Nobita's Time Heist

Nobita even forgot he still had gadgets in his pocket, so he mustered all his strength, took off running, and let the cold wind blow in his face as he ran forward. Countless statues flashed past his eyes, each one seemingly about to open its mouth and speak to him. He could only half-close his eyes and continue running with all his might.

Fortunately, he was chased by Gian almost every day when he was a child, and unknowingly developed a fairly strong short-range burst of speed. Holding his breath, he ran out of the narrow passage and finally got rid of those statues.

The room suddenly felt spacious, or rather, empty.

He arrived at a spacious hall, where the floor tiles were arranged in the shape of a giant eight-star pattern. In the very center of this pattern stood a clear spring. Upon closer inspection, he couldn't discern its depth. The water appeared to be pure black; when Da Xiong dipped his finger in it and then lifted it, his finger remained completely untouched by ink, looking just like it had been moistened with ordinary water.

"..."

There is no reflection in the water.

Beside the clear spring, several white jade bowls lay. It was hard to understand why such things would exist in a temple. Da Xiong stared blankly at the jade bowls, which seemed to possess a unique attraction, compelling him to reach out and examine them closely. As he looked, his thirst intensified, and his body seemed to move on its own, bending down to fill a bowl in the dark spring water.

There were no ripples or waves; the water was unusually calm, with only the sound of water droplets falling.

Nobita swallowed hard, looked at the crystal-clear spring water in the white jade bowl, and brought his mouth closer.

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.

“That’s not a good idea, Nobita.” A familiar voice came from not far away. On the stone steps, Narniadis, dressed in a plain robe, slowly walked towards him, saying, “Unless you want to offer your soul to the gods, otherwise…”

"It's best not to drink the water from the Fountain of Death casually."

"Snapped----"

Almost the instant she finished speaking, Da Xiong suddenly realized what was happening and let go of her hand. The white jade bowl fell to the ground, spilling the spring water inside.

Although the reason is still unclear, the name contains the word "death," so it's obvious it can't be anything good...

"Sorry, I don't know. Is this thing broken?" Nobita quickly picked up the white jade bowl from the ground, wanting to check for cracks. "It's not very expensive, is it?"

“These jade bowls are enchanted, or as you would say in your slang, ‘bewitched by a fox,’ making people use them instinctively, without any qualms.” Narniadis chuckled. “Don’t worry about them, after all…”

"This is just my 'memory,' isn't it?"

……

"You're awake?" Nobita's expression was one of immense joy. It was clear that he was genuinely happy that the other person had found him again. "You've already processed all those memories, haven't you?"

"That's how it is so far." Her wording was very precise. The Narniadis in her memory had changed his clothes and looked like a hermit.

Even though the simple robe she wore was incredibly loose, it couldn't hide her graceful and healthy figure. A casual glance at her, coupled with the memory of her crazy outburst about wanting to have his child, made Da Xiong blush involuntarily.

"To be able to come back here again in my lifetime... I really miss it." She exclaimed sincerely, "Even if it's just a memory, I'm still very happy, Nobita."

"What exactly is this place?" Nobita couldn't help but be curious, but he was still careful not to tell anyone that he had seen him. "I just ran all the way here and saw a lot of statues of gods."

"This place is the [Eternal Temple] built by the 'Immortals'." She looked at the misty hall around her, a hint of familiarity in her eyes. "Ancient magic left behind by the Immortals is sealed here. There are as many forbidden books as there are in the sea, all hidden underground. I stayed here for six years and learned some basics of ancient magic."

"As for those idols..." Her tone suddenly changed, and she lowered her voice, as if revealing a secret, "Do you believe in gods?"

“How should I put it?” Nobita scratched his head. “It might sound absurd, but I’m ‘sure’ that there is a God. But his appearance might not be what you imagine.”

The adventure in Key City remains unforgettable for Nobita; it was his first encounter with a far more "advanced" being in the vast universe. He roamed the cosmos, seizing opportunities to sow life, and with a wave of his hand, created an oasis of life in this black desert. Compared to that, the gods imagined by mortals seem utterly insignificant.

This forward-thinking understanding seemed to coincide with Narniadis's views, which brought a bright smile to her face.

"The Vanir gods, the Olympian gods, the 'Wunana' mentioned by shamans, Amaterasu, Bishamonten, the giant tortoise that supports the world... there are so many different names. The human eye is a mirror, reflecting different faces from different angles. Everyone says that the one they believe in is the true god, and even wars and conquests have broken out for this... God has become a pretext for people to seek benefits."

"However, there is only one true God, there exists one and only one."

