Nobita's Time Heist

"Oh... I see, even that idiot Shinji is siding with the honor student. I've been working so hard in the back all day, how am I supposed to tell which bullet will bounce where? Besides, we're all on a simulator, so the threat of these ricochets is negligible!" She grabbed Shinji by the collar and demanded, "Who messed up this round? Explain yourself!"

Interestingly, Rei Ayanami, who always went her own way and was too lazy to argue with anyone, suddenly stopped, turned around, and quietly stared at him. She didn't speak, but her expression subtly conveyed an attitude that she wouldn't allow any more delays and wanted him to make himself clear up right there.

"Uh... Asuka, Rei, you two, don't do this..." Shinji wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. Perhaps his brain short-circuited, he suddenly remembered a strange ethical issue he had once seen in a magazine.

If your mother and wife both fell into the water, which one would you save?

He himself found it unbelievable—subconsciously associating Asuka with being a wife was one thing, but at least there was some basis for it. However, Rei was clearly the same age as him, so how could he see her as a mother after spending a month and a half together?

……

“…” Misato, who was walking behind as the “monitor,” pricked up her ears and listened silently to their conversation, revealing a thought-provoking expression.

"what happened?"

“Ah, it’s nothing, I just feel…” Misato paused for a moment, as if searching for the right words to describe the scene before her, “The atmosphere between them has changed quite a bit.”

Objectively speaking, it's only natural that the atmosphere would change.

These three had been playing ranked matches for a month and a half straight, losing every single time. They reviewed their games countless times and racked their brains trying to defeat Shandong Cross. In the end, they only managed to leave a few minor wounds on their opponents. However, during this process, Asuka, with her strong desire to attack, and Shinji and Rei, who were usually quite reserved, had a lot of unavoidable exchanges.

Gradually, they became more like a team.

“In the past, Asuka might not have shared her strategies with them—she always thought she was good enough to achieve her goals without relying on anyone. Shinji was used to being criticized and would mostly just stay silent or give evasive answers instead of pointing out Asuka’s mistakes. As for Rei… she probably wouldn’t even bother to join in such a conversation.”

Da Xiong shrugged and smiled helplessly, "To be honest, I'm still not quite sure what she's thinking."

"No matter how she integrated into the team, that's enough for me."

"War will always end, sooner or later. People can't be weapons forever. On that day, they will no longer be EVA pilots."

Da Xiong watched their backs as they walked away. Although he was less than five years older than them, for some reason, his eyes were full of love as he looked at them, like an old father thinking about his children's future. "On that day, I also hope that they can live a good life like 'people'."

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.

"Commander Katsuragi." Seeing that she remained silent on all questions, Fuyutsuki raised her voice and called her again, "Commander Katsuragi, it's time for routine questioning."

"Miri?" Ritsuko was somewhat surprised by her friend's state. In her memory, Misato had always been someone who clearly separated work and personal matters. No matter how much she looked down on the NERV higher-ups, she could always complete the tasks assigned to her by her superiors with precision. It was this extraordinary ability to execute tasks that made her the tactical commander during EVA operations.

But now, she is clearly not concentrating.

"From the moment you stepped through that pink wooden door, all the sensors placed on you ceased functioning at the same time. Now, our only source of information is your word." Gendo Ikari, in his classic pose, crossed his arms and rested his chin on them, asking in a cold voice, "Please describe to us the world behind that door."

"..."

Miri was speechless for a moment.

She suddenly felt like the fisherman in the story, returning to the village, wanting to describe the magnificent and magical Peach Blossom Spring to her companions, yet unsure where to begin. For those living on earth, this was merely a week, but in the heavens, it had been nearly two months. Everything she had witnessed in those two months seemed to have exhausted all the wonder Misato had ever experienced in her life.

……

After struggling to translate these incredible scenes into words, the secret room fell silent once again.

"A heavenly kingdom...?" Gendo Ikari raised his head slightly. Although they were indoors, the thick ceiling blocked their view, making it impossible to see the sky. "That city is right above us?"

“That’s what Nobita said, but the entire city is isolated by a force field, like an overturned goldfish bowl.” Misato gestured as if she were putting a bowl upside down on a table, explaining, “This force field can adjust its transparency, allowing sunlight to pass directly through it, making it invisible by conventional means.”

