Nobita's Time Heist

The world fell silent, as if focused on this moment.

“Of course it will get better,” Da Xiong said slowly, which made Jia Kun’s expression relax slightly.

"However, it requires the joint efforts of everyone in the world! Not your judgment, like a god, high above us!"

“What a pity.” A hint of regret did appear on Jia Kun’s face. “We are so similar, yet we can’t understand each other. I guess that’s just the way things are for humans.”

"You finally said something human." After experiencing the Human Instrumentality Project, Nobita has developed PTSD regarding the word "mutual understanding." "Humans can't understand each other. In the end, only fists can represent everything."

"...Then come on, Dracarys—"

A strange incantation was heard, and the giant dragon beneath them suddenly opened its mouth, spewing out an extremely fierce burst of flames. Rocks that touched it instantly melted like candles. It flapped its wings, and its slender body danced in the cave, continuously spewing clusters of flames in the direction of Da Xiong.

“I originally wanted to show you a way out.” Jia Kun looked at the raging fire and the melting rocky ground, and shook his head with emotion. “Even if you get past me, there is still an enemy waiting for you there. You always think you can handle everything because things have gone too smoothly before, which gives you this illusion.”

Jinglu drew her longsword, yet felt utterly lost and bewildered. The royal court swordsmanship seemed utterly ridiculous in this situation. Even with the sword drawn, she didn't know who to stab. The one riding on the dragon's back?

The dragon's flapping wings sent waves of heat through the air, enough to tear her skin off. Jinglu even had to stay away from the rock face; if the soil and rocks loosened and fell, even a tiny spark would be enough to engulf her and melt her into gas.

This is the true battlefield of the Silver Swordsman; the wars he experienced 500 years ago were of this caliber. Compared to that, all the trials humanity faces now seem like trivial matters.

“Nobinia…” she murmured, looking down. Within that ball of flame, there was nothing alive. Even inanimate objects couldn't escape the fate of being melted into gas. Legend had it that the armor of the Silver Swordsman could withstand all magical attacks. But it was never mentioned what would happen when faced with such an overwhelming torrent of dragonfire.

"Dragons are the embodiment of human desires, she's always told me that. If that's true, isn't it kind of symmetrically beautiful to die from human desires?" Jia Kun teased. "This time, even your silver armor won't help you."

……

"Excuse me." Da Xiong's voice suddenly came from the side, carrying a strong sense of provocation. He even waited for Jia Kun to look up before waving the [Space-Time Phase Transformer] in his hand at him and said with a smile, "You don't really think it's that easy, do you?"

"Dracarys—!!"

The giant blood worm has a distinct swallowing and spitting motion. Bright flames are compressed to their limit in its abdominal cavity, carrying light and heat, and then burst out from its blood-red maw in a blazing straight line.

"boom----!!"

The overwhelming force of everything being consumed by fire.

"【LalaLala Solid State Lamp】—!!"

In that critical moment, Nobita also took out his gadget. If he had been even a second slower, he would have been blasted into dust by the compressed, clustered flame. But he was certain that he could be a second, a split second faster, allowing the beam of light to strike the flame ahead of time, causing it to solidify into a section of dragon flame. Not only that, it also formed a natural, straight bridge in mid-air.

Without any hesitation, Da Xiong stepped onto the bridge, sword in his right hand, and charged towards the dragon's head with lightning speed!

Chapter 418: The Silver Sword - Extension

The solidified dragonfire stuck in the dragon's neck made it extremely uncomfortable. Having something in its throat out of nowhere was bound to cause discomfort. It was wary of the gleaming silver sword in Da Xiong's hand, and shook its head from side to side, hoping to avoid his thrusts as much as possible. Its wings flapped rapidly, retreating through the air until it finally snapped the pillar of dragonfire.

With a "crack," it broke cleanly, and the bloodworm revealed a smile very similar to that of a human, as if it had won something.

But in the next instant, Da Xiong showed it what it meant to be one foot taller than the righteous.

