Nobita's Time Heist

But at this point, he couldn't back down. He could only try to provoke Nobita into revealing a weakness, saying, "Are you going to use these things to have one last game with me? Isn't that a bit beneath you?"

……

Nobita stared at him for a long time, until he felt a little uneasy, before finally laughing.

when! when!

He tapped the blanket twice with his cane, and the edge of the pink blanket suddenly opened up, turning into a bottomless hole. Without a moment's hesitation, Nobita leaped inside.

"This guy……"

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Jia Kun, naturally, wouldn't be left behind. After jumping down, he realized what kind of place he had arrived in.

dark.

Endless darkness, infinitely wide, infinitely long, infinitely deep. Nothing exists in this space except him and Nobita.

He heard the sound of the propeller turning; in this world without obstructions, any sound travels exceptionally fast.

"Is this... the burial ground you chose for yourself? Do you think you can hide here forever?"

Jia Kun burst into laughter, spreading his arms wide with extreme arrogance, as if he wanted to embrace the entire dark world into his bosom. "Have you heard this story? A father called his three children into a room and told them one by one, 'Whoever can fill this room will inherit all my property.'"

"The first child took the money and bought a lot of cotton, but he didn't even manage to cover the entire floor."

"The second child took the money and bought a lot of straw, which he hauled home in a horse-drawn cart, but it still wasn't enough to cover half the room."

“The third clever child only bought a candle and a match.” Jia Kun began to change his form, transforming himself into a part of the spiritual tide. In an instant, golden light shone brightly, and golden mycelium multiplied wildly in this dark space with him as its original body. The light emitted instantly surged, and although it was thousands of meters away, it had already illuminated Da Xiong’s figure.

He closed the door, plunging the room into darkness. Then the child struck a match, and light instantly returned…

……

Jia Kun's smile froze.

He saw Da Xiong stirring something with that wooden stick, several empty bottles floating beside him; it seemed Da Xiong had already emptied them all. Like the wicked old witch who would inevitably appear in a fairy tale, Da Xiong was personally stirring this pot of freshly made soup, muttering to himself. The sound traveled through the darkness directly to Jia Kun's ears.

“Leptons, quarks, and cap particles… Stir them together like this, it should be about right…” Nobita leisurely pulled a halo from his pocket, pinned it to the top of his forehead, and gave Jia Kun a “the world is settled” smile from afar. “It seems we are all fortunate enough to witness this magical scene. By the way, this item is called the [Complete Book of Genesis].

"Good luck."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

"what……"

“——————!!!!!!”

It cannot be described in any language, because it is a scene that cannot be described in words.

Shizuku, Meijin… everyone on Earth was swallowed by the spiritual tide, and Nobita made no reaction. This was part of his “show of weakness.” He wanted to convince this arrogant enemy that he had driven him to the brink of despair, just as an antelope, when chased to the point of no return, would willingly throw itself off a cliff.

Using himself as bait, Nobita lured him step by step into this deadly trap.

He had the "halo of God" to protect him, but Jaqen did not. He had to rely on his still-burning will to withstand a cosmic explosion.

As it turns out, the Spirit Tide was completely useless against an attack of this level.

The scream didn't last a second before he was torn to shreds by the surging light!

Chapter 456: This time, remember to come back early!

"Jingxiang...Jingxiang..."

A familiar voice reached her ears, and Shizuka slowly opened her eyes. Seeing Nobita's anxious face, she felt a sense of relief. When a person first wakes up, it's like a computer being reconnected; it takes time to readjust to the environment. During this period, it's usually family members like parents who provide a sense of security.

Seeing that she had woken up, Da Xiong visibly breathed a sigh of relief, leaned weakly against the wall, and then slowly slid down, his face full of exhaustion.

"Great, you're finally awake... Finally..." Nobita gave her a very tired smile, "After all that effort, it wasn't for nothing."

"This is... Suneo's villa on the Shijo Peninsula? I remember... something happened just now. Everyone was so sleepy, and they kept falling down one after another." Opening her eyes to a completely unfamiliar environment, Shizuka took a moment to piece together her memories. "We released a lot of small robots to make sure that some critical facilities that required human supervision wouldn't malfunction, and then..."

The sight of my companions sprawled on the floor, snoring loudly, said it all.

"I feel like I missed a lot of things. Before I fell asleep, I remember Nobita, you were still in another world, right? How did you come back?" Shizuka knew him too well. Seeing his exhausted face, as if he had just run back from the battlefield, she had already guessed most of what had happened, but she still couldn't help but ask, "Was it... after you came back, that you went to investigate the culprit that caused the whole world to fall asleep? Who did it?"

To plunge the entire world into a dreamlike state is clearly a feat that only an ordinary person could accomplish.

