Nobita's Time Heist

A world where everyone's body and soul will be integrated into one.

It sounds like the end of a story.

“Yes, that’s not wrong either, at least…” Kaworu sensed the change in her mind and smiled as he raised his right hand.

Lilith raised the Holy Lance, turned the spearhead, and aimed it at her own heart.

"No one will ever die because of us again."

……

"laugh--!!"

The Spear of Rumsky, a branch of the legendary World Tree, pierced her chest. But Lilith's physical body remained unharmed. In that instant, countless AT fields simultaneously unfolded, spreading around her and vaguely forming a gigantic cross composed entirely of light. Adam and Lilith's spirits reached an agreement at this moment, silently initiating the ritual. A massive pillar of light connected the starry sky to Earth, striking the surface of the atmosphere like a giant tuning fork, which, upon being struck, triggered the resonance and vibration of countless smaller tuning forks.

"O tiny creatures that originated from the overflow and were born from the egg of Lilith, under my witness... return to where you belong!"

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 next moment, countless crosses bloomed on the Earth's surface, accompanied by screams of surprise and fear from the people. The substances that made up their bodies rapidly dissolved, turning into an orange LCL primordial life solution. At this moment, bloodline, identity, status, skin color... all the differences in the original society vanished without a trace. For the first time, humanity, this intelligent species that had dominated the Earth for tens of thousands of years, stepped onto the ladder of equality.

Soon, the beam of light from the cross stopped flickering, leaving only a few scattered points of light—some humans resisted being replenished, but they couldn't hold out for long. Humans' AT fields were already weak; after being eliminated, they couldn't even maintain their own form, and no one could resist the instinct to return to the mother planet.

The desperate cries and furious shouts of battle finally ceased at that moment. All that remained for Lilith and Adam was absolute silence.

"..." Ayanami was somewhat dazed. She looked at her hands, which were dripping orange liquid like melting wax figures.

“As expected, neither of us is an exception.” Kaworu was in the same situation. He wasn’t afraid, but instead repeatedly observed his hands, which had been repaired, and smiled. “The removal of the mental barrier will slowly make the differences between us disappear, right?”

……

"boom----!!"

A meteor hurtled towards them, and Alexander Cross easily defied gravity, using the powerful thrust to reach the same height as Lilith. He then shut down all propulsion and fire control systems, spread his arms to indicate that he hadn't brought any weapons, thus demonstrating his lack of intent to fight.

"I see. Because it's an extraterrestrial visitor, not born from Lilith's egg, it can't be completed either?" Encountering this unexpected situation, Kaworu wasn't annoyed; instead, he found it amusing. "Fate is truly unpredictable. Who would have thought that things would take such a turn after all this..."

"Please wait!"

When Nobita's voice clearly rang in his mind, Kaworu's expression finally changed.

"I don't intend to fight you anymore. Next, I will emerge from the Shandong Cross machine. Regardless of who is in control, perhaps you have completely lost faith in humanity. But, I still want to ask you..."

"Let's give humanity on this planet another chance to continue its future!"

Chapter 392: Treating through Talk - This is Called Talk Therapy

As promised, Nobita stepped out of the cockpit of the Sand Cross. Having been exposed to adaptive lighting beforehand, he could move freely even in space. However, without the cover of his mecha, facing the six-winged Lilith directly, the sheer size difference was overwhelming, leaving him speechless for a moment. A milky-white hand slowly extended, fingers spread wide. From this perspective, Nobita felt like a tiny insect, about to be grasped in her hand. But he forcefully suppressed his instinctive fear, resisting the urge to flee, and stood firmly in place.

He came to negotiate.

Since you've decided to talk, you should give the other party the appropriate trust!

A milky-white palm slowly closed, gently enveloping Nobita. Strangely enough, in that instant, he didn't feel any pressure; instead, he felt an indescribable warmth. His tense nerves relaxed in that instant. He felt his body melting, merging with this flesh and blood that resembled white foam. Despite how bizarre this was, his body didn't resist. Points of light flashed past the corners of his eyes, and after an unknown amount of time, after what seemed like even the distant stars had dimmed, he found himself in a void.

Kaworu Nagisa smiled and waved to him.

"Would you like to introduce yourself?"

"No..." Nobita subconsciously touched his face, confirming that his limbs and sense of touch were the same as usual. "At this point, there's no need for that."

"Yes."

Kaworu smiled and nodded, then opened his jewel-like dark red eyes to their widest extent. His gaze pierced through the lenses, filled with a kind of fervent curiosity, and met Nobita's pupils.

"Om——"

The resonance of souls.

