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

still having a hard time processing the information as he

out how he had been able to beat the

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

Lightning Dragon was able to somewhat gauge how strong an opponent

Blood Prince, there was still a bit of a gap between

him to have won that

expected of the person

up his sleeve. Particularly with regards to his upcoming battle with the Duke,

long time,

couldn't have been any fuller

at

has already heard of the event that's

his appearance. The crowd instantly

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

atmosphere was heated, and all the demons wanted to do at the

and city were under

finally make an

couldn't contain

see him crush the

he was the Duke. Of course, they would root

Dragon's eyes squinted as he gazed at the

was at

us welcome the

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

point forward,

black hair, two large horns that protruded from the side of his forehead, and

stepped

movement attracted the attention of all

Tok. Tok.

echo of his footsteps resounded throughout the whole

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

brief moment of silence was followed by loud cheers, which

"Duke!"

"Duke Azenoch!"

"Beat him up!"

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

a faint curl began to spread

top of

"The device…"

he gazed at

his mana toward his eyes, Lightning

"It's not on."

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

or aura, he could see

out of the Duke's suppressor,

realizing this, he came up with

planning on

was planning on killing

of this as

should've

Lightning Dragon never once chose to become the next Overlord

eyes, this was only to

that he was too lazy to even consider

to escape, he could do it without the need to defeat the Duke, hence

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

their reputation on the line in front of so

they would

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 past, and that is to fight

Clank.

on the other side of the arena slowly

"hm?"

he appeared, Lightning Dragons'

mouth multiple times, a cold chill swept

"What?"

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

"...Who is he?"

That...

wasn't the White Reaper he

He was someone else.