Shinji Ikari, returned from Warhammer

But when she turned her head, she saw that Shinji Ikari also had a serious expression on his face. "She can't drink it."

“I thought drinking was like this. Misato is often like this when she toasts with you at home,” Rei Ayanami replied calmly.

"But she's drinking beer, buddy," Shinji Ikari kindly reminded him, then silently counted to three: one, two, two three, two four, two five... Finally, Rei Ayanami closed her eyes and fell to her side...

"I knew it would turn out like this." Shinji Ikari sighed. "You'll really suffer when you drink like this in the future."

Shinji Ikari patted Sakura Suzuhara's hand, who was clinging to his back, indicating that she should get up now. He picked up Rei Ayanami and placed her on the recliner next to him. He took a new bath towel from the brown cabinet beside him and carefully covered her with it.

Now only Hikaru Toki and Sakura Suzuhara remain.

"It's not your fault. Rei Ayanami doesn't really understand the boundaries in this area. She'll be fine after a good night's sleep," Shinji Ikari said, turning to comfort Hikaru Toki.

"Really? Haha..." Hikaru sat awkwardly to the side. After drinking half a glass of fruit wine, the chill brought by the night breeze was completely dispelled.

"Shouldn't we wake Asuka up?" Suzuhara Sakura asked.

"There's no need to wake her up specifically for this. Tomorrow, everyone remember not to tell us that she stayed overnight in my room. Asuka is easily embarrassed."

Hikaru admired Shinji Ikari's composure. Even though it was Shinji who pulled back the covers, he acted as if he were doing it for Asuka's sake. He told a lie with a straight face, and showed no shame even when the lie was exposed. He invited them to enjoy the night view and have a late-night snack with a bright smile. If Asuka had even a tenth of Shinji's composure, she wouldn't be so anxious and worried about the past and future.

“Actually, I never thought I’d be watching the night view with you like this, especially since you didn’t even come on your school trip,” Hikaru Tomaki suddenly said.

“At that time, we were fighting against the Angels,” Shinji Ikari explained.

"That's not what I meant. It's just that I feel like we're actually very distant. The only connection we have, besides being classmates, is that Asuka is the middleman... When did this start?"

Because Sakura Suzuhara was there, Hikaru Toki didn't say it too bluntly, but Shinji Ikari understood that she was referring to their current ambiguous relationship.

"Perhaps it's fate." Shinji Ikari could only reply in this way, also because of Sakura Suzuhara's presence.

A night breeze rippled the lake's surface, creating waves on the silvery water. Dongmu Guang tightened his towel; a slight chill was in the night air. Perhaps due to the alcohol, Dongmu Guang was more talkative than usual.

She stood up and leaned against the glass railing, gazing towards Mount Fuji. A sudden quiet settled over her, her heart gently returning to its place. So much time had passed, yet she still felt as if she were in a distant dream, a distance between herself and reality, neither close nor far.

The late-night snacks and drinks were quickly devoured. The boys and girls drank and laughed, sometimes clinking glasses and talking about funny things that happened in class. When they got to the happy parts, Suzuhara Sakura would join in the conversation. According to her, her connection with everyone had started very early on.

"What would you do if it weren't for me and Li-chan interfering?" Suzuhara Sakura asked with ill intent, sticking her head out.

"We chat and read newspapers, freely discussing our life plans," Shinji Ikari replied.

"Are you sure you won't go any further?" Sakura Suzuhara clung to Shinji Ikari's back again, like a sloth.

"Hey! Can you ask the parties involved for their opinion before discussing this kind of topic?" Hikaru Toki shrank back, wrapped his towel around himself, and stared at Shinji Ikari and Sakura Suzuhara like an unwilling cat.

Sakura Suzuhara pursed her lips in disdain. "Hikari-chan, you're too old-fashioned. You'll never be able to capture a man's heart like that."

"I'm not going to talk about this with you guys anymore." Hikari Toki abruptly changed the subject again. The night wind was also a bit chilly, so she turned around and waded into the hot spring pool.

