The Author's POV

Fwap—!

Tearing through the red clouds in the sky, a figure flew at high speed with a gentle flap of his wings.

In the course of his journey, he would repeatedly mumble two words.

"White Death…White Death…"

His face was strangely expressionless as he muttered those words.

"A white-haired human? What are the chances of me finding him…"

The figure flying in the sky was Duke Adramalech. The second Duke that overlooked the city of Morian. One of the largest cities in the Pride Clan's domain.

Currently, he was returning from a short trip near the outskirts of the Pride Clan's territory.

He was there to check the situation as a minor conflict arose during that time.

It wasn't a big conflict or anything like that. Nevertheless, that small conflict had enormous political implications.

This was simply because it allowed the participating clans to have a reasonable cause of conflict.

'It was an amusing sight to see…'

A smile spread across the Duke's face as he remembered the sight he had seen during his brief pause. Since the Pride clan had not been involved, all he had to do was enjoy the show that was unfolding before his eyes.

He certainly did. While he regretted having to return before the conflict ended, he nonetheless had to. It was revealed to him that there was something going on in Morian, and that he had to hurry back.

It was an emergency message, and therefore he wasn't aware of the detail. Nevertheless, since Duke Azenoch had still not contacted him, it meant that the situation wasn't that dire.

"I'm almost there."

Staring into the distance, he was soon able to see the outskirts of a large city. It was the city of Morian.

Keeping his wings extended, he slowly began to flap them, casting a shadow over the area below him.

Fwap—!

His body shot toward the city at tremendous speeds. In the midst of his actions, he had a sudden thought.

'...I haven't gotten a response from the spy I planted, did Azenoch figure something out?'

If that was the case, then things would become troublesome. Although they had been keeping their conflicts a secret, for him to suddenly kill his servant…

Halting his thoughts there, his face changed.

"Hm?"

With one more flap of his wings, his body picked up even more speed, and within a few seconds, he was already on the outskirts of the city.

As Duke Adramalech expanded his wings one more time and forced his body to halt mid-air, his gaze changed.

"What happened here? Why is the barrier activated?"

Slowly descending toward the ground, the Duke stared at the city encircled by a large purple barrier. The moment Duke Adramalech caught sight of the barrier, he knew that things were extremely serious.

Particularly since they were only activated in very dangerous situations. One that would even put Duke-ranked demons in trouble.

As he spotted the demon in the distance, Duke Adramalech appeared before him. Grabbing him by the shoulder, he asked.

"What's going on here?"

"H…h..his excellency!"

Duke Adramalech's sudden appearance startled the guard. Suddenly, his look was replaced with one of joy as he stared at the Duke.

"Your excellency! Thank god you're here! Thank god!"

'Since when has anyone been so happy to see me?'

They would usually either cower in fear or show a look of utmost respect. Throughout his life as a Duke, he had never witnessed such a reaction filled with joy.

'Just what is going on here?...Wait.'

Duke's face contorted as he had a sudden thought.

has managed to force the

completely. The demons' next words, however, caused his face to freeze as

"Duke Azenoch has died..."

"W.."

Despite his best efforts, he couldn't

too

a Duke for

digest the information, he calmed himself and closed his

eyes again and examined the barrier that was raised above the city, he concluded that

has died for real. I

extremely solemn as demonic energy sprang out of his body. A while later, snapping his head in the direction of the

exactly what

"Yes, your excellency!"

White Reaper. From how he

The demon left nothing.

listened, the weirder his face

happen within such a short period of

lasted for a total

"Stop for a moment."

demon's speech, he quickly cut him off. He then proceeded to pinch the middle of his

wasn't here, a new

a look at the Duke, the demon opened

exactly it,

"Mhh…"

tightened even more. In an attempt to sense a presence, he closed his eyes, but it proved fruitless as

of the Duke

'Did he perhaps escape?'

quickly shook his

the city would've been destroyed if he had chosen to escape. Accordingly, the

demon beside him, he expanded his wings. It was only a

His destination.

The arena.

***

'What are you doing?'

under his control, I watched as he walked around the room.

am I going to get

"Not yet."

you

My heart sank.

the desk, he looked around.

can take control of the body anytime

'I can?'

"Yes."

His eyes soon paused on one of the drawers of

you would end up suffering the after-effects of using the

'After effects?'

after-effects of

want to

smile. Before I could reply, my vision distorted slightly, and

my fist, I glanced around

"...I don't feel anything."

gaze to stare at my hands, and trying to feel every part of my body, I cocked my head a

"Is there really a—!"

sentence, I found my mouth frozen

Pain.

I could feel, as it came radiating in crashing waves that threaten to drown me with

more inexplicable pain, but it never lasted long before the other

"Haa..."

"Wake up."

know how long had passed, but by the time my consciousness returned, the pain had already left and my mouth opened to release a single

that my

...Do you think you can withstand the

It was only after half a minute passed that I finally

you not feel

pain that

in words. It was