Nobita's Time Heist

From the very beginning, his gaze was fixed on Nobita, who was the last to get off the bus.

"Huh?" Misato, the only one who had ever met Nobita, was very surprised and rubbed her eyes. "...Is that what he feels like?"

……

The old saying is always true: one really does need to dress well.

At this moment, Nobita was wearing the military uniform that Suneo had tailored for him: a pure white base with gold trim, gold buttons, a gold sash, red epaulettes, and a dark belt that made the uniform fit his body almost perfectly, outlining his figure. Although the entire outfit was plain white, only the military boots covering his calves were dark black, very tight, and the soles were quite thick.

His hairstyle hadn't changed much from usual, just a little looser, transforming his ordinary mushroom cut into a deep, eyebrow-length fringe. A navy blue military cap sat on his forehead, its insignia featuring "starlight and a sword," which, combined with the overall feel of his uniform, exuded an air of mystery.

"despair!"

"despair!"

"despair!"

……

Thick-soled military boots echoed sturdily as they walked on the sun-baked road. Under the watchful eyes of countless people, Da Xiong reached the opposite side of Gendo Ikari. Both pairs of eyes, separated by glasses, quickly sized each other up, trying to decipher each other's thoughts.

Suneo's character design for this outfit is incredibly complex: a super warlord who commands numerous territories, has a large army under his command, and can conquer any territory at will. Nobita, having never actually seen a real warlord, can only try his best to imitate all the imposing figures he can imagine.

"Welcome, Nobita Nobi." Gendo Ikari stood in front of him, starting with a gesture of respect that was neither humble nor arrogant. "On behalf of all the residents of this city, I would like to express my gratitude for your cleanup efforts."

"No need for thanks, it was just a small favor," Nobita waved his hand dismissively. In his eyes, helping to repair a damaged city was just a side benefit. The octopus-like self-constructing robots in Suneo's strategic fortress were specifically designed for this purpose.

However, the same sentence can have completely different meanings depending on how you say it and how others hear it.

“It’s so sunny standing here~” Misato suddenly spoke up from the side. Her timing was quite accurate—because the two of them showed no intention of shaking hands. At this moment, her intervention as a “woman” could prevent the confrontation from escalating further. “Nobita, let’s go inside and talk.”

"..."

Da Xiong didn't say anything. He first smiled at her, then turned his upper body slightly, looked around, and revealed a hint of amused expression.

Intelligent people who climb to high positions of power are adept at interpreting micro-expressions. In interpersonal communication, only about 30% of the information is conveyed through pure language. The remaining 70% comes entirely from micro-expressions, body language, and eye contact. Mastering the interpretation of these subtle and nuanced messages is what it means to "read the air."

"We are unaware of your intentions or identity. To avoid the worst-case scenario, we have made some small preparations." Gendo Ikari did not make excuses and gave a relatively official explanation for the all-round fire blockade around them. "However, given your military strength, our little tricks, which are only for self-defense, are probably not enough to 'anger' you, are they?"

It was a very obvious test.

Da Xiong didn't follow his train of thought to answer "yes" or "no," but instead smiled and nodded, "It's a coincidence."

"Clang!" "Clang!"

He tapped the roof of the jeep twice. "We're on the same page."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

With his father right in front of him, is the "father and son reunited after a long separation" a scene he can look forward to?

Shinji has always been an incredibly conflicted person, and at this moment, he began to struggle with some strange things: Should he really go up and say hello? Should he address this man, who was clearly in the middle of work, by his title or call him "father"? But since they met, he hadn't made the slightest gesture towards him, not even a glance.

Ultimately, did the father really care about his return?

He vaguely sensed that he actually knew the answer to this question, but he was unwilling to reveal it. It was as if by doing so, he could retain the last shred of indifferent dignity in front of his father.

……

"Commander Ikari." Just as he was struggling with his own thoughts, Rei Ayanami walked quickly toward the man as if she had seen a fledgling bird returning to its nest.

"Rei." Gendo Ikari's tense expression softened for a moment, and an unbelievable tenderness appeared between his high-bridged eyebrows. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, the situation is very good, and the original injury has been healed there."

