It was an event from several decades before the Reiwa era.
Across Japan, mysterious gates connecting to another world suddenly appeared, and from them, ferocious monsters began pouring through, attacking people.
This abrupt incident swiftly escalated into a major crisis, causing immense damage. However, after some time, as the government progressed its investigations into the otherworldly realm, they discovered a resource known as "Peaches" that granted supernatural abilities to those who consumed them. This discovery prompted humanity to hastily develop countermeasures.
However, for some reason, only women could gain these abilities, while men remained utterly ordinary.
Consequently, the social climate gradually shifted towards female supremacy and male subordination. Before long, men were doomed to live their lives on "hard mode" from the moment they were born.
"Male students come to school early in the morning to clean... while the female students get to arrive late... huh."
At a perfectly ordinary metropolitan high school in Tokyo, despite the start-of-class bell having rung long ago, skirt-clad girls of that age were only now leisurely strolling through the main gate.
A scene utterly unthinkable in the past, but nowadays it was commonplace.
He inwardly lamented the sheer unreasonableness of the world.
"Well, guess this is just the way the times have changed, isn't it?"
Leaning against a cedar tree near the sidewalk was a man. He had dark brown hair and a bit of stubble on his chin. Judging from his well-proportioned features, he was probably in his mid-twenties.
He had a tall, long-legged build, muscular yet lean—a well-balanced physique. His attire consisted of a white short-sleeved shirt, navy blue jeans, and a black jacket worn as an outer layer with the sleeves rolled up.
'Still, it's become a damn hard world to live in.'
To return to the topic, the disparity in treatment between men and women in the current social climate was evident everywhere, from daily life to public transportation.
For instance, on bullet trains and regular trains, cars were clearly segregated by gender, with a ratio of about three (male) to seven (female).
Needless to say, it was obvious which side was favored. While men struggled in packed, sweat-drenched cars, housewives and office ladies nonchalantly boarded spacious ones as a matter of course. This influence of superiority and inferiority was starkly apparent even in education. It had become the norm for men to enter general corporate jobs after high school and step into the workforce as salarymen.
"Alright then... time to go."
Muttering internally about the harshness of the world, the man gently pushed off from the cedar tree he'd been leaning against and began walking somewhere.
Several hours later…
Under the cover of complete darkness, the sun having fully set, the man walked with a tired, yet leisurely gait, pondering his plans for the rest of the evening.
'Maybe I'll go to my favorite izakaya for the first time in a while, or maybe I'll stop by a brothel to change my mood.' He was idly thinking about killing time freely and without a care when...
"...Huh?"
He suddenly stopped and looked around. The previously lively streetscape was gradually fading from view.
The reason became clear as a strange mist began to slowly seep out. It grew thicker and thicker, eventually plunging the surroundings into such opacity that he could no longer see.
"..."
An ominous premonition flashed through his mind, and he stood his ground, naturally tensing up. Maintaining his guard, ready to act at any moment...
"Tch... you've gotta be fucking kidding me..."
As a gust of wind whipped up and scattered the fog, an utterly unreal landscape spread out before his eyes.
There was no trace of natural vegetation like grass or trees. Instead, a series of sharply pointed, horn-like rocky mountains stretched out, combined with a barren wasteland and a sky shrouded by thunderclouds.
This otherworldly space filled the man's entire field of vision. 'This is my first time seeing it for real, but...'
The faintly stagnant air.
Lantern-like objects left exposed here and there.
It was plainly obvious he had wandered into another world, and he quickly accepted that reality.
"From every angle... there's no mistake, it's the 'Demon Capital'."
The otherworld known as the Demon Capital boasted an area comparable to Tokyo Metropolis. Moreover, the threat posed by the Shuuki that inhabited it was tremendous, making it an object of fear for the people.
Due to such incidents, the government placed the ever-present gates leading to the Demon Capital under its control and subsequently formed a new organization.
The "Demon Capital Defense Force"... colloquially known as the Madō-tai. Its members were composed entirely of women who had gained the power of the Peaches. Their primary duties included subjugating the Shuuki, guarding and securing the gates, rescuing civilians caught in Demon Capital disasters, and protecting the Peaches, the resource, from terrorists.
'Should I try to hold out until the Madō-tai gets here?'
Having calmed down somewhat, the man took out from his pocket a nowadays-rare clamshell mobile phone.
One of the policies issued by the state mandated installing an app with countermeasure manuals for instances of getting lost in the Demon Capital on all mobile devices. Following that, he deftly moved his fingers to activate the function...
[Answering regarding Demon Capital disasters. The kado... colloquially known as "gates" leading to the Demon Capital, have fixed locations. However, some gates appear spontaneously. Incidents where ordinary people wander into the Demon Capital or Shuuki emerge into our world are called Demon Capital disasters.]
"No, that's fine. Just tell me the countermeasures the government recommends."
The mechanical voice recited the commonplace text, but perhaps because the crucial so-called "countermeasures" weren't being explained at all, he muttered a complaint as if to hurry it along.
Given that he was in a situation that could hardly be described as anything less than life-threatening, it was perhaps unavoidable. After waiting a moment, the relevant information was finally relayed.
[If you find yourself lost in the Demon Capital, avoid moving recklessly and await rescue by the Demon Defense Force.]
"Avoid moving recklessly, huh... That's easy for you to say, miss."
In that instant, something welled up from the ground directly behind him.
Breaking through the earth to make its entrance was an ugly monster with a face like a Noh mask.
Modeled after a human form, it was unmistakably an ugly demon, but—
"Tch."
Moving his free hand, the man pulled something from his coat once more, swiftly turned, and moved his fingers.
Then, the next instant.
A noble gunshot roared, and a single bullet flew…