Shinji Ikari, the pilot of Unit-01 during the Spirit Awakening Era

Although Himuro Kirie also has a cell phone, she prefers to stay alone in the deepest part of the Himuro mansion watching TV dramas and movies most of the time. She doesn't have much interest in this kind of social thing, while Mimori is jumping around there.

“That’s true, but if anything happens, you should come and help. We all know how polluting Yomizumi is,” Isayama Mei nodded. “By the way, it seems Aso Yuu accompanied Rei up the mountain today. After all, she’s also surnamed Kurosawa, so nothing should happen.”

"Has Aso Yuu gone mad? Rei-nee is just an ordinary person, what is she doing going up the mountain in Japan!" Shinji Ikari was a little confused about Aso Yuu's thinking.

"They say Kurosawa Rei has been a bit dazed lately, with some auditory and visual hallucinations, and sometimes he seems a bit dazed. You know, we in this line of work are very sensitive to these kinds of things. He even contacted the Onmyo Bureau and installed surveillance cameras at home, but no one has found anything wrong. We had no choice but to seek help from higher levels. Since your sister is also at Mount Hikami this time, we had to go there." Isayama Mei spread her hands. She had also gone to check, but no matter what magic or other methods she used, nothing worked, so she had to resort to this last resort.

"He should at least have told me first." Shinji Ikari immediately understood from Mei Isayama's attitude that Mei Isayama had obviously already gone there, but there was nothing he could do about it.

"Because everyone knows you're causing trouble at the Matsushiro test site, they directly asked Ryoko Sakaki, who's currently up on the mountain. Your girlfriend isn't as popular as you right now." Mei Isayama looked at Shinji Ikari with a playful smile. Shinji had planned to have a serious talk with Ayase Kurosawa after going up the mountain. Ryoko Sakaki's safety was his bottom line, and Shinji was prepared to have a direct confrontation with Ayase Kurosawa (referring to being strangled to death by Ayase Kurosawa with one hand).

However, after arriving at Mount Hikami, Kurosawa Aise was surprised to find that he treated Sakaki Ryoko very well, even to the point of being overly enthusiastic, which nearly scared Sakaki Ryoko to death.

"Alright...that's a good idea. At least with my sister, Ryoko has way more influence than me." Recalling the image of Himuro Kirie disdainfully hanging him up with the barrier rope, Shinji Ikari didn't know what to say. "See you then!"

"Hey! I helped you solve such a big problem, and you don't even want to say thank you?" Izayama Mei said with dissatisfaction. I solved your messy household affairs, and you didn't even show any gratitude.

"Okay! Thank you!" Shinji Ikari replied simply, and went home without even turning his head.

"Perfunctory!" Isayama Mei was still very dissatisfied.

"Didn't Shinji pay you rent?" Yuza Emi, standing nearby, was a little confused by the two of them. Before, when Shinji Ikari teased her about her face wash, Isayama Mei beat Shinji to a pulp. Now, their attitude really makes it seem like something bad is about to happen.

"Hmph! One thing at a time, I'm just angry!"

Chapter 314 Kurosawa Rei is being watched

"Kirie-nee, and..." Asou Yuu was led by several servants from the Totsuki Group to a temporary villa made of wooden planks. Himuro Kirie and Kurosawa Aise were temporarily staying here, receiving offerings from the Totsuki Group.

Speaking of the original shrine at Mount Hikami... even with Kurosawa Aise's permission, neither the Countermeasures Bureau nor the Spellcaster Association intends to go in. As the starting point of the Night Spring eruption, it is now a heavily polluted area. The Onmyo-ryo purification ritual has been going on continuously until now. One batch of shrine maidens goes up and gets exhausted, and then another batch goes up. In short, it's been a constant struggle.

After the purification is completed, a massive ceremony will be held, with Himuro Kirie's power at its core, to suppress Yozumi's outburst. In this way, Kurosawa Aise will be liberated, and the Onmyo-ryo will welcome its third "Big Daddy".

"We both have the surname Kurosawa, so she can call me 'older sister'," Kurosawa Aise said with a smile. Because she had acquired many things that Shinji Ikari had previously only seen her play with, Kurosawa Aise was in a very good mood. At the same time, she was learning from Himuro Kirie, drinking milk tea, watching dramas, and enjoying a leisurely life, adjusting her state of mind. After all, she would suffer a lot when the sealing truly began.

