Part 307: Ultimate Suffering
From a distance, the top of Tokyo Tower resembles a wriggling caterpillar, with a dense array of now-unused antennas installed there.
I stepped onto them and climbed up like a ladder—eventually reaching the summit at 333 meters high.
Unless you're on the observation deck, it's unlikely anyone here can see the cityscape—probably only those involved in construction work, at that.
"Haaah……"
I gaze at Tokyo's landscape, ravaged as if by Godzilla, letting out a sigh.
In the distance, the Tokyo Skytree appears to have snapped cleanly in half somewhere in the middle.
Likewise, Rainbow Bridge and Roppongi Hills seem to have crumbled into ruin.
Looking toward Tokyo Bay, the sea appeared unnaturally dark, as if dyed black by the lighting—its contrast with the gray sky strikingly ominous.
"Hey, 'Nameless'! Wait—look at that!"
"Hmm?"
Startled by Ranshin's voice, I turned my gaze toward her.
"Hmm...?"
For a moment, I didn't understand what she was referring to.
But after a few seconds, I noticed a faint trail of smoke rising from the direction of Roppongi.
There's a fire going on.
Peering closer, I could make out what looked like someone cooking something soup-like on the roof of a building.
From here, the ground view is unclear, but it seems there's a safe zone over there.
"Exactly...!"
Ran-chan shouted.
"The skyscrapers of Shinjuku... slightly off direction, but where is that place?"
"Isn't this Tokyo Big Mall? One of the largest shopping malls in the city."
"Ah, a shopping mall, is it...?"
Hey, hey, hey, I'm gonna die from this guy.
"In movies, those kinds of places always end up in a terrible mess, no matter what."
"Is that so?"
"Yes. There's plenty of supplies, but that also means conflicts among survivors are more likely to break out."
"Still, in this world, there are so few people that there wouldn't be any fights, would there?"
Ah...
That's certainly true.
"Then, our next destination is decided, right? That whatever mall."
"……………"
"Curious about it?"
"Yes."
If there are people still alive in this world, then... it might end up being a hassle from the perspective of being a "guardian," perhaps.
Or maybe she was just considering Toru-san's feelings in her own way.
Still, either way, I can't really support hiding the truth.
"Hey, Ran-san."
" Hmm?"
「もし、あなたが……」
一言、彼女に声をかけようとした、その時でした。
ギギ！ ガガ！ と、怪獣が唸るような音がして……そして今度は、ギィイイイイイイイイイイイイイイイイイイエエエエエエエエエエエと、悲鳴にも似た音が、荒廃した都内に響き渡ります。
同時に、私たちが足場にしている東京タワーの頭頂部がたわんで、ゆっくりと傾いていくのがわかりました。
「わ、わ、わ、わ、わ！」
"——Ah. This might be bad."
Muttering to myself, I took a bite from the single chocolate bar I'd brought along.
"Hey, 'Anonymous'! Are you seriously eating sweets in a situation like this? That's not normal!"
"We stopped being 'normal' a long time ago."
I poured all my strength into both legs.
Then, with a full-force kick, I sent the top of Tokyo Tower flying.
That was the final blow.
With a thunderous roar, Tokyo Tower completely collapsed, tilting like a wobbling infant barely standing, then slowly fell over.
And then—
a sound so immense it defied description—
a violent explosion.
A gray cloud of dust enveloped the area like a thick fog.
The collapse of a colossal structure.
The sight was—frankly, enough to make one tremble just to witness.
Even though it's a copy, the familiarity of a building I've known since childhood makes the sight all the more moving.
The sight of Tokyo's symbol bending and twisting its steel body like taffy—almost as if the tower itself were muttering, "I'm so tired now"—was surreal.
I manipulate the crystallized parts formed by the demonic transformation, releasing magical energy—some kind of arcane force—while hovering in midair.
I could see that even the buildings nearby, caught in the collapse of the tower, were cracking one after another in a chain reaction.
I hope Nanami and the others aren’t caught in it.
…Well, they’re not that oblivious.
Just then—
A familiar fanfare played—pomp-pomp-pomp-pomp-pomp-pomp-poom—so nostalgic it brought a smile—
Congratulations! You’ve unlocked the achievement: “Total Damage: 1 Billion Yen!”
Congratulations! You've unlocked the achievement: "Total Damage: 10 Billion Yen!"
Those were the words echoing in my mind, as if spoken by the phantom voice.
"Total damage... I didn't know such an achievement even existed."
"I have it too, for some reason."
"Seriously? Maybe because we were together?"
"...So does that mean I'm being treated as an accomplice?"
As we talked, we slowly descended and landed near a nearby building.
As we looked out over the city, the aftermath of the tower's collapse lingered on, still filled with cries of anguish.
Like the final, desperate cries of a dying beast.