Shinji Ikari, returned from Warhammer

"You want to test your skills against me by driving this piece of junk?" Asuka raised an eyebrow, then a mocking smile appeared on her lips.

"Since we're going to test whether these machines can really be used in actual combat anyway, then a real battle would be perfect." Musashi's lips curled into a mocking smile. "Or are you scared? Worried that your paper tiger nature will be exposed with a single prick?"

“I’ll tear your mouth apart,” Asuka said, then looked at Kirishima Mana standing not far away. “Is that alright, Kirishima-kun?”

Kirishima Mana hesitated, "This is against the rules, and it's not up to me to decide."

“There’s nothing wrong with that. My friend is right. Since we’re going to test whether these machines can really be used in actual combat anyway, then a real battle would be the best course of action.” Shinji Ikari looked up at the man in black military uniform in the central command room above. “Is everything alright, General?”

The man standing behind the glass smiled and gave her an OK sign. Asuka and the second Child, named Musashi, exchanged a brief glance before taking the elevator to the steel platform suspended in mid-air. This was clearly a replica of the Hakone testing grounds, even the landing platform was the same.

The mechanical female voice broadcasting the evacuation of the test site notified everyone. The researchers in charge of the final adjustments stood up and jogged away, taking the elevators located in various corners to the aerial platform.

Just a few minutes ago, the area below was bustling with people, but now it's all empty, leaving only Asuka and Musashi, who has spoken provocatively.

"Are you sure everything's okay?" Rei Ayanami, who had followed Shinji Ikari to the central control room at the top, asked with some concern. "This is Asuka's first time piloting this new mobile suit."

“We used the technology provided by NERV to manufacture AKASIMA. Its cockpit and control panel are basically no different from EVA’s,” Kirishima Mana said with a smile. “But Musashi is probably just being clever, trying to step on Soryu to show his value.”

Mana Kirishima hadn't uttered the second half of her sentence yet; otherwise, if it was just a test, why didn't she challenge Shinji Ikari?

"But don't underestimate our pilot. Musashi spent half a month practicing with AKASIMA beforehand, so he's more familiar with how to control the machine than the Second Child." The man who had been standing behind the glass walked over and looked at Shinji Ikari. "Want to guess who will win?"

The gaunt-faced man before them looked unremarkable, but his signature glasses and deep, powerful voice indicated that the person in charge was Kazuya Tsurumaki, a representative of the Strategic Self-Defense Force—rumored to represent the entire military.

This important figure was also a general, and he had the deepest connection with Gendo Ikari. Ever since the initial defeat in the battle against the Water Angels, when he had to admit that EVA had to be the one to fight the Angels, he had been dealing with NERV.

Among the highest levels of the military, he was probably the one who understood Evangelion the most.

“It’s no fun if you’re just guessing who will win or lose,” Shinji Ikari said.

Tsurumaki Kazuya paused, then asked, "Do you want to bet something?"

Shinji Ikari smiled, said nothing more, and simply opened his palm to Kazuya Tsurumaki.

Asuka entered the cockpit, and the absence of ionized LCL fluid made her feel somewhat uneasy. However, the familiar control panel in front of her helped her regain her composure.

At first, she was also a little nervous because she and Rei Ayanami had the same thought: after all, it was an unfamiliar mecha, and they might not even know how to control it, let alone how to win.

But as the countdown began, Asuka realized that time was running out.

The blue mech opposite was ready, its nuclear reactor emitting an orange glow. The instant the countdown ended, its heavy sword was suddenly drawn from its waist, slashing upwards at the mech controlled by Asuka.

On the surface, it was impossible to tell that this short and stout machine could actually unleash such outstanding maneuverability. In just a few seconds, it traversed a distance of three hundred meters and arrived in front of the white and red short and stout machine.

A sword strike of this caliber would slice through even steel armor, yet before the blade could fall, a punch landed on the forearm, and Asuka casually caught the greatsword and plunged it into the opponent's foot. The blue mecha instantly lost its balance and fell backward.

"That's it?" Asuka raised an eyebrow. "That's it!"

Typhoons, behemoths, large-scale threat-specific mobile weapons, nuclear reactors—it was supposed to be a superhuman powerhouse comparable to Evangelion. But it turned out to be exactly what I just said: "scrap metal."

