Shinji Ikari, returned from Warhammer

“I heard that it’s going to be buried here soon. Can I transplant it outside?” Rei Ayanami asked.

“Strictly speaking, it’s not exactly buried.” Misato pointed to the Geofront (underground world) center, where the huge concrete dome under construction, which had already covered the area around the NERV headquarters building, was sealed off.

"Once that's completed, this area will be covered by a ceiling, with no more lighting facilities, and sunlight won't be able to get in. This area will become a sealed-off zone, and a new headquarters facility will be built on top of it."

Despite the recent major battle that garnered global attention here, NERV still intends to establish its new headquarters on the original site. They even aim to achieve the effect initially envisioned as the Third New Tokyo City—that is, to become the new capital of Japan.

This also means that NERV will truly transform from an intelligence agency into a national government.

“Right, so we have to move it to the ground,” Rei Ayanami replied.

"What did Shinji say?" Misato asked.

He said it's up to me, and that all my choices are meaningful.

After all, your life has truly begun—Shinji Ikari added this sentence after that, but Rei Ayanami didn't say it aloud.

Death and life are equal, a fact that Rei Ayanami has not yet realized, nor has she realized that the rest of her life will be incredibly long.

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In the swaying mist, the warm yellow hues of the setting sun were reflected, and Shinji Ikari, sitting in the carriage, enjoyed the tranquility of the moment.

Shinji Ikari wasn't nervous at all about suddenly appearing in the train car. He was just a little confused by the scene.

Whether it's a red or blue beach, a crossroads of the world, or a giant tree spiraling upwards, Shinji Ikari can understand the meaning behind them. But only here, in this seemingly endless train carriage, does Shinji not understand what this mental landscape reflects.

Until, faintly, a sound like muffled thunder came from afar.

Shinji Ikari's gaze involuntarily drifted out of the car window, where a thin, silvery line appeared where the sky met the sea, looking as if the sea was coated with a thin layer of silver. In reality, it was a massive tidal wave, its crests billowing with whitecaps.

The sirens blared loudly from the distant Third New Tokyo City, but in the face of this surging tide, they were simply embraced and incorporated into one's own being.

As the tide approached, Shinji Ikari initially looked down, then gradually raised his gaze. The sea rolled in before him, millions of tons of water forming a colossal wall that surged towards him. At that moment, Shinji could hear no sound except for the beating of his own heart.

The black waves collide with the steel and concrete of the city, resulting in the city's shattering and the destruction of countless worlds.

"Isn't it spectacular?" A soft sigh came from behind him. "Memory is a wonderful thing. It lives in the past, exists in the present, and can influence the future."

Shinji Ikari turned around and met his own eyes in the shadows.

Unlike the previous train filled with the noisy chaos of Shinji Ikari, the man before me sat quietly in his seat, wearing his Walkman which he seemed to completely disregard, as quiet as a runaway child. Moreover, among the many empty rows of benches in the carriage, he deliberately sat beside me, as if waiting for me to wake up.

Shinji Ikari remained silent. The two watched in quiet as the clouds in the sky seemed to cascade down to the sea like a waterspout, and as Tokyo-3 sank into the ocean. Time slowly passed, like two people watching a movie, or like one person watching a movie from different perspectives. One was resolute, the other gentle.

"Life is like a train journey to the grave, with many stops along the way, and it's rare for someone to accompany you from beginning to end," Shinji Ikari said.

With a ding-dong, the train arrived at the station. Shinji Ikari turned around and looked at the boy who had been sitting in the shadows the whole time. No matter how many Shinji Ikaris had come and gone, it seemed that only this boy had remained sitting there the whole time.

He didn't think too much about it and turned to walk out of the carriage.

—Hakone, staff apartment.

Shinji Ikari felt as if he were lying on the waves, the sunlight like the soft hands of a beautiful young woman, gently caressing his body.

But now it should be reality.

Shinji Ikari opened his eyes a crack, and the warm sunlight shone on him.

At this moment, I was in the aisle under the bed, hugging a pillow. If nothing unexpected happened, it was probably Katsuragi Misato who kicked me down, and Ayanami Rei should have been kicked down at the same time.

