Nobita's Time Heist

……

very clear.

Is it very clear?

Perhaps that was indeed the case on the day the oath was taken.

But when faced with an endless swarm of insects, how much can glory truly help them? In the final moments before their life's learning loses its meaning and they are about to be torn apart, will they regret their sacred vow?

"Helia, do you really think..." Nobita's tone grew heavier, "that human life can be quantified by something as abstract as honor?"

"Hmm... let me think..." Under Nobita's astonished gaze, the girl actually tilted her head and began to think.

The blizzard howled past the window, and a strange coldness emanated from the pensive girl.

Just like a god.

"I believe that everyone born into this world has their own mission. Finding one's own mission and steadfastly fulfilling it is a respectable thing."

In those bright and profound eyes, is it madness or wisdom that flickers?

Nobita couldn't tell the difference either, or perhaps the two were simply separated by only a wall.

“The Mother of Insects has been more active lately, and you just happened to come to the Golden Land at this time... Don’t you think it’s a particularly coincidental thing?”

She smiled calmly as she described the world as she saw it: "You have your mission, and I have mine. If one day it's my turn to fulfill it... please don't stop me."

"Perhaps some people are destined to look up at the sky, while others are destined to descend into the abyss."

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.

……

"hiss……"

In the bottomless abyss, Xiao Fu sprayed [glowing moss] onto the edge of the cave. The light spread along the rock wall, and his smile only appeared for a moment when it was visible before disappearing without a trace.

Caves nested within caves.

A bottomless abyss lay before us; the light from the moss merely illuminated it, unable to reveal the full view below.

Only black holes, the most terrifying and real black holes, devour all light and courage!

Chapter 102: Undercurrents? The Legendary Blue Tanuki Monster!

"lululululu??"

After transforming into human form, Meijin leaped from a height and crashed to the ground with a series of metallic glisses. But Nobita wasn't there, so no one could understand what he was trying to say.

"Maybe he's asking why we're not going down yet." Fat Tiger dusted off his knees, stretched his neck, and closed his eyes slightly. "Hmm... finally, we have a decent show."

"Huh?" Looking at the enormous abyss that stretched out before them, seemingly leading straight to hell, Suneo broke out in a cold sweat and swallowed hard. "But, Gian, I thought... our original plan was... to find the entrance to the underground, hide first, see how things are up there, and then figure out a way..."

"The situation is already quite clear, isn't it?"

Fat Tiger kicked a small stone down, and it fell into the abyss like a drop of water falling into the ocean, without any echo.

"The bugs that attacked us that day must have crawled out of this crater... We were attacked! They are our enemies! And now, their lair is down there." He made a "kill them all" gesture with a matter-of-fact expression. "Get some insecticide from your spare pocket and wipe them all out!"

"Um, putting aside whether the insecticide will work on them, what about Shizuka?" Suneo pointed to the dimly lit exit. "If the alarm goes off, wouldn't that mean leaving Shizuka and Asul up there? Of course, she'll have some gadgets, but... well, she's a girl, what if..."

At this point, he noticed that Fat Tiger was looking at him with a very strange expression, as if he had just said something so stupid it was beyond description. For a roughneck like him, to show such an expression was quite rare.

"What's wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?" Xiao Fu felt insecure because of him and immediately reached out to touch his three-pointed hairstyle. "I don't have anything on my face, do I?"

"Do you really think so?" Fat Tiger asked.

"what?"

"You really think Shizuka is a fragile girl who needs our protection?"

"I..." Xiaofu hesitated for a moment, unsure how to evaluate it, "Probably?"

"Hahahaha! That just proves you don't know her as well as I do." Fatty Tiger patted his shoulder and laughed heartily. "Let's put it this way..."

"If Shizuka were a boy, she would most likely be the leader of the town's children." (In fact, there is a scene in the original work where Nobita and Gian compete for the position of leader of the children, and Shizuka ultimately receives the most votes.)