She seemed to see right through Gendo Ikari's scheme and flatly refused, saying, "With our current level of technology, it is undoubtedly unrealistic to launch a direct attack on the Fourth New Tokyo City."

Chapter 378: Rejecting Workplace PUA Starts with Me

"call---"

Dongyue skillfully exhaled a puff of smoke, his tightly furrowed brows slightly relaxing. He said self-deprecatingly, "I quit this stuff for at least ten years. Now that I'm smoking it again because of you, I guess I'm just risking my life to keep you company."

"And then what are your plans? Don't tell me you're still eyeing him after hearing all this. That's time! To be able to manipulate time proves that his civilization is at least two hundred years ahead of ours. Besides, the humans in that world have probably already thoroughly understood string theory." The old man spread his hands, as if he had exhausted all other options and was now just giving up. "These technological directions are only in the nascent theoretical stage in our world."

"Ikari, you're not a professional researcher, so you can't understand what this gap means, which is why you always have some wildly imaginative ideas in your head. Let me put it this way: right now, our conversation is probably transparent to him. Every secret plot you have with the SEELE executives is probably transparent to him. When technology develops to that level, it's almost no different from a myth."

"You're playing cards with a 'god,' aren't you, Ikari?"

"..." Gendo Ikari's expression remained tense, his lips pressed tightly together, an outward manifestation of his strong desire to keep secrets.

"At this point, I'm actually a little curious, what cards do you still have left to play?"

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.

Gendo Ikari had long been accustomed to the silence when he was with his own son.

His grasp of human nature is unparalleled, one of the secrets to his survival to this day. A scholar with no physical strength has climbed the ranks of a world-class intelligence agency; simply relying on connections and influence wouldn't have been enough. It's precisely because he understands and sees through people's hearts, discerning what these powerful figures at the pinnacle of global authority truly desire, that he has been able to ultimately triumph in power struggles time and again.

By nature, humans are animals that fear awkward silences.

Tens of thousands of years of cognitive evolution transformed humans into social animals, forging bonds through mutual assistance to gradually eliminate rivals in nature and ascend to the top of the food chain. However, this also instilled a deep fear in every individual of being left behind. When the atmosphere becomes tense and silent, everyone instinctively feels tormented and wants to say something to change the situation. Gendo Ikari, however, uses this very tension, creating a silent atmosphere to pressure Shinji's psychological defenses.

This kid is sensitive and fragile. If you put even a little pressure on him, it won't be long before he breaks down on his own—that's been his consistent experience.

However, Gendo Ikari clearly sensed that something was different this time.

Shinji remained silent, but his gaze and attention were clearly not on him, instead wandering outside the oppressive office. This same behavior had occurred during his earlier conversation with Misato, making him acutely aware of the danger.

Uncontrollable danger.

“I heard from Commander Katsuragi that you’ve been over there for a long time but haven’t made any progress, instead spending your time chatting and enjoying good food.” He lowered his voice, deciding to start with something easier to say. “Do you know that every second you wasted over there has to be made up for a thousand times over here?”

"..." Shinji lowered his head slightly, his hands behind his back, seemingly listening to his reprimand, yet also seemingly not, much like a student who had been exhausted by the scolding of teachers and parents. No matter how fierce the criticism, it was like a mountain breeze blowing by, leaving no reaction.

“You should know that the only reason you’re still standing here talking to me is because of your mother. I had to consider her feelings to tolerate a defective product being included in my plan and given such an important role. I saw you as part of her life’s continuation, but you’re like a piece of rotten wood, which makes me incredibly disappointed in you.”

"I don't think I need to repeat the importance of Project E to the world. For you, this is an excellent opportunity to prove yourself. What you need to do is to devote yourself wholeheartedly, obey orders 100%, and dedicate your body and mind, flesh and spirit, to this great project. Everyone has their own value, and if you cannot realize that value, you are meaningless to this cruel world."

He rarely spoke such a long passage to anyone, because Gendo Ikari knew the power of language, and that language should only be the punctuation marks of meaning.

