EVA: Shinji Ikari Returns from Tiga

Chapter 190 This way I can catch up with your loneliness... Shinji-kun.

“You have finally granted me permission to return to this place, Speaker Keel.”

With a touch of lightheartedness in his voice, Gendo Ikari… no, I should say… Cerebro in the guise of Gendo Ikari. Finally, he could speak with the power structure representing the highest human authority in this world.

Although it was just a false projection, and he couldn't manipulate or interfere with it with his own abilities... just looking at these pathetic stones engraved with "Sound Only"... Cerebro couldn't help but feel a strong sense of mockery and ridicule.

Hidden beneath layers of organizations and frameworks, they lack even the courage to personally experience the surging tides of the times... All they can do is live a life of luxury and issue orders to the sons of farmers who are fighting on the front lines.

Such ugly and ridiculous fools... how dare they talk about the so-called salvation of humanity?
"...Your sins cannot be forgiven. We would not have allowed you to return to this realm of souls unless the situation had been urgent."

The largest and most central piece, Sound Only… that is, this SEELE, the leader of the Human Perfection Project Committee… Speaker Kiro, suppressing his inner disgust, spoke to Gendo Ikari before him.

…At the same time, Speaker Kiro could not hide his astonishment.

Was this man's true nature? Was the cold and aloof Gendo Ikari who seemed to be detached from all emotions just an act...? The Gendo Ikari who is now, with a smile that doesn't suppress his mockery of the entire SEELE, is that Gendo Ikari's true nature?
If that's the case... I, Speaker Kiru, have actually misjudged someone... So, is it true that one can never escape the aging and decay of the body?

“Ikari, you should know... ever since you fled in a panic from NERV headquarters... and then eked out a living in the Berlin branch... we have turned a blind eye to your behavior.”

"Yes, even if you use our name to bully others in Berlin and spend a lot of money and resources to build your toys, we will not stop you. You should understand what this means."

The members of the Human Instrumentality Project Committee on both sides looked at Cerebro's frivolous smile, and an unspeakable anger rose in their hearts... even though they had meticulously planned for countless years.

At the most crucial moment, all previous efforts were in vain... Whether it was EVA's E plan or the script recorded in the Dead Sea Scrolls... both were completely distorted with the appearance of that being called Ultraman.

This kind of failure is something the Human Instrumentality Project absolutely cannot allow!

“I know, I know… After all, Ultraman Tiga is a major threat to me. The enemy of my enemy is my friend… You naturally won’t stop me from helping you find a way to deal with Ultraman Tiga. Especially… Your trick of raiding the NERV base and trying to seize EVA with conventional human weapons has failed. You’ve run out of ideas… You can only rely on me to help you get your ridiculous and laughable plan back on track.”

Even as these members of the Human Instrumentality Project roared at him menacingly… Cerebro showed no fear whatsoever. Putting aside these idiots, they had no idea that Cerebro’s pleasure was built on the self-destruction of foolish humans.

SEELE, having already lost control of the Japanese government, has no means to continue advancing its Human Instrumentality Project.

"Don't be so self-righteous, Ikari!"

Speaker Kiro slammed his fist on the table and spoke, his tone fierce but his voice weak.

"Even without you and your toys...we still have..."

"You still have Kaworu's Unit-06 and thirteen mass-produced EVAs installed in the S2 Engine, right? Heh, Chairman Kira... it's one thing to fool others... but don't fool yourself too. If you really think that with Unit-06 and thirteen mass-produced EVAs, you can defeat Ultraman Tiga and restart the ritual, what you should be doing now is having the NERV branch in Berlin arrest and kill me, instead of groveling here begging me."

"........."

Faced with the aggressive Sereblow, Speaker Kiru's momentum was completely overwhelmed, and he could only remain unusually silent.

