Nobita's Time Heist

The eyes beneath the black robe stared silently at him, listening as he finished his jumbled confession.

“Heh…” Moludika laughed instead, “I see, it’s more impressive than I imagined, Ping Tianqi.”

“Since we’ve come this far, please come with me.” He turned around again. “Narniadis, perfect timing, you should come and take a look too.”

"In the time you were away, the world has changed a lot."

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.

In the long corridor, Moludika led the way alone. Without him making any visible movements, torches hanging on the walls would automatically light up wherever he went, illuminating their path. After they passed, the torches would extinguish themselves, almost as if voice-activated. Da Xiong had no doubt that this short, alien creature didn't need torches at all; with his familiarity with the building, he could reach the end even with his eyes closed.

"Aside from him, are there no other immortals?" Unable to bear the silence along the way, Nobita slowed down and whispered in the girl's ear, "It gives me the feeling that there are only the three of us here."

"It's already quite unexpected to meet an immortal. They usually contemplate problems in the [Shadow Sphere], often for decades at a time."

“Sentaro?” Nobita retorted. “Then, their wish is also…”

"In my memory, the ancient magic of the immortals is almost omnipotent. No matter how absurd your wish, they can grant it. Unlike the power of the demon race, they possess a system of laws that transcends this planet... Sorry, you're not from this world, so even if I go into too much detail, you wouldn't understand, would you?" Narniadis lowered his voice. "To sum it up, it's just one sentence."

"Any wish is welcome."

"Is that so..." Nobita looked thoughtful.

"Seriously? You're planning to do that? In the end, a prophecy is just a prophecy; there's no real guarantee! Even if the prophecy is wrong, there's no way to hold anyone accountable. Are you really going to do something so dangerous for a mere few lines of words?" The girl tensed up instantly. "Don't be silly, Nobita."

"Your stance sounds a bit strange," Nobita said, half-jokingly. "I thought they were all your mentors."

“One thing at a time, I value your life more!” Narniadis looked at him with her clear, moonlit eyes and said in a deep voice, “You are the one who saved me from the curse, not them.”

"..."

Such straightforward words left Da Xiong speechless. He was slightly taken aback, then nodded and said seriously, "I will be careful."

Upon reaching the underground, a heavy door blocked their path. Moludika didn't reach out to push it, but merely made a pushing gesture. With a loud rumble, the wooden door, which looked several feet thick, slowly slid open. A strong tremor traveled from the ground all the way to the soles of everyone's feet, making them feel itchy all over.

“When I left, I remember… this place was used to store magical armor, right? There were many magic swordsmen’s weapons. After they retired, they had nowhere to go, so they stored them in this room.” Narniadis stopped, a bead of cold sweat sliding down her forehead. Unconsciously, the girl’s back hunched, and her expression became tense, fully entering battle mode.

It was pitch black, and I couldn't see anything clearly.

but……

The dangerous atmosphere inside, along with the faint, heavy breathing, made everything clear.

"What kind of things are you keeping in there?"

……

Moludika slowly raised her head, her gaze passing over the girl and looking directly at Nobita.

"Well, Ping Tianqi, did you guess it? You must have experienced this scene before."

"Snapped!"

Before Da Xiong could answer, he raised his right hand and snapped his fingers. Upon receiving the command, all the torches in the room lit up simultaneously, providing them with ample light.

The scene that came into view was enough to make Nobita gasp in shock.

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.

Dragon.

Dragons were everywhere, crawling all over the walls, floors, and ceilings like geckos. They all turned their necks at the same time, their scarlet vertical pupils staring at the people at the door. The ferocity and violence they contained were indeed very familiar to Da Xiong.

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

It was unclear which dragon roared, but it caused a huge stir, and all the dragons became aggressive, roaring in unison.

It spread its wings, about to swoop towards the door, but just as it took off, the massive chains fastened to its neck and hind claws burst forth with a purple light. Crimson runes appeared, firmly fixing them in place. The chains and shackles tightened rapidly, producing a chilling creaking sound—the sound of metal rubbing against flesh.

They howled in agony, flapping their wings, their scarlet vertical pupils conveying nothing but hatred and anger.

"Dragon Disease..." Similar symptoms could be seen even across a universe, greatly increasing Nobita's sense of crisis regarding this boss. "Crimson God!"

“It seems we are facing the same predicament,” Moludika said in a deep voice. “[The Invasion of the Crimson God]—in the ancient prophecy, this is the beginning of a series of major events.”

A series?!

Da Xiong was immediately dumbfounded, thinking, "Are you kidding me? This one is enough of a headache, and there's a whole series of them?"

"Shouldn't the major event be the 'Demon Realm's Descent'?" Narniadis asked, puzzled. "And where did this Crimson God come from?"

“That major incident has been resolved by Ping Tianqi, but the Crimson God is a terrifying enemy we have to face. He used dreams to spread dragon disease, turning our companions into these monsters.” Moludika’s tone was somewhat unbearable. “They are all excellent magicians, but… human lifespans are too short. Because of their short lifespans, they are fickle and develop many desires. Even the most outstanding people can easily be infected by the Crimson God’s dragon disease due to a single wrong thought.”

