Nobita's Time Heist

"No?" This answer surprised Nobita. "But I remember you guys are social animals, aren't you?"

The white-tailed deer nodded first, then shook its head, continuing to nudge Da Xiong with its head, urging him to move forward.

However, before he could take a step, even stronger and more powerful footsteps came from not far away.

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 a powerful creature!

Pushing aside the grass and bushes, a heavily armored knight emerged. He was a good three meters tall, reminding Nobita of Gian—if he could train for three years in a place like Fist of the North Star, he would probably be just as strong when he came back.

Resembling a small mountain of muscles, coupled with a suit of golden armor reflecting a misty aura, he was roughly the same size as the knight before him. Upon closer inspection, his armor was not metal, but some kind of wood material that shimmered with golden light; however, even at a glance, one could discern the words "indestructible."

His mount, half dragon and half horse, had a fierce look in its eyes.

Although it was a four-legged animal, Nobita sensed that it was suppressing its true nature; if it were to run freely, it might even be able to fly. There were no reins or anything between the knight and the dragon horse, yet they understood each other's intentions and walked slowly towards Nobita, step by step.

"Boom!"

"Boom!"

"Boom!"

……

The footsteps, like an earthquake, were incredibly imposing. Da Xiong had no doubt that if this dragon-horse got close and kicked out, it could shatter his skull—its muscular legs and hooves, even without horseshoes, slammed to the ground with a dull thud, were enough to demonstrate its terrifying power. He instinctively reached into his pocket, but his mind went blank; he suddenly didn't know what to pull out.

Is it an air cannon? Or is it a translation of konjac chips?

Should we remain on guard, or should we communicate?

Hesitantly, time passed, and the enormous knight stood before Nobita. His helmet, like a red-hot furnace, reflected light and, in its silence, exuded an unimaginable, terrifying oppressive aura. Together with his mount, he stood approximately five meters tall, enough to cast a shadow completely obscuring Nobita.

The white-tailed deer, however, seemed completely unafraid. It excitedly ran over and rubbed its head against the dragon horse's hard hooves as a sign of friendliness.

"Um... um... hello." Da Xiong froze on the spot. At this distance, he didn't even have time to take out his gadgets. The other party had a million ways to kill him. It was impossible not to be nervous. When he was nervous, he couldn't even speak clearly. "You might not believe it, but... strictly speaking, I'm not actually an intruder. I came from that lake, through a darkness. The immortals said that passing through death would lead to the garden. They also called me some kind of Heavenly Revelation. It's funny, isn't it? Hahaha, I don't even know what I am."

"If you mind, I can go back the way I came, really! It's no problem at all, I can just jump into the lake..."

"A servant of God." A powerful voice suddenly came from beneath the furnace-like helmet, perfectly matching the impression given by his physique. "He is waiting for you under the tree."

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.

These words were like a thunderclap, snapping Da Xiong's muddled mind and bringing him to a slightly clearer state of mind.

Since entering the magical world, strange titles have been piling up one after another. "Ping Tianqi," "Holder of Divine Blood"—it's as if overnight he's become some kind of great figure destined to save the world. The higher these titles pile up, the stronger Da Xiong's fear becomes, as if an invisible responsibility has fallen on his shoulders without his knowledge.

However, on this continent where he had no knowledge whatsoever, he seemed to have no other choice but to follow this mysterious knight.

"It feels like the same scenario has happened so many times already, without any explanation, and they just tell me to follow along... Sigh..."

With a sigh, Nobita could only try to keep up on foot, but he soon discovered that Ryoma's pace was unbelievably fast, especially considering he had four legs. His own two legs had to struggle, and in the end, he had to jog just to barely keep up. After only a few steps, he was already panting heavily.

Looking up again, the distance to the giant tree in the distance seemed not to have shortened at all.

"Seriously? I have to run all the way there?!" Nobita was already out of breath. "B-Can I use the Bamboo Copter? It's a gadget from the future, it's really convenient, you know. Just wear it on your head, press a button, and you can fly..."