Because... just as he said, Ultraman Tiga, who could easily annihilate even the Angels... displayed a powerful force that was never recorded in the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Even more powerful than the deified EVA... not to mention whether Unit-01, the core of the project, can successfully initiate the ritual under NERV's control...

If Ultraman Tiga cannot be defeated, even if Goff's room is forcibly opened, the possibility of being stopped by that mysterious giant of light is quite high.

If I were to forcefully open the door without any regard for the consequences, the end result would only be that all of humanity's efforts to date would be in vain.

"...So, Ikari...can you...with the toys you have...eliminate that unstable element that people call Ultraman?"

Speaker Keelow's tone was almost pleading.

—The apostles have been wiped out to the last…only Kaworu Nagisa remains…and that man.

Kaworu is under my control. As long as I can defeat Ultraman... everything can get back on track!
"Who knows."

However, faced with Speaker Kiro's unprecedented humbly pleading, Cerebro simply shrugged indifferently.

"Varied…!?"

This contemptuous attitude infuriated SEELE... She had already pleaded so humbly, yet this man... was still so arrogant.

You see... Gendo Ikari can still use the resources of the Berlin branch to build other mass-produced EVAs that he installed in the D4 Agency... and other strange and weird things that we don't know what they are... because SEELE wants to use Gendo Ikari to fight Ultraman Tiga.

If even this can't be done... SEELE will no longer keep Gendo Ikari; they will immediately have the soldiers of the Berlin branch kill him.

"I don't know, I just don't know... You don't know either, you haven't seen it. Even the strongest apostle recorded in the Dead Sea Scrolls... was as powerless as an infant in front of Ultraman Tiga. Even the synthetic beast Angel that I strengthened with the Spear of Longinus was easily defeated... How could I guarantee that I could destroy Tiga myself?"

He laughed and sneered at the ridiculous and exasperated state of these desperate old men.

"However... you should see it clearly as well. The original Eleventh Angel, the Angel of Power... could have been dealt with simply by deploying the few EVAs that are permanently stationed at the NERV base. They didn't even qualify Ultraman Tiga to take action... It wasn't until my power allowed the defeated Angel of Power to stand up again... and become my chimera! that Ultraman was finally mobilized."

"........."

Speaker Kiri silently acquiesced to Cerebro's statement... that having Kaworu pilot Unit-06, use the pseudo-Spear of Longinus, and inject the genes of the monster-synthetic beast into the Angel... was Cerebro's way of demonstrating his power to SEELE.

Only your own monster can fight Ultraman... If you want to continue your plan and defeat Ultraman Tiga who is in your way, you must trust Cerebro and place all your hopes on Cerebro.

"………………I understand. Everything is in your hands… I authorize you to control all the resources in the world."

Speaker Kiru, who was already clearly aware of his own position, could only nod bitterly.

Neither humans nor the Angels can defeat Ultraman—and to realize the Human Perfection Project and fulfill SEELE's sorrowful wish… Ultraman must be defeated.

So… I can only entrust everything to the man before me.
"Then, I have two conditions."

"…………you say."

Speaker Kiro nodded, having anticipated that Cerebro would raise the price at this moment.

"First, give me control over both the Twelve and Thirteen Apostles..."

“No problem. As long as the ritual can be completed in the end, the apostles are just expendable items anyway.”

Speaker Kiro neither confirmed nor denied this point. After all, even if Tiga was destroyed, all the apostles would still need to be sacrificed to Lilith in order to get the ritual back on track.

"Second, tell me your location... I don't trust guys who speak from behind a screen."

"…you!?"

Speaker Kiru roared, "This man is dangerous! If he were to physically come before me... my life would be in grave danger!" "What's wrong? Speaker Kiru, who swore to change the world... to change humanity, to bestow evolution and peace upon all humankind, is unwilling to take even such a small risk?"

"I'll consider it."

After a long silence, Speaker Kiru still didn't have the courage to nod, and could only forcefully announce the end of the meeting.

