Shinji Ikari, returned from Warhammer

Below the staircase, a man wearing a black baseball cap and an employee uniform, only half his head visible, was observing the movements of the three figures in the garden while hurriedly replying to messages on his wristwatch.

But out of the corner of his eye, he suddenly caught a glimpse of a figure flashing down, followed by the sharp sound of a rope tightening and the whistling of wind. The familiar figure of a young man descended from above, grabbing the rope from the fire extinguishing equipment at the top of the stairs and landing in front of him.

"Is there something you need, friend?" Shinji Ikari approached him.

The undisguised hostility made him instinctively want to attack, but Shinji Ikari moved faster than him.

Although he greeted them politely, the third boy was utterly ruthless in resorting to violence. With a seemingly casual raised hand, he delivered a precise punch to his own cheek, then grabbed the hair of his companions who were trying to pounce on him from either side, using their momentum to pull them sharply towards the center.

In an instant, all three were rendered incapacitated. The employee in the baseball cap, whose cheek had been struck by Shinji Ikari's punch, saw the man approaching and quickly said, "Don't touch me! I'm a Level 4 security guard. I have something to tell you!"

“I know you’re from the security department, otherwise you wouldn’t have gone so easy on me.” Shinji Ikari grabbed him by the collar and pressed him against the edge of a nearby flowerbed. “But I remember you weren’t allowed to follow me, so how did you find me?”

"It's a tracker that Dr. Akagi installed inside the first qualified candidate..." the fourth-level employee of the security department answered honestly.

Shinji Ikari raised an eyebrow, feeling surprised yet not entirely. If possible, they certainly wouldn't mind installing control devices on him. After all, his free will was causing some people a lot of trouble.

"I received orders from my superiors to inform you that traces of the Ninth Angel have been discovered at the bottom of the lava field of the Asama volcano. I hope you can return to headquarters as soon as possible to await further instructions," the employee continued.

“It’s not just that.” Shinji Ikari wasn’t surprised and kept staring intently at the employee in front of him. “If you’re going to return as soon as possible, then why were you following us for half an hour and still in a surveillance state? Of course, you can try to lie to me, but if I find out you’re lying, I’ll take your partner’s testicles off.”

"Because our superiors on the other side told us to formally notify you two hours later, because if you go there now, it might cause a disaster comparable to the Second Impact." The employee wasn't lying, or rather, he was ordered to tell the third boy the truth. "To prevent another world impact, we must get you to headquarters at the right time, but not as those high-ranking people at headquarters want. I am a level seven spy from the Investigation Department of the Japanese Ministry of Home Affairs. If you don't believe me, you can speak directly with my superiors."

New Apostle's trail, Second Impact, Great Disaster, Headquarters Orders, Ministry of Internal Affairs Spy.

Shinji Ikari pursed his lips. At this moment, he felt that NERV was really a mess inside.

Chapter 64: Beyond Sound, with All Our Might

Can a single Angel cause an impact? Shinji Ikari frowned as he listened to the explanation from the security personnel who claimed to be a Level 7 spy from the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

He was not entirely unaware of the truth about the Second Impact. In the year 2000, an anomaly occurred on the Antarctic continent, bringing immense catastrophe to the Earth. Instantly, sea levels rose, the Earth's axis twisted, natural disasters erupted, and the economy collapsed… Within days, the world's population was halved… and Antarctica became a silent, desolate wasteland.

The official statement issued by the United Nations forces claimed that the disaster was caused by a massive meteorite traveling at 10 percent of the speed of light impacting the Antarctic continent, with a destructive impact equivalent to the Earth's collision with an asteroid 4 billion years ago. Then, governments around the world tacitly praised the greatness of humanity and the enduring vitality of civilization.

But in reality, it was created when humans came into contact with the Giants of Light.

To prevent similar incidents from happening, the Japanese Ministry of Home Affairs, upon learning of the news, wanted to stop NERV's plan and even risked exposure to conceal the whereabouts of the three eligible individuals.

The Apostles must be defeated, but the failure of NERV should be borne by the whole world, which the Ministry of Home Affairs considers a rather arrogant move.

Or, in the eyes of many institutions, organizations, and even countries, NERV's actions are too arrogant, so it's not just the Japanese Ministry of Home Affairs that's concerned. And what lies before Shinji Ikari isn't just one spy, but three; the three headquarters security personnel lying before him are actually spies from various locations.

They worked together to hold NERV back.

“You’re a spy for the Ministry of Internal Affairs, this is IPEA, and that’s the United Nations. You’re playing spy games.” Shinji Ikari sighed, then ordered, “I need to speak with your superiors.”

The communicator was the spy's wristwatch, and after a few seconds, a hoarse, mechanical male voice came from the wristwatch.

"Hello, Third Child, I am an official from the Ministry of Internal Affairs. You must have already heard the whole story from my subordinates. Please believe us, we have no ill intentions towards you."

"Why would I trust you if you meant no harm? Someone as cowardly as you?" Shinji Ikari sneered. "Even your voice is fake."