“Okay, Aise-nee!” Asou Yuu said quickly. Compared to the cold-faced Himuro Kirie, Kurosawa Aise seemed much easier to talk to, which made Asou Yuu breathe a sigh of relief. At least someone was willing to lend a hand, which was a good thing.

He was all too familiar with the process of these symptoms his fiancée was experiencing. First, she would feel unusually tired because of something. At this stage, she had already encountered something bad, but it was almost impossible to detect. After all, for most people, fatigue caused by work is a very normal situation, let alone someone like Kurosawa Rei who runs a private studio and is her own boss. Overtime is the norm for her.

At this time, it is actually human cognition that is being invaded. Feeling tired means that your mental strength is rapidly weakening. The simplest way to deal with this is not difficult. Just take a nap in the sun. This is the simplest way to exorcise evil. Of course, calming your mind and meditating, and questioning your true self are also good ways to deal with this.

However, most people don't notice this, so they quickly move on to the next stage: having nightmares. At this point, their self has already been contaminated to a certain depth. As it deepens further, they experience a series of nightmares, and their whole being becomes increasingly manic.

Once this line is crossed, auditory and visual hallucinations will occur. This is the last stage that can be stopped by normal methods. Attending Mass, sincere prayer, and relaxing hot spring baths are all very beneficial. On the contrary, psychological treatment, this kind of mind imprinting treatment, may not be able to cure it completely, but at least it can temporarily stop it.

If this stage hasn't ended, then I'm sorry, the next stage is when you can't distinguish between reality and illusion, dreams and reality. Something that matters deep down will appear constantly in your life, putting immense pressure on you. This stage is the last chance to stop you from sliding into the abyss, but it requires professional help.

If they still fail to stop it, then there are only two possible outcomes: either they are swallowed by the abyss, or they embrace the abyss, which means that huge trouble is about to begin.

Fortunately, although she didn't pay much attention at first, she recently received more and more orders because of her fame, and she was working overtime lately, so fatigue was normal. By the time Kurosawa Rei told Asou Yuu about it, she had been having nightmares continuously, and Asou Yuu immediately performed a simple exorcism and exorcism.

The situation improved, and Kurosawa Rei slept quite well that day. However, this only lasted one day. Realizing that the situation might not be as simple as she had imagined, she immediately contacted Sakaki Ryoko, wanting to ask Himuro Kirie, who wasn't so busy at the time, for help. However, Kurosawa Aise, who was right next to Sakaki Ryoko at the time, eating skewers, watching dramas, and sunbathing, was very interested in the exorcisms she had experienced many times with Ikari Shinji. She enthusiastically asked the Onmyōryō to prepare the necessary items, intending to give it a try.

At that time, Himuro Kirie was right next to Mimori, who almost jumped into the Night Spring. Yes, after arriving at Mount Hikami and having a wider range of activities, Mimori would run around everywhere every day, helping or causing trouble for the shrine maidens who were holding purification rituals. For example, she would seriously dance with the girls while wielding her naginata, and then casually strike down a lightning bolt in a place that she felt was wrong.

Then she started exploring everywhere. Because of Kurosawa Aise's pampering, the entire Mount Hikami was practically turned into Mimori's playground. The shrine maiden spirits of Mount Hikami would take care of her. Of course... the spirits couldn't keep an eye on Himuro Mimori, who was already close to A-rank combat power. As a result, that day she went straight into the depths of Mount Hikami. By the time Himuro Kirie dragged her back, she was already almost at the edge of Yomizumi.

Ryoko Sakaki and Kirie Himuro exchanged glances. Kirie Himuro nodded simply. Although Yuu Asou couldn't solve the problem, Yuu Asou himself wasn't particularly strong in spiritual power. He was more adept at handling tedious data organization and clue gathering. While the spiritual camera was useful, it was irrelevant at this moment, and it might just be a contamination by a relatively strong vengeful spirit. In that case, it would be a good supplement for Kirie Himuro and Aise Kurosawa.

With Himuro Kirie's guarantee, Sakaki Ryoko emboldened herself and spoke to Aso Yuu. Having received approval, Aso Yuu naturally rushed over immediately.

