Pathway to Japanese Literature

Author: Umino Juzo

The Ice Age Madman—the elderly scientist

Dr. Tetsutaro Kitami—the so-called "Ice Age Madman," a man known to all—was finally summoned to appear at the Metropolitan Police Department.

The elderly scientist sat with ruddy cheeks glowing amidst silver hair and beard, arrogantly leaning back in the interrogation room’s rickety chair as he snorted repeatedly to himself.

“Hmph. This is truly unacceptable! You summon me here only to make me wait endlessly? Every minute you waste of my time will mean a thousand—no, ten thousand—lives lost to freezing! Absurd!”

With that, the old scientist snorted through his nose once more.

The afternoon sunlight streamed in through the single open window on the west side, casting the shadow of iron bars onto the torn linoleum floor.
Though it was winter, this year's days continued unseasonably warm.

The door was thrown open violently, and a police officer thrust his face into the room.
When he saw the doctor, he looked back over his shoulder and nodded.

Dr. Kitami leaped up from the chair,

“Hey, you there!
How long do you intend to keep me waiting?
Tell that to the Superintendent!”

"Tell that to the Superintendent!" he remarked callously.

At that moment, a giant who would put even a sumo wrestler to shame appeared at the entrance.
It was Superintendent Uematsu, impeccably clad in his official uniform.
After him came three or four men in suits.

“Ah, Dr. Kitami.
“My apologies for keeping you waiting.
“It’s just that today has been one urgent matter after another—I’m terribly late and deeply apologize.”

The Superintendent attempted to placate the elderly scientist with honeyed words.

“So what do you intend to do with me today?
“I too am far busier than you—let’s settle this business promptly.”

“Now Doctor, regarding that ice age matter.
“We’ve all gathered here today to hear your account.
“Now then, everyone—please take your seats over here.”

Dr. Kitami surveyed the faces of the group that had accompanied the Superintendent suspiciously.

“Who are these people?”

“They’re all from the Metropolitan Police Headquarters.”
“They’re people very interested in your ice age theory.”
“Dr. Kitami—is it true that an ice age will soon strike this Earth?”

“There’s no time left to waste debating whether this is truth or lie!”
“The ice age’s arrival stands beyond all doubt.”
“We must implement defensive countermeasures without delay.”

The elderly scientist said angrily.

"If the Ice Age comes, what exactly will happen? Please explain it in terms we laypeople can readily grasp."

The Superintendent spoke with unwavering deference.

“What will happen when the Ice Age arrives? You needn’t ask me such things. In short, most of the Earth—no, the Fifth Ice Age that approaches will likely envelop the entire planet. If matters continue thus, every living thing on Earth will perish, every civilization will collapse, and military systems, economies, and industries—all will descend into chaos. Even should fortune allow some humans to survive, mankind’s progress will have regressed to what it was twenty thousand years past. What a terrifying prospect!”

“If the situation you describe were to occur, Dr. Kitami, this would be disastrous.”

“There is no doubt that it will come.”
“Even though I have stated it this clearly, do you all still not believe it?”

“That isn’t precisely what I mean, but this remains an exceedingly extraordinary claim.”

“Natural disasters are all extraordinary occurrences.
Humanity overestimates its own intellectual capabilities.
Humanity’s current intellectual capabilities still fall far short of containing natural disasters.
Is that not so?
Volcanic eruptions can’t even be predicted.
They don’t possess the capability to calculate typhoon paths.
They can’t forecast years of cold damage.
Weather forecasts have only recently become somewhat accurate.
The scale of human intellect daring to oppose nature’s immense power is smaller than an ant defying mankind.
The problem is people these days are far too self-important.
In this vast universe, humankind presumptuously declares itself the most intellectually developed creature.”

The elderly scientist spewed spittle through the silver beard, raising his arm high as he ranted on.

“On what basis did Dr. Kitami determine that an ice age would come?”

The Superintendent still maintained his calm demeanor.