As the SEELE projection disappeared, the previously dim room brightened up again... It was just an ordinary conference room.

"Why do you need to find out the location of those old people in SEELE... It's pointless for the plan."

The person who emerged from the darkness was Kaworu Nagisa… He had been eavesdropping on the entire meeting from the blind spot of the projection.

"...personal interest."

Cerebro revealed a sinister smile—

"When the door they longed for finally opened... they discovered that behind it was not the evolution and salvation they had craved, but the despair they had brought upon themselves. If I couldn't witness all of this firsthand... my enjoyment would be greatly diminished."

"...What a nasty person."

Having already accepted that Cerebro and Gendo Ikari were different, Kaworu could only shrug and accept his untamed nature in the face of such an arrogant smile.

"So, you've already received permission? What's the next step?"

"It's simple... just prepare to meet the attack. Tiga should already be on his way here."

"Eh, Shinji-kun... will it really be that fast?"

Kaworu raised an eyebrow, a hint of delight flashing across his face.

“I asked a woman to write him an invitation letter… Normally it might be a while later, but since the old men at SEELE just finished their business, Ultraman Tiga will definitely take advantage of this break to come here. I know him very well.”

Without needing any intelligence, Cerebro could sense Shinji Ikari approaching little by little simply from the gradually closing battle aura.

"...Here you go, be careful not to lose it."

Sensing Kaworu's urgent gaze, Cerebro reached into his robes and pulled out a... black Spark Prism.

"!"

Kaworu's eyes lit up. This was... the one Cerebro had mentioned to him, made from the dark energy extracted from Shinji's body by Rei Ayanami...

He accepted it solemnly, and an uncontrollable joy spread across Kaworu's face.

"With this... I can... have a conversation with Shinji on the same level."

It seems that Kaworu can still smell Shinji Ikari's scent and feel his lingering body temperature from this cold, black Spark Lens.

"Just so you know, this thing might not work. Nobody knows what will happen in the end..."

Cerebro, with a knowing smile, offered a friendly reminder…

Because he knew very well that no matter what he would become in the end, this boy in front of him harbored an unusual obsession with Shinji Ikari.

They will definitely ignite this spark prism—

Because only in this way can Kaworu Nagisa interact with Shinji Ikari on an equal footing.

This is why Kaworu Nagisa, who deeply loves Shinji Ikari, is here.

I cannot become Shinji Ikari's ally —

Because, once Kaworu Nagisa joins Shinji Ikari's side... he might become another Toji Suzuhara, or another Kyoya Kenzaki...

No matter how hard you try... even if you twist Shinji Ikari's sexual orientation, he can only become... another Asuka or another Rei Ayanami.

This is something Kaworu Nagisa doesn't want to see...

Because whether it's Kenzaki Kyouya or Suzuhara Toji... or Asuka Rei... they are all just people Shinji Ikari needs to protect.

Like a high and mighty guardian deity, like a warm and sacred sun... shining upon everyone, bringing them warmth and peace.

But this is not equality.

Simply looking up at Shinji Ikari's face from below... enjoying Shinji Ikari's favors... will never allow you to stand on Shinji Ikari's level and have a conversation with him...

Therefore, Kaworu Nagisa chose ————

“That way, I can catch up with your loneliness…Shinji-kun.”

Only those who possess the same power as Ultraman…

Only by freeing Shinji Ikari from that increasingly heavy burden...

Only Shinji Ikari can attain true freedom and happiness.

And the only person who can complete this plan is himself!

"........."

"What's wrong, Ikari-kun?"

On the plane, Shinji Ikari, who was in a light sleep, was suddenly awakened by a chill.

Rei Ayanami, who had her head resting on Shinji Ikari's shoulder, noticed this and spoke up with concern.

"It's nothing, I just felt a strange, unsettling sensation that was hard to describe."

"Did you catch a cold?"

"No."

(End of this chapter)