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

information as he stepped

had a hard time figuring out how he had been

the Overlord should still be

Lightning Dragon was able to somewhat gauge how strong an opponent

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

him to have won

the

up his sleeve. Particularly with regards to his upcoming battle with the Duke, which took the whole arena and city

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

have been any fuller as it was packed to the

at

here has already heard of the event that's

made his appearance. The

below, the only

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

whom the arena and city

to finally make an

demons couldn't

else but to see

him…but he was the Duke. Of course, they would root for

Dragon's eyes squinted as he gazed at the

was at

us welcome the

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

that point forward,

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

stepped into

the attention

Tok. Tok.

of his footsteps resounded throughout

stopped in the middle of the arena. There was a calm look on his face as he gazed toward

silence 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 enjoying the cheers

began to spread

top of one

"The device…"

Dragon's eyes opened wide as he gazed at the

his mana toward his eyes,

"It's not on."

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

was mana, demonic energy, or aura, he could

energy coming out of the

realizing this, he came

on

Duke was planning on

as he pressed both hands on the

should've

never once chose to become the next Overlord was that

this was only to

and the fact that he was too lazy to even consider the

without the need to

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

of Duke would ever put their

they would ever

whose rise could be described as nothing short of a miracle. Within a span of a single month, he managed to accomplish something

Clank.

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

"hm?"

appeared, Lightning Dragons' face

closing his mouth multiple times, a cold chill swept his

"What?"

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

"...Who is he?"

That...

White Reaper he had fought

He was someone else.