Asuka repeated the four words she had just spoken, her voice echoing throughout the testing ground. The blue mecha she had been pressing down on struggled to get up, but Asuka frowned, raised her hand, and slammed the mecha's mechanical head into the ground. Sparks flew as the head rubbed against the ground, clearly indicating that some of the wiring had been damaged.

"Anything else, Kirishima-kun? You can all come together, I don't mind." Asuka looked up and extended an invitation.

Kazuya Tsurumaki was somewhat embarrassed. He realized then that Shinji Ikari's gesture of raising his hand meant to take down the opponent within five seconds. He coughed twice and instinctively tried to justify his own mobile suit, "Captain Soryu is an excellent pilot, but this is just the most basic primitive mobile suit combat test. The cannons on his back and the electrical discharge devices in his hands haven't been installed yet. Our Typhoon Bull can still fly."

------------

PS1: The previous chapter has been unsealed. As usual, just click the top right corner and select refresh the page.

PS2: I'll post the group name again, 1041548656 (the answer to join the group is the author's name: Zaojiu Shenghua). If you skip the subscription again, I'll cry.

PS3: This military representative is the old Self-Defense Force officer in the anime who often slams his fist on the table and angrily berates why weapons are ineffective against the Angels. As for Tsurumaki Kazuya, that's just my quirky opinion; after all, neither the anime nor the movie ever mentions his name, so don't equate it with reality.

205: A Taste Bud Delight! The Amazing Charm of Scallions!

"Yes, Lieutenant Musashi was careless." Shinji Ikari offered him a way out. Although in the parallel universe Shinji Ikari wiped out the entire Self-Defense Force, in this timeline they were still allies.

"Haha, but Captain Soryu is indeed outstanding, far superior to our pilots. In that case, let's grant her wish." Tsurumaki Kazuya stood up. "Watching it on screen isn't enough; I plan to go see it live."

Kazuya Tsurumaki looked at Shinji Ikari, inviting him to come along. But whether Shinji didn't understand the hint or was simply tired from walking, he lay down on the sofa and showed no intention of moving.

Kazuya Tsurumaki had no choice but to lead the military personnel out the door.

The battle on the testing ground was not over, but only beginning. Asuka was about to face Keita's challenge, as well as Musashi, whose mecha was half-damaged, launching attacks on her. But she easily crushed them all.

The door closed, and someone came out from the side door. Mana Kirishima returned and sat down next to Shinji Ikari on the sofa: "As expected, compared to us ordinary chosen ones who haven't experienced real combat, you carefully selected prodigies are far more outstanding. With our chosen ones as her stepping stones, you don't need to worry about Soryu's mental health anymore, right?"

“Well, in fact, Asuka has always been the best candidate from Europe. Keita and Musashi are also good, but they are still far behind her. But the biggest problem for Asuka is…” Shinji Ikari said with a wry smile, “She subconsciously always wants to compare herself to me.”

Fortunately, after the battle against the Bird Apostles, Asuka has gradually let go of this knot in her heart. The purpose of this mission is for her to bully the younger members of the Strategic Self-Defense Force and regain her rightful confidence.

Mana Kirishima smiled: "She was clearly the dedicated pilot of Unit 2, the ace of the European branch, and this is the reason she went insane?"

It's clear that Kirishima Mana also knows some of NERV's internal workings, but the most crucial question is that she's still unaware of the Bird Angel's mental pollution.

"Why don't you give it a try? She really wants to challenge you, doesn't she?" Shinji Ikari looked at Mana Kirishima, not continuing the conversation on this topic.

After a long while, Mana Kirishima watched Asuka tear off the blue mecha's arm and trample the purple mecha under her feet on the screen before slowly speaking.

"I am the first qualified candidate, and I will be the commander of this large-scale threat individual response mobile force. I cannot fail."

Two hours later, Mana Kirishima escorted the testers from NERV headquarters to the mine entrance. She didn't step into the sunlight, but waved goodbye in the gloom.

It was still the same simple silver van they had arrived in. Shinji Ikari sat in the passenger seat and looked back at Asuka, who was sitting in the back with her arms crossed.

