Having traversed countless realms, can you possibly be as clever as me?

With a gurgling swallow, his heightened emotions subsided, and he softly uttered the last word, "Amen."

The towering cross-shaped beam of light rose again, tearing through the clouds and illuminating the sky. Unit-01 stood in the center of the beam, its movements obscured by the radiance. It maintained the posture of outstretched arms, like a victim nailed to a cross, or a judge standing at the gates of heaven.

The command center was deathly silent for a long time before someone finally spoke.

What did he just recite?

No one answered—those who maintain their faith after a disaster are already a minority, not to mention that what Shinji Ikari just recited was definitely not something that would be in the Bible!

However, they felt a strong and inexplicable sense of excitement!

That's fucking cool!

It's not just about being cool; it's about a kind of soul-stirring emotion that makes their spirits and minds tremble!

He wasn't the only one with the same thought; everyone in the world who witnessed this scene felt the same way. Most of them couldn't even understand the background of this 'program,' but just hearing the boy's words was enough to move them deeply.

With the leadership in place, Tsugumi unreservedly channeled the power of the media onto Shinji Ikari. This irrational charisma, transformed into a religious form, made his every word and action more captivating than any religious leader.

They will worship, the people of this world will worship!

That new religion called 'Escarius,' the religion that advocated atonement, redemption, and war against the sinners who caused all of this.

It will bloom all over the world in a very short time, and Tsurugi will collect enough faith to complete the mission!

And then—

Dongjiang will naturally begin a major purge immediately!

The end is nigh for Seele!

Shinji Ikari achieved an absolute victory, gaining unparalleled prestige with a power so overwhelming that it could only be looked up to.

The elevator slowly descended, and Unit-01 was retrieved. When the insertion plug opened and Shinji Ikari stepped out, everyone who gazed at the young man could hardly hide their amazement and excited admiration.

Upon exiting the cockpit, his priest's robes were spotless, as if not stained with a single drop of liquid. This demeanor, along with the many other miraculous phenomena observed before, had been categorized by the public as part of the many miracles attributed to the young Shinji Ikari.

He took off his glasses, wiped them with the corner of his robe, and put them back. The man with his glasses off was completely different from the fanatical figure he had been just moments before. He looked at the crowd with gentleness, calmness, and compassion.

"What's wrong?" he asked, like a real priest. "Do you want some kind of revelation?"

367

"

Shinji Ikari paused for a moment, then took out the black-covered Bible from his pocket, opened it, and read aloud:

“Do not be afraid, for I am with you. I will bring your offspring from the east, and gather you from the west. I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back!’ I will bring my sons from afar, and my daughters from the ends of the earth—”

He closed the book, looked at everyone, and said softly:

"Everyone who comes under my name is someone I created for my own glory, someone I made and created."

Somewhat baffling, at least for those with little religious knowledge, such words are too obscure and difficult to understand.

But strangely enough, they actually understood it. Despite having absolutely no knowledge of religious studies, they comprehended his revelations.

"Shinji-kun, are you trying to say we were wrong?"

Ritsuko Akagi asked her questions, but for a scientist to ask a priest where she went wrong was somewhat contrary to the dignity and pride of a scientist.

But for someone who can truly perform miracles, even if they speak in riddles, it's hard to call them a charlatan!

But Shinji Ikari had no intention of answering anything, after all, a qualified priest should act as a riddle-maker.

Moreover, he himself was somewhat unsure of what to say next, since most of this was just something Tsurugi had told him to make up!

After all, he's a priest, so he has to say things that most people don't understand!

He walked past the crowd toward the exit, but at that moment—

"Please wait, Third Child, you cannot leave."

Several men in black from the intelligence department blocked his path. Their leader, Kenzaki Kyouya, the head of the intelligence department, spoke in a forceful tone...

"You are not allowed to leave NERV headquarters at will! Entering here constitutes signing a confidentiality agreement, and if—"

Kenzaki Kyoya's words were abruptly cut off before he could finish speaking.

Because Shinji Ikari quietly put on his glasses

The ruthless and vicious Tsurugi is here!

Because a gleaming silver gunsword was already pressed against his throat, and his colleagues, the other men in black who had intercepted Shinji Ikari, had already lost their heads.

Amidst the spinning, falling head and gushing blood, screams echoed among the NERV employees, while the boy who had ruthlessly severed the head with his gunsword had unknowingly donned glasses.

"Don't be so arrogant, you despicable heretic!" Shinji—no, it should be said that Tsugumi, who was in charge, stood on a head with its eyes wide open, laughing maniacally as he looked at everyone present through the spurting blood from the head.

"Keeping you scum alive has already exhausted my patience. If you choose to push your luck—"

"No one will leave here alive today!"

He rubbed the two gunswords in his hands together, and walked towards the panicked NERV members amidst the sparks of their clash—he was not joking, this boy who seemed like a completely different person really had the intention and thought of killing them all!

"Shinji, come up here, let's have a good talk!"

Just then, a majestic voice rang out, and everyone looked up to see Gendo Ikari looking down at them.

Tsugumi squinted for a moment, checked with Shinji Ikari, then removed her glasses and handed over control of her body to him.

