EVA: Shinji Ikari Returns from Tiga

Chapter 140 Then I'll leave it to you, Mr. Kenzaki

"All personnel! First combat readiness!"

A cruel angel, descending too abruptly…

There is absolutely no process or step involved in its occurrence, and no warning signs can be detected whatsoever…

As if it were the most natural thing in the world... he appeared right there, within arm's reach.

"Report the progress and movements of the apostles at all times. If any cameras are destroyed, they must be reinstalled immediately! The images and locations of the apostles must not be lost... If we don't have enough manpower, we should request support from the nearby fire department and technical team!"

"...All personnel enter enemy air interception mode! Telegraph all Allied forces and order them to unleash all firepower... Don't worry about friendly fire on the Third New Tokyo City! At all costs, we must slow down the Angels' advance! What... are you stupid! Aren't you the commander?! Disperse the firepower!! Concentrating it on one defensive line will only result in the Angels wiping us out in an instant! Divide it into three lines! Four lines! That's all!"

"The city government!? Activate NERV's highest special authority and issue an emergency mobilization order!! Deploy all police and volunteers in the city! Immediately guide residents to evacuate... Scope? No scope! The entire Third New Tokyo City is needed! What? Not enough capacity?? Then use the subway to urgently evacuate to other surrounding prefectures and cities! Do I need to explain something so simple!"

While frantically maniacally operating from the command post, Misato Katsuragi frantically made deployments to various departments while holding four or five phones…

NERV Forward Observatory, the Allied Forces, the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the Red Cross... and the Intelligence Department responsible for the security of the eligible individuals!
Is it really such a terrifying and arduous thing for the apostles to attack?
Previously, he was only in charge of tactical command, but now, as the acting commander, he has to take on the responsibility of coordinating the entire defense deployment of the Third New Tokyo City.

Commander Gendo Ikari seemed so calm and collected before; I never imagined his work was so complicated and demanding.

In an instant, my heart was engulfed by tension and unease…

Can I do a good job? Am I... capable of fulfilling my role as acting commander?

—You're an adult now, Miss Misato. So, walk forward on your own two feet—

In a moment of confusion, Shinji Ikari's voice inexplicably appeared again.

Honestly, he's such a brat... yet he loves to put on airs so much... But—

The unease I felt has truly disappeared...

That's right! The cards you can play haven't changed substantially. If you feel you're struggling to command, it can only be attributed to the difference in individual ability between Misato Katsuragi and Gendo Ikari...

In order to support Shinji Ikari as much as possible and reduce the pressure on him, I must try my best to bridge the gap in ability!

"Intelligence Department! This is Misato…! How is the situation with the Chosen Ones?! Did the others just regroup? Why are they taking so long…? Shinji-kun has already returned ahead of us!? I understand, I'll prepare for Unit-01's activation right away—"

Before Asuka, Rei, and the others could meet up with the intelligence personnel responsible for their transportation, Shinji Ikari was already in Kenzaki Kyoya's car.

As for why, it's very simple... because Shinji Ikari had a vague sense of foreboding, so before the Angels began their attack... he called Kyoya Kenzaki and asked him to come pick him up.

Logically, given Kenzaki Kyoya's driving skills, he should have already arrived at NERV headquarters by now, but today...

"Hey, are you okay?"

With another sharp turn of the steering wheel, he avoided a piece of rock that had rolled down the mountain due to the apostle's explosion.

"Ah, ha... I'm sorry, I..."

Kenzaki Kyoya spoke somewhat listlessly to Ikari Shinji. Today, Kenzaki Kyoya was really out of sorts, lacking the usual imposing presence and competence.

His face was pale, he was panting heavily, and even his vision was blurry from time to time...

"—What happened?"

Shinji Ikari gazed into the distance, towards the direction from which the relentless, earth-shaking explosions, like a thunderous storm, were coming from…

The eleventh Angel, right there... Shinji Ikari could see a small black dot radiating a powerful sense of oppression... bathed in the continuous bursts of fire.

"...When that guy appeared...I felt an uncontrollable flutter in my heart...deep down! Shinji-kun, it seems...I really am an Angel...after that guy, I should be next..."

A thoughtful smile flickered across Kenzaki Kyoya's lips... He hadn't really grasped the truth of what Nagisa Kaworu had said about him being the Twelfth Angel, but when the Eleventh Angel appeared...

That intense longing… that turbulent, tumultuous feeling within him… all spoke of his identity. “Calm down.”

Shinji Ikari deftly moved from the back seat to the passenger seat to help Kenzaki Kyoya, who was already unable to control the direction properly, grip the steering wheel so that if he lost consciousness, a sudden turn of the steering wheel would send the car plunging down the mountain.

"If you feel tired, you can park your car here and rest."

"…Eh?"

Kenzaki Kyouya looked at Shinji Ikari with some surprise, after all, they were still several kilometers away from the NERV base... Was Shinji going to pilot it himself, or...?

"...!"

Then, I saw Shinji Ikari's hand... reach inside his shirt, and then... it seemed... he took something out.

It's a very strange feeling—

Even though Kenzaki Kyoya couldn't see what Shinji Ikari was holding... he could clearly sense that there was something... something incredibly mysterious, yet exhilarating, like the shimmering light of dawn...

It was held tightly in his hand.

“Mr. Kenzaki, please get some rest. I’ll talk to you properly when I get back… about the Apostles.”

Shinji Ikari wore a smile on his face, as if he were heading to the battlefield. In that case, it was obvious what he held in his hand!

"……Eh?!"

Just as Shinji Ikari was about to press the Spark Prism in his hand, a cold hand, soaked in cold sweat, pressed onto Shinji's wrist.

Shinji Ikari stared in astonishment at Kenzaki Kyoya, who was stopping him from transforming, his eyes filled with confusion.

"Tiga, Ultraman... no, he should... appear... when humans... are fighting to the death..."

Kenzaki Kyouya was already speaking in broken sentences, but... for some reason, the fact that he had stopped Shinji Ikari from transforming gave him a strange sense of pride.

"—Believe in humanity!"

Shinji Ikari believes in humanity...

They believe that humanity, even in dire straits, can demonstrate its own will—that's why they are so determined to use EVA first, to fight with human hands…

That's why he had himself carry him back to base, instead of transforming into Ultraman to defeat the Angels...

This is Shinji Ikari's trust in himself... his unwavering commitment as a human being!

Therefore... we cannot let him abandon his pride in fighting as a human being because of his own dereliction of duty!

Even if, in the end... you still need to transform into Ultraman to defeat the Angels!
But—this process, brimming with human brilliance… absolutely! Absolutely cannot be omitted because of this!

"I will... send you... to... next to... Unit-01! So..."

"...!"

Without any unnecessary chatter... with just a glance, Shinji Ikari understood the resolve of the simple man beside him.

"Ah... I understand."

A smile appeared on Shinji Ikari's lips; it was... a genuine joy stemming from Kenzaki Kyoya's judgment.

"Then I'll leave it to you, Mr. Kenzaki."

(End of this chapter)