Although Adam's physical body consisted of only an embryo, once it merged with the embryo, they became indistinguishable. Kaworu, as the vessel for Adam's soul, also had absolute control over this body, and taking advantage of this, he began to probe Nobita's memories. Although this act was somewhat immoral, he couldn't resist his curiosity. Just before the Human Instrumentality Project was about to be completed, this extraterrestrial human suddenly appeared, earnestly pleading for another chance for humanity.

Theoretically speaking, he doesn't belong to this planet at all. Whether the humans here complete the planet or return to their homeland, it has absolutely nothing to do with him. So, what exactly drives him to risk his life time and time again for completely unrelated people?

Adam's soul was curious; he longed for an answer.

As a result, the events he had personally experienced—each and every one of which, if recounted individually, were jaw-droppingly epic adventures—flashed rapidly through his mind. Nobita's character and choices were repeatedly tested in these countless adventures. Like pure gold falling into a fire, the flames were merely a means of testing, refining its true quality and color.

“I see, that explains it, Nobita… you’re that kind of person.” After reading Nobita’s memories, Kaworu’s gaze towards him changed, carrying an inexplicable sense of attachment. “Or perhaps it should be said the other way around, it’s precisely because you are that you came to us.”

"In your memories, I saw many interesting things. The humans of another world are truly remarkable." He stretched out his right hand, making a "stopping watch" gesture, and said with a smile, "If your goal is to reverse the Human Instrumentality Project, wouldn't it be easier to use that item called 'Reverse Clock'? Just press it gently, time will reverse, the universe will blueshift, and the merged Lilith will separate again. That should be the most convenient method, right?"

My mind was read.

Nobita steadied himself and quickly calmed down—it wasn't the first time someone had read his mind, so he wasn't surprised. In fact, he would be more surprised if the other person didn't even have this ability.

"Time can be reversed, but problems won't disappear on their own. In the years to come, there will still be people who want to use you to launch a third wave." Nobita deliberately emphasized his words, speaking in a deep voice, "Therefore, I hope to resolve this problem once and for all!"

"Through chatting?" Kaworu asked with a smile.

"Well..." Nobita scratched his head, realizing that placing all his hopes for the future of the human race on the conversation that followed seemed a bit frivolous.

“Even chatting is fine, Nobita. I enjoy communicating with people like you.” In this void, Kaworu snapped his fingers, conjuring a chair with a backrest. “Do you think it would be better if humans remained separated from one another?”

“When I was a child, I went to a place… a ‘utopia’ built in the sky.”

Instead of directly stating his own opinion, Nobita used his personal experience as an example to illustrate his point: "The people there told me that as long as I stay there for a while, I can become a 'perfect' person. Whether it's morality, character, learning, or athletic ability, all my shortcomings will fade away without me even realizing it, and in the end, only truth, goodness, and beauty will remain."

Kaworu rested her chin on her hand, her bright eyes blinking as she listened intently.

"I was persuaded... because I had never experienced what a perfect life felt like, being praised by my teachers and mother, and being looked at with respect by my classmates. Even if such a perfect life is just a dream, I want to experience it."

"Gradually, I noticed something was wrong... My friends were indeed becoming more perfect day by day, but they also started speaking, thinking, and living in the same way. Every day was like a repetition of the previous one, and if you asked them a question, they would only get a fixed answer. Like wind-up robots, they kept repeating the same actions. Their unique characteristics slowly disappeared, and even their daily sleep and wake-up times became exactly the same. It was almost like..."

"They've all become the same 'person'."

"Isn't this better?" Kaworu tilted his head slightly, gazing at him with a half-smile. "Nobita-kun, in your entire life so far, have you never even for a single second felt that the existence of 'others' was an eyesore? No one can understand you like you understand yourself. If you were the only one left in the world, how wonderful that would be. Have you never thought of that even once?"

"I have tried before."

Nobita's answer once again caught the gods off guard.

"You mean..."

"I tried to make everyone in the world disappear, leaving only me." Nobita said this incredibly calmly, which created a strange contrast. "At first, it was really great, like I 'owned' the whole world. Toys and food in the supermarket, things I wouldn't dare look at before because of the price, I could take whenever I wanted. I could lie down on the street whenever I wanted, and play all night without anyone scolding me."

"After the initial excitement wore off, facing a desolate city, all that remained was an unbearable loneliness. That's when I realized..."

He took a step forward, gazed into Kaworu's eyes, and said in a deep voice, "The relationship between people is an irreplaceable treasure."

Chapter 393: Heart-to-Heart Talk Under the Moon (The Moon Was at Its Largest)

"Indeed, humans are short-sighted and will do terrible things for their own benefit... I don't deny that."