"Aise... Sister!" Kurosawa Rei's face was pale and her eyes were somewhat vacant, but she still clearly called Kurosawa Aise "Sister".

"Hey!" Kurosawa Aise stood up and slowly walked up to her. "Your mental state is in such a bad state. Her spiritual power and intuition seem to be better than yours, a legitimate exorcist." Kurosawa Aise pointed at Asou Yuu. Asou Yuu smiled awkwardly. He knew that his girlfriend had some spiritual power, but because of the special nature of this industry, he had asked Kurosawa Rei to stay away from this strange and wonderful world as much as possible.

"Sit down and relax. No one can hurt you here." Kurosawa Aise pointed to a chair next to her, indicating that she should relax. She and Himuro Kirie had both suppressed their auras and did not intend to harm Shinji Ikari's friend.

"Hmm." Kurosawa Rei sat down in the chair.

“Hmm, next is…” Kurosawa Rei turned to look at the incense and other ritual supplies prepared by the Yin-Yang Bureau behind her. Since it was Kurosawa Aise who requested them, they were all of the highest quality.

"We don't need those things. As long as we leave our aura on her, the vengeful spirits will stay away from her." Himuro Kirie shook her head and suddenly felt that Kurosawa Aise and Ikari Shinji were somewhat of a perfect match. Otherwise, she wouldn't have made the foolish decision to support Ikari Shinji in running around in her Himuro mansion for nearly two months, exhausting the soul power of her split body. She looked just like her foolish younger brother.

“That takes away a lot of the interesting parts.” Kurosawa Aise reached out and placed her hand on Kurosawa Rei’s shoulder, and then… “Hmm?” In an instant, her aura suddenly changed, and a fierce and powerful aura descended, causing everyone nearby to feel an immediate surge of fear.

"Hmm?" Himuro Kirie frowned. What was going on? Had Kurosawa Aise gone too far? This was really Shinji Ikari's style. Should she intervene? Through her veil, Himuro Kirie looked at Kurosawa Rei, hesitating. She felt it wasn't appropriate. Although Kurosawa Rei did have stronger spiritual power than Asou Yuu, without any training, she was no match for Shinji Ikari, and even most of the shrine maidens here had stronger spiritual power than her.

However, even Shinji Ikari couldn't withstand the combined power of Himuro Kirie and Kurosawa Ayase. Kurosawa Rei would probably collapse and become a cripple the moment her own power entered her.

"Hmph!" A slight distortion appeared around Kurosawa Aise, clearly indicating that she was serious. This situation caused Asou Yuu, who was standing next to her, to swallow hard. Without even asking, he knew that Kurosawa Rei had been targeted by something extraordinary this time!

Not long after, Kurosawa Aise released his grip, and Kurosawa Rei looked relieved. He tilted his head and fell asleep.

"Looks like it won't be easy?" Himuro Kirie glanced at Kurosawa Ayase. Kurosawa Ayase's power was extremely strong, which was why she would rather help her suppress Yozumi than let her have a direct confrontation with Shinji Ikari. Of course, the main reason was that after they arm-wrestled one day, they both realized one thing: they couldn't do anything to each other.

"I have to say this is quite unexpected. This tattooed woman is a bit troublesome! Hmph! Shinji is right! No one with a tattoo is a good person!" Kurosawa Aise glanced at the blue tattoo that seemed to be trying to wrap around his palm, sneered, and shattered it with a flick of his wrist. "The one on her body has been removed, but I estimate it won't last long. Although I don't want to say it, she's already being targeted."

"Just like you've got your eye on Shinji?" Himuro Kirie poked Kurosawa Aise without any politeness.

“That’s right, that’s right!” Kurosawa Aise wasn’t angry at all. She knew Himuro Kirie’s temper quite well. She was a classic case of a sharp tongue but a soft heart. Kurosawa Aise had no doubt that if something happened to her, Himuro Kirie would probably come to help her in a huff!

"Is there any hope for her?" Aso Yuu panicked when her girlfriend was being targeted by someone who could rival Kurosawa Aise.

"Now it's your turn to shine. Go do some research: blue, tattoos, and it must be a case of a failed ritual that led to their disappearance." Kurosawa Aise waved his hand, decisively giving Aso Yuu a task, otherwise this guy's overthinking could easily cause problems.

