Shinji Ikari, returned from Warhammer

But this time, he was piloting a purple ultimate war machine with some functions similar to the psionic titan.

The orc that had once pounced on him leaped out of the horde again, brandishing its giant axe and charging fiercely. But this time, the autonomous G-type equipment belonging to EVA, the Phalanx CIWS, immediately raised its muzzle, and a waterfall of tungsten armor-piercing rounds enveloped him and the horde behind him. The orc exploded into a bloody flower in mid-air. The next moment, it was blasted into pieces by rapid-fire cannons.

A golden beam of light, almost like psychic energy, burst forth from Unit-01's eyes, sending thousands of corpses surging across the battlefield as waves of greens charged forward in a frenzy. Massive numbers of bodies were pushed to Unit-01's feet, and at that moment, the moon shone through gaps in the clouds, casting a platinum-gold halo behind Unit-01, its gnarled spine gleaming faintly.

Psychic powers? AT stance?

Shinji Ikari was unaware of what was happening, but even though he was in the cockpit, he saw a white-gold halo, like that of an angel, appear above his head.

Immediately afterward, it self-destructed again.

What came into view was a slightly familiar white ceiling, but the lingering feeling of tiny bees fluttering their wings still lingered in my mind.

For a moment, Shinji Ikari felt a little dazed; that chaotic battlefield was indeed a dream. But in that instant, he seemed to smell a certain fragrance, and as he turned his head, he saw Misato Katsuragi lying on his chest.

"What are you doing?" Shinji Ikari asked tentatively.

"Ah, Shinji smells so good," Misato Katsuragi said sullenly.

Shinji Ikari shut his mouth. For a moment, he wondered if he was still dreaming and hadn't woken up yet. It wasn't until he saw Misato Katsuragi suddenly raise her head like a startled hare and meet his eyes that he realized he had returned to reality.

"Why am I in a hospital?" Shinji Ikari sat up in bed, realizing he was in a hospital room. His body was covered with various wires and detectors, making him look like some kind of seriously ill patient.

"Don't misunderstand! Just now I, just now I! I was!" Misato Katsuragi was so nervous that she was gesturing wildly.

Shinji Ikari ignored her, ripped off the detector from his body, and got out of bed. He showed no signs of weakness; in fact, his spirits were higher than ever before. He slowly walked to the white gauze window...

It wasn't an underground landscape, but rather the most ordinary streets of Tokyo. Not far away was Suginami Road, a four-lane thoroughfare, with rows of convenience stores and office buildings across the street. The lanes leading to Shinjuku were bustling with traffic, and the sidewalks were filled with commuters and students. This made Shinji Ikari feel somewhat disoriented, because the images of the Angels' rampage were still etched in his mind, and yet he had woken up to find himself in a bustling metropolis.

"Your physical condition is very good, but you slept for fourteen hours, which makes everyone at NERV a little nervous. After all, you are our trump card in the fight against the Angels."

Seeing that Shinji Ikari didn't seem to mind her strange behavior of shoving her against his chest, Misato Katsuragi perked up immediately. She then walked to the window, looked at the distant scenery, and pointed in a certain direction.

"See that? That's the new school you'll be transferring to after Golden Week."

Shinji Ikari looked in the direction she was pointing and could only vaguely make out the outline of the school.

"This hospital is built on a high ground in the eastern part of Suginami Ward. Further east... you can see Shinjuku. We can go there later to buy some daily necessities."

"There's a colorful line winding from north to south, isn't that Okamoto-cho, located in the center of Suginami? There are over 300 shops selling all sorts of anime and manga culture. You young people probably like to go there. I heard that the virginity rate among elementary school girls in Tokyo has dropped below 50%, but the country's birth rate is still at its lowest level ever."

"And over here, you see, you can see a playground, right? Do you understand? That's the Third New Tokyo City Municipal First Junior High School. That's the school you'll be going to."

