Nobita's Time Heist

Realizing that her beloved was going to slay a dragon, Miss Beth's expression shifted repeatedly, from surprise to worry. But, seeing the familiar determination in Nobita's eyes, she sighed softly, her expression turning into a helpless resignation.

Yes... he's still the same boy he used to be.

Isn't this kindness and courage that needs no reason precisely what makes me fascinated by him?

“I understand, Nobita, but…” She suddenly grabbed Nobita’s hand and gave him a gentle smile, “I will wait for you here.”

"This time, please say goodbye properly before you leave, okay?"

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.

……

Despite his myriad thoughts, Nobita was only briefly distracted.

"Well, I will."

He turned around, raised his hand, and snapped his fingers lightly.

Having understood his meaning, amidst a series of rapid, metallic sounds, Meijin reclined, transforming back into that incredibly stylish dark green Jeep. With a roar, the engine started, the broad body gracefully curved at a sharp angle, and came to a steady stop in front of Da Xiong, the door opening automatically.

"Let's go, Arthur!" Nobita waved to Arthur, his eyes shining brightly behind his glasses, and said loudly, "Let's go for a drive!"

Chapter Sixty-Six: Childcare Robot? Prison Robot!

The off-road vehicle began to demonstrate its advantages, driving almost in a straight line on the uneven mountain terrain as if it were flat ground. Uneven terrain that would make an ordinary car driver's brains spin out was no problem for it at all.

The structure of the US dollar bill differs from that of a real car, and since it doesn't rely on gasoline for power, it travels at incredible speeds, almost like flying close to the ground.

"Wow, that's fast... Will this thing called 'car' become popular in the future?" Although Arthur had met Meijin before, this was the first time he had actually "sat" in one. Compared to the intense jolting of riding a racehorse, the car brought him a completely different and novel experience.

This steel behemoth is much safer than riding a horse, and even the most endurance-focused horse cannot achieve such an extended range.

“It’s almost to the point that every household has one,” Asur explained to him. “It’s like a means of transportation, and horses will gradually be phased out. After a while, equestrianism will become a hobby that only wealthy people can enjoy.”

Arthur couldn't imagine that future; it was absurd, yet somehow reasonable.

……

"Alright, everyone, this is the initial plan, it's very simple..."

Da Xiong glanced out the car window at the giant dragon soaring through the clouds, then pulled out the ever-popular, must-pick green flashlight from his pocket. "This is the [Shrinking Flashlight]. When it's illuminated by the flashlight, its size shrinks. I'll fly up, turn on the flashlight, shine it on it, and then put it in the [Clam Box]. That's it. It only consumes one Clam Box; I can just duplicate it if necessary."

Asur's expression was somewhat subtle. "Shrinking a flashlight, is it... that simple?"

"If that's the case, why can't we shine it here?" Arthur had stopped worrying about the principles behind these magical gadgets. Once he put himself in their shoes, he quickly adapted to the concept. "Isn't this something like a miner's lamp? The light doesn't have a ballistic trajectory, and shining it on a moving target wouldn't be that difficult for you."

“This is just a flashlight after all, and it can only illuminate a few meters at most. You have to get very close to it to make it work. So, I have to fly up to it to turn on the flashlight. For that... we need someone on the ground to provide fire support and distract it.” Da Xiong patted the steering wheel. “Mei Jin, this mission is yours.”

"kukukaku..."

Lacking vocal organs, the dollar could only squeeze out a series of smooth, mechanical sounds from the chassis, thus fulfilling its task.

"At the same time, the harassment from the US dollar will definitely provoke its resistance. We don't know its capabilities yet, but we still have to take precautions. This is the 'Adaptation Lamp,' which allows it to survive in any extreme environment after being exposed to it."

Nobita turned around and shone the light of the lamp on the two of them. Then he took out a strangely shaped long gun from his pocket and tossed it to Arthur. "Although I don't want to do this either, but... in case all the tactics fail in the end, just shoot it with this [Heat Gun]."

Upon first touch, it lacked the feel of a traditional rifle; quite the opposite, it was light and thin, more like a work of art crafted from replica firearms. Arthur tried it out and found the feel surprisingly good. This rifle abandoned all the flashy holographic sights and returned to the most basic iron sights, which actually suited Arthur's era better.

"Hey! Hey! This is a real weapon now, isn't it?! Don't think no one will know just because I didn't introduce it... This is a super weapon used in the 22nd century to arm individual soldiers and take down enemy tactical fortresses!" Asuron exclaimed in surprise, "Are you sure this is a baby care robot's pocket?!"

(【Hot Wire Gun】: Upon seeing a mouse, Doraemon enters a frenzied state, possessing a weapon-switching ability comparable to Aphelios. The hot wire gun is one of the weapons he can switch weapons with, which, according to his own description, possesses the terrifying power to "turn a steel building to ashes in one blow." From the classic short comic "The Mouse and the Bomb")

"As a childcare robot, it's equipped with weapons so it can rescue children immediately if they are kidnapped," Nobita said matter-of-factly. "It makes perfect sense, doesn't it?"

