Chapter 79
Chapter 79
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 79
Chapter Title: Hawaii (2)
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After the Demon King's touching speech came to an end, the migration to Big Island got underway. The humanoid demons concealed their tails and wings, while those whose forms were utterly alien to the human world borrowed the powers of their magic-savvy comrades to alter their appearances.
"Those with the [Language] skill, step forward! The rest of you, fall back. Hurry up! Hey! You can't transform, so get back!"
Using hypnosis-based skills, they forged identities and blended seamlessly into the local population.
The mountains and forests were filthy with overgrowth, making it far from ideal as a human settlement, but from the demons' perspective, it had the advantage of shielding them from any prying eyes of priests.
Some demons even took a liking to the black volcanic landscape, saying it felt just like home in the demon realm.
And with the 'Demon King' right there among them, they had nothing to fear. Upon ascending to Demon King status, he automatically acquired the U-rank skill [Domain Declaration (Demon King)], which he unfurled across Big Island.
⚔ STATUS ⚔ [Domain Declaration (Demon King)], U-rank, Active/Inactive - The Demon King's unique skill. Declares a designated region as the Demon King's domain.
Lv. M: Mana Cost (Demon Realm: 1/km³, Other Realms: 10,000/km³). All subordinate demon abilities x2 within the domain (debuffs lifted for other realm beings). Subordinate demons resurrect after 24 hours upon death within the domain. Controls all external interference forces.
A skill powerful enough to blanket an entire continent back in the demon realm, but in the human world, even the Demon King's immense mana reserves couldn't fully cover Big Island—it had been nerfed that badly.
The demons kept a low profile for a few weeks, getting a feel for the island and blending in. After that, they threw themselves into brainstorming ways to attract tourists.
But it didn't take long for them to realize something was seriously wrong. Sure, a few tourists came to see the volcano, but it was nowhere near enough to rack up the points and cash they craved.
The initial enthusiasm fizzled out, and to make matters worse, deserters started appearing.
"Your Majesty, it looks like 'Mia' has run off."
"What? Ha! Haa... Just when I'm swamped already."
"And the 'Lord of Tentacles' too."
"Huh? Why that guy? Both sides bolted?"
"No, sir. Just the red faction. Probably remnants of the rebel forces."
"Hmm..."
"What should we do?"
"Send a couple to track them... Nah. Just one. We're short-staffed as it is."
"Who should we send?"
"Any chance the green faction has traitors too?"
"None."
"You sure? We didn't spot the red ones either."
"We knew it was one or the other."
"Then send him."
"Yes, sir!"
"No need to drag them back by force. Just keep tabs and report on time. He's one thing, but make damn sure you don't lose track of 'Leah.' Could be a diversion."
"Yes, sir!"
Things kept going south from there, to the point where some were suggesting outright raids on humans, when a demon scout returned from recon on another Hawaiian island with game-changing intel.
"Your Majesty! Turns out this island's always been like this!"
"What?"
"The real tourist hotspots are way over on the west side! This place only gets casual volcano gawkers, and business is meh..."
"...Hey, pillow. Wake up."
"Puyooooook? Ow! It hurts! It huuurts!"
In the end, Puyomi had to face the cold stares of the starving demons. An executive meeting was called, pitting the "move to a new island" faction against the "wait it out" holdouts.
"We've been here two months—don't you get it? This island's a bust!"
"Sigh, moving means brainwashing a whole new batch of humans, and it'll be way tougher than here. More locals, more tourists..."
"This. Way. Spells. Doom."
"Who doesn't know that? I'm just saying we need more thorough prep!"
"Even maintaining transformation magic is a strain. You know some of us monsters are holing up in the woods already? Can't drag this out forever!"
As the debate heated up, veins bulged on the Demon King's forehead. Puyomi, witnessing it up close, stretched her arms out wide to calm everyone down.
"D-Don't fight, Puyooo."
But her mediation only poured fuel on the fire.
"This is all your fault! You useless pink bitch!"
"If this memory foam hadn't acted like a know-it-all from the start!"
"M-Memory foam? That's harshpuy."
"Ugh, someone stop that slime from talking. Makes me nauseous."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Haaauu..."
Puyomi let out a deep sigh, ending her long flashback.
Feeling too awkward to stay perched on the Demon King's shoulder any longer, she'd wandered around and ended up at the edge of the volcano crater.
"They only pick on mepuy. I got no friends."
How had she, the prodigy of the slime race, ended up like this? Suddenly, she thought of the young daughter she'd left behind in the demon realm.
"I wonder if Piyomi's doing okaypuy?"
Over ten years ago, thrilled at finally landing a job, she'd figured her retirement was secure and impulsively spawned an heir.
It took a high-caliber gelslime like her to pull that off—regular slimes split whenever without a thought for their offspring's well-being.
'Hope I get another smart one just like me!'
And so, with a long streeeetch, she'd given birth to Piyomi! An adorable, pint-sized cutie just like her mom—soft enough not to hurt if swallowed. Plus, a sparkling hot pink hue!
"I agonized over naming her Publi or Piyomi... Hope she's doing well, my little baby?"