“Ah, that matter, but…”

With that, the elderly scientist let out a sigh,

“That matter involves rather complex academic knowledge, so even if I explain it to you all, you’ll only become more skeptical.”
“Therefore, you all should believe my conclusion that the Ice Age is coming and urgently take defensive measures.”

“However, Doctor, we cannot so readily accept mere conclusions.”
“Unless we see or hear some other concrete evidence of this approaching Ice Age with our own eyes and ears, we cannot believe it.”

The Superintendent pressed his advantage against the Doctor with pointed persistence.

Finally—the great earthquake!

“Saying such things is useless.”
“Thinking about it is useless.”

The elderly scientist shook his head vigorously from side to side.

“There is nothing futile about it.”
“No—on the contrary, it is precisely what’s necessary.”
“Dr. Kitami, people are calling you the Ice Age Madman out there.”
“Because the Ice Age is coming—‘Everyone, get ready!’—you are running about shouting.”
“Even though you kindly say this, the public does not believe it.”
“That’s because you do not clearly present the logical sequence explaining why the Ice Age will come—that’s why they react that way.”
“You understand that, don’t you?”

“I acknowledge your opinion, but it remains futile.”
“To the general public, my explanations are too complex—they lack the capacity to grasp them.”
“No—it’s not just the general public.”
“Among present-day scientists, how many do you suppose would truly comprehend my explanation?”
“In the end, that is futile.”

“When you say that, Doctor, there are some who think you’re lying to frighten them.”
“Even if they don’t understand, I believe it would be in your own interest to at least provide an explanation regarding why the Ice Age is coming.”

The Superintendent remained unwaveringly soft-spoken.

Dr. Kitami’s face turned crimson, and he was in a state of extreme agitation.

“Superintendent, you would do well to consider this.
“Suppose war breaks out between nations.
“The armies of both countries now vigorously exchange cannon fire, repeatedly bombing each other.
“In the midst of this—if a soldier were to wonder, ‘Why did this war start? What’s the logical sequence?’ and dwell on such thoughts—would that be acceptable?
“The war has already begun!
“Soldiers must immediately take positions to prepare for enemy attacks or launch bold offensives—in precisely the same manner, the Ice Age approaches with every passing moment.
“The cannons already roar; explosions thunder.
“For those lacking even the capacity to comprehend science to presume scrutinizing it—what utter folly!
“Leave scientific matters to scientists; you must trust the conclusions science produces and act accordingly.
“Is this not so?”

The Superintendent wore a look of bewilderment.

“In that case, Doctor, I would like to ask you—regarding your statement that *the cannons are already roaring and the thunder of explosions resounds* in connection with the coming Ice Age—what specifically does that refer to? Could it be there are reports of some region where temperatures have suddenly begun to drop?”

The Superintendent pressed the Doctor, eagerness evident on his face.
Dr. Kitami, upon hearing this, gave a firm nod,

“The signs of the Ice Age have already begun to appear in earnest. The first is these recent, unusually sweltering temperatures. Even though it’s winter, isn’t the temperature practically like that of April or May? Moreover, recently in the Tokyo region, earthquakes have been occurring frequently—this too is one of its precursors.”

“The fact that temperatures are high seems completely antithetical to an Ice Age phenomenon, wouldn’t you agree? Given this warmth, it appears highly improbable that an Ice Age could possibly arrive.”

“That’s layman’s logic. Mark my words—enormous earthquakes will come. Not merely once or twice. Tremors of unprecedented scale will strike repeatedly across recorded history. Then volcanoes will awaken—eruptions shattering all previous records of magnitude. These events will transpire imminently. When they do, you would do well to recall every word I’ve uttered.”

Before long, frequent massive earthquakes would come.
And volcanoes would begin to erupt.
The Doctor declared that these were indeed the signs of the Ice Age.

The Superintendent did not find the Doctor’s words convincing in the least.
He turned toward the four authorities he had brought along.

However, all four authorities frowned and shook their heads slightly so that Dr. Kitami would not notice.

(What the Doctor says cannot be trusted)

(Just as I thought, he’s a lunatic.)

They seemed to be reporting in this manner to the Superintendent.

