Shinji Ikari, returned from Warhammer

The staff in the monitoring room looked at each other in bewilderment. Despite the impending catastrophe, the two leaders were chatting and laughing as if they were discussing something unrelated to themselves.

After a moment of silence, Misato Katsuragi solemnly issued the order.

"Notify the Japanese government and all ministries to issue Special Order D-17 under NERV authority: all citizens within a radius of 120 kilometers must evacuate immediately. Also, please back up your MAGI file."

Ritsuko Akagi raised an eyebrow. "You want to abandon headquarters?"

“No.” Misato Katsuragi glanced at the last image of the apostle that appeared above the screen. “It’s just that there’s no need for everyone to take the risk. We can just fight for our lives.”

--------

"What do you mean 'we risked our lives'? It was clearly the three of us who risked our lives!" Asuka muttered.

On the watchtower outside Hakone, Asuka, still wearing her bright orange combat uniform, leaned against the railing and gazed into the distance.

Asuka had heard about the massive national mobilization that occurred before the Thunder Apostle's attack, but the scene before her was even more exaggerated than the Thunder Apostle's attack.

A dozen or so airships were visible to the naked eye, broadcasting evacuation messages in the air, while the broadcasts repeatedly mentioned that residents of each area should follow the instructions of their respective district chiefs and go to other areas.

The vehicles on the road were all in good order. The Japanese were quite excellent at this, obeying orders and following instructions.

At this point, the buildings on the surface had not yet been returned to Hakone, or perhaps there was no need to, because if the operation were to fail, then the banter between Misato Katsuragi and Ritsuko Akagi in the monitoring room would come true. The entire Third Tokyo City, along with the Fuji Five Lakes, would be reduced to nothing, the Pacific Ocean would flood in, and the underground Hakone and the Central Dogmatic District would offer no resistance to this extraterrestrial apostle.

Asuka was inevitably a little nervous, her palms sweating slightly as she gripped the railing. But outwardly, she remained a proud princess with her head held high. She wanted to see Shinji's reaction, but Shinji's expression was indifferent; he didn't even look at the distant Third Tokyo City, but simply leaned against the railing, gazing up at the blue sky.

"Of course it's us, because Misato and the others will be with us. All the C-rank and above service personnel will stay at headquarters. If we fail, we'll all go to heaven together." Shinji Ikari finally answered Asuka's complaint, but then a smile appeared on his face.

"However, if the apostles are truly messengers of God, we traitors won't be able to go to Heaven; we'll have to suffer in Hell for a thousand years. Then we can all soak in hot springs in lava and celebrate our second life together."

"Who wants to soak in a hot spring with you, you idiot Shinji...!" Asuka blushed slightly and instinctively turned her face away, only to meet Rei Ayanami's gaze.

The girl, still wearing her school uniform, remained silent throughout, standing quietly behind Shinji Ikari. Her gaze was dark and unfocused, devoid of joy or anger.

But Asuka felt a surge of inexplicable anger rising within her, solely because of Rei Ayanami's cold gaze. She was indifferent to her intimate conversation with Shinji Ikari, and even disregarded her own reaction; this unwavering and powerful gaze filled her with a sense of defeat and humiliation.

Even Asuka herself knew very well that in such a staring contest, only the person whose heart was not strong enough would feel angry.

"This is really infuriating for Platinum," Asuka muttered, complaining softly.

At the same time, in the dimly lit meeting room of the Operations Seminar Area, the Central Dogmatic Area's affiliated office zone 1.

Unfortunately, at the very moment of the Aerial attack, NERV Commander-in-Chief Gendo Ikari and Vice Commander Yukimasa Fuyutsuki were in Antarctica surveying the crater of the Second Impact. According to NERV's internal wartime treaty, when both the Commander-in-Chief and Vice Commander-in-Chief are absent, the head of the operations department automatically becomes the head of headquarters—

—That is, Misato Katsuragi.

At this moment, the head of headquarters sat at the head of the long table, his hands folded under his chin, looking down at everyone in the two rows of the table with a solemn expression.

"Tell me about the current situation," Misato Katsuragi began.

"The Soviet space defense department, which is on combat duty, launched 33 attempts to attack the Aerial Angel over the Pacific Ocean with N2 aerial bombs, all of which were ineffective." Ms. Maya Ibuki, Ritsuko Akagi's assistant, was the first to step forward and report the situation.

“From our observation, His absolute domain can be concentrated at one point, and the energy He descends is also in His favor,” Hyuga Castle continued.

"It's like a Damocles' sword hanging over our heads," Misato Katsuragi exclaimed upon hearing this.

"According to the calculations of the Three Sages System, the diameter of the damage is expected to exceed 420,000 meters, and the deviation of the geoid could reach 15,000 meters. If the target is the headquarters, everything will be reduced to nothing."

"His AT field was extremely wide, and all radio waves in the air were destroyed, making it impossible to contact the two commanders who were in Antarctica."

