Nobita's Time Heist

Most human memories are actually linked to smell. The scent of a familiar aroma triggers a flood of memories, drawing one into a deep and uncontrollable recollection. Seeing an object or hearing a sound pales in comparison. Nobita smelled a warm scent, like sunflower seeds soaked in sunlight, or like a sun-dried quilt, exuding a comforting aroma. Before his brain could process it, tears streamed down his face like a burst dam, unstoppable. He hadn't smelled this scent in a long time, and Nobita, always driven by emotion rather than reason, instantly sensed that person's presence.

Soon, he remembered the source of the smell. Without any intention of being sentimental, tears welled up and flowed uncontrollably.

"grandmother……?"

……

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.

Just like in a dream, the world around him became clear—this was Nobita's bedroom on the first floor. The furniture, cabinets, and tatami mats all looked new, just as he remembered them from when his grandmother was still alive. The television was still a small screen. Nobita clearly remembered that when he was a freshman in high school, his family replaced this television with a new widescreen LCD model, and this old one wasn't thrown away but put in the storage room in the yard. For some reason, seeing the unique flickering screen of this small television and the slightly distorted sound made Nobita feel a deep sense of familiarity.

Tick, tick.

The old-fashioned clock ticks on the wall, making a distinctive sound, as if gently reminding people of the passage of time.

The familiar figure stood with her back to him, slightly hunched, humming a nursery rhyme that Nobita couldn't quite recall but knew perfectly well. Her hands moved nimbly as she sewed, seemingly mending something. Hearing Nobita's call, she turned around with the slow, deliberate movements characteristic of an elderly woman, her face bearing the same kind smile he remembered.

Nobita confirmed that the person in front of him was his grandmother from when he was about four years old.

"What... what is going on? If it's a dream, it's too vivid." Nobita looked at his hands in disbelief—but they weren't the hands of a four-year-old child. His appearance remained that of his real age, and in this state, he saw his grandmother who should have passed away.

"Grandma remembers... you and that chubby blue kid (referring to Doraemon; Nobita's grandma was one of the very few people in that era who knew about the time machine and Doraemon, and she took this little secret to her grave) came to visit Grandma before. It's been so long since I've seen you, Nobita has grown so tall." Grandma looked at him, her smile filled with deep emotion that words couldn't express. "...How have you been lately? Are you alright?"

"Recently?"

Upon hearing this question, Nobita gave a wry smile. To put it simply, he hadn't had a good night's sleep in the past two or three months. In his continuous adventures, he had encountered nothing but conspiracies, ambitions, and desires; and this time, there was even the shadow of war.

Nobita, along with his childhood friends, rushed around like firefighters, going wherever a fire broke out, without even a break. Fortunately, he had a commendable skill: falling asleep quickly and ensuring deep sleep. Even under immense pressure, Nobita was able to fall asleep quickly enough to avoid being swallowed by the vortex of stress.

After such exhausting firefighting efforts, all he wanted in the end was to restore everything to normal, to return to the carefree days when he could sleep soundly in class.

But he didn't know how to start the conversation.

People are always like this, especially when facing their loved ones and elders who care about them; they tend to only share good news and hide the bad. No matter how much hardship they've endured outside, they have to tell them everything before they come home, so as not to worry them. Besides, this isn't just ordinary pressure; if Grandma knew that I was risking my life every day, doing dangerous work, what would she think!

Even though what he was facing at that moment was just fragments of his subconscious, Nobita still didn't want to talk about it.

But in the eyes of the older generation, who had weathered many storms, Nobita's actions were actually quite understandable. So Grandma smiled, a smile of relief. She reached out her old, frail hand and gently stroked Nobita's head, saying softly, "It's been so hard, my Nobita... watching him grow up from such a small child, little by little."

"Grandma knows you must have encountered a lot of difficulties lately, otherwise, you wouldn't be here to see Grandma."

"..." Da Xiong pursed his lips. His honest nature made it impossible for him to lie to his grandmother, but he really didn't want to answer, so he could only remain silent.

"But, Nobita, life is sometimes like this; it's never smooth sailing. You may encounter difficulties, and even after giving it your all, you may still face failures that leave you unable to recover. But Grandma believes that Nobita will be fine. No matter what difficulties you encounter, no matter how many times you fail, you will be able to get back up."

"Because Nobita has already made a promise with Grandma that he will become Mr. Tumbler, right?"

"Mr. Tumbler..."

Fresh memories, along with the smells, entered Nobita's mind.

It was a promise made before Doraemon arrived. Although Nobita always lived a lazy life and only had a short attention span for everything, he was inferior to children his age in almost everything—studies, sports, socializing, hobbies, etc. The scolding from teachers and the disappointment from his parents kept him in an environment where he was almost never affirmed by anyone.