The Superintendent turned once more toward the Doctor.

“Doctor. As a layperson, I ultimately cannot fully grasp your explanation—but wouldn’t temperatures actually rise further if earthquakes and eruptions intensify? I recall that during the year of the great Kanto earthquake long ago, a warm climate resembling early summer persisted until around November.”

pressed further.
Then Dr. Kitami,

“That great earthquake and this great earthquake differ completely in both scale and nature.”
“The current great earthquake stems from Earth’s cyclical cataclysm—quakes will erupt across the entire planet, and volcanic activity will blaze not just in Japan but nearly worldwide.”
“What comes after such great eruptions—”

He was about to say—when suddenly, the Doctor fell silent.

The Superintendent fidgeted impatiently,

“Doctor, what comes after such massive eruptions?”
“What on earth is that?”
“Please tell me at once!”

“...”

Dr. Kitami stood up wordlessly.
At that moment, the color drained from his face.

"What's wrong, Dr. Kitami?"

"Ah—"

He groaned.

"Oh, this is massive!
A major earthquake is striking.
Now, you all should evacuate immediately.
At last! The dreadful thing has hurled forth its great sign!"

With that said, Dr. Kitami unsteadily planted his feet and walked toward the doorway.

The policeman guarding the entrance was startled and pushed Dr. Kitami back.

“What are you doing? You must evacuate immediately!”

“Trying to deceive us and escape won’t work. Return to your seat at once.”

The policeman thrust out an arm and scolded Dr. Kitami.

At that moment.

The floor violently heaved upward.

“Aah!”

Before the group could react in shock, the floor sank smoothly downward again.

“It seems like an earthquake.”
“This is a strange earthquake.”

As they were saying this, an unsettling subterranean rumble struck people’s ears, and then the sound gradually grew louder until it transformed into thunderous booms—like the firing of giant cannons. At that moment, the room heaved violently in all directions like a small boat battered by stormy waves; wall plaster crumbled away in chunks, and window glass shattered with thunderous crashes. In the thick, swirling smoke, the Superintendent and the entire group clung tightly to one another, fighting to keep their footing.

Global Volcanic Upheaval

Superintendent Uematsu suddenly found himself overwhelmed with responsibilities.

After all, due to the unexpected major earthquake, the Metropolitan Police Department building, which had prided itself on its sturdiness, had been miserably half-destroyed.

For these reasons, countless houses had collapsed across the entire city of Tokyo, and furthermore, just as during the previous disaster, fires broke out in over seventy locations throughout the city.

The Civil Defense Corps immediately divided into teams and began organized firefighting operations.
The citizens gathered their few belongings and began evacuating in droves toward the outskirts.

The electricity had cut out immediately, so people had no choice but to proceed on foot.
Though there were trucks and cars, all of them were requisitioned at once for official use.

Only the broadcasting stations remained active, relaying various news updates and issuing warnings to the citizens.
However, since the citizens had AC-powered receivers, the broadcasting stations merely busied themselves in vain, achieving no effect whatsoever.
Instead, mobile radio units equipped with battery-powered receivers and loudspeakers mounted on automobiles proved to be highly effective, delivering news to evacuees and citizens battling the fires.

Amidst that news was something the citizens had never anticipated.

“—The current earthquake is nationwide.”
“The epicenters are believed to number not just one location but over a dozen simultaneously.”
“Starting from the northern regions, first in the Obihiro area and Aomori Prefecture…”

Thus, the earthquake—a truly unprecedented occurrence—struck nearly simultaneously across the entire nation.

Could such a strange phenomenon truly be possible?
Traditionally, earthquake epicenters had been established as single locations.
Another news report was offering an explanation about this matter.

“—According to an announcement from the Japan Meteorological Agency, this extraordinary major earthquake stems from comprehensive activity across our nation’s seven volcanic belts. All fifty-four previously cataloged active volcanoes have simultaneously intensified their eruptions.”
Furthermore, of the one hundred eleven dormant volcanoes previously recorded, seventy-four—equivalent to two-thirds of them—have newly begun erupting.
Among these, the Fuji Volcanic Belt showed particularly fierce activity, and Mount Fuji itself finally began spewing volcanic smoke from near its summit.
“It is expected to grow even more active from now on…”

Mount Fuji had begun erupting.