Misato Katsuragi was a bit noisy, but Shinji Ikari didn't dislike the noise in this life. However, he soon noticed something important.

"Why do I have to go with you to buy the necessities for daily life later?" Shinji Ikari scrutinized the older single woman in front of him.

"Because I'm your operations commander, and you're clearly a problem child, so you have to live with me." Misato Katsuragi patted her chest, finally revealing the pride befitting a mature woman. "Don't worry, I'll take good care of you!"

…………

…………

At this moment, amidst the ruins and rubble, in the very center of the battlefield where Unit-01 fought the Angels, the blockade remained in place. Those working inside were all NERV staff.

"The recovery of EVA has been completed, and Unit-01 is currently awaiting inspection in Hangar 6."

"Dr. Akagi, the data from Unit-01's data recorder has been extracted. Please come and take a look."

Hearing her deputy's slightly hurried call, Ritsuko Akagi took the notebook from her hand, then her eyes narrowed slightly.

"Very efficient, right? Although I've personally witnessed the battle of the Third Child, data records show that the neuronal synapse level was stable at a synchronization rate of 287% during the battle. Judging from the speed during domain neutralization, the density of soul matter within the domain after deploying the AT Field is 7.2 times that of the Water Apostle. And most importantly, the battle data—extremely efficient!"

The second-in-command took a deep breath, her excitement barely concealed even though she was completely hidden under her orange protective suit. "It's as if Shinji Yodo was a top-tier pilot of a large mecha like Unit-01 before. I finally understand why you and the Commander believed that the Third Child piloting an EVA could turn the tide. He must have been constantly simulating EVA piloting combat training before; this combat data is simply a work of art!"

"Alright, upload the data from the data logger to MAGI and set it to Level 2 Secret," Ritsuko Akagi instructed. "You should know what you should and shouldn't say."

Under Ritsuko Akagi's orders, delivered in a subtly reprimanding tone, the deputy realized he had acted too impulsively. After all, this wasn't headquarters, and spies from other locations might be lurking nearby.

"However, the fact that Shinji Ikari, piloting Unit-01, was able to defeat the Angels is enough to give humanity hope for survival."

Looking at the blood-red sea in the distance, Ritsuko Akagi said softly.

Chapter 8: The Rights of the Nobles Are Inherent

"Excellent performance, finishing off the Fourth Apostle Sakir in just three minutes and seventeen seconds. Gendo Ikari, you have a very impressive ace up your sleeve."

“It’s nothing to boast about; it’s just what we should do.” Gendo Ikari, sitting in the center, pushed up his glasses.

The light was dim, and Gendo Ikari sat at the long table in the center of the room. Intertwined lines extended in all directions from beneath his feet, connecting to eleven doors centered on him. A closer look revealed the symbols on those doors to be the Kabbalah Tree of Life, carrying metaphysical symbolic meanings.

According to Genesis 2:8-9 in the Old Testament, the Tree of Life was located in the center of the Garden of Eden, and Kabbalah used this to describe the so-called path to God, or the way God created the world from nothing.

Here, looking up, one cannot see the top; it seems as if the dome is endless darkness. Time seems to freeze at this moment, just like this tranquil lake, leaving only the eleven doors and the Gendo Hall sitting in the very center.

“But I heard that the Third Child isn’t a quiet child.” A voice came from another door.

Gendo Ikari said calmly, "There's no need to worry. After Unit-01 is deployed to the battlefield, the combat testing of Unit-02 and its pilot will take place in Germany. That kid's talent is no less than his."

"Ensure that the research on Unit 3 and the other units proceeds exactly as planned," Door Two said.

"Your duty is to make good use of NERV and EVA. Don't let us down, Gendo Ikari," Gate Number Three said.

"Defeating the Apostles is only a small part of our pact with Lilith. Our ultimate goal is to complete humanity," Gate Six said.

