Chapter 101: The Mysterious Doctor! 45 HUNDRED MILLION YEARS OF ETERNAL DESPAIR!!!
〜Marvel Cinematic Universe, Earth-????〜
"That was too shocking…"
Loki still hadn't recovered from his daze. The primal, wild battle between Super Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann and the Anti-Spirals had deeply stimulated Loki's Frost Giant bloodline.
Besides, as a mage, who doesn't have a dream of engaging in melee combat?!!
That most primitive, savage battle was almost indescribable to him; it felt as if the blood in his entire body had started to burn!
And at this moment, Loki finally realized something terrifying!
That Spiral Power is the power of will! Life resonates with that world through the power of the double helix!
Therefore, Spiral Energy is extracted from the Spiral World and converted to be released by the central nervous system of Spiral Lifeforms. A single lifeform can release as much energy as the entire universe!
A single lifeform… can release as much energy as the entire universe? It sounded so unbelievable, but what was even more unbelievable was the so-called Giga Drill Break!
What the Giga Drill Break destroyed wasn't just the universe, but the very worldview of that world!
Just like their Marvel World—even if everything were destroyed, as long as the concept of the Marvel World remained, it would still exist. But that attack was meant to destroy even the concept of the world itself.
"No wonder it had to be sealed away…"
Loki muttered in shock,
"This kind of power is too terrifying."
A book emitting a ghostly green glow slowly turned its pages. The previous page showed the figures of the Anti-Spirals and Super Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, along with the true essence of the Giga Drill Break!
So, what kind of story will the next guy bring?
Loki's lips curled into a smile of anticipation.
—
[ The race to answer begins now—Ding! Nobi Nobita, Sora, Daigo. ]
[ Next up— ]
[ Whoniverse— ]
[ Question: How long of a despairing era can a sentient lifeform endure? ]
『 A thin, black-haired boy wearing goggles, looking soft and weak, appeared on the screen. 』
[ Only three contestants can get the right to answer each time ]
[ Starting the rush to answer now—Ding! Those who obtained the slots are: Nobi Nobita, Sora, and Daigo. ]
〜Whoniverse, ???? Timeline〜
A trace of astonishment and a bitter smile appeared on the Doctor's slightly aged face.
He didn't expect to be chosen, which meant his identity would definitely be exposed!
And regarding this question…
The Doctor knew very well that although the lifespans of Time Lords varied, they were generally similar. Each regeneration brought a new continuation, but in a time of despair… what meaning was there in infinite regeneration?
Forwhat purpose would he have to endure a long era of despair?
And what would cause him such despair?
Clara, seeing this, hurried over to comfort the Doctor.
—
『 Viewers of Myriad Worlds 』
Everyone's gaze turned to the old man on the screen. Isn't this one… human?
Everyone sized him up and confirmed this answer in their hearts. To be precise, he should be some race from the universe. Countless powerful beings could clearly see the traces of time on his body.
A race related to time?
And the question this time is how long a despairing era can a sentient lifeform endure?
The figures of Akemi Homura and Kamijou Touma couldn't help but float into everyone's minds.
Could it be that this Doctor is in a similar situation?
.....
〜Myriad Worlds livestream Chat〜
[ Mami Tomoe (Puella Magi Madoka Magica) "A desperate era that a sentient being can endure? That kind of question sounds unsettling." ]
[ Merlin (Type-Moon): "If it were a being without any sentient characteristics, the answer might have already been found. But for a sentient being… It's tricky. Such existences have infinite possibilities~" ]
[ Thanos (Earth-616): "Hehe, infinite possibilities? A few million years at most. I don't believe anyone can endure despair for more than a few million years." ]
[ Deadpool (Earth-10005): "Don't look at the world with that short, powerless thing of yours! Purple Potato Head!" ]
[ Thanos (Earth-616): "I am definitely going to chop you up!" ]
[ .....]
〜Ultraman Tiga World〜
"A long era of despair… is it because of saving the world or saving a certain existence again?"
Daigo looked at the old man on the screen, somewhat lost in thought.
Does such an existence still have to fight against something?
—
〜Doraemon World〜
"Quick, quick, quick! Doraemon, think of an answer for me! This might be the last time I beg you in my life!"
Nobita was both happy and anxious.
He was happy because he finally snatched a chance to answer, which meant he could reach the peak of life. He was anxious because he had absolutely no idea what the answer was.
"Even if you say that, I don't know either, Nobita,"
Doraemon said helplessly.
"Please~ Doraemon, you're the best~!"
Nobita whined coquettishly.
Seeing this, Doraemon felt his stomach churn, almost made to vomit by Nobita, and hurriedly agreed.
Doraemon dug around in his pocket and pulled out a lens, looking through it at the Doctor on the screen.
"A long-lived species?"
Doraemon understood. He saw heavy traces of time on the Doctor. The other party was definitely a race related to time, and had even conducted time travel countless times.
However, even so, his total lifespan should only be a little bit longer compared to other species.