What a shock it was.
Upon hearing that, the citizens jostled to look up at the western sky.

Then, the western sky—now deepening into dusk—was burning red like a great fire!
It was different from a sunset glow.

“Oh! There it is.”
“Mount Fuji is burning!”

From beneath the crimson clouds, Mount Fuji’s gentle slopes extended visible on both sides.
At its very summit lay undeniable abnormality.
A massive cloud—both black and red—swelled upward bit by bit, bulging ominously.
Occasionally, something like electric flashes struck the eyes of those who stared trembling.

The eruption of Mount Fuji had finally materialized as reality before the citizens’ eyes.

Aftershocks struck in rapid succession.
No—rather than aftershocks, it was new eruptions and explosions that triggered increasingly intense earthquakes.

The citizens of Tokyo gradually came to realize the gravity of the situation.
The news was only barely being reported, but given how things were progressing, tremendous damage must surely have been occurring nationwide.

Fires, tsunamis, landslides, food shortages, public disorder—all were likely occurring everywhere.
All of Japan must now have been undergoing destruction moment by moment under dreadful natural disasters—burned down and washed over by oceanic high tides.
Who would carry out rescue efforts?

During the Kantō Earthquake, relief hands had been extended from all over Japan, including Kansai, Tōhoku, Kyushu, and Hokkaido.
However, since this unprecedented great earthquake had spread nationwide, there was no way for domestic regions to extend relief efforts to one another.
Because they themselves wanted to be saved first.

During the Kantō Earthquake, there had been relief from foreign countries.
America and others had loaded relief supplies onto warships and urgently dispatched them.

Would America extend such sympathy this time as well?

If that could not be expected from America, then what about the Soviet Union?
What about South America?
What about the Republic of China and Greater Oceania?

Faced with this emergency situation, Superintendent Uematsu—though profoundly reluctant—pinned his burning hopes on foreign relief.

However, as foreign telegrams gradually began to arrive, it became clear that all such hopes were utterly impossible.

Why could this be?

The reason was the same as in mainland Japan.
For it had become clear that in every one of those countries, unprecedented massive earthquakes had occurred and new volcanic activity had begun, plunging them into extreme chaos just like Japan.

Earth, whether land or sea, had begun massive eruptions across its entire surface.
A cataclysm unprecedented in recorded history had struck.

Dr. Shishido’s Correction

Amid the completely collapsed ruins of the Metropolitan Police Department headquarters, several large tents had been erected.

Superintendent Uematsu sat on a broken concrete block beneath one of those tents and gazed at length at the faces of the four individuals gathered there.

“As I requested your presence before, this again concerns the matter of Dr. Kitami. I would very much like to hear your opinions.”

The month-long struggle had gauntly hollowed the Superintendent’s cheeks.

Before him, the four individuals sitting on concrete blocks appeared wholly altered from before—their complexions sallow, their eyes disproportionately large.

These four were: Dr. Bazume, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department’s Mental Health Division; Inspector Tashima, Head of Police Affairs; Dr. Aokura, a professor in Imperial University’s Faculty of Science and fellow native of the Superintendent’s hometown; and Dr. Shishido, a Meteorological Agency technician.

Previously, these four authorities trusted by the Superintendent had attended Dr. Kitami’s interrogation while concealing their official titles.
They had narrowly saved their own lives when encountering that earthquake, but what they had reported to the Superintendent at that time was—

“We acknowledge Dr. Kitami as a mentally ill person.”
“The theory that the Fifth Ice Age will soon strike is completely baseless.”
“To begin with, there are four possible causes that can be considered for an Ice Age.”
“The first is when changes occur in Earth’s orbital eccentricity.”
“The second when caused by shifts in Earth’s axis; the third when caused by changes in solar heat.”
“And the fourth when caused by crustal movement.”
“Now, comparing current circumstances against these four causes—the first through third clearly do not apply to present conditions.”
“However, this fourth cause—crustal movement—appears marginally relevant to our situation, though it remains an unpopular theory in academic circles.”
“If crustal movement were cooling Earth to cause Ice Ages—considering four such periods since antiquity—each time glaciers eventually melted despite covering the planet.”
“If Earth truly cooled permanently, how could ice melt after those previous Ice Ages?”
“Thus, this crustal movement theory contains inherent contradictions.”
“In conclusion, we maintain that unless these vigorous global eruptions continue unabated for centuries—a hundred years or two—the Ice Age shall never come.”