"However, eliminating the barriers between minds and reducing everyone to the same individual is absolutely wrong! It is precisely because everyone is different that society can be built. Different ideas collide, communicate, and adapt to each other. Friction is sometimes unavoidable, but it is precisely because of this that civilization can flourish. Without sociality, humanity would be completely expelled from the ranks of intelligent races!"

"From the Stone Age, when people picked up stones on the ground, to today, when we can ride rockets to the moon. From the most primitive tribes to modern nations and societies... these feats would never have happened without so many great people and scientists who followed one after another, and without the constant collision and fusion of countless ideas!"

"The so-called Human Instrumentality Project is actually the erasure of a race that once existed from the universe!"

The rise and fall of civilizations is often beyond the control of individuals.

Culture, economy, military... countless fields form a tightly intertwined structure. Against this grand backdrop, all issues become highly complex, involving numerous sectors, and decisions are not easily made. Between individuals, organizations, and nations, there are forces that mutually restrain each other; a single move can have far-reaching consequences.

The Human Instrumentality Project is like simplifying all complex problems and then solving them all at once.

"It's a pity, Nobita, even if you say all this, it still can't change a fundamental problem." Kaworu's tone was genuine; he seemed to truly regret the loss of his race. "Between people, there will never be..."

"Mutual understanding."

Da Xiong took the initiative to speak, picking up where he left off, and sighed somewhat helplessly, "To be honest, you're not the first person to put forward this view, and I don't think you'll be the last. I don't understand why you all get so hung up on something so obvious... Of course, humans can't understand each other, because you are you, and I am me; we are inherently distinct individuals. So-called civilization is built little by little by relying on different individuals playing different roles."

Nobita took a deep breath, and in this void, he felt a clarity in his mind unlike any he had ever experienced. His past experiences strung together into a clear line in his mind, and all he needed to do was to release the thoughts surging from the depths of his heart without reservation.

"Seventy thousand years ago, humans entered the Stone Age and left murals on the rock walls of primitive caves, striving for survival every day."

"In the 8th century BC, people worked hard to adapt to the changes in the dynastic system. After a process of blood and fire, the powder keg of the world was released. This ancient land is about to usher in another 200 years of peace."

"In 1615, the Toyotomi family was destroyed, ending with a fierce siege. Tokugawa Ieyasu then began the rule of the shogunate, laying the foundation for the shogunate rule in Japan."

"In 1899, the gunmen, exiled by the times, were still fighting against the world, knowing full well that it was futile, yet still wanting to pursue the heaven in their hearts."

"All of these are things I witnessed firsthand. The conflict arose because the two sides were completely unable to understand each other, leading to a series of subsequent events. The chaotic rule of the Xin Dynasty directly ignited a long-simmering powder keg, causing unimaginable and terrible consequences among the people; the moment Osaka Castle fell, the Tokugawa army carried out inhumane revenge against the Toyotomi family, even an eight-year-old child was tortured to death; and those gunmen who defied the times were crushed by the wheels of civilization without a sound. The monarchy cannot understand the people, the powerful clans cannot understand the powerful clans, civilized people cannot understand barbarians... Indeed, as you said, the source of all tragedies in the world lies in this."

Kaworu was not pleased with Nobita's argument; on the contrary, he was very focused, his lips slightly pursed, a sign of his complete concentration.

His "partners" in SEELE never discussed these things with him. To be honest, finding a human who could speak fluently about these topics was quite difficult.

"So, all we need to do is complete it?"

"All those who could not understand each other understood each other at this moment, and so there was no more arguing or compromise. Because you are me and I am you, there will naturally be no more distinctions of interests. Without the concept of interests, there will naturally be no demand or supply. There will be no more wars in the world, and correspondingly, the word 'peace' will lose its meaning. Humanity will no longer create or invent anything—because it no longer needs to. Humanity, returning to the Lilith Egg, is like a baby returning to its mother's womb. What does an unborn baby need?"

“…Nothing is needed.” A trace of pity flashed in Kaworu’s eyes, the pity of a god for humanity. “A pure white, the most primal ignorance, the purest state. All ugliness and sin will be wiped away with the sublimation of mankind.”

"Sublimation?" Nobita retorted. "Can you understand what 'death' is all about?"

“Don’t underestimate me, Nobita.” Kaworu raised his hands and said with a smile, “This vessel contains human genes, so I can completely understand your definition of ‘death.’ The heart stops beating, breathing stops, the brain stops emitting bioelectricity, and finally, hearing is lost. This should be the whole process.”

"And then, what happens after death?"

"..." The smile that had been on Kaworu's face finally disappeared.

He was Adam, a powerful being from ancient times, for whom death was merely a change of form. In any case, his soul could tenaciously exist, and could even be temporarily transferred into a human body; even so, Adam's physical body would still survive.

