Dragon Raja: Lu Mingfei Returns from EVA

"elder brother!"

Constantine flapped its wings and swooped down on Lu Mingfei, its claws slamming into the golden barrier. The light screen shattered layer by layer and then instantly restored itself, the reaction force carving deep furrows into the ground, but Constantine was unable to advance an inch.

"Old Tang, what's wrong with you? Aren't you leaving?" Lu Mingfei turned around and shouted when he heard no movement behind him.

"Oh my god, the car's computer failed the self-check. It must have been damaged in the crash." Old Tang said with a mournful face.

"The engine is in the back, how could it be damaged! Try starting it a few more times!" Lu Mingfei never expected that he would have to block the King of Bronze and Fire while also teaching Old Tang how to drive and troubleshoot. What kind of magical plot was this?

Constantine glared at Lu Mingfei, his golden eyes flashing.

"Nono, come here!" Lu Mingfei grabbed Nono's wrist and pulled her behind him.

The steel that had been smashed to the ground all floated up, instantly turning into molten iron that converged from all directions. The liquid metal spun faster and faster around Constantine, transforming into a band of fire radiating white-hot light.

Lu Mingfei looked up at the ring in the sky that was emitting a bright white light.

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

He neither goes to school nor goes home; all he does is play games...

Lu Mingfei sat on the edge of the bed, looking at Asuka, who was sitting cross-legged on the floor with her back to him.

Since being mentally attacked by the Fifteenth Angel, Asuka has become taciturn, and her synchronization rate has plummeted.

One day, she suddenly ran to Lu Mingfei's dormitory.

This place was originally the base where Lu Mingfei and Shinji Ikari played games. Asuka loved to mock them for not doing their jobs properly and for looking down on playing games.

Now, she's taken over Lu Mingfei's Sega game console and won't go out.

Lu Mingfei had no choice but to bring her food to his dormitory every day, stay by her side during the day, and sleep in the room next door to Meili at night.

Misato also locked herself in her room and wouldn't come out, so Shinji Ikari took care of her.

Both women have become withdrawn, leaving only Rei Ayanami as normal. Oh, and Rei still owes him a bowl of ramen!

Lu Mingfei thought to himself that he seemed like a jinx. From the moment he was around, everyone who got close to him suffered bad luck.

First, she was infected by the Thirteenth Angel and had a DSS collar around her neck; then Shinji Ikari fought the Fourteenth Angel and was dissolved in the LCL, almost beyond saving; next, Asuka was mentally attacked by the Fifteenth Angel; most recently, Kaji was assassinated; and Misato locked herself in her room alone.

Only Rei Ayanami, only she, was always there.

That bowl of ramen can't be delayed any longer; we have to take everyone there to eat. Let's add an extra serving of char siu, as we agreed on last time!

Tomorrow, yes, tomorrow, I'm inviting everyone to go together...

"Go to sleep." Asuka suddenly spoke, but her fingers didn't stop, clicking the controller repeatedly.

"Oh, okay," Asuka said, "this time she's taking the initiative to rest, which is a good sign. I'll come back tomorrow."

Lu Mingfei turned the air conditioner up a few degrees and said, "Cover yourself up, I'm leaving."

'Plop'

Lu Mingfei turned around, and the controller fell to the ground. Asuka grabbed Lu Mingfei's clothes, her head down, so her expression was unreadable.

"Asuka..." Lu Mingfei squatted down.

Don't go.

The ring light in the room was turned off.

Asuka turned to the side, her back to Lu Mingfei, and said, "Excuse me, did I disturb you?"

"That's not true at all." Lu Mingfei stared at the white halo emanating from the air conditioner indicator light.

"I promised to protect you... but I still couldn't defeat the Apostle, and in the end, I was saved by that top student."

"It's alright, you've defeated many apostles before, you'll definitely win next time."

"I hate it, I hate everyone," Asuka said, "but I hate myself the most."

