TSKR Episode 7: A Rainy Monday
On his way to an appointment, Rohan discovers a mysterious, yet familiar phenomenon that puts his life in danger.
Summary
Rohan sits in a restaurant, using Heaven's Door on a chicken drumstick to examine how safe the chicken is to eat. Talking about miscellaneous subjects including environmental change, Rohan uses a perspective trick to make it appear he's slammed the drumstick inside his smartphone. He then begins telling the story.
It is heavily raining when Rohan reaches a train station. Having a meeting in S-City Rohan decides to use the train. Strangely, people distracted by their smartphones keep bumping on Rohan. In fact the whole train station is on their phones, distractedly walking around. Eventually, he preemptively shouts at a tall, obese man who nearly walks into him. The man on his phone suddenly takes notice of Rohan, and apologizes profusely. Before Rohan can lecture his interlocutor any further, a woman with a stroller - also on her phone - pushes Rohan into the train tracks. The woman screams in horror as trains are arriving from both sides of the station, but Rohan has ample time to save himself.
As the obese man tries to reach for Rohan to lift him back to safety, Rohan is highly suspicious. Thinking he's under attack from someone, the mangaka hesitates to grab the man's hand. Unfortunately, the obese man is accidentally pushed into the train tracks too as the trains approach. Using Heaven's Door, Rohan manages to push himself between the train tracks and transforms the man into a book, managing to fit themselves between both passing trains. He also reads his story and only learn that he's a victim like him: something is currently attacking them, but Rohan has no idea who and the duo are suspicious of everyone.
Events conspire to have the obese man overwhelmed by a crowd of people falling into the train tracks. Rohan then witnesses something peculiar. A swarm of strange robotic-like insect all crawl out of the crowd's smartphone, even Rohan's, who realizes he also had been led into the obese man. It is explained that these creatures are a new species of insects soon to be announced by scientists a few years later as Coire electricus lorenzinia (コーイレ・エリクトリカス・ロレンチーニャ, Kōire Erikutorikasu Rorenchīnya). Feeding off electromagnetic waves, the insect can control people to prey on the weak.
The insects crawl over the obese man's heart. Rohan regrets not being able to save him, as he already had a heart disease and was about to die. The insects seemingly inflict a killing blow, harvesting his bioelectricity. As for the incoming trains, Rohan had commanded a train staffer to use a truck to force the trains to stop, saving the whole crowd. Out of the station, Rohan cancels his meeting but has an idea for a new manuscript.
Appearances
Author's Note
Author's NoteAuthor's Note
逆に存在しても居ない新しい生物の事を考えるのも、とても楽しい。信じてはいませんけれど、人面魚とか。チュパカプラとか。でも、もしかしたらチラリ、居るかもなぁ、と思った瞬間はゾッとします。その「感覚」は好きです。
Gallery
Clean Cover Art
Jump SQ. January 2016
Contents