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.

"【Toy Soldier】!" (This fires a volley at the user's target, enough to incapacitate them.)

"【Wrestling Robot】!" (Insert a 50-yuan coin, say a person's name, and the target will fall three times. It has enough destructive power to an ordinary person.)

"【Guard the Rabbit】!" (This will fire a laser at the usurper)

Shizuka took out three items one by one, and then brought over the classic troop-generating artifact, the [Copy Mirror], and kept copying them. A few minutes later, the originally spacious "war room" was quickly filled with these "toys".

After uttering those harsh words, Shizuka didn't waste a second. She first used her [Super Gloves] to move several large bookshelves from the surrounding area, creating makeshift cover. With enough cover, this small space, originally intended for reading, became a makeshift combat meeting center.

"What a nice little place." Shuten-dōji walked around from behind the bookshelf, examining everything, and couldn't help but marvel. "A closed space, a complete information system, and sufficient firepower support... It really makes me feel at ease."

"Where were you just now?" Asur mocked. "Where were you when they were yelling about attacking?"

"How could this be... I'm scared too." She complained tearfully, her tone clearly feigned. "I don't know anything about you. If you all rush up in a dark mass and break down the door, how am I, a weak woman, supposed to face the consequences?"

Shizuka was speechless at her affected acting and sighed, "But, now you've reappeared in front of us..."

"May I ask what exactly you intend to do to us?"

……

The demon girl lowered her head slightly, still smiling, but her beautiful purple eyes flashed with an extremely dangerous message.

"Actually, I came here hoping to find allies—truly trustworthy people. Strong, reliable, and with strong execution capabilities, capable of accomplishing what I entrust to you."

She found a chair and sat down, crossing her legs and, intentionally or unintentionally, raising her bare, white feet. Her toes, smooth and rounded like jade, looked incredibly alluring in the dim light. Combined with her languid posture, they could instantly break down the defenses of many men.

"However, compared to the group I originally wanted to ally with... your group seems to be a better choice."

"Why?" Asur sneered, "Because he's a man?"

"It's a pity... She's a girl, just like you, and I have indeed met her. But..." Shuten-dōji closed his eyes slightly, "She was very angry."

“Anger filled her chest, rendering her incapable of thinking about anything. Since being exiled to this world, only one thing remained in her mind…revenge, revenge, revenge! She began to create her own army day and night, just so that one day she could pour all her anger into the mouths of those who deserved it.”

She shrugged, her expression one of utter helplessness. "Anger makes her stronger, but it also makes her lose her rationality. And a person who loses their rationality... is no match for me as an ally."

“I appreciate your high regard for us, but perhaps you’ve also noticed,” Shizuka said with a wry smile, gesturing around her. “Our own situation isn’t exactly optimistic either.”

"But you still reacted quickly, turning a library into a heavily fortified armed base. First, you created a deterrent to intimidate the enemy, while simultaneously seeking room for negotiation and strengthening your defenses... A closer look reveals that so far, you haven't made a single wrong move."

Shuten-dōji licked his lips, making them even more vibrant and bright. "For an eighteen-year-old girl, you are far too outstanding."

……

"After all this talk, what are we allied with to fight against?" Asur rolled her eyes at her. "We can't just work for you for nothing, can we?"

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.

"At this moment, it doesn't have a very big relationship with you, but..."

For a fleeting moment, a cunning glint appeared on Shuten-dōji's beautiful profile, like that of a wild animal.

"In my homeland, a blue raccoon monster of unknown origin has persuaded our leader. At this moment, our world is busily assembling its troops and gathering strength, preparing to launch a long-awaited expedition against the human world."

“The guardians have been dead for a long time. The human world is like an open purse, and the souls of mortals can be taken by my people without any hindrance.”

Her gaze towards Shizuka held a hint of aggression, like that of a hungry wolf. She licked her lips and said, "...These are not my original words, don't misunderstand, my little beauty."

