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

the information

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

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

Lightning Dragon was able to somewhat gauge how strong an opponent someone

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

to have won

expected of the

sure had many surprises up his sleeve. Particularly with regards to his upcoming battle with the

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

fuller as it

was at

heard of the event

made his appearance. The crowd instantly quieted

at the arena below, the only sound heard was their

the demons wanted to do

the arena and city were under the watchful eye

to finally make an

demons couldn't contain their

wanted nothing else but to see him crush the

have hard feelings against him…but he was the Duke. Of course, they would root for

squinted as he gazed at the audience. Their thoughts

was at

us welcome

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

forward, everyone

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

Azonech stepped

every movement attracted the attention of

Tok. Tok.

footsteps resounded throughout the whole

a calm

silence was followed by

"Duke!"

"Duke Azenoch!"

"Beat him up!"

In spite of this, Duke Azenoch appeared to be enjoying the cheers as he basked

curl began to spread across the

top of one

"The device…"

wide as he gazed at the device that the Duke was

toward his eyes, Lightning

"It's not on."

eyes were special. Not only could they allow him to detect the general flow of mana in the air, but they could also allow him to track down the

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

coming out of the Duke's suppressor, he knew that it

this, he came up

on killing

planning on

once he learned of this as he pressed both hands on the window of the

I should've told him

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

all-seeing eyes, this was

lazy to even consider the idea of fighting

to escape, he could do it without the need to defeat the Duke, hence why he never saw

knew from the very moment that he had heard the

what kind of Duke would ever put their

if they would

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! Welcome the

Clank.

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

"hm?"

the moment he appeared,

his mouth multiple times, a cold chill swept

"What?"

sensation. Unknowingly, his body started to tremble as

"...Who is he?"

That...

he had fought

He was someone else.