"You've done very well, Asuka." Lu Mingfei looked at the ceiling. "You're much better than me."

"A model student who fawns over adults, a privileged son of a high-ranking official who got in through connections, and you, a good-for-nothing who stumbled upon success by sheer luck," Asuka said in a low voice, "What do you know? You don't have to do anything; you can become qualified without even trying."

"sorry."

"Hey, Lu-kun," Asuka turned around, facing the ceiling with Lu Mingfei, "Let's do it."

"I'm sorry, Asuka..."

Asuka curled up into a circle, like a baby, and sobbed softly.

"I am of no value anymore."

'Clang,' 'Clang,' 'Clang'...

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"

Unit-01 ate itself while repeatedly apologizing in Shinji's voice.

Lu Mingfei touched the red ring on his neck. Strangely, his memory had become clearer, and he was no longer afraid.

The pain of having your body torn apart by Unit-01 is nothing compared to this moment.

The next morning, Lu Mingfei woke up to find Asuka still curled up, with her back to him.

He decided not to bother her and give her some space to calm down. As for the ramen... he'd talk about it another time.

The phone suddenly rang, and Lu Mingfei quickly went out to answer it. "Feed?"

"Lu Mingfei, is Asuka with you?" It was Maya Ibuki's voice; she was the one who interviewed me to join NERV.

"Yes, Miss Maya, is there a situation?" Lu Mingfei asked.

"The Sixteenth Angel has appeared. Asuka is required to pilot Unit 2."

"But she can't pilot an EVA in this condition; she can't even deploy the AT Field!"

"I'm sorry, it was the commander's order to use her as bait..."

"Damn it, tell that bastard to let me go! I'll pilot Unit 3. Anyway, Unit 3 isn't fixed yet, it's worthless!"

Lu Mingfei hung up the phone, glanced back at the motionless Asuka, and gently closed the door.

NERV's fourth parking apron.

Lu Mingfei sat in his small room with an old IBM laptop in front of him.

"Brother, you're up here." Lu Mingze sat on the table, his clothes tattered and torn, like a doll that had been thrown into a washing machine.

"Long time no see, Lu Mingze." Lu Mingfei reached out and touched Lu Mingze's only undamaged face. "It's all my fault."

"Hehe, this little pain is nothing," Lu Mingze said, pointing at the computer with a laugh. "As long as I'm here, you can always use 100% AT field strength. Go save her!"

Lu Mingfei lowered his head. On the IBM laptop screen, the white ring in the sky suddenly split open and wrapped around Unit-00. Vein-like patterns began to spread across the EVA's armor.

It's erosion; Unit-00 encountered the same situation as Unit-03!

"Korea!"

Lu Mingfei roared, and Unit 3 sped forward, leaping over mountains and crossing rivers, grabbing the light strip and pulling it outward with all its might.

But he couldn't pull it. The harder Lu Mingfei tried, the more powerless he felt. He looked down and found that his hand was deformed, with countless Rei Ayanami figures growing out of it, smiling at him.

Lu Mingfei took out the vibrating blade from his shoulder armor and stabbed it fiercely at the band of light.

"Ah!" Countless Rei Ayanami screamed in agony.

"This is……"

It's no use. The AT field is no use. Why is it always like this? Why am I always so useless?

Lu Mingfei released his grip, and the light band instantly wrapped around his neck.

Well, if we get infected by the Angels like this, maybe it will save Rei Ayanami.

Lu Mingfei closed his eyes and gave up resisting. Strangely, giving up made him feel relieved. Was he already dead?

"Lu Jun."

He opened his eyes and saw Unit-00 reverse the AT field, absorbing the Angel into it.

A white ring appeared on Unit-00's head, transforming into Rei Ayanami's appearance, and it floated up.

She reached out her hand to Lu Mingfei.

Lu Mingfei tried to stop her, but a blinding light flashed...

Unit-00 self-destructed.