EVA: Shinji Ikari Returns from Tiga

Chapter 77 NERV Second Branch·Matsushiro [Today 750010000]

The journey was uneventful—the flight wasn't long... NERV's small passenger plane, less than 300 kilometers away... and they arrived at the base in Matsushiro in about 40 minutes.

It wasn't a fortress city specifically built to fight against the Apostles... In terms of facility scale and defensive armament, it couldn't be compared to the Third New Tokyo.

But - the moment Shinji Ikari left the technology center and stepped onto the Matsushiro base, an indescribable and inexplicably disgusting feeling came over him.

"…Ikari-kun? What's wrong?"

Rei Ayanami, who only had eyes for Shinji Ikari, keenly noticed that Shinji Ikari had slightly frowned... and asked with some concern.

"……It is too sweet."

"...?"

Rei Ayanami blinked her big eyes...had no idea what Shinji Ikari was talking about.

Shinji Ikari shook his head... and didn't answer - after all, this was just Shinji Ikari's unfounded intuition... There was no need to deliberately spread anxiety.

It’s too sweet—I mean, the air here is too sweet…too sweet to be sickening.

Of course, this isn't sweetness in the physical sense... rather, the entire base is like a bewitching demon lurking in the air, weaving a spider web of sweet words... to immerse humans... and then drown them in this overly sweet honey.

Hmm... This feeling of disgust is different from the pure disaster of Gatanjea. It's the same unpleasant feeling as the Zijera Flower and the Giliello people... I need to be careful.

"...Kaji-san."

Shinji Ikari gave Kaji Ryoji a look without revealing his feelings.

"...This place might be more dangerous than I thought, be careful...make sure you have a way to escape first—"

Ryoji Kaji responded with a greasy wink with his usual frivolous smile, then left the main group and walked alone towards the depths of the base.

He had been to Matsushiro Base before to carry out espionage missions and had some understanding of the base's structure... Shinji Ikari asked him to first check whether there were any obvious problems with the base, and then asked him to prepare transportation for retreat.

Realizing that he was responsible for the escape of his entire family, Ryoji Kaji naturally did not dare to neglect... and immediately got down to work.

"..."

Ritsuko Akagi, who was walking in front, naturally saw all of this... But as a special investigator, Ryoji Kaji also had the authority to operate in the Matsushiro base, so Ritsuko Akagi did not stop him, but decided to report everything to Gendo Ikari immediately.

"…Sorry, I don't have time to catch up with you little ones. According to the commander's orders, I must take Rei to see the commander immediately."

In this case, there will naturally be no chance for Rei Ayanami and the others to leisurely chat with Touji Suzuhara before meeting again.

As he said this, he walked towards Rei Ayanami with great force, indicating that he wanted to take her away.

“…Then we’ll come too…”

Asuka was about to say something but was stopped by Shinji Ikari.

There is no point in confronting Ritsuko Akagi here. After all, from a standpoint, she and Gendō Ikari are both leaders of NERV... If we react too strongly before they reveal their ill intentions, we will only lose our foothold within NERV.

"Li, are you okay——"

Of course, all these concerns are based on the premise that Rei Ayanami is willing to cooperate with Ritsuko Akagi and Gendou Ikari... After all, Rei Ayanami also has a very deep affection for Gendou Ikari...

Before she came, she was willing to drag her dying body into battle for Ikari Gendou, and she was not afraid of injury or death.

If at this moment—Ayanami Rei relied on her own consciousness…whether she said she felt uneasy being alone, “Please come with me…” or “I don’t want to go, I want to go home.” As long as she showed the slightest resistance, Ikari Shinji would not hesitate to overturn the table, even if it meant forcing his way through, to take Ayanami Rei home.

"It's okay... Ikari-kun. Besides, I have something to say... to the Commander."

As Shinji Ikari expected... this girl was still willing to cooperate with Gendo Ikari... after all, he was the only person she once trusted.

"I see…"

Ayanami Rei has already made her own decision, so I have no right to say anything more... I hope that Ayanami Rei can become a complete and independent existence... rather than being transformed from Ikari Gendō's puppet into my subordinate.

"Then I'll take the squad leader and Sakura to find Suzuhara. If you need anything, just call out. I'll appear as long as you ask for help~"

He said goodbye to Rei Ayanami with a smile, but this attracted Asuka's complaints.

"Where did you get this superhero thing from...you're such an idiot!"

Seeing this... Ritsuko Akagi breathed a sigh of relief... As the son of Gendo Ikari and the core of the EVANGELION plan, Shinji Ikari's influence is unmatched... and he is not an existence that can be wiped out by force.

If he insisted on following Rei Ayanami to see Gendo Ikari, she really didn't know how to respond.

However, just as Akagi Ritsuko and Ayanami Rei set off... a member of the black suit who had been unknown and concealed his presence before quickly caught up with them.

"You are…?"

Ritsuko Akagi frowned, expressing her doubts and dissatisfaction.

"Walker, Intelligence Division, Intelligence Section 1. As ordered, I'm responsible for the safety of the First Qualified Personnel. It is my duty and responsibility to ensure that the First Qualified Personnel remains within my sight until the transfer of the security personnel escorting them to the Matsushiro branch is complete."

The flawless official language made Ritsuko Akagi feel instinctively disgusted... These rules and regulations that were originally created by her own hands seemed to have been shaken and changed little by little since the appearance of that Tiga.

——No, maybe it’s not Tiga… but…

Akagi Ritsuko's hatred fell on Ikari Shinji's face, and this boy... as always, looked back with a firm and confident look that the "cowardly and lonely boy" described in his MAGI report should never have.

"Kenzaki's subordinates? Okay, just escort us to the commander's office."

It seems that from the moment I discovered that Shinji Ikari's personality was completely different from the one calculated by MAGI... everything that was originally under control began to go out of control...

"...I'll leave it to you, brother."

Shinji Ikari silently watched the three people leave... He didn't feel the slightest bit uneasy in his heart. Since he had chosen to trust Kenzaki and acted in this way... When the time came, he would give unconditional trust to the subordinate chosen by Kenzaki... Even if he didn't know the name of that big brother yet.

"Well, squad leader... and Sakura, sorry... for keeping you waiting. Now I can take you to see that idiot Suzuhara... Seriously, didn't I already message him to bring you two along? Why didn't you come to greet me..."

Just as Shinji Ikari was giving the squad leader a comforting smile... a discordant and beautiful voice abruptly joined the conversation.

"I'm sorry, Suzuhara-kun... you might not be able to see it now."

“…………What’s going on?”

Without even looking, Shinji Ikari knew... who the owner of this voice was - the sixth qualified person, Kaworu Nagisa.

Like himself... he is not a pure human, and he is a handsome boy who has sensed the presence of Tiga within him.

"Because, today is the actual start-up test of Unit 03... Suzuhara-kun is already waiting in the plug."

(End of this chapter)