Chapter 389: You Call THIS an Aircraft?
Minetarou led Dana toward the depths of the testing grounds, explaining as they walked:
"As I mentioned in the previous reports, Consul-sama, we've been working on levitation structures exceeding the 200-meter class. However, we previously ran into walls regarding materials and manufacturing costs."
Dana nodded. He was well aware of these issues. Large-scale aircraft were a complex systemic problem. The optimal theoretical solution was to use Chakra Metal alloys for the entire hull, but even with the Federation's massive output, a structure weighing tens of thousands of tons would bankrupted the treasury. Conversely, ordinary steel had poor chakra conductivity and led to extremely high energy consumption.
The current dilemma was simple: the right materials were too expensive, and the affordable materials weren't suitable. This had brought the development of large aircraft to a grinding halt.
"Besides Chakra Metal, do you know what other substances in the ninja world possess high chakra conductivity?" Minetarou asked, performing the classic researcher's move of keeping the boss in suspense.
Dana played along. "Tell me."
Minetarou held up three fingers. "Earth, Air, and Water."
Dana thought to himself: Well, that's obvious.
Earth Release, Wind Release, and Water Release could all be amplified by environmental energy; they naturally possessed excellent chakra conductivity, provided the chakra nature was aligned.
In fact, Fire and Lightning also had high conductivity—fire and lightning infused with chakra were more violent and powerful. But they were energy types, which made them more specialized.
"By combining these properties with the Thousand-Machine Construction Technique, we've found a way to bypass the conventional problems of large aircraft," Minetarou said. "Allow me to demonstrate, Consul-sama."
This piqued Dana's interest. Minetarou was the undisputed master of the Thousand-Machine Construction Technique; the jutsu was his brainchild, as was the later "Infinite Fortress" tactic. Anything involving that technique was guaranteed to be efficient.
As they walked, many staff members stopped to bow to Yotsuki Dana. Even if they didn't recognize his face, his towering height was a dead giveaway. Many familiar faces were among them; this site gathered the Federation's most elite scientific minds.
Eventually, they arrived at an open lot. It was truly just a patch of empty ground—no man-made structures, only a few patches of moss. The thin layer of soil made it difficult for anything substantial to grow. It was a typical cliffside plateau.
"We prepared a demonstration for you yesterday," Minetarou said. "For the best perspective, I ask that you take to the sky, sir. You'll get a more comprehensive view from above."
Dana nodded and flew into the air, hovering about a hundred meters up. Minetarou's voice now came through the Communication Snail.
"Regarding the materials and aesthetics... to be honest, we cannot currently replicate the concept art you gave us, Dana-sama. However, on a different technological path, we discovered something that maximizes the utility of the Thousand-Machine Construction Technique."
Several workers carrying massive crates stepped forward, placing Sealing Scrolls at various points around the lot. In the very center, they placed several metal boxes the height of a man.
"Except for a few specialized components, the entire structure is formed from the earth and stone itself. We have abandoned the pursuit of an all-steel hull."
Dana blinked. What? A stone warship? A dirt plane?
Suddenly, with a massive puff of white smoke, the empty lot changed. Buildings appeared—warehouses, a command tower, and several multi-purpose blocks.
"Don't be in a hurry, sir," Minetarou said. "We still need to calibrate. Some key components require manual installation."
A dozen researchers rushed onto the lot, entering the various buildings. Dana noticed through his "Pulse" Vision that some entered through hidden hatches leading underground.
Ten minutes later, Minetarou spoke again. "Calibration complete. Observe, sir."
RUMBLE!
The ground below shook violently. A circular crack formed in the earth. Then, a massive "island" detached itself from the planet, leaving a deep crater behind.
Dana's eyes widened to the size of saucers.
The overall shape resembled an inverted mountain peak. The top was a flat, circular surface covered in various man-made structures, roughly 300 meters in diameter. Below was a tapering cone that reached a depth of over 200 meters.
Because materials were taken directly from the site, the top was lush with vegetation while the bottom was composed of jagged, natural rock.
It was a Floating Island.
