Changes in Snow Country

"Awesome! It feels completely different from the old Geothermal Generator!" Kazahana Koyuki said curiously as she stepped forward and touched it all over.

Then, after knocking on the strangely shaped machine floating about a meter above the ground a few times, she asked in confusion, "Dr. Vegapunk, why doesn't this machine have a switch?"

The machine's exterior was a seamless, streamlined disk with no visible differences anywhere—no wires, no switches, and nothing that looked like it could be used to control it.

"Don't worry. I designed the entire machine to operate autonomously. No one but me can control it, which is also to prevent it from falling into the hands of people with ill intentions!"

Dr. Vegapunk said with a smile, activating the Magnetic Field Manipulation machine. A soft hum sounded, and faint radiance spread out from the entire machine.

Wherever the light shone, the snow melted and the earth revived. A thin layer of green grass quickly sprouted from the ground, like a green carpet stretching all the way to the horizon.

"It's so beautiful! This must have been Father's long-held wish!" Kazahana Koyuki sighed as she gazed at the beautiful sight before her, a delighted smile blooming across her still-childish face.

Even though she was still only a child, she could clearly understand what this scene meant for Snow Country. With a piece of land that could truly be cultivated, Snow Country would eventually experience development akin to taking flight.

Strictly speaking, although Snow Country had a harsh environment and was located in a remote region, it could not truly be called a poor nation.

Snow Country possessed abundant iron and coal mines underground. It was precisely by relying on these rich mineral deposits that its people could trade with the outside world for the food they needed to survive, while using coal for heating to endure Snow Country's frigid winters.

Moreover, because the original Daimyo of Snow Country had been a genius researcher, the nation placed great importance on technological development. Its later development of trains, airships, Chakra Armor, and other technologies was closely tied to both its technological level and natural resources.

If this world had not possessed chakra, Snow Country might truly have had a chance to step onto the world stage and become a major player after several decades of painstaking technological advancement.

Unfortunately, this was a world where the supernatural existed. With only late-World War I-level military technology, Snow Country was obviously no match for those Ninjas. Unable to plunder externally to make up for its own deficiencies, Snow Country could only ever remain a remote minor nation.

But now, with the Geothermal Generator, Snow Country no longer needed to import food, cotton, and other Crops from abroad. Having made up for its most critical shortcoming, the entire nation truly had the confidence to step onto the world stage.

The still-young Kazahana Koyuki could not think that far ahead, but she knew how desperately the people of Snow Country longed for food and arable land. A fertile tract of land comparable to that of some medium-sized nations would bring enormous changes to Snow Country.

"The affected area is slightly larger than predicted, but this machine operates on a six-month cycle. In other words, this climate will only exist on this land for half the year, while it will return to its original climate for the other half."

Dr. Vegapunk explained it to Kazahana Koyuki. However, for most crops, half a year was actually enough. The remaining half-year could be used to let the land rest.

With the same amount of energy, halving the duration naturally doubled the affected area. Comparatively speaking, this method was more scientific.

"This is already wonderful..." Kazahana Koyuki said with a smile. "Thank you, Doctor, for fulfilling both my father's wish and mine!"

"There are no refined radioactive elements here. Otherwise, I could have made a small nuclear fusion Solar Furnace. That would be truly inexhaustible energy, and once it was completed, it would only need seawater for replenishment."

"Although the Solar Furnace's energy lacks the vitality of Natural Energy that nurtures all things, it would still be enough to restore Snow Country's climate to normal."

Dr. Vegapunk sighed. Biotechnology in the Ninja World was quite advanced, but energy development was extremely slow because chakra, a universal human energy source, existed. No one had even discovered radioactive substances.

Perhaps it was not that no one had discovered them, but that no one had bothered to research them. After all, highly purified radioactive materials were extraordinarily dangerous. Rather than study that kind of thing, it was better to study chakra.

In the Ninja World, first-rate scientists basically all became Ninjas. Or rather, without chakra to assist them, one could not even become a top-level researcher!

Naturally, what those scientists studied most was their own chakra, rather than external energy sources.

"Radioactive materials?" Kazahana Koyuki's eyes lit up even more after hearing Dr. Vegapunk's words. Brimming with energy, she said, "Doctor, tell me the characteristics of this material, and I'll help you buy it!"

"Although Snow Country is remote, its international trade is actually quite developed. As long as there is news of radioactive materials, Snow Country will definitely be able to buy them back!"

Dr. Vegapunk slowly shook his head. "Radioactive materials aren't something you can simply buy. I believe no one is researching this kind of mineral right now, because humanity has not yet discovered its true use. No matter how you investigate, you probably won't find any."

"I see..." Kazahana Koyuki bit her fingernail and fell into thought. But she was not even ten years old yet, so naturally she could not think of any solution.

In truth, it was not that Dr. Vegapunk had no way to solve Snow Country's environmental problems. He simply felt that the current situation was best for Snow Country.

Snow Country's population did not exceed one million. A tract of land the size of a medium-sized nation was already more than sufficient for it. Even if the area expanded further, Snow Country would not be able to truly control those lands due to its population.

On the contrary, if all of Snow Country underwent such changes, setting aside whether the massive melting of ice and snow would bring disasters such as rising sea levels, the other nations of the world would likely develop some unpleasant ideas about Snow Country.

Rich in minerals, fertile in land, yet sparsely populated—once the Snow Ninja lost the advantage granted by the icy climate, their strength would fall to a negligible level. It would practically become a prime piece of meat. It would be stranger if it did not attract the covetous eyes of ambitious people.