Doraemon thought for a moment, afraid of being wrong. Since Nobita said it was his responsibility, Doraemon spoke directly,
"Nobita, the age of the Earth is 4.5 billion years. Humans have existed for about 3 million years. The average life expectancy of a person is about 77.5 years."
"How about choosing one from these three special time periods?"
Nobita nodded in agreement. After thinking for a moment, he made a decisive choice.
After all, how could 4.5 billion years be possible? The Earth itself is only 4.5 billion years old. If you told him someone could endure a long era of 4.5 billion years, he wouldn't believe it, even if you beat him to death.
So, 4.5 billion years is the first to be eliminated.
And the average lifespan of 77.5 years?
Nobita felt that even he could survive 77.5 years of that, so he didn't choose that either. Then there was only one answer left.
"That is 3 million years!"
—
〜Boardtop World Disboard, Present Timeline〜
"Shiro, what do you think?"
The siblings sat on a single chair, looking as if Sora was hugging Shiro's petite body.
Shiro held her skirt down with her hand to prevent exposure and said softly,
"We can refer to the deeds of Homura-chan and Kamijou-san."
Homura looped hundreds of times in despair. If Kyubey hadn't told Homura the truth in the end and Madoka hadn't stepped forward to take on everything, Homura could loop a terrifying number of times.
And Kamijou Touma, in Othinus's infinite worlds, experienced hundreds of millions of deaths. Even if one death counted as four days, the total would be nearly over a million years.
This terrifying number was already the limit in their eyes.
"But then?"
Sora laughed.
Shiro glanced at Sora and continued in her soft, sticky voice,
"But if that were the limit, this old man wouldn't be on the list this time, and this question wouldn't have appeared."
"So, the conjecture is that it is a desperate era even longer than a million years."
"Exactly. But the clues are too few; we basically know nothing. So this guessing game counts as a loss."
The two looked at each other and smiled. There was no negative emotion, because every existence chosen was beyond their cognition. Losing to such an existence wasn't disappointing.
Now, what the two wanted to know more was: what is the real answer?
Soon the countdown ended, and the three answers appeared on the screen.
—
〜Myriad Worlds livestream Chat〜
[ Nobita Nobi (Doraemon): " 3 million years" ]
[ Sora (No game, No life): "Lifespan equals the desperate era endured" ]
[ Daigo Madoka (Ultraman): "Tens of thousands of years" ]
[ Ding—All three answers are incorrect. ]
[ Correct Answer: A sentient lifeform can endure a long, desperate era of— 4.5 billion years! ]
[ .....]
〜Doraemon World〜
Nobita looked at the number on the screen, stared blankly for a moment, and then burst into tears with a "Waaah"!
Wasn't this the answer he eliminated first?!
"DORAEMON!!!"
Nobita choked out.
Doraemon revealed a helpless look that said, I knew it.
"Nobita, are you some kind of child who never grows up?"
—
『 Viewers of Myriad Worlds 』
4.5… billion years?!
Everyone's expression suddenly became grave and horrified.
An era measured in billions?
4.5 billion years—the Earth would have exploded by then, right?!
And this old man actually had to endure a long time of 4.5 billion years?!
At this moment, everyone's hearts were full of disbelief! Leaving aside whether he could endure it, he didn't look like he could live for several billion years!
And at this moment, the screen officially started.
.....
『 There was once an emperor who asked a shepherd boy, "How many seconds are in eternity?"
The shepherd boy answered honestly,
"There is a mountain of pure diamonds. It takes an hour to climb it, and an hour to go around it."
"Every hundred years, a little bird comes and sharpens its beak on the diamond mountain. When the entire mountain is chiseled away, the first second of eternity will have passed."
When you came into this world, something else was born at the same time. You began your life, and it began its journey. It moves slowly, but it never stops. No matter which path you take, it will follow you.
Unhurried, always on the road. You will run, but it walks.
You will rest, but it never stops. One day, you will linger too long in a certain place or sleep too deeply. When the hour is late, and you rise to leave, you will find that beside your shadow, there is another shadow.
Your life—ends right there!
In an ancient palace, a device lit up with blinding light, and the Doctor emerged from it.
The moment his leather shoes touched the sand, the Doctor realized this was not an illusion, which meant Clara's death was also real!
The Doctor grabbed a handful of sand, feeling it slip through his fingertips. He said angrily, "If you think her death will make me weak, then you know very little. If her death has anything to do with you, and you are still fearless…"
"Then you are completely ignorant. So for your own sake, listen well. I am the Doctor! I'm coming for you!"
"And I will never, ever stop!"
The Doctor continued to explore deeper. Looking down from a high point, this was a castle. He visually estimated the depth to be about 25 meters. The equipment in the room earlier was likely some kind of ultra-long-range teleportation device.
He was likely no more than a light-year away from London!
The Doctor observed every corner carefully, not letting go of a single subtle trace.
He lay by the window, trying to determine the direction by the position of the stars, but nothing could be seen outside.