"But that powerful tanuki monster did indeed make that guarantee."

Author's message

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Happy New Year everyone! In the new year, I wish you all good health; that's more important than anything else.

Chapter 103: Hey, you're a real genius!

"It's much quieter than I expected. I thought I would hear insects chirping."

Holding an emergency light in one hand, Suneo slowly descended using a bamboo dragonfly, chuckling to himself. He thought to himself, "If I were alone in this bottomless pit, I'd probably go crazy halfway down. Luckily, I'm with Gian—this guy is officially certified as having 'no fear except for his mother.'"

Moreover, his tolerance for abnormal environments far exceeds that of ordinary people. Even when he was in a bottomless abyss, barely able to tell whether he was still or falling, Fat Tiger's mental state remained beautiful. His eyes were half-closed, his arms crossed, as if he were contemplating his new song for the year. Looking at that fearless face, one could calm down somewhat.

Meijin certainly couldn't use a bamboo dragonfly; he could only descend like an antelope, finding footholds on the steep rock face and performing a series of difficult maneuvers, including mid-air jumps. Fortunately, Meijin thoroughly enjoyed the process, as if he were playing some thrilling game. He turned on his headlights to illuminate his path and then flawlessly executed all the maneuvers, descending in sequence.

"Suneo, do you think there's this possibility?" Gian, who had been deep in thought with his eyes closed, suddenly thought of something and asked, "What would happen if we never reached the bottom?"

"Wh...what are you talking about, Gian?" Just imagining that scene made Suneo break out in a cold sweat, his laughter sounding more like a grimace. "Don't scare me. No matter how deep it is, there's always a bottom."

“I once saw a movie. A group of people were flying a plane and landed in a storm for almost an hour, but they were still in the storm and never saw land.” Fat Tiger didn’t find that scene scary at all; he probably thought it was a comedy. “Later I found out that the male protagonist thought the ground didn’t exist, so he just kept floating in the sky.”

"Could it be that there is no Mother Insect at all, and it's all just a figment of our imagination?"

"lukabodun??" This was the first time Meijin had encountered a concept similar to "I think, therefore I am," and she became very curious, her blue optical mirror spinning incessantly.

He kept asking questions, but unfortunately, neither Gian nor Suneo could understand his unique language. Perhaps it was because he was the only one in the world who used it, and it was far from being a "language," so naturally it couldn't be captured by the translation software, and only his creator, who understood him, could comprehend it.

"Impossible... At worst, this passage should lead to the inner world of the earth. I actually hope so, at least our old friends are there."

Suspended in mid-air for an extended period, surrounded by the narrow walls of a cave, it's no wonder that one's mental state changes. Unlike Gian, Suneo doesn't possess the latter's composure regardless of location; when Nobita used Kotoamatsukami on them, he nearly passed out. Under such pressure, he gradually became more talkative and talkative.

"Do you know how eerie that feeling is? In an empty underground space, suddenly there comes a cacophony of loud, chaotic noises, like ten thousand mammoths migrating together?"

"The caves were one after another, some so wide they were unsettling, others so narrow they almost crushed my head off. As I walked, I realized there was no turning back, so... I had no choice but to grit my teeth and keep going. Finally, the path ahead opened up. I heard sounds, saw light, and some enormous plants."

"But how can there be light underground? Where does that breathtakingly beautiful wind and lake come from? Have I gone mad, or died, and am I seeing the illusion I've been dreaming of?"

"Just as I was wondering about it, the sound came again, a rumbling, rumbling sound. I picked up my camera and saw..."

"Xiaofu..."

"Suneo!"

Fat Tiger shook his shoulder. "Calm down."

"We've made it to the bottom!"