"no!"

Unexpectedly, the knight's refusal was very straightforward, leaving no room for compromise.

"This is his back garden, right here..."

"All [Origin Technology] is prohibited!"

Chapter 147: The Sower

"Ah... what is Origin Technology again? There are more unfamiliar terms now."

The knight didn't answer his question. Ascending his dragon horse, he stared at Nobita for a moment, then whistled. From the forest, a white steed galloped swiftly, its physique incredibly well-proportioned and elegant, reminding Nobita of the white Arabian horse Arthur rode when they first met in the snowy mountains, but even more crystalline, as if transformed from snowflakes.

It stopped in front of Da Xiong and squatted down on its own initiative.

"Is that alright?" Da Xiong was somewhat surprised. He couldn't help but reach out and stroke the horse's mane, which was as soft as a young girl's hair.

"As a member of the family, your physical strength is surprisingly weak," the knight commented. "But everyone here likes you very much... that's probably your talent."

"Everyone?" Da Xiong carefully straddled the horse, afraid of crushing its mane, and gently patted it from the side. "Including you?"

"Everyone," the knight gestured around, "every flower, every blade of grass, every tree here possesses sentience, can respond to the outside world, and can communicate with one another. They are endowed with wisdom and would never accept those who are corrupt. You have clearly mastered the power of the gods, yet your heart has not been tainted by desires; you have already surpassed many of your peers."

"I've always wanted to ask, what exactly is 'the servants of the gods'? It might be a bit rude of me to say this, but before we arrived, I was told that this place should be some kind of death god's territory." Nobita's body language was quite rich, mainly because what he saw and heard in the Eternal Temple was too abstract, and he felt that he couldn't express himself properly without some sign language.

"There's a spring that they extracted after personifying the concept of death. An ordinary person would die if they just touched it, but I can jump in and come here unharmed. Are you sure this isn't the River of Three Crossings or the Land of the Dead? The scenery is too beautiful!"

"..."

The knight remained silent for a moment, and from beneath his furnace helmet, a probing gaze seemed to sweep over him.

"What do you think the afterlife should be like? Grim, terrifying, cold, with Yama, the King of Hell, who rips out people's tongues?"

"You are a member of God's family, don't you know the truth?"

"What truth?" Nobita didn't refute the "favor of the gods" point. He had already vaguely sensed that it was precisely because of this identity that he had such convenient personal escorts. Until he met that so-called "god," he should let it remain ignorant for now.

Even so, one can't help but be curious about the truth he tells.

"Life is a cycle, the origin is the end, and the end is the origin. In other words, the God who gives life to all things is the 'Grim Reaper' that people talk about. In the end, all intelligent souls will return to this place, return to His hands."

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 wasn't until this moment that Da Xiong suddenly realized what the complex and varied statues in the Eternal Temple meant, and why they worshipped the God of Death.

Without death, how can there be life?

Life is a continuous cycle, repeating and replicating itself over and over again, forming human history. On a cosmic scale, it may not seem long, but within this relatively short span of time, human desires have expanded, leading to the creation of one deity after another, to whom people pray. Take his homeland, for example; the earliest Shintoism believed that eight million gods existed in the world, and that even the smallest speck of dust might harbor a god.

However, to put it bluntly, the vast majority of people's prayers are false.

Except for Death.

His miracles are being shown to people day and night; he alone is the most real being!

……

True to its name, the garden was filled with strange creatures that Nobita couldn't quite describe along the way. They lived in harmony in the dense forest, and some of them had structures that were very different from what Nobita knew, making them seem like ancient species from before the extinction of the dinosaurs.

The white horse beneath him trotted steadily, gently swaying. In such a beautiful setting, with the faint fragrance of flowers and the refreshing air, Nobita, who had been detached from the series of complex events that had just transpired, found himself drowsy, his eyelids drooping.

