Shinji Ikari, returned from Warhammer

But soon, his toughness crumbled.

“That’s probably difficult,” the former head of the Second Section of the intelligence department, now the acting head, smiled somewhat awkwardly. “Because the officer who committed suicide out of fear of punishment was a close friend of Kaji Ryoji, and his direct superior was… Shinji Ikari.”

Meanwhile, in the operations department's director's office, looking at Misato Katsuragi, who was unusually spared from being taken away this time, Shinji Ikari learned the true nature of that thing from her.

"Actually, it's some of Kaji Ryoji's personal belongings and some intelligence he gathered while he was a spy. Of course, the most crucial evidence is the cooperation between NERV and the Self-Defense Forces, and it may even include photos of new mobile suits."

"Is he a dog? Why does he sniff so much?" Shinji Ikari chuckled, not caring that a traitor had appeared among his nominal subordinates. He just thought that if SEELE really found out about the alliance between NERV and the Self-Defense Forces, it would probably give those old fogies a mental orgasm.

196: Everything for the road to the church

Shinji Ikari remained remarkably calm despite the successive defections of his department's officers. Because of his exceptional status, no one suspected him of being a traitor.

However, this incident is still extremely serious for NERV.

Hakone headquarters, central control room. Midday, the time when drowsiness is most likely to set in. Misato Katsuragi and Ritsuko Akagi, their eyes bloodshot, flipped through a thick stack of lists, crossing off the names they wanted to exclude one by one.

“Found it,” Ritsuko Akagi said softly, pushing the directory across the table to Misato Katsuragi.

“From MAGI’s database, there are these people in the information about personnel deployment and access usage,” Ritsuko Akagi said. “It’s not just internal spies, but also outsiders. These are the most suspicious people on the list.”

Misato Katsuragi stared wide-eyed at the list chosen by Kozo Fuyutsuki. "Suzuran High School, Oni Clan, the Mafia, Chaldea, the Corporation... You mean they're our enemies?"

"No, you've got the wrong one. That one is Ibuki Maya's catch-up plan. The one below is the real one."

"The Inugami Group, the Daikokukai, and what's this about gangsters and mercenaries?"

“It’s always been like that. During the previous blackout, a large portion of those who infiltrated headquarters were mercenaries,” Ritsuko Akagi said.

Japan is the only country in the world that recognizes the legality of yakuza gangs. As long as they operate within the established laws, they are issued legal permits. These yakuza, hidden beneath the surface of society, are actually descendants of eccentric and unconventional individuals from the past. They dress strangely, have tattoos, behave bizarrely, often carry long knives, intimidate villagers, and even indiscriminately kill innocent people.

The intelligence agencies had been aware of their existence for fourteen years, but had never been able to fully understand them. NERV also didn't want to bother with them; to NERV employees who considered themselves the guardians of the world, these gangsters were nothing but a bunch of insignificant vermin. However, headquarters continued to monitor them, and the Metropolitan Police Department published a white paper every year, detailing the number of Japanese violent groups and their specific members.

I began to seriously study this dark side hidden under society three months ago. The "Great Blackout" involved many gang members who were attracted by the bounty to carry out sabotage operations. These thugs, ronin, and other new forces entering the Japanese market system all had one thing in common: they were not accepted by society.

However, to date, NERV has avoided direct contact with these gang members, and these gang thugs dare not offend the powerful NERV.

But this time it's different. It seems that some of these scoundrels have become vicious, capable of killing the courier station's liaison and attempting to steal the information the intelligence agency wants.

“The longer it goes on, the greater the chance that it will fall into SEELE’s hands,” Misato Katsuragi said. “There’s no time to beat around the bush; we have to take action now.”

"Are you going to use force?" Ritsuko Akagi frowned. "The Japanese government won't let this go..."

“Perhaps this time they’re cooperating with us on their own initiative,” Misato Katsuragi said. “NERV holds an exceptional position. Before all the Angels are wiped out, no one dares to defy the world and cause us trouble, at least not on the surface.”

Soon, the Japanese government's actions confirmed Misato Katsuragi's suspicions.

The joint operation between NERV and the Japanese government to combat gambling fraud made headlines. Just moments ago, Japan officially designated a yakuza criminal organization as an international criminal organization and called on Interpol to launch an operation to dismantle the Third New Tokyo City criminal syndicate.

