Nobita's Time Heist

The crimson ray instantly melted the launch silo, raising its average temperature to several hundred degrees Celsius in less than a second, resulting in a violent explosion. Unit-01, after a brief disappearance, reappeared on the streets of Tokyo-3, landing smoothly with its center of gravity lowered and arms outstretched—a stance reminiscent of Ultraman's imminent beating of a monster.

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.

Sure enough, the smile doesn't disappear, it just shifts.

For example, right now, the focus has shifted from Gendo Ikari's lips to Nobita's face.

Chapter 380: Warriors Fighting for Themselves

"They actually managed to do that..."

Although Misato Katsuragi's routine report had mentioned the trio learning superpowers, Fuyutsuki subconsciously felt it wasn't real. He was almost 60 this year, and his thinking had long been fixed; he found it difficult to grasp new things beyond his comprehension. Only after seeing it with his own eyes could he believe Misato's words were true.

Those old fogies at SEELE are always clamoring about completing humanity, collective ascension, and returning all of humanity to the bodies of the gods. In his view, most of these claims are empty rhetoric, just their own internal religious cult, and he's almost been fooled into believing them himself.

What is God?

Ability far exceeding that of ordinary people, easily accomplishing things that ordinary people cannot achieve, that is what makes a god!

……

“Even with teleportation, this result is far beyond MAGI’s calculations. If we import Shinji’s original physical data, he would have no chance of reacting to this high-speed shot with an interval of only two seconds.” Ritsuko Akagi exported Shinji’s data template from the last battle and presented it on the big screen in a hexagonal format. “This is enough to show that through training, he has made great progress in dynamic vision and reaction speed.”

Her thoughts were complex when she said this. On one hand, the stronger the chosen one's abilities, the better for humanity as a whole. But Ritsuko's stance wasn't so clear-cut. Simply put, she and Gendo Ikari were truly on the same side, naturally sharing his concerns and anxieties. The more assertive the pilot's personality, the worse it would be for Gendo.

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.

"I see, so you're the type who attacks by unleashing beams of light too." Shinji wasn't surprised by this. "However, compared to Alexander Cross..."

The Angel of Thunder's smooth surface began to glow, and this time, Shinji saw the entire process of it firing its beam. The beam first converged to a single point, then flickered unstablely as the octahedron rotated to adjust its firing angle and aim at the target.

To use an imperfect analogy, Alexander Cross's attack pattern is like unlimited firepower, attacking non-stop, while the current Angel of Light is like the cooldown of skills in a normal ranked match. Having gotten used to the former, the latter, even though the difference is only in single digits, feels ridiculously slow to Shinji.

Without even needing to teleport, he manipulated Unit-01, performing a clean, one-handed side flip between the buildings, allowing the launch beam to precisely graze past his face.

"boom----!!!"

Explosion. Flames. Shockwave. Countless homes were reduced to ashes in the intense heat because he had dodged the attack.

However, during this month and a half of continuous training, Shinji had to dodge thousands of attacks like this every day on average. He had already unknowingly completed his desensitization training and begun to stop focusing on battle losses. From the basic logic of combat, only by eliminating the enemy as quickly as possible can all problems be solved once and for all.

"Gaga goo goo goo..."

From the enormous, divine body of the Thunder Angel came a series of strange mutterings, perhaps inconsistent with the information it had received. In any case, the opponent was far more troublesome than expected. It began to change shape, its originally perfect geometric body slowly opening up amidst a tooth-grinding metallic scraping sound, even revealing its internal structure.

If a metaphor is needed, it's like countless mirrors of varying thicknesses, pieced together by some force. The powerful gravitational pull between them allows them to maintain a certain geometric shape even after being unfolded, much like how an infinitely subdivided surface yields countless two-dimensional cross-sections. Compared to the first fallen apostle, the Thunder Angel was far more intelligent, not exposing its most crucial red core to its body surface, but instead having geometric shapes surround it layer by layer.

