Machi was also silent, assessing the contrast between the inside and outside of the house.
She was no less shocked than Uvogin, Phinks, and Feitan.
"There's an extra floor inside the house, but it's completely invisible from the outside..."
Although she was young and her vocabulary was limited, she didn't understand the concept of dimension and spatial change.
But this incredibly deceptive invention was incredibly practical!
"The spaces above and below are exactly the same..."
After Machi and Feitan entered the house and closed the door again, Uvogin came down from the second floor and smacked his lips in amazement.
"And it's even cleaner than down here."
In terms of floor space and layout, the second floor and the bottom floor were identical.
"Because the extra floor is built on the foundation of this house, the first floor looks the same as the second floor."
Luke smiled and took the floor blocks out of the building block house.
Suddenly, the staircase that had originally led to the second floor vanished.
Naturally, the second floor that had appeared out of nowhere also vanished.
Invention: Four-Dimensional Building Extension Blocks
Source: Doraemon World — Future Tech Company.
Effect: Using the current room's floor as the base, each additional layer of room blocks adds another floor to the existing room.
This additional floor is simply compressed in the 4th dimension, without changing the actual appearance.
This was precisely the invention created in response to Phinks's earlier request to see his house.
Adding more floors to a house creates more space, but this space is based on the current room.
In other words, the floors added by these Four-Dimensional Building Extension Blocks are based on the current floor as a template.
For example, when Luke used it in his little shack, the added floor all shared the same dimensions and layout as his current floor.
When Doraemon used this item, he was in Nobita's room on the second floor of Nobita's house.
So, the specifications of the additional floors above were based on Nobita's room as a template, with the area and layout identical to Nobita's room, rather than the layout of the first floor.
Furthermore, the additional floors would only be visible inside the room; they would be completely invisible from the outside.
This also provided excellent concealment.
"In other words, if the house is small, the additional floors will be smaller, and if the house is larger, the additional floors will be larger..."
This logic was easy to understand, and everyone understood it.
"So, if we can find a larger room and add a few more floors..."
Phinks' eyes lit up at this thought: "Then we'll have a large hidden space, a perfect place for a secret base!"
Well, any man, or even a teenager, can't avoid the temptation of a secret base!
"But besides the elders' residences, where else in Meteor City can you find such a large house..."
For once, even Uvogin didn't shoot down Phinks's words. Instead, he fell into a rare, serious reflection.
He had no particular requirements for where he lived, so his house wasn't small, but it wasn't large either.
Overall, it was about average.
But…
"If you're really talking about a larger house..."
Uvogin couldn't help but think of someone, and a grin spread across his face. "Then I actually know one."
…
A relatively clean area in Meteor City, away from the garbage dumps.
The houses here were noticeably cleaner and larger than those in the garbage dumps and ruins.
As the saying goes: where there are people, there are grudges; where there are grudges, there's strife...
After all, even here in Meteor City, there are corresponding social classes.
It was obvious that the residents of Meteor City were either of high status or, well, simply not to be trifled with.
Inside one of the houses at the very edge of this district, a thin, weary-faced fifteen- or sixteen-year-old youth with drooping eyes was washing his face with clear water.
"I guess I'll have to move out soon."
He had a lazy look on his face, seemingly unconcerned about his situation.
After all, he had originally lived in the garbage dump.
If not for that chance encounter, while scavenging, he'd met a sick man wielding a sword.
That man had stolen the medicine he had found and dragged him here to tidy up the place and prepare decoctions.
If the man hadn't already been near death and past caring about much else, then, given the wariness of Meteor City dwellers, the boy would never have been brought here, nor given the chance to live in this house.
Later, the man who had brought him in, undoubtedly, died of illness. Aside from a sword and this house, there was nothing left.
"Not even a bite of hot food left..."
He muttered, smoothing down his loose hair.
"Better get out of here soon, or else those bastards will come looking for me. Then I might not be able to leave..."
Bang! Bang! Bang!
As soon as he finished speaking, there was a violent knock on the door.
"Huh?!"
The thin-faced man froze.
A fierce glint flashed in his eyes, and he grabbed the sword left behind by the previous owner.
But before he could tuck it at his waist and ready himself…
"Nobunaga? Are you still alive?! We've come to see you!"
The familiar voice outside the door lowered the thin-faced man's guard a little.
"You bastard, you're still alive, how could I possibly be dead?!"
