Nobita's Time Heist

Nobita took out another "Universal Pass," swiped it at the elevator entrance, and with a beep, the indicator light turned green, opening the door through the proper procedure. Before stepping inside, he tapped his head with the clone hammer, sending only one clone into the elevator. Before the heavy elevator doors closed, the two clones exchanged a glance and nodded slightly to each other.

NERV's headquarters is located in a world underground, and the deepest secret of the base is buried underground.

The elevator's roar echoed through the hollow, like a train heading towards hell. After a long wait, Nobita watched as the distance to the ground gradually increased on the display screen, finally stopping at a breathtaking "?? meters".

Ding----

The door opening notification sound was still crisp and clear.

The lowest level of NERV headquarters, the very center of all secrets, is only open to a select few. And if we're talking about who truly knows its purpose, considering the entire organization, it's probably only Gendo Ikari.

The space was far more spacious than Nobita had imagined, making him think of the underground kingdom where the Dinosaur Empire was located. If it weren't so dark, it might not seem like such a bad place.

A dark red cross stood tall in the very center of this underground world. It should be said that this cross, along with the white giant whose torso was pinned to it by a spear, were the secrets this underground world couldn't bear to see the light of day. Nobita didn't know how to describe what he saw; at first glance, it sent chills down his spine—it was utterly grotesque.

"..."

cross.

giant.

A mask with seven eyes.

Countless frail legs and feet extended from its broken end.

Blood that glowed with an eerie light, like orange juice.

These elements combined to make even the well-informed Nobita gasp. The giant's face was covered by a mask with seven eyes, a spear was driven into her chest, and orange blood flowed silently down. The designer seemed to have anticipated this, setting up a sufficiently deep channel directly below the cross to collect the blood into a bright orange lake.

Somehow, Nobita had already decided that this strange-looking giant creature was "her".

She is still alive.

Moreover... its vitality is exceptionally strong.

Chapter 352: Killing Intent

“Two minutes ago, an access request came from the lowest level, the Final Dogma area, and the system recognized it as a valid request. If nothing unexpected happens, at this very moment, that requester is already inside the Final Dogma area…” Ritsuko hesitated for a moment, then lowered her voice as much as possible and whispered in Gendo Ikari’s ear, “I saw ‘that’.”

“Clang…Clang…”

The elevator was deathly silent as it slowly descended.

When the Angels attacked, Gendo Ikari remained calm; when Unit-01 and Unit-00 were defeated, he remained calm; when Misato Katsuragi, who was in charge of negotiations, went missing, he remained calm. Throughout this series of unexpected events, he demonstrated the qualities of a competent leader, his actions flawless and executed to the highest standards, causing Ritsuko's admiration for him to grow even stronger. It seemed that no matter the situation, this man could always handle it perfectly with composure.

However, when he heard that just two minutes earlier someone had touched that forbidden area, he finally fell from his divine throne, revealing the panic unique to "human beings."

Without having time to explain anything, he abandoned everyone and headed straight for the Final Dogma section. If Fuyutsuki hadn't run away a few times and slipped in just as the elevator doors were closing, he might have been left outside.

“Theoretically speaking, no one with access to the Final Dogma Zone could exceed the size of this hand.” Vice Commander Fuyutsuki, being older and having stayed up all night, was panting heavily after the strenuous activity. “What do you think? Is it possible it could be him?”

"..." In just a few minutes, Gendo Ikari calmed down again, his clenched fist slowly relaxing. "How is the condition of the living Lilith (Second Angel) that we've stored? Has she been affected?"

"At least not yet." Ritsuko used her ultra-thin military handheld tablet to pull up the surveillance footage from the Final Dogma district—the white giant, only half-body, was still nailed to the red cross, his face covered by a mask, and he hadn't moved an inch.

"Perhaps that outsider is still inside. If we send the special SWAT team down, maybe they can take him down..."

"This is the most absurd idea I've heard all day. This is NERV's top secret since its inception, and our last trump card to maintain the EVA series. Fuyutsuki, are you really going to let a bunch of ordinary people witness her true face?" Before Fuyutsuki could finish speaking, Gendo Ikari interrupted her mercilessly, "Since he can come and go freely here, from this moment on, we must be mentally prepared for him to know all our secrets."

"Right now, I'm more concerned about the safety of another place."