"Is that so? That's good. Your body is an important asset to NERV." Gendo Ikari seemed to want to put his hand on her shoulder, but the moment he made that gesture, he realized that they were still in a public place, so he changed it to an inviting gesture. "I believe you are already aware of our situation. Angels could invade at any time, and we don't have much time."

"Please come with me."

Having said that, he turned around without a trace of hesitation, as if something was urging him on from behind, and strode towards the temporary reception building at the NERV base.

Rei Ayanami naturally followed beside him, only half a step behind, just like his own daughter.

"..." Shinji stood there silently watching his father's back. He suddenly felt that the fact that "he had half of this man's genes in him" was utterly ridiculous. A sense of inferiority welled up inside him like a snake, burrowing into his veins and making it hard for him to breathe.

"Shinji?" Misato noticed his dejection. She glanced at the large group that had already turned and left, hesitated for a moment, then quickly jogged over and tried her best to comfort him, "Well, anyway, it's good that you're back safe and sound. Everyone here, including Commander Ikari, has actually been working for almost a day and a night, trying all sorts of methods..."

"What Father wanted to bring back was just Ayanami, wasn't it?" In his extreme depression, Shinji managed a broken smile. "As for me... I was just a tool he created. But I knew that all along, so it's not surprising at all..."

“No.” Gazing at Gendo Ikari’s resolute and powerful back, Nobita suddenly exclaimed, “No, that’s not it, Shinji.”

“In his eyes, you and Rei Ayanami are actually no different.”

Chapter 358: Pulled to such an extreme?

"Since you say you don't have much time, let's get straight to the point."

Nobita lacks experience in negotiation; he generally prefers to persuade others through verbal sparring. Of course, if he encounters an extremist he can't convince, he's also capable of "saving face" for him. Gendo Ikari's situation is rather awkward, caught between these two extremes—Nobita acknowledges all the excellent qualities he possesses as a leader: calmness, composure, decisiveness, and considerable strategic resolve. But at the same time, he is also a rather aggressive and ambitious individual.

This enigmatic "Human Instrumentality Project" makes it difficult for Nobita to discern its true purpose, but one thing he is certain of is this:

If the ashes could help him achieve his ultimate ambition, he would not hesitate to throw the world into the fire.

Gendo Ikari's posture was defensive; his hands were clasped together, supporting his chin, while his back was ramrod straight. They say the eyes are the windows to the soul, but unlike Nobita's round glasses, his glasses, made of some unknown material, constantly reflected light, as if adding another layer of cement to the windows to his soul. A cold light reflected from the lenses, making it impossible to fathom his inner thoughts or what he was pondering.

The seating arrangement was also quite interesting.

A large, dark wooden conference table was set up, with NERV personnel seated at one end. Thanks to Misato Katsuragi's heroic actions, this meeting had been facilitated, and despite her relatively low rank, she had secured a place at the front. However, Rei Ayanami, who held no official position and was merely a "pilot," was seated next to Gendo Ikari, highlighting her special status within the project. Conversely, Asuka Langley Soryu, the pilot of Unit-02, was relegated to a seat further from the center. This blatant disparity in treatment infuriated the young woman, who turned her head away, sulking to herself.

The seats opposite were full, and there was no room for Shinji. Gendo Ikari also showed no intention of inviting him over.

When the boy was at a loss, Da Xiong gently took his wrist and, with a soft but firm touch, made him sit down next to him.

……

“Before we get to the main topic, let’s introduce ourselves first.” He nodded slightly to Nobita and spoke in a deep voice full of mature masculine charm, “After all… we may not know you as well as you know us, Mr. Nobi.”

Are you from 'other' places?

“Very, very far,” Da Xiong said noncommittally. “I didn’t expect to end up here. For some reason, I first detected your distress signal from the sea. Apparently, a machine had lost its power source and the operator was trapped inside. Out of humanitarian considerations, I decided to go ashore to rescue him. You all know what happened after that.”

"I apologize again." Gendo Ikari spread his hands, but his tone showed no remorse whatsoever. "Our technology is not yet mature enough, which is why this accident happened. That kid didn't know how to stop an EVA, which led to this conflict with you."

"Someone as discerning as you wouldn't consider this mistake a provocation against you, would you?"