The Doctor's expression did not change, but his tone carried a bit of chill, "When the sun sets, I will be able to determine an exact location by the stars. Then you will have two choices."
"Come out and show your true self, or continue to hide and welcome destruction!" 』
『 .....』
〜Myriad Worlds livestream Chat〜
[ Aqua (KonoSuba): "He seems to have a very wise feeling, doesn't he?" ]
[ Kazuma Satou (KonoSuba): "Have you ever used the adjective 'wise' to describe yourself? Don't mind me, I just want to judge whether 'wise' is a compliment or an insult coming from you." ]
[ Aqua (KonoSuba): "Kazuma is so weird. Although 'wise' isn't quite enough for this Goddess, it's barely acceptable to use." ]
[ Aogami Pierce (A Certain Magical Index): "Then that confirms it, it's a derogatory term." ]
[ Conan Edogawa (Detective Conan): "With rigorous judgment and observation of the surrounding environment, could it be that this old man is a detective?" ]
[ Murphy Lawden⦍SCP-3143⦎ (SCP): "A detective game? That would be truly interesting~" ]
[ Homelander (The Boys): "He looks like just an ordinary person." ]
[ .....]
〜Detective Conan World〜
"This time it's not absolute martial force, but intelligence?"
Conan showed an excited expression, staring closely at the screen.
At the same time, he was analyzing various useful clues that had appeared so far in his mind.
The Doctor, the sealed castle, the unobservable location, the purpose of the person who imprisoned the Doctor… he just needed to link these clues step by step from a god's-eye view!
Conan revealed a triumphant look. When it came to intelligence, he wouldn't lose to anyone!
—
〜SCP Foundation Universe〜
A white man sat alone in an office, a beam of moonlight hitting his face.
His signature fedora swayed casually on the edge of the desk. A bent cigarette lay carelessly to the side, slowly burning to ash.
His shirt was stained with blood, some of which might be his own. A glass of bourbon was in his hand, a pile of lead shot was buried in his chest, and there were six more waiting to greet the next bastard who kicked in the door.
But at this moment, all the reality around him was flattened, turning into a story.
Murphy Law fiddled with his hat, his eyes full of interest. A 4.5 billion-year detective story… how wonderful that would be~
—
〜The Boys World〜
Under the crescent moon.
Homelander stood at the highest point of a building, his face full of disdain.
The Doctor?
He looked like just a pathetic worm who had been imprisoned! If it were him, he would have smashed the castle with one punch long ago, found the bastards who imprisoned him, and lasered them to death!
The night wind blew, his cape flapping loudly. Homelander licked his lips. It was time; he needed to drink his milk.
—
『 The Doctor continued to explore every corner here. Around a corner, he found a shovel.
The shovel was covered in mud. The Doctor looked at this empty castle, unable to figure out what exactly was going on.
A castle, a muddy shovel, and that sky where no stars could be seen.
The Doctor's heart grew increasingly anxious, but just then, a device on the side suddenly lit up with a black-and-white image. It was impressive, his own figure!
And this angle… The Doctor hurriedly looked towards the opposite side of the castle!
There was a… hunched figure draped in a body bag!
The Doctor's pupils constricted violently, a chill rushing from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his skull!
Heavy footsteps echoed in the castle, seemingly stepping on the tip of the Doctor's heart. Step by step, step by step, it walked towards the Doctor.
A filthy, rotting stench assaulted his face. The buzzing of flies echoed in the Doctor's ears, and he involuntarily backed away.
But at the end of the corridor, a locked door suddenly appeared!
That tall, rotting figure wrapped in a body bag had already extended that pitch-black, rotting hand, approaching the Doctor step by step.
Stench and fear struck; death approached step by step.
A trace of cold sweat appeared on the Doctor's forehead. He quickly leaned against the door and whispered rapidly, "Obviously, you can't establish true telepathy with a door."
"The reason is obvious, because doors are always angry. Imagine it: a door's life is always being pushed past by people. Someone is always knocking on you, but they are never looking for you."
"And every night you are locked up. So if you were just a little bit kind…"
The door clicked softly. The Doctor smiled. "Still got it."
But in the next moment, his expression froze, BECAUSE BEHIND THE DOOR WAS ACTUALLY A BRICK WALL!!!
And at this moment, that rotting figure had already arrived in front of the Doctor, about to reach out and touch him! 』
『 .....』
『 Viewers of Myriad Worlds 』
Everyone's mouth twitched. They thought the Doctor whispering to the door and actually opening it was abstract enough.
But they didn't expect something even more abstract: behind the door was a wall?!
What kind of decent person builds a wall behind a door!
However, what was interesting was…
Everyone was extremely curious about what exactly that figure wrapped in a body bag was.
Some powerful existences sensed two auras from it: Indestructibility and Death.
Among them, Death was the most intense. It could even be said that the figure was the physical entity of the concept of Death!
Then what was the purpose of sending out this kind of monster?
Everyone became increasingly curious about what would happen next and how the Doctor would deal with it?!
.....