Chapter 380: 150 Cubic Meters of a Snail Dwelling

Grand scenes always need some side details to set them off; under Yunyun's skillful rapid command, the audience in the Fortress City witnessed this scene:

After the Small Sun of Explosion Magic in the distance burst open, a storm carrying black ash blew in; the defensive magic circle arrays outside the city walls merely brushed by this ash storm and terrifying cracks appeared one after another.

Crack, crack — the sounds rang out, giving the protected people a suffocating sense of presence; even the old king who had read the script felt a bit suffocated at this moment — wasn't it agreed to just release an Explosion Magic slightly more powerful than usual?

As a result, the grand scene in the distance nearly blinded his presbyopic eyes.

Megumin, having finished casting Explosion Magic, went a bit limp; fortunately a small hand supported her from behind.

Taking advantage of the Fortress City audience's attention being entirely on the Explosion Magic side, the Red Demon Clan girl rapidly adjusted her state.

Only after the exaggerated visual effects of the Small Sun-class Explosion Magic gradually subsided, leaving behind an endless expanse of molten land, did Megumin speak leisurely: "Humans, was this Demon King's little fireworks display decent enough?"

The audience fell silent; a soldier's sword clattered to the ground, many felt their mouths go dry and made swallowing motions.

【Monster, this is an unfathomable monster……】

In most people's minds at this moment, this impression of the mysterious Red Demon King took root.

"Time to state the conditions."

Yunyun sent a transmission.

"As this King said before, this King has no interest in humans, so this King hopes you humans can agree to some reasonable demands of this King:

First, return the former Demon King Army territories you occupy; if towns have been built or crops planted on them, this King is not unreasonable — as long as you pay land rent and remit all taxes to this King.

Second, show your sincerity for this King's kindness; this King could clearly wipe you humans out, yet in kindness spared you.

Starting today, all human nations must pay tribute to this King's Red Demon Army; specific tribute amounts will be negotiated in detail later.

Third, this King hasn't decided yet; when this King thinks of anything else needed, supplements will be added later."

Megumin actually wanted to speak more bluntly, but Yunyun believed that an elegant, offhand delivery would better contrast the Red Demon King's mystery and power.

So Megumin could only suppress the inner urge to shout 【I, the Red Demon King, remember to pay my Red Demon Army on time from now on】, keep a faint smile, and point the Crimson Staff in her hand toward the somewhat silent Fortress City.

"Your silence — are you preparing to resist this King?"

"Clang—"

The old king threw his greatsword on the ground, a helpless bitter smile on his face.

"The Belzerg Kingdom is willing to pay tribute to the Red Demon King."

With the old king taking the lead, the kings of the other two great kingdoms also followed suit, sliding to their knees to express willingness to pay tribute to the Red Demon King.

They did not know that this money would become a seventy-thirty split between the Belzerg Kingdom and the actor troupe playing the Red Demon Army.

This is a long-term script-kill project; as long as this world's future still has need, it will be brought out and performed again.

"This King is very pleased with your answer; then this banquet is over — wishing you humans a pleasant life!"

The Evil God lady flew off with her nearly limp disciple; the Black Knight and beast tide came and went in haste, leaving much monster dung on the ground — yet they were scared off by the terrifying explosive power of the Small Sun created by the Explosion Magic just now.

King Elroad and King Bridal glanced at each other, dragged the Belzerg old king aside to catch up, hoping this old brother who once withstood the Demon King Army's frontal pressure would also stand before the Red Demon Army in the future, helping safeguard all humanity's interests.

Two days later, when Princess Alice returned to Megumin's house, she reported the changed international situation.

The frictions and contradictions among the Three Great Kingdoms vanished in Megumin's one blast.

Relations returned to the past Demon King Army era's united state.

"Originally Elroad Kingdom reduced its military funding support to us, but it will be doubled and sent in the second half of the year; they hope to negotiate specific tribute amounts to the Great Red Demon King with my father king as lead, alongside the representatives dispatched by the Red Demon Army."

Princess Alice spoke and produced a contract, handing it to Yunyun beside her: "This is my father king's price; Yunyun-nee, take a look."

"Eh, five billion Eris, and we get all of it?"

Yunyun looked and asked in some surprise.