"A tattoo? Okay! I understand, pity her!"

"Stay with us for now! Don't worry."

"Thank you!"

Chapter 315 After Ayato Kamina Learned to Use His Waves

"So Rei-nee was also targeted by a fierce god, or at least a fierce god-level one?" Shinji Ikari was speechless. He thought that since Asou Yuuyu hadn't been hit by the car, Kurosawa Rei would be fine. But the cause and effect of some things might be more complicated than imagined. Just because Asou Yuuyu was alright didn't mean that Kurosawa Rei could avoid this calamity.

"Yes, Sister Aise can basically protect Sister Rei, but Sister Rei won't be able to leave Mount Hikami for a while." Ryoko Sakaki sighed. You idiot, isn't your girlfriend also being targeted by a fierce god?! A couple of days ago, when Aise held my hand and chatted with me, I was so scared that I wanted to curl up into a ball. Although there were several people from the Totsuki Group nearby, there was no doubt that while Aise was easy to talk to, they were useless if she really wanted to do something.

Not to mention, the topics Kurosawa Aise brought up were getting increasingly explicit. If Himuro Kirie hadn't been watching, he probably would have asked something like, "Can I borrow her body?" Why didn't you hurry up and rescue your girlfriend? You're not even as good as Aso Yuu!

"I'll take a shower here and then come over this afternoon." Shinji Ikari sighed. "Um, Ryoko..."

"Hmm... I'm listening!" Ryoko Sakaki grumbled, her face not looking too good. Someone had already snitched on her yesterday—a female colleague who seemed rather aloof towards Shinji Ikari—and it turned out she'd been exposed after all! Hmph! She'd see if that guy would actually lie! Of course, she'd already spoken to Nagisa and Rei, and they'd both agreed to keep an eye on Shinji! If he dared to cheat, they'd tell Ayase Kurosawa that her fiancé was seeing other women behind her back! Hmph!

"Well, Asuka is moving in with Mei Isayama. Her mother committed suicide when she was a child. She's actually very afraid of being alone and has a very serious mental illness, so..." Shinji Ikari hesitated for a long time, unsure how to put it.

"If there's a next time, Ryoko won't have to lift a finger~ The Kurosawa family has a very strict family tradition!" Kurosawa Aise's voice suddenly came from the phone, sending a chill down Shinji Ikari's spine!

"Absolutely not, the Himuro family doesn't accept fickleness!" Himuro Kirie also warned Shinji Ikari about his actions. "Keep the photos with you, and put the Sacred Mirror back in the shrine! We're watching you!" Himuro Kirie's attitude was much more direct, meaning she was keeping a close eye on him and not letting him do anything reckless. Sakaki Ryoko's idea of ​​having Rei Ayanami keep an eye on Shinji Ikari was completely unreliable. Rei Ayanami herself would come out as soon as she finished showering, and Himuro Kirie had sensed Shinji Ikari opening the window and jumping out several times through the Sacred Mirror. Fortunately, Rei had recently been taught by Nagisa-nee that she no longer had this habit.

"Eh..." Shinji Ikari was completely shocked. The image that came to his mind was two fierce-looking men standing behind him, ready to punish him with smiles. "I didn't do anything."

"Hmph, she's already at my doorstep, and you're saying you didn't do anything? Do you even believe that yourself? Alright, I'm just waiting for Ryoko to come and complain to me, then I'll give you a good beating!" Kurosawa Aise said with a smile, then gestured to Himuro Kirie with the phone.

Himuro Kirie shook her head. This brat's only problem being scared; you actually want to punish him? Even if you, Kurosawa Aise, wanted to, I'd have to stop you. My brother has several women, so what? You're the one who came later! Sakaki Ryoko is our brother's wife! Anyway, even if my brother changes his surname, it won't be Kurosawa! What?! Doesn't Himuro sound good?

"Let's get this straight, no messing around! Anyway, Mei-nee will keep an eye on things for me!" Sakaki Ryoko stared blankly at the phone that had been twirling in the fierce-looking man's hand before returning to the table. "Should I cook your dinner tonight too?"