Finally, Ritsuko Akagi summarized, "Based on the information revealed so far, this unprecedented Sky Apostle brings three new modes of using the AT field. First, it can concentrate the field at a single point, increasing attack and defense capabilities; second, it can also spread the field to cover a large area of ​​the Earth, interfering with and disrupting radio waves in the air; and third, it can cause external physical attacks to deflect spatially, significantly reducing the damage to the Apostle's body."

"This is even more troublesome than the Thunder Apostle. How can we deal with such a near-perfect monster?" Hyuga Shiro chewed on the cap of his ballpoint pen.

All eyes were on Misato Katsuragi, who was sitting at the end of the bench. Since the two commanders could not be contacted, she was the first person in charge and the head of the operations department according to the treaty.

Whether to attack, retreat, or defend by flanking maneuvers, the decision must be made by this person in charge.

"Of course, we'll still use EVA to intercept them. Let MAGI calculate the Angel's true landing point." Misato Katsuragi said something that was completely unsurprising, yet incredibly unexpected.

Hyuga Shiro quickly stood up. "EVA is very powerful, but they can't fly, and the distortion of space makes it impossible for us to shoot them directly."

"Minister Katsuragi, I think we should abandon headquarters." After much hesitation, Ibuki Maya finally spoke up with her prepared proposal. "Although it's cruel, it's our only option. Once the Sky Angel arrives, its most threatening descent attack will have already been used. Then, we can have three mobile suits conduct joint ground operations. Even if the Sky Angel is strong, we still have the Third Child!"

“That’s right! As long as we abandon headquarters and wait for the Sky Apostle to fall before launching a ground attack! No matter how strong His domain is, the Third Child can definitely handle it!” Aoba Shigeru quickly echoed.

The atmosphere immediately became lively after the operational plan to abandon headquarters was proposed.

Although they didn't want to abandon headquarters, no matter how you looked at it, the Apostle's descent attack was simply too outrageous. No one could stop it, not even the invincible Third Child.

It wasn't that they didn't believe in Shinji Ikari, that the Third Child was invincible. But as researchers, they trusted the data on the computer more.

If it works, it works; if it doesn't, it doesn't. There's no reason why you can just take a break and then it will work.

But Misato Katsuragi, as if she were on drugs, gritted her teeth and insisted on trying it.

"I'm in charge. Proceed according to this battle plan. Listen to me, meeting adjourned!"

Half an hour later, in the restroom near the Hakone Second Ward Research Institute, Misato Katsuragi leaned on the sink, looking at herself in the mirror. She didn't resemble the imposing figure she had been in the conference room; instead, she appeared somewhat vulnerable.

She wasn't as strong as outsiders perceived her; in this secluded place, she finally revealed her true self. But with a deep breath, her gaze hardened once more.

She knew that abandoning headquarters was the best option, but that would leave the path to the Final Dogma unobstructed beneath the completely destroyed Hakone. Even Shinji Ikari, piloting Unit-01, wouldn't have time then.

"Are you serious?" A familiar voice sounded from behind.

"Of course, I never joke when it comes to warfare."

"Do you want to lose three EVAs by yourself? If the operation fails, you'll face a military court."

"If we fail in this battle, there will be no future. We will all die." Misato Katsuragi's gaze was sharp, as if it contained invisible swords, staring at Ritsuko Akagi, who stood directly in front of her with her arms crossed.

However, Ritsuko Akagi was not intimidated by her imposing manner. As the head of the development department, she trusted the data displayed on the computer more. "MAGI's calculated probability of winning is only 0.00001%, less than one in ten thousand. I know that your trump card is the Third Child, but this Apostle from outer space is also unprecedentedly powerful. The strength of his Absolute Domain is no weaker than his, and he carries terrifying potential energy descending from the sky. Even he would be crushed to dust!"

"I know, but there's still a chance of winning." Misato Katsuragi looked at herself in the mirror with feigned composure, and even opened her makeup box.

"Major Katsuragi!" Ritsuko Akagi shouted, "Do you think you're some kind of savior? There's less than a one in ten thousand chance you'll be blessed!"

“Dr. Akagi, I am now in charge of headquarters and I am also the one who formulates the battle plan. I will try everything I can. Eliminating the Angels is my job, no matter how slim the chance may be.”

"Work? How ridiculous. You just want revenge against the Apostles, even if it might drag millions of people at headquarters into hell. Who do you think you are, Nemesis, the goddess of vengeance?"

It wasn't until the approaching footsteps reached their ears that the two women, who had been glaring at each other, turned their gazes to Shinji Ikari, who was still dressed in his everyday clothes, standing in front of them.

Shinji Ikari remained silent, only slightly furrowing his brows as he scrutinized the two women before him.

He only spoke slowly when the atmosphere became too heavy.

"This is the men's restroom, what are you all making a racket about?"

