r18novel Page 179
Page 179
On Light Yagami's face was an extremely complex expression, filled with a mixture of absurdity and a hint of frantic curiosity about this new, higher-dimensional, and unknown existence.
"...Yes, Tsuki-kun."
"A monster that feeds on 'time'."
"This means that the damage it can cause is absolute and completely irreversible."
"What it 'devours' is not 'matter' in the usual sense."
Rather, it is the concept of 'existence' itself.
"Once a certain timeline is completely swallowed up by it."
"Then on that timeline, all the 'past' that has ever happened, all the 'present' that is happening, and all the 'future' that should have happened."
"They will all be completely and ruthlessly erased from the river of cause and effect, the very river upon which we depend for survival."
"This... is a more ultimate, true 'nothingness' than 'death'."
L put a whole piece of chocolate, which looked very sweet and was full of cream, into his mouth.
He revealed a unique, calm expression—a mix of solemnity and a hint of excitement—that one would show when facing an ultimate opponent whom one could neither defeat nor comprehend.
...
The world of Academy City
"Devouring...time?"
"What a joke!"
"'Time' is merely an objective and fundamental physical concept that we use to describe the movement of all matter and the transfer and change of energy in this world."
"How could it be so easily devoured by a so-called 'monster' like a delicious cake?"
"This completely contradicts all the scientific common sense I have learned since birth, all the things I am proud of."
Misaka Mikoto's face was filled with the unique, shattered shock of a 'Railgun', the third-ranked Level 5 esper in Academy City, when facing a being that defied all scientific principles, existed in a higher dimension, and was imbued with 'magic'.
"...A monster capable of devouring time?"
363 “That’s amazing.”
"What a misfortune—"
Kamijou Touma revealed a signature, heartfelt wail filled with an expression that screamed at the very existence of something troublesome and filled with misfortune.
Xiao Zhang wanted to stop the doctor.
But the doctor believed that the "Time Eater" contained even greater energy.
[If he could obtain its power, he would be able to travel through any space and time without restriction.]
The world of The Three-Body Problem
"alarm!"
"alarm!"
"Your Majesty, we have detected something—ultimate, and most terrifying intelligence that we cannot comprehend at all!"
"That monster called the 'Time Devourer' contains energy that allows people to travel through 'infinite' time and space!"
"Travel freely between the past and the future!"
"Playing with time and history at will!"
"This...how is this possible!"
The Three-Body Monitor, who has always been known for his absolute, cold rationality.
When his mind conveyed this terrifying message—a message powerful enough to overturn the entire physical laws of the universe—for the first time, a violent and uncontrollable wave of panic arose.
"...'Infinite' time travel?"
"To 'casually' manipulate time and history?"
"We...we, the Trisolaran civilization, exhausted all the wisdom and resources of our entire race over four hundred and fifty cycles to barely manage to send our fleet to that humble solar system, which is only 4.22 light-years away from us."
"And he..."
"That seemingly crazy old man, once he gets his hands on that monster, can go to any 'past' he wants, and any 'future' he wants, at will?"
"He could even completely erase us from that damned timeline before we were even born?"
"This...this is no longer 'technology'."
"This is the true authority of 'God' that we never even dared to dream of!"
After receiving this final and most terrifying intelligence—enough to render all their civilization's efforts and struggles utterly meaningless—the leader of the Trisolaran world...
For the first time, those thoughts, which had been as calm and undisturbed as an ancient well, were stirred up by a monstrous wave called 'despair'.
...
The world of Ling Cage
"...Did I hear that right?"
"That strange old man..."
"He... he actually wants to 'capture' that god-like monster who can easily devour even 'time'?"
"Is he crazy!"
"We risked everyone's lives just to fight against those Devouring Beasts that only know how to wreak havoc with brute force!"
"And he..."
"He actually wants to challenge a true 'god' that is ten thousand times more terrifying than all the Devouring Beasts we've ever seen combined?"
