Shinji Ikari, returned from Warhammer

But in response, the driver softly hummed a children's song.

"That's great, I hope it can be done."

"I still have so many dreams like that!"

"Everyone, everyone, everyone, please let me make this happen!"

"Use that magic pocket to make it happen!"

As the machine passed through the tunnel, the tunnel gate's exhaust vents emitted a low growl, lifting the heavy iron gate. To be honest, the four-legged Unit-05's movement speed wasn't particularly impressive. It was far inferior to Unit-01, and even to Unit-00.

But right there in this tunnel, the pilot with the lower synchronization rate, relying on his superb driving skills, with an elegant and light movement like a dark elf from the depths, encountered the skeletal ichthyosaur speeding ahead!

The gates behind them slammed shut, turning the tunnel into a sealed arena. The Third Apostle, with its skeletal form and ichthyosaur-like life form, let out a sharp shriek. Orange light emanated from its will-o'-the-wisps, but Unit-5 advanced instead of retreating, raising its sharp knight's lance and charging towards the ichthyosaur with the force of its own impact.

The knight's lance successfully pierced the right scapula of the skeletal ichthyosaur, but the ichthyosaur's orange beam of light also struck Unit 5's Absolute Territory. The aftershocks then reached the units behind, causing a red warning light to appear in the cockpit.

"It's so heavy, like a huge rock!" The girl gripped the control stick tightly, gritting her teeth as she pushed it forward with all her might. "I really envy Ikari-chan's high synchronization rate. If it were him, he probably could have pierced through the target's core with a single strike!"

The young female pilot was also targeting the apostle core of the skeletal ichthyosaur in front of her, but her synchronization rate wasn't particularly high. The third apostle in front of her, with its skeletal ichthyosaur appearance, was also quite agile, but fortunately, this apostle seemed to have no intention of engaging in combat with the machine in front of her.

Accompanied by a hissing sound that could make one's brain tremble, a huge golden halo appeared above them.

Chapter 41: Like Sunlight Piercing Through the Night

In terms of physical form and thermal energy rays, the Third Apostle is not particularly outstanding among the Apostles. He is probably only stronger than the Day Apostle, and even weaker than the Water Apostle.

But the unfolding angelic halo was far too enormous. As it rose and fell, it seemed as if the divine had returned, piercing through the netherworld.

"Warning! The outer protective wall has been breached! The final barrier has been breached!"

"The target has reached the Hell Zone, and all restraints have been broken! It is rapidly moving towards the Acheron River region!"

"Where's Mary?! Get Unit 5 to do something right now?!" the person in charge shouted, slamming his fist on the table.

However, the feedback data from the temporary Unit 5 was also not optimistic.

Unit-05 was given a temporary designation because its performance differed significantly from other EVA units. Its right hand was a detachable knight's lance, and its left hand was a pair of pincers used as weapons; its four legs were merely forcibly synchronized prosthetic components. Furthermore, both its strength and mobility were inferior to those of a normal EVA unit.

Fortunately, the previous battlefield was an underground tunnel, where the spider-like design of the machine could fully demonstrate its strength. However, now that it has moved to an open area, its previous advantage has vanished.

Even the aircraft, under the onslaught of this shockwave, emitted a crisis warning in the cockpit. The excruciating pain of being burned all over was simultaneously transmitted to the pilot, yet the pilot displayed a twisted, fanatical smile amidst the escalating agony.

"Ouch, that hurts... This is really bad, hahaha!!"

The pain intensified, while the girl's smile grew brighter, and even the synchronization rate, which had only reached 26%, rapidly increased. A bursting spirit roared deep within Mari's mind, fragmented images flashing before her eyes—faces.

Professor Fuyutsuki, that damned Sextans son-in-law, and... most importantly, Yui Ikari!

"Whatever! Let me have some fun, my angel!"

In fact, this was her first time piloting a mech to fight an Angel, and no one stayed behind to assist her. She was like a prisoner, thrown into a deep well of steel, a hellish place filled with wind and snow.

Unit 5 completely abandoned the orthodox battle plan and pounced on the Third Apostle's side like a raging beast, fiercely plunging its knight's lance into the core that was now exposed.

At this moment, Unit-05 was more like a hysterical monster than an Angel.

The crimson cross of the apostles rises from the frozen ground, foreshadowing the destruction of the rampaging Third Apostle by humanity once again.

…………

…………

Shinji Ikari's biological clock is always very punctual, running at 5:30 in the morning.

He opened his sleepy eyes; the room was quiet. Shinji Ikari turned his head to the side and saw Rei Ayanami sitting at the dining table.

To be honest, Shinji was a little surprised. She was wearing yesterday's school uniform, and wasn't naked. Although he'd always been someone with a low profile, he'd never felt her so quiet. She just sat there quietly, as if she'd always been beside him.

"Did you sleep well?" Shinji Ikari sat up from the sofa.

He didn't sleep very comfortably; his buttocks were sunk into the groove between two sofa cushions, and when he woke up, his lower back was in excruciating pain.