Meanwhile, the Seris government's research suggests that the crimes committed by Japanese criminal groups extend beyond ordinary fraud to include serious violent crimes such as murder, kidnapping, extortion, and rape. Most horrifyingly, they are also involved in international crimes such as organ trafficking and human trafficking. These crimes severely infringe upon the lives and dignity of the people of Southeast Asia, and must be severely punished with intensified efforts to completely eradicate this scourge of evil.

The United States, Seres, Japan, and NERV held a launch meeting in Tokyo Third City, Japan, for a special cooperative operation to combat gambling fraud and related crimes. Japanese police will take concrete actions to issue a stern warning to gambling fraud syndicates and demonstrate to the world the police's firm determination to unite and cooperate in cracking down on organized crime.

"Joint operation to combat organized crime, Tokyo News app." A helmeted man crouches in the Hakone Mountains, looking at the news pushed to your phone. Strategic Self-Defense Forces are deployed at the main road and railway station connecting the Hakone volcano in the former UN concession to Japan. Large forces have set up checkpoints under the guise of cracking down on gang activity, questioning the identities of passing residents and tourists.

The man easily passed the check using his local resident ID card. But instead of leaving to go home, he turned and headed down the winding path that Kaji Ryoji had once trod, heading deeper into the mountains.

He tracked himself here based on the information left behind by Kaji Ryoji. Seeing the heavily guarded Strategic Self-Defense Force members hidden in the mountains, he finally believed Kaji Ryoji's words. Just as he was about to take a few photos and leave, he was suddenly pressed to the ground by a dark figure in the forest.

Instinctively, the man drew a knife from his waist and stopped it in front of the other man. A few inches more and it would have pierced the man's brow. In his current state, anyone who approached him, even a stranger, would only be an enemy. But the man before him—

"It's been a long time, Fumihiko." The man approaching from the woods took off his hood, revealing that familiar face.

"Kashi, you're still alive!" The bearded man's face showed joy, shock, and anger. Kaji Ryoji was prepared to get a beating, but he saw his European friend lying straight on the ground.

"A tranquilizer dart, don't be nervous." The boy not far away holstered his gun and quietly looked at Kaji Ryoji. "You shouldn't have come out, or do you not trust us?"

Kaji Ryoji did not respond, only giving a wry smile.

As he spoke, Shinji Ikari looked at the burly, bearded man lying on the ground. He didn't know the man's name, but he had seen him before. However, not in this world, but on the bridge of Misato Katsuragi's ship of hope in a parallel universe.

"Is this your backup plan? It's caused trouble for many people," Shinji Ikari said.

After returning from the second parallel world a few days ago, Shinji Ikari was clear about Ryoji Kaji's original plan.

Without his own intervention, Kaji Ryoji's original plan was to expose the inside story of SEELE to the League of Nations and the Japanese government, thereby preventing SEELE from carrying out the Human Instrumentality Project (ANIMA route).

This sealed aluminum box was intentionally created by Kaji Ryoji, because he was worried that after his death, no one would be able to carry out his plans, and there would be no evidence to convince the League of Nations and the Japanese government.

"I'm so sorry, it was all my oversight. I promise I won't show my face again or cause you any more trouble." Kaji Ryoji frankly admitted his mistake, dusted himself off, and stood up from the bushes. "But aren't you interested in the mobile suits inside? After all, the Strategic Self-Defense Force originally intended for you to be the Chief of Operations."

Shinji Ikari frowned. "You're not doing some side job again, are you?"

“Ryoji Kaji said, “I only want to live for myself now,” and then turned and led Shinji Ikari to the heart of the Hakone volcanic crater.

Kaji Ryoji's identity was legitimate, and so was Shinji Ikari's. As they approached, the door slowly opened. Something was gradually revealed from the opening door, giving Shinji a tingling sensation like static electricity running down his scalp. His various thoughts dissipated.

“I see. So the cooperation between NERV and the Self-Defense Forces has reached this point. No wonder the trouble your friend caused has shaken the whole of Japan,” Shinji Ikari said.