In an instant, the atmosphere was no longer tense; it was even a little awkward.

"You guys chat, I'm leaving now." Ritsuko Akagi said casually, picked up the tablet from the sink, and hurried away.

In the end, only Shinji Ikari and Misato Katsuragi remained.

“Actually, Dr. Akagi cares about you, but she’s also worried that you might make the wrong judgment because of your strong desire for revenge,” Shinji Ikari said.

"I know, I know, we're old friends. An occasional argument won't affect our relationship. We're even going to the school together on Friday to watch you do your high jump." Misato Katsuragi forced a smile, but the more she spoke, the more incoherent she became, and she felt like she was making a self-sacrificing statement.

"Relax, you're the head of headquarters now. As the boss, you can't let your subordinates see you looking this weak," Shinji Ikari teased.

"Shinji, do you think we can do this?" Misato Katsuragi asked slowly.

"Do you think I can do it?" Shinji Ikari asked in return.

"Of course you'll be fine! You're invincible, Shinji, you can do it!" Misato Katsuragi quickly reassured Shinji, worried that he might be feeling a bit guilty. After all, the strength of the Absolute Territory is closely related to the pilot's mental state.

But when Misato Katsuragi saw the smile on Shinji Ikari's lips, she knew she had been tricked.

But she guessed wrong again.

"Although I really want to say that if you say it's possible, then it can be this beautiful, but actually I don't know either." Shinji Ikari smiled faintly, but walked to Misato Katsuragi's side, propped himself up on his hands and sat down. "This time the Sky Angel is stronger than ever before. I don't know what to do under that terrifying pressure. I can only say that I will do my best."

"You're afraid too?" Misato Katsuragi asked in surprise.

Shinji Ikari stared blankly ahead. "Everyone is fighting to find the right way to survive. Why fight? How to live? No one will tell you the answers. All we have is confusion, wandering aimlessly into the depths of the ditch, like a stray dog ​​covered in mud."

Looking at the profile of the boy beside her, Misato Katsuragi realized that the strongest pilot she had regarded as her weapon of revenge and her lifeline was just a fourteen-year-old boy.

It's simply because he's too strong, so strong that people think that just having him play would guarantee victory.

But in the end, he was just a child abandoned by his father, yet he was surrounded by people and forced to shoulder the destiny of saving the world.

"I'm sorry, I was too presumptuous. I always try to impose my own ideas on you." Misato Katsuragi held Shinji Ikari's right hand, which was resting on the sink, and apologized. "But this time we can't back down. I know it's not fair to you."

"It's alright, Misato. I can overcome anything for you." Shinji Ikari smiled and placed his other hand on the back of Misato Katsuragi's hand.

Misato Katsuragi gazed at the boy before her, even feeling the warmth of his breath. The boy had delicate features, with a wisp of curly hair hanging down his back, long eyelashes for a boy, and a refined nose. Misato thought of Shinji Ikari, who didn't seem that old, yet always acted like an adult.

As if on a whim, or as if it were a natural progression, their hearts drew closer. She gently leaned forward and kissed Shinji Ikari's lips.

The brief, fleeting touch left the boy bewildered. But this was not the end; it was, in fact, the beginning.

"It's my fault, because my emotions affected you." Misato Katsuragi apologized again, but this time her smile carried a hint of allure. "I'll help you relieve your stress."

Rather than helping Shinji Ikari relieve stress, it was more likely that she wanted to vent her pent-up emotions.

Misato Katsuragi's face drew closer again, but this time it was she who gasped. Shinji Ikari had swept her up in his arms, leaned down to kiss her, and quickly led her through the door to the adjacent men's restroom.

Chapter 83: Between Reunion and Trust

Misato Katsuragi's rational mind wanted to refuse, but her heart was honest and did not refuse.

When she opened her eyes again, she saw a closed bathroom stall, which Shinji Ikari had already locked from the inside.

Misato crossed her arms over her ample breasts, seemingly resisting yet also appearing to be yielding. Her legs were spread wide, of course, shoulder-width apart—but she was being held by Shinji Ikari, sitting with her legs spread across his lap.

It's the height of summer, the season when women wear the most revealing clothing. To put it bluntly, they dress very lightly. This morning, Misato Katsuragi was dressed in a spaghetti-strap bra-T-shirt under a purple leather jacket, paired with a bodycon skirt. Her exposed thighs were visually striking, and the feel of her riding on it was also quite impressive.

However, compared to those, Shinji Ikari's gaze was involuntarily drawn to other places.

"No, I mean after we get back..."

Misato wanted to explain, even if it was a weak explanation, but her mouth was quickly shut again.

"……Um."

"Don't do this, I'll help you..."

"……Um."

Shinji Ikari agreed to whatever was said, but the specific actions were left to her to decide.

When Misato Katsuragi came out of the restroom, she was drenched in sweat but felt refreshed. However, her conscience was like a knife stabbing into her heart.