"In the relatively short history of humankind, he has bestowed grace countless times and achieved true fairness, without being biased because of differences in people's status, wealth, or power."

"Is that so?" Nobita instinctively sensed that the conversation had gone a bit off track. But, given the atmosphere, and since they had already laid the groundwork, as a Japanese person who was good at reading the room, it would be impolite not to ask a follow-up question.

"So, who is this deity...?"

Narniadis stopped speaking and instead turned his gaze to the center of the hall, to the bottomless spring that seemed to be the entrance to an abyss.

In that instant, Da Xiong understood what she meant, and a chill ran down his spine, making him shiver involuntarily.

There is a god who manifests in a thousand faces and myriad forms, following everyone like a shadow. Regardless of wealth or poverty, all people receive his blessings.

some.

Yes, it does exist!

Chapter 137: I'm Going to Exchange My Diamonds

"So, this Fountain of Death..."

Nobita racked his brains for a long time, trying to figure out how to make his words sound more tactful. But then he thought that since it involved life and death, he couldn't just brush it off. So he asked truthfully, "Is it what it means literally? Will I die if I drink it?"

"If you drink it, you will die."

Narniadis nodded, as if it were nothing more than eating and drinking. "To be precise, this is a spring formed from the immortals' extraction and materialization of the concept of 'death.' After drinking this water, one will feel an overwhelming drowsiness, and they will lie down on the spot. In a peaceful sleep, all bodily functions will slowly cease until they stop breathing."

"The whole process was very calm, like extinguishing a candle or turning off a light."

Nobita wasn't unfamiliar with concepts like life and death. Long before he met Doraemon, his grandmother's death had dealt him a heavy blow. At that time, he couldn't fully understand what was happening. Seeing his father, who had never cried in front of him, sobbing uncontrollably, he thought that if he became a good boy from then on, his grandmother would come back.

Even today, the grief of being separated by death remains deep within his heart, something he cannot bear to think about. Whenever the night is still and quiet, the thought brings a dull ache to his chest.

Therefore, he completely disagreed with this "calmness".

"No matter how nicely you put it, the person who drank the spring water is still dead, isn't they?" His voice rose with emotion. "How could you do such a thing?"

The girl remained silent for a long time, seemingly considering how to express her worldview in a way that ordinary people could accept.

"The immortals believe that life is the most precious thing in the world, and only by offering one's own life as a gift can one obtain a wish from them—they call it 'Death's generosity.'" Narniadis glanced at the desolate spring and said in a deep voice, "In the face of the great tides of time, ordinary people can do almost nothing... But many of them are unwilling to be crushed like dust by those high above. When their inner desires become strong enough, by chance, the path to the temple will unfold beneath their feet."

"A farmer who had lived an honest and hard life, now too old to wield a hoe, was robbed of all his money by deserters from the battlefield. All the women in his family were raped and then killed, but he alone survived, only having his leg broken. After the deserters left, only one thought remained in his mind: revenge."

"But how can an old man with a broken leg take revenge? Can he drag his short leg to which idol in the world and pray all night long?"

A few simple words made Nobita look at the clear spring in the center of the hall again, and he seemed to have a different feeling.

This was also the first time he had thought so deeply about the ultimate question of life and death.

"Death is like a diamond in a beggar's pocket. Normally, you can't find such a large amount of change, so you get through it by eating one meal and going hungry. But when you can no longer endure the hardship, you will take out the diamond and exchange it for a once-in-a-lifetime wish. Being able to skip birth, old age, sickness, and death and die peacefully and serenely is not necessarily a bad thing."

"What's truly terrifying is that even the right to 'liberation' is taken away, and one loses cognitive abilities, living like a walking corpse, in a daze."

Changing the subject, Narniadis's voice lowered as he lifted the plain long sleeve covering his right wrist.

"hiss……"

Black smoke rose.

On her fair wrist, a hideous mark loomed, resembling a bruise. It looked like some creature with long, slender claws had scratched her arm hard. The mark seemed to sense Nobita's gaze; as his sleeve was rolled up, it became even more active, with black gas occasionally escaping from its surface.

"This is the mark the Demon King left on my body, or rather... a curse. It will disrupt my mind, making me remember only pain and hatred, burning away the last drop of reason." She bit her lip, clearly feeling sorry for the mad "Mother of Insects" outside. "I don't know what method you used to separate my 'true self' so that I could temporarily get rid of the curse in this state. It's truly remarkable magic."

"Haha, no way~ This isn't magic, it's 22nd-century science." Nobita waved his hand, mimicking Doraemon's tone, and said in a deep voice, "So, even if you wake up here, you'll turn back into the Mother of Insects when you go back outside?"

