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

still having a hard time processing the information as he stepped onto

hard time figuring out how he had

yes, but from what I've seen, the Overlord should still be a

Lightning Dragon was able to somewhat gauge how strong an

Prince, there was still a bit of a

have won that

of the person

Particularly with regards to his upcoming battle with

time in a very long time, the Duke was finally going to make an

arena couldn't have been any fuller as it was

was at

everyone here has already heard of the event that's currently

his appearance. The crowd

the arena below, the only sound heard was their

the demons wanted to do at the

the arena and city were under the watchful eye

him to finally make an

the demons couldn't contain their

to see him crush the current Overlord,

him…but he was the Duke. Of course,

at the

was at that

let us welcome the

gates at the far end of the arena slowly opened,

that point forward,

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

Azonech stepped

every movement attracted the attention of all spectators and demons

Tok. Tok.

footsteps resounded

the middle of the arena. There was a

silence was followed by loud cheers, which shook the entire

"Duke!"

"Duke Azenoch!"

"Beat him up!"

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

curl began to spread across

the top of

"The device…"

he gazed at the device that the Duke

his mana toward his eyes, Lightning Dragon's

"It's not on."

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

was mana, demonic energy, or aura, he could see through

coming out of the

he came

planning on killing

was planning on

face changed completely once he learned of this as he

should've

the next Overlord was that he knew from the very beginning

this was

that he was too lazy to even

wanted to escape, he could do it without the need to

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

mean, what kind of Duke would ever put their reputation on the line in front

they would ever let

the other side 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

Clank.

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

"hm?"

he appeared, Lightning Dragons' face

his mouth multiple times, a cold chill swept his

"What?"

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

"...Who is he?"

That...

White Reaper he

He was someone else.