"Right, my father king said this went so smoothly getting the other two kingdoms to pay thanks entirely to Megumin-nee and Yunyun-nee's Red Demon Clan script.

And with Elroad Kingdom willing to repay our kingdom's military funding, he felt awkward taking the performance fee portion.

However, my father king hopes you can lend the land opened up by Explosion Magic to our Belzerg Kingdom for farming, free of charge."

"That's no problem."

The place where Explosion Magic was released was originally just incidentally cleared; later we planned to find some Intelligent Magic Beasts to cultivate it, but if it's human farmers instead, that's actually even better.

"My father king also said taxes will be paid properly; he and my Older Brother plan to gradually implement a soldier-to-civilian policy over the next few years."

"Huh, His Majesty the King and Crown Prince Di Wang are this at ease with Megumin?"

Hearing this, Darkness was somewhat surprised.

"Can't help it; after all, the Explosion Magic power displayed by the Red Demon King Megumin portrays is already beyond what human power can withstand — army or no army, it's the same."

Princess Alice spoke the truth.

"But you know the inside story, don't you?"

Darkness pointed that way, saying Megumin — lying there shouting her body hurts — proves Super Explosion Magic's use (acting cool) has a price; after returning Megumin is nearly falling apart.

"Who told you to insist on casting it yourself; if you just had Broly hide far away and toss an Energy Ball to fake an Explosion Magic, you wouldn't be in this state."

Wiz gave Megumin a cool knee pillow and massaged her throbbing temples with her hands; Broly massaged the girl's sore limp body from behind — but this soreness from magic power overload isn't so easily recovered from.

Of course Aqua's healing magic could fix it, but Megumin doesn't want to waste this chance to greatly raise her magic power cap.

If magic power is a balloon, then Megumin, assisted by Broly in using Super Explosion Magic, had her magic power balloon stretched larger by Broly in the process.

If healing magic were used, the stretched parts would shrink back — too wasteful.

This is why Megumin now insists on toughing it out half-dead rather than accept Aqua's healing magic; she wants her body to adapt to this limit, thereby raising her own magic power cap.

"Ugh……"

Naturally, this process involves unavoidable suffering.

"Megumin, your body's too weak; you should learn from Darkness and train your body."

Broly said while rubbing the girl's shoulders.

"I don't want to become a muscle woman!"

Megumin, her face buried in Wiz's thighs, replied with a single sentence.

"I am not a muscle woman!"

Hearing this, Darkness rushed over and directly refuted it.

Thrusting out her large breasts, she tried to lean over, to prove this point.

Megumin merely raised her hand and flicked a grape, sending her retreating while clutching her chest.

"Is there any good method that would let me not grow muscle, but still train a strong physique?"

Megumin asked.

"That can only be achieved by cultivating Qi."

Broly thought for a moment and felt that only the path of cultivating Qi might be able to achieve this.

Megumin is an Archmage, and a Mage's Magic Power is somewhat similar to Qi.

The future crisis of war had been resolved, but Broly did not leave directly; he stayed in this world for some more time.

During this period, he pulled Megumin and Darkness and the others into researching how to convert the Magic Power of this world's Professionals into Qi.

Qi can be converted into Magic Power; theoretically, Magic Power can also be converted into Qi. After tinkering for half a month, he actually tinkered out something.

When Megumin accidentally used her staff to smash a small tree in half at the waist, a rather special skill appeared on her Job Class card that previously only had the Explosion Magic skill.

【Magic Ki Conversion Technique】: Consumes Magic Power to convert corresponding Qi energy; Qi energy can amplify the body's various attributes. Long-term maintenance of the Qi amplification state allows attributes to obtain a certain degree of growth. Although this growth magnitude is somewhat low, for Megumin the Mage it is sufficient.

Comparatively, Darkness and Princess Alice, who have Warrior panels, learned Qi and obtained only the 【Qi】 skill.

The effect is also very simple: in an Explosive Ki state, one can greatly amplify one's own body's various attributes.

Although it is only a temporary amplification, the amplification degree can almost reach one times one's original attributes, which counts as a very decent special combat technique.

Of course, compared to Aqua's god-tier Assist skills, which can almost multiply a Professional's stats several times over, the Qi skill is merely a so-so level.