Too much talk leads to mistakes; only by speaking less can you cultivate a lofty and unfathomable image in the eyes of others. When you finally speak, you have that decisive, final effect.

But now, this foolproof magic weapon is also being put to the test.

The boy, who was connected to him by blood, still kept his head slightly lowered and remained silent, as if countless heavy punches had hit cotton.

"After listening for so long, don't you have anything to say to me?"

“I don’t know what to say, Father.” Shinji’s tone remained detached, and Gendo sensed the most crucial element in it—the complete lack of resistance. This proved that he had no reaction whatsoever to the long string of words he had spoken; not a single syllable or character had entered his mind. “I have no intention of proving anything to you, or to any of you.”

"Is that so? Heh, my judgment of you was right from the very beginning." Gendo Ikari sneered, resorting to his classic line, "If you don't want to do it, then pack your things and get out. I have other spare units and other spare candidates; it's not like I can't do without you."

"..."

Shinji suddenly looked up at him, his expression calm, a stark contrast to his reaction when he first heard those words.

"If I've thought it through, I will leave."

“…What?” Gendo Ikari frowned.

"Looking back now, the reason I initially stepped onto the EVA piloting leash was because you, Father, pushed out the injured Rei Ayanami, right? 'If you're not going to take over, then let this seriously injured child take your place'—that was your unspoken message." Shinji shook his head with a smile, seemingly having let go of the past and able to discuss it with a laugh.

"You think too highly of yourself," Gendo Ikari said coldly. "I don't have time to play childish games with you!"

"Well, whatever your reasoning, this is the reason I stayed at NERV. I made this choice because of your influence."

"And now, every choice I make is my own decision. I'm staying here because during training, I genuinely felt that becoming an EVA pilot and fighting alongside trusted partners was something to look forward to—so I chose to stay. I hope to learn as much as possible from Nobita and help as many people as possible. These are all judgments I made myself."

He suddenly looked up, staring into those deep eyes that he had never dared to look directly into before.

Shinji discovers that the glasses perched on his father's nose don't seem as thick as he's imagined.

“If one day I decide that this place is no longer suitable for me, I will say goodbye to you, Father.”

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.

Gendo Ikari's pupils dilated slightly. The worst-case scenario he had been worried about had actually happened in such a short time.

Chapter 379: The smile won't disappear, it will only shift.

"drop--!!"

"drop--!!"

"drop--!!"

Perhaps they should be grateful for the sudden alarm; at least it ended this pointless conversation and gave the father and son a final bit of time to negotiate. As the base's commander-in-chief, Gendo Ikari wasted not a second and immediately got up and headed to the command center, with Shinji following behind him. Although the two were not of one mind, their movements and steps subtly revealed a genetic similarity. If an outsider were to observe, they might probably remark, "Like father, like son."

The news of the Angel's invasion once again activated the base, and everyone sprang into action at lightning speed. The only saving grace was that the Angel seemed to have a knack for timing, deliberately choosing a period after the training phase ended and the three qualified pilots returned to NERV for their routine reports. Furthermore, Nobita, who had previously achieved excellent results against the Angels, was also present at the base, making their combat strength more abundant than ever before.

"This guy... he really has an artistic look." Nobita said unconsciously as he looked at the image on the screen.

The so-called apostles seem to be very different from the natural disasters and ferocious beasts that humans know. They are more like works of art created by gods, with life forms completely different from humans.

The last one was like a thin sheet of paper, but this time the apostle was a huge, ice-blue octahedron. It appeared suddenly in the sky above the city, perfectly reflecting every detail of the real world, advancing slowly without a sound. Its deep blue surface was so conspicuous that its core was invisible, and its internal structure remained unknown.

Thunder Angel.

Its resounding and imposing code name, like its enormous size, is enough to cast a shadow over the skyscrapers that humanity is so proud of.

After battling the previous Angel, Nobita extracted some of the Angel's remaining tissue from the surface of Alexander Cross's machine and gave it to Yggdrasil for analysis. The results greatly surprised him. From a genetic perspective, the so-called "Angel" had about 98% similarity in its genetic composition to humans. He had specifically written to Dekisugi to ask, and the reply he received was that the genetic similarity between humans and apes was roughly at that level.

close.

too close.