"【Magnifying Lamp】—!!"

The silver sword in its hand suddenly enlarged, and the dragon's membrane-covered eyes visibly trembled, unable to see how the swordsman had suddenly thrust forward. Fortunately, its reaction was quick enough that it managed to twist its neck at the last moment, avoiding a direct stab to the throat; only its flank was struck. Even so, dragon blood still gushed out like a showerhead, as if a tomato had been crushed out of thin air. The dragon flames that were still brewing in its throat also leaked out, igniting the sprayed blood and enveloping it in a bright fireball.

"Woohoo!!"

It let out a sharp, mournful howl like a wild wolf, its wings bent, and it fell from mid-air, crashing into a sea of ​​fire.

Nobita was quite confident in the destructive power of this move. Later generations named it "Silver Sword - Extension," and the Demon Emperor Odorom died from this sudden extension. Whether you're a demon or a dragon, once your body suffers a penetrating wound, the battle is basically over. Nobita was certain that his sword strike had severed its wings; a dragon unable to fly or breathe fire would have its fighting power greatly reduced.

Shining the adaptive light on himself, Nobita took a deep breath, and with a quick dive, he plunged into the toxic gas-filled ground, attempting to end the battle once and for all. In the oppressive yellow smoke, Nobita suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. His instinctive danger warning system blared, and he raised his silver sword horizontally in front of him.

"Ding--!!"

Perfect parry.

The beam of light struck the side of the silver sword, deflecting precisely and blasting a large hole in the rock wall. At the center of the smoke and dust, Jaqen Helmar stood calmly, the seven-colored khata around his neck fluttering in the wind. His left hand caressed the dragon's wounded neck, while his right hand pointed, particles of light slowly gathering at his fingertips to form a compressed point of light.

No one knew what kind of magic his palm possessed, but the wound inflicted by the silver sword began to slowly heal itself. The flesh and blood surged like bubbles, and in no time, the blood worm's wound was completely healed. It opened its claws and fangs again and became a ferocious beast once more.

"I see. So this is the true source of your power... by making good use of items from the future world to enhance your combat strength."

Jia Kun's gaze moved around, like a Tibetan antelope roaming on a cliff, calm and composed, as if he were watching a play up close.

“I say we’re similar, and it’s not just because of our experiences. Da Xiong, when you were in the Golden Land, you must have heard this legend, right? There was once a man who, like you, obtained the nine-ring aptitude and was able to control almost all the elemental spirits in the world.” He patted his chest, his tone seemingly proud, but more than that, it was a kind of inexplicable helplessness.

"Like you, I am someone who is favored by the elements. Because of this, I can understand the clarity of the elements and also understand the corruption of the human heart."

Before he finished speaking, he raised his right index finger again, and light elements danced slowly at his fingertip. Continuous beams of light, like arrows, burst forth from his fingertip.

With his free left hand, Jia Kun gently patted the bloodworm's wings. The dragon obediently lowered its head and, with a boom, spewed flames into its palm. The intense heat relentlessly pounded some element, eventually forming a hard, scorching core, like a celestial star, slowly floating in his palm. A bright, crimson halo flickered across its surface. Jia Kun held this hard object forged from dragon flames above his head, as if about to make some kind of judgment.

“You’re right, I do hate humans. They take from nature without restraint, they are greedy towards their fellow human beings, and the only thing they care about is their own interests.”

"It was inevitable, and it's sad, isn't it? Actually, it wasn't like this a long time ago." Jia Kun then changed the subject, mentioning a story from a very long time ago.

"From the moment the first wheat stalk was planted, humanity's fate was irrevocably altered. Wheat fed countless more people, but it also robbed them of their freedom. Imprisoned by the land, they were confined thereafter to cultivate, live, reproduce, and die only on that one piece of land."

"With a place to return to, one has a home; with a home, one develops the concept of personal desires."

"At this point, all thought and all morality take the satisfaction of selfish desires as the highest priority. As a result of this behavior, the distribution of most of the benefits in the human world becomes a matter of course."