"The interior has vast structural spaces," Minetarou explained. "The total capacity exceeds 5,000 personnel. If we carry small to medium-sized secondary aircraft in the future, we estimate it can house over 600 units."
Dana hung in the air, speechless for a long while. "Wait... you call this an aircraft? This doesn't look like an aircraft at all! This is a floating island! This is a completely different development branch! Islands are islands; warships are warships!"
Where is my steel battleship? My Helicarrier? My Star Destroyer?!
Dana had spent years drawing those concept maps...
Minetarou coughed lightly. "We shouldn't focus solely on the exterior... in terms of data metrics, this 'aircraft' perfectly satisfies the requirements you set, Dana-sama."
Dana's face was stiff. "Such as?"
"You requested a mid-air relay station capable of acting as a carrier for smaller units. This 'aircraft' does that perfectly, and we can make them even larger. Regarding cruise speed, you said large craft don't need to be fast; they need to be stable, reliable, and supportive. It meets those marks too. We can even grow vegetables on the surface! The internal storage is massive, and its weapon-carrying capacity far exceeds the ship-shaped design you provided."
"Max altitude, crew capacity—almost every metric is equal to or better than the ship-hull model. If you just ignore what it looks like, you'll find it's an exceptional aircraft."
Dana covered his face. "I can't ignore what it looks like... and besides, isn't the material structure too fragile? It's just rock. It can be easily broken. This is meant for military use..."
On the ground, Minetarou pushed up his glasses, a glint in his eye as if he had anticipated this. "Regarding defense, I have some different ideas."
At Minetarou's command, a pale red film of light enveloped the entire floating island.
"A modified version of the Four Violet Flames Formation. To save energy, we changed the shape to a sphere. It perfectly fits the island's dimensions. Rather than using metal armor to tank hits, it's better to use a barrier. Metal, no matter how hard, suffers from damage and fatigue; a barrier only loses energy."
The Four Violet Flames was far more reliable than steel.
"Even if the main body is damaged, it can be rapidly self-repaired through the Thousand-Machine Construction Technique..."
A floating island protected by a spherical barrier... Dana had to admit, it looked pretty cool. He was starting to waver.
But a steel battleship was the dream! Dana persisted: "But the shape is still aerodynamically illogical. It won't be able to fly fast... I know speed isn't the priority for Phase 1, but we have to think about the future of the R&D..."
Minetarou's glasses glinted again. "actually, I have some ideas for that as well..."
At another command, the spherical barrier around the island morphed into a sleek, teardrop shape.
"We are currently developing a new barrier that only blocks air resistance. It consumes even less energy than defensive barriers like the Four Violet Flames. We don't have a finished product yet, but the issue of aerodynamic shape... is already solved."
Watching the barrier around the island constantly shifting its outer form, Dana realized that with this technology, he could make the aerodynamic profile whatever he wanted.
Dana admitted it... he was hooked.
He shook his head, trying to clear the thoughts of Helicarriers and Star Destroyers from his mind.
"But do these technical highlights depend on the shape? Couldn't we do this with a ship hull too?"
"Cost and efficiency, sir! Think of the cost!" Minetarou urged. "How much does this island cost? Besides the chakra energy consumption and the Bionic Metal used for the core, the combined cost of everything else isn't even as expensive as a single Gravity Chamber. 99% of the mass comes from nature. Under standardized conditions, we could commission hundreds of these a year. And the technology will only improve."
Minetarou's final move was the straw that broke the camel's back. He pulled out a hidden scroll and handed it to Dana. "This is my conceptual roadmap. I am confident I can complete this within ten years. If we use a Tailed Beast as the power source, I can even scale the size up to the kilometer class!"
Dana stared at the blueprint, lost in thought. Usually, he was the one using past-life memories to paint "big pictures" and sell dreams to others. Now, he was the one being sold a dream.
Looking at the drawings, Dana had to admit... in a supernatural world, an "aircraft" didn't necessarily have to look like a ship.
"And sir... look how cool it is!"
"Hmm... you have a point..."
He was sold.
Goodbye, Steel Battleship.
Hello, Floating Fortress Islands!