This seems to suggest something terrible, or perhaps, the humans of this world and the Apostles are of the same origin.

"With this thing?"

Looking at this giant octahedron that had no head, no torso, and no limbs, as if it had stepped out of a geometry book, Nobita felt utterly bewildered.

But no matter what, the enemy in front of us can never be ignored.

Unusually, the leader, who is usually decisive, remained silent today.

"Is it a difficult decision, Ikari?" Fuyutsuki wore a detached smile. "I heard a story about how, long, long ago, circus performers would train an obedient elephant by tethering it to a stake when it was still a calf. The calf would struggle with all its might, but it couldn't break free from the chain around its neck. Over time, it got used to it, and the chain became a part of its life. Even when it grew up and could easily break free, it wouldn't struggle anymore."

"But now, your little elephant seems to be about to break free of its chains."

"It only needs one real battle, one chance to prove itself, to recognize the power it possesses. And then... hehe..."

"What will happen next?"

……

“The detailed data analysis of this Angel is not yet available. NERV base must have sufficient troops stationed there.” Gendo Ikari adjusted his glasses and said methodically, “Unit 2 and Unit 00, stand by at the base. Unit 01 pilot, prepare for battle!”

This was the first time his order had been questioned. Everyone thought they had misheard, and murmurs of discussion arose among the crowd.

If it were only Unit-01 and Unit-00, then this approach would be understandable. However, he had clearly already recalled Unit-02 to NERV headquarters. Under these circumstances, at least two EVAs should have been deployed to gain an advantage on the main battlefield.

……

"I understand, I will drive."

Shinji stretched his stiff neck, his tone calm, showing no sign of the panic Gendo Ikari had expected.

For nearly a month and a half in the sky, the three of them were essentially playing squad matches non-stop, spending an average of eight to ten hours a day conquering the Alexander Cross, and logging on and off the simulator thousands of times. Now, when he learns that he will be piloting an EVA into battle, it's like hearing the bell ring to prepare for class; he no longer feels the tension of facing a formidable enemy.

"Shinji—" Nobita waved at him from below, calling out his name in a relaxed tone. It was as if he wasn't about to go to war, but rather to attend a highly anticipated concert. "If we can't win, it's okay to run away—!"

Hearing him say that, the effeminate boy couldn't help but laugh. This laugh set off alarm bells in his biological father's mind, and he immediately had a bad feeling.

Regardless of the type of PUA, pressure is always the starting point. It's crucial to make you feel enough pressure to induce negative emotions like self-doubt. Emotions are often highly subjective; someone might be held captive by a single word or glance for their entire life, or they might easily escape their mental anguish. To ensure the target remains under his control, he intentionally creates a relatively isolated atmosphere, keeping them in a sensitive and vulnerable psychological state so he can manipulate them with his words.

But now, Nobita's appearance has completely shattered everything.

At this moment, he sincerely hoped that the attacking Angels would severely torture Shinji, and ideally shatter his hard-earned confidence. To him, only a morally broken candidate was a sharp knife to be wielded.

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.

"Unit 01 launch preparations complete, please provide instructions."

Gendo Ikari adjusted his glasses and said in a deep voice, "Launch!"

……

"boom---!!!"

As the machine ascended, Misato felt uneasy for some reason. She always trusted her intuition, and at this moment, the premonition grew stronger, even making her feel a little palpitating. Suddenly, the readings on the large screen changed, and Misato, who had been staring intently at it, was startled and shouted, "Shinji, watch out! A high-energy reaction is occurring inside the Angel!"

At the critical moment, she clearly saw a slight smile cross Gendo Ikari's lips.

……

"------"

There was no earth-shattering sound as expected. One facet of the octahedron flickered, followed by a deep purple, focused beam of light. The Angel of Thunder's battlefield analysis was equally impressive; this focused beam was fired precisely at the exact moment Unit-01 emerged from underground, with an error margin of only a fraction of a second. The instant it surfaced, it accurately pierced the abdomen of Unit-01…

That's how it should have been.

Just as the light and the physical object were about to touch, Unit-01, standing eighty meters tall, vanished into thin air, perfectly avoiding it.

"boom------!!!"