REIWA JIGOKUHEN - Chaotic Disturbance of Reiwa Era

Chapter 73 - Independence Day

Manhattan, New York: Central City

Independence Day passed in an atmosphere of unprecedented solemnity. In a metropolis that should have been the most prosperous in the world and outside the borders of the world during the world wars, the military and police were all that could be seen. The Japanese bombing of major facilities was met with hostility and fear on everyone's part, and businesspeople fled one by one. Then came the influx of self-proclaimed militias, and in particular, the gangsters who call themselves the State Security Forces, who were doing all sorts of crazy things under the guise of spy-hunting. The only sign of a national holiday is the fluttering stars and stripes flying in unison.

"What the hell is going on...?" Richardson, a junior employee of the Department of Commerce, muttered to no one in particular.

The Commerce Department, which was located in Washington, D.C., has moved to an NYC subway yard. The original building had been obliterated without a trace by bombing, and many of his colleagues who had been on the night shift were gone. First of all, that was the height of abnormality.

But even so, government employees had to work on their days off, and working again made them hungry. Richardson took an early lunch break. He left the Canal Street station, where he worked, and walked down a surprisingly quiet street to his favorite restaurant. He was hungry, and he needed to eat to keep up with the tedious paperwork for the rest of the afternoon.

"Two hot dogs and coffee, please."

"Sorry, sir. We're out of coffee," the owner of the joint said apologetically.

"Oh, come on!"

"Blame those blasted Japs for breaking all bridges in Manhattan. We've been a little slow on the uptake, sir."

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me."

A sigh escaped him. Americans can't live without coffee. The hot dog-eating contest poster by the counter also said that the event had been canceled.

"Last year was great with the success of the Normandy landings... we crushed the Nazi trash, so why is it like this now? It's bad for business."

"It's the Japs and the damn aliens," Richardson spat. "They're in league with the aliens."

"Mister, is it true what they say?"

"Yeah. There's a goddamn alien mothership docked in space over the Pacific. I thought they were all monkeys, but now calling them monkeys would be an insult to the real monkeys... Well, I heard that the president will call for humanity to unite in his speech today, and if that happens, that whole damn coalition will be finished. We're going to kick them off the face of the Earth."

"I really hope that happens soon."

The two men laughed and immediately jolted in shock, for the Statue of Liberty, which they could see outside their window, suddenly exploded, ripping off the base of the statue above the toes. A tremor then rocked the entire city of New York.

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Atlantic Ocean: Over Long Island

A glider armor-piercing bomb with "Happy Birthday" scribbled on it slammed into the Empire State Building. The massive explosion that occurred at the base of the building shook the more than 400-meter-high tower to its core. The steel structure was unable to withstand the completely unexpected destruction, tilting the supermassive building with a rising thick cloud of dust. Once the collapse began, it accelerated. The building, originally the tallest in the world, was quickly reduced to rubble, engulfing the surrounding skyscrapers.