"How is it, the Typhoon Behemoth of the Strategic Self-Defense Force?" Shinji Ikari asked.

"It's alright, it's an elite among junk," Asuka said, not entirely dismissing it, "but the driving experience is terrible. It's like driving a car in the dead of winter with three layers of cotton-padded coats under a down jacket. I never want to drive such a low-quality fake again in my life!"

"That's acceptable then." Shinji Ikari nodded. After all, even a low-grade counterfeit of Evangelion would be a top-tier weapon of war on Earth. Moreover, its cost was less than one-tenth of the Neon Genesis Evangelio.

"Where's that strange imposter? Why didn't she come down? I'm still looking forward to seeing what kind of amazing performance the first qualified candidate here will put on." Asuka crossed her arms.

A strange fake? Shinji Ikari raised an eyebrow. They're already giving her nicknames so soon? "She said she's the commander of this large-scale threat individual response mobile unit, and she can't fail."

"You just didn't want to look defeated in front of you, didn't you?" Asuka smiled sarcastically. "What a pitiful little white lotus, I'm starting to feel sorry for you." Asuka's voice inevitably carried a hint of sarcasm.

Perhaps Asuka's dislike wasn't without reason; in some ways, they shared a common ground. Even Shinji Ikari couldn't discern her true thoughts, but Asuka immediately grasped them simply through Shinji's retelling.

"And what about her? Is she the Commander's illegitimate daughter, or a clone? A special individual secretly modified by the Strategic Self-Defense Force? Your new sister?" Asuka asked, not believing that Shinji Ikari would not have investigated the other party's identity.

"No, she's a girl from an ordinary family."

“Impossible.” Asuka’s tone was resolute. “Being so similar to a top student and having the same qualifications as a qualified person can’t be a coincidence.”

"Take a look for yourself." Shinji Ikari handed over the tablet.

Born in Akune City, Kagoshima Prefecture, Kyushu. Her father was a construction worker at the Tokyo Bay landfill, and her mother was an editor for a literary magazine. She attended a boarding school and separated from her family when she was 13, moving to the Third New Tokyo Municipal Junior High School... Asuka raised her eyebrows in surprise; this information was actually true, detailed, clear, and meticulous.

The files investigated by NERV's intelligence department, a group known for their CIA-like meticulousness, documented every moment of her life. Clicking on any date revealed a photo of Kirishima Mana taken in her hometown in Kyushu. She was wearing a white dress, and upon seeing the photo, Asuka had to admit that Kirishima Mana and Rei Ayanami were truly unrelated. Because, aside from her face, her figure was far more striking, the complete opposite of Rei Ayanami's.

“Her home is right on the lake, and she even said she can’t swim.” Asuka pouted.

Shinji Ikari didn't reply. He thought back carefully and realized it was something like a small incident from a swimming lesson a few months ago. At the time, Mana Kirishima had asked him to teach her because she couldn't swim, but he never expected that Asuka, this nobody, would remember it so vividly.

“Okay, it’s just a similar flower,” Asuka said.

It was already evening when the fourth team of the operations department returned to the Hakone Hotel. Asuka specially brought Sakura Suzuhara and Hikaru Toki some soup dumplings, a specialty of Seris, and black tamagoyaki, a specialty of Hakone hot springs. However, she found Sakura Suzuhara holding two green onions.

"What? Hikaru is sick? He was perfectly fine yesterday!" Asuka raised her eyebrows in surprise.

"Perhaps I caught a chill last night, so I caught a cold." Sakura Suzuhara gave an awkward but polite smile; of course, she wouldn't tell Asuka the truth. Last night, she had been soaking in the hot springs repeatedly, and even late into the night, she was admiring the night view from the observation deck. She and Rei Ayanami were both dressed in casual clothes, while Asuka and Shinji Ikari were only wrapped in bath towels.

The word "cold" seems both near and far; Asuka has almost forgotten when she last got sick. It seems that ever since becoming the pilot of Unit-02, illness has completely disappeared from her life.

The eligible candidate is both a curse and a blessing.

When they arrived at the room, they saw Hikari Horiki wrapped in blankets. Upon seeing Asuka, she sat up from the bed and said, "I'm sorry to have troubled you. We all came out to have fun, but I've let you down."