But for a newly created skill, considering there should still be room for improvement later, it belongs to the category of special skills with relatively huge potential.

"Wah wah wah, Broly, Master doesn't want to let you go!"

On the last day Broly prepared to leave, Aqua hugged his trouser leg and wailed this.

"You're reluctant to part with Broly? You clearly just don't want the vacation to end and have to go back to Heaven to work!"

Darkness pierced through the truth in one sentence.

"Aqua Master, next time you're on vacation, I'll come see you again. Oh no, the Crystal Palace can upgrade to Lv5 this time; I should be able to construct the Crystal Palace Internal Space very soon. Perhaps before long, we'll be able to meet in the Crystal Palace Space."

Broly comforted his own Goddess Master.

"Let's see how it goes first."

Hearing this, Aqua immediately climbed up from the ground.

"Eris, Wolbach, are you willing to join the Crystal Palace?"

With Eris and Wolbach agreeing to the invitation, the number of Crystal Palace Official Members reached 26.

【Crystal Palace Upgrade, Crystal Palace Lv5, Internal Space Ecology Construction Permission Unlocked.】

Broly checked this permission and discovered he could create some environments he had previously experienced within the Crystal Palace Internal Space.

From an entire planet down to some rooms or caves he had once lived in, all can be restored one-to-one in the Crystal Palace Internal Space.

However, although the created environments have air, and can even have water and fruit-bearing trees, there are no living creatures existing in them.

And all environments capable of producing resources require more Happiness Points to create than environments without resource output.

"Axel Outskirts Grassland, provides air with the scent of green grass; if eating grass, also provides high-quality fodder. 500 Happiness Points per square. Calculates required occupied space based on the volume of grass inside the grassland..."

"Wanpa Star Saiyan Home, provides the hometown's hard Bay Beast wool bedding, containing various stone furniture crafted by Saiyan artisan masters. 600 Happiness Points per square. Requires occupied space..."

"Gifnora Sea Tree Forest, provides spores and trees producing various mushrooms and tree fruits. 1000 Happiness Points per square. Calculates required occupied space based on the size of the selected forest environment's physical volume..."

Broly told Aqua and the others about the Internal Space Construction Permission unlocked after upgrading the Crystal Palace to Lv5.

"Then Broly, how big is the Crystal Palace Internal Space now?"

Yunyun asked somewhat curiously.

"150 cubic meters."

Broly answered according to the Crystal Palace Panel.

"That's still pretty big."

Aqua said subconsciously, then received the gazes of the others.

"Why are you all looking at me like that?"

Aqua was somewhat confused.

"Do you know how big 150 cubic meters actually is?"

Megumin glanced at her and asked.

"How big?"

"Miss Aqua, our house in Axel, just the living room, is about this number."

Yunyun reminded her.

"Uh..."

Aqua was somewhat at a loss for words; only now did she react to the fact that the Crystal Palace Internal Space is actually a cramped dwelling.

Of course, this is a cramped dwelling with no specific shape, only a specific size. If calculated at 150 square meters, the ceiling height would be only 1 meter; if the ceiling height is 2 meters, it would only be 75 square meters in size.

A 75-square-meter space with a 2-meter ceiling height cannot be considered small, but if 26 Crystal Palace Official Members plus Broly all want to enter and live inside together, it would be a bit... oh no, not just a bit, but especially crowded.

"If Miss Wolbach enters in her Beast Magic Dragon form, she probably wouldn't even be able to spread her wings."

Darkness said a sentence.

"I still have over two million Happiness Points; I can increase the space."

Broly hurriedly said.

"One million Happiness Points per cubic meter, two million plus is just two hundred more cubic meters. Speaking of which, can we go inside the Crystal Palace Space now?"

"Yes, but there's nothing inside, just like a Vacuum Universe. We need to switch to an environment with air first."

Broly looked at Megumin and said one sentence.

"Which environment is cheaper?"

"The Suburb Grassland."

"Then switch to that one."

Broly did as told, switching to the grassland environment of Axel's Suburb.

Switching only five square meters consumed 2500 Happiness Points.

A group of people entered the Crystal Palace Interior with a clatter.

"Ah, why is it so dark here?"

"Because there is no Light Source."

"Light Magic!"

(Chapter End)