After summarizing the history of human development in an extremely brief statement, Jaqen raised the purple lump in his hand high. Like an athlete holding an Olympic flame, his eyes were filled with fervent faith at that moment.

With a flick of his wrist, the shooting star streaked across the sky, leaving a scorching trail of light that nearly tore the entire cave apart. A deafening roar followed, and everything in Da Xiong's field of vision was engulfed by the light and heat. His first instinct was to rescue Jing Lu, who was waiting on the other side of the cliff—he had adapted to the light and was able to withstand the extreme heat, but Jing Lu, with her mortal body, was definitely not up to the task.

But even this step was anticipated by Jia Kun.

"You've risked your life here, and you're even bringing a girl along?" He appeared behind Jinglu without her noticing, grabbed her neck with his left hand, and took her hostage. He sneered at Daxiong, "With such a huge difference in strength, even if you bring her along, it won't change the final outcome."

"It will only become a burden to you."

With a slight tightening of her left hand gripping his throat, the girl's face contorted in pain, but she refused to simply wait to die. In this position, the longsword was useless, but hidden on the edge of her right boot was a dagger, perfectly designed for this situation. If death was inevitable, she'd rather have Jia Kun crush her throat than not pull out the dagger and stab him in the back, drawing blood.

But... he was forcibly stopped by Nobita's unprecedentedly stern gaze.

“This has nothing to do with her. All you want is me.” Da Xiong lowered the silver sword slightly and raised his left hand to show that he was no threat. “In the current situation, I no longer have the ability to threaten you.”

"No?" Jia Kun looked at him with a half-smile. "I've heard that your gun is famously fast. Why don't you just put the bullet in my head?"

"You can even make lasers with your hands, so what's the speed of gunpowder compared to that? Besides..."

"A sword is a faster weapon to retaliate than a bullet."

After saying that, he swiftly pulled out the [Field Shift Gun] from his pocket, aimed it directly at Jinglu, fired a shot, and switched positions with her.

At the last moment, Nobita was already prepared. After changing positions, he gripped the sword hilt with both hands and thrust it backward!

"laugh!"

The sword was so sharp that it entered from the front of the heart and pierced through the back, yet not a drop of blood was seen.

Chapter 419: The Illusion of Sound and Light

has it ended?

It was so easy that even Da Xiong himself couldn't believe it. But strangely, the feeling of this sword strike wasn't like hitting a solid object; it was like shoving something into thin air.

Jinglu, whose position had been suddenly switched by him, was still in a state of shock, looking somewhat frightened, as if she didn't understand what had happened. She looked behind Daxiong with an exaggerated expression, as if she had seen some kind of demon or monster.

Da Xiong quickly turned his head, only to find that Jia Kun's figure was gradually fading and becoming lighter. What was gushing out from the sword's edge was not blood, but some kind of light-like particles.

Then, his figure emitted a soft popping sound, like fireworks, and shattered with a bang.

Disappear.

Only his laughter echoed around, as if mocking Nobita's powerlessness.

"What element do you think I'm best at?" Jia Kun's voice echoed from all directions, as if he were running around them at high speed with a speaker on his back.

Da Xiong had a premonition. He picked up the silver sword and looked around warily, but he couldn't find him. Only a continuous stream of voices came from all directions, "What element is the most offensive? The most lethal? Is it the heavenly fire that burns everything, or the lightning that punishes all things?"

“Neither,” Jia Kun said slowly. Just as Nobita is good at using gadgets to fight, he is good at using elemental power to fight. For him, using various elements is as natural as breathing, it is just instinct. “After trying so many elements, I have come to a conclusion: the most destructive element is often the least destructive factor, and that is the sound of sound and light.”

"boom----"

The world Nobita was in collapsed—or rather, the illusion was shattered. The cave, the rubble, and the giant dragon that had been baring its fangs at him all vanished at the same time, becoming pale and colorless.

