Shinji Ikari, returned from Warhammer

Page 99

After a moment of complete silence, thunderous applause erupted once more in the battle bridge, but this time it was dedicated to Mari Makinami, the vanguard of humanity. They had placed their hopes on her.

Asuka was a little dazed, but she finally came to her senses after Mari pulled her back to her room.

"Then, wouldn't it be fine if it were just me?" Asuka said.

All that talk about former partners and mutual feelings is just playing the emotional card to get that idiot Shinji to choose their side. Asuka understands, of course; she hasn't been reading manga for nothing all these years.

However, Mari remained serious, waving her index finger in front of Asuka's face. "Of course, it won't work if it's just you. Don't forget, there's Rei Ayanami over there, that emotionless blue-haired girl, she's super hot to men's cravings! If I were you, I would have taken her right then and there! Fourteen years later, when I open my eyes, my child will be as old as me! Besides, she's your partner who's been through thick and thin with you, just like you. Your weight is too low!"

"And what about you?" Asuka regretted asking the question as soon as it left her mouth.

Mari winked at her and said, "Of course, it has to be me! Don't you know what a 'suddenly appearing heroine' is? Childhood sweethearts are outdated and should be swept into the trash heap."

"I have a feeling this isn't very reliable." Asuka squinted at her friend beside her, her eyes filled with a hint of disdain. "You say you're a heroine who falls from the sky, but that idiot Shinji Ikari probably won't fall for that."

Mari wrapped her arm tightly around Asuka's shoulder, her face beaming. "It's alright, I still have you, my princess! This is our exhilarating combination attack!"

161: Mother of mankind, you are now bones.

At the same time, on the other side——

—NERV, formerly Hakone.

Late at night, below the central dogmatic area in Zone 1, the red light at the entrance flashes once per second, a sign that the security system is functioning properly.

The overlapping footsteps in the distance grew louder as they approached, sounding like two people with the same heartbeat. Sensing the approach of the intruder, the red light at the entrance began to flash more frequently. As the footsteps drew closer and became louder, the security system was unable to identify the person from the sound of the footsteps, and the danger level gradually increased, approaching the alarm threshold.

Shinji Ikari and Rei Ayanami arrived together. MAGI's security system could identify Rei, but it couldn't determine Shinji's identity. As Shinji reached the door, the security system automatically ignored iris scans, voiceprints, and fingerprints, simply swiping a black card through the slot.

The moment the black card was swiped, the alert level plummeted, the infrared laser scanner lost power, hundreds of cameras went out of power, and the security system's warning lights turned green. At that moment, MAGI opened her arms to him, and the road ahead was now unobstructed.

“This is just an identity card,” Rei Ayanami pointed to the black card in Shinji Ikari’s hand, “and it’s an outdated version.”

"It might be an outdated version, but it works." Shinji Ikari raised an eyebrow at Rei Ayanami, his tone somewhat like he was coaxing a child. "Don't you want to know what comes next?"

“It’s the Central Doctrine, and you’re not allowed to set foot in it with your authority.” Rei Ayanami became wary, her gaze sweeping over Shinji Ikari as if assessing whether she could subdue him on the spot. “You’re violating the Doctrine’s laws.”

“But MAGI didn’t stop me.” Shinji Ikari didn’t rush in, but smiled as he looked at Rei Ayanami, who seemed to be trying to attack him. “First, you need to figure out, do you belong to someone? Whose orders are you taking?”

"Whom do I belong to? Whose orders do I take?" Rei Ayanami stared wide-eyed.

"Yes, is it Gendo Ikari, the nominal commander-in-chief of NERV, or are you loyal to NERV as a whole?"

“NERV,” Rei Ayanami answered without hesitation.

“So you see, MAGI didn’t stop me. That means the three sages, as the butlers, probably think my status is enough for me to enter.” He walked up to Rei Ayanami, and because he was slightly taller than her, he leaned down and whispered in her ear, as if teasing a little girl: “This also means that I am more qualified than Gendo Ikari to be the master here and give orders.”

"I don't know, I can't judge." Rei Ayanami was somewhat bewildered, just like a recent graduate who had just entered the workforce and was suddenly asked by an HR person whether she loved her father or her mother more, leaving her at a loss.

"It's alright, let's keep going. There's more to come," Shinji Ikari said with a smile, stroking Rei Ayanami's head.

With a soft clicking sound, the access control on the nine metal doors leading to the central host was simultaneously released.