The comfortable water temperature instantly dispelled the chill, and Hikaru Toki let out a soft, comfortable moan. He turned around and splashed a handful of water in the direction of Shinji Ikari and Sakura Suzuhara, shouting, "Come in, the hot spring is very comfortable."

Shinji Ikari stepped into the bath, wrapped only in a towel like Hikaru Toki. But before he could fully submerge, a palm-sized black shadow slammed straight at his chest. Shinji caught it; it was a leather boot.

"Help me take off my clothes, Nii-san." Sakura Suzuhara sat on the edge of the hot spring pool and raised her left foot toward Shinji Ikari.

Shinji Ikari knelt down in front of Sakura Suzuhara, and without saying a word, reached out and grabbed her ankle, lifted her foot and placed it on his lap. He untied the delicate straps of her little leather shoes, then gently took the boots off her feet and tossed them onto the floor.

After Suzuhara Sakura's boots were removed, her feet appeared even longer. The pantyhose stretched tightly over her soft, plump little feet, and the bottom of the pantyhose was already wet from the hot spring water, sticking tightly to her slightly concave soles, with her toes protruding like a row of pale red petals.

The big toe is full and symmetrical, while the other four toes gradually shorten. The little toe resembles a grape, covered by sheer stockings, radiating an alluring luster. One can gently rub the five glistening toe pads with their fingers. The fleshy red heel resembles the tender flesh of a newly ripened navel orange, yet it is also soft and smooth, forming an indescribable arc when viewed from the side.

Sakura Suzuhara gently lifted her pantyhose-covered legs, and Shinji Ikari ran his hand up her smooth thighs, slowly removing her pantyhose... a red tie, a black skirt, and then, at the very last step, he tossed her a bath towel.

“You can do the rest yourself,” Shinji Ikari said.

"Ugh, I hate men who give up halfway through," Suzuhara Sakura muttered softly, her head wrapped in a towel.

However, following Shinji Ikari's gaze, she could see that Rei Ayanami, who had been sitting on the recliner, was now slowly waking up, holding her head, and sitting up from the recliner.

(I can't write anymore. It might be a backseat; we'll have to see how the group vote goes.)

--------

--------

When Asuka woke up early in the morning, she was still annoyed by her inability to hold her liquor.

"I didn't say anything nonsense last night, did I?" Asuka asked Shinji Ikari quietly as they walked together in the restaurant, carrying trays and selecting food.

"No, does it affect you from last night?" Shinji Ikari picked up the small bowl of goose pieces and put them on his plate. He was preparing to have goose soup with rice for breakfast.

"I think I vaguely remember." Asuka thought carefully. Something did happen last night, but her resolve was very weak. She was almost asleep when she remembered her friend's voice—something about how she appeared brave and confident on the outside… You should help her more, Asuka is a perfect girl… Ignore her typical tough exterior and soft heart, try to get closer to her… Ahh…

To think that he actually came to her door late at night just for her sake... Asuka looked at Hikaru, who was already seated, and her proud heart melted instantly.

"Hikaru-chan is such a kind person," Asuka remarked.

"Let's finish eating early, we're going to Hakone later," Shinji Ikari said.

There are many things that can be called Hakone, including the Hakone headquarters in Tokyo-3, the Hakone Mountains, and Hakone hot springs. Asuka guessed that they were going to the Hakone Mountains, and the mission mentioned in the text message was probably related to it.

Two hours later, a plain silver van drove out of Hakone Onsen and headed into the depths of the mountains.

At this moment, Asuka finally felt like she was on a secret mission. She and Rei Ayanami were sitting in the back, while their mentor, dressed in a Hakone hot spring uniform, was driving in the front. In the passenger seat was Shinji Ikari, who was dozing off with his arms crossed.

A huge dark shadow appeared ahead, seemingly an abandoned mine, its size even comparable to the entrance to Hakone Station, only much simpler, constructed entirely of steel without any embellishment, as if it had been abandoned for a long time.

Asuka knew that there used to be a huge copper mine in Hakone, a world-renowned artistic wonder hidden hundreds of meters underground. Legend has it that the winding tunnels built by human hands were over 300 kilometers long, and there were extremely spacious caverns inside, but this copper mine was abandoned in the last century.