Even so, Nobita never completely gave up on himself.

After Doraemon came, I sometimes found it incredible: even though I was no good at anything and had no motivation to do anything, I didn't give up on myself to a very serious degree, and I was still able to maintain my kind personality.

Because his grandmother once told him, "Mr. Tumbler is very powerful. No matter how many times he falls down, he can always get back up and continue to face challenges."

That's the attitude we need to have towards life.

"I understand, Grandma. I knew it... I still can't let go of my friends, Sugi, Shizuka, Gian, Suneo, and... and many new people I've met. They're still waiting for me there." Nobita composed himself, recalling the world of life and death, and nodded again. "I have to go back."

"I see." Grandma nodded, a relieved and satisfied smile on her face. "As expected of... my Nobita."

"Take this with you before you go, Grandma has mended it for you."

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.

She handed him the patched-up plush bear. Da Xiong was taken aback at first, but when his memory and the touch connected, his eyes, which had calmed down, welled up with tears again.

"grandmother……"

"Don't be afraid, Da Xiong, don't be afraid." Grandma stood up shakily, just as she always did when he was about to enter the night and go to sleep alone, gently comforting and encouraging him.

"Grandma will always be here, watching over you."

Chapter 300: Goodbye at the End of the World

"Quick! Make way, make way, make way! A patient is here!"

They rushed to Nobita's place in a flurry. Before the car had even come to a complete stop, Gian hurriedly carried Nobita off the back of his car and chased away the monsters who had come to watch the spectacle.

To be precise, like Booghinosuke, they are a type of yokai called "Bunkoku Chagama," whose appearance is somewhere between a teapot and a tanuki (raccoon dog), with an endearing, round, plush toy-like appearance. They live together in a huge, dilapidated temple, much like Gian's uncle's house in the countryside, only a neglected and dilapidated version, with a huge and tranquil Buddha statue.

These little monsters have no intention of harming people; relatively speaking, they are one of the more friendly groups of monsters towards humans.

However, their curiosity was simply too strong. Hearing the roar of the engine from afar, they emerged from every corner of the temple to forcefully surround the group of outsiders. Even Gian's repeated attempts to shoo them away were to no avail. It was only when Buji no Suke led the way and communicated in their unique language that the other monsters reluctantly and slowly dispersed.

To be precise, they "roll" them, their round bodies seemingly designed for this purpose. A whole bunch of tea kettles rolled around, making a metallic clanging sound, which was quite amusing.

Led by Buji, they passed through the Buddhist hall and came to a tightly closed door. Gian, without thinking, kicked open the nearly collapsing wooden door. He rushed in, only to be met with a mouthful of dust, coughing repeatedly.

What comes into view is a long-forgotten cutting board, cleaver, pots and pans, and a large black pot.

"kitchen?"

Fat Tiger was initially confused. In his fixed mindset, if there were also highly respected elders in the tea keg, they should be living in the monks' rooms in the temple. How could they be in such a small and dark kitchen?

Until the vegetable basket overturned, an even larger teapot slowly rolled out. Its fur was different from its kind; it was a metallic bronze color. The part of its body that resembled a "teapot" had more intricate patterns and designs, forming a continuous, wondrous landscape painting. The bamboo basket that had originally been used to hold vegetables had been transformed into its own comfortable little nest. Only then did Fat Tiger realize that these monsters' habits might not be the same as humans'. Based on what he saw, they seemed more like cats or similar animals.

"Bokuboku, boku! Bokubokuboku——"

Buji no Suke rushed forward, urgently explaining something. Before he could finish, Gian gently put Nobita down from his back, then knelt down without hesitation before the ball of yarn. This kneeling surprised most people, especially Asur. In her mind, Gian had always been an extremely fierce and tough guy; she had never imagined him kneeling before anyone, pleading so humbly.

In fact, when faced with such a choice, Fat Tiger has always been quite decisive. When the group of five was unexpectedly teleported to Green Star, he knelt down before Princess Lily without hesitation.

Saving face is important, but ensuring everyone gets home safely is even more important. It's in critical moments that a person's sense of responsibility and loyalty becomes truly apparent. He prioritizes the team's needs over his own.

But before he could make his request, the large ball of fur interrupted him with a heavy, drum-like sound.

"Don't rush to beg me, human." The elder whistled, and a group of small tea kettles emerged from some corner. One of them flipped onto the stove, rolled around, and "swept" everything off. The remaining tea kettles hurriedly gathered around Da Xiong's body and carried him onto the empty stove.