……

Laboratory Number Three, Institute of Artificial Evolution. Underground.

The core production workshop of the puppet system.

Above the workshop, the winding, spiraling lead pipes twisted together, forming a strange shape resembling a human brain.

"drop--!"

As the button was pressed, the floorboards in the dimly lit room rumbled and rose. Before the three appeared a vast vat of orange liquid, seemingly the same substance that had gushed from the Second Angel's massive body when it was impaled. Immersed in this orange liquid were hundreds, even thousands, of girls with identical bodies and appearances—Rei Ayanami. They all remained 14 years old, floating freely within it, preserving an almost primal, unknowing state.

"Gududu..."

A string of bubbles rose to the surface.

Seemingly sensing the footsteps and the change in outside light, the girls soaking in the vat opened their eyes, and from this wondrous liquid came a soft, bell-like laugh.

No matter how beautiful the sound, in such an environment, it will only send chills down your spine.

“'Production workshop'... How ironic.” Even though he was one of the insiders, seeing this scene up close still gave Fuyutsuki goosebumps. He said, “Only places that produce parts are called 'workshops'. These kids are ultimately just replaceable parts in the giant EVA machine.”

“That’s just how it is, Vice Commander Fuyutsuki.” Ritsuko’s gaze towards them carried a hint of resentment, but it had nothing to do with lofty reasons like science or ethics; it was more like the naked, undisguised hatred between women. “They don’t possess human will. If I had to describe them, I would prefer to call them ‘human-shaped containers.’ They are tools to replace Rei Ayanami’s body in case of irreplaceable damage, for example.”

"Because... if you have feelings for tools, wouldn't that become fetishism?"

……

Gendo Ikari took a deep breath, and seeing with his own eyes that these creations were safe and sound, he was completely relieved from his tense state.

"Could we temporarily move them out of the base?"

"..." Upon hearing this, Ritsuko's expression froze slightly. Her brows furrowed, and she subconsciously bit her lip, revealing a somewhat aggrieved expression. Unconsciously, her gaze towards the girl immersed in the liquid escalated from resentment to hatred.

But she quickly composed herself, shaking her head and saying, "LCL liquid isn't the problem; it's just that such a large-scale transfer is bound to leave a trace. Even the people at SEELE don't know the specifics of the puppet system's core production. In any case, cloning technology isn't widely accepted internationally at this stage. I'm worried that if the higher-ups find out..."

……

Gendo Ikari glanced at her, his expression somber, and added, "Ritsuko, you've misunderstood. What I mean is, as 'strategic resources,' they are important."

“Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. The base is no longer safe. These clones are our trump card in this critical moment of our game against SEELE, and they must not be destroyed. Therefore, I need to move them to a safe and reliable place to retrieve the soul of the first chosen one.”

"The application to open the Final Dogma area was submitted four minutes ago. In other words, he must still be in that area right now. Speed ​​is of the essence. Take this opportunity to load these clones into the cockpits and transport them out under the guise of strategic materials. There are countless strategic materials operating simultaneously in this base. They won't be detected if they're mixed in with the others."

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's impossible to be discovered."

……

As he said this, Nobita stood opposite Gendo Ikari, wearing a stone hat.

Even with all-powerful gadgets from the future, Nobita rarely intends to harm others, let alone "kill" them. In his view, unless it's a conflict between different races, like the Demon King Daimao, who's clearly aiming to destroy you, then he wouldn't resort to killing. Otherwise, he hopes to achieve the perfect ending without anyone getting hurt.

Making dumplings may be a bit old-fashioned, but everyone's safety is the most important thing.

but……

"Click!"

He once again took out the revolver Arthur had given him. For some reason, among so many weapons from the future, he had chosen this one, a gift from 1899. Perhaps deep down, he vaguely believed that this weapon would only be used when judging sinners.

The bullet was chambered, the cold muzzle pointed at the head that countless people regarded as decisive, calm, and cold-blooded.

This man cannot be allowed to live—this is Nobita's instinctive cry.

After hesitating for a full five seconds, he gently pressed his thumb against the firing pin.

Chapter 353: The Moral Dilemma of Cloning

"【Perfect Fitted Plush Toy Camera】—!!"

(Fit-fitting mascot costume camera: A round camera with a handle. When you take a picture of someone with it, it automatically generates a "mascot costume" of the photographed subject, which can be understood as a mascot suit for that specific person. Regardless of height or weight, wearing the suit will achieve a perfect transformation effect.)

