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

Shinji Ikari smiled, and just then, a loud shout came from below the clock tower—

"Shinji Ikari! Come out here!"

The children all peeked out and looked down. Shinji Ikari also stood up, walked to the window, and looked down.

In the sunlight, a red figure stood in the square in front of the church, hands on hips, head tilted back, golden-red twin ponytails fluttering in the wind. Those deep blue eyes were fixed on him, burning with a fierce competitive spirit.

The path to godhood requires endless killing! : 260. The World of Gnosticism

Shinji Ikari leaned halfway out of the clock tower window, looking down at the unfamiliar girl in the square. He was still holding the picture book in his hand, and several small heads peeked out from behind him, curiously looking down.

"Excuse me..." Shinji Ikari began, his tone gentle yet puzzled, "Who are you?"

"I am Shikinami Asuka Langley!" The girl's voice was clear and loud, with a heavy German accent. "The Second Child! Just transferred from the German branch!"

Shinji Ikari paused for a second, nodded, and then turned back, seemingly preparing to continue telling the story.

Don't you recognize Asuka? How could that be? She's the girl who left the deepest impression on Shinji Ikari!

Even though it was a memory that never happened, Shinji Ikari still instinctively wanted to stay away from her!

"Wait!!!" Asuka's face flushed red. "Get down here! I came here specifically to find you!"

"This kind of arrogant persona is no longer popular these days~~~~"

A few words drifted into Shinji Ikari's ear; he couldn't tell if they came from some townsman or some spirit who had come to watch the show.

It was indeed Tsugumi who helped Asuka.

He casually fished out Asuka's mother's fragmented soul trapped in Unit-02, patched it up, and then occasionally tossed it into Asuka's dreams.

371 >>

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372

Clearly, this strategy is extremely effective!

Asuka quickly succumbed to her mother's emotional offensive, not only completing her soul repair but also initiating a fervent pursuit of Tsugumi!

However, Tsugumi didn't do this with any crude CCB ideas. On the contrary, he was quite annoyed by the other party's pursuit mode of treating him like a father.

I'm not Char Aznable!

For him, this was both a way to fulfill a regret and a way to nurture his son, Shinji Ikari.

He has the holy son of the church, how can he lack the holy daughter?

Although, judging from the character design, Rei Ayanami is clearly more suitable for the role of a saint in terms of being aloof and fierce, what can you do when she is not human?

But now that this situation of vying for favor has arisen, Dongjiang is just watching for fun.

"Challenge!" Asuka stood with her hands on her hips and chin held high. "I challenge you!"

The people in the square stopped in their tracks, watching the scene with curiosity. Several monks came out of the church and stood on the steps to observe. The children who had just been listening to the story also crowded to the windows, chattering excitedly.

Shinji Ikari stared at the red figure in the plaza, remained silent for a few seconds, and then sighed softly.

He handed the picture book to a child next to him, whispered something, and then turned and left the window.

A moment later, the church doors opened and Shinji Ikari walked out.

Sunlight shone on his black priest's robe, and the cross on his chest gleamed softly in the sunlight. He wasn't wearing glasses, and his eyes were clear and gentle, like a still pool of water.

He walked up to Asuka, stopped, and looked down at her slightly.

Perhaps due to the strength he had gained from extensive training, the girl appeared much younger than he had imagined up close—although the information stated she was fourteen years old, her aggressive demeanor made her look like a cat with its fur standing on end.

"A challenge?" Shinji Ikari repeated, his tone devoid of sarcasm, only utter confusion. "A challenge for what?"

"Of course, it's piloting the EVA!" Asuka said, head held high. "Let's see who's the strongest pilot!"

"Oh." Shinji Ikari said calmly, "Then you win. Congratulations on becoming the strongest EVA pilot."

"You brat—are you underestimating me?" Asuka said angrily.

She had considered many possible reactions—the other person might be dismissive, might be enraged, might accept the challenge—but she never imagined it would be like this... this look as if she were being treated like a spoiled child.

“Of course it makes sense!” she raised her voice. “The strongest pilots deserve the most recognition! Only the strongest pilots deserve—only they deserve—”

"What do you deserve?" Shinji Ikari asked, his tone still gentle.

"I'm worthy... I'm worthy..." Asuka's face flushed even redder. "Anyway, it's very important! Are you going to accept me or not?!"

Shinji Ikari looked at her, his clear eyes filled with no mockery or contempt, only a gentle acceptance and compassion.

It's like a priest looking at a lost lamb, or a father looking at a child who never grows up and throws tantrums.

Asuka felt extremely uncomfortable under that gaze, making her feel like an unreasonable child, rendering all her anger and competitiveness meaningless.

"You..." she gritted her teeth, "What kind of look is that!"

Shinji Ikari didn't answer, but simply turned his head slightly to look at her. Sunlight shone from behind him, casting a soft halo around him. The cross on his chest swayed gently, reflecting a warm light.

“Miss Shikibo,” he finally spoke, his voice soft, like the wind rustling through leaves, “you have worked very hard.”

“You’re a hard-working person,” Shinji Ikari continued. “You try very hard to prove yourself. You try very hard to be the best. You try very hard to gain someone’s approval.”

“But,” he said softly, “you don’t have to try so hard.”

"What do you know?!" Asuka suddenly exploded.

Her voice boomed across the square, startling the pigeons on the rooftops. Her face flushed crimson, and her eyes practically blazed with fire.