This was the synthesized conclusion obtained from the four authorities.

When he heard this, the Superintendent nodded in admiration and felt relieved.
In that case, if they confined elderly Dr. Kitami as a mentally ill person in some hospital, that would resolve this problem.
Of course, he had thought at that time that the Ice Age would never come.

However, one month had passed since then, during which Superintendent Uematsu had literally devoted himself day and night to maintaining public order in the capital, when yesterday, unexpectedly, he received a visit from a woman introduced as Dr. Kitami’s daughter—Hyoko Kitami.

Ms. Hyoko took out a single sheet of paper from her handbag and presented it, stating that this was a matter from her father.

When Superintendent Uematsu received it and examined it, he found it was a telegram written entirely in katakana.
The gist was as follows:

“Your Excellency the Superintendent,
I have come to believe that the recent anomalies of the Earth herald the imminent advent of the Fifth Ice Age.
Thus, I am secretly proceeding with this undertaking with the aim of saving a portion of my Japanese people.
However, due to depleted funds, I cannot proceed as desired.
As funds to accommodate an additional ten thousand Japanese people, I urgently request that twenty million yen be delivered to my foolish daughter Hyoko.
As for all other matters, you shall absolutely not inquire.
Kitami”

Thus it was written.

The Superintendent read this message and was both shocked and appalled.
It was a request for twenty million yen.
Saving ten thousand Japanese people might be commendable, but spending twenty million yen without even knowing how it would be used was rather impossible.
The Superintendent had considered refusing outright to the woman claiming to be Dr. Kitami’s envoy, but no—given the gravity of the situation, he judged that acting solely on his own discretion would be perilous, and thus requested a five-day grace period from Ms. Hyoko.
Having done so, the Superintendent today once again had the four authorities gather in one place.

“Well, this is the situation. Putting aside whether to send the funds, has there been any new prediction about whether the Ice Age will come or not after all?”

Having said that, the Superintendent looked around at everyone’s faces.

Then, Professor Aokura immediately—

“My opinion remains unchanged.”

declared.
Dr. Bazume, Chief of the Mental Health Division,

“If he’s making statements like this now, then Mr. Kitami truly is a mentally ill person.”

he also gave testimony unfavorable to Dr. Kitami.

Dr. Shishido of the Central Meteorological Observatory remained deep in thought, making no move to speak.
Inspector Tashima bit his lip and remained silent.

“I would like to hear the opinions of the other two gentlemen as well.”
“First, Dr. Shishido’s thoughts.”

Urged on, Dr. Shishido—unlike last time—assumed a grave expression,

“The truth is, I find myself conflicted about this matter.”
“You see, during our previous meeting I had outright dismissed Dr. Kitami’s theory about an approaching Ice Age, but recent discoveries have left me... uncertain.”

“Hmm… A concerning discovery, you say…”

“When examining the statistical data from temperature reports worldwide, we’ve observed an average seven-degree drop compared to the same period in previous years.”

“I see.”

“However, we aren’t perceiving such a significant temperature drop.”
“This is because volcanic eruptions have raised the crust’s temperature, masking the actual cooling.”
“Temperatures have dropped considerably.”
“Moreover, this seven-degree average derives from global observational data—not limited to Japan or the China Mainland alone—meaning worldwide temperatures are cooling. I believe this warrants serious attention.”