Because he was wearing a stone hat, even if he sang karaoke around a few people, he wouldn't attract their attention, let alone get a quick "click" from the camera. Gendo Ikari's custom-made leather suit was quickly ejected from the camera, a crumpled mess that looked like a human skin from a distance, which was also a bit shabby. No matter your original body type or build, as long as you put on the mascot suit, you're guaranteed to be 100% a perfect replica of that person.

After creating a satisfactory suit, he took out the recording equipment that came with the [Voiceprint Candy] and recorded Gendo Ikari's voice. With both the voice and the physical appearance perfected, he stuffed the finished product into his pocket and transmitted it through the four-dimensional pocket to his clones who were continuing their field investigation at the NERV base.

Donning the suit and eating candy, one by one, perfect Gendo Ikari clones were mass-produced. Palm prints, fingerprints, voiceprints, and every detectable physiological characteristic were identical to the real Gendo Ikari. Under this near-invincible disguise, tightly closed doors opened before him, and secrets buried deep within the abyss since the base's inception, hidden from view, fell like snowflakes into Nobita's eyes.

The roots are tangled and intertwined, a truly shocking sight.

"Even at the end of the world, when humanity is on the verge of extinction, everyone will still be pursuing their own agendas..." Putting down the dazzling array of documents, he rubbed his eyes and sighed, "What 'Human Instrumentality Project'? That's utter nonsense. Did they even ask for the opinions of all humanity?"

Among the adversaries Nobita has faced are many ambitious individuals who often use extremely lofty words to embellish their purposes: morality, spirituality, sublimation, a better world... blah blah blah.

Take, for example, Wang Mang, whom he had previously encountered. At first glance, Wang Mang's ideal was also to create a better world. However, what he actually did was a hundred times more terrifying than a demon. This is typical of ambitious people; they only see their own grand plans and completely disregard the impact of this "great undertaking" on the general public.

The Dead Sea Scrolls.

Kabbalah Tree of Life.

A great evolution from human to god, moving towards a higher realm.

Freed from original sin.

The fruit of life.

……

As expected, the plan was written in a rather obscure way, and it made a lot of references to religious knowledge and coded language. Even if it were placed in front of him and he could read it at will, Nobita could only understand it vaguely.

He was already bewildered by texts with a density exceeding seven lines, not to mention the numerous technical and religious terms, as well as some dimly lit images taken from ancient sites. From these perplexing texts, he managed to piece together the ultimate purpose of these people, which was the final form of this "Human Instrumentality Project."

If all goes well, everyone will become part of some kind of divine completion, and from then on, they will gain eternal life.

It sounds very tempting, but back in fourth grade, Doraemon used Shizuka's little white dog to explain this principle to Nobita very clearly: death is also part of reproduction. If there were no death, wouldn't the earth be full of life everywhere?

Conversely, if all of humanity could achieve immortality, it would mean that resource consumption would remain consistently high and continue to increase. Before long, humanity would completely deplete the planet's resources—any fool could see this, let alone the elites who devised the plan.

Therefore, the "immortality" mentioned in this plan is definitely not what is meant in a normal way.

The secrets and repressions buried deep within the base allowed him to discern a darker meaning from these beautiful words.

Regardless of the truth, based on the information available, Nobita has already reached the conclusion he wanted.

"The first chosen one, Rei Ayanami, has had all her existing data and records completely erased, and her place of origin is unknown, hmm..."

Nobita scratched the back of his head, suddenly feeling a chill on his scalp. A vivid image flashed through his memory: the thousands of Rei Ayanami floating in the orange solution in the core production workshop of the Puppet System, and Gendo Ikari and his two companions plotting to transfer them away. He knew that in this situation, one of the clones lurking below had seen enough. All he had to do was tap it on the head with the clone hammer, and it would return to the main body, and all its memories would be synchronized.

Therefore, it seems that the girl whose data was erased was most likely an experimental subject created using some secret cloning technology.

All the technology in this base was nothing new to Nobita. Cloning technology sounded advanced, but he had played with it before... or rather, he had secretly played with it using Doraemon's gadgets.