“I’m afraid so.” Narniadis sighed, her eyebrows furrowing slightly, but she managed a smile for Nobita. “I’m sorry, Nobita, for making you worry so much about me, only to end up like this.”

"The Demon King's curse is deeply rooted in my 'memory.' Whenever I recall the past, I become irritable, easily angered, and filled with hatred. The familiar self is being torn apart bit by bit, replaced by a manic patient who can't think of anything except anger. She can only think about problems in the most extreme way. The existence of such a person is a threat to everyone."

She smiled noncommittally, "He cursed me to 'be with lowly insects for all eternity,' which, in a sense, is a fulfillment, since I clearly hate insects the most..."

……

Her smiling words only made Da Xiong feel an indescribable sadness.

Back in his vast childhood, Nobita was once swindled out of 50 yen by Gian in a way no one would believe. Back home, he even proudly shared this experience with Doraemon, leaving the latter speechless for quite some time. Perhaps worried that such a personality trait would cause him trouble later in life, Doraemon resolved to use his gadgets to teach Nobita a lesson in cunning.

Under various restrictions, he took out the "paranoia drug," an absolutely excessive tool, from his pocket.

After taking this drug, Nobita was completely transformed into a dark, suspicious, and sensitive person. His naiveté was indeed cured—but not in a very clever way. At that time, he saw a taut grenade behind every door. If anyone on the street raised their hand to greet him, he felt that they were about to pull out a throwing knife or some other hidden weapon and stab him in the throat. If anyone spoke a sentence to him, he would break it down, wanting to decipher every single punctuation mark.

What's even more terrifying is that during this time, Nobita is clearly aware that this shouldn't be him, but he just can't control himself and keeps thinking about the worst and most complicated scenarios. The world is no longer colorful, but filled with gray and black. His former friends seem to have become hateful enemies, always ready to deceive him.

He could probably imagine the pain of not being able to live as himself.

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's wrong? You look so serious." Narniadis, seeing that he had been silent for a long time, thought that he was worried about him. She smiled again, as gentle as moonlight, and said softly, "It's okay. You've done more than enough for me."

"Thank you, Nobita."

……

"Wait a minute!" Nobita suddenly had a bad feeling. "What are you going to do?"

“Do you remember what I just said? ‘Death is a diamond in a beggar’s pocket’?” She bent down, picking up the white jade bowl that had fallen to the ground as if gathering a flower, and murmured, “For me, at this moment…”

"It's time to redeem it."

Chapter 138: Daimao is dead, I killed him.

Even a prop genius can be speechless with shock. After hearing the girl's idea, Nobita's first thought wasn't to stop her, but rather a genuine shock: Wow, you can actually play like that?!

“Um, I have to remind you… this is all in your own memory. None of this happened in the real world, including this palace, this pool, and the bowl you're holding. It's all a scene generated after reading your memories.” Nobita couldn't help but reiterate, “To be precise, you should be lying on the holy ground of the Golden Land right now, unconscious with me.”

“I’ve noticed that you always have too much of a preference for the material world, Nobita.” Narniadis squatted down and gently scooped up a bowl of spring water. Just like before, the water, which looked pitch black from the outside, became crystal clear once it entered the bowl. “Indeed, everything in this world is made of matter, except for death. It is a gift that God has given us.”

"The Fountain of Death is the Fountain of Death; it is death itself. Whenever, wherever, and under whatever circumstances I drink from it, death will immediately catch up with me, even in my memory. To bestow blessings precisely upon each taker—this is the original intention of the immortals in developing this fountain."

"If a person's 'memory' dies, it's equivalent to brain death, right? In the real world, I certainly won't pose any threat anymore, and we can achieve a happy ending without sacrificing anyone... Isn't that the best way?"

……

Da Xiong remained silent, simply staring intently at her, his eyes filled with an indescribable sadness.

"It's fine."

Seeing that Nobita looked strange, Narniadis gently comforted him, "It doesn't hurt at all. I've seen it many times. It will be very calm." Sleepiness swept over my brain, and my eyes became increasingly difficult to keep open. It was like after exercising all day, taking a hot bath, lying down on a familiar bed, wrapping my feet in the blanket, and falling into a deep sleep.

Whether death was as beautiful as she described, Da Xiong had no idea. Out of some bottom line that he absolutely could not back down from, he slowly but firmly shook his head.

"Don't do this, let me think of another way, Narnia..."

“There’s no other way.” Narniadis interrupted him, shaking his head self-deprecatingly and smiling bitterly. “Believe me, Nobita, this is the best option for you, for me, and for all of us. I’ve tried everything I could. The demon race’s knowledge of magic far surpasses that of modern humans. Even ancient magic cannot unravel it.”

