Chapter 285: Dropping In
After parting ways with Lilith, Vahn led the way through the laboratory's clean and sterile corridors, constantly attended by tiny cleaning and anti-gravity maintenance robots. For logistical purposes, the facility's central corridor was a straight shot from the training room's entrance to the lab's exit, so it didn't take long for them to reach the outside, passing through a pair of large, circular, metal, mechanical doors more than fifteen meters in diameter.
"Incredible..." muttered Korra, her icy blue eyes glistening with fascination as what came into view upon exiting the building was a borealis-filled sky and mountain-sized meteors comprised of various rare minerals, including a massive assembly of crystals more than thirty-seven kilometers at their widest point and eleven at their tallest. Said crystals produced a constant blue glow as it was ultimately one single mana crystal, harvested from the remains of a once-living planet.
"It's a tad cold, though," remarked Yasaka, her nine tails undulating slowly behind her as she scanned the area with her golden eyes. A small, city-like settlement had been constructed around the laboratory, comprised of fantastical, futuristic-looking buildings, but no pedestrians could be seen. There was also no natural foliage, but it didn't feel lifeless, as, in its place, there were synthetic trees and assorted flora emitting light, purifying the air, and regulating moisture alongside an assortment of robotic animals of various shapes and sizes.
"Where is everyone?" questioned Rias, impressed by the sight before her but unable to ignore the conspicuous absence of people.
"There are a few research types that have taken up residence here, but the majority have ventured abroad to make use of the unique terrain and training environments," explained Vahn, shifting his gaze eastward as he added, "The place I have in mind for our base of operations is a mixed plains and forest biome approximately seventy kilometers from here. The Vegapunks have robots that regularly collect herbs and mushrooms there, but no one has taken up residence there since the primary monsters that spawn are Slimes."
"Which makes it a suitable place for children to explore and recreate with minimal risk..." surmized Venelana, nodding approvingly.
"Precisely," affirmed Vahn, reciprocating with a smile and a nod of his own before spreading out his Domain and enveloping everyone present like a warm embrace. It would be easier to teleport, but since they had a bunch of children present and he wanted to allow everyone a view of the unique, once virtual ecotessera(a terrain formed of multiple unique biomes) from above, he decided to ferry them through the air, crossing thirteen distinct terrains before reaching the mossy clearing he had in mind—adjacent to a waterfall and a large, exceptionally clean, Slime-populated plunge basin...
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