It's another classic opening: "The deadly gadgets just won't be put away properly." Upon seeing this [Clone Manufacturing Machine], Nobita has an extremely brilliant idea: Gian and Suneo are too violent these days, so why not use this machine to clone two of them and educate them from a young age, turning them into gentle and kind obedient children, so that he won't keep getting beaten up all the time.

So, he devised a way to take hair from Gian and Suneo, and actually cloned two identical individuals. However, the final result was not as wonderful as he had imagined. The two clones became increasingly curious about the "outside" world, and their desire to go outside evolved very rapidly. Gradually, they began to escape Nobita's control. When Doraemon found out, he was unusually flustered. At the same time, he taught Nobita a very important lesson.

Cloned individuals, like their original counterparts, are independent "life forms." They cannot be made to behave as you wish.

You casually gave life to two individuals, so you must be responsible for them to the end.

Fortunately, the two clones inherited Gian and Suneo's hyperactivity. They fiddled with the "cloning machine," accidentally pressing the reset button, and were ultimately reduced to two strands of hair. This poignant ending left a deep impression on Nobita. (From the original manga story "Gian and Suneo: Good Boys")

Tools that may trigger ethical or moral dilemmas should be used with extreme caution.

Nobita couldn't see this in Gendo Ikari's decision-making. On the contrary, his attitude towards Rei Ayanami, the clone, could actually be seen from some subtle details.

"Production workshop".

These four words in his memory ignited a nameless rage in Da Xiong, further solidifying his resolve.

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.

"Miss Katsuragi..."

"Hey, we're already so close, why use honorifics?" Misato's strong desire to confide received a very good response from Nobita, so she was in particularly high spirits. She waved her hand, almost forgetting the purpose of her trip. "My friends all call me 'Miri,' you can call me that too."

“Miri, I want to meet with your commander,” Da Xiong said calmly, seemingly confident that the other party would accept the offer. “The time and place are up to you.”

Chapter 354: The Heavenly Kingdom

"About our ownership? We have to negotiate!?" Shinji nearly choked on his hot water, his eyes wide with disbelief as he asked, "Nobi-kun... and Father?"

By now, the sun had risen in the east, casting its light upon the quiet city. The curfew, which had lasted for nearly a day and a night, remained in effect, indicating that, in Gendo Ikari's eyes, this protracted war was far from over. Nobita continued to maintain the fog using the Weather Box; this fog enveloping the city acted as a kind of declaration, establishing a foundation for non-aggression between the two sides.

It was in this environment that Da Xiong, while eating his breakfast, told the two people in the tent that he wanted to negotiate with Gendo Ikari, as if he were talking about a trivial matter over tea.

"What's wrong?" Nobita asked, taking a bite from the very center of the toast, his eyes flashing with suspicion. "It's just a talk. I'm the one who repaired the city and helped him minimize the war damage. He should give me some room to negotiate."

"Nobi-kun, you don't really know my father, he..."

“Commander Ikari won’t negotiate with you,” Rei Ayanami said with absolute certainty. “He’s not one to back down on things like this.”

"So, does Ayanami think this is okay?" At this moment, Nobita already had the memories of what he saw in the puppet system production workshop. The more he saw the girl's icy expression, the more difficult it was to suppress his anger. His tone was also slightly agitated. "Even if she is used as a weapon in battle, or as a tool to achieve some purpose, is that alright?"

"It doesn't matter, no matter what form it takes, this is a bond between me and everyone," Rei Ayanami said calmly. "I always have been..."

"If someone is always locked in a room and never exposed to the outside world, of course they'll end up with nothing! Do you think they're being nice to you?"

Rei Ayanami's ruby-like pupils widened slightly. Back at the base, Gendo Ikari, as her guardian, had always maintained a gentle yet firm demeanor when speaking to her. This was probably the first time someone had interrupted her with such force.

"Well, Nobi-kun, let's not talk about that now." Shinji subconsciously shrank his heels. As someone sensitive to the atmosphere, he was particularly afraid of such a disharmonious scene breaking out in front of him. Out of self-protection, he took the initiative to smooth things over, "What Rei means is that getting my father to back down is probably not that simple. He's a rather stubborn person, and at the same time... he's also very dangerous."

"Furthermore, if an apostle descends during this time, and neither Ayanami nor I are present, then who should act..."

"Shinji." Nobita, a staunch advocate of gender equality, didn't let him finish speaking. He turned around and stared at him for a long time. "I want to hear your honest opinion."