Ultraman grunts? Call me Space Policeman outside!

This was Shinji's first time facing a monster in person, and it was also the most difficult battle he had ever encountered.

Super Gobu's physical defense is stronger than theirs, making him an absolute formidable opponent.

Fortunately, Natsuki was experienced in combat and came up with an effective countermeasure.

"Finally... we won."

Shinji lay on the ground, opened his eyes wearily, looked at the ring of clouds in the sky pierced by the Specium Ray, and let out a long sigh.

Beside him, Xia Shu's phantom also lay on the ground in a starfish shape, with its mouth open and eyes closed.

"I'm so exhausted..."

"Now, I'm afraid it will be hard to recover my energy without a good night's sleep."

Xia Shu said weakly, "If this were when I was young, I could fight three hundred rounds with any of the Five Emperors, including Chao Gebu."

A true hero doesn't dwell on past glories.

"They have absolutely no respect for the elderly..." he muttered, staring blankly at the sky.

Shinji listened to his voice.

“Speaking of which… Mr. Natsuki doesn’t seem like an old man at all to me.” Shinji asked the question that had been on his mind for a while.

This old man, except when he's supposed to be old, doesn't look like an old man at all.

"You'll understand when you get to my age." Natsuki felt no shame whatsoever for her disrespectful behavior towards her elders.

His age is indeed considered senior compared to many Space Garrison soldiers, but compared to those very old Deng, he is still considered young.

At this age, in places like Earth, it would definitely be considered a living fossil.

Using one's age to act superior is really... once you've had your fun, you can't stop.

"The Second New Tokyo City... is destroyed." Shinji turned his head and looked at the city, which had been completely reduced to ruins, and said with a somewhat depressed mood.

He had been living in Tokyo-2 before moving to Tokyo-3.

"There's no other way; we've already done everything we can to save people's lives." Old Den had a unique way of comforting people in this situation: "Property, buildings—none of these things are as precious as life."

"As long as people are alive, there will always be a way."

"Besides... if you're worried about their assets, given your position in NERV, there are ways you can help."

The boy's confusion was nothing compared to Old Deng's.

I've been through the most desperate things, this is nothing compared to what's to come.

"I will work hard with everyone." Upon hearing this, Shinji's sense of self-reproach vanished, and he smiled as he spoke.

Mr. Natsuki is right. Instead of wasting time blaming ourselves, we should take action and do something.

As the boy grew step by step, he finally embraced his past self, shed his cowardice, and became incredibly strong.

He is already... a qualified soldier.

“Well… it’s time to part ways.” Natsuki’s phantom smiled at Shinji, then got up from the ground.

After hearing Zero's story, he was initially reluctant to become one with a human, but this experience was unique for him.

He was very satisfied that he had personally trained a timid boy into a qualified soldier.

All the transmigrators to this world have left, and the monsters used to cleanse this world have been eliminated. He must set off again.

"Should we continue investigating them?" Shinji asked Natsuki, getting up from the ground as well.

“Collecting the spacetime energy used for sealing... can also summon monsters that exist in history. I must find out their identities as soon as possible.” Xia Shu looked up at the sky, his gaze solemn.

The extent to which the enemy could summon monsters was completely unknown, and he was not comfortable entrusting this unknown task to the young warriors.

Meanwhile, in this world, after he sends the message back to the Land of Light, new planetary observers will soon arrive to prevent a second attack from the enemy.

“Shinji...you’ve already tried your best.” Natsuki looked at Shinji and saw the determination in his eyes, knowing what the boy was thinking.

He stepped forward, reached out, and ruffled the boy's hair.

“Your family is still waiting for you. I saved your mother, not so that she would watch her son be in danger again.”

“You are already an excellent adult and should learn to take responsibility for yourself. Your family needs you, your friends need you, and those who were injured in the disaster need you.”

Then, he withdrew his hand.

The figure, along with the bracelet on Shinji's right wrist, floated into the sky and transformed into a giant with a red and silver body in a beam of light.

Her gentle gaze fell upon the boy below.

"The universe is vast, but the bond between us can transcend infinite distances. We will meet again when the mission is over." After leaving these words, the giant flew into the sky.

Shinji looked up at the receding giant.

Every memory from this period flashed through my mind. I took a step forward and ran in the direction the giant had gone.

As he ran, he shouted some words that Mr. Natsuki had taught him: "Now, I have found my dream, the original one... to protect the dreams of others, that is my dream!"

Crystalline tears streamed down his face as he ran, shouting with gratitude for the hero who had saved him.

The boy's slightly hoarse voice was exceptionally clear amidst the silent city ruins.

"Thank you, Mr. Natsuki!"

"Thank you for your encouragement all this time, and... for the light you've given me!" Shinji Ikari finally stopped, cupped his hands to his mouth, and shouted hysterically.

Having been one with the light, he was no longer an ordinary person. More importantly, during this time, his heart was truly redeemed, and he overcame his fate.