"Normal my foot!" Asur was even more surprised. "Do you even know how this gun works? It's a [thermal fusion ray]! Even in the 22nd century, it's an extremely dangerous new thing... This isn't a 'tool,' it's 'weapon'! Don't you find it suspicious that a weapon of military-grade quality is in the pocket of a baby-raising robot cat?"

"I don't think so. Doraemon is Doraemon, there's nothing suspicious about it."

Nobita shook his head, thinking to himself, "Thank goodness I didn't reveal the [Earth-destroying bomb], otherwise you'd probably faint from fright..."

"Um, gentlemen, what you're saying is making me a little scared." Even the usually fearless cowboy was sweating profusely after hearing this argument. "Should I shoot or not?"

"It depends on whether you want to see Mr. Dach van der Linde again, or see a handful of ashes," Asur said irritably. "This world is still materialistic after all. No matter what it is, if it's a dragon or something, once it's hit by a heat fusion ray, it will most likely be carbonized."

At this point, she paused and glanced at Da Xiong beside her.

“...Arthur...To be honest, I don’t want to compare it to life either. I know that Dutch is a very important person to you, but…”

Nobita's tone was somewhat strained, "If it really comes down to choosing between Dutch and all the innocent people of Saint Denis, I will choose the latter without hesitation. I hope you can understand."

……

Outside the car window, the scenery flashed by quickly, like fleeting shadows, striking the boy's slightly guilty face and leaving him utterly astonished.

“Nobita, even under these circumstances, do you still want to save Dutch? To be honest, even we have given up, Hosea has given up, and that's what he just told you.”

Arthur swallowed hard, unable to see Nobita's expression from the back seat. The boy's not-so-broad back became, in his eyes, an almost unsolvable riddle.

"You've only known him for less than two weeks; you're practically complete strangers. Compared to us, who spend every day with him, you have absolutely no reason to save him..."

"why?"

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.

why?

"..."

Nobita couldn't explain it either.

Is it because Dutch summoned the Scarlet Familiar empty-handed, and may possess information related to the Scarlet God?

Is it because they couldn't bear to see a Western cowboy who once had some ideals die in such a tragic way?

Was it because they wanted to indirectly save more innocent people in Saint Denis?

Or……

"I just thought, if it were Doraemon... he would definitely do the same."

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 car fell silent for a moment as the four people present, including Da Xiong who had spoken the words, pondered the deeper meaning behind them.

Until a terrifying dragon roar interrupted everything.

"Roar------!!!"

A roar that seemed to echo from afar pierced the sky, nearly shattering everyone's senses. The dragon appeared to have noticed the little tail that had been following it; with a flap of its wings, it accelerated rapidly while performing a climbing maneuver, then swiftly turned and swooped down on them like a hellish fighter jet!

Chapter 67: Invisibility Items, Major Crisis!

"lolololo——!!!"

With a roar of fury that rivaled any human's, the man withdrew his strength, causing the four wheels to spring off the ground and the vehicle to begin its transformation. This was the first time the three of them had witnessed the entire transformation process from inside the car, a truly unprecedented spectacle—countless complex structures unfolded, deformed, and compressed before their eyes, the seats and windows disappearing into unseen spaces, replaced by a sturdy and powerful metal arm.

With his left arm around the three men, he planted his heels firmly on the ground, executing a massive, Earth-level abrupt stop. Simultaneously, he raised his right arm high, transforming it into a round shield resembling those carried by Spartan warriors. Facing the swooping dragon, he did everything he could in three seconds.

"boom----!!"

A fireball was spat out of the dragon's mouth, slamming into the round shield. The shockwave sent countless sparks flying, quickly igniting the surrounding trees and threatening to set off a forest fire. In a split second, Meijin caught the three of them, executing a clean and swift forward roll. With an agility completely disproportionate to his metallic body, he dodged the fireball that flew close to him, placing the three steadily on the ground.

“Okay… the plan has changed a bit, but it’s okay. Our previous plans have almost never worked anyway.” Da Xiong casually pulled a Weather Box from his pocket and handed it to Asur, saying, “There are still some unused weapons from the villa in Shedi Belle that we didn’t use up. They’re all in the trunk of the US Dollar. Arthur, use those things later, along with the US Dollar, to distract it.”

"Asur, if you use the weather box to bring down a heavy rain, it could cause a wildfire!"

"US dollars..."

"wulululul—!"

The Autobot warrior's optical lenses flashed a few times, making a very human-like "listening" expression.

"Protect them!"

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.

"Roar----!!!"

The dragon's roar remained as powerful as ever, its sound waves waking hibernating animals and initiating an unprecedented mega-migration. Without a second thought, driven by instinct, they knew this was a tyrannical creature they couldn't afford to offend, and driven by the instinct to avoid danger, they had to immediately flee its territory.

Relying on the unique courage of humankind, Arthur stood still, shouldered the [decorative missile] on his right shoulder, and aimed it at the giant dragon circling in the sky.

