EVA: Shinji Ikari Returns from Tiga

Chapter 14 The Giant of Light Exists!

"I told you! The Giant of Light exists!"

Third New Tokyo City, Municipal First Middle School.

Shinji Ikari went to school as usual, waiting to go to NERV for training after school...just like any other day.

But during the break, I heard an argument that could not be ignored.

"But, even if you say so... I haven't seen any relevant reports so far... There's no trace of it on the forums."

"You! Are you trying to say that my sister is lying? Sakura is impossible to lie!"

Looking in the direction of the noise... there was a muscular boy in sportswear and a nerd with glasses.

Because they were classmates, Shinji Ikari vaguely remembered their names, which seemed to be... Suzuhara Touji and Aida Kensuke.

They mentioned the term Giant of Light, but Shinji Ikari understood that apart from the information within NERV, the outside world should know nothing about the existence of Tiga.

"Um, what is this giant of light you're talking about?"

"what?"

The unexpected intervention of others surprised both Dongzhi and Kensuke.

Because Shinji Ikari has to go directly to NERV for training after class and has no private entertainment time, he is not very familiar with his classmates.

Toji and Kensuke only knew that Ikari Shinji was the pilot of EVA Unit 01, and they had no other interactions. Now, seeing Ikari Shinji interrupting them, they both looked surprised.

"That's right! Touji! Ikari-san is the pilot of the EVA... If you talk to him, he might know something we don't!"

Kensuke suddenly became excited and urged Toji to tell Shinji Ikari about the Giant of Light.

"Well, it happened three weeks ago, when the apostles attacked. My sister was trapped in a dangerous area due to an emergency, and she didn't have time to evacuate. Then she almost died at the feet of the apostles..."

At this point, Suzuhara Touji's eyes lit up with rage, but it was directed at the apostles. It seemed like the relationship between the siblings was quite good.

"Then, just when Sakura was on the verge of death, a Giant of Light suddenly appeared! He defeated the apostle with ease and saved Sakura! The Giant of Light is our hero!"

Shinji Ikari seemed to have some recollection of this. After all, the first time he transformed into Tiga in this world was when he discovered civilians who hadn't had time to evacuate.

It turns out that Dongzhi’s sister was in it... I think there was a little girl who was in elementary school, but I don’t remember the specific details.

"What the hell, Shinji-kun, have you heard anything about what Touji said? That giant of light... does it really exist?!"

Kensuke looked at Shinji Ikari with anticipation, hoping that he would tell him some inside information that the outside world didn't know.

"No, after all, EVA didn't go out during the Angels' attack, so I don't know what he said. But... I believe Touji's sister didn't lie, because she should be a good child. So maybe the Giant of Light... really exists."

Shinji Ikari smiled gently and gave an ambiguous answer.

"You're so smart, aren't you? Transfer student! You always disappear as soon as class is over! I thought you were some cocky idiot who liked to show off! I didn't expect you were such a good person!"

Suzuhara Touji smiled and came up to put his arm around Shinji Ikari's shoulders. He was a very easy-to-understand guy. Shinji Ikari just praised his sister, and he immediately had a good impression of Shinji Ikari.

"Alas, if even the pilot hasn't heard the inside scoop... then it doesn't exist. I feel like this is just a hallucination your sister saw after she was injured... It hurts!"

"Shinji has already said it! Sakura is a good girl! She won't lie! Are you asking for a beating?"

Touji used his iron fist to shut up Kensuke who was saying discouraging words.

"Ah! Over there! No violence!"

Sensing the commotion, the class president of Year 2-A, Hikaru Tomoki, a girl with a cute ponytail and a delicate, quiet demeanor, immediately came over and angrily lectured Touji. "Really? You're acting so rudely, like monkeys. So, young boys really are..."

Following behind Hikaru Tomokazu was Asuka. It seemed that she had become friends with the class monitor on the first day of her transfer.

"What did you say! You blond..."

Suzuhara Touji was furious at being treated like an idiot. He walked over and started to fight with Asuka without caring whether the other person was a man or a woman.

"Okay, calm down. We were wrong. We shouldn't have caused a commotion in the classroom."

Of course, it was impossible to let these two people fight each other, so Shinji Ikari stretched out his hand to stop the aggressive Touji.

"Besides, Touji. Regardless of whether the Giant of Light really exists or not, isn't the most important thing your sister... the girl named Sakura, saved? Since Sakura is safe, nothing else matters. There's no need to force everyone to believe in the existence of the Giant of Light."

"It seems so, transfer student. You really know how to talk!"

Suzuhara Touji, whose anger was calmed down by Shinji Ikari's words, glared at Asuka unhappily and prepared to leave without paying any more attention to him.

"Hey! Transfer student! Come eat with us today! Ignore those two bitches!"

"What did you say!?"

Before Asuka could get mad, Shinji Ikari quickly pushed Touji and Kensuke out of the classroom.

Asuka glared at the three people's backs fiercely, and complained to Touki Hikaru who was standing beside her with some complaints.

"I can't believe it... Why would you, Guang, fall for a guy like that... Wuwu?!"

"Asuka! Don't say that here!"

With a blushing face, Mitsuru Tomaki went over and covered Asuka's mouth to stop her from continuing speaking in the classroom.

"Yeah, why? Maybe it's because liking something like this... is never reasonable. Asuka, you'll understand once you find someone you like."

All the memories of her and Suzuhara Touji, who were like a pair of bickering lovers, flashed through Tomu Hikaru's mind, and she couldn't help but smile like a girl.

"You must have eaten something wrong. And I have someone I like. Unlike these childish brats, the one I like is..."

Although the face of Kaji Ryoji appeared in my mind, I couldn't help but think of the conversation between Kaji Ryoji and Ikari Shinji yesterday.

——"It was clearly her carelessness that caused you to be pierced by the apostle..."——

The love that I originally had for Kaji Ryoji now felt like a lump in my throat.

And… at the same time, Shinji Ikari's angry, powerful, and unquestionable words echoed in his mind again.

——"Asuka is an excellent and hardworking pilot!"——

My heart, which had turned cold due to Ryoji Kaji's criticism, warmed up inexplicably.

Could it be that I... am...to that second-generation official...

“Um, idiot…!”

He slapped his cheeks hard as if to shake off distracting thoughts.

And Dong Mu Guang, who was standing by, saw it clearly.

"Xiaoxiang, just now you...showed me the same smile...as me."

(End of this chapter)