But it seems to have been put back into use.

As the van drove into the mine entrance, Asuka's vision suddenly went black. By the time her eyesight gradually adjusted to the darkness, the driver had already stopped the vehicle.

"Please follow me." The black-haired combat personnel stood straight and appeared, and the second lieutenant with a bar and a star on his shoulder spoke to the qualified candidates who disembarked from the vehicle.

They were lean and sharp-eyed, their uniforms distinctly different from those of the Hakone security forces, possessing a certain air of sophistication. Their collars gleamed with a cold silver light, while their insignia were green; upon closer inspection, they were actually the Rising Sun flag emblems wrapped in the feathers of the green pheasant, Japan's national bird.

"The Self-Defense Forces?" Asuka recognized them, but hadn't her own NERV always had a bad relationship with the Self-Defense Forces?

The leading lieutenant glanced at Asuka but said nothing. Instead, he led the way to the elevator, bowing slightly, and said, "Please."

If the surface had previously been just a rough mine pit, Asuka's view suddenly opened up as the elevator descended. Until she saw the three short, stout mechs in the vast underground cavern.

In Shinji Ikari's opinion, they weren't short or fat at all, but Asuka, who was used to watching EVA, suddenly saw these mecha and felt like she was used to seeing the nine-foot-tall Jade Kirin Lu Junyi and suddenly seeing the one-and-a-half-meter-tall Wu Dalang.

It might even be more exaggerated than that.

Asuka glanced at Shinji Ikari, who stood calmly to the side. Although she was confused, she knew that Shinji must understand what was going on.

204: The Typhoon Beast, A New Mech's Challenge

"Codenamed Typhoon Beast, its official name is the first-generation Strategic Self-Defense Force's large-scale threat individual combat mobile weapon, called AKASIMA." Shinji Ikari stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the behemoth in the test field below. "Ever since EVA landed on the world stage, various forces have coveted this weapon that is capable of contending with the gods. Countless people have tried to imitate it, but only the Strategic Self-Defense Force's imitation has been the most successful!"

"Why?" Asuka couldn't help but ask.

"Because it is the technology that NERV delivered to us, and that is the basis of our cooperation." A familiar, clear female voice sounded from behind.

Asuka was only slightly taken aback by the enormous object before her, but upon hearing the familiar female voice, she frowned deeply.

A new figure emerged from the elevator behind her. The girl, dressed in a blue and white bodysuit, gracefully removed her helmet. Her burgundy eyeshadow shimmered, revealing that she had carefully dressed up before appearing before her.

"Kirishima Mana, we used to be classmates." The girl smiled and extended her hand to Asuka.

Asuka once said she didn't care about Shinji Ikari's previous girlfriends. In her eyes, those women were just minor figures who came before her, used to highlight her arrival. Do you pity the weak? Asuka has always been indifferent to losers.

All her ex-girlfriends combined didn't even come close to posing a threat to her own penguin, Pingping. Although such a comparison might be considered an insult to Pingping, that's how Asuka saw it. From beginning to end, the only girl she considered a rival was Rei Ayanami.

However, Kirishima Mana, a classmate with whom Asuka barely interacted, was special. Rather than seeing her as a rival, Asuka felt more annoyance towards her.

She has a face that is extremely similar to Rei Ayanami, and even her voice is exactly the same. She is arrogant and conceited. Hikaru even said in private that her smile is similar to his own, and they share the same birthday... It's as if she is a copy made by randomly taking some characteristics from himself and Rei Ayanami. Asuka disliked her from the first time she saw her.

If one's attitude towards ex-girlfriends is that of Asuka, who is seen as a flower supporting a princess, and that of Rei Ayanami, who is seen as an opponent, then one's attitude towards Mana Kirishima is simply that of dislike.

Especially now, as she extends her hand to him in a condescending manner, like a mistress of the house, he finds it even more repulsive.

But Asuka, you can't lose in terms of presence! Asuka straightened her chest and grasped the outstretched right hand. "Asuka, the Second Child, the exclusive pilot of Unit 2 of NERV Europe."

