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

After all, Ritsuko Akagi didn't reveal who the child's father was, only saying that she was taken advantage of while drunk, but having a child would give him a companion, which was a good thing, and she'd consider it a gift from heaven. However, during a later conversation, Ritsuko Akagi asked her, "Do you think the child's surname sounds better, Himuro or Kurosawa?" Goodness, wasn't it obvious who the father was?

“No problem! Mizuhara Fuyumi has been preparing pregnancy meals for me every day, and she doesn’t even charge me.” Akagi Ritsuko reassured the somewhat inexplicably anxious Ibuki Maya. However, what she didn’t mention was that Kurosawa Aise had personally given the little one and her a “curse,” basically guaranteeing that she would never have to worry about any troublesome figures for the rest of her life. “Alright, so this time, NERV’s own intelligence network doesn’t have any information at all, right? It seems that recently, apart from the information obtained by the headquarters’ intelligence department, we’ve been getting less and less intelligence.”

“Yes.” Ibuki Maya paused for a moment, then quickly flipped through the documents in her hand. Indeed, although the amount of intelligence transmitted by NERV’s own intelligence network had not decreased, the valuable intelligence that could be filtered out was extremely scarce. And this time, there was absolutely no news that this huge thing was moving towards Japan; it was the US military that sent the information.

“Yes, oh, even the major powers on the side couldn’t stand it anymore…” While searching through the intelligence, Ritsuko Akagi suddenly noticed a piece of intelligence that had just been filtered out. A certain major Eastern power had sent intelligence to NERV headquarters that it was approaching, which was equivalent to confirming that such a thing was happening. Danger was approaching Japan, where NERV headquarters was located. As for whether it was an Angel, it was still hard to judge. After all, there really were monsters of that size in the sea.

"So what should we do about this, Misato? You're in charge. And don't touch me like that. If you want some, go find Ryoji." Ritsuko Akagi slapped away Misato Katsuragi's hand that was reaching for her lower abdomen, rolled her eyes, and then opened the box, took out a chocolate bar made by Shinji Ikari, and quickly closed the lid, as if she didn't intend to share it.

“Who and him…” Katsuragi Misato frowned and said irritably. However, seeing the strange looks she was getting from the people around her, she rolled her eyes. Ever since Kaji Ryoji saved her life last time, the two of them had often been seen together and had been spotted by various colleagues. So, they were basically considered to be a couple who had rekindled their old flame. Katsuragi Misato just wouldn’t admit it, but her body was very honest (in a sense, that was indeed the case).

"So what's going on?" However, as an adult, Misato Katsuragi wasn't lacking in shamelessness. Talking about work! Talking about work! So annoying! "Two major powers that don't get along so well have actually united at this time?"

“Because of what Shinji Ikari has been doing lately, it’s not as simple as just trying it out in Japan.” Ritsuko Akagi took out several documents. “It’s just that both sides have already resolved the matter using their own methods.”

"This solution, apart from being a bit expensive, seems to be the most practical and least costly one at the moment. It's only because the Self-Defense Forces are being purged that this is a viable approach. After all, rockets, artillery shells, and heavy machine gun bullets are much simpler and more brutal than the limited firepower available to the Metropolitan Police Department officers! And they've already fought so hard." Misato Katsuragi glanced at the scene she had filmed. The sight of thousands of cannons firing simultaneously, directly and brutally solving all problems with sheer force, was truly breathtaking.

After the shelling, the few demons who managed to break through the gate were basically turned into a pile of bloody pulp. A certain major Eastern country also fired two rounds of thermobaric bombs into the passage. I wonder how the demons behind felt.

"But you also have to consider that the Self-Defense Forces have suffered terrifying losses of various tactical weapons in their several battles against the Angels and combat units from Tokyo Jupiter. We, on the other hand, with such a level of armament, are simply unable to deploy our combat power to New Tokyo due to legal restrictions! The Japanese government is currently in a state of extreme anxiety." Shigeru Aoki suddenly interjected.

Following the New Tokyo Incident, the Self-Defense Forces were nominally "reorganized," but in reality, they were undergoing an internal purge. Let alone deploying for such a large-scale operation! Just the mere thought of the Self-Defense Forces entering New Tokyo again, no, even just getting close to New Tokyo, would be enough to trigger a panic reaction among these bureaucrats!

For them, the demon realm's invasion was still somewhat distant, but the recent coup had nearly wiped them out in one fell swoop. For these powerful and wealthy Japanese bureaucrats, this was unbearable! These easily frightened individuals were simply incapable of understanding the bigger picture!

Ultimately, one of the reasons for the discontent within the Self-Defense Forces that led to this large-scale coup was the massive casualties inflicted on both NERV and TERRA. The soldiers at the lower ranks could no longer withstand such devastating losses, especially since the battles had become completely unrelated to them. This had fueled immense resentment among the lower-ranking soldiers and officers. Therefore, it was truly uncertain whether the Japanese government could effectively mobilize the remaining Self-Defense Forces.

"Let's ignore them for now. The problem now is how to determine what's going on. Although there's a high chance it's an apostle... it's moving at high speed underwater right now, and we don't have any monitoring equipment to confirm it."