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 long descent finally came to an end. At first, Xiaofu couldn't believe it and stomped on the ground several times until he was sure that the ground beneath his feet was real before he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

“It’s truly bottomless…” Fat Tiger looked up, trying to catch a glimpse of light, but only saw endless darkness. “However, no matter how deep it is, it will eventually come to an end.”

"US Dollar, can you transform into other car models?" Suneo pulled a 22nd-century magazine supplement from his pocket, tapped it twice, and projected the internal disassembly structure of a futuristic car.

Even in the future, this is the latest model. Due to technological advancements, its appearance is quite different from 21st-century cars. The only thing Xiaofu really liked was the bolded "Noise-free" label.

"We may already be in the heart of the enemy's lair. Before we are discovered, we need greater concealment; after we are discovered, we need greater mobility!"

Curious, Meijin crouched down, tilting his head, his blue optical glasses gazing at his unfamiliar kind. He stored the disassembled components projected on the hologram as data streams within his memory. The optical glasses flickered, and his body began to change. Accompanied by a metallic creaking sound, a brand-new hovercar, predominantly dark green and black-gold in color, shaped like an inverted cone, quietly and steadily came to a stop before them.

“…Wow…” Fat Tiger was so shocked he couldn’t speak. He looked it over from all angles, then reached out and tapped on the brand-new hood of the car. “You’re a real genius!”

"Buzz... Beep... Of course." A deep, rhythmic baritone voice, like that of a news anchor, came from inside the car, startling the two men. After a moment of silence, the serious male voice continued, "It's not what I expected."

"US dollars?!" Fat Tiger was so shocked he couldn't close his mouth. "Was that you speaking just now?"

“A stupid voice,” the voice inside the car said matter-of-factly. “I’d rather speak in the original language than in this tone.”

“I see… The earliest off-road vehicles naturally couldn’t have built-in radios. In other words, the US dollar has never had the organ to make a sound.” Xiaofu analyzed, “Transformed into a 22nd-century car, the technology has been upgraded by more than one level. If it didn’t even have a radio, that would be too unreasonable.”

"The problem is that it's too advanced. I'm not using a radio, but the voice of the car's AI." Meijin said in a strong, resonant voice, with a hint of helplessness, "I really doubt the taste of people in the future. Do they like this kind of dull, lifeless voice?"

"The voice of the in-vehicle AI should be adjustable; we'll study that further in the future."

"As for now..."

Even though I bent over to get into the car, the view was more spacious than ever before. Space compression technology had been used, making the interior of the vehicle far larger than the exterior. The headlights also had an unusually long beam; when turned on, the light pierced straight through the dark cave.

The car started, and with only a slight tremor, it slowly floated up, about a meter above the ground, and could continue to rise. Meijin was extremely excited, constantly trying out the conveniences of this new body, but he didn't want to express it through the car's AI voice, so he played rock music instead.

Amidst the intense guitar and drum beats and the girl's singing, the three traverse the hellish underground, inching deeper and deeper into the heart of the enemy's lair.

Chapter 104: The Girl in the Ice?

At first, it was extremely narrow, barely wide enough for one person to pass through. After walking several dozen miles, it suddenly opened up into a bright and spacious place—this is an impressive piece of classical Chinese literature from abroad. Coincidentally, one of the three tutoring classes his mother enrolled him in when he was a child, specifically the Chinese teacher, had told him the story of Peach Blossom Spring. (In *Nobita's New Japan*, Suneo's mother enrolled him in multiple foreign language tutoring classes—English, French, and Chinese—which is also a reason why he wanted to run away from home.) Somehow, as the cave gradually widened, this story suddenly popped into his head. However, while Peach Blossom Spring depicts a breathtakingly beautiful, otherworldly place, here…

It just makes people feel disgusted.

Gradually, the emptiness became unsettling, and the distance between "sky" and "earth" widened little by little. Strictly speaking, this place is below ground level, and the concept of sky and earth doesn't exist at all. But once the space expands, it's easy for people to project their own familiar ideas onto it.