Nobunaga grumbled, regaining his slightly lazy demeanor and moving forward to open the door.
"Uvogin, you... Huh?!"
Before he could even offer a sarcastic remark to the idiotic, large man in front of him, he was stunned by the scene before him.
"Wow, you're still alive and well."
Uvogin casually greeted him for a moment, then led the way into the room.
"Well, I was thinking this house was big enough, wasn't it?"
"It's quite big."
Phinks, who had followed closely behind, surveyed the place and nodded with satisfaction.
"It's indeed quite suitable for our secret base."
Feitan, standing behind him, murmured: "There's plenty of space."
Machi made no comment. After entering, she glanced around with a calm face before nodding slightly.
This was a gesture of approval.
"No, you guys..."
Nobunaga was a little bewildered by the scene. He had assumed Uvogin had just called him in for a casual chat.
He hadn't expected so many people to show up this time.
"A first-time visit. A small gift, not much, but a token of respect."
Before Nobunaga could say anything else, a black coconut fruit was placed before him.
"Huh?!"
Nobunaga glanced over subconsciously and saw Luke smiling at him.
Nobunaga: "...?"
Who are you?
He knew both Uvogin and Machi.
Feitan and Phinks, the infamous duo, were also quite famous among the kids in Meteor City.
Nobunaga was surprised by the arrival of these four people, but at least he knew them.
But this one…
Hmmm?
While feeling doubtful, his nose twitched suddenly.
Then his eyes locked on the black coconut fruit before him, and his gaze gradually brightened.
"Your name is Luke, right? Welcome, welcome!"
"Ah, so you're planning to use this house as a secret base, huh?!"
"Of course, I have no problem with that. This house wasn't mine anyway."
"It's certainly fine as a secret base, but there might be some trouble later..."
Nobunaga wolfed down the fried rice from the black coconut fruit while explaining the story behind this house to everyone.
He also got to know Luke.
Well, he now had a good impression of Luke, who had casually offered such a nice and delicious gift upon his visit.
And that's how Luke met Nobunaga Hazama, the future member #1 of the Phantom Troupe.
Though his arm strength ranked only ninth in the troupe.
He grew up in Meteor City and is one of the original members of the troupe and one of the seven veterans during its founding.
He is a master of Iaijutsu sword techniques and, like Uvogin, a militant within the troupe.
The two share similar personalities and were close friends even before the troupe's formation.
After joining the troupe, he and Uvogin volunteered to serve as attack squad members, also known as sacrificial members.
They are human shields who, when necessary, must risk their lives to protect other members with important abilities.
In the original timeline, Nobunaga usually dressed like a ragged samurai, with his hair tied high into a ponytail.
When he relaxes, he wears casual clothes and lets his hair down, a person who appears cool on the outside but warm on the inside.
He has a thin face, a pointed chin, droopy eyes, and an unshaven beard…
Well, no wonder he's friends with Uvogin; they're like-minded.
But now, Nobunaga was just a fifteen- or sixteen-year-old youth, with his hair down and a lazy look.
"If anyone comes causing trouble, we will kick them all out!"
Uvogin, however, showed no fear, waving his fist confidently: "With me here, who dares to act so recklessly?!"
"Besides, there are so many of us here. Anyone who wants to cause trouble would have to think twice."
Phinks, for their own good, once again refrained from arguing with Uvogin.
Both were delighted with the spacious house.
"With so many people, of course, no one will cause trouble..."
Nobunaga, tucking into his meal, raised a question that he considered quite problematic: "But with so many people here, food is one thing, and even if this house were a little bigger, it wouldn't be enough for so many of us..."
This was a very practical issue.
The people of Meteor City knew that banding together for warmth was a good way to ward off outsiders.
However, the main problem with this method was that the resources acquired through banding together couldn't be distributed rationally.
In Meteor City, the so-called resources primarily consisted of food and shelter.
Take the crowd here, for example. Uvogin, with his muscular physique, eats more, while Machi eats less.
But food shouldn't be allocated based on appetite. Even those who don't eat much want to accumulate food.
There's also the issue of housing. So many people occupying a spacious house like this is certainly no problem.
But a house like this might work for one or two, or even three people.
But with so many people, it would obviously be crowded and inconvenient.
It would be better for each person to have a simple little house in the garbage dump outside.
At least, they would have their own private space.
However, Luke doesn't have to worry about this crucial resource issue.