"You know nothing! What gives you the right to say that! Who do you think you are?! You've only won two battles! You're just—you're just someone He chose—"

Shinji Ikari was initially taken aback, unsure of what he had done to offend Asuka. But upon hearing her mention Him again, in an instant, Shinji seemed to understand something, his eyes lighting up as he grabbed Asuka's hand.

"So you were also chosen by Lord Tsugumi!"

Having said that, ignoring Asuka's objections, he dragged her into the church and spoke to her in a very enthusiastic tone.

"Come, come, let me tell you all about our great Holy Spirit and Savior..."

"Asuka, is she alright?" Misato Katsuragi asked worriedly, looking at the town entrance that hadn't moved for a while.

As soon as she finished speaking, Asuka staggered out of the town. Misato Katsuragi immediately went to meet her and found that Asuka was muttering something to herself as she walked.

"Is everything alright, Asuka? Shinji shouldn't have done anything to you..."

Asuka shook her head, then raised it and said with grief and indignation.

"Three hours! He chanted scriptures to me for a full three hours!!!"

Yes, when the adventurous Asuka was dragged to the church by Shinji Ikari, she was met with a three-hour religious brainwashing session.

Although Asuka felt that she was Tsugumi's most beloved child, she now had to admit that at this moment, Shinji Ikari was stronger!

You just wait, I, Shikimura Asuka Langley Soryu, will definitely be back!!!

I will soon prove that I, Asuka, am Father's most beloved child!!!

With a disheveled Asuka in tow, Tsugumi sat on the cross, watching the retreating figure of the girl who had been so abrupt and fatherly tormentor, before looking up at the starry sky.

What a beautiful day! But why does it feel like the evil in this world has become even more intense?

Tsugumi sniffed. Why was the smell of evil so strong that he could clearly smell it now? What exactly were the people of this world, or rather, the bastards of SEELE, doing behind his back?

Or perhaps, what terrible things had these damned humans in this already damned world done before he arrived?

I don't know, I'm not sure, but this sin will probably haunt me soon—after all, this world itself is a huge heresy!

In fact, although the entire story of the EVA world may seem to have elements of Catholicism and biblical stories, this world can actually be regarded as a huge hodgepodge of Gnostic heretical doctrines.

In particular, the SEELE organization serves as the main 'villain' and is central to the plot.

The word "SEELE" itself means "soul" in German, but this "soul" refers not only to the human soul itself, but also to the core of a person's fundamental ideas or actions. Marx elaborated on this latter, more profound meaning, using it to describe the essential spirit of capitalism, which can therefore also be translated as "the whole spirit."

Therefore, SEELE can also be understood as the Seat of the Soul, which is the meaning of a collective noun in religion. Its meaning can be traced back to the Babylonian myth of Kingu, the second husband of the creator goddess Marduk, who was defeated and killed by the chief god, and used his material to create all mankind.

Because of this act, every human being possesses a separate divinity, that is, a soul. Only through complete unity can a single god be formed, a defeated god.

This is why God destroyed the Tower of Babel, which united humanity, and caused them to speak different languages, because a unified humanity would become one.

372 >>

Clearly, this strategy is extremely effective!

Asuka quickly succumbed to her mother's emotional offensive, not only completing her soul repair but also initiating a fervent pursuit of Tsugumi!

However, Tsugumi didn't do this with any crude CCB ideas. On the contrary, he was quite annoyed by the other party's pursuit mode of treating him like a father.

I'm not Char Aznable!

For him, this was both a way to fulfill a regret and a way to nurture his son, Shinji Ikari.

He has the holy son of the church, how can he lack the holy daughter?

Although, judging from the character design, Rei Ayanami is clearly more suitable for the role of a saint in terms of being aloof and fierce, what can you do when she is not human?

But now that this situation of vying for favor has arisen, Dongjiang is just watching for fun.

"Challenge!" Asuka stood with her hands on her hips and chin held high. "I challenge you!"

The people in the square stopped in their tracks, watching the scene with curiosity. Several monks came out of the church and stood on the steps to observe. The children who had just been listening to the story also crowded to the windows, chattering excitedly.

Shinji Ikari stared at the red figure in the plaza, remained silent for a few seconds, and then sighed softly.

He handed the picture book to a child next to him, whispered something, and then turned and left the window.

A moment later, the church doors opened and Shinji Ikari walked out.

Sunlight shone on his black priest's robe, and the cross on his chest gleamed softly in the sunlight. He wasn't wearing glasses, and his eyes were clear and gentle, like a still pool of water.

He walked up to Asuka, stopped, and looked down at her slightly.

Perhaps due to the strength he had gained from extensive training, the girl appeared much younger than he had imagined up close—although the information stated she was fourteen years old, her aggressive demeanor made her look like a cat with its fur standing on end.

"A challenge?" Shinji Ikari repeated, his tone devoid of sarcasm, only utter confusion. "A challenge for what?"

"Of course, it's piloting the EVA!" Asuka said, head held high. "Let's see who's the strongest pilot!"

"Oh." Shinji Ikari said calmly, "Then you win. Congratulations on becoming the strongest EVA pilot."

"You brat—are you underestimating me?" Asuka said angrily.

She had considered many possible reactions—the other person might be dismissive, might be enraged, might accept the challenge—but she never imagined it would be like this... this look as if she were being treated like a spoiled child.