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.'

face contorted as he had a sudden thought. Demonic energy

me Azenoch has managed to force the

however, caused

"Duke Azenoch has died..."

"W.."

opened his mouth. Despite his

too confused to formulate a proper

a Duke

information, he calmed himself

that was raised above

died for real. I

A while later, snapping his head in the direction

me exactly what

"Yes, your excellency!"

Reaper. From how he became the overlord within a month to how the Duke suddenly agreed to fight him, and everything that happened

The demon left nothing.

more Duke Adramalech listened, the weirder his face

like this happen within such a short period of time that

for a

"Stop for a moment."

speech, he quickly cut him off.

wasn't here, a new Overlord

the demon

it,

"Mhh…"

attempt to sense a presence, he closed his eyes, but it proved fruitless as he didn't seem to be

of the Duke

'Did he perhaps escape?'

shook his

would've been destroyed if he

at the demon beside him, he expanded his wings. It was only a matter of time before his figure vanished from the spot as

His destination.

The arena.

***

'What are you doing?'

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

when am I going to get

"Not yet."

you mean not

My heart sank.

placed his hand on the desk, he looked around. There was something he seemed to be

take control of

'I can?'

"Yes."

His eyes soon paused on one of the

you would end up suffering the

'After effects?'

of

want to

Before I could reply, my vision distorted slightly, and I found myself back in my own body. Or

fist,

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

and trying to feel every part

"Is there really a—!"

sentence, I found my mouth frozen on the

Pain.

came radiating

was a sharper more inexplicable pain, but it never lasted long before the other pain returned and everything

"Haa..."

"Wake up."

returned, the pain had already left and my mouth

that my mouth opened by

...Do you think you can withstand the

I didn't answer immediately. It was only after half a

you not feel any

that

describe it in words. It was something that I had