Asuka stared at the green eyes opposite her with her azure eyes, thinking to herself, "Did you hear that? You're just a candidate from a nobody organization. There's still a huge gap between our levels. Try harder, kid."

Whether it was because Kirishima Mana didn't understand Asuka's hint or simply ignored it, after greeting Asuka, she smiled and hugged Rei Ayanami, who was standing next to her, saying, "Long time no see, Rei-chan!"

"Yeah, long time no see." Rei Ayanami accepted Mana Kirishima's hug with a blank expression.

Asuka stared wide-eyed at Rei Ayanami, whose face showed no sign of rejection or disgust. "How could you do this?!" Asuka turned her head away, refusing to look at them anymore. "The enemy is at our doorstep, and you're leaving me to fight alone!"

However, after hugging Rei Ayanami, Mana Kirishima smiled and explained the mission to everyone.

For fourteen years since EVA's first appearance, every nation has desired its own ultimate weapon of war. The end of the Angels may also signify the outbreak of civil war, and with the cooperation with NERV in exchange for desired technology, the Self-Defense Forces decided to formally establish this special unit, thus launching a large-scale selection process for qualified users.

Marduk's report has revealed that children, not adults, are most suited to neural control systems. Therefore, all candidates are between 7 and 14 years old. The global selection of suitable candidates is still fresh in many people's minds. According to the Self-Defense Forces and the Ministry of Internal Affairs, this special force will take shape within a year. The next question is whether these machines can truly be deployed in actual combat, which requires qualified pilots to verify.

"Compared to us newly selected candidates, you NERV headquarters pilots are seasoned veterans, the testers we've always dreamed of," Kirishima Mana praised the headquarters EVA pilots without reservation.

“I have a question,” Rei Ayanami, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke up.

“Yes, go ahead.” Kirishima Mana smiled as she looked at Rei Ayanami, who bore a striking resemblance to her.

"You also call the pilots of AKASIMA 'Chosen Ones,' the same as the 'Chosen Ones' of EVA?" Rei Ayanami asked, looking at her.

“Same,” Kirishima Mana nodded. “To be precise, our selection method for qualified personnel is the same as that of the Marduk Organization, which is to select people who can adapt to this neural control system. Qualified personnel are not rare. My classmates were all qualified personnel with pilot qualifications, and all members of our Large Threat Individual Countermeasure Mobile Unit are also qualified personnel. However, excellent pilots are very, very few.”

“Sometimes it’s not necessarily true that NERV pilots are better. In my opinion, your results are just so-so. You were just luckier than other qualified individuals to become EVA pilots and fight against the Angels.” The voice came from behind.

Asuka turned around somewhat displeased and saw a face that also seemed somewhat familiar. "Musashi, if you really think about it, we're classmates too." The boy in the blue pilot's uniform extended his hand to Asuka.

Mana Kirishima, Musashi, and Keita were all transfer students who transferred to the Third New Tokyo Municipal Junior High School around the same time, and they were also among the first batch of pilots in the Strategic Self-Defense Force.

Of course, Asuka only had a vague impression of Mana Kirishima, Shinji Ikari's ex-girlfriend.

"Sorry, not just some nobody you've never heard of can greet me." Asuka smiled, her attitude indifferent to the outstretched hand from the student in the next class. She crossed her arms, showing no intention of giving him any face.

Asuka's personality is somewhat self-centered. Although she dislikes Kirishima Mana, the latter is very friendly, so she won't be too cold towards her. However, this trash pilot who suddenly appeared out of nowhere has the audacity to say that pilots like herself, who have fought against Angels, are inferior to them. Of course, Asuka won't give him any face.

The AKASIMA002 tag on the other person's chest particularly displeased her. Did this unremarkable fellow even deserve to be considered a Second Child alongside her?

Musashi, being a young man, was somewhat embarrassed by such a slight rebuke. He glanced at Kirishima Mana and Ikari Shinji standing not far away, snorted coldly, and then looked at Asuka, "I originally thought that as a NERV pilot, you would be some kind of hero here, facing the higher-ups of both sides. I didn't expect you to be just an arrogant little girl."

Asuka smiled and completely ignored him.

How about this, let's let our strength speak for itself?