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

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

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

should still be a bit stronger even if

his eyes, Lightning Dragon was able to somewhat gauge how strong

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

have

expected of the

regards to his upcoming battle with the Duke, which took the whole arena and city by

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

have been any fuller as it was packed to the

was at

already heard

made his appearance. The crowd instantly

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

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

whom the arena and city were under

him to finally make an

demons couldn't contain their

wanted nothing else but to see him crush the current Overlord, White

have hard feelings against him…but he was

as he gazed at the audience. Their

was at

us welcome the

the arena slowly opened,

forward,

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

Azonech stepped

the attention of all

Tok. Tok.

of his footsteps resounded throughout

a calm look

was followed by loud cheers,

"Duke!"

"Duke Azenoch!"

"Beat him up!"

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

a faint curl began to spread across the Duke's

of

"The device…"

eyes opened wide as he gazed at the device

mana toward his eyes,

"It's not on."

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

mana, demonic energy, or aura, he could see

any energy coming out of the Duke's suppressor,

realizing this, he came up

planning on

Duke was planning

changed completely once he learned of this as he pressed both hands on

should've told

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

this was only to

to even consider the idea of fighting

escape, he could do it without the need

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

would ever put their reputation on the line in front

would ever let themselves

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 accomplish in the

Clank.

moment her words faded, the gates on the other side of the arena slowly opened up revealing a familiar figure that everyone

"hm?"

appeared, Lightning

multiple times, a cold

"What?"

hand to touch his face, he felt a wet sensation. Unknowingly, his

"...Who is he?"

That...

White Reaper he had

He was someone else.