“I’m sorry, but this is a necessary measure.” A kind smile came from the wristwatch. “Humanity is always worried about the attack of the Angels, worried about whether the impact will happen again. We have been building walls around us, but the real danger has always been inside the walls, right beside us.”

"Do you mean NERV, or the guys up there?" Shinji Ikari said.

“I just want to tell you something small: we are all suffering from spiritual pride. We all are. You are not God; we are just mortals and have no right to decide the future of humanity.”

“God? I really didn’t know there were Christians among the officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs.” Shinji Ikari raised an eyebrow.

"Everything in nature is constantly changing, just like the Ministry of Home Affairs and God. Sometimes He doesn't dwell high in heaven, but comes to us on His own initiative."

Shinji Ikari chuckled, "Are you trying to preach to me?"

On the other end of the call, a gentle, mechanical male voice seemed to carry the rustling of wind: "I'm not qualified. My words are empty. If given the chance, I'd like to sit down and have a heart-to-heart talk with you. But right now, I'm representing myself and the people behind me, expressing our thoughts. Ultimately, the decision-maker is you. All I can do is offer my suggestions."

"Your words are half true and half false, full of contradictions. If you really want to have a heart-to-heart talk with me, at least come to me first."

Faintly, one could hear the sound of the train carriage swaying, "There will be this opportunity. This world is sometimes noisy, but there is beauty in the noise. Look back, those girls who love you and those you love, if you must shed tears, let them be tears of joy."

The communication was unilaterally cut off, but Shinji Ikari did not immediately contact headquarters.

Although he wasn't involved, the plan to attack the Apostles must have been highly confidential. And to be able to learn of the news so quickly, and even go to the trouble of using a voice changer to disguise his voice, is truly remarkable.

Could it be someone I know?

Asuka saw Shinji Ikari again half an hour later. This time, he was holding two cups of tribute tea and walking towards her.

It was still icy cold. At this point, Asuka was no longer an innocent little girl. She belatedly realized how dangerous her first meeting with Shinji Ikari had been; it was truly wicked beyond belief.

But for some reason, Asuka wasn't actually angry deep down.

"Where did you go? Let me tell you, here you can go diving and interact with schools of fish, there's also an artificial blue shallow sea, and you can even touch dolphins."

But Shinji Ikari just smiled at her, then stroked her hair and said softly.

"That must be really fun. But you guys go ahead and play. There's some cut fruit over there; I'll go pick some out for you."

Asuka's eyes flickered. "Then come back early. If you come back late, you can play with the number one girl. I won't wait for you."

—NERV Headquarters, Central Control Room.

"Operation canceled! Personnel withdrawn!" Ritsuko Akagi grabbed the microphone and roared, "The Angel has hatched! Operation canceled! Get Misato Katsuragi back quickly!"

On the projection of the volcanic lava, a red dot within the lava was flashing rapidly, and an alarm blared throughout the central control room. The operation there had spiraled out of control. Ritsuko Akagi was unclear about what had happened; the meticulously planned operation had failed due to the protagonist's absence.

It seems that some people, perhaps many, do not want to see a repeat of the disaster. This time, they have united to prevent the plan from being implemented.

Even though Ritsuko Akagi knew that the three qualified individuals were at the Marine Ecosystem Conservation Agency in front of the port, all the personnel responsible for notifying them disappeared without a trace.

She looked at the tracker she had personally installed inside Rei Ayanami; the signal was still flashing. But it was too late; the Angel had already hatched.

"Continue the operation." Fuyutsuki Yukizo suddenly reached out and grabbed the microphone, taking over command of the battlefield. "We have made contact with the Third Child, and he has already piloted Unit-01 to the destination."

“But there’s no time.” Ritsuko Akagi shook her head. “The nearest exit from Hakone is 90 kilometers from Asama Mountain. By the time the transport planes arrive, the Angels will have already left Gunma Prefecture. It’s better to deploy defenses directly in Tokyo-3, since the Angels will arrive here sooner or later.”

In any case, the plan to capture the apostles has failed.

“We can make it.” Fuyutsuki Yukizo said. He brought up a login page on the screen, and after entering the password, the red dot symbolizing Unit-01 appeared on the map. “Unit-01 was not loaded onto a transport plane, but was piloted by Shinji Ikari to Mount Asama.”

At first, Ritsuko Akagi didn't react. It wasn't until she saw the red dot symbolizing Unit-01 on the map sweep across it at an incredibly fast speed, exceeding the speed of sound in just a few breaths, that she finally saw it.

Chapter 65: The Legend of the Strongest and Fastest Sudden Death

West of Tokyo, Unit-01, seemingly shrouded in fiery clouds, streaked across the forests and fields time and again, leaving a trail of fleeting silhouettes in the air.

The sound followed closely behind, the sonic boom sweeping across the area where Unit-01 had passed. The jungle along the way seemed to be shattered as if it had been baptized by a shockwave, and the river it crossed briefly stopped flowing a few seconds after it left.

Unit-01 was faster than they expected, or rather, the machine piloted by Shinji Ikari possessed capabilities far exceeding normal levels, rapidly approaching hypersonic speeds after initially breaking the sound barrier. Its speed across the land even instilled fear in some with malicious intent.

However, some people regard him as the embodiment of the Savior.