With a light leap, the elder displayed a lightness that seemed disproportionate to its size, and hopped directly to Nobita's side, brushing his face with its soft, round tail.

"The magic that the demon king practices has no precedent in the demon realm, and he is probably the only one who knows how to counter it. All I can do is keep him alive for a while. When the time comes, his soul and body will completely separate, and he will die completely."

Even so, can you accept this?

……

At this moment, Shizuka suddenly had a strange realization—so this is what people feel when they hear the attending physician say the worst-case scenario before sending their family members to the operating table, when they hear something like "the best outcome is a vegetative state."

Anxiety, despair, pain, burning with impatience, wanting to cry but unable to, yet having to make this life-altering decision in a very short time.

Considering her age, she was only in high school, yet she was being forced to experience this feeling, which made her feel somewhat both amused and exasperated.

"Let's try to stall for as long as possible." In the end, she sighed, and like countless other families in the hospital who were trapped in despair but still hoping for a miracle, she said in a low voice, "We...we'll figure out what to do later."

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.

Pushing open the door, the light from outside was blindingly bright, and Nobita saw a world crumbling apart.

"This...this is..."

Since childhood, he had witnessed many strange things, so ordinary anomalies wouldn't frighten him. But this time was completely different. The world before his eyes was both familiar and strange. The streets, landscapes, and buildings were all the same; it was still the familiar Tsukimidai town he remembered. Looking from the direction of his house, following the main road, he could see the thousand-year-old cedar trees on the top of the mountain behind it. When he was in elementary school, they walked this road to school every morning.

However, looking in the direction of the road, what finally met the eye was not that thousand-year-old cedar, but another huge tree.

With golden branches, the rising sun as its crown, and the Milky Way as its fruit, it stands silently atop the highest point of the back mountain, appearing both near and far, elusive and unpredictable, like a divine revelation. Abundant life force emanates from this center, spreading in all directions. This feeling is somewhat similar to the atmosphere his grandmother had just given him—both are bathed in the warmth of sunlight.

However, the fact that the world is crumbling will not change.

Houses, roads, walls, telephone poles… everything in sight, with form, is silently crumbling. Like a jigsaw puzzle, tiny fragments break apart, as if draped in a hazy golden light, flying into the sky and disappearing into the clouds. These fragments, detached from the material world, accumulate, dyeing the entire sky and clouds a brilliant gold, giving one the illusion of being in a dream.

Nobita was somewhat taken aback. Looking back, he saw that his own house was no exception. Starting from the red roof, it crumbled bit by bit, as if it had entered the recycling station called "Sky" along with the whole world.

"grandmother!"

Although he knew perfectly well that this scene might just be some kind of warning, he still turned back abruptly and pounded on the door. But this time, no door was willing to open for him. The old house where he had lived for more than ten years was now tightly shut, and all the curtains had fallen by themselves, as if intentionally preventing him from seeing what was happening inside.

……

As if sensing something, some thought compelled him to turn around. The man who had appeared once in Asur's dream was now standing behind him, in front of the "Nobi" family's gate, quietly watching him.

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.

"Hello, Nobita, as promised..."

"We met again at the end of the world."

Chapter 301: Subtle Clues

"Certainly!"

With a soft shout from the elder, the countless magic arrays attached to Da Xiong's body began to operate easily, like gears of various sizes meshing together. A vibrant emerald light enveloped him, creating chains that firmly bound his body, fixing him to the stove that was originally meant for cooking.

"Phew... finally... this kid isn't normal. There's something in his soul; ordinary binding techniques are useless." The elder was clearly exhausted; when he jumped down from the stove, his movements weren't as light and powerful as before, and he was panting heavily as he spoke. He complained at first, but ultimately, he still had a hint of showing off his skills.

"Fortunately, I am more skilled and managed to save him from the edge of the Sanzu River."

"Bokuboku! Boku!" Bokunosuke didn't hold back his praise. Although there were no specific words, his admiration could still be heard from the fluctuations in his voice.

"Wait a minute... How is Nobita now? Has he been resurrected?" Gian still couldn't relax. He reached out and patted Nobita's cheek, but Nobita remained unresponsive, like Snow White after taking a bite out of a poisoned apple. "He doesn't seem to have changed much from before."

“I think I’ve already told you the worst-case scenario, young human.” The elder looked at Nobita lying on the stove with his round eyes hidden under his fur and sighed, “‘Binding Cloth’ is a secret technique of the Bunfu Chagama clan. It can keep the soul from leaving the body temporarily, but it has no effect on bringing the dead back to life. In the end, the human soul is a rather elusive thing.”

"The spell he is under is quite special, and our clan cannot analyze it. There are countless possibilities that have led to his current situation."