Technically, a slime at ten years old was practically full-grown, but to Puyomi, she was still just a baby.
Puyomi crouched blankly, gazing at the smoke billowing from Halema'uma'u crater.
"It's been five whole months since I last saw herpuy."
They occasionally used communication crystals to check on each other, but it wasn't the same as a real hug.
Maybe because she was thinking of Piyomi, but through the volcanic haze, a faint slime silhouette shimmered like her daughter's.
"P-Puyooo. Ppuing. I miss my daughter! Hiiing."
Splat, sploosh. Sploosh!
As pink tears rolled down and soaked her sleeve, Puyomi's ears picked up a bubbling noise.
"Uwoong? Wh-What's thatpuy?"
Blub, blub! Pop, pop-pop! Pffft!
Hiiiisss!
She rubbed her eyes and looked up—just as something whooshed past her cheek, followed by a searing burn like fire.
"Kyaa! Kyaak!"
One side of her cheek began to melt.
Slimes were notoriously weak to heat. The cunning Puyomi had exploited that very fact.
To dodge work, she'd hidden in this hot spot on purpose! But this time, her clever trick backfired spectacularly.
"Hiiik! Ho-Hot!"
Crackle, crunch, craaack.
Puyomi hurriedly sloughed off the burning chunk of her cheek onto the ground, only to topple backward as the spot where she'd crouched started shaking violently.
Her eyes locked onto the crater, glowing orange even in broad daylight.
"Uh, eek? What time is it...? Why flames?"
Hiiiiss, blub, burble, pop!
A fireball whooshed out of the hole, then plummeted back down.
Puyomi's mouth gaped wide as she stared in a daze.
"F-F-Fuck. I'm fuckedpuy. Totally fucked."
She scuttled backward on her butt, then scrambled up and bolted.
"Volcano! Earthquake! Lavaaa! Waaah! Your Majesty, save meeeee! Ppuoooo! Kyaaaaang!"
Thud, splat, tumble tumble.
After tumbling hundreds of meters down the slope, the roiling crater finally erupted, spewing rivers of scarlet lava.
It was the start of the Kilauea eruption that would blanket dozens of square kilometers of Big Island's terrain and force over ten thousand evacuations.
Ten-odd days later, the volcanic activity showed no signs of stopping. Earthquakes rattled the island hundreds of times a day, and lava flowed like rivers.
Over a hundred homes were destroyed, sending tourists and locals alike fleeing.
Nations worldwide raced to report the disaster, and countless flights to Hawaii were canceled.
But Oahu Island, the prime resort spot in the same archipelago, remained blissfully serene.
An hour-plus flight from Big Island, many only learned of it via concerned calls from overseas contacts.
High above that Oahu sky unfolded a scene much like months prior.
The Demon King in the lead, followed by his demon and monster subjects. But the mood was worlds apart. He ground his teeth, while his demon realm folk sobbed and sniffled.
"Sniff, hngh. My home."
"I told you we should've moved to another island!"
"M-Me and the neighbors next door had weekend fishing plans. Sniff. Their kids always smiled so nicely at me. Hope they evacuated safe."
"D-Don't cry, you lot. One failure means we'll do better next time."
The Demon King himself teary-eyed, patted his subordinates' backs in comfort—then glared down at Puyomi, cradled princess-style in his arms.
Terrified, Puyomi rolled her pink peepers every which way to avoid his gaze.
"Jeez, this one."
"Ppuing..."
"Pillow."
"Eek! Y-Yes, sir!"
"Do better next time, 'kaypuy?"
"Y-Yespuy!"
"Good. Next mission time. Where to?"
'Wh-Why me againpuy!'
But Puyomi lacked the guts to defy the Demon King.
"Uh, th-then right below us, Oahu..."
"Not here. Sick of this place. Bad luck. What if another volcano? Let's go somewhere else entirely. Far away if possible."
"Uh, ueh?"
The demon realm crew nodded in agreement. Mere months of work, but they'd watched their homes and setups get swallowed by lava.
Puyomi's eyes shook anew.
'F-Fuck. Always treating me like a pillow, why ask mepuy? And the pay's peanuts...'
"...What'd you say?"
"N-Nothingpuy! Just thanking you for trusting me despite the failurepuy! Your Majesty, that side looks promising this time!"
The pink slime squeezed her eyes shut and pointed one way. Blue skies and endless ocean stretched out.
"That side? What's over there? You just pointing randomly? And I said no slime-speak."
Shake shake.
"K-Kek. W-Won't do it. Th-They say Japan’s that way! Far from here, tons of tourists!"
"How do you even know that? ...Good girl."
Surprised by the sensible answer, the Demon King stroked Puyomi's pink locks.
Puyomi, who'd been inwardly cursing up a storm moments ago, beamed at the touch.
"Heh, hehet."
"No grinning—you'll get attached. Alright, everyone, next stop: that way! Let's go!"
"Let's go!"
They veered west. She'd mentioned it was distant, but they had no clue it was over 6,000 km to Japan from Hawaii.
Nor that their new prospective home, Japan, was a nation plagued by frequent earthquakes.