The reason it is said that it should be is because Shinji Ikari could only see half of the foot facing him. He and she were lying together in an upside-down position in the aisle under the bed, but Shinji Ikari could still tell from the foot that the owner of the foot in front of him was Rei Ayanami.

Because Rei Ayanami would wear socks to bed as long as she would cater to her preferences.

Shinji Ikari thoroughly smelled Rei Ayanami's socked foot, then pulled off the sock, revealing a clean, beautiful, and soft foot: the pink sole gleamed with a smooth sheen, and the neatly trimmed toenails confirmed to Shinji that the foot belonged to Rei Ayanami, because he was the one who had trimmed those toenails for her.

Five slender toes stood neatly together, their fine, soft gaps revealing five rosy, tender toe pads. The delicate, pale pink flesh resembled double-petaled flower stamens, exquisitely beautiful. A faint, pleasant aroma, mingled with a subtle scent of sweat, emanated from the subtly visible lines on the soles of the feet. The smooth, rounded, rosy heels, like goose eggs, gradually transitioned in color from the soles of the feet to a pale pinkish-white hue towards the calves.

The warm soles of her feet were damp and slightly sticky with sweat, and the flushed insteps were incredibly soft due to the perspiration. The color gradually changed from a delicate flesh-pink to a very light pink from the soles to the arches. Her five toes were almost transparent pink, like a bunch of tender, juicy grapes. Touching her soles felt like touching a baby's face; her entire foot was soft and boneless. Pressing it against my cheek, the warm, delicate, smooth, and moisturizing sensation was... foot fetish is truly amazing!

Shinji Ikari brought his nose close to the five luscious grapes, and a warm, fleshy scent unique to girls of this age wafted into his brain. The fine beads of sweat seeping from between her toes were like tiny, sparkling diamonds set in pink silk.

He stuck out his tongue and licked her long, slender middle toe, and the sweet fragrance immediately spread. The solitary gourmet Shinji Ikari, after confirming the quality of the ingredients, nodded slightly with the meticulousness of a professional, until another foot came into his view from above.

"Why aren't you moving? Can't I move my legs?" Misato Katsuragi's voice came from above the bed.

Shinji Ikari, caught red-handed, showed no sign of nervousness. He calmly uttered words to Misato Katsuragi, who had sat up above him, "Because your legs are sore."

"Huh? You're still looking at me with the same old eyes. I washed it clean yesterday!" Misato Katsuragi stepped on Shinji Ikari's cheek.

"What should we eat for breakfast?" Shinji Ikari, no longer wanting to sleep, covered Rei Ayanami with his air-conditioning blanket. "Sleeping on this hard floor, there's a book underneath me that's pressing against my back and makes it hurt."

"Changing the subject won't work on me. Why won't you eat my feet?" Misato Katsuragi stretched out her legs and hooked them around Shinji Ikari's waist, preventing him from leaving. "Do you think you can get away?"

"Alright then." Shinji Ikari said expressionlessly, spreading Misato Katsuragi's legs apart, sitting on the bed and taking out his phone. "You'll have to wait a bit."

"What are you doing? Do you have to look at something before eating? Is this some kind of aristocratic ritual?" Misato Katsuragi curiously leaned over and watched Shinji Ikari open the app store.

"No, I'll go down to the Ark first."

Nearly an hour later, Asuka finally got up from the aisle of the other bed, yawning. She muttered that Misato Katsuragi's sleeping posture was too ugly and vowed that she would never sleep with her again. At the same time, she looked at the duty roster and asked what to eat for breakfast.

“I don’t really want to make breakfast. Let’s wash up and go eat in the Fourth District,” Shinji Ikari said.

"It's too far, I don't really want to go. I'll just stay downstairs." Asuka casually put on Shinji Ikari's T-shirt, brushed her teeth, and turned to walk into the bathroom.

It was late summer and early autumn of 2015, and Shinji Ikari had been in Tokyo-3 for four months. Although autumn was approaching, the weather was still in the final stages of the sweltering heat, with only the cicadas outside still having the energy to make a racket.

Although the peaceful exterior conceals the looming threat of an attack from the Angels, the intervals between their appearances are growing longer as they are defeated. Having just finished dealing with the Bird Angels, it will be quite some time before the final Angel arrives.