"I'm sorry, I took your bed." Rei Ayanami apologized.

"Offering help to the lady is... never mind, could you get me a glass of water instead?"

Rei Ayanami nodded, quietly got up, went to the dining table to pick up a glass, and went to the kitchen to get a glass of water.

Shinji Ikari was indeed very thirsty, so he picked up the cup and drank it all in one gulp. Afterwards, he went to the bathroom to flush the water that had been sitting there all night, and felt completely refreshed.

As he passed by, he peeked through the crack in the door into Misato Katsuragi's room. The woman was sprawled out on the bed, taking up most of it. At that moment, Shinji Ikari finally began to feel grateful that he hadn't chosen to sleep with her the day before; otherwise, he would definitely have been kicked off the bed.

After a quick wash, Shinji Ikari finally turned his gaze to Rei Ayanami. His gaze moved down her almost translucent face, noticing the brown curry stains on her slightly heaving chest. The right side of her skirt was slightly yellowed, likely spilled by Misato Katsuragi while she was drinking.

“It was my oversight. I’ll go to the dorm with you to pack your things later. Wear mine for now,” Shinji Ikari said.

Rei Ayanami had no objections, or rather, she wouldn't refuse any request from Shinji Ikari, even if it might be utterly absurd.

Misato Katsuragi didn't wake up, so they didn't bother her, because usually after drinking like last night, the hangover wouldn't end until at least 8 or 9 a.m. the next day.

Shinji Ikari and Rei Ayanami went to the community cafeteria and ordered breakfast. The breakfast selection was extensive, including Chinese, French, and even English breakfasts. There were even eight different flavors of tofu pudding, but Shinji could only recognize the savory and sweet ones.

They then took a taxi to the floor where Rei Ayanami was staying. She had very few personal belongings; you could say a suitcase could be filled with just a little stuff, but her things were scattered everywhere. Shinji Ikari dragged his suitcase home, while Rei Ayanami was simply holding a pot of jasmine flowers.

"Give me your security card and ID card. Go back and tidy up your room. I'm going to headquarters," Shinji Ikari said.

Rei Ayanami didn't know what Shinji Ikari was going to do, but she still took the suitcase. She took two cards from her wallet and handed them to Shinji.

When Misato Katsuragi woke up again, she saw breakfast laid out on the table and Shinji Ikari carrying a hammer as tall as himself.

"What are you doing? Destroying the house?" Misato Katsuragi's eyebrows twitched.

“Almost. I just used Rei Ayanami’s identity to apply for the room next door at headquarters,” Shinji Ikari said. “I made an appointment with the construction team at 10 a.m. They’ll break down the lightweight wall in the middle, and our dormitory room will be twice the size. You should eat breakfast now.”

The main issue is that it's a bit crowded with three people and a hot spring penguin living together. Now, with an indoor area of ​​200 square meters, even adding two more people would be very comfortable.

Shinji Ikari shook his head, wondering why he would even consider adding two more people; three were enough for now.

"Oh, oh, oh." Misato Katsuragi was a little dizzy from waking up due to low blood pressure. "Then why didn't you apply using your own identity?"

“Because I’ve already applied,” Shinji Ikari said.

"Huh? Huh?!" Misato Katsuragi suddenly woke up with a start. "When did you apply? How come I didn't know?"

"I applied for the room before we faced the Daytime Angels. It's in Minato Ward, Tokyo, and I occasionally go there with friends," Shinji Ikari said cryptically, regardless of whether Misato Katsuragi understood him.

"By the way, headquarters called you several times, it seems to be about the UN aircraft carrier group and something about Russia and Germany."

Chapter 42: Savior of the World, Heroic Leader

NERV headquarters, Central Dogmatic Area office area.

Shinji Ikari, who is about to be promoted to lieutenant, is already able to freely enter and exit this area using his ID card, but he is still not allowed to approach the most central dogmatic district.

Among those asked to report to headquarters were not only Misato Katsuragi, but also himself.

These are two separate matters: the arrival of Unit-02 at Hakone headquarters and the arrangements for the Second Child; and the killing of the Third Angel in Russia last night. The killer was Mari Makinami Ilantrias, who piloted the provisional Unit-05.

Compared to Shinji Ikari, who killed the Water Angel and the Day Angel, and Rei Ayanami, who killed the Thunder Angel, Mari Makinami, who piloted the Provisional Unit-05 to kill the Third Angel, is not well-known. Her achievements are only known within NERV.

"It's probably related to some secrets. Those old guys like to get their hands on dangerous things. But they just can't control themselves." Ritsuko Akagi handed the tablet to Misato Katsuragi. "Take a look at this."

Shinji Ikari stood on tiptoe next to Misato Katsuragi, only in this situation did he feel that he was still just a fourteen-year-old boy.

“IPEA? It’s them.” Misato Katsuragi was a little surprised.