“If you can’t even control your own child, then we need to start questioning your abilities,” Door One said.

After several committee members put pressure on him, Gendo Ikari's voice remained calm, but he quietly lowered his head, as if to show his submission.

“I understand that everything will unfold according to SEELE’s script.”

—Mount Takao, near the outskirts of New Tokyo.

At dusk, it is the time of twilight, which is the time in the Japanese Onmyōdō (the way of Yin and Yang) where demons and spirits are most likely to appear, and when humans and ghosts can appear at the same time.

Mount Takao is famous as a popular tourist destination near Tokyo, but now it's so quiet it feels like stepping into another world. Only one blue Mazda speeds past on the winding mountain road.

It's obvious that the car's lights have been modified; the blue-lit laser lights at the edges sweep across the darkness like straight lightsabers.

Actually, compared to the lightsaber sweeping through the darkness, Shinji Ikari would rather have a Snickers bar to satisfy his hunger. He was starving when Misato Katsuragi suddenly called him out for a drive.

Shinji Ikari wasn't sure if the woman's arm injury had healed, but this time, Misato Katsuragi volunteered to sit in the driver's seat. She floored the accelerator, and the blue Mazda leaped out of the water like a dolphin, its wheels screeching against the ground and billowing blue smoke. A strong sense of acceleration was definitely there. The frantic acceleration on the winding mountain road pressed both her and the boy in the passenger seat firmly into their seats.

"How was it! My driving skills are pretty good, right?" Misato Katsuragi exclaimed happily.

Shinji Ikari should have anticipated this. A woman like Misato Katsuragi is undoubtedly a skilled speed driver. The fact that she was driving with one hand, with a woman with an injured arm and a somewhat mentally unstable personality in the driver's seat, was irresponsible towards human life.

But he just smiled as he watched the Mazda drive by, styling his hair back, then resting his hand on the car window and gazing into the distance.

Is this really her way of life? A life that's always rushing forward at high speed, never knowing when she'll crash into a wall and be shattered to pieces. Perhaps she's also chasing after something, something she's lost.

The winding mountain road leads to the summit, marked by a sign for the Metropolitan Natural Park. Misato Katsuragi got out of the car, expertly pried open the railing, and even winked at Shinji Ikari with a hint of smugness. Then she returned to her seat and drove the car in.

After making several turns, she slowly parked the car on the flat ground at the top of the mountain, which is also the best viewpoint.

Shinji Ikari walked slowly to the railing, looking at Tokyo-3 in the distance. "I came all this way to see the night view, which is nice, but my stomach is still growling."

"Stop talking nonsense. I'll treat you to a big meal when we get back. What can you see from here?" Misato Katsuragi said, standing next to the boy after parking the car.

Before my eyes lay a scene beyond imagination. Through the gaps in the churning, flowing sea of ​​clouds, the entire sprawling, somber metropolis was laid bare. The large, spiraling cluster of spires was a transformation of Shinjuku Subcenter, and deeper within that, a deep forest, and a building that resembled a demonic castle, most likely belonged to the Imperial Palace, where Tokyo 1 is located.

Looking southeast, one can see part of the Second New Tokyo City where one was originally located. The city streets stretch from Suginami towards Mitaka and Hachioji, and in the distance are the Okutama Mountains, with the steep peaks rising deep into the clouds—that is Mount Fuji.

"It's a bit desolate," Shinji Ikari remarked softly.

Calling Tokyo, a giant siphon city, desolate is certainly problematic. However, the view from the top of Mount Takao is indeed a view of Tokyo-3.

When Tokyo was reorganized, the original Tokyo Metropolis was divided into three cities: the First, the Second, and the Third. The original Shinji Yodo lived in the Second New Tokyo City. The Third Tokyo City was particularly unique, as it was a fortified city specifically designed to welcome the Angels.

However, just as Shinji Ikari finished speaking, a loud alarm siren, clearly audible even from the mountaintop, resounded through the sea of ​​clouds.