"He understands humans so well."

"What?" Narniadis seemed to have just connected to the internet, looking at the room full of ferocious-looking dragons, his voice trembling slightly, "You, you mean...they are all..."

"The technology used by the Crimson God is beyond our comprehension. All the immortals on the Shadow Sphere have pondered for countless days and nights, yet they still cannot determine the principle behind the Dragon Disease."

"But what if we understood the ultimate mystery between life and death..."

His eyes were incredibly sharp, like two beams of light in the darkness.

"Perhaps we can find a way to completely cure these people infected with the dragon disease, that is, to turn them back into humans!"

Chapter 145: The Tortoise and the Hare

"Diving gear, all checked! Take a deep breath!"

While giving himself a voiceover, Nobita took a deep breath, put the oxygen filter in his mouth, and began to apply Deep Sea Frost to his limbs.

There's really no need for all this. The so-called Fountain of Death is just a conceptual representation. It only takes on the form of water when it's scooped up by these white jade bowls and captured in that instant. What one would encounter if they actually went down there is completely unknown. If something goes wrong, even bringing a submarine wouldn't help.

Doing seemingly useful but ultimately pointless work to put one's mind at ease is a human trait.

Narniadis watched from the side, feeling uneasy, but since Nobita had already made up his mind, she didn't say anything more, only secretly worrying for him.

"Don't make that face," Nobita suddenly laughed. "Didn't the prophecy say I'd come back safely?"

A prophecy is just a prophecy... Although she wanted to say that, things had come to this point, and saying anything that might damage morale seemed pointless. She could only nod to Nobita and say seriously, "I will pray for you."

"To whom?" Nobita asked curiously. "Don't you believe in the Grim Reaper?"

“I will pray to him not to take your life today.”

……

When he looked at the water, Nobita thought he would be scared, but he was surprisingly calm, and even a little expectant.

Even the most skilled adventurers cannot explore the afterlife; not even the most powerful immortals possess such abilities. In other words, what is about to happen is something no woman in the entire universe will ever experience.

What awaits you when you fly past the end of death?

Will I ever see Grandma again?

He stood by the Fountain of Death, glanced back, and found everything around him blurred. Morudica and Narniadis were certainly still standing not far away, but their figures had become so distorted and unrecognizable, like how someone with 800 degrees of myopia would see without their glasses. Perhaps, at this moment, the boundary between life and death had quietly fallen, and in the eyes of the dead, the world of the living was no different from that of ghosts.

"call……"

No one knew how many times Da Xiong had taken a deep breath, gritted his teeth, and used all his strength to push his right leg under the water.

cold.

But he didn't feel any water; only cold, a cold that pierced his very bones. Despite applying deep-sea frostbite cream and using an acclimatization lamp beforehand, it didn't alleviate the chill. This biting cold made Nobita shiver. He tried to step on the bottom, but he couldn't feel anything at all. This tiny spring connected to an endless abyss below.

Narniadis seemed to be shouting something at him, but the sound was blocked by a force, and by the time it reached Nobita's ears, only a muffled tone remained. It was like an autumn breeze, blowing across seasons of time and space, onto his shoulder.

"That's a great idea..."

He gritted his teeth, deciding that a short, sharp pain was better than a long, drawn-out one, so he simply treated the place like his own bathhouse and immersed his entire body in the spring water.

As the perspective shifted, the black fluid engulfed most of his body. The chill never subsided, only reaching a barely tolerable level. He took one last look at the world of the living; the surrounding scenery had been reduced to a collection of dots and lines, and even the outlines of the two figures were indistinguishable. In that instant, all his attachment to life was sucked away, and a powerful inertia gripped his soul, whispering gently beside him.

Nobita closed his eyes, let go of her hands, and allowed his body to sink.

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.

There was no suffocation, only darkness. Every part of his body was enveloped in darkness, and even with his eyes open, he couldn't see his own fingers. So he simply closed his eyes completely and silently counted in his mind. When he reached the thirty-nine, perhaps his body had gotten used to the cold, and he began to feel warm and comfortable, allowing Nobita's tense body to relax.

Neither heaven nor hell existed; only darkness. He felt as if he had returned to a carefree winter afternoon in his childhood, lying on the tatami mat, doing nothing, thinking nothing, and simply drifting off to sleep. Outside, the cold wind howled, rattling against the window. Doraemon took out a small heater from the future, making the whole room warm and cozy. As soon as he opened his eyes, he saw that round, blue figure sitting beside him, just as bored as he was, reading a comic book.

The ultimate level of laziness is not being lazy alone, but having a friend with you, and feeling at ease being lazy.

Memories, like gentle tides, lapped against the beach called memory. Perhaps his body had fallen into a state of suspended animation, for images, like still photographs, began to appear before his eyes. Things he thought he had long forgotten now surfaced one after another like bubbles in beer.