Rei Ayanami watched silently, unsure whether to intervene. The mainframe room housing MAGI was more secure than a bank vault, with steel layers and bulletproof glass on all four sides. Even the walls contained modified aircraft cannons, capable of unleashing dozens of kilograms of bullets at anyone without permission. Yet, Shinji Ikari, the Third Child, arrived here so casually, without any hindrance whatsoever.

"The same as always, old friend," Shinji Ikari smiled.

After SEELE lost contact, this is now an area that only Gendo Ikari is allowed to access. In the vast space, millions of wires of various colors intertwine and go in different directions. The walls are filled with huge old-fashioned computers, and ancient transistors gleam faintly in the darkness. Magnetic tape memory rolls and makes a soft clicking sound.

This was Rei Ayanami's first time here, and she didn't know what to do, so she could only look at Shinji Ikari.

"Go find somewhere to play for a while, I have some things to take care of." Shinji Ikari waved his hand. Then he went to the control panel and casually tapped on the keyboard.

"Are you modifying MAGI's underlying command library?" Rei Ayanami didn't leave, but walked to Shinji Ikari's side.

"Yes, you don't need to come with me. It's too stuffy here. Go play somewhere else first."

It wasn't a question of whether to play or not. Rei Ayanami's expression was serious. As Shinji Ikari typed on the keyboard with a flourish, green code flew by rapidly. Under the screen lights, the boy's face was confident and elegant.

The problem is that you modified the underlying command library right in front of me. Shouldn't you have covered your tracks before doing something bad? Is it really okay for you to openly and brazenly let me witness your criminal activities?

While Rei Ayanami was still pondering, Shinji Ikari had already pressed the Enter key. Then he took out the strange black identity card again and gently inserted it into the bottom card slot. A few seconds later, the interface refreshed, and he had once again become the master of MAGI in this world.

"Alright, let's go back." Shinji Ikari clapped his hands, as casually as if he were changing a light bulb.

He didn't intend to look at internal documents here, not because of any danger or anything like that; on the contrary, this place was safer than 99% of the world's regions. It was just because it was too stuffy here; he was already drenched in sweat in just a few minutes.

However, Rei Ayanami did not leave. In fact, her gaze sharpened again. Just as she rushed in front of Shinji Ikari and launched an attack, she was lifted by the scruff of his neck like a kitten being held by its mother cat and thrown to the door.

If Asuka Shikinami saw this somewhat violent action, she would definitely be furious again, because Shinji Ikari's actions were far too gentle. Even though it was an attack, he simply threw her away, while he knocked her unconscious with a single punch.

“…You are a traitor.” Rei Ayanami struggled to her feet. For some reason, she felt sad, mixed with a sense of anger at being betrayed.

"Why do you think that? Aren't you loyal to NERV?" Shinji Ikari walked up to Rei Ayanami, squatted down, and looked into her eyes with a smile. "And now that I have the highest authority in MAGI, I am more qualified to represent NERV than Gendo Ikari."

“But you’re using this method of modifying the underlying command library.” Rei Ayanami and Shinji Ikari locked eyes.

"And then, nobody said you couldn't use this method to obtain MAGI's highest level of privileges." Shinji Ikari raised an eyebrow. "So now, for you, is NERV still someone you're loyal to?"

“Yes,” Rei Ayanami replied.

Rei Ayanami pondered for a moment, realizing that the dogma in her mind didn't actually forbid obtaining MAGI's highest authority in this way. Or perhaps, after the recent Third Impact, most of the dogma had become ineffective.

For the newly born Rei Ayanami, she can only mechanically obey orders. And if her identity is correct, she will do whatever is logically absurd.

Seeing that Rei Ayanami's gaze had softened again, Shinji Ikari patted her cheek.

"That's good then. Go back and take a shower. You're all sweaty and uncomfortable." Shinji Ikari stood up, dusted himself off, and then couldn't help but say, "Kids are so easy to coax. If it were my Rei Ayanami, she definitely wouldn't have surrendered like that."

Rei Ayanami couldn't stop him; she was even confused by Shinji Ikari's logic.

She can't just suddenly unleash the Sea Tiger Explosive Fist to suppress Shinji Ikari here and then shout, "Nonsense! I'm going to blast you to smithereens!"

Strangely, she didn't feel any resistance to Shinji Ikari, not only because his smile was very handsome, but also because she had a strange feeling when she was close to him, which made her feel completely at ease and even wanted to get closer.

What's even stranger is that at first glance, it feels like a long-awaited reunion, even though it's only the third time we've met.