Is it immature?

When Nobita sent his clone to tour NERV's headquarters, he saw almost all the available information and gained a basic understanding of Unit-01's various operational mechanisms. Essentially, these giant warriors protecting humanity were also bio-weapons created through research into the mechanisms of the Angels. The so-called powered armor covering their bodies was merely a restraint device to conceal their true power.

The unique mechanism of the rampaging Unit-01 was part of the plans of these high-ranking officials from the very beginning.

"...On the contrary, without this encounter, I wouldn't have had the opportunity to communicate with you all. It was this battle that prompted me to make this decision." Da Xiong stopped beating around the bush and cut to the chase, saying in a deep voice, "I will help you resist the invasion of the Apostles."

"Huh??!" Asuka, sitting in the corner, exclaimed in disbelief. Ignoring Kaji's attempts to stop her, she jumped up and looked Nobita up and down, then snorted, "No, no, no... It was us who were chosen from countless people to become the chosen ones, okay?"

“Unlike those two untrained, incompetent drivers, I’m very serious about this! We don’t need outside help; we can defeat the apostles on our own!”

……

After she finished her candid speech, the atmosphere in the hall was eerily quiet. No one affirmed her words, nor did anyone object; the oppressive silence was deathly, as if she hadn't said anything at all. The girl was left standing there, biting her lip defiantly, and stubbornly shook off Jiaji's hand that was pulling her back.

This was probably the first time she had shown resistance to her guardian.

"boom--!!"

The petite girl slammed her hand on the table with all her might, startling Shinji, who was sitting opposite her, into trembling.

"I don't know where you came from, or what you're planning... Anyway..."

As she spoke more and more urgently, under the watchful eyes of many silent people, she began to stammer and gradually lost sight of what she was trying to say.

“I have no intention of replacing you. If you are willing, you can join the team to protect humanity.” Nobita saw through the girl’s worries with perfect accuracy. “I will also bear the responsibility for the damage caused to the city by each invasion of the Angels.”

Dongyue's pupils dilated slightly.

This is the topic that truly interests the big shots.

The E-Series Project is essentially a war to defend humanity against the invasion of the Angels, and any battlefield has similar characteristics.

When the cannon is fired, there is a thousand taels of gold.

Especially in direct warfare on home soil, even with entire cities as defenses, the damage inflicted by Angels is often staggering, easily reaching ninety figures. Not to mention the losses from weapon resupply and the maintenance costs of power armor—all requiring substantial financial investment. The maintenance of just three EVA units—Unit-00, Unit-01, and Unit-02—is already a considerable expense. If they encounter Angels that conventional weapons cannot defeat, they also need to spend money on manufacturing special weapons. All things considered, it's an insurmountable financial drain.

Even the SEELE organization behind Gendo Ikari cannot invest funds here indefinitely.

"..." It was clear that Gendo Ikari was thinking about this condition very quickly. "I see... You really... have helped me out of my predicament. The budget of the Third New Tokyo City is already very tight, and with your help, we can have a lot of leeway."

"So, what is your demand?"

"From now on, I will be in charge of training the pilots of Unit 00, Unit 1, and Unit 2."

"You haven't found the pilot for Unit 3 yet, have you? Well then, for now, these three will be my training subjects." Nobita's tone was resolute as he stared directly at Gendo Ikari, leaving no room for negotiation. "You have no right to ask what we'll do, where we'll go, or how we'll do it. As for the duration, it will continue until I deem it appropriate."

……

"ha--??!"

Asuka suddenly realized that her reaction just now was too early, and that it would have been more appropriate to save it for now.

Being instructed in the only skill she was good at by some guy who suddenly appeared out of nowhere... she absolutely could not accept this humiliation.

However, before she could speak, Gendo Ikari unexpectedly said something that surprised everyone.

"I'm sorry to have to obey."

Chapter 359: You Might Have Misunderstood

Da Xiong had seen his share of ups and downs, so he didn't show any excessive emotion when he was suddenly rejected. Even at the market, people haggle over the price twice; given politicians' habits, how could such a big matter not be settled after two rounds of negotiations?

He only felt a little sad.