“Yuktrasil analyzed the Apostles’ behavior patterns and concluded that the 2% difference in their genes from humans is mainly reflected in that red stone. It seems to be some kind of powerful energy source, and in order to adapt to this energy source, the Apostles’ physical bodies have embarked on an evolutionary path completely different from humans.” Da Xiong looked at the suddenly unfolding Thunder Angel and couldn’t help but marvel, “It’s hard to imagine that those guys’ genes would have 98% overlap with humans.”

“That red thing, we call it the S2 engine. Almost all EVA series are reverse-engineered from it.” With the Commander-in-Chief sitting on the stage, Misato didn’t plan to get involved in the command. She simply stood next to Nobita and explained while sighing, “The thing that destroys us and the thing that protects us are the same thing. Thinking about it, it’s quite ironic.”

"Yeah, I think it's such a pity." Da Xiong shrugged, watching as the red core in the image began to glow faintly. At the same time, a sharp sound like water boiling could be heard from the listening devices distributed throughout the city—a sign that the energy had been gathered to its limit and was about to break through the air.

"Such powerful energy, yet it is used to destroy each other."

……

"Buzz———————!!!"

An unimaginably sharp sound rang out. The beam of light, radiating from the S2 mechanism, refracted through countless geometric shapes, amplifying its power. Shinji's expression changed instantly. He focused his attention and used Instant Transmission to dodge the attack before his machine was pierced. But the Raikou refused to give up. Its internal geometric shapes multiplied, each spinning rapidly, and its firing rate increased dramatically, almost precisely targeting each shot.

In an instant, the city was scorched and riddled with holes, the earth like a cake, arbitrarily sliced ​​and broken. Human buildings were utterly unable to withstand these high-energy rays; any slight contact with them instantly melted into a hot liquid, shimmering with a bright light like molten lava.

"Commander Ikari!" Misato couldn't help but raise her voice, "Are you really going to leave Shinji to fight alone against an Angel with such destructive power? What's the point of providing fire support then?"

"Ikari," Fuyutsuki whispered in his ear, "to be honest, this apostle is probably a tough character, and it's probably not time for him to play by your script."

"..."

Particle cannons swept across the city, razing mountains and burning seas, turning more and more parts of the city into ruins. The shrill whistling sound could even be clearly heard by those underground. But to Gendo Ikari at this moment, these seemed to be nothing but useless noise. Reprimands or suggestions entered his ears, but could not enter his heart.

He was still calculating all the gains and losses.

"it does not matter."

"Nobita?!" Misato couldn't understand why he could remain so calm, and was frantic with worry. "This Angel's destructive power is just too..."

“He’s no longer fighting for his father.” Nobita, however, was very confident about the battle, as if victory was already predetermined, with a proud smile on his face. “So, let’s just trust him.”

"I believe in him; I have never given up on him for a moment."

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.

"Whoosh!"

The next second, Unit-01, which was fighting on the ground, disappeared and then reappeared in the storage warehouse of the underground base.

"Hiss..."

The scalding steam turned into white smoke, constantly billowing from the machine. In the battle with the Thunder Angel, the paint on the outer armor was almost completely melted, making it look even more ferocious and terrifying.

Chapter 381: A Two-Stage Reversal!

“Unit-01 suddenly appeared in Warehouse No. 7… Oh, he…” Ritsuko was initially incredulous because her brain hadn’t fully grasped the concept of “teleportation” and she thought it was a false alarm from the machine. Then, she half-covered her mouth and said, “Shinji teleported Unit-01 back.”

Whispers arose from the crowd, and the Thunder Angel on the screen seemed equally puzzled. How could such a large target suddenly vanish without a trace? The scattered geometric shapes circled several times without finding the target, so they gave up. With a "clang," all the geometric shapes quickly converged, transforming back into the tight octagon, and began to continue wandering above the city.

……

"I know, I know!"

Shinji's voice suddenly rang out in the crowd, causing quite a stir. Everyone made way for him, looking at the fourteen-year-old boy as if he were a monster—he had just fought against such a monster for so long without any fire support, and yet he had managed to retreat unscathed; it was nothing short of a miracle.