"I respect your choice, Shinji. Do what you want to do."

Before Tsugumi returned to the depths of her heart, she left these words for Shinji Ikari.

"He deserves at least a good beating!"

On the road to godhood, you must kill, kill, kill! :257. Shinji Ikari beat Gendo Ikari to a pulp.

The NERV Commander-in-Chief's office is a vast, single-level building, but this entire floor, covering thousands of square meters, contains only a desk and a chair. There aren't even any lights; the only light comes from the sunlight streaming in through the floor-to-ceiling windows.

It can be described as an extremely minimalist, even insane, interior design.

"Your performance has exceeded our expectations, Shinji."

Kōzō Fuyutsuki, who was standing guard beside Gendō Ikari, spoke to Shinji Ikari in a tone of praise and satisfaction devoid of any malice.

"Please don't be too harsh on your employees; they are just following orders."

Shinji Ikari remained silent, simply watching his father, while Gendo Ikari did not intend to speak first.

The two seemed to be competing to see who had the stronger willpower, staring at each other for a long time without saying a word, creating an awkward silence.

"Shinji, your fate was already sealed."

In the end, Gendo Ikari was the first to give in, maintaining that posture and speaking in a deep voice.

"I don't know what kind of huge changes have happened to you, but it was destined that we would pilot an EVA and defeat an Angel."

"Fate?" Upon hearing this, Shinji spoke up, taking a deep breath as he looked at his father.

"You mean I'm just a pawn in your game?"

The next moment, Fuyutsuki Kozo felt a gust of wind hit him, followed by the sound of flesh colliding.

He blinked and saw Shinji Ikari, his face full of ferocity, rush over and punch Gendo Ikari in the face!

First, he slammed his hand, which was glued to his face with superglue, away. Then, with a thud, he punched him squarely in the nose, causing blood to gush out and the nose to be crooked to one side. It was as if a condiment shop had been opened, with salty, sour, and spicy flavors all gushing out. Gendo Ikari couldn't get up; he just kept his face tense.

"Have you had enough?"

Shinji, expressionless, raised his fist and punched his eyebrow, splitting the crease of his eye and causing his pupil to burst out, as if a colorful silk shop had been opened, with red, black, and purple colors blooming out.

At first, Fuyutsuki Kozo wanted to stop him, but seeing that Shinji wasn't going to kill himself, he quietly stepped aside.

Shinji beat Gendo Ikari for a full three minutes before letting go, which meant that he was indeed holding back; otherwise, the old man would have been beaten to death.

Even so, Gendo Ikari, whose head was swollen like a pig's head, could barely speak, let alone maintain his so-called 'high-class' image.

"Gendo Ikari, you are only my biological father!"

Shinji looked at his so-called father at his feet with a complicated expression. Any fear he had previously harbored towards him had vanished completely in this situation.

It's really strange, why did I used to have such awe for someone?

Irresponsible, self-righteous, arrogant, and so prejudiced and sinful.

But... why can't I bring myself to do it now?

"You can't control me, you have no right to control me!" He glared at Gendo Ikari, who was being helped up by Fuyutsuki and coughing, and said fiercely through gritted teeth.

"Whether it's Mom or your so-called plan, our relationship will only ever be a transaction. Beyond that, the further away you are from me, the better!"

He paused, took a deep breath, and the next second, amidst screams and exclamations, the Commander-in-Chief's office was ripped open by a giant hand! It was Unit-01, which had activated on its own, and punched open the entire office building from the outside!

Shinji walked to Unit-01's head, pressing his hand against its chin in the howling wind, looking at Gendo Ikari, who was barely standing, with a mixture of anger and sorrow.

"Father—this is the last time I'll call you that. Stop! Your selfish actions are something Mom wouldn't want to see!"

Unit-01 seemed to agree with this, and nodded slightly.

After saying that, Shinji turned and left, not giving Gendo Ikari any chance to say anything nonsensical. Unit-01 also glanced at him, then turned and walked back on its own.

It's like he came here specifically to see Shinji Ikari beat him up.

"anchor....."

"I'm fine, don't worry..." Gendo Ikari pushed away Kozo Fuyutsuki, watching Unit-01's departing figure with a dazed look in his eyes, lost in thought.

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"Report today's events for me; those old folks can't possibly be unaware of it. Dongyue, help me gauge their attitude."

Looking at Gendo Ikari, whose face had been flattened into a pig's head, Fuyutsuki Kōzō suppressed the urge to laugh and whispered...

"Okay, I will do it, but if those old men try to harm Shinji—"

“They won’t.” Gendo Ikari tried to put on his glasses, but his swollen face made it difficult. After putting down the broken glasses, he said coldly.

"Shinji, he already knows his place. I don't know where his abilities come from, but at least he is someone who cannot be easily threatened."

"And regarding Unit-01's actions, perhaps I underestimated Shinji's importance in her heart..."

He said this through gritted teeth.

“Finding a replacement for him is also essential; he’s completely out of control.” Fuyutsuki Kōzō finished speaking the words he hadn’t intended to say.

Should we bring the second eligible candidate forward?