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.

against White

information as he stepped onto one of the platforms

hard time figuring out how he had been able

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

to his eyes, Lightning Dragon was able to somewhat

to the Blood Prince, there was still

have won

of the

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

the first time in a very long time, the Duke was

couldn't have been any fuller as it was packed to

was at that

already heard of the event that's

demoness finally made his appearance. The

at the arena below,

and all the demons wanted to do at the moment was

being whom the arena and city were under the watchful

finally make

demons couldn't

to see him crush the

didn't really have hard feelings against him…but he was the Duke. Of course, they would

as he gazed at the audience. Their thoughts were

was at that

us welcome the

the gates at the far end of the arena slowly opened, the demoness's crisp and pleasant voice

point forward,

horns that protruded from the side of

Azonech stepped

movement attracted the attention of

Tok. Tok.

his footsteps resounded throughout the

a calm

silence was followed by loud

"Duke!"

"Duke Azenoch!"

"Beat him up!"

fanatical. In spite of this, Duke Azenoch

to

of one of the

"The device…"

as he gazed at the device

toward his eyes,

"It's not on."

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

energy, or aura,

energy coming out of the

this, he came up with one

planning on

planning on killing White

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

I should've told him

reason why Lightning Dragon never once chose to become the next Overlord was that he knew from the very beginning that the

eyes, this was

was too lazy to even consider

do it without the need to defeat the Duke, hence why he

moment that he had heard the rules that it was

Duke would ever put their reputation on the line in front

if they would

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 past, and that is to fight against the current Duke!

Clank.

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

"hm?"

the moment he appeared, Lightning Dragons'

multiple times, a cold chill

"What?"

sensation. Unknowingly, his body started to tremble as

"...Who is he?"

That...

White Reaper he had fought in

He was someone else.