"Go ahead and do it. I'll be there in a bit. Has Asou Yuu already left?" Shinji Ikari looked at the pile of things he had bought to prepare for Kurosawa Aise. Shinji felt a headache coming on. If he just brought them like this, would he get kicked off the bed by Sakaki Ryoko, or would his sister beat him up for stepping into the Himuro mansion with his left foot?

"Okay, yes, Asou Yuu has already set off. He's almost frantic with worry because his fiancée has been targeted by some big shot from who-knows-where." Sakaki Ryoko sighed. Asou Yuu ran off immediately after receiving Kurosawa Sashige's promise, without any intention of stopping.

"..." Shinji Ikari paused for a moment, unsure of what to do. "I'll call him right away." For some reason, Shinji felt that things might not be so simple, because the various events that had occurred were too coincidental: the chaos at Mount Hikami, and then a large number of people coveting Saege Kurosawa's power, surging up Mount Hikami!

Upon returning to Tokyo-3, Kurosawa Rei was immediately targeted by a top-tier big shot! He had no choice but to seek help from Mount Hikami once again. This entire series of events revolved around Mount Hikami, and throughout it all, a conspiracy was constantly unfolding around the network of relationships among the people associated with Mount Hikami.

Two days ago, when Shinji Ikari rushed back to Tokyo-3, the information Ryoko Yakushiji gave him undoubtedly mentioned the Eternal Life Society's interest in the legend of immortality of the Hikami Shrine Maiden lineage! This wasn't just a simple investigation; it was a genuine attempt to seize control of that power.

Considering what's happening now, Shinji Ikari almost instinctively felt that this matter was not simple. When Yuu Aso came down the mountain, it might have been what the other party had expressed her wish for!

“This isn’t just something you thought of. The Onmyōryō has even started investigating internal information to find out who leaked the news.” As soon as Shinji Ikari finished speaking, Ryoko Sakaki began to recount, “This time, Oise-nee arranged for a shrine maiden to go with them, and people from the Spellcaster Association also went along. They really want to see who has the audacity to stir up trouble.”

"The Spellcaster Association? Why would they be so proactive?" Shinji Ikari was somewhat puzzled. Compared to the Onmyōryō (Yōryō), spellcasters were more grassroots and more loosely organized. This looseness only referred to the association's control over the spellcasters. Shinji knew a spellcaster who was lazy to the core and had even worked as an ordinary office worker for a long time...

However, they are also very united. They are centered around bloodlines, which connects everyone in the family. Although they are conservative, they also ensure the maximum room for inheritance and development. It is somewhat cruel to their young people, but... it works!

In Shinji Ikari's world, there is no room for gentleness and humility; power determines life and death! Use what is effective, survive, and win! That is everything! Even in the supposedly purest countermeasures bureau, haven't there been clans? Otherwise, why would Mei Isayama go to such lengths to prepare to establish his own Isayama family?

"Because there was one, oh no, a bunch of idiots who thought they could get away with something on Mount Hikami, but they got ambushed and a lot of people died~" Sakaki Ryoko's hand suddenly went empty, and a voice that Shinji Ikari was very familiar with entered her ears. It was Gojo Satoru's voice that seemed to care about nothing.

"There's more to this story?" Shinji Ikari was speechless. "So, should I express my dissatisfaction?" Because theoretically, the owner of Mount Hikami is Ayase Kurosawa, and theoretically, Ayase Kurosawa is now his fiancée. Of course, in a sense, his word might not count; it's Ayase Kurosawa's decision.

"Hmm...that seems to make sense. Oh, don't glare at me. I can't handle the anger of the two of you." Gojo Satoru felt a chill run down his spine. He turned around and saw that Kurosawa Aise, Himuro Kirie, and Himuro Mimori were all glaring at him. Although he could ignore the last little guy, it was a bit scary to see the first two glaring at him.

"Hey! You're scared too, huh?" Shinji Ikari said irritably. "So now the situation has gotten so bad that the Spellcaster Association is starting to make you do chores?" As far as Shinji knew, Satoru Gojo was never a particularly diligent person, so his presence in such a hotspot area basically meant he was forced to come.

“Unless it’s something really big, we can only send this many people, and frankly, no one else would dare to come.” Gojo Satoru casually waved to the two menacing figures in front of him, indicating that he meant no harm and that this was a greeting.