"IPEA is a mysterious organization independent of NERV, governed by the United Nations. Its existence can be explained entirely by the power struggles between major international powers," Ritsuko Akagi said calmly, as if she were explaining to Shinji Ikari. "Various countries contribute money and resources to support NERV's fight against the Angels, but they cannot allow NERV to acquire too many weapons of war and advanced technologies. Just like the Japan Heavy Chemical Industry Community, which controls the manufacturing technology of JA mobile suits, it is also a product supported by the United Nations to restrain NERV."

Ritsuko Akagi took a pack of cigarettes from Misato Katsuragi's pocket and gently lit one for herself.

"Based on the Vatican Treaty, each country is not allowed to possess more than three EVA units. IPEA not only participates in policy-making among major powers but also has in-depth involvement in the manufacturing and research of EVA warriors. Furthermore, IPEA's intelligence organization and spies are very powerful, and it seems to possess no fewer secrets than we do."

Following the Japan Heavy Chemical Industry Community, another challenger has emerged: IPEA. Humanity is like this; even in the face of catastrophic forces, it continues its endless infighting.

However, the boy standing next to him felt a little out of place. He had also been asked to come to headquarters, thinking it was to help Rei Ayanami fill out the dormitory relocation forms, but he overheard something incredible.

"Is it okay for you to tell me this? This should be a confidential matter that cannot be revealed, right?" Shinji Ikari raised an eyebrow.

“It’s alright, you’ll join us sooner or later. This world belongs to you.” Ritsuko Akagi showed kindness to the boy and put her hand on his shoulder.

"Oh, shouldn't it be the Commander-in-Chief's spoiled young master?" Shinji Ikari teased, expressing his dislike for the way his own staff addressed him.

"It's not because of the Commander-in-Chief, it's because of you. The angels of destruction written in the old Bible of Israel will descend one after another, and the appearance of the apostles who sound the trumpet of destruction is a prophecy from the myth. The descent of the water apostle has already proven this prophecy. We also need to select the most outstanding pilot from among the qualified candidates and devote all our efforts to training him. He will be the nemesis of the apostles and the savior of the world."

"It sounds like Jesus," Shinji Ikari joked, having passed the age of being a pundit. "Unfortunately, I'm just a pilot, so I don't really understand these things."

By this point, Shinji Ikari had begun to understand why he had been summoned. It seemed they wanted to use honor to restrain him, but why were they always so fixated on him? Why did they always want to control him?

Ritsuko Akagi said quietly, "A new era is coming. We need not only geniuses, but also leaders who command respect. You are dazzling among the new generation, even Asuka can't compare to you. You are very popular at headquarters, and even have an internal group of fans who consider themselves the Knights Guard. In the eyes of the Knights Guard, NERV is just a logistics organization that supports you. With an outstanding hero pilot like you, eliminating the Angels and saving the world is a piece of cake."

"Just a cog in the machine of the Emperor, that's all I do." Shinji Ikari patted his chest modestly, but his expression was one of pride and smugness.

"So we'll push you up there, make you the ace of headquarters, the savior of the world. But you also need to rein in your rebellious spirit, at least learn to make peace with yourself."

Shinji Ikari licked his lips. It seemed that Ritsuko Akagi, or rather, they, had misunderstood something. Did they think that his current changes were simply the start of his rebellious phase, which was why he was talking back to the Commander and refusing to be disciplined?

But it seems that only the term "rebellious period" can explain my changes.

“Honestly, they’re still fighting amongst themselves at this point. The Japan Heavy Chemical Industry Community is like this, and so is IPEA.” Misato Katsuragi muttered, then turned to Ritsuko Akagi. “But since their Marduk Project failed and the Third Angel went berserk, did ‘he’ succeed?”

Shinji Ikari pursed his lips. He didn't know who Misato Katsuragi was referring to, but it seemed to be someone she and Ritsuko Akagi both knew. Could the failure of the Marduk Plan this time also be part of Gendo Ikari's conspiracy?

Shinji Ikari, by sheer chance, actually guessed the answer correctly.

IPEA, which was put forward by the United Nations to compete with NERV, is naturally far superior to the Japanese Heavy Chemical Industry Community. It possesses strong production and R&D capabilities, and most importantly, it holds two technologies that NERV also greatly covets:

"Unlimited Energy Internal Body" and "Marduk Project".

“Since the Third Apostle has gone out of control, he must have succeeded. However, it seems that he has only successfully thwarted the start of Marduk’s plan. How much technology he has managed to steal is not our concern,” said Ritsuko Akagi.

Shinji Ikari also understood; he didn't yet know what the Infinite Energy Internal Machine was. But the Marduk Project seemed to be Angel modification technology, where Angels would transform captured Angels into machines that could be piloted by Chosen Ones.

This kind of heretical technology sent chills down Shinji Ikari's spine. Fortunately, it was sabotaged by spies and moles; otherwise, if he had actually been allowed to pilot that alien, he would have gone berserk first.

"Don't tell me about these things anymore, it's really annoying." Misato Katsuragi seemed to dislike this kind of infighting as well. After returning the tablet to Ritsuko Akagi, she saw the development department head in the white coat say softly, "It's just my duty to inform you, and the Commander-in-Chief is waiting for you in the Central Dogmatic District. He has some things to tell you."