—I'm back!
Ten minutes later, Kurt returned, slightly out of breath, as if he had been running.
—Did you notice, Suneo? The director hasn't come back —Gian whispered.
—Yeah. I told you he seemed very suspicious —Suneo replied, crossing his arms.
A few minutes later, the solemn silence was broken by the deep sound of bells announcing twelve o'clock noon.
Then it happened.
In the Nature room —a vast space that imitated a wild biome, with artificial trees and a projected sky— a group of robots appeared out of nowhere and immediately began attacking the police officers.
Inspector Mustang and his men barely had time to react before being forced to retreat.
Mustang hastily opened a portal and fell through it, reappearing in the Everything room.
—Inspector Mustang!
—Attention! The enemy is in the Nature room!
He didn't finish the sentence when the lights suddenly went out.
The entire room was plunged into dense darkness.
—W-what's happening?
—This is my chance…
Amidst the confusion, Noah suddenly smiled. With a gesture of his hand, thin vines sprouted from the floor, moving like shadows as they approached Doraemon and carefully peeled the 4D pocket from his belly.
Doraemon noticed nothing.
Suddenly, a skylight shattered above, and from it descended a figure who landed with one knee on the floor. The only light coming from the upper floor fell upon him like a stage spotlight.
—Hehehe…
—That's… the thief DX? —Nobita murmured.
—Ha, ha, ha! Sleep-inducing gun!
DX raised a weapon in his hand and fired a fine spray cloud. The small surveillance robots floating around began to fall one by one, deactivated, like fireflies going out.
—Just as I announced, I've come for some prized gadgets.
The museum's general alarm went off at the same time.
—All units! DX has appeared in the Everything room!
The alert echoed through the hallways, accompanied by a shrill siren that vibrated in the chest.
—Quickly! We have to go stop him!
In the other rooms, agents activated their portal devices. Luminous circles began to form… but disintegrated instantly.
—It's not working!
—Space is blocked!
—All entrances to the room are sealed!
Inside, under the solitary light, DX slowly stood up.
The group lunged at him without hesitation.
Blasts of compressed air crossed the room from all angles.
But DX moved as if he already knew where each shot was coming from.
The air projectiles grazed past his trench coat.
—It's useless! Our attacks aren't affecting him! —Nobita shouted.
DX snapped his fingers.
Instantly, a group of small robots descended from the ceiling. Each one had an integrated air cannon. They surrounded the group, forming a circle.
—They're takedown units. Be careful —Doraemon warned.
The robots fired in unison.
Doraemon responded immediately, spinning around while returning fire. He tried to reach into his pocket to pull out some gadget…
His expression changed.
He patted his belly again and again in confusion.
He looked down.
—…My pocket?
He was silent for a second.
—You stole my pocket too?!!
He gritted his teeth and began firing with more rage.
Noah, off to the side, didn't seem as disturbed by the chaos of battle. His gaze stopped at a nearby display case. Inside, a katana that looked like a toy rested on blue velvet.
He quickly read the gadget's introductory card:
Denkomaru.
Integrated sensor. Detects incoming attacks. Automatically deflects or blocks. Immediate counterattack. Speed nearly impossible to dodge.
Without hesitation, Noah broke the glass with the air cannon and took the sword without wavering.
Despite looking like a toy and having no edge, he immediately liked it for its effects.
With the air cannon in his left hand and Denkomaru in his right, Noah began attacking the robots surrounding him.
The sword moved on its own. It deflected the impact with a metallic clang and counterattacked in the same motion.
In a matter of seconds, he began to carve out space amidst the hail of compressed air shots. His body was small, but his movements were precise.
One by one, the robots around him began to fall.
—Hey… —Gian murmured, panting—. Are you sure you're only three years old?
Noah didn't respond.
While everyone was busy fighting, DX slid elegantly between display cases. He took several gadgets and made them disappear into his hat, which seemed to have no bottom.
—Ha, ha, ha… With this, ladies and gentlemen, the show is over!
He snapped his fingers again.
All the remaining robots exploded at the same time, bursting into a cloud of bright confetti that covered the room like festive rain.
—See you later!
A dark portal opened beneath his feet.
—Wait! I want my bell back! And my pocket! —Doraemon shouted, stepping forward.
—Muahahaha…
DX let himself fall backward into the portal and disappeared.
Only the echo of his laugh remained, floating among the remnants of confetti.
—Tsk! He got away again! —Inspector Mustang growled, clenching his fists.
One of the agents was checking a tablet with the updated inventory.
—Inspector, it seems DX stole four objects in total: the Multiplying Mirror, the Insect Alarm, the Dictator Switch, and the Helping Hand.
—And previously he stole the Maximizing Flashlight… and Doraemon's bell —Shizuka added quietly.
The inspector frowned.
—Why would he have stolen those six specific gadgets? There has to be an explanation. A common point between them.
—Don't worry, Inspector! —Nobita declared, puffing out his chest—. Leave it to Nobita Holmes to solve this mystery. You're in good hands!
He rummaged in his pocket with a solemn expression.
—Clarity Pipe…
He took it out and tried to inhale.
—Oops. It's clogged… hehe…
He quickly put it away, cleared his throat, and rummaged again.
—Deduction Magnifying Glass!
He held it up in front of everyone.
—Give us a clue about what those six objects have in common.
The image in the lens began to ripple. The figures distorted… until they stabilized into a view of an industrial building.
—Huh? What's this?
—Let me see —the inspector leaned over the magnifying glass—. Hm… I think it's the factory where gadgets are repaired.
—Great! —Nobita dramatically adjusted his cap—. Now, if I give my deduction cap a little tap, I'll be able to think better.
He closed his eyes for a few seconds before suddenly jumping up.
—Nobibi! I've got it!
He turned to Director Figgs, who had returned from the Nature room without anyone noticing exactly when.
—Director, please find out on which specific days those gadgets were taken in for repair.
—Uh… I'll do it right now.
Figgs took out a tablet and began swiping his finger quickly. Suddenly he stopped still.
—Uh… well.
He turned the screen towards the group.
—Look. Curiously, all these stolen gadgets were sent to the factory on the same day.
—Hey! —Doraemon exclaimed—. That's precisely the same day I sent my broken bell in for repair.
The inspector slowly looked up.
—That day… that day…
His expression changed.
—It's the same day Director Deppler was arrested.
Noah didn't take his eyes off Kurt.
For a fraction of a second, something crossed his face. Tension. A barely perceptible rigidity in his jaw.
Kurt quickly regained his composure.
But Noah saw it clearly.
The inspector continued:
—Professor Deppler was expelled from this island a long time ago. At that time, we received information that he might have secretly returned. We launched an investigation and arrested him when he snuck into that factory, on a day it was closed.
He paused.
—He was building a strange device, and we confiscated it. Shortly after, the authorities decided to release him.
—I'm sure he did something to my bell and the other five gadgets then! —Doraemon exclaimed—. No doubt about it!
—That means Professor Deppler and DX are connected —Gian said.
—Probably —the inspector admitted.
—This can't be left like this. I'll review the files on Professor Deppler.
Mustang turned around and left quickly.
—I also have something to look for —Director Figgs added almost immediately.
And he too hurriedly withdrew.