“But Dr. Shishido,”
“But Dr. Shishido, isn’t this seven-degree temperature drop merely a temporary phenomenon?”
“In other words—things like sunspots suddenly increasing? Or volcanic smoke blocking sunlight and causing temperatures to drop…”

“That’s correct.”
“While I agree volcanic ejecta are blanketing the sky and lowering temperatures, Professor Aokura has just called this a temporary phenomenon—yet I worry it may persist much longer.”
“Therefore, temperatures might continue declining further.”

“I don’t think that’s the case.”
“The eruptions are localized.”
“And the volcanic ash from the ejecta continues to fall steadily even now, accumulating on the ground.”
“Therefore, I don’t think there will be such a significant temperature drop hereafter.”
“Moreover, due to crustal movements, the earth’s temperature has risen so drastically that it’s like clinging to a heater—the surface feels as warm as spring.”
“There’s no need for concern.”

Professor Aokura maintained an optimistic view.

The Superintendent tilted his head in puzzlement and furtively glanced at Dr. Shishido.

“I cannot view this as optimistically as Professor Aokura does. The ejecta have reached an exceedingly enormous amount. The material that has risen into the air does not seem to be falling back down very readily. In other words, it seems the amount of volcanic ash in the atmosphere is increasing day by day. While I can’t provide exact calculations, if this trend continues, before long the skies across the entire world may become completely covered—at minimum by dark overcast. Then solar radiation heat would lose at least 50 to 60 percent. In the worst case, it may lose more than eighty percent. If that were to continue day after day, I believe this would constitute a major crisis. I dismissed elderly Dr. Kitami’s theory with a laugh before, but lately I’ve come to think his hypothesis holds some degree of truth.”

“No, that’s an overreaction.”

Professor Aokura persisted in denying Dr. Shishido’s theory.

Old Dr. Kitami’s Bizarre Behavior

The much-anticipated meeting of authorities devolved into a clash of opinions between Professor Aokura and Dr. Shishido, leading the Superintendent to finally close the session without making any decisions on the matter.

However, he had no intention of letting the proposal brought by Ms. Hyoko Kitami from old Dr. Kitami be buried in ambiguity.

After the meeting adjourned, the Superintendent summoned Inspector Tashima alone to his room and moved to a private consultation between just the two of them.

“Now, Inspector Tashima.”
“The earlier meeting was rather troublesome, wasn’t it?”
“You remained silent the entire time—what was the reason for that?”
“Explain yourself here and now.”

The Superintendent pressed for a response there after clearly remembering Inspector Tashima’s silence during their earlier exchange.
When addressed this way—while pushing his own chair closer toward his superior—the Inspector began:
“Your Excellency,
“I must first offer my apologies before presenting an unexpected report.”

“What’s this? You’ve something needing apology?”
“Hmm.”
“Unusual coming from you.”
“Very well.”
“I shan’t get angry.”
“Proceed.”

“Yes.
In truth, there was something I had been investigating on my own discretion without informing Your Excellency.”

“Hmm.
What sort of matter is that?”

“It concerns Dr. Kitami’s actions.
The story I heard from old Dr. Kitami on the day of that earthquake disaster deeply stirred me.
I did think that old Dr. Kitami’s mind might have become disordered, but even so—if by chance what the old doctor says were true—what then?
Because we mistakenly believed the doctor was a madman, if an ice age were to arrive and we were left dumbfounded with no course of action—I felt that would be inexcusable…”

“There, there—I understand that part perfectly well.”
“Now then—what exactly have you done behind my back?”

“I had two excellent detectives track Old Dr. Kitami’s movements.”

“What has Dr. Kitami been doing?”

Inspector Tashima deliberately did not answer the Superintendent’s question,

“The two detectives are currently in America.”

“What? In America…?”
“Then are you saying Old Dr. Kitami is also in America?”

Even the Superintendent appeared genuinely shocked.

Inspector Tashima nodded deeply.

“Ms. Hyoko Kitami’s account perfectly matches the reports from our two detectives.”

“What is Dr. Kitami doing in America?”

“He purchased five abandoned mines.”

“By ‘abandoned mines,’ do you mean ones that are no longer useful?”