In Hamburg, Germany, deep within a black hall, simple and devoid of any decorations, a group of elderly people sat upright, with the head of the group being Cheru, the chairman of the Human Completion Committee.

"According to the Dead Sea Scrolls, there are only two apostles left," the old man on the left side of the long table said slowly, as if nothing was worth worrying about.

He has the typical Slavic features: a narrow nose, thin lips, a straight jaw, and well-defined facial features. His tall stature is quite striking among the members of the Soul Throne.

But his temperament did not match his tone of voice. People in that East European plain would tremble with fear whenever they heard him speak, whether he spoke loudly or softly, or at a fast or slow pace.

Without needing to say more, the elderly men at the long table all understood his meaning.

After the apostles' era ends, a human civil war will begin. How to fulfill the obligations given by God and in what way to fully evolve and complete the cycle will lead to a world war.

As the mastermind behind the world, SEELE is not afraid of any challenge from any force... as it should be, but the world's intelligence agency, NERV, is slightly beyond expectations.

It would be best if the conflict could be resolved peacefully, but if war breaks out, they must be prepared.

“Ikari’s child has grown up, hasn’t he? He didn’t inherit his mother’s gentleness, but he’s not like his father either,” the elderly priest sitting on the left, his body hunched over, suddenly said.

"The Third Child, he has now grown into the Celestial Behemoth. There is no one in the world who does not know his name. Everyone calls him the Savior of the World, the Mediator between God and Mankind. In the fight against us, this child's existence has helped Gendo Ikari a lot." Another slow voice spoke. It seemed that all the old people in this group spoke in unison.

"But their relationship isn't good, is it?"

"Yes, his soft face is more like his mother's. I also remember that girl, Yui Ikari, who always had a smile on her face, she left a deep impression on me."

"Actually, we are his family."

"Then let's meet him. If possible, let's try to resolve this peacefully. As a descendant of the Ikari family, he is our nephew. All the neglect we've shown over the years is due to the influence of Ikari Gendo."

"Yes, if possible, we should try to resolve this peacefully."

193: Watch as my right fist opens the sky, transforming into a dragon.

The lingering heat of late summer is even more unbearable than the height of summer. Being at the tail end of the dog days of summer feels like your underwear and skin are glued together.

But Misato Katsuragi was still standing in the central control room in her uniform, watching the images on the screen.

Meanwhile, at the simulation test site in Hakone, Shinji Ikari and Asuka, still dressed in their everyday clothes, were conducting simulated battle experiments in a virtual world using the bridge platform of the simulation device.

The simulation still involved Unit-01 and Unit-02, both equipped with the same standard Type-B combat gear. Asuka drew her most frequently used EVA-specific sonic spear from behind, its blade identical to the High Vibration Particle Blade. Shinji Ikari retrieved the most basic High Vibration Particle Blade from the weapon rack beside him.

"Using a short sword against my sonic spear?" Unit 2 took a step forward. "You're at a disadvantage. Are you really that confident that you're fast enough? And in this open area, I don't need you to let me have my way."

The simulated combat scenarios all simulate the same machine performance; the fact that Shinji Ikari is piloting the Evangelion Unit-01 won't grant it any extraordinary abilities. That's why Asuka is frowning; while she fears failure, she's even more disgusted that Shinji Ikari is letting her have it.

“Perhaps your reaction speed can’t keep up with my sword!” The high-vibration particle sword twirled in Shinji Ikari’s hand, its hilt locked by a bolt in Unit-01’s mechanical hand. Then he pulled another sword from the weapon rack. Seeing Unit-01 wielding two swords, Asuka finally smiled. “That’s good. Now I can give it my all!”

Unit-02 was instantly awakened, breaking through the neuronal synapse level in the blink of an eye. The deep red mask lifted, revealing four pale green eyes. Asuka gripped the control stick tightly, and after Misato Katsuragi, acting as the Keeper, shouted "7th Experimental Confrontation of the Chosen Ones Activated," Unit-02, enveloped in a faint red glow, charged towards its opponent.

Their swords and spears clashed hundreds of times in an instant, the sparks flying like the dawn of a new era, and Asuka's fighting spirit shone as brightly as those sparks.