"Also, could you help me introduce a few of the kids to Senior Huanhai for some special training?" Gojou Satoru said with a smile. Recently, a lot of trouble has been happening, and the cursed spirits have become more and more active, so the Spellcaster Association has begun to feel a bit of urgency. If they can't make money through shady means, then steady and solid strengthening seems to be acceptable.

"You should know how brutal the training methods are over there. Are you sure your precious sorcerers can handle it?" The training methods of the Phantom Sea? They'll beat you up, and how much you learn depends on your level. The Onmyo-ryo has a lot to say about this. A certain guy who sweeps the floor in the Himuro mansion also uses this teaching method... and they don't hold back at all just because their opponents are delicate shrine maidens. Getting beaten black and blue is a common occurrence.

“We have to give it a try! After all, Ayato Kamina’s training has been very effective, and everyone has seen it.” Gojo Satoru said with a smile, “You may not know, but in the battle that just ended, Winged God Seine released a Spirit Gun… and it was quite powerful! That big guy who attacked was taken down.”

"I..." Shinji Ikari was on the verge of a mental breakdown. This was no joke. After he had distorted the style of Unit-01, he had also distorted the style of Sion the Rising Deity?!

"That's why I had to come find you right away, otherwise I wouldn't even have a chance if I was late."

"Okay...okay...I'll ask for you."

Who is the target in Chapter 316?

If the news that Ayato Kamina could release the Spirit Gun was a shock, the next piece of news was not so interesting. Shinji Ikari's other mentor, Sensui Shinobu, who can be said to have shaped the current Shinji Ikari, was once again discovered. It seems that he met someone in Tokyo and was discovered. The other party seems to be someone wanted by the Jujutsu Association. The Jujutsu Association was unwilling to say more about what happened.

Shinji Ikari sighed. None of his traitorous mentors were easy to deal with, which was one of the reasons he almost thought he was destined to be the protagonist... but the dream ended a little too quickly! Shinji was too lazy to ask which traitor had colluded with his traitorous mentors. After all, his traitorous mentors had such a broad vision; asking them to find a few useless people to cooperate with was simply impossible. So there was no need to guess; nine times out of ten, it was either a major villain or the final boss, in short, a definitely not insignificant threat.

However, Shinji Ikari is currently facing too many things and doesn't have much energy to investigate this matter carefully. He can only forward the message and see what actions each organization will take. But Shinji Ikari estimates that among the major organizations, the only one that will actually mobilize resources to pursue Sensui Ninja is the Spirit Detectives. In other words, it's Yusuke Urameshi and his group who are resting after being busy all this time.

However, in reality, there is still a significant gap between Yusuke Urameshi and his friends' fighting strength and that of Sensui Shinobu! If they were to try to compete with Sensui Shinobu, it would probably be a waste... unless Yusuke Urameshi suddenly had a generational genetic explosion like in the manga, otherwise they would just be throwing their lives away.

"What is all this... Never mind, how long are you going to stay there?" Shinji Ikari let out a lament, and casually asked about someone's whereabouts. If Satoru Gojo was staying on Mount Hikami, it would, in a sense, mean that the Spellcaster Association believed that something important was about to happen on Mount Hikami, otherwise they wouldn't leave such a valuable asset here to languish.

"We really need to stay a few more days to see if we can find a few unlucky guys who aren't quite dead yet, or some fools who still haven't figured things out." Gojo Satoru said sarcastically. Before Kurosawa Aise woke up, you might have a good reason to come up the mountain in the future, but now that you've come in without permission, don't blame Kurosawa Aise for killing you.

Moreover, in Gojo Satoru's eyes, doing this was utterly brainless. Look how shrewd the Totsuki Group is, look how smoothly the Onmyoryo lies down, how alluring their posture is! The Totsuki Group spent a fortune hiring a group of low-level exorcists as construction workers to forcibly renovate that hot spring hotel, intending to use it as a temporary residence for the two evil gods. In the future, after Yomizumi is sealed, they plan to build three shrines at once, according to the highest-level shrine standards. The Totsuki Group, which has no shortage of money, intends to build them to the highest standards.

