EVA: Shinji Ikari Returns from Tiga

Chapter 25 Are all EVA pilots monsters!?

"Excuse me, do you know where the owner of this ward, Ms. Shikinami, has gone?"

I arrived at the ward that Rei Ayanami told me about, but it was empty, so I had to ask the NERV medical staff who passed by.

"Shikinami...ah, you mean the second qualified person, right? Sorry, I'm not sure. But her condition has recovered to the point where she can live a normal life. She should have returned home."

After recognizing that Shinji Ikari was the first qualified candidate and also... the son of the NERV commander-in-chief, the nurse was very cooperative and told him all the information she knew as much as possible.

"Thanks--"

Saying goodbye to the nurse with a smile, Shinji Ikari looked around... This is NERV's medical inpatient department, where all the staff members and their families who were injured in the battle against the Angels live.

Because of the overwhelming number of family members, the place does not give the impression of a serious and rigid secret service agency, but rather has a homely atmosphere of ordinary people.

Among the gossips of the people around him, the topic Shinji Ikari heard the most was -

——"Have you heard? A superhero has appeared to save humanity from the apostles"——

too fast.

The speed at which this public opinion spread... is really too fast.

From the end of the Sixth Angel Operation to now, it should be no more than four days... plus NERV must want to conduct intelligence operations... Normally, they would never let the existence of Ultraman Tiga become common knowledge so easily.

As expected, it was that man Kaji Ryoji... He called reporters from mainstream media and private media in advance and even deliberately directed a photo that would go viral.

A majestic giant stretched out his hand to rescue the young human child from the rubble... This photo, full of divinity and the meaning of salvation... spread almost like a virus in the city.

If the Pulitzer Prize hadn't been suspended because of the Apostolic Invasion, this photo would definitely have won the award this year.

All of this is definitely instigated by Ryoji Kaji... What is his purpose?
…Forget it, no matter what that man is thinking…it may not be a bad thing to let Tiga’s existence be widely known.

In this world where people's hearts have become numb due to continuous disasters, the appearance of a savior-like existence... can ultimately boost the morale of the human side.

Although the essence of Ultraman is not to be relied upon by humans, but requires humans to use their own strength to open up a way forward... However, having said that... we must always adapt to local conditions and not be impatient for success or force things to happen.

First, awaken the hope in the hearts of human beings, and then guide them little by little... Well, let's start with Asuka, the typical porcupine.

After clarifying what he was going to do, Shinji Ikari moved lightly and swiftly, deliberately blending into the crowd passing by and hiding his figure.

He used some of the anti-tracking techniques he had learned in the Victory Team, hid his body, accelerated immediately, and then made an abrupt turn at a corner.

And then... he suddenly stopped moving forward and turned back without any warning -!
"...Woo!"

As expected, the spy in a black suit and sunglasses who had been keeping a distance from Shinji Ikari... was lured out by Shinji Ikari with such a simple trick.

Seeing Shinji Ikari first disappear into the crowd and then suddenly speed up and turn, the NERV intelligence officer in charge of the driver's security had to catch up as quickly as possible to avoid losing him...but was caught off guard by Shinji Ikari who suddenly turned around.

The spy, who was supposed to be hiding in the shadows, was caught so easily by the target of surveillance... This is a huge failure as an intelligence officer! "Hello, Mr. Intelligence Officer in charge of... my security... Since no one has introduced your name to me and you don't have a badge, what should I call you?"

Shinji Ikari's relaxed attitude made the man in the black suit even more certain that all this could not be a coincidence...his surveillance of him was completely under Shinji Ikari's control.

Add to that the strange steps and anti-reconnaissance capabilities just now...is this boy really just a fourteen-year-old child?
Are all EVA pilots monsters!?

"Kenzaki... NERV Intelligence Department, Intelligence Section 1, Kenzaki Kyoya."

While the mission involved supervision, the main focus was still protection… As a NERV intelligence officer, there was no need for him to quarrel with Ikari Shinji, who was both a pilot and the Commander-in-Chief's eldest son, so he answered the questions obediently.

"Mr. Kenzaki, I'm sorry to scare you. I was just calling you normally, and you might not want to show up, so I had to scare you like this."

Faced with Shinji Ikari's sarcastic sarcasm, Kenzaki could only smile bitterly and not answer.

Nonsense, how could a monitor have so much free time as to come out and chat with the person being monitored... I was caught today and I don’t even know how to write a report.

"...Excuse me, I'm looking for Asuka. Since we pilots are under the surveillance... no, protection... of your intelligence department, you probably have some idea of ​​Asuka's whereabouts. Please let me know."

Kenzaki Kyoya frowned in distress, and weighed in his mind whether he was qualified to reveal this... However, considering that the mission was only to monitor and report, and they were not required to keep the driver's whereabouts secret at all times, he finally chose to agree.

And, for some reason... just looking at this handsome and thin boy in front of him... Kyoya Kenzaki felt an unspeakable sense of trust deep in his heart... This incredible closeness made him involuntarily want to support Shinji Ikari.

"…Potter, it's me. Where is the second qualified person now? Okay, I understand."

Thinking of this, Kenzaki took out the communicator and confirmed Asuka's whereabouts with the intelligence officer responsible for monitoring Asuka.

"The second qualified person is on the rooftop of this medical building."

"Thank you."

After waving to Kenzaki Kyoya, Shinji Ikari turned around and headed towards the rooftop.

But before leaving, as if he thought of something... Ikari Shinji turned around again and spoke to Kenzaki Kyoya, who was about to distance himself again and monitor him from afar.

"Mr. Kenzaki, I know that monitoring us is the job your father gave you. So I won't say anything stupid like, 'Don't monitor me'... But if you ever have doubts about your job, you can always ask me if you have any questions. You're welcome."

"…!?"

Kenzaki Kyoya widened his eyes. He had no idea what identity or position the young man in front of him had to make such a statement.

Is it an EVA pilot who fights the Angels to save humanity?
Or, the son of Gendo Ikari, the commander-in-chief who holds absolute power in NERV...?
Or... a third identity that even he himself, who has been monitoring him seamlessly all day and night, is unaware of?
Kenzaki Kyoya would never have thought of this - Shinji Ikari's unexpected conversation with Kenzaki Kyoya today...

It will fundamentally and completely change the life of a man named Kenzaki Kyoya.

(End of this chapter)