Da Xiong suddenly realized he had been tricked. It was all a carefully crafted mirage, using sound and light as its materials to make it impossible to distinguish! From the very first second he stepped into the cave, he had been trapped. Even though it was supposed to be a dream, now the distinction between dream and reality was blurred, a tactic that sent chills down his spine.

Have you heard of the brain in a vat theory?

Jia Kun's voice lingered, like a ghost, making it impossible to see his true face.

"Humans are actually unable to perceive what the world they live in is really like. Consciousness is trapped in flesh and blood, like prisoners. We are wrapped in a cage of senses: sight, hearing, taste, smell, touch, and everything else. The means of perceiving the world all rely on these organs made up of flesh and blood."

"Ultimately, the world we see is merely a world perceived by our physical bodies. Have you ever thought about what we would be if we abandoned these sensations?" His voice was deep and possessed an extraordinary allure.

"The 'brain in a vat' theory means that as long as you can deceive your own senses, you can construct a perfect world. You see what I make you see, you hear what I make you hear, you feel what I make you feel. The world I create can be infinitely close to reality, and if I wanted, I could even keep you here forever, lost forever!"

"Isn't it a bit too early to say that?" Nobita's vigilance never wavered. His left hand had already reached into his pocket and touched the [Alarm Clock That Can Wake People Up from Afar], a powerful weapon against illusions. "It's just an illusion. I still have ways to deal with it."

"So what?" Jia Kun asked coldly. "Have you ever considered that I might not even be here? This is just a clone I created using light and sound. As long as I am conscious, I can create a hundred or a thousand clones like this without any problem."

His voice lingered, haunting the surroundings, "Can you really tell which second you see is real? Can you really be sure that the companion beside you isn't an illusion I created? Are you sure you successfully created the [Dream Machine] and smoothly entered the dream world? Is it possible that from the very beginning, all of this was just a mirage I created for you?"

Da Xiong was taken aback by what he said, but soon he revealed a disdainful smile, "You might as well say that I am a paralyzed vegetable and that all of this is a dream. That would be more realistic."

“We can’t rule out that possibility.” Jia Kun chuckled self-deprecatingly. “In any case, this was a pop quiz, and your performance and reaction were pretty much what I expected. Even if we disagree, I advise you not to go any further and to stop here.”

"You're not only facing me, but also your mortal enemy. She won't give you chances to live again and again like I have. For your own sake, and for your friends' sake, think it over carefully."

"Perhaps, this world is not worth your struggle."

Jia Kun's voice gradually faded away, like a fading voice-over, seemingly marking the end of this phase of the battle.

"Has he left?" Jinglu asked, still shaken. "Daxiong, do you know this guy?"

"I wouldn't say I know him. He always claims to be very familiar with me, but I've never actually met him, at least not in real life. I don't know what kind of person he is." After confirming that it was safe, Da Xiong sheathed his sword and looked at his surroundings, muttering, "He's like a ghost, hovering around me, haunting me."

"Thanks to him, I haven't had a single day of proper rest in the past three and a half months. That guy is the mastermind behind the time-travel heist!"

"The Great Time-Space Heist..." Jinglu chewed on this incomprehensible phrase. The world of the Silver Swordsman was far more vast than he had imagined. Perhaps in that world, this person named Jaqen Herma was his nemesis.

"He wants to achieve some goal by changing the established history. Well, it's hard to say, but it's probably something like turning all of humanity into spiritual beings."

"A spiritual body?" Jinglu repeated his words, trying her best to imagine herself as a spiritual body. Using her worldview, she barely managed to deduce the answer: "So, all that's left is a soul?"

"That's roughly it. He believed that the human body is the source of all desires and must be eliminated. Without the body, humanity would be left with only a pure spiritual body, and some abstract things could be realized." At this point, Da Xiong couldn't help but find it amusing and couldn't help but laugh out loud. "Like integrity, virtue, and the like. After removing evil, what's left must be truth, goodness, and beauty. That's probably what he thought."

