The Dictator Switch part 4

[Ding Dong!]

The chime of Ken's doorbell echoed through the house.

Baffled, Ken wondered who could be visiting at this hour.

Hurriedly, Ken dashed downstairs as the persistent doorbell continued its cheerful tune.

Observing the screen displaying the view outside the front door, Ken's eyes widened.

There stood Nobita, his face a mix of anxiety and panic, muttering, "Did I really erase everyone?"

Ken listened, and it all became clear. Nobita had been granted a peculiar gadget by none other than Doraemon himself – a gadget that could temporarily erase the existence of its target.

Ken easily understood Doraemon's motive. This was undoubtedly a lesson. A lesson in the form of the "Dictator Switch" – a tool that whispered another name, "The Lesson for the Dictator." It was a mechanism that imparted wisdom to its holder. The gadget's message was clear: in life, both kindness and criticism coexist. Without one, the other loses its meaning. If only good existed, what would good truly mean without the backdrop of bad? And vice versa. Such was life's delicate balance, a concept to be embraced and accepted by all living beings.

Darkness defines light, just as light defines darkness. A bittersweet reality, yet undeniably beautiful.

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Ken gazed at Nobita, who had rung the bell with no one answering.

Nobita's shoulders sagged in helplessness as he eventually turned away. As he walked, a faint shadow seemed to trail behind him. Ken couldn't discern if it was real or a figment of his imagination.

But Ken decided to stay hidden. Seeing Nobita, and recalling his mumbled words, would only complicate matters. Explaining his own immunity to the gadget's effects would be a task, and with Doraemon's knack for spilling secrets, it was a risk Ken couldn't afford.

It appeared that Nobita had successfully erased everyone from the world, everyone except Ken and Doraemon.

Everyone...

Wait.

Did that include my parents too?

Sighing deeply, Ken muttered, "Yare yare." Nobita's antics were always a handful. Well, at least he could use the Advanced Dictator Switch to bring them all back.

Retrieving the Advanced Dictator Switch, Ken marveled at its unchanged obsidian sheen, the button contrasting as white as a pearl.

The button held the power to undo the erasures, returning the erased to existence if the user willed it. Unlike the ordinary Dictator Switch, which released all targets simultaneously, Ken's advanced version allowed for selective revival – the power to dictate the revival.

Truly, a dictator in control.

Well, I guess they'll come back eventually, especially after Doraemon decides to undo the effects.

Ken wasn't quite ready to bring everyone back just yet. After all, Doraemon's intention was to teach Nobita a lesson, and Ken wanted this to be a lesson for Nobita as well.

But hey, I can always revive them whenever I want, Ken thought to himself.

He decided against bringing back his parents for now; it might be a bit perplexing for them. His dad could find himself at work with no colleagues, and his mom might wonder why there's suddenly no electricity or TV signal.

...

Meanwhile, Nobita wandered around aimlessly before heading back home.

He lay down for a moment, then suddenly forced a smile. "Haha! Isn't this amazing?! No Doraemon, Mom, Takeshi, or Suneo? No one in the world, and I can do whatever I please!"

Nobita's joyful words contradicted the sadness in his eyes. It seemed like he was trying to fool himself about the reality he was in.

Watching closely, Doraemon shook his head in dismay.

Nobita hurriedly left the house and headed to the market district. He treated himself to cakes, food, and even spent some time at an amusement park. Eventually, he returned home, but his happiness seemed fleeting.

Indeed, he was trying to distract himself from the sorrow by indulging in things he had always wanted to do. But despite all the fun, the sadness still lingered.

After his bath, Nobita chuckled, remarking, "Wow, the bath product Shizuka-chan gave me is really something. Haha."

Then Unbeknownst to him, tears streamed down his face. "Huh? Am I crying? Why?" Nobita questioned, touching his wet cheeks.

He got out of the tub, dried off, and made his way back to his room, wrapping himself in a blanket. He softly murmured the names of his loved ones. Suddenly, the lights went out, and Nobita realized the power was off.

He stumbled downstairs in the darkness, calling out for his mom and Doraemon, but no one appeared. Left with no other choice, he returned to his room, waiting for nightfall.

Gazing out of the window, Nobita spoke in remorse. "Please come back... all of you... I beg you... I was wrong."

His expression twisted with pain.

Doraemon, observing from the shadows, smiled and spoke, "Do you finally understand, Nobita?"

Nobita nodded, almost involuntarily. "Yes. I shouldn't have erased Takeshi, Suneo, and especially all of you. I was wrong."

With a smile, Doraemon finally revealed himself. "It seems you've learned your lesson."

Nobita looked at Doraemon in surprise and relief. "Doraemon!?" His expression carried a mix of astonishment and comfort.

Doraemon apologized, "I'm sorry for hiding, Nobita."

After Nobita's nod of understanding, Doraemon explained the gadget to him.

Later, as Doraemon took the gadget from Nobita and pressed the button on the Dictator Switch, the once dark and empty world began to brighten up as electricity and life returned.

The camera zoomed out from Nobita and Doraemon.

Meanwhile, Ken was deep in thought, pondering which parallel worlds he could visit with his Dokodemo Door.

(I have Death Note as Grimoire in Black Clover is out.)