Shinji Ikari led Rei Ayanami back the way they came. Rei's expression had returned to normal, and she seemed to have come to accept Shinji's roguish logic. But when they reached the three-way intersection of the kingdom, he couldn't help but turn his head toward the other passage.

That is the true Central Dogmatic Zone, where the person called Adam is actually Lilith's second apostle.

Now, after the Third Impact, does the white giant nailed to the cross still exist?

“Let’s go, let’s go take a look over there,” Shinji Ikari said.

Rei Ayanami had no objections; having accepted Shinji Ikari's scoundrel logic, she already regarded his words as orders.

Although this path to Lilith is forbidden, people used to stroll along it every now and then fourteen years ago. In the past, members with authority, such as Gendo Ikari, Ritsuko Akagi, and Misato Katsuragi, could come at any time, while Ryoji, who possessed the red card granted by SEELE, could also pass through without hindrance.

Shinji Ikari didn't need any red or black cards. After his new identity was verified by the system, the vermilion door transformed into countless spiraling red stripes that slowly parted.

Shinji Ikari paused for a moment, then suddenly pulled Rei Ayanami's hand and pulled her back. His body didn't look particularly strong, but his movements were so agile that Rei didn't even see him before she was pulled behind him.

A scorching wind rushed in, carrying a strong smell of sulfur, as if behind the door lay not Central Dogma but hell. At that moment, a massive, pale figure rushed to the door at a speed too fast for the naked eye to follow.

"The unfinished prototype has broken through the Wall of Sighs! The experimental subject has broken through the Wall of Sighs! Abandon capture! Destroy directly! Repeat the order! Destroy directly!" The voice came from all directions, but no loudspeakers could be seen. Those loudspeakers were probably hidden in the walls. Blood-red light covered the passageway in front of the mechanical door.

But now NERV is deserted and unable to mount an effective counterattack. However, there is still one person left.

The enormous figure that slammed in like a mountain did not destroy the opened spiral gate, because the crimson absolute domain blocked its way. The violent impact echoed throughout the space, but it could not advance even a single step.

It is the Absolute Territory that Shinji Ikari created. Now that he has become an Angel, he can create the Absolute Territory at will without even needing to rely on the Rosary.

Only then could Shinji Ikari clearly see His figure.

"So that's how it is. Prototype, prototype, is this how EVA was created?" Shinji Ikari understood everything the moment he saw it.

What came into view was an extremely familiar head, with a single eye glowing faintly red beneath the orange-yellow head, and two lenses on the top of the head. It was none other than Unit-00, piloted by Rei Ayanami.

However, it wasn't the real Unit-00, because only the limbs of its torso were connected to its long spine; it lacked a torso and lower limbs. It seemed the impact had exhausted its strength; the moment the red core in its chest lost its light, it plummeted straight into the deeper void below, its body shattering into pieces upon impact.

His final testament remained on the door: splashes of blood, just centimeters from Shinji Ikari's boots.

Shinji Ikari ignored it, as his gaze was completely captivated by the scene before him and he couldn't look away.

It's all EVA, all Evangelion. Hundreds of Unit-00 heads are embedded in the wall, their empty eye sockets seemingly staring at you.

Deeper inside were EVA's dismembered body parts, some with six fingers, some with eyes growing from their chests, and some rotting flesh without a spine. At this point, all of them had been dismembered and turned into building materials for the Central Dogmatic Zone, covering the four sides of the oval walls.

Finally, there was a honeycomb-shaped barrier, but it couldn't block Shinji Ikari's view. In the center of that sea of blood filled with heads, two identical harpoons pierced through Lilith's bloated body from behind.

But only the body—

Shinji Ikari once witnessed Lilith's form in the Central Dogmatic District of his home world. At that time, she was like the suffering Jesus, nailed to the cross, with only her upper body visible. Countless pale arms extended from below her torso, trying to grasp something.

----------

Meng Tong felt that his students were all seriously ill.

Yes, I redefined the Six Arts of a Gentleman in order to adapt to the times.

[Etiquette: The fundamental rules governing the world.]

[Music: refers to strategic and tactical skills.]

[Shooting: refers to the use of light and heavy weapons.]

[御: refers to the piloting of tanks and aircraft.]

[Book: refers to code writing.]

[Number: refers to mathematics.]

But you can't call me a scourge just because I organized a few large-scale parades to spread "rites".

Also, can someone translate what it means to say "Kong Ge is cunning and cruel" and "Meng Ge is cruel and cunning"?

Is this how you understand benevolence and righteousness when I teach you?!