EVA: Shinji Ikari Returns from Tiga

Chapter 156 Dongzhi! Don't run! Ram the jeep!
"Dongzhi! Don't run! Don't escape! Run over the jeep!!"

"I can't do it! I can't do it! Absolutely impossible!!!"

Just when things seemed to be going very wrong, Shinji Ikari drove past him, the impact sending Toji Suzuhara's body rolling three or four times on the asphalt road in a very painful way.

The skin on his arms was instantly torn and tattered from the friction, and his head was scratched by the sharp edges of the dirt and rocks... but before Suzuhara Toji could even get up from the ground...

Shinji Ikari had already made the jeep spin around once more, and then ran over Toji Suzuhara, who was slumped on the ground.

"Dongzhi! Stand up—! You'll die if you keep sitting on the ground!"

"Waaaaah! Stop it! Mr. Shinji...!!"

He desperately tried to stand up, but because Suzuhara Toji's arms were unusable, they hung limply at his sides, forcing him to use only his legs to exert force.

But Dongzhi, who had never performed tactical maneuvers without using his hands, coupled with the imminent pressure from the heavy off-road jeep, made it impossible for him to move around properly.

"Shinji-san! What are you doing? This is too dangerous—waiaaaaaah!!"

The result was that the front of the jeep crashed solidly into Suzuhara Toji's chest... However, unexpectedly, despite the excruciating pain... he felt his stomach churning violently and vomited up the entire bento box that Hikaru had made for him.

But—there was only a dull pain…not the kind of death sensation I had expected, like my sternum being completely fractured and pierced through my internal organs…

"...Dongzhi! Get up! You're not hurt at all."

Shinji Ikari pursed his lips. He had already controlled the momentum. The car wasn't going fast to begin with, and Shinji had calculated the distance and braked before the impact.

With his Ultra Telekinesis, he could precisely control the force of the jeep hitting Suzuhara Toji... This force was just right—enough to send someone flying without causing serious injury.

"Shinji-san... I don't understand—!!!"

Seeing Suzuhara Toji almost crying, Ikari Shinji leaned out of the car window and spoke dismissively.

"...Why are you crying? Didn't you complain to the class monitor that you'd rather die than live as a cripple? I'm just trying to help you. If you hadn't scrambled backward and had instead crashed straight into the car, you would have been sent to your next life in one shot."

"Me...!? Mr. Shinji—!!"

It was only then that Suzuhara Toji realized... that Shinji Ikari had orchestrated this whole thing because of his own disheartening complaints... Although he could understand, he still couldn't quite accept it...

Because Shinji Ikari had started the jeep again and reversed, giving himself space for the next collision and also giving Toji Suzuhara time to react.

"Here we go again, Toji—!"

This time, I didn't forget to remind Suzuhara Toji...

"If you really want to give up and end it all by dying... then just run right into this car!!"

"Wuwa————! Waaaaaah!!"

This time, Suzuhara Toji had mustered his courage... Although he didn't know the true meaning behind Shinji Ikari's actions today, he was certain it wasn't because of his own defeatist and lack of resolve that he was going to kill him...

Otherwise, there's no need for a jeep at all. Whether it's EVA Unit-01 stepping on you or even Ultraman kicking you, you wouldn't have any room to dodge and would just turn into Suzuhara Toji-chan.

And even now, I could use a heavy-duty off-road jeep... "Waaaaaah!"

The moment that massive steel behemoth, weighing several tons, roared toward him, Toji Suzuhara truly understood how terrifying death could be… Forget about Shinji Ikari saying that death is the end of everything…

When the true horror of death descended before his eyes, Suzuhara Toji was filled with nothing but the will to survive... He fled to the side of the jeep's impact trajectory in a panic.

This is why Shinji Ikari chose the jeep. Among the gadgets that are easy to obtain right now, the jeep can generate great courage, awaken the fighting spirit of this good-for-nothing guy, and give him room to maneuver. The jeep is the most suitable toy.

"What's with that look?"

Seeing Suzuhara Toji roll to the side of the road again, looking at him with extremely dissatisfied eyes, Ikari Shinji revealed a satisfied smile.

"You're all huddled in your hospital room, dejected and disheartened... hurting those who care about you with your words! That's what you've done! You even said... that it's better to die than to live with that disabled body? Well, I'll help you die now! Why do you want to live again?? Is this how I taught you?!"

"...Shinji-san—"

After being relentlessly berated by Shinji Ikari, Toji Suzuhara felt a little embarrassed... Indeed, he had taken advantage of Hikari's gentleness and said many things to her in a way that would hurt her deeply, almost like he was being coquettish.

"So, is today... Shinji-sensei's punishment for me?"

“Punishment? How could that be... I would never do something that wastes my time.”

Shinji Ikari pursed his lips and said with unwavering determination.

"The reason I spent the whole day today... is because I believe you can pull yourself together! However, Suzuhara Toji, who isn't a seasoned warrior, needs a bit of external stimulation! That's why I got this from the intelligence department... its purpose is to help your arm recover!"

"what!?"

Suzuhara Toji was speechless... So you're going to use this thing to treat me?? The treatment method is to drive this multi-ton heavy-duty off-road jeep of yours to another world?! Are you kidding me?!

"...Your arm is a psychological issue, no...it should be said that the Eleventh Apostle influenced your soul...The apostle's flames, from the perspective of soul perception, made you believe that you had lost your arm—and now you are facing death...Through facing the fear of death, you will take your arm back!"

"I don't understand anything at all!!"

"It doesn't matter if you don't understand! Anyway, if you want to survive... use your hands to brace yourself against the hood and get out of the way!! Otherwise... you'll die!!"

With a whoosh, the Jeep started its engine again... and hurtled towards Suzuhara Toji at high speed!

And this time... Suzuhara Toji won't be allowed to tumble to the left or right like he's only half-heartedly doing it...

According to Shinji Ikari, this time—the only way to avoid being hit and killed is…

It's about waking up your arms! Using your arms to brace yourself against the hood of the jeep! And then...rolling over the jeep!!

"I can't do it!!"

"If you can't do it...! Then die!! The class president and Sakura will be saddened by your death...!! What's with that expression?! What are those tears?! If you don't want to see that scene, then use your own strength to take your arm back!! Suzuhara Toji!!"

"stop it!!!"

(End of this chapter)