"As our Unit 2 pilot said, fighting the Angels is a mission shared by all mankind, and NERV was formed under this concept."

"..." Upon hearing this, Dongyue couldn't help but glance at him sideways, giving him a "what are you talking about?" look. To portray a secret service agency as the hope for saving all of humanity—only someone with a thin skin could do that.

“Indeed, with your power, you might be able to easily resolve our predicament. But, for humanity as a whole, it might not be a good thing.” Gendo Ikari changed his perspective and said in a deep voice, “You just said that you came from ‘a very, very far place’ for some reasons we cannot understand. This means that you cannot stay here for long and will eventually have to go back.”

"The Apostles are not mindless beasts. When they realize that a great god like you has joined the human ranks, they will inevitably choose to lie low. By then, humanity will be under your protection and will have forgotten the cruelty and necessity of war. Once you leave, the Apostles will return and may trigger the 'Third Impact,' causing further damage to human civilization."

"Didn't you hear what I just said?" Nobita said impatiently at his excuses. "I'll take responsibility for training the three of them..."

"Of course, we don't deny your abilities, but these three pilots were selected 'suitable individuals' after a rigorous process. Suitable individuals can only unleash their true combat power within EVA, and EVA... plays a crucial role in our subsequent plans." Gendo Ikari shrugged, making a helpless gesture. "You see, I lead so many people, it seems like I can easily decide many things, but what's the reality?"

"In this vast base, not even the smallest screw belongs to me, let alone these three EVAs that were created with countless financial, human, and material resources."

"In other words, I have no authority over their whereabouts. Your proposed solution involves far too many factors. I can only convey this intention to higher levels, but the feedback we receive after these layers of communication is beyond our control."

Politicians often use the tactic of passing the buck, unwilling to acknowledge responsibility. However, Gendo Ikari is now using it as a bargaining chip.

"I'm sure you understand that NERV and the higher-ups will make more detailed arrangements regarding the training of these three qualified individuals. They are all irreplaceable in future plans..."

"Human Instrumentality Project".

Nobita uttered the name of this top secret without changing his expression, which finally caused Gendo Ikari's expression to change slightly, and made him swallow back his hypocritical words.

"The 'future' you're talking about, is this what you mean?"

……

"What do you mean by Human Instrumentality?" Asuka asked, looking confused. "Is that what EVA is for? Kaji first..."

This was the first time she had ever seen Kaji with such an expression; she was so astonished she was speechless and completely stunned.

These few words, as if possessed by magic, caused the expressions of a few people present to change drastically.

"As expected, you saw it." Gendo Ikari remained calm, but the gaze from behind his glasses grew increasingly cold, like scissors, as if he wanted to carve holes in Nobita. "You may have misunderstood. Even here, this plan is classified as top secret. Anyone outside the plan who knows about it, or any criminals who harbor ambitions to spy on it..."

He turned his head intentionally or unintentionally and glanced at Jiazhi sitting not far away, making the other person sweat profusely.

"They have all received the 'punishment' they deserve."

……

"Tattoo..."

A series of hurried but forceful footsteps approached.

Seemingly at his command, a squad of heavily armed soldiers jogged in, like a flock of vultures swarming at the scent of carrion. They quickly deployed, surrounding the already small conference room. Until this moment, they made no further move, but the sudden appearance of soldiers in what should have been a negotiation was enough to instill a tense atmosphere. The negotiation itself seemed shrouded in a veneer of conspiracy.

"Commander Ikari?!"

As the guarantor for this negotiation, Misato Teng stood up abruptly, disregarding the fact that Gendo Ikari was her superior, and loudly reminded him, "The negotiations are still ongoing!"

"Ikari?" Even Vice Commander Fuyutsuki was taken aback by this move. Clearly, this was Gendo Ikari's own idea, without even informing his most trusted right-hand man. To make such a rash provocation against an entity possessing an unknown technological system that was clearly superior to their own was undoubtedly extremely dangerous.

But that's exactly what he did, inexplicably, as if he were a completely different person from the always cautious Gendo Ikari.

He remained unmoved by his subordinates' questions, keeping his hands clasped together and quietly watching Da Xiong, as if waiting for him to make his move.