Only Nobita wasn't surprised. Instead, he found a comfortable place to sit down, crossed his legs, and watched how things would develop, displaying a leisurely detached attitude.

Clearly, Shinji may have teleported elsewhere before coming here. He held a towel in his hand, as if he had just come out of a bath, wiping the LCL solution off his head, and said excitedly, "It adjusts the intensity and rate of attack according to the actual situation, and the way it makes adjustments is by constantly changing its body structure."

"There is only one core, and its quantity is constant, so no matter how it changes, there will only be one beam of light at a time. However, by constantly changing the number and shape of the geometry, the frequency of the attack will also change. This is an aerial fortress with powerful output capabilities! And every time it changes form, its core will be exposed, perhaps for only a fraction of a second, but as long as we seize this opportunity and destroy its core when it attacks, there will be no problem!"

"Should we use teleportation to get close to it?" Asuka frowned, deep in thought. "But judging from the actual situation of the battle just now, its reaction speed wasn't slow at all. It had plenty of time to deploy its AT field."

“We need to use firepower to cover it and attract its attention.” Following the two’s line of thought, Rei Ayanami calmly gave the answer, “When it gets used to using the AT field to defend against ordinary ammunition, the S2 mechanism will be exposed to a blind spot and left undefended. Then we can use teleportation to deliver a fatal blow to it.”

They finalized their battle plan as if no one else was around, just like in the countless pre-battle meetings in Fourth New Tokyo City.

Real combat is the best way to train people, especially 14-year-olds, who are at their most malleable. Through continuous adaptation and learning, they have developed a relatively mature combat model: Shinji, who is the most adaptable, takes the lead to probe the opponent's strength, and then the three of them discuss and devise a suitable way to break the deadlock.

Of course, this tactic is useless against Alexander Cross, because he won't give you many weaknesses to exploit. But it's particularly effective against the Apostles, who fight almost entirely on instinct and rely almost no tactics.

“That’s right, Father. We need to fight together and cooperate to destroy this apostle.”

"Its target must be this base, right?"

Shinji dried himself off the LCL solution and looked up from the crowd, meeting the gaze of the towering figure. Gendo Ikari had hoped to see some negative emotions in his eyes, such as confusion, resentment, or dissatisfaction at having left him alone on the battlefield without any support. But contrary to his expectations, what shone in the boy's eyes was something bright and clear, like someone who had reached the final stage of tackling a difficult math problem and suddenly understood how to solve it.

For him now, fighting the apostles is no longer a painful thing. On the contrary, he even enjoys it now.

However, as everyone's attention shifted back to him, Gendo Ikari realized that he didn't have much time to think.

"Heh, so... this is what it feels like." Gendo Ikari smirked, the reflection in his glasses obscuring his expression. "Since you've already devised a plan, then execute it as you see fit. The safety of the pilots of Unit 0 and Unit 2 will also be your responsibility."

He nodded slightly and, once again in his capacity as commander, gave the order: "From now on, all ground armed forces shall enter a state of standby. Turret groups numbered 15 to 26 shall prepare ammunition and load them, and be ready to fire at any time to support the decapitation operation of the three EVAs."

"Shinji."

Before they could act, he called out to Shinji again. This time, unlike his usual dismissive gaze, Gendo Ikari's half-closed pupils seemed to hold a different kind of emotion. His tightly furrowed brows relaxed slightly, and his head finally lowered. A father's gaze flashed across his eyes. "I know you've learned skills that ordinary people don't possess, but this is, after all, your first real battle. Remember, don't be reckless. Don't make rash decisions based on impulse."

“EVA is our valuable asset in the fight against the Angels, but without suitable candidates, this fighting force is useless. Once you sense something is wrong, your priority should be ensuring the safety of the three suitable candidates, including yourself.”

"Don't let me down, and don't let your mother down, okay?"

"..." Shinji's expression was somewhat surprised. After a brief moment of astonishment, he seemed to have rediscovered something important and nodded vigorously.