"It's alright, Shizuka, don't worry about that guy." Nobita sighed, his feelings indescribably complicated. "It's all over. This incident, the last one, and this time-traveling heist—from the planners to the executors, have all been eliminated by me. It's all over."

"And As for Asur, I used the [Time Wrap] to change her back from her crystalline form... Anyway, everything is settled."

"..."

Shizuka actually guessed what he meant, but she just couldn't believe it.

She then recalled how displeased she had been with Nobita's decision to confront the boss alone during their last parting. Now, the truth was clear—the world had fallen asleep, and the isolated and helpless Nobita had no choice but to do everything he could to confront the mastermind behind it all.

After overcoming countless hardships, he won.

This is his victory alone.

"Nobita... you're always like this, rushing forward without thinking, never taking care of yourself. Don't forget, you're just a high school student! You... sigh..."

Ever since their last encounter with King Hyakume, Shizuka had had so much to say, but to say it now would seem rather unromantic. This young man before her, burdened with unimaginable pressure, had acted alone and successfully saved humanity and the world. As his companion, what right did she have to criticize him?

"I wrote you a letter before, saying that I had something to tell you after you came back, right?"

Da Xiong swallowed hard, recalling the delicate handwriting on the letter, and nodded, even more nervous than when facing Jia Kun. "That's right, I remember that sentence."

Seeing his anxious look, the girl chuckled, then turned her head away haughtily, "~~I won't tell you yet."

"Huh?! What's going on?!" Nobita reacted very strongly, his eyebrows furrowed, and his heart rate was faster than when he had just been face-first into the Big Bang. "What do you want to say?! I've been waiting for so long, and it was so hard for me to get back from there."

"Hmph, I was pretty sure what to say before, but now... well, it's still up for debate. I'm not sure if we're ready." Shizuka rolled her eyes at him, then reached out to brush the sawdust and dust off his shoulder. "If you don't want to talk about what you've been through, I won't ask. Anyway... it's all over, right?"

"Based on the current situation, it should be."

"Then let's take a good rest and stop thinking about the robbery. Let's leave it to the police of the future world; they should do their part. From now on, let's just go to school, attend classes, participate in club activities, and spend each day peacefully, okay?"

"To be honest, Nobita, too much has happened lately. I know you're amazing and have dealt with it time and time again, but you've also put yourself in dangerous situations time and time again. If this continues, one day you'll run out of all your good luck."

……

No one needed to tell him how exhausted he had been lately; it was an inhuman existence. It seemed that every step he took was against his will, but from a grander perspective, each step was unavoidable. Naturally, this culminated in his final showdown with Jaqen Helma, ending in a spectacular cosmic explosion, concluding this months-long time-traveling heist.

Shizuka is right. Isn't she gradually escaping reality by constantly being on adventure?

Going to school, coming home, and returning to a peaceful life with friends—this is the reality a high school student living in the 21st century should have.

Instead of spending his days entangled with time-traveling criminals who destroy humanity at will, he travels to different eras to deal with members of mysterious organizations and fight monsters, gods, and even alien creatures from other worlds.

Such things happen once or twice a year, which is about the limit. But recently, it seems like God is making up for all the big adventures that I haven't been able to do for the past few years, completely turning me into a spinning top and whipping me around relentlessly, forcing me to keep going non-stop.

Now that the great heist has finally come to an end, the sleeping humans will gradually wake up from their nightmare within 15 minutes.

It's all time to end this.

Nobita nodded and solemnly promised, "Shizuka, I..."

……

The Doraemon theme song played at an inopportune time; the only thing still using that ringtone is the "22nd Century Telephone" in my pocket.

Nobita's expression changed, and he turned slightly to answer the phone. In just a few seconds, his expression changed repeatedly, making Shizuka almost unable to recognize him as the same person.

"Yes, yes, it's me. Yes, I've already taken care of it..."

"Is that right?"

Unbeknownst to Nobita, a few inches of cold light unconsciously shone from behind his glasses. Although he realized Shizuka was nearby and quickly restrained himself, such concealment was still too simplistic for his childhood friend with whom he had grown up.

Those who fight dragons inevitably grow scales on their bodies.

Having faced off against figures like Gendo Ikari and Jaqen Herma, a part of Nobita's heart inevitably grew cold.

"I know, come over right away."

……

After hanging up the phone, an indescribable barrier formed between the two of them, and Shizuka was unsure whether she should ask the question.

“It’s Kurt, remember? The tour guide at the Secret Gadget Museum, that boy.” Nobita told her in a relatively relaxed tone, “He helped me a lot this time. I have to go back to the 22nd century first to return the Popon he lent me—he’s exhausted right now and sleeping in my pocket.”