The Onmyo-ryo (Yin-Yang Bureau) goes without saying. With the well-established training systems of Minakami Village and Himuro Mansion, the training of shrine maidens and priests has been fully rolled out once again. Therefore, the Onmyo-ryo has upgraded from providing some tool support to exorcists to providing systematic training, and the Onmyo-ryo's own strength is constantly improving!

Now, with Himuro Kirie's call, the Onmyōryō (Yōgyō) unleashed all its power except for its last trump card, fiercely purifying the pollution on Mount Hirokami step by step. They truly displayed the spirit of a do-or-die battle. To be honest, once the shrine of the Tōtsuki Group is completed, who will move in? The stingy, long-coveting sorcerer families? Or the Countermeasures Bureau, who will stand by indifferently and not want to get involved at all? In this round, the Onmyōryō and the Tōtsuki Group have won big. After all, even Gojō Satoru is very curious about what these chefs can make with the purified night spring water.

"Then we'll talk more when we meet!" Shinji Ikari suddenly felt a bit exhausted. Someone who had once been kind to him seemed to have played a dishonorable role in the series of events at Mount Hikami. Another person who had taught him to walk the righteous path was now plotting to drag the human world into an abyss of destruction. What a terrible plot!

"Okay, I'll return your phone to your girlfriend now. Those two are practically pinning me to the wall with their eyes on me!" someone said with a grin, then tossed the phone back to Sakaki Ryoko. He then took out two Soul-Suppressing Rulers from his handbag. "Hey, I almost forgot! These are gifts from our Spellcaster Association. Those idiots were really rude the other day!"

"If Shinji hadn't been taken care of by you so many times, I would definitely ask, 'Is this all you want to do?'" Kurosawa Aise accepted the gift, touching it. It was carved from fine black jade, though it wouldn't be of much use to her and Himuro Kirie... well, maybe it would still be somewhat useful. Watching Himuro Kirie stroke the Soul-Suppressing Ruler, her gaze already drifting towards Himuro Mimori, who was shrinking back, Kurosawa Aise clapped her hands. Perhaps she could use it to deal with the troublemaking Shinji later. He wouldn't die, but he would hurt! She would refine it properly, refine it properly!

"I feel like something's not quite right! Oh well, it's not my problem, as long as you two are happy." Gojo Satoru watched as Kiyokawa stroked the Soul-Suppressing Ruler, and at the same time began to modify it. The barrier rope had already begun to wrap around Himuro Kirie, making it easier to grip and preventing it from slipping out of her hand. Himuro Mimori, standing beside him, glared at him angrily, thinking, "What a lousy gift you gave me!" Gojo Satoru immediately returned the little girl's smile with a bright smile.

Meanwhile, Ryoko Sakaki, unaware of this, simply gave Shinji a few words of advice before hanging up. She knew very well that her boyfriend Shinji, Mei Isayama, and Yuu Aso had faced life and death together countless times, pulling each other out of seemingly hopeless situations. The phrase "entrusting each other with their lives" was no joke. Therefore, if anything happened to Yuu Aso, Shinji would definitely not stand idly by. This was precisely why she was attracted to him.

After hanging up the phone, Shinji Ikari stared at his phone speechlessly. It seemed that after making all those calls, his problems hadn't been solved at all; in fact, they'd only gotten worse...

However, now was definitely not the time for him to slack off. He sent a message to Ritsuko Akagi informing her of his schedule, and after thinking for a moment, he sent a message to Misato Katsuragi asking for leave. In any case, NERV's top priority in the next few days was definitely to bring Unit-01 back for repairs. The bite from Unit-03 was the most serious injury Unit-01 had ever suffered since Shinji Ikari piloted it, with blood gushing from its entire waist.

Furthermore, because the Matsushiro Test Site was completely destroyed, Unit-01 could not be repaired there at all and had to be transported back to NERV's headquarters in Tokyo-3 for repairs. Moreover, because the Matsushiro Test Site was so badly damaged, just transporting the supporting equipment by air was already a huge effort for the engineering department. Shinji Ikari was on the phone when the hoisting operation had just begun, and he could only give Unit-01 a simple stopgap treatment, like bandaging it up. And even then, the Babem Foundation provided a lot of help.