Meanwhile, eighty kilometers away, in a research institute adjacent to the Asama Mountains, Misato Katsuragi watched a video transmitted by satellite. The bony fish flying in the sky was rapidly adapting and evolving at a speed visible to the naked eye.

The fetal angel, whose womb is made of volcanic lava, possesses the strongest environmental adaptability among all the apostles.

After rapidly hatching and taking shape, it evolved the ability to move at high speeds within the high-temperature, high-pressure lava in the blink of an eye. Upon leaving the volcano, it was subjected to a heat saturation attack by the UN air force, but this action not only failed to severely damage the apostle, but even allowed it to rapidly grow the ability to fly.

"It's just like a bony fish with fins!" Misato Katsuragi exclaimed.

Hyuga Shiro, who was also in the same battle, had fear in his eyes. "His adaptability is too exaggerated. At this rate of evolution, he may become the strongest apostle in history."

“The strongest? Perhaps, but first, there needs to be time.” After receiving a phone call, Misato Katsuragi’s expression returned to its usual calm. “But right now, this newborn angel simply lacks time.”

"What do you mean?" Hinata Castle had not yet recovered from the terrifying atmosphere of the invincible Angel.

Misato Katsuragi didn't answer, but instead watched the Fetal Apostles wreaking havoc in the air. At this moment, the ruler of the battlefield was unaware that she was already racing against death.

But the fetus is very happy now.

It deftly tore apart the tail of a fighter jet, instantly creating a burst of sparks in the sky. It swept past the group of fighter jets like a meteor, making the agile fighter jets appear as easy as an eagle catching a hen in its presence.

After it evolved the ability to fly, within seconds, spiked claws sprouted from its sides to attack the airborne fighters. It twisted its body like a raging dragon, ascending at top speed, and a few seconds later it charged towards the last fighter, unleashing the angel's judgment.

The exploding fighter jet was as brilliant as fireworks, but the Angel ignored the pilot ejected from the cockpit. At that moment, a protective layer resembling scales grew on the surface of His body, rendering the fighter jet's explosion harmless.

The pilot, suspended by his parachute, watched as the colossal object gracefully soared through the clouds and disappeared from sight. A profound fear filled his heart. Humanity's attempt to capture Him as a new vessel was the greatest arrogance; He had evolved into a perfect being. The new archangel, Sandon, had successfully elevated His life form.

Until golden light appeared on the horizon, like sunlight piercing through the night.

As the ultimate life form, the Angel sensed the impending danger before it even arrived. Out of the corner of its eye, it caught a glimpse of a bright light leaping in from the other side, its extreme speed breaking the sound barrier leaving the sound far behind.

The moment you see it, you're completely locked on; there's no way to avoid it!

This was still a fetal angel. The humans on Earth, even the personnel in the First Combat Division of the research institute who were constantly tracking and capturing the fetal angels, did not notice the arrival of the golden light. It wasn't until the shockwave of the sound barrier resounded in the sky above the battlefield and the fetal angel's body shattered completely that they saw the spear that exceeded the first cosmic velocity.

A dazzling light flashed, and countless tiny lightning bolts streaked across the sky.

As the fetal angel struggled to flap its wings and flee straight into the sky, the spear pierced its very core. An explosion echoed through the clouds, and golden light rising from the earth was accompanied by a thunderous roar.

It was less a golden light and more a vast divine might, striking directly at the ultimate creature in the sky. Only after this fatal blow pierced through the apostle's core did the figure finally appear before everyone.

"Unit-01, is that Shinji Ikari? He piloted Unit-01 all the way from Hakone?!" Hyuga Shiro's eyes widened.

Before anyone could react, a blinding crimson light rose into the sky. The enormous blood-red cross proclaimed the death of the fetal angel, Sandefeng.

He was also the fastest-dying Angel in history, dying only two hours after birth. Unit-01 was pierced through its core before it even appeared, without even having a chance to engage in combat.

Meanwhile, inside the command center in Tokyo, news of the annihilation of the Fetal Angels was also received.

"Two minutes and five seconds, much faster than expected." Fuyutsuki Yukizo looked at the time on his watch and felt that the remaining battery might be enough for Unit-01 to make a return trip.

Although Fuyutsuki Yukizo had already conceded victory the moment Shinji Ikari piloted Unit-01, the machine's data, which far exceeded the normal range, still made him wonder if such an extremely high synchronization rate could truly allow the machine to perform at such a high level.

However, this level of abnormality, the repeated piloting of the machine, and the distorted, extremely high synchronization rate made Fuyutsuki Yukomasa begin to worry about Shinji Ikari's current physical condition.

After all, piloting an EVA will gradually transform the pilot into an Angel. Asuka and Rei's average level of synchronization is not a major concern, but Shinji Ikari... this makes Yukomasa Fuyutsuki a little unsure.

"Arrange the second round of physical examinations for the eligible candidates, especially Shinji Ikari. Remember to give me the reports after the examinations are completed," Yukimasa Fuyutsuki instructed.

Ritsuko Akagi nodded. "Understood. However, Lieutenant Shinji Ikari might be in a bit of trouble this time."