"Well... I haven't had much rest lately, I've been working non-stop, and I'm really at my limit..." The sleepier he felt, the sleepier he became. Da Xiong couldn't help but yawn and lean against the horse's back. The white horse's back was softer than he had imagined, and the mane felt slightly itchy, but when sleepiness came, these details became insignificant.

"Remember to call me when you get there..."

Because he was so exhausted, Nobita performed beyond his usual level this time, finishing in less than 0.93 seconds. He fell asleep as soon as he lowered his head.

Neither hurried nor slow, they walked step by step. The plants in the dense forest seemed to sense their presence and made way for them. The knight was used to this and, like a precise machine, maneuvered his dragon horse, each step landing with perfect accuracy. After an unknown amount of time, Da Xiong on horseback began to breathe evenly and slowly, having entered the deep water.

A large tree, radiating a golden halo, stood before me.

……

“I have brought him, the Creator of all things…”

The knight dismounted and gently embraced Nobita. The difference in their body proportions made the young Nobita look like a sleeping child in his arms.

He held Da Xiong's body tightly with his arms, lifting him up like a lamb offered to the enormous shadow standing beneath the tree—a massive vortex formed entirely of golden light, spinning ceaselessly. Within the vortex, stars seemed to rise and then vanish with the flow of light, their mystery obscured.

"[The Sower]".

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 warm touch felt like being bathed in the breath of God.

"Hmm...have we arrived?" Noticing the change in his surroundings, Nobita rubbed his eyes, yawned, and turned around to find himself lying peacefully on the ground, his hands clasped together like a mummy. It was less like he was asleep and more like his heartbeat and breathing had stopped.

The impact of this scene was so strong that Nobita couldn't even believe he was seeing himself lying there from a third-person perspective. He exclaimed, "I... I'm dead?!"

"That depends on how you define death."

……

Nobita couldn't tell whether it was a dream or reality.

The light, initially only the size of a firefly, gradually grew larger as it approached him. Within the golden vortex of light, a somewhat familiar voice slowly emerged. He felt an overwhelming sense of familiarity with the voice, as if many wise people he remembered were speaking simultaneously, their voices blended together. Among them was even Xiaoshan's unique, clear, youthful voice.

"You humans always like to view the world from a material perspective. From this perspective, any life can be broken down to the scale of microscopic particles, and no one can say that these particles are 'alive.' Therefore, perhaps it can be argued that you have never been alive from the very beginning..."

In other words, you will never die.

The golden light shifted and sculpted into a boy wearing an olive branch on his head, who waved to Nobita and laughed, "Yo, Nobita."

"We've met again."

Chapter 148: One and Five

"...???"

Like a jigsaw puzzle that has been scrambled, after gathering clues and trying each piece one by one, it finally begins to take shape, and we are about to glimpse a corner of what the puzzle originally looked like.

The fragments in Nobita's mind were pieced together, and in a moment of sudden realization, he felt that all of this was both incredibly unbelievable and incredibly reasonable. The shepherd boy in front of him was still smiling, and his current appearance was undoubtedly a kind of "mimicry." This outfit, which looked like it had been directly taken from the body of a medieval prophet, was indeed something he had seen somewhere before.

My childhood, Key City.

Because they misread the asteroid's code, by some incredible stroke of luck, they somehow managed to overcome all the obstacles set up by the Seeder and arrive at his "backyard." On a planet teeming with plants, Nobita imbued his toys with life, and these living toys piqued the Seeder's interest. With the help of lightning strikes, he infused them with intelligence, making them beings worthy of being called "species."

For Nobita, the adventure in Key City held a special significance. For the first time, he glimpsed the secrets of the depths of the starry sky—God exists, unlike the figures people believe in, but He truly exists. God doesn't seem to consider Himself God, but simply calls Him the "Sower," spreading life throughout the vast universe.