“That’s correct. They are mines where all the ore has been completely mined out. The mines Dr. Kitami purchased are said to be ones that have been excavated to a great depth. And then Dr. Kitami is busily buying up canned goods. In America, during the previous great war, they purchased $15 billion worth of canned goods they didn’t even need to prevent them from falling into the hands of the Axis powers, and still have them stockpiled. These can be bought dirt-cheap today. Dr. Kitami buys those and steadily stores them away inside the abandoned mines.”

“Well now.”
“That’s astonishing!”

“Dr. Kitami is bringing engines into the depths of abandoned mines and planning to generate electricity underground.”
“Then he’s buying chemicals, gathering books, and working flat out, I hear.”

“Do the Americans know about Dr. Kitami’s plan?”
“In other words, that Dr. Kitami is preparing for the ice age?”

“No, Dr. Kitami doesn’t seem to have uttered a single word regarding that.”

“Where has the funding for all this come from so far?”

“Dr. Kitami’s younger brother, who runs a large farm in California, reportedly provided him with a loan of two million dollars.”

“Is Dr. Kitami doing this to save Americans?”

“That’s not entirely clear, but if we trust the letter Ms. Hyoko brought, he likely intends to save the Japanese people.”

“But those shelters are in America.”

“Why, if you fly by plane, you can cross the Pacific in just one day.”
“Shouldn’t we trust Dr. Kitami?”

Inspector Tashima provided clear answers to each of the Superintendent’s questions, leaving the Superintendent appearing thoroughly satisfied.
At that moment, the Inspector asked.

“Your Excellency.
“In that case, will you grant approval for Old Dr. Kitami’s requests?”

Then the Superintendent closed eyes and remained silent for a while, but eventually opened mouth quietly.

“I am not permitted to take a public stance on such an undertaking.”
“Even if we were to bring it before the relevant authorities, approval would prove difficult to obtain.”
“Even if approved, it would require considerable time, face fierce opposition, and see drastic budget reductions.”
“Under those circumstances, we could never prepare for this emergency.”

“Then Old Dr. Kitami’s painstaking plan will only achieve a small part of its goals, I suppose.”

The inspector showed a vivid look of disappointment.
At that moment, the Superintendent firmly gripped the Inspector’s hand,

“I cannot take a public stance, but if you are resolved to sacrifice yourself, there’s nothing you cannot accomplish.”
“Hey, Tashima.”
“I will introduce you to a certain influential tycoon.”
“And you must work in close coordination with Dr. Shishido.”
“Sheltering ten thousand Japanese in America is all well and good, but shouldn’t we try to save an even greater number if possible?”

“Understood perfectly, Superintendent, Your Excellency.”

Inspector Tashima firmly gripped the Superintendent’s hand in return,

“So then, Your Excellency, you’ve come to believe that the Fifth Ice Age will truly arrive at last?”

“Well, no—it’s not that I can say that for certain.”
“Since neither I nor you are scientists, we lack the capacity to either believe or disbelieve.”
“Therefore, I cannot take a public stance.”
“But precisely because we are laypeople, couldn’t one say we conversely possess the openness to accept science in its pure form?”
“You’d best not ask about the rest.”
“And I am counting on your resolve and capabilities.”

The Superintendent said earnestly.

The Dreadful Calamity

Will the Ice Age finally come?

Or, as per Professor Aokura’s rigorous theory, would it still not have come after all?

The winter of that year passed, and before long came spring.

Around that time, it could be said that signs of anomaly had begun emerging.
The plum fruits showed no signs of swelling larger, and not a single cherry tree bore fruit.

Then came what should have been the rainy season—yet not a drop fell.
The great disruption had finally begun in earnest.

July arrived and August arrived.
In ordinary years, people would be wearing just a single undershirt, mopping sweat while complaining of the heat and gulping ice water, but that year's July and August brought coldness akin to living on a high mountain's peak.
If anything, the temperature seemed lower than during springtime.

By that time, no matter how much people looked up at the vast sky, they could no longer behold that clear, beautiful azure sky.
The sky turned a murky crimson-black, like a storm of scorching sand.
And within it, like red paint smeared, the form of the sun floated dimly.