"Moreover, this curse was personally inscribed upon me by the Great Demon King Demaio. Because I spied on his planet, he cursed me to the very end of time and space. As long as I live and breathe, it will affect others..."

"Dai Mao is dead."

……

……

……

The already quiet hall fell into complete silence after Nobita uttered those words.

The two remained silent. Narniadis's carefree, death-walking posture silenced Nobita. Nobita, not to be outdone, used a single sentence to strike the girl as if struck by lightning. Her entire body froze, her hand holding the bowl trembled slightly, and some of the spring water spilled out.

“You…” This time, Narniadis didn’t call him by name. In utter astonishment, her eyes widened, her face filled with disbelief. “What are you talking about… Even if that were the case, how could you possibly know? You’re not even from our world!”

"Of course I know." As if afraid she wasn't surprised enough, after a moment's hesitation, Nobita dropped an even bigger bombshell, "I killed him. To be precise, Dorami and I worked together to take him down." (It's worth mentioning that in the old version of *The Great Adventure in the Demon World*, the Demon King didn't have a name, and the silver dart that killed him was thrown by Gian. In the new version, however, it was Nobita who threw it, because everyone else had already thrown their darts in the previous round, but Nobita was the only one who had the foresight to keep the last one.)

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 sudden and shocking truth threw the girl into chaos.

Even during her centuries as the "Mother of Insects," the arrival of the Great Demon Lord Demao was the logical source of all her actions. Even while suppressed beneath the earth in the endless darkness, she diligently continued to mass-produce troops, essentially to rebuild a massive army to confront Demao. Her eagerness to seize Earth first was actually to transform it into a colossal military base, providing her with a continuous supply of manpower.

And now, he is suddenly told that... the great cause he has been working on for hundreds of years has actually been taken over by someone else long ago?

"His heart wasn't inside his body; it was transformed into the Red Moon and placed in the orbit of the companion star of the Demon World Star." Nobita recalled the battle scene at the time. "Doraemon opened the Anywhere Door next to the Red Moon, and I threw the silver dart hidden in 'The Demon World Journey.' Dorami enlarged it using magnification and other methods. The dart fell into his heart, and then... it was over."

"The Demon King let out a scream, his body shattered, and the Red Moon lost its vitality, like a lump of unadhesive putty, and crashed into the Demon Realm Star. The two stars collided, and with a bang, the planet exploded, and everything related to the Demon Race was reduced to ashes."

Narniadis listened intently, his expression shifting from initial disbelief to deep awe.

In fact, ever since the detail about the "red moon" came out, she believed it completely—if she hadn't actually fought against Daimao, there would have been no way she would have known such inside information.

“‘Dai Mao’s heart is the red moon in the sky above the demon realm’… Back then, I don’t know how much effort I expended, how much magic I used, but I couldn’t even scratch him. By the time I realized this, I had no strength left to attack and could only barely escape on my flying carpet. It was at this moment that I was struck by the curse he threw, turning into a half-human, half-insect monster…”

While both Nobita and Narniadis were trying to defeat Daimao, their gaming experiences were completely different. Nobita essentially memorized a guide prepared by his predecessors, and even then, he almost failed if Dorami hadn't come to the rescue. (Of course, once Dorami appeared, it was basically game over.)

It's easy to imagine how impressive it is to face the entire demon race alone without any intelligence advantage, ultimately manage to reach the Demon King, and then successfully escape from his clutches! Understanding this, Da Xiong felt even more awe for this temple. The immortals within the temple, capable of producing such a master, must be formidable.

“Demao is dead, and his curse is no threat. I will definitely find a way.”

As expected of the person who personally killed the Demon King, Nobita's eyes shone brightly and his tone was firm and powerful when he said this.

"Back then, the 'Journey to the Demon Realm' that you left behind truly saved our lives..."

"Now, it's our turn to save you."

Chapter 139: From this day forward, until the end of time.

The moment she opened her eyes, the curse took effect, and alertness and hostility returned to the girl's eyes. She sat up abruptly, instinctively trying to summon the insect swarm, only to find that there wasn't a single insect within a hundred miles.

In the outside world, only a few minutes had passed, yet Yggdrasil had already extended its battle line all the way to the Holy Land. It rapidly evolved spore plants with decomposer functions; while they couldn't completely decompose the insectoids in such a short time, they ensured the maximum disruption of the insectoids' mobility. After a barrage of sprays, most of the insectoids had been dissolved into liquid, posing no threat whatsoever. Lying in the center of the Holy Land, the Mother of Insects was now truly a lone commander.