Earth, this oasis in the boundless black desert, everything that I love, hate, and am indifferent to, was originally born from the tiny seed sprinkled by this golden light.

He told Nobita that seeds had been sown on both Mars and Earth, but the environment in space was far more ferocious than humans imagined. A single asteroid impact could destroy the slow journey of evolution. Even if they succeeded and evolved complex, intelligent life, they would still constantly be walking down the wrong path. Just like humanity today, the excessive exploitation of resources and the wanton plundering of the environment are all signs that could lead to extinction.

However, regardless of the circumstances, Earth at this stage is far from being condemned to death. Whether it successfully evolves and ventures into space, or is destroyed and enters the next cycle of life's evolution, it is humanity's own choice.

Before parting, the Sower told him that he was about to go to the next suitable place to sow seeds. He didn't deal with Kumagawa Nogoro himself, but instead handed this human representing "evil" over to Nobita and his friends as a small trial. With a little thought, Nobita and his friends won the battle. Evil was judged, and Kumagawa Nogoro was restored to a good individual. It seemed to be another great victory for justice.

However, every night, Nobita would recall that conversation with God.

As a human being, how much has he done for his home planet?

Clearly, we are not yet at the point where we can openly speak to this deity again.

……

"The Seeder?" Nobita's voice trembled slightly. Perhaps it was the age that made him more aware of what the other party's actions truly meant. "This...this place...this is clearly another universe already, how could you..."

“‘Traveling through parallel universes’ isn’t your exclusive right, Nobita.” The Seeder, as always, casually conjured a comfortable stone stool and sat down without a care in the world. He showed no airs of a god, and instead laughed, “Don’t be so reserved. Didn’t you have a pleasant chat with my clone not long ago?”

Not long ago?

The last time I spoke to him was almost ten years ago. For humans, that's a long time. Perhaps for gods, it really is just a fleeting moment.

"A clone?" Nobita caught the more crucial word and exclaimed in surprise, "Was the one we met in Key City just your clone?"

“This is one.” The Sower smiled and held up one finger, then clenched his left hand into a fist and gestured in front of Nobita. “This is ten thousand. To me, there is no difference, understand? I said ‘clones’ to make it easier for you to understand. In essence, they are all me, and I am all them.”

"What happened to humanity? Have they left Earth?"

"No, rather..." Nobita sighed and said with some helplessness, "I really doubt how people in the 22nd century suddenly became so powerful."

"How many is this?" The sower held up one finger in front of him, as if asking a question he already knew the answer to.

"Again?" Nobita didn't know what he was trying to say, so he could only honestly answer, "Probably... once?"

"How many is this?" He opened his left fist.

"five."

Is it one of the top five, or one of the top five?

"Why ask such a primary school question? Of course, it's the Five Greats!" Da Xiong hesitated for a few seconds when he saw his smiling face. "But... let me confirm first, this isn't some kind of riddle or puzzle, is it? I'm particularly bad at these kinds of things."

“Of course not.” The Seeder waved a raised finger at him and laughed. “This one is a human.”

"And these five fingers are your 'partners'... Sky people, sea people, underground people, dog people, mermaids, due to various coincidences, have squeezed onto the same train as humans. But the direction of the train is firmly in the hands of humans, who endlessly demand and treat everything as a commodity for their own benefit. War, violence, death, and large-scale bloodshed artificially created are quite rare in nature."

"You understand humans, Nobita. Where do you think they'll take the train if things continue like this?"

The sower was still smiling, but at this moment, his smile truly made Nobita realize the unpredictability of divinity.

"Is it an ideal land without strife? Or... in the depths of space, like a candle blown out by the wind, silently extinguished?"

Hearing him say it so casually, Da Xiong suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.

Yes.

Survival is so easy that everyone seems to take it for granted. They overlook the fact that the everyday world could collapse in the next second. Like the nascent life sown on Mars, which, like Earth, evolved for billions of years, was so easily destroyed by a single asteroid.