After all this time, Nobita has finally touched on his blind spot—he cannot imagine what the afterlife is like for the masses of people in the world.

“After death, just like before birth, in your words… it’s a blank white, the most primal ignorance, the purest state. All ugliness and sin will be wiped away with the death of humanity.” Da Xiong stared into his eyes and said, word by word, “Therefore, this plan will not bring salvation, but will kill every thinking human being with simple and brutal logic.”

"On a silent planet, in an orange ocean of LCL solution, people can finally understand each other."

"What meaning does it ultimately have for people living in this world if all of this is achieved at the cost of the 'death' of human civilization?"

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.

Having said all that needed to be said, the two fell silent in the white void.

"..." Kaworu suddenly raised his right hand, only to realize that his LCL solidification process had been hindered, and he had reverted to a complete human hand. He couldn't help but chuckle. Nobita's barrage of words had made him subconsciously accept the existence of a "self" while he was constantly thinking. At this moment, he seemed to wish he were this human named "Kaworu" more than Adam.

"Nobita, I..."

"boom------!!!"

Before he could speak, a beam of inverted cross light suddenly burst forth brilliantly on the Earth's surface.

……

"Nobita—!!"

The boy's voice came from beneath the sea of ​​clouds, like a baby's first cry, carrying anticipation and longing for a new world.

Chapter 394: Give Ayanami back to me!

EVAs lack flight capabilities, so in a moment of heightened excitement, Shinji teleported the eighty-meter-tall EVA along with him into the atmosphere. He saw Alexander Cross, still floating, the open cockpit, and the equally motionless six-winged Lilith, and was immediately bewildered.

Kaworu's gaze passed through Unit-01 and landed on Shinji's eyes.

“Strange, really strange.” He looked at the hippo on two legs as if he were looking at a hippo, his tone a mixture of astonishment and surprise. “There are actually lilins who can refuse to complete the cycle of life by their own will? Logically speaking, at the moment of completion, every lilin should be able to see their favorite image, and in their final moments, they should be spending them in warmth and love.”

"What exactly did he see in that completed world?"

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.

Regardless, it is an indisputable fact that he refused to complete the work and refused to merge with others on a physical and mental level.

This was Shinji's first time at such a high altitude. He had never even been in an airplane before, and this was his first time leaving the ground, right above the atmosphere. Here, the effects of gravity began to weaken, but hadn't completely disappeared. He needed to use his telekinesis to envelop the EVA unit to move; a slight misstep would cause him to be recaptured by Earth's gravity and fall. The strange feeling of having no solid ground beneath his feet kept him unusually alert; far from being afraid, he was instead filled with excitement.

With a gentle push of his mind, he opened his arms to the pure white six-winged angel.

"when-----!!!"

Unsurprisingly, this aggressive act was blocked by the deployed AT field. Kaworu looked at the back of his hand, somewhat surprised; he hadn't had such a strong desire to defend himself. However, this divine body, a fusion of Lilith and Adam, did not tolerate any form of offense. Sensing hostility, it proactively deployed an extremely strong multi-layered AT field, forming a genuine "divine domain."

Meanwhile, the situation on Earth began to change—the Instrumentality Project had long since come to an end, and all life forms that had returned to the LCL solution had merged into one. Thus, these orange liquids began to float slowly, starting from Earth, splitting into several streams, and connecting in mid-air to form an orange passage tens of kilometers long, merging into the body of the six-winged Lilith.

The process of returning to the mother body also began.

This scene served as a wake-up call for Shinji. Although he didn't yet understand the full scope of the Instrumentality Project, he instinctively felt that if things continued this way, there would be no turning back. He rejected Instrumentality with a strong sense of self-will, yet he couldn't imagine what it would be like to live on an empty Earth.

Without further hesitation, I stretched out my hands!

"boom------!!!"

Unit-01 simultaneously deployed its AT Field, colliding with the Divine Domain in front of the six-winged Lilith. The two walls of light clashed, rubbed against each other, and collided, creating an impact powerful enough to disperse the clouds and boil the sea!

“This machine…” Kaworu Nagisa withdrew his gaze slightly, looking at the EVA with its extremely ferocious expression, as if it were about to devour someone, and couldn’t help but laugh, “Was it reforged from Lilith’s flesh and blood? No wonder, it’s completely different from SEELE’s. (Unit-00 and Unit-01 were replicated using the genetic information of the Second Angel, Lilith, while all mass-produced machines after Unit-02 were replicated using the biological genetic information of the First Angel, Adam. The two are fundamentally different.)”

"Unfortunately, even with a biofield similar to Lilith's, it's impossible to break through the realm of gods by brute force alone."

"It's just a waste of time."