Gonna Be a Demon King!
Chapter 105: Interlude 1 – 2: Year 3, Second Quarter II

Chapter 105: Interlude 1 – 2: Year 3, Second Quarter II

Xynax, who had obviously seen through Xaren’s gravity magic, had placed those weights on him with a very specific instruction: Xaren had to continuously use gravity magic to apply just enough repulsive force to cancel out their weights.

If he used too much gravity magic and made them lighter, he’d be splashed with water. If he used too little force, he’d get zapped with lightning.

That meant he had to exert just enough repulsive force to precisely match the planet’s gravitational pull to make the weights feel effectively weightless, leaving him to move as if carrying only his body weight.

And all the while, he had to use gravity magic for other techniques too, while keeping the balancing act going.

Naturally, it was exhausting.

Very exhausting.

"The training’s paying off, though I do have a few issues with our instructor’s personality."

"Oh? So you’ve got a problem with me, huh?"

"!!!"

Xaren’s whole body jolted at the sudden voice behind him. He spun around and instantly scrambled away, his face drained of colour. But Xynax, who had at some point, reappeared behind Xaren, just chuckled evilly and spoke.

"Double weights from tomorrow."

"...double?"

Xaren’s current weights totalled around 5,000kg. Doubling that meant 10,000kg.

His already grey skin turned nearly white as he ran the math, while Ilya beside him barely held in her laughter.

Her mirth didn’t last long, however, as Xynax turned towards her and added.

"5,000kg for you too."

"...but why?"

Her aggrieved question received no answer. Xynax had already turned and was walking off, completely unmoved.

◇　◇　◇

While Xynax was dishing out retribution for Xaren’s remark, Xynax was also in a different section of the training grounds, smacking the head of a bull demon who kept forgetting the technique he’d been taught multiple times.

Xynax was also giving orders to other instructors, and Xynax was also busy discussing a change in the food schedule for the recruits.

Meanwhile, Xynax was also overseeing the drills for some recruits, and Xynax was punishing those who missed their morning drills.

Xynax was also in one of his offices handling paperwork before it piled up, while Xynax was reviewing training footage from the previous week.

Xynax was personally forging specialized gravity gear for a new batch of trainees, and Xynax was leading a one-on-one sparring session with a Noble Demon recruit who desperately needed to be humbled.

Xynax was deducting points from a group caught slacking off during training hours, and Xynax was also making precise adjustments to the containment barriers in the sparring halls to keep them from collapsing.

Finally, Xynax was sitting atop a mountain, overseeing the entirety of Area One from his elevated perch, silently watching everything unfolding below.

Behind him, a figure materialized, gazing down at the training facility as they spoke.

"You’re still at this, huh? Xynax."

Xynax turned slightly, raising an eyebrow at the newcomer.

"What are you doing here, Gazer?"

Standing behind him was a tall, fair-skinned man with brown eyes, three horns jutting from his head, and a long, serpentine tail trailing down from his lower back. On his forehead, one could see what looked like a closed eyelid.

It was unmistakably the same ’Gazer’ whom Xaren had seen during his first battle in Zorix.

"I was just passing by when I sensed a familiar presence, so I figured I’d stop by," Gazer said, his eyes drifting over the recruits running about below while Xynax instructed them.

"I see you’re still playing teacher with little demons who don’t know their left from their right."

"What are you on about, Gazer? I am a teacher."

"Ah, yes," Gazer replied with a knowing nod. You’re a teacher by trade, with a side gig as a Race Ruler. Ain’t that right, ’Clone King

"Again, what are you on about? All you’re looking at is a High-Rank Demon."

"Mhm, I understand. Someone decided to split their power across hundreds of clones, leaving the main body as nothing more than a High-Rank Demon."

Gazer stepped forward, his eyes scanning the entirety of Area One and counting how many of Xynax’s clones were present.

"Oh? You’ve got 11 of them here? Looks like this batch really caught your fancy."

He’d never seen Gazer use more than 5 clones at once in Area One before, but now he was seeing more than double that number.

"I’ve been to hundreds of sectors across the Universe over the past ten years, and not a single one didn’t have at least one of your clones.

’Clone King’ is a fitting name for you."

"It’s cringe," Xynax muttered with a scowl. "Still, not as bad as ’Truth King’."

That drew a burst of laughter from Gazer.

"You really hate the name, huh? But come on, you have to admit, it suits you."

Gazer turned his gaze back to Xynax, a sigh slipping from his lips as he added,

"The lengths we Second Generations who aren’t part of the Ars Goetia have to go to just to make a name for ourselves and gain universal influence."

The man’s tone carried a hint of melancholy, and Xynax responded with a quiet sigh of his own, understanding all too well.

"After everything I’ve done, people still call me the weakest," Xynax muttered, shaking his head.

That comment elicited a dry chuckle from Gazer.

"Weakest? Only the ignorant say that.

The wise ones who have realised that every ’Xynax’ they’ve seen across the Universe is just a clone don’t dare think that.

They understand that if each of your clones is as strong as a ’King,’ and you’re still operating with hundreds of them across the universe... then the last thing they’d want is to see all that power recombined into one.

Why do you think those Angels keep sealing your clones whenever they find them?"

Gazer’s response made Xynax remember Naephas’ report about the angels’ suspicious activities. The man closed his eyes, going silent for a bit before nodding.

"85 of them have been sealed. Last I checked, it was 82."

"And how many do you still have left?" Gazer asked, raising a brow.

Xynax snorted in response. "Like hell I’d tell you."

No way he was going to reveal such confidential information. Lying was also pointless—especially in front of someone known as the ’Truth King.’

"Was worth a shot," Gazer said with a shrug and a chuckle, before turning around and sweeping his gaze over Area One again.

That’s when his eyes landed on a familiar grey-skinned demon, and they widened in surprise.

"Oh, the kid from Zorix."

’Zorix? Wasn’t that where Naephas was stationed? Now that I think about it, he did mention Gazer showing up there at some point.’

Xynax’s thoughts lasted only a moment before he looked up and asked.

"You recognize one of them?"

"Yeah. That singularity over there. Hard to miss with these eyes."

Hearing Gazer’s reply, Xynax nodded in understanding.

"Ah, the gravity boy. He’s quite good."

"Mhmm..."

Gazer, aware that Xynax was watching him closely, offered no further comment and turned his gaze elsewhere.

"Well, I should get back to what I was doing. Catch you later, Xynax."

"Don’t come back here. I didn’t design this dimension to handle freaks like you at full strength."

"You insult me, Xynax. Power suppression is elementary."

With those words, Gazer unfurled his wings. Five pairs of batlike wings emerged, and with a single flap, he soared into the skies and vanished within seconds.

Left alone, Xynax turned his attention back to his training facility, his expression unreadable as countless thoughts stirred within his mind.