The fear had not yet subsided, and his legs were still trembling, but it was much better than before.

"Dutch, I don't know if you're still inside. If you are, wake up quickly..." The missile launcher's sights didn't waver at all, firmly locking onto the dragon's eyes in mid-air. "I don't want to talk about life to a handful of ashes!"

……

"...?" In mid-air, the dragon seemed to sense something and quickly folded its wings to protect its head.

"Thump—!!!"

The next moment, like fireworks exploding, countless projectiles poured down from the ground, bombarding the pair of jet-black wings and exploding into a series of bright fireballs. They expanded infinitely in the air, almost swallowing the dragon's figure.

Upon receiving Nobita's command, Meijin immediately released all the restrictions on his body, unleashing everything that made up his form. Besides the two plasma pistols that transformed from his hands, there were a series of missiles that transformed from his shoulders, and several powerful secondary cannons that sprouted from his back. Amidst the continuous firing, his metal shell was illuminated by the gunfire, making him look even more like a true warrior.

Of course, most of the visual effects were actually created by Arthur's attacks, round after round. The bluffing was effective at this moment, as its high-profile nature quickly attracted the dragon's attention.

On the dragon's wings, it was hit by a series of weapons. Most of the kinetic weapons only made shallow dents on the surface of the dragon scales. Only the plasma cannonballs actually penetrated the scales and left some wounds in the flesh.

Its enormous head peered through the gaps in its wings at the ground, a sinister glint flashing in its vertical pupils.

flapping wings.

"Boom——"

A shockwave swept over, and the giant dragon churned, diving straight down towards the ground like a rapidly descending osprey.

"Success!" Seeing their tactics working, Arthur was genuinely happy, but it also meant they had to face a fire dragon pointing its spear at them. He couldn't be too happy and kept shouting, "US Dollar! Hurry...run!"

“wuliloulo…”

Meijin grunted reluctantly, as if he felt the fun was too short and wanted to continue the charade a bit longer. However, he wisely lay down, and with a quick movement, scooped Arthur and Asul into his vehicle. The action was a bit rough, but efficient enough to transform in an instant, dodging the dragon's powerful claw.

"Beep—! Beep beep—!!"

With a mocking honk of the horn twice, the dollar engine started without hesitation, sending mud splattering onto the dragon's head. It swallowed a mouthful of mud and exhaust fumes, then accelerated and sped away right in front of it.

"Roar------!!!!"

The earth-shattering roar proved that this combo attack was indeed effective. The dragon was immediately enraged, even forgetting to breathe fire, and took off while skimming the ground. It seemed that turning these tiny insects into charcoal ash in one gulp was not enough to vent its anger; it wanted to personally devour them and chew them into pieces!

"Oh my god, she's angry, she's really angry now!"

Arthur turned around and saw that the dragon's head was almost touching him, but the US dollar was well-versed in the art of tug-of-war and always kept the gap between them in a state where "with a little more effort, it can catch up".

"You were born for this job. You don't even need to say a word; you can piss people off in a second." Looking at the dragon's mouth so close at hand, Arthur couldn't help but have the thought of just living one second at a time and doing nothing. As soon as this thought came to mind, he immediately brightened up. "Anyway, I'm just idling around. Do you have anything handy to do?"

"Kakaka..."

The rear seats deformed, successfully transforming into a Maxim machine gun. Although it wasn't a particularly advanced weapon, it was a heavy weapon that had already been produced in Arthur's era.

Upon seeing this thing, Arthur was like a man possessed, forgetting everything else. He immediately loaded the magazine and unleashed a barrage of fire at the oncoming dragon head.

"Ta-da! Ta ...!"

For the dragon, the damage wasn't too great, but the humiliation was off the charts. The dragon roared and flapped its wings even more forcefully, gradually closing the gap between itself and the jeep.

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.

"So far, everything is going smoothly. Just shine the shrinking flashlight on it, and..."

Wearing the stone hat, Nobita, who had gotten close enough, suddenly sensed something was wrong. This was the result of his experience accumulated from countless adventures. Before danger arrived, he turned his head to look to the side, only to see that the rattlesnake-like tail suddenly straightened up and lashed out at him.

It resembles a giant whip.

"Wait……"

"Thump—!!!"

With a single, devastating blow, Da Xiong was struck in the waist by the supersonic sweep and sent flying like a summer star, streaking dozens of meters before crashing into the depths of the forest with a deafening roar.

……

"Nobita? How is that possible?!" Asur gasped, half-covering his mouth in surprise. "That's the highest-level invisibility item, the [Stone Hat]! And it still couldn't fool its eyes?!"

"Do not……"

Arthur's gaze focused on the dragon's face, specifically its constantly flapping nostrils, and he deduced, "It's not that it sees, it smells!"

“Charles told me that cold-blooded animals, especially lizards…have very poor eyesight and rely mainly on their sense of smell to perceive the world.”

"It detected Nobita's scent!"

Chapter Sixty-Eight: The Boy Loved by the Wind