What appeared before Kaji Ryoji at this moment was the AKASIMA, a large-scale mobile weapon developed by the Self-Defense Forces specifically for dealing with individual threats. It was no secret that the Self-Defense Forces were developing a mobile weapon specifically for dealing with individual threats, as many countries and organizations coveted the destructive power of EVAs. Even with the SEELE treaty strictly prohibiting such development, they were still secretly trying to develop their own EVAs.

But what he saw before him was already a finished product, a machine that was only about forty meters tall.

Compared to the real Evangelion, this knock-off version of the Aviator Warrior looks remarkably short, but, but—

For a moment when he faced him, Shinji Ikari felt a sense of disorientation.

It was as if some familiar soul was looking at me through the body before me, and a distant aura drifted from the depths of the mountain.

----------

----------

...The splashes and explosions of the subspace sing a hymn, this is the tune of this world.

This is the curse of chaos. The world is on the brink of collapse, seemingly ready to crumble at any moment. In the upper realm, the heavenly kingdom, the primordial warp energy burns like a hunting party in the sunless, empty void; it swirls with the light of night, like the turning wheel of fate; it licks spears of lightning, bombarding and shattering Terra's last towers and spires.

That enormous eye, its pupil burning, its sclera bloodshot, bore a striking resemblance to the blood-soaked emblems of distant mortal realms. It observed the screaming souls of this species, devouring every spark like a furnace, every fleeting soul; it looked down upon this rock, the world people spoke of, where absolute and merciless rage was concentrated, overwhelming and shattering it; it witnessed the end of the so-called world, Terra, the planet for which people endlessly fought and clashed.

Four supremely noble beings, four false gods, also observed all of this, watching through their messengers, hidden in the dreamlike shadows of the Wolf God's court—

The Father of Massacre, dripping with blood and splattering crimson; the trembling, excited, corrupt grandson; the shrieking, languid drinker; the unpredictable, ever-changing beast. They will witness the end of a plan, destruction, and utter failure. Their twisted, stitched claws, etched with bloodstained marks, symbolize their acceptance of that rejection. Their maniacal laughter will transform into an avalanche-like roar, echoing through every world about to crumble.

"Outsiders are rarely allowed in here, but of course you're definitely not an outsider," the librarian said as the group entered the exhibition hall.

The Cold Hall, the Emperor's Secret Library.

The librarian led everyone down the spiral staircase to the lower level of the cold hall. A heavy door stood before them. But her keychain still had sufficient access.

This was located on the other side of the library. John Granmaticas, who had been invited, was certain it was just one of many exhibition halls. The group followed the librarian down a wide, dark staircase. Several framed paintings lined the walls, supported by humming levitation spaces. However, the dim light obscured the content of the paintings. John Granmaticas only caught glimpses of pale outlines and abstract shapes. Ghostly faces stared at him. Time and thick paint had dulled their color, like a gaudy darkness.

The bookshelves lacked a neat arrangement, resembling a complex geometric maze extending in all directions, with only occasional isolated desks offering a respite. Countless paintings hung on the sprawling walls. However, there were even more paintings arranged sideways like broad, flat books on the shelves, piled up in filing cabinets, humidifier display cases, and alongside static exhibits.

“Where should we begin?” asked John Granmatikas, who had been invited.

The librarian walked along the nearest row of paintings. As he approached, the automatic sensor lights activated one by one, casting pale, fan-shaped bands of light. Masterpieces. The ancient pigments and varnishes of the oil paintings reflected the white light. The gilded frames shimmered brilliantly. Handmade prints and reliefs, abstract works with white canvases that gleamed with an ivory sheen. He paused, gazed, and then moved on to the next painting.

Each time one band of light went out, another would light up. Sindman read the labels at the bottom of the paintings, which chronicled four hundred centuries of human civilization, the names of countless artists, mystics, sculptors, painters, designers, and thinkers. A sense of awe left everyone who stood before them breathless.

But John Granmaticas himself is a living history.

The librarian, however, took out an obscure little book from the shelf.

"The world of knights? The Julius family? Our mission is to summon and guide a spirit that has long since died in battle? How absurd!" John Granmatikas' eyes widened as he suddenly realized what he was supposed to do.