"I'm fine. I was planning to go back in the next couple of days anyway." Asuka sat down beside Hikari's bed and gently pulled her back down. "How are you feeling? Let's go back to Tokyo first."

"It's alright, nothing serious." Hikaru smiled and said, "No need to rush. It's too late today, and it's not safe to go out. Don't worry, it's just a cold. I often see students coming to class when they're sick."

Hikaru winked at Asuka, and Shinji Ikari, standing behind Asuka, nodded slightly at her.

"Alright, we won't disturb your rest any longer." Asuka got up from the bed, but glanced at the green onion on the bedside table before leaving.

Why green onions? Shouldn't sick people drink ginger soup?

Asuka didn't pay much attention, simply assuming it was a Japanese folk custom.

Late at night, after dusk.

The night was quiet when Hikari Dongmu woke up needing to urinate; she had just taken her medication before going to bed. She felt a bit stuffy, her pajamas sticking to her skin.

The pounding in my chest hadn't subsided; it felt like a nightmare. But as I tried to recall the dream, the images faded like a faded ink painting. My breathing became erratic, and soon I was gasping for breath like I was dying… and then, I quietly fell silent again.

Dongmu Guang had seen a doctor during the day, who said her fever was caused by a cold and that she could try to lower her temperature by sweating it out. In other words, if you feel cold but don't sweat, covering yourself tightly with blankets will induce sweating, which will release heat and help lower your temperature. The doctor also gave her some medication.

But now Hikaru feels unbearably hot and humid, as if two arms are embracing his waist.

It wasn't just a feeling; Hikari pursed her lips. She was too familiar with this person's body. Even without turning around, just by hugging through their clothes, she knew who it was.

"Don't hug me so tightly, I'm so hot. How did you get here?" Hikaru didn't struggle and let the other person hug him.

It was just a simple hug through clothes, yet it gave me a sense of security I'd never felt before. Feeling his presence, the palpitations from the nightmare quickly subsided.

“Give me a couple of winks in the evening, and I’ll understand your hint.” Shinji Ikari rested his chin on Hikaru Toki’s shoulder. “Are you feeling better?”

"This is Hakone, not Hokusun Mountain, and it's already past midnight. Hmph, no wonder Ayumi calls you an idiot Shinji." Hikaru rubbed his cheek against his. Her voice was soft and sweet, quite different from usual, with a hint of coquetry.

Shinji Ikari never argued over such trivial matters, and the two of them remained in this quiet atmosphere for a long time until Hikari's bladder began to protest. Only then did she raise her head and rub the back of her head against Shinji's cheek.

"I feel like I'm warm enough now, take me to the bathroom. Could you please help me change my clothes? After that, it's up to you."

"Is that how you see me?" Shinji Ikari took her warm little hand under the covers and held her fingers tightly.

"Keep your voice down, Sakura is still sleeping next to you. Don't wake her up, you idiot!" Hikaru Toki gently punched Shinji Ikari's side with his free hand from under the covers.

She didn't dislike the ambiguity, but she still felt a little ashamed. Hikaru tried her best to control the urge to turn around and hug Shinji Ikari... It was all his fault; she was too weak to resist, and Shinji Ikari was a villain.

"I don't know, I fell asleep." A clear, crisp voice came from the bed next to mine; she had indeed been spying.

"Don't worry, I won't do anything reckless today," Shinji Ikari whispered in her ear, then got up from the bedding, picked up Hikari Toki, and headed towards the bathroom.

Several minutes later, Shinji Ikari carried Hikaru Horiki, who was wrapped in a bath towel, back to bed. The class president stared at the boy before her, momentarily speechless. Then, her eyes widened as she watched Shinji pick up a large green onion from the bedside table. "Yada, this won't do! Who brought this? This is absolutely not allowed!"

Asuka, that idiot, doesn't know how to use green onions when she has a cold, but Shinji Ikari does.

Around the 8th century AD, leeks were introduced to Japan from Seres in the western continent. Thereafter, leeks were considered "spiritual beings" by Shintoism, and leeks blooming were seen as auspicious omens. In some Japanese myths, leeks are often depicted as the embodiment of fairies, and they are a subject of poetry and prose by scholars and artists. The practice of "appreciating leeks" also exists in Japanese history.