"But, after losing the physical body, can one still be called human?" Jinglu couldn't imagine that kind of life. "What can you change with just thoughts?"

"Yes, that's what's most terrifying about him. He's conducting an extremely dangerous thought experiment, and..."

“He felt from the bottom of his heart that this was a benefit to mankind.”

Chapter 420: The True Killer King Doesn't Even Need a Knife

What kind of people cause the most damage to the world? What kind of people harm the most people?

This is a question that Nobita has been pondering: how many people can he kill with a knife, a sword, or a gun?

Hundreds or thousands was the limit he could imagine.

However, in the 8th century, Wang Hao's reforms ultimately led to the deaths of thirty million people. True murderers don't use knives; for example, Wang Mang, who proclaimed himself a revolutionary who would change the world. Without careful consideration, without sufficient investigation and experimentation, he dared to irresponsibly wield the knife against the people—that knife was a fanciful restoration of the past. Perhaps even when rebellions were rampant and the capital was surrounded by angry crowds, in his final moments, he still believed he was doing good?

He believed he was working for the well-being of all people, that his reforms would ensure everyone could live happily. Although this was not the case, and he refused to admit it, this emperor, elected by the people, lived entirely in his own utopia.

Those who possess sufficient destructive power but are completely unaware of their destructive tendencies pose the greatest threat to the world. They are like malignant tumors growing on the human body; they must be removed before they fully develop, otherwise, when the time is right, they will burst forth, plunging the entire body into disease.

Nobita loathed this, seeing Jaqen as the same kind of person. He kept talking about leading humanity into a new era, but what meaning would a new era have if humanity itself ceased to exist?

All beautiful aspirations, when traced back to their origins, are inseparable from the "material desires" of the flesh. And without the body, even the noblest spirit is merely a castle in the air. The two complement each other; that is what makes humanity. For a fleeting moment, he felt he had encountered another Gendo Ikari. Only this one was more obsessed, more insane.

At least Gendo Ikari's Human Instrumentality Project reveals a sliver of self-interest; he risked everything to resurrect his wife. But Jaqen's actions show no trace of cunning. Perhaps he wasn't driven by any ulterior motive, but rather by a genuine belief that the mind and body can be separated. Humanity should fully embrace one aspect while discarding the other.

"If only we knew his motives for doing this," Jinglu murmured. "No matter what he does, there must be something driving him."

“It’s no use.” Da Xiong shook his head. “No matter how thoroughly we analyze him, we can’t stop his ideas. I know this kind of person too well.”

"They've become trapped in their own logic, deceiving themselves. They'll probably still believe they're doing the right thing until their very last breath. Even if it seems absurd to outsiders, in their own eyes, it's a creed they'd dedicate their lives to. It's incredibly difficult to get a fanatic to break their beliefs."

"But he just said he feels he's very similar to you." Jinglu frowned slightly, a thoughtful expression on her face. "What does that mean?"

Nobita fell silent. He couldn't help but imagine what he would think if he had never met Doraemon and lived his life to the age of Jaqen. Would a 30-something-year-old, desperate loser think about destroying the existing order and creating a spiritual utopia for humanity? Or would he just obediently accept his fate and become just another ordinary ox or horse?

I've thought about it a lot, but I still can't figure it out.

Normal people can never understand the thinking of a madman, so he can only comfort himself in this way.

"No matter what, we have to stop him. We can't let him turn humans into ghost-like things."

Eliminating the barriers of materialism sounds noble indeed. But this noble standard seems to have been set by him alone. Da Xiong dares to guarantee that Jia Kun hasn't interviewed every single person in the world, nor has he conducted any surveys or polls. He may have just made this decision on a whim.

This is a common problem among these kinds of people: they have the power to decide what is good for humanity and what is bad for humanity. Humanity itself has no say in the matter.

“But his magic is just too amazing; he can actually create such a realistic illusion.” Jinglu patted her chest. “For a moment, I even doubted whether I was real. What if I really was just an illusion he created? What if that were the case…”