The once desolate Third New Tokyo has been transformed, with skyscrapers rising up and filling the barren land.

“And this is the true face of Third Tokyo as a fortified city, and it is because of your protection that it has been spared from the destruction of the Angels,” Misato Katsuragi said.

"That's good." Shinji Ikari leaned against the railing, enjoying the night breeze.

"You don't seem excited at all, kid. You saved a city! Or, to put it more grandly, you saved the world!"

Misato Katsuragi pretended to be fierce as she wrapped her arms around Shinji Ikari's neck, but the seemingly frail boy remained completely still.

“I’ve said it before, the rights of nobles are inherent, and the responsibilities of nobles are from beginning to end.” Misato Katsuragi was slightly stunned. She seemed to see a faint gold in the eyes of the boy in front of her, like reflecting moonlight. “Since you enjoy the blessings that power brings, then fighting against the aliens for Terra and humanity is just what you should do.”

Chapter Nine: I treated you as a friend, but you treated me like a father?

"But it's you who brought me to this mountaintop to eat chicken soup on an empty stomach. Tell me, what's on your mind?"

As he spoke, he looked at her. Her long sideburns fell over her shoulders, and there was a faint scent of sandalwood in her hair. With the help of the moonlight, Shinji Ikari could see Misato Katsuragi's face. Their faces were very close, like a couple about to kiss.

Shinji Ikari didn't move aside to avoid embarrassing the other person. So-called noble knights, within the Imperial system, would all be a bunch of show-offs; this was clearly out of place. Their power was innate; they might have someone they loved, but they wouldn't refuse any girl's affections. Their usual hobbies were either, in a chivalrous and justifiable way, beating up their opponents, or, more importantly, producing more superior Titan pilot genes for the Emperor and Terra.

At that very moment, Shinji Ikari's stomach was also rumbling. But he didn't mind helping the girl out of her predicament.

Their eyes met, and after a few seconds of resistance, Misato Katsuragi gave in first. She moved away slightly and reached out to ruffle Shinji Ikari's hair: "Honestly, he's just a brat."

“Have I told you about my father?” Misato Katsuragi said.

"It's not too late to say it now."

Perhaps the atmosphere was right, because Katsuragi Miri wasn't too shy.

“Actually, I was abandoned by my father when I was little, and I lived with my mother.” Misato Katsuragi looked at Tokyo-3 in the distance. “When I was little, I often saw my mother secretly sobbing. At that time, I naively thought that it was because I wasn’t good enough that my father left, and I didn’t understand that it was that bastard who abandoned my mother and me. When I understood, I began to hate him, because that unscrupulous man took away the happiness of my childhood, gave me the most painful memories, gave me a sad mother and a broken family.”

For some reason, Shinji Ikari suddenly guessed what would happen next.

"But in the final seconds before the second impact, he voluntarily gave up his right to live and sent me into the protective chamber, making me the sole survivor of the second impact."

At this point, Misato Katsuragi glanced at Shinji Ikari beside her, and the brief eye contact left her feeling somewhat dazed.

“When we first met, you gave me a fatherly feeling,” Misato Katsuragi said.

“I treat you as a friend, but you treat me like a father.” Shinji Ikari shrugged. “But I can lend you my shoulder to lean on.”

"What? You're just a kid. Don't always act like an adult." Misato Katsuragi chuckled. "I just wanted to say that some things shouldn't be done until you regret them. I'm not asking you to forgive Commander-in-Chief Gendo Ikari, but I just wanted to say that he may also have some unspeakable things to say."

Perhaps it really was late, but a gust of night wind in the mountains woke Katsuragi Misato up, and her face instantly turned red.

Thinking about how she had just confided in a boy a size younger than herself, she felt a little ashamed. She had come to comfort him because she was worried he might have psychological issues after facing the apostles.

"Okay, you can drive back now, my arm hurts."