......

The giant heard the boy's call.

After leaving Earth, we passed through a star-like gate and continued our journey.

The enemy's true face... is getting closer and closer to him.

Chapter 159 The Cleaner

"Ugh... Even though I've done it so many times, it still feels so disgusting..."

As the sun sets, the streets are stained red with the blood of the monster. Kafka Hibino, dressed in a white sanitation and chemical protective suit, stands before the monster's enormous corpse, looking at the mess and suppressing the churning in his stomach.

Beneath the transparent mask was a face with a lot of stubble, appearing to be in his early thirties, and his figure also showed signs of being slightly overweight.

Kafka Hibino, 32 years old

"However, at least today's work is done."

Kafka Hibino holds a list in his hand, checking his progress on the day's work near the dismembered corpse of the monster.

This is a world ravaged by monster disasters, and this middle-aged man's job is not some heroic legend of standing on the front line of battle and risking his life against monsters.

He was just an ordinary cleaner whose company specialized in cleaning up monster corpses.

"The rest of the verification work is up to you. We'll head out first." Several other employees in white cleaning and chemical protective uniforms came over, greeted him, and then walked toward their van.

According to the duty roster, Kafka Hibino is the one who stayed behind today to finish up the work.

“Okay.” Kafka Hibino turned around and nodded to them.

Although he was over thirty, his enthusiasm for his work remained undiminished, even though it was just a dirty and disgusting job of cleaning up monster corpses.

He once thought about joining the defense force and fighting monsters on the front line, but he participated in the selection every year and failed every year. Gradually, he gave up on this idea. Now 32 years old, he is over the age limit for participating in the selection.

"Honestly, can't those defense team members even consider our feelings when they're fighting?" After finishing a day's work, the employees stretched and complained to each other as they walked toward their van.

"These monsters are so big. You have to cut off their skin, sell their organs and flesh to the authorities and various companies, and you're easily injured by the corrosive liquid inside the monsters when handling the corpses. Honestly... this is not a job that a normal person should do." Another employee chimed in with a complaint.

"Yes, we also have to clean up the blood that the monsters sprayed on the buildings during the battle, and the flying body parts... Every time we clean it up, it's a huge undertaking," another employee said.

"Especially when cleaning out the monster's digestive organs... that's pure hell!"

"Today it was Kafka and that newcomer... tomorrow it'll be my turn, ugh! Just thinking about it is so painful!"

Kafka Hibino listened to their voices and watched them go.

Then they turned back and examined the remaining areas of the monster's corpse.

His expression revealed helplessness.

In my youth, I made a promise with my childhood friend that I would become a member of the defense force, thinking that my life would be as passionate and exciting as a comic book.

But after all these years, he has realized the gap between ideals and reality. Where is all that passion? All that's left for him is steaming hot monster-shaped intestines and the exquisite filling inside.

“I can’t keep up with you anymore…” Kafka Hibino looked up and saw the poster of the captain of the Third Defense Force still hanging on the billboard on the street. In addition to helplessness, there was also a trace of resentment in his eyes.

She was a woman who possessed both beauty and heroism, the captain of the Third Defense Force. She had great strength and led her troops to eliminate monsters time and time again. She was extremely popular among the citizens and was also his childhood sweetheart with whom he had made a promise.

"No... I can't keep thinking about this!" Kafka Hibino thought, shaking his head violently, trying to shake all the thoughts out of his head.

If I keep thinking about it, I'll end up feeling like my life is a complete failure, which is absolutely unacceptable!

Just as he was trying to forget reality, a young voice suddenly came from beside him.

He turned his head and saw a young man with white hair, about eighteen years old. He was a new employee who had come to work at their company today, and his name was Ichikawa Reino.

Ichikawa Reino, 18 years old

The boy didn't make a very good first impression on Kafka Hibino. On his first day at work, the boy interrogated him about why he had given up his dream of joining the defense force. However, Hibino didn't seem to care much and continued to guide the boy enthusiastically in his work.

"Thank you for today." Ichikawa Reno said, scratching his head a little embarrassedly as he recalled the help the other party had given him that day.

Without this uncle, I definitely wouldn't be able to get into work today.

“Oh...you’re welcome,” Kafka Hibino replied instinctively.

Afterwards, she looked him up and down again, raised her eyebrows, and stroked her stubble as she thought to herself.

I never expected this kid to be such a proud and arrogant person.

"And... please don't give up on your dreams so easily, senior." Ichikawa Reno hesitated for two seconds before adding this sentence.

His dream is also to join the defense force and fight monsters to protect others.

He couldn't bear to see a man who shared the same dream as him become disheartened.

"It's too late. I can't even participate in the selection test now." Hibino Kafka looked at the white-haired boy who was trying to encourage him and smiled. "But thank you anyway."

“It’s not too late!” Ichikawa Reno immediately added.