"That strange old man is really terrifying!"
Mark's face was filled with extreme shock. He felt that the old man's madness was even more chilling than the endless Devouring Beasts on the ground.
"This strange old man is the most dangerous and terrifying monster in the world."
"Although the Devouring Beasts are powerful, their behavior is at least within the realm of 'survival' and 'instinct' that we can understand."
"And what about this old man?"
"What he seeks is an absolute and supreme power that is completely unimaginable to us, enough to 'control' and 'manipulate' the fate of the entire world."
"To achieve this goal, he can challenge any taboo we know, or even the most terrifying taboos we don't know."
"He is more unfathomable than any monster."
Bai Yuekui's face was also filled with deep fear of this truly ambitious and insane man.
[Xiao Zhang couldn't persuade the already crazed doctor, so he wanted to ask Bald Qiang and the others for help.]
Bald Qiang and Julie both agreed.
The group of them quietly infiltrated the strange old man's house.
As soon as he entered the house, Xiao Zhang came at him with a huge iron hammer.
However, he nimbly dodged the attack with ease.
The strange old man scoffed, "Hmph, a mere trifle."
"Watch me."
[Bald Qiang appeared behind him, wielding a thick wooden stick, and struck him.]
But he still easily dodged it.
Xiao Zhang shouted loudly, "Doctor, stop! That Devourer is beyond your control!"
"High returns naturally come with high risks. Don't you understand such a simple truth?"
The strange old man picked at his ear and said calmly.
【"PhD."】
Xiao Zhang wanted to say something more.
"In short, none of you can stop me."
The strange old man turned around.
【"Bang."】
[In the very next second.]
In the room next to him, Julie was holding a huge frying pan and smashed it directly into his face, knocking him unconscious on the spot.
The world of Happy Heroes
"Wow."
"Look."
“That…that one looks like just an ordinary, delicate office worker, Julie.”
"The frying pan she was holding looked very ordinary."
"That's amazing!"
"That strange old man, who is like a god and unfathomable, even Mr. Bald Qiang can't beat him at all."
"She actually managed to kill me in one fell swoop with just a small, inconspicuous frying pan?"
Happy Superman revealed an expression filled with extreme shock and a hint of admiration.
"yes……"
"That frying pan looks even more powerful than the one we saw before, the one that was also very powerful with Red Wolf!"
"Truly... appearances can be deceiving, and the sea can be immeasurable."
"I never imagined that Miss Julie was actually the one who was the most secretive among them all."
Sweetheart Superman's face was also filled with surprise and admiration.
[After knocking that strange old man unconscious.]
They then tied him up tightly again.
Xiao Zhang asked, "Bald Qiang, are you really sure? Are you sure you want to go back, tear off that piece of paper, and restart that old timeline?"
"Yes, I think this is probably the best way to eliminate that devourer."
Bald Qiang nodded.
"But then, wouldn't you be..."
Xiao Zhang wanted to say something more, but he was interrupted: "Don't worry, Xiao-Zhang, I've thought it through. I still can't bear to part with them."
And so, armed with their equipment, they once again arrived at that old timeline.
They returned to the very place where they had chosen to begin.
[And when he wanted to tear up the lumberjack job posting.]
However, they discovered that a large number of monstrous fragments of spacetime had gathered here.
They destroyed many fragments of spacetime that came to obstruct their path.
But then it was discovered that these fragments were constantly converging and merging.
"Oh no! The Time Eater is about to appear! Before it fully materializes, quickly tear up that sheet!" Xiao Zhang shouted.
【"Um."】
Baldy strode towards the telephone pole, intending to tear off the leaflet.
But suddenly, the road in front of them collapsed.
The telephone pole was also piled high up by countless mounds of earth.
At this moment, the countless fragments of time had already coalesced into a complete form.
[A colossal time-devouring being appeared, radiating a terrifying aura.]
He stood quietly atop that telephone pole.
"Boom!"