mana toward 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

it was mana, demonic energy, or aura, he

energy coming out of the Duke's suppressor, he knew that it

this, he came up

on killing

planning on killing White

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

should've told

next Overlord was that he knew from the very beginning that the matches

this was

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

it without the need to defeat the

moment that he had heard the rules that

put their reputation on the line in front

if they would ever let themselves

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.

words faded, the gates on the other side of the arena slowly opened up revealing

"hm?"

moment he appeared,

multiple times, a cold

"What?"

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

"...Who is he?"

That...

wasn't the White Reaper he had fought in the

He was someone else.