601 Gravity Chamber Center
Suddenly, Vaan shook his head with a wry smile, feeling a little incredulous for being sentimental and having these weak thoughts. He had an extraordinary destiny and responsibility – something a normal person could not bear.
It should be expected that his path would be solitary; it differed from others. It was a path that only he could tread.
In the face of his destiny and pursuit of the truth, a thing like true friendship was trivial.
He didn't have it, but he didn't need it either.
He had his women, and they could also be considered his best friends. They would only help him and never betray him. They were also top-
Having male friends would only arouse jealousy and trouble.
Be that as it may, one could not help but lament if they learned about Vaan's thoughts and his destiny.
After all, he was someone who could lift up other people. But who could lift him up?
While Vaan had his thoughts, Jihaad was too happy thinking about their upcoming journey together to notice.
They eventually reached an enormous building that was equal to half the entire bazaar city. The Gravity Chamber Center was situated outside of Sunrock Bazaar. But because of its proximity, it was considered part of the city.
It was grand and luxurious.
It was the only place and building Vaan had seen since entering the Great Ratholos Empire that used a large amount of metal, or any metal at all, in its construction. The Gravity Chamber Center's walls were entirely made up of stainless steel.
Vaan and Jihaad walked through the front open entrance and immediately felt a drop in the temperature.
It was scorching hot under the sunlight outside but very cool inside.
Undoubtedly, the temperature was controlled for the purpose of limiting warriors' perspiration of sweat under high-intensity physical training within the Gravity Chambers. That, in turn, reduced the need for water to replenish their bodily fluids.
It went without saying that a country full of hot, dry, and desolate lands like the Great Ratholos Empire would consider water a valuable resource.
However, this consideration was also only limited to the western regions of the empire.
The eastern regions were closer to the Eastern Sea and, thus, had access to a limitless supply of water. Of course, this source of unlimited water was also supplied to the West. However, the cost of long-distance transportation would naturally create a significant price difference in the value of water.
In other words, the western regions weren't lacking in water; water was simply expensive.
Vaan wouldn't be surprised at all if the water-supplying businesses jacked up their prices to exploit the vulnerability of the western regions. After all, human greed was endless.
Vaan and Jihaad approached a female clerk after locating the front counter, which wasn't difficult to discover upon entry. Even so, they still took some time to reach it due to their appreciation and marvel at the interior designs.
Everything was neatly arranged and clean, including the various advanced magic tools installed. Each Gravity Chamber possessed a magic screen displaying its availability or unavailability. There were timers indicating the duration until each occupied Gravity Chamber would become available.
The display and dependence on advanced magic technology painted a picture of the interior design being far ahead of its time, like it came from the future. However, this illusion and thought were only created due to the primitiveness of everything else outside.
If one had been to the Freedom Federation, one would find such display and dependence on advanced magic tools to be quite normal.
"How can I help you today, Sir?" the pretty female Dunean clerk politely inquired.
After Vaan asked to reserve two Rank 1 Gravity Chambers for an hour each, he and Jihaad paid ten mid-rank mana stones each before being guided to their designated Gravity Chambers.
Jihaad had sucked in a mouthful of cool air when he found out the standard price for using the Gravity Chambers.
It wasn't just expensive; it was extremely expensive!
Lady Latifa from Madam Morning Dew wasn't kidding when she previously told them the Gravity Chambers were costly to use. Even some physique-enhancing potions could be cheaper and more effective than the Gravity Chambers.
Jihaad couldn't even imagine how much it would cost him to reserve a Rank 2 Gravity Chamber or even a Rank 3 Gravity Chamber in other cities.
However, there was one matter he understood clearly – Gravity Chambers weren't meant for the poor!
That being the case, Vaan and Jihaad noticed more than half the hundred Rank 1 Gravity Chambers in the Gravity Chamber Center being occupied. Some warriors even reserved them for three days straight!
Jihaad found this baffling, but Vaan didn't.
Why would warriors still burn their money on Gravity Chambers if some potions and medicines in the empire were more effective and cheaper at improving their strength?
That was because the Gravity Chamber had one advantage that most available medicine and potions on the market couldn't compare to – the consolidation of the internal organs!
Consolidating the internal organs was the most difficult step in body refining. It was the Achilles's heels of Body Refiners. After all, no matter how powerful a Body Refiner's outer strength and defense were, they could still die from shock if they neglected to consolidate their internal organs.
An Aura User could still protect their internal organs with aura, but not a Body Refiner!
Body Refiners specialize in refining the body. If their bodies had mortal weaknesses, then they were not true Body Refiners!
The importance of consolidating the internal organs could not be stressed enough.
Nevertheless, the true value of consolidated internal organs could only be realized and tested when warriors challenge the Heavenly Steps and Eastern Sea. Those were the places where warriors experienced the most deaths due to negligence and overestimation of their capabilities.
After all, without well-consolidated internal organs, they would be crushed under the high water pressure of the ocean depths.
"What the f*ck? This is a scam!"
Not long after Vaan and Jihaad entered their respective Gravity Chambers, Vaan suddenly heard Jihaad's surprise and angry cuss resounding throughout the Gravity Chamber Center.
The ten mid-rank mana stones only covered the cost of reserving the Gravity Chambers for an hour. The Gravity Chambers still required mana stone investments to power up and activate their functions.