Not to mention, there are still two equally demanding tasks waiting for the engineering department: unsealing Unit 2 and preparing Unit 0. They'll basically be working day and night! After dealing with the three EVAs, there might be some new designs developed by the technical department based on this battle to work on. Even after all that is done!

Hmm, the reconstruction work in Tokyo-3... oh dear, the progress has been slow.

The two replied quickly. Misato Katsuragi knew that Shinji Ikari had been carrying a lot of responsibilities lately, and it was no joke that he was constantly on the move, so she didn't say much, only asking him to keep in touch. After all, the benefits Shinji Ikari brought to NERV were considerable. Thanks to him, the entire NERV headquarters was a mysterious place in the eyes of countries around the world, which was one of the reasons why organizations like the Babem Foundation were willing to pay huge sums of money to NERV headquarters.

"What happened?" Mei Isayama asked, looking at Shinji Ikari's extremely pale face. He had seemed to be in good spirits just moments before.

"I don't know why, but I feel that the series of events at Mount Hikami are not over yet. Moreover, it seems that the other party has found something deadly this time. If there are no surprises, Sister Lian's accidental possession is very likely to be a conspiracy by the Eternal Life Society or something else. Aso Yuu's investigation is likely to be in trouble."

“That makes sense…” Mei Isayama nodded. The three of them had dealt with countless shady gangs and cults during their collaboration. These people had no bottom line; they wouldn't care what means they used to achieve their goals. As for Yuu Asou's skills, he might be able to handle ordinary people without much trouble, but if someone was caught off guard, even a small handgun would be enough. “You go to Mount Hikami, I'll go find him!”

“Okay!” Shinji Ikari nodded immediately, then thought for a moment, “Although I’m not entirely sure, if you see Saki Soga from the Onmyōryō, remember to be careful!”

"Huh? Soga Saki? Are you sure?" Mei Isayama frowned. To be honest, it wasn't that she looked down on the Eternal Life Society, but she really didn't take their fighting strength seriously. After possessing the dragon bloodline, she was almost immune to firearms. But if the opponent was Soga Saki... "That woman is a real swordsman who can cut through iron. You must be joking!"

"No joke, Ryoko Yakushiji found out that her children are in the Eternal Life Society's hospital."

"Precise control, that's really interesting..."

Chapter 317 The Fight Begins! The Trump Card!

When Shinji Ikari arrived at Mount Hikami, it was already dark. He parked his motorcycle in the upper and lower parking spaces. For some reason, it seems that more and more people are setting off on motorcycles for exorcisms now, instead of driving as before. They are much smaller targets, which greatly increases their maneuverability and flexibility. Plus, parking is much easier. Right now, there are almost twenty motorcycles parked in what is roughly three parking spaces.

After jumping out of the car, several low-ranking agents from the Countermeasures Bureau exchanged glances. One of them picked up the microphone and informed his superiors that the Countermeasures Bureau was now only maintaining a minimum number of personnel here, and most of their forces had already been withdrawn. After all, there were so many people from the Onmyoji Bureau and the Spellcaster Association on the mountain, and if they couldn't even keep an eye on them, it would be pointless for the Countermeasures Bureau to leave its manpower here.

"Guys, how's the situation up the mountain?" Shinji Ikari handed over two small bottles of sake. The man's expression immediately improved when he saw the Totsuki Tsukiji Group logo on them. For these low-level employees, working in the Countermeasures Bureau basically meant receiving a slightly higher fixed salary. Of course, this was actually a protective measure. Although each bottle wasn't too expensive, it still cost around 30,000 to 50,000 yen.

"You must be Shinji. We've already been notified that you're coming. The cable car has started moving, so you can go up, but the atmosphere up there isn't so pleasant." The person from the Countermeasures Bureau looked delighted. Although the gift wasn't particularly valuable, it was certainly the most practical and useful thing for them.

"The priestesses and priests tried their best, but that's all they could do. If Night Spring's power hadn't been so greatly depleted beforehand, it might not have been this easy." Another person also briefly mentioned that they didn't know much about the situation on the mountain, only this much.

"I'm not taking the cable car up. After all, things have been a bit troublesome lately." Shinji Ikari shook his head. Who knows if the Babem Foundation has started targeting SEELE? If not, then who knows if SEELE will continue to attack him.