Their figures shot like meteors in this rough and simple blue virtual world, and the reaction from each collision, bounce, and collision seemed to shake even the screen.

The development staff marveled at the battle that surpassed the limits of human vision and Asuka's progress. Only Ritsuko Akagi shook her head slightly, saying, "Although she has made great progress, her weak mental endurance and the possible residual contamination from the Angels are still major problems."

Especially the latter. If Asuka is found to have residual contamination left by the Bird Apostle in tomorrow's test, her qualifications as a pilot will have to be re-evaluated, no matter how much she has improved.

The battle ended when the high-vibration particle blade severed Unit-02's head.

As the experiment concluded, both pilots ejected from the simulator and returned to the ground. A round of enthusiastic applause erupted, not only for Shinji Ikari, but also for Asuka, who had shown remarkable improvement.

"Ah, that feels so good. I haven't felt this good in a long time. Even though I lost to you this time, I won't feel this way next time!"

Second New Tokyo City, Shibuya, Center Gai.

Center Gai is a well-known and distinctive neighborhood that is very popular among young people. It is home to a wide variety of trendy brand stores, where people can enjoy local cuisine, experience diverse cultures, and feel the latest fashion trends.

Shinji Ikari looked at Asuka, who was gently holding his arm, and thought to himself, "It's not that I haven't felt this comfortable in a long time, but rather that your previous mindset only allowed you to win and couldn't accept defeat. Now, Asuka, who can face her defeat squarely, has clearly improved a lot. At least in front of me, her mindset is gradually becoming more stable."

Yesterday morning, Asuka unilaterally arranged for me to go shopping. After the simulation experiment ended, I went to Shibuya.

Shibuya is densely packed with famous department stores, fashion boutiques, restaurants, cafes, amusement facilities, and entertainment venues, earning it the nickname "the city of youth" and making it a birthplace of various trends from both Japan and abroad. Asuka had always wanted to visit, but hadn't had the chance.

Come to think of it, she's only been in Japan for three months. Although it seems like a long time, as long as a century, the reality is that if they were in class, the two of them probably wouldn't have exchanged more than a few words.

"Shinji, how about this one?"

Asuka emerged from the dressing room, wearing a classic Chanel little black dress and gold jewelry specially made for customers by the store. Shinji Ikari forced a smile, saying, "You look good in anything, but the UV rays are too strong now. This dress will easily burn your skin. You'll look like Asuka returning from Africa."

"What? You just think I'm showing too much skin." Asuka stuck out her tongue and turned to look in the mirror. In the mirror, she was wearing only a tank top that crossed from her neck and wrapped around her chest. "Never mind, I'll look at some other ones."

A six- or seven-meter-long mobile clothes rack was pushed from both sides to Asuka's side, displaying Burberry Audrey Hepburn's classic dress, Chanel's new AW preview items, Japanese designer Yohji Yamamoto's new cocktail dress with deconstruction design, Dior evening gowns... Shinji Ikari held the coffee given to him by the store, wondering whether he should go to Shibuya Central Street or Seibu Department Store next.

Speaking of which, Shinji Ikari is one of the few guys who enjoys shopping, because he can appreciate the joy of it. At first, he would accompany the girls, strolling around and enjoying this ritualistic way of relaxing, but along the way, he himself also began to enjoy this leisure activity.

Moving from one store to another, some scenes are irreplaceable, the most typical being dining. As a form of social interaction, dining face-to-face is still more enjoyable. And strolling through a shopping street, buying small gifts, and seeing your radiant reflection in the mirror—the most important thing is experiencing that atmosphere.

In a café right next to the railway, Shinji Ikari and Asuka sat down at a white round table by the roadside. "Next time, let's bring Ayanami along. She only has a few clothes. Is she planning to wear her school uniform until graduation?"

"You're not confident about tomorrow's mental test? But you seem to be in pretty good shape." Shinji Ikari looked Asuka up and down.

"I may be in good shape, but I know myself well. It's probably going to be tough... I don't know if there's any trace of the Apostle's influence left in my mind. I don't know what that glowing bird did before it died. But I still have you and Misato, right? You'll cover for me."