"The last high wall is crumbling, the blood-red sun hangs high, and the clocks... they are not merely stopped or produce different results. The warp's damage to the material world is so profound that Terra's dimensions have collapsed. Space and distance, time and duration—these eternal and trustworthy arbiters of the real universe—have all fallen into the hands of the warp..."

"And could He possibly help? An unknown god?"

“Such is His Majesty’s command,” the librarian said, gazing at an etching depicting either a fallen god or a rising demon. She couldn’t tell, only vaguely making out the outline of a boy. “We can only obey His will, let synchronicity and timeliness guide us, and let the will of the Highest Heaven be at our disposal.”

The librarian turned to the crowd, a smile on her face. She raised her hands, like a conductor facing her orchestra.

"So, we need to wait for a signal that may never be answered?" John Granmatikas twitched his lips upon learning of the mission.

"That guy, surely he knows what he's supposed to do?"

----------

PS1: Synchronicity: A theory proposed by Swiss psychologist Carl Jung in the 1920s, referring to a "meaningful coincidence" between a person's psychological state and natural events. It is used to explain phenomena that cannot be explained by causality, such as dreams coming true or someone appearing when one thinks of them. Its foundation is the unconscious archetype, which is the persistent expression of one's unconscious psychological activities in some form. Jung viewed it as an unconscious dynamic that helps people escape psychological predicaments and heal emotional wounds.

PS2: The Cold Room, the Emperor's secret library. But its earliest source is the Plateau of Leng from H.P. Lovecraft's work.

197: Skyhawk Warriors and Memories of the Past

"It's been over twenty-four hours, and that thing has most likely fallen into SEELE's hands."

"Although there are miniature explosives in the box, it wouldn't be difficult for SEELE to find out what's inside."

Misato Katsuragi and Ritsuko Akagi sat in the new command post, gazing at the shimmering surface of Lake Reed in the distance, chatting idly.

Concealing the conflict and cooperating with the Self-Defense Forces was a last resort. SEELE wanted to completely control NERV, its nominal subordinate agency, but NERV considered itself an independent organization.

For NERV's actual management, the Vatican Treaty has always been a mere formality; they only symbolically obey it. Therefore, ordinary staff members may be completely unable to understand the conflict between their organization and the League of Nations.

Meanwhile, in Tokyo-3, Misato and her companions were unaware that their worries had been resolved. They were still deeply troubled by the matter.

Just then, the alarm on their phones suddenly went off. Misato Katsuragi and Ritsuko Akagi both paled simultaneously.

That's... an alarm signaling an attack by the apostles!

Ten minutes later, in the command room of the new command post in the Third New Tokyo City, Misato Katsuragi and Ritsuko Akagi pushed open the door and entered.

Deputy Commander Fuyutsuki Yukimasa was already there, beckoning them over. So the three of them stood shoulder to shoulder, gazing up at the giant Earth projection.

That is the Earth as we see it, day after day, year after year. NERV uses this projection to monitor the whereabouts of the Angels around the world. Whenever a certain point lights up red, MAGI will sound an alarm, clarify the situation, the Three Sages System will provide a solution, and then the operations department will take over the task of confronting the Angels.

But this time MAGI didn't offer any countermeasures. Misato Katsuragi and the others silently watched the giant Earth projection—the location of Tokyo Bay on Earth flashed a terrifying red honeycomb-shaped warning, but that was ten minutes ago.

Even now, confronting the Angels still requires their full strength, but there is no need for fear. However, the current situation leaves Misato Katsuragi somewhat bewildered.

"What's going on now?" Misato Katsuragi asked, confused.

The warning area extends to Tokyo Bay and the entire Pacific Ocean. Could it be that the Angels have infected that vast area of ​​sea, covering tens of millions of square kilometers? Katsuragi Mimi's expression was grave. Could it be that the new Angels possess the ability to infect on a large scale?

This is undoubtedly terrible news for ordinary people.

“It’s not that bad, but there are some problems,” Fuyutsuki Yukizo pointed to the Tokyo Bay area on the big screen. “At 19:21 p.m., we detected the traces of a huge halo-shaped life form in Tokyo Bay. The pattern is blue, and it has been confirmed as an Angel.”

Misato Katsuragi didn't interrupt, and quietly listened to Yukizo Fuyutsuki continue.