The city looked radiant with lights on a modern night.
Neon signs in every color transformed Tokyo into a city that never slept.
Tokyo in the '80s and '90s might have seemed less prosperous than it would in later years, but it was at the height of its boom. The sheer bustle and spending power were even greater.
It was as if everyone in that era was caught up in a celebration.
Yet the sandbags piled atop the high-rises and the machine-gun positions stood out against that atmosphere.
American troops and the local security forces were stationed there, seemingly guarding the commotion below.
Two Japanese soldiers leaning against the rooftop were on watch. As they smoked, they chatted with a hint of excitement.
"I can't tell whether these are good times or bad."
"I think this is Amaterasu's blessing. We've gained a whole new stretch of land we've always dreamed of!"
"Those American soldiers used to act so high and mighty. But once they lost contact with their homeland, they had to lower their heads, didn't they?"
"We've regained our autonomy, and now we've got a vast new land full of resources. It's all a gift from the gods!"
"But those monsters that keep showing up..."
"To receive the gods' blessing, we have to pass their trials. Compared to what we've gained, this little danger is nothing. The mineral deposits there are incredibly rich, and now that our production capacity is no longer restricted, our industry can run at full tilt!"
Clearly, one of the two was a rather right-wing soldier. The more he talked, the more excited he became.
For some unknown reason, all of Japan had suddenly vanished from Earth and ended up in this strange place.
At first, there had been nothing but Japan and the nearby