"..."

"I see." Shizuka's instincts told her that the truth was far from it, but she still chose to give the boy a smile and some words of advice, "Be careful on the road."

Da Xiong smiled and nodded, then turned around.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

"Nobita..."

Shizuka couldn't help but say, "This time, remember to come back early!"

Chapter 457: I am you without Doraemon!

"Finding him won't be easy. Even though it was a reverse investigation, it still took me quite a bit of time. Anyway... he's right there. Whether you want to see him or not is up to you." Kurt patted Da Xiong on the shoulder and earnestly advised, "After seeing him, you might have other ideas, but if this person is really as heinous as you say... then that's another story."

"I want to see him." Nobita nodded with unwavering determination. "I must look him in the eye and ask him why he did such a thing."

"You might not get the answer you're looking for. Personally, I think it would be wiser to hand him over to the police... Well... the decision is yours."

Kurt shrugged and secretly handed over a coordinate written on a piece of paper.

Right now, the Secret Gadget Museum is open for business, and it's packed with people from all over the world who come to admire these technological products that have completely changed humanity. No one notices that in an inconspicuous corner, a tour guide is slipping a small note to a tourist.

"Thanks, Kurt, I owe you another favor." Da Xiong smiled as he took the note. "If it weren't for Popon, I probably would have died countless times over."

"Save your breath, Nobita... According to you, we 22nd-century people already owe you countless favors."

"Go."

Like a prophet guiding the brave, his eyes shone brightly as he gave Nobita his final encouragement: "Go and end it all!"

……

"call……"

Holding the coordinates on the paper, Nobita took a deep breath, and his hand gripping the Anywhere Door handle felt slightly warm.

Although he had a premonition, he was still quite surprised when he learned from the phone call that Jaqen Helma was still alive. Kurt, through some "unofficial" channel, had located his location—a true 22nd-century person! In other words, Jaqen, who fought Nobita and was ultimately killed by the Big Bang, was also a clone created by sound and light. Had he himself remained in the 22nd century, like a fisherman sitting calmly on his platform?

Why? Everything he did in the past could have led to his own demise, so why did he still do it?!

Nobita couldn't understand, and he planned to ask him directly!

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

The wooden door opens.

He arrived at a lake shrouded in mist, where there stood a simple wooden house, so rudimentary that it was hard to believe it was from the same era as the secret artifact museum he had just visited.

What came into view was a wheelchair.

The gaunt figure in the wheelchair, if not for the slightest movement, would almost be mistaken by Da Xiong for a piece of wood or an inanimate object. His trousers hung loosely below the knees, and his left hand, covered in burn marks, was withered and shriveled like a dried-up twig. He slowly turned the wheelchair with his only movable right hand, a completely different person from the Jaqen Herma he remembered.

They were thin and withered, as if it wouldn't be surprising if they died tomorrow.

His right cheek looked as if it had been licked by flames; the flesh and skin had melted and then glued back together, giving him a tragic and grotesque appearance.

“Hello, Nobita… Congratulations, you won.” Jaqen’s voice was more hoarse than I expected. “Are you pitying me? There’s no need. I’ve been like this for a long time, and it has nothing to do with the singularity bomb you threw in my face at the end.”

"You...you are..."

At this moment, Nobita finally understood why he was so determined to get rid of material desires, embrace the spiritual tide, and become a pure spiritual being.

For him, the material world was a cruel cage.

"I used to be a boy who loved small animals, plants and nature, just like you."

“I used to live a lukewarm and lazy life, just like you.”

“My family isn’t very wealthy either. We have to be very careful with our money to barely make ends meet, just like you.”

“I was also unpopular at school. I was bullied by my classmates and scolded by my teachers, who said that I would never amount to anything... just like you.”

He pushed his wheelchair slowly toward the lake, and said in a hoarse voice, “Unlike you, I don’t have a Doraemon friend from the future, I don’t have an educational and entertaining childhood, I don’t have thrilling adventures, and I don’t have a friendship that has been honed to perfection through countless life-and-death experiences.”

"I liked a gentle girl next door, but I had no chance to show my feelings in front of her." In the end, she married a more outstanding man in town and lived a happy life, and I had no contact with her at all.

“I have two ‘friends’. One is simple-minded and muscular; the other is glib and full of bad intentions. At least before junior high school, they were my ‘friends’. But this friendship was based on the fact that they kept bullying me and I had no way to fight back… I can’t show any dissatisfaction, because if I do, I will lose even these last two friends.”

"But in the end, they abandoned me because I was too boring and had no interest at all."

"I'm not good at sports, I'm not good at studying, my only talent is being able to hear the voice of the elements... But in this scientifically advanced era, I'm considered an outlier among outliers."