At this very moment, the father and son, who were stabbing each other in the heart with knives, seemed to show signs of reconciliation.

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.

“If I didn’t know you well enough, I would have really thought you were going to change your ways, Commander Ikari.” Speaker Kiel’s voice came from the stone tablet, with a hint of sarcasm. “When you announced the battle plan to us, you patted your chest and made a promise. You said that all the qualified candidates would become a sharp knife in your hand, and dedicate their entire lives to the great cause.”

"Now, the situation is getting a little out of control, isn't it?"

Between this person and this monument, real-time battle footage is playing.

From the moment the three EVAs boldly entered the fray, Gendo Ikari handed over command to Vice Commander Fuyutsuki, as if he were certain of the outcome of the battle. And the reality shown on screen was indeed no surprise to him.

Unit-00 and Unit-02 were continuously using teleportation, combined with saturation firepower, to induce the Angel of Thunder to activate its AT field as a defense. Amidst a series of clanging sounds, the geometry constantly shifted, intercepting every projectile heading towards the core. Its destructive power was indeed astonishing, but the focused energy ray could only be fired once at a time, giving the two EVA pilots ample time to dodge. Accustomed to Alexander Cross's unlimited firepower, this situation was almost something they could easily overcome with one eye closed.

If nothing unexpected happens, at some point after it gets used to this offensive and defensive battle, Shinji will suddenly appear as a surprise attack and completely end it.

fast.

quasi.

ruthless.

Unbeknownst to many, the hundreds of logistics personnel at NERV base, including Gendo Ikari and Chairman Gil at this moment, all seemed to have become spectators of this grand drama.

There was absolutely no room for intervention.

Chapter 382: What will you do after the war?

"It turns out that you don't need my method to bring out his potential, and he can even be better than if I taught him."

Watching Unit-01 suddenly strike with practiced ease, seizing its opportunity on the screen, Gendo Ikari's eyes narrowed slightly, his expression and tone incredibly complex. It was as if someone forged from ice was experiencing warmth for the first time.

"I've considered this before: could it be that all the methods I've adhered to so far are fundamentally wrong?"

"..."

Silence permeated the dark, enclosed room. Darkness and silence—things people should fear most yet cannot escape. But Gendo Ikari, contrary to his usual self, removed his glasses, rubbed his nose, and for the first time gazed upon the stone tablet engraved with the numbers 0 and 1 with his own eyes. He sighed, his posture no longer as upright; a certain belief that had sustained him for so long seemed to crumble at this moment. He was no longer the revered, unquestionable Commander-in-Chief of NERV, but a lost believer entering a church alone.

“Now that things have come to this, if you’re planning to back out, the consequences will be severe.” Speaker Kiel didn’t quite understand what he was going to do, and his voice subconsciously turned cold. “We took a liking to you in the first place because you’re a cold-blooded, ruthless, and unscrupulous bastard. Don’t waste your only redeeming quality, Ikari.”

“Teacher Fuyutsuki is right. What kind of good team can someone like me lead?” Gendo Ikari gave a bitter laugh, leaned back in his chair, and looked up at the darkness hanging above him. “It’s just a large yakuza group. I have nothing to hold them back except fear, threats, and coercion.”

"In comparison, Nobita is far superior to me... He has love, understanding, gentleness, and encouragement, which are things I may never be able to learn in my entire life. When the two collide, what I built in their minds is like a castle on the beach, easily destroyed by the waves. The son who should have been my blood relative, the adopted daughter who should have been raised by me, both left with him without looking back. To be as bad a person as I am, I guess I'm a rather unsuccessful one?"

"What?" Speaker Kiel sneered. "After doing all those things, you actually think you can be a good father in other people's eyes?"

“You may not believe it, but… that was one of my wife’s last wishes. She wanted to create a safer world for her children, her children’s children, and her children’s children’s children.” When talking about his deceased wife, Gendo Ikari’s tone was gentle at first, but then became resolute and undeniable. “You’re right, Speaker Kiel.”

"A person like me, whose hands are stained with blood, cannot create a new world."