With a single sentence, the atmosphere, which had just eased somewhat, plummeted back to freezing point. Like those family members who chose to gamble on the operating table, endured those agonizing minutes, and faced the stark reality of a shattered and reborn fantasy, a sense of powerlessness permeated her entire being. Shizuka unconsciously began biting her nails—something she would never do in public.

"Then, Elder, what about Nobita...?" Lingyin's tone was somewhat humble. She was asking about Nobita, but even more so about herself, "Approximately how much time does he have left?"

"It's hard to say, at least a day and a night. Any longer, and I can't guarantee it." The elder turned his furry body. "If there are no other changes, this day and a night will be the boy's last days. Do whatever you want with him. This room is yours."

"Puji no Suke, don't bother them, come with me."

"bokuboku?" Bujinosuke seemed not to understand why he had to leave. He looked back at the others, and after his confusion, he followed the elder.

The door was gently closed, and a terrifying silence instantly engulfed everything.

"So, that's it?" At this moment, Gian felt a sense of disbelief. "We failed?"

From childhood to adulthood, the five-member team has never failed in any adventure. Difficulties are inevitable, of course, but they always manage to bounce back, sometimes even defeating the boss in the process. A situation like this, where they are forced to scatter under immense pressure from the enemy, has never occurred before.

In the near future, there may even be casualties in the team.

"Yes, I'm sorry, it failed. I'm the one who dragged you all into this. I just wanted to... find a way to keep both sides going." Lingyin let out a long sigh, revealing a dejected expression. The huge sense of defeat hit her hard, and without realizing it, she no longer referred to herself as "this concubine," but reverted to her most basic "I."

"Soon, after Hyakume-oh wins against Kogane, he will definitely launch the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons. He will use this opportunity to absorb human souls on a large scale as a springboard for his next phase of plans... although no one knows exactly what he is going to do."

"In his eyes, humans and monsters alike are just tools that can be used."

……

"No, it's not over yet! We can't just give up like this!" Fat Tiger gritted his teeth. With the team in dire straits, he burned his inner fire and desperately came up with an idea. "The Hundred-Eyed King is not invincible. You said before that someone had attacked him before, right?"

“Yes, it is, but…” Lingyin was somewhat surprised by his idea, “This matter itself happened in a place quite far away from us, it’s a story from the universe.”

"Never mind that, just tell me whether you won or not?"

“It’s less about winning or losing, and more about how we’ve brought him to the brink of death. He had no choice but to flee to Earth for refuge.” Lingyin wasn’t optimistic about this far-fetched plan and shook her head. “But… do you know how vast the universe is? The only clues I have are vague descriptions like ‘wearing a red robe and having horns on his forehead.’ I don’t even know his name. Let alone whether we can find him or not, even if we do find him in the end, it will definitely exceed the time limit.”

"Besides, how do you know what his motives were for fighting King Hundred Eyes in the first place? So much time has passed, and perhaps the interests of both sides have changed. Even if we did find it, could we convince him to risk his life for another battle?"

"To take it a step further, how can you guarantee that the person who defeated King Hundred Eyes is a 'good person' according to human moral definitions?"

You can't blame him for being argumentative. Fat Tiger's desperate idea was essentially placing his last hope on a super low-probability event: that the one who would defeat the Hundred-Eyed King would happen to be a righteous hero who wasn't after any personal gain, that he would happen to receive the message he sent out in the vast universe, that he would happen to arrive here within 24 hours, and that he would happen to resolve everything without expecting anything in return before the deadline.

No matter how you look at it, it seems somewhat unrealistic.

"Sigh... If only I had the Holy Grail at a time like this..."

"The Holy Grail?" Rinne's tone became sensitive. "I think I've heard of such a thing."

“I’ve seen it in other people’s dreams.” When all other options were exhausted, Asur also broke down a bit. He didn’t care so much about his disguise anymore. He sat cross-legged and said what he had witnessed when he was still holding a priesthood: “Seven people get together and fight. The last winner gets a chance to make a wish… or something like that.”

"Make a wish?" Fat Tiger immediately perked up. "How do we do that? Is it too late to do it now?"

It was obviously too late, so Asur could only sigh and say nothing more.

However, what she just said has already served as a starting point for further discussion.

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 right, Asur-chan! It's a wish! It's a wish!" Shizuka's tone suddenly changed, as if she had grasped the last glimmer of hope for a comeback in a desperate situation. Overly excited, her face flushed instantly, and she almost couldn't breathe. "You're amazing, Asur-chan, you're amazing! Maybe... maybe it really can work!"

"Someone still owes Nobita three wishes!"