In a daze, he saw many pairs of eyes: the expectant and hopeful eyes of his parents on the day he was born; the happy and carefree eyes of his childhood when they picnicked together on the hill behind the house; the serious eyes of the old man when the glass was shattered by a baseball; the heartfelt joy in his teacher's eyes when he scored 65 on a test; the somewhat comical eyes of Doraemon when he gave that "warm smile"... These eyes drifted in the darkness, watching him for a moment before disappearing into the next patch of darkness. Tears seemed to slide down his face; he reached out to wipe them away, but even the sensation of touch was taken away.

He wasn't sure if he had wiped away any tears, or if he had even raised his hand, or even if any tears had actually flowed down his cheeks.

Da Xiong suddenly felt very sad, an inexplicable sadness that overwhelmed him. He shouted loudly, but no sound came out.

So this is death in its physical form—saying goodbye to all the memories you cherish.

In the boundless darkness, he was like a tiny pixel on a black screen, so insignificant and negligible compared to the entire screen.

……

"Tap~~"

"Tap~~"

"Tap~~"

"Tap~~"

……

A rhythmic tapping sound came from a great distance, first indistinct, then gradually becoming clearer. Confused, Nobita barely recognized it as the sound of a kendama being struck, the wooden ball being repeatedly poked at the stick, producing a crisp, drum-like rhythm.

An elderly, hoarse voice began to sing a nursery rhyme.

"Hello, hello, Mr. Turtle, Mr. Turtle~~"

"In the vast world, all animals,"

"There's no one slower than you."

Why are you walking so slowly?

(The classic Japanese children's song "The Tortoise and the Hare")

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.

"It seems like something similar has happened before, I..." His muddled mind gradually cleared, and at the end of the darkness, Nobita saw a ray of light. Compared to the endless darkness, it was still very small, but it made him feel a warm comfort, just like he had experienced it long ago.

"That voice...is..."

"grandmother?"

……

"thump!"

The next moment, without warning, all his senses returned to Nobita. He had long forgotten how much time had passed; after overcoming death, he reappeared in a vast lake. Fortunately, he was not far from the shore, and after a couple of thrashings, he managed to grab onto a large rock; otherwise, given his poor swimming skills, he probably would have drowned there.

"It worked...? Did I really succeed?" Nobita couldn't believe it. Looking around, he found himself in a brand new world!

A pristine white-tailed deer was drinking from the lake, staring at him curiously, yet it wasn't frightened away. Its eyes were incredibly clear, as if they were...

An embodiment of pure goodness.

Chapter 146: The Use of [Origin Technology] is Prohibited!

Hi...hello.

Da Xiong trudged along the riverbed, sometimes sinking deep, sometimes sinking shallow, and using the stones for support, finally making his way ashore. The white-tailed deer, seeing him, didn't run away; instead, it curiously approached, nuzzling Da Xiong's trouser leg and licking his hand. The warm touch and temperature were completely unlike the deathly land he remembered, making Da Xiong momentarily think he'd come to the wrong place.

"However, one thing is certain..."

He shook his wet hair, tilted his head back, and the magnificent starry sky was reflected directly into his eyes. Accustomed to the smog of human cities and the often-unpleasant weather of the industrial world, seeing such a vast starry sky for the first time left Da Xiong speechless. Only at times like this did he regret not paying more attention in his Chinese literature class, not listening carefully, and learning more elegant expressions. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been struggling for so long, only able to come up with the single sentence, "So beautiful."

There are no clouds.

The sky is like a giant, transparent glass inverted on the earth, through which you can directly observe the most authentic appearance of the starry sky.

Nebulae fall like glittering pearls, their brilliance from the distant depths of space blooming like flowers, evoking a grand, epic romance.

Looking down at the ground, there were many plants that Nobita had never seen before, as well as some he was very familiar with—like the weeds that his mother always made him pull out, but which always kept growing back in the yard, growing here unremarkably. Various kinds of crystal-clear, delicate flowers, so tender that one couldn't bear to pick them, and distant trees laden with abundant fruit—taking a deep breath, Nobita actually experienced symptoms similar to "oxygen intoxication," feeling lightheaded.

Looking further into the distance, a colossal tree, defying description, stood at the edge of the horizon, its canopy adorned with concentric golden halos, its branches adorned with countless stars that seemed to pierce the sky. I had thought Yggdrasil was the largest plant I had ever seen, but compared to this, it was utterly insignificant.

"It's huge..." Nobita swallowed hard, looked around, and felt an indescribable sense of powerlessness rising in his heart. He subconsciously said, "Who on earth would use this place as a 'garden'?"

The white-tailed deer rubbed against his ankles, then circled behind him and gently nudged his back with its soft head.

"Huh? What's wrong?" Nobita asked curiously. "Do you want me to take you back? Do you have any companions in the forest?"

The white-tailed deer glanced at him, its small animal face displaying a surprisingly human-like expression of confusion, as if pondering why Nobita would ask such a foolish question. Then, it shook its head.