"Coincidentally, the members of the Human Instrumentality Committee have always had many complaints about me, haven't they? I am indeed a troublesome person who is not easy to manage, and these days, spending time with you has caused me a lot of trouble..."

He slowly rose and bowed to the stone tablet standing in the darkness at an angle of no more than 45 degrees, a gesture so perfect it was impeccable.

"Please take this opportunity to fire me."

"As for the successor, I personally recommend Professor Fuyutsuki. He is different from me; he is a kind and steady person. Perhaps he lacks a bit of adventurous spirit, but judging from the current situation, the three qualified candidates have already made a name for themselves, and adventurous spirit is the last thing we need. My wife was once his student, which is one of the reasons he devoted himself to this career. In that case, let him take my place and complete this journey, nurturing a new world with his teaching skills!"

Gendo Ikari, without his glasses, bears a 99% resemblance to Shinji; he's a natural-born artistic youth.

He had a pair of melancholy eyes, which were now staring straight at the number 01 on the stone tablet, showing no sign of wavering.

“Creating a new world… ah…” After a period of silence, Speaker Kiel stopped scoffing and asked seriously, “Can I take what you are saying now as your true thoughts?”

“Every word I uttered came from the bottom of my heart.” Gendo Ikari emphasized, “The eight million gods of heaven and earth bear witness. If there is even the slightest falsehood, may I be torn apart and devoured, and die a horrible death!”

“Some things we write in books are just to deceive others into working for us. As long as they believe it, that’s fine. I thought you understood this principle, but never mind…” Speaker Kiel’s tone was somewhat regretful. “There are plenty of people. Even if the Second Impact caused me to lose half of the population, it wouldn’t be difficult to find a suitable replacement for you from the remaining half.”

“I won’t use Fuyutsuki. His abilities only qualify him as a deputy. Compared to this…” Speaker Gil paused, giving him some time to think, “This isn’t some ordinary company resignation letter, Ikari. You know your situation, right?”

"..."

"You have so many secrets in your head, things you should know and things you shouldn't know. It's impossible for you to leave safely."

“I understand.” Gendo Ikari put on his glasses, and in that instant, calmness and rationality seemed to return to him. “On the day I officially resign, I will commit suicide to ensure that your secrets are not leaked.”

"As for what happens next, only God knows."

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.

"We won!!!"

In Misato's home, the not-so-large table was piled high with various dishes conjured from the [Gourmet Tablecloth]. Five glasses clinked together, making a crisp tinkling sound. Except for Misato, who was drinking beer, the other four were drinking beverages. Asuka wanted to try the beer, but after taking a small sip, she frowned and lost all interest.

With all three EVAs engaged, the battle was resolved in less than two minutes, just as planned. Raikou's attention was completely drawn to the attack, and Unit-01 seized the opportunity, instantly striking out and using its telekinesis to launch the Vibration Dagger, piercing its core.

The victory in the first battle proves that all the hard work in training has paid off, and there is nothing more worthy of celebration.

"As expected, as expected of the three of you, your teamwork was absolutely amazing... Ugh..." Misato drank cup after cup, quickly getting into the zone, patting Shinji's shoulder repeatedly. "Those giants that can raze cities to the ground, you took them down in no time. Great! At this rate, whatever the Angels are, we'll kill them one by one, two by two... Once we've dealt with them all, the world will be at peace, and you'll become great heroes worshipped by everyone!"

"Miss Katsuragi, this is... this is too much..." Shinji wasn't very good at dealing with this kind of direct physical contact. He lowered his shoulders slightly, trying to dodge, and said with a wry smile, "This is only the second one. It's hard to say what kind of abilities the Angels will have later."

“Perhaps, as we make progress, the Angels will also evolve in tandem,” Rei Ayanami said calmly. “However, in the long run, today’s victory is worth celebrating.”

"Hmph, that's not how it is." Asuka, like a game addict stuck in a game, was still sullen despite her victory. "As long as I defeat Shandong Cross, this game will never be over!"