Chapter 304

Clara hurried over to soothe the Doctor's emotions.

Across the Myriad Worlds

Everyone's gaze turned toward the old man on the screen. This time, it wasn't... a human?

They scrutinized him, confirming this answer. To be precise, he must be some species from the universe, and many powerful beings could clearly see the traces of time etched upon him.

A species related to time, then?

And this time, the question was about how long a sentient being could endure a desperate existence?

The figures of Akemi Homura and Kamijou Touma surfaced in everyone's minds.

Could it be that this Doctor was the same?

【Mami Tomoe: "A desperate existence that a sentient being can endure? Just hearing the question makes me feel uneasy."】

【Merlin: "If it were a being without any sentient traits, we might have an answer, but for sentient beings... this is tricky. Such existences all possess infinite possibilities~"】

【Thanos: "Heh, infinite possibilities? They'd be lucky to last a few million years. I don't believe anyone can endure millions of years of despair."】

【Deadpool: "Stop looking at the world with that tiny, impotent thing of yours, you purple-headed freak!"】

【Thanos: "I will chop you into pieces!"】

Tiga World

"A long, desperate existence... could it be because of saving the world or saving someone?"

Daigo stared at the old man on the screen, lost in thought.

Could it be that such an existence also has to fight against something?

Doraemon World

"Hurry, hurry, Doraemon, think of the answer for me! This might be the last time I ever ask you for anything!" Nobita was both excited and anxious.

He was happy to have finally gotten a chance to answer, which would lead him to the pinnacle of life, but 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, please~~~ Doraemon, you're the best~~~!" Nobita pleaded.

Doraemon felt his stomach churn at the sight and almost threw up, so he quickly agreed.

Doraemon rummaged through his pocket, pulled out a monocle, and peered at the Doctor on the screen.

"A long-lived species?" Doraemon understood. He saw the dense traces of time on the Doctor; the other party must be a species related to time and had even traveled through time countless times.

However, even so, his total lifespan should only be a bit longer than other species.

Doraemon thought for a moment, afraid of getting it wrong, and said bluntly, "Nobita, the Earth is 4.5 billion years old, humans have existed for about 3 million years, and the average human lifespan is about 77.5 years."

"Why don't we choose one from these three specific timeframes?"

Nobita nodded in agreement and, after thinking for a moment, made a decisive choice.

After all, how could 4.5 billion years be possible? The Earth itself was only 4.5 billion years old. He would bet his life that no one could endure 4.5 billion years of existence.

So, 4.5 billion years was ruled out first.

And the average human lifespan of 77.5 years?

Nobita felt he could endure 77.5 years himself, so he didn't choose that either. Thus, there was only one answer left.

"That is 3 million years!"

No Game No Life World

"Shiro, what do you think?" The siblings sat in one chair, Sora holding Shiro's petite frame.

Shiro pulled at her skirt to prevent any wardrobe malfunctions and said softly, "Refer to the experiences of Homura and Touma."

Homura looped through despair hundreds of times. If Kyubey hadn't told her the truth and Madoka hadn't stepped forward to bear everything, Homura could have looped a terrifying number of times.

And Touma, in Othinus's infinite worlds, experienced billions of deaths. Even if one death counted as four days, the total would be nearly 1 million years.

Such a terrifying number was already the limit in their eyes.

"But then?" Sora laughed.

Shiro glanced at Sora and continued in a soft, milky voice, "But if that were the limit, this old man wouldn't be on the list, nor would this question appear."

"So, I guess this is a desperate existence even longer than a million years."

"Exactly. But there are too few clues; we don't know anything at all. This guessing game is a loss."

The two smiled at each other, feeling no disappointment, because everyone selected was an existence beyond their cognition. Losing to such existences was not a letdown.

Now, they were even more curious about what the real answer was.

Soon, the countdown ended, and the three answers appeared on the screen.

【Nobita: "3 million years"】

【Sora: "Lifespan is the duration of the desperate existence"】

【Daigo: "Tens of thousands of years"】

【Ding—All three answers are incorrect.】

【Correct Answer: The duration of the desperate existence for a sentient being is—4.5 billion years!】

Doraemon World

Nobita stared at the number on the screen, stunned for a moment, then burst into tears!

Wasn't that the answer he had ruled out first!

"Doraemon!!!" Nobita choked out.

Doraemon showed a look of "as expected."

"Nobita, are you a child who never grows up?"

Across the Myriad Worlds

4.5... billion years?!

Everyone's expression suddenly turned grave and horrified.

An existence measured in billions of years?

4.5 billion years—wouldn't the Earth have exploded by then?!

And this old man had to endure 4.5 billion years of long, drawn-out time?!

At this moment, everyone was filled with disbelief! Not to mention whether he could endure it, he didn't even look like he could live for a few hundred million years!

At this moment, the screen officially began.

【

Once, there was a king who asked a shepherd boy, "How many seconds are in eternity?"

The shepherd boy answered honestly:

There is a diamond mountain. It takes one hour to climb over it and one hour to walk around it.

Every hundred years, a little bird flies over and sharpens its beak on the diamond mountain. By the time the entire mountain is worn flat, the first second of eternity has just passed.

When you come into this world, something is born with you. You begin your life, and it begins its journey. It moves slowly but never stops. No matter which path you take, it will follow you.

It is unhurried, always on the road. You run, but it walks.

You rest, but it never stops. One day, when you have lingered too long in a certain place, or slept too soundly, and it is too late, you rise to leave, only to find another shadow beside your own.

Your life—ends here!

In the ancient palace, instruments lit up with blinding light, and the Doctor emerged from the device.

The moment his 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 fingers, and 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 have come to find you!"

"And I will never, ever stop!"

The Doctor continued to explore the depths. Looking down from a height, it was a castle, estimated to be about 25 meters deep, and the device in the room earlier was likely a long-range teleportation device.

He was likely no more than one light-year away from London!

The Doctor observed every corner meticulously, not missing a single fine detail.

He lay by the window, trying to determine his direction by the position of the stars, but he could see nothing outside.

The Doctor's expression did not change, but his tone carried a hint of coldness: "When the sun sets, I will be able to determine an accurate position through the stars, and then you will have two choices."

"Come out and reveal your true form, or continue hiding and face destruction!"

】

【Aqua: "He seems to have a very wise air about him, doesn't he?"】

【Kazuma Sato: "Have you ever used the word 'wise' to describe yourself? Don't mind me, I'm just trying to judge whether 'wise' is a compliment or an insult in your vocabulary."】

【Aqua: "Kazuma is so strange. But although 'wise' doesn't quite suit this goddess, I suppose I can use it reluctantly."】