When September and October came, the rain began to fall.
The rain showed no sign of letting up.
Before long, it turned to snow.
When the snow began falling, contrary to what was usual, the temperature started plunging rapidly.

The accumulated snow was swept down from roofs as usual, and what filled the roads was discarded into the sewers.

But before long, the sewer pipes became completely filled with snow.
The sewers ceased to flow entirely.
And they froze solid along with the snow.

The accumulated snow could no longer be removed from the roads above.
Day after day, fierce blizzards continued.
Before their eyes, the snow piled up into towering drifts.
Both roads and the roofs of houses were buried beneath the snow.

Even so, people still did not regard the situation as that serious.
As proof of this, skiers slid about atop a completely snow-buried Greater Tokyo as though declaring this a heaven-sent blessing.

The snow fell harder and harder.
The sun vanished without a trace.
Food shortages arrived.
Fuel became scarce enough to barely sustain another month.

November turned to December.
The snow did not melt.
Even though winter had only just begun, the snow accumulation in Greater Tokyo reached five meters.
In various places, houses collapsed.
The weight of the snow finally began bearing down from the roofs.
People scrambled to swarm into reinforced concrete elementary schools and buildings.

The shortage of food and fuel grew even more severe.
Until then, the power plants that had barely managed to continue supplying electricity finally had no choice but to shut down.
Hydroelectric power had long since ceased, but now even the thermal power that had continued supplying electricity until this point had finally exhausted its coal reserves.
The entire city had finally plunged into darkness.

This situation was not limited to Japan alone.
It was a global anomalous phenomenon.
Japan and similar regions were still relatively mild.

In New York and London alike, skyscrapers boasting dozens of stories began collapsing repeatedly like clumps of ash under snow-related disasters.
To call it a snow disaster would be less accurate than an ice disaster.
The accumulated snow reaching tens of meters in height had transformed its lower layers into solid ice under their own weight.
Then it gradually coalesced into massive blocks.

Ice.
A block of ice.
The ice mass began to move quietly.
Ice masses, too, ultimately flow from higher to lower ground.

By that time, anyone who looked could tell that the ice age had arrived upon the Earth.

Glaciers.
Great glaciers.

The glaciers moved imperceptibly.
And they toppled every structure protruding from the ground, smashing them to pieces.

Not just buildings.
The hills too were being eroded by the glaciers.
Not just the hills.
Even the terrifying spectacle of massive mountains being gradually worn away from below, eventually collapsing onto the glaciers with a thunderous roar, unfolded in countless locations.

But there was no one left to witness it.
For beneath glaciers hundreds of meters thick that now covered the land, not a single human—nay, not even a polar bear—remained permitted to exist.
Mass extinction.
Living beings had utterly prostrated themselves before nature's fury.

Extinction of life!

Had there been an observer from beyond Earth witnessing the planet’s state—stricken by this bleak ice age—they would have thought that humanity and all other life forms upon it had perished entirely.

But the reality was somewhat at odds with that.
Beneath the great glaciers, there existed a miraculously surviving group of humans.
Some were in America, and others in Japan!

All of them were Japanese people miraculously living hundreds of meters underground when measured from the surface.

The American evacuation shelters were protected by Dr. Kitami—dubbed the Ice Age Madman—while those in Japan were safeguarded under the supreme leadership of Dr. Shishido.

Dr. Kitami’s prediction proved brilliantly accurate—the Fifth Ice Age finally arrived.
The massive volcanic ejecta had settled in the upper atmosphere and completely blocked solar heat.
And thus, the dreaded Fifth Ice Age finally arrived.

Dr. Kitami did not appear particularly triumphant.
No—on Dr. Kitami’s face lingered a look of anguish deeper than ever before.

(We had fought against the ice age until now—but could we truly endure the decades or centuries until those glaciers melted away?)
(Had his own preparations been woefully insufficient all along?)

Dr. Kitami, carrying an anguish he could share with no one in his heart, continued fighting alone.