“Actually, there’s something that’s been a bit strange to me all along…” Misato Katsuragi said with a serious expression, “Why don’t these Angels come out all at once? It’s like they’re being produced one by one. With Unit-01’s combat power, if they send out three or four Angels in the first wave, we probably won’t be able to hold them off.”

"Not necessarily. If it's Shinji, the previous Angels will just be a bit troublesome, and it's just a matter of how much trouble they cause." The most troublesome ones are the recent batch. Hyuga Seiya chimed in.

"Oh, they also want us to keep all EVAs on standby as soon as possible... Hahaha, they're practically telling us not to let Shinji go out and run around!" Misato Katsuragi suddenly noticed a sentence in the intelligence report and laughed loudly. Everyone's expressions were also full of smiles. After all, for everyone, Shinji Ikari's Unit-01 accounted for 70% or more of NERV's combat power, to put it bluntly.

Shinji Ikari's formidable fighting power is something even Asuka and Rei Ayanami acknowledge as the strongest fighter. The combined fighting power of Unit-00 and Unit-02 is only about half that of Unit-01. Not to mention Shinji's synchronization rate, which NERV headquarters no longer reports. Others may not have a concrete understanding of the concept of synchronization rate, but Ritsuko Akagi is very clear about it. Synchronization rate is not just about the speed at which the pilot and the EVA move in sync; in a sense, this synchronization also includes the mental level.

The manufacture of EVAs is not just the production of simple mechanical parts. Each EVA is a great creation. Shinji Ikari's breakthrough of 100% synchronization rate is not just about physical synchronization, but has risen to the level of mental synchronization. In a sense, at this stage, Shinji Ikari has begun to transcend the concept of mortals.

However, in Ritsuko Akagi's view, in a sense, this was a change in Shinji Ikari's life essence after he broke through to A-class and even S-class. As the medical department, they have the most direct data on this. The blood and tissue samples taken from Shinji Ikari are already significantly different from those of ordinary people.

Putting aside everything else, those broken scalpels alone provide the best proof of Shinji Ikari's abilities. The medical department even has reason to doubt whether ordinary handgun bullets could still inflict sufficient damage on him. More importantly, Shinji's willpower far surpasses that of ordinary people. After all, for a martial artist, among the three elements of mind, skill, and body, the mind is still the most important.

"So, should we recall Shinji Ikari for combat readiness duty?" Maya Ibuki asked hesitantly. Shinji's work was also very important. Just now, they had been looking at the intelligence reports shared by Shinji about the previous wave of the Demon World operation. Shinji's conclusions about the Metropolitan Police Department's Special Affairs Division and the vanguard forces deployed by the Demon World gave them a direct impression. That's why they later exclaimed, "Heavy firepower is really good!" when comparing how the other two major powers handled this matter, even though such terrifying firepower was useless against the Angels.

“Send him a message. Things over there are probably all finished. If Shinji Ikari still has things to attend to, he won’t come back immediately. If everything is done, we should be able to see Shinji around dinner time.” Ritsuko Akagi gave her suggestion without hesitation.

"That's exactly right. I'll issue this in my personal capacity: If Shinji hasn't returned in three hours, then issue a combat readiness order in NERV's name. Guys, you have three hours to wash up and get some sleep. After that, it's non-stop overtime!"

“That’s really good news,” Ibuki Maya said, rolling her eyes.

"Hmm? What happened?" Danma Ryuji asked with a smile, looking at Shinji Ikari sitting in front of him, who suddenly looked at his phone with a somewhat gloomy expression.

"I received a notification that I need to return to base immediately to prepare for combat readiness duty." Shinji Ikari finished the skewer in his hand in one bite.

“Yeah…you said this time it would be a bit more extravagant?” As Danma Ryuji spoke, he glanced at the shop next to him, which was almost empty. Under Shinji Ikari’s warning, Danma Ryuji decided to suspend business for a while. All the goods in this shop had been moved to the old shop, and the shop, which had been idle for a while, was suddenly filled up again. “Speaking of which, I should thank you for lending me the rental house you bought.”

It's unclear what kind of resentment it stemmed from, but since his belongings were piled up there, Shinji Ikari, who wasn't short of money, went directly to the landlord from back then and bought the house. The landlord seemed quite happy to be able to sell the property in such a remote location smoothly and readily offered a fair price.

Today is the last night that Ryuji Danma and his crew will spend here. After that, they will close the shop. If all goes well, they will move back from that side. The shop here will have minimal staff for the time being, basically only responsible for repairing motorcycles. Because of this, Shinji Ikari and Ryuji Danma, who had just finished moving the last truckload of goods, were squatting behind the shop eating barbecue.

“Looks like your estimated time has come.” Ryuji Danma raised his beer can and clinked it against Shinji Ikari’s. “Although I find it a bit strange, since all of this seems so easy for you, right?” Ryuji Danma trusted Shinji more than Shinji had confidence in him. After all, from the moment he met Shinji, Shinji had been an almost omnipotent guy, handling almost everything with ease, even before he was that powerful.

"Me? Easily handle it? If I were that confident, I wouldn't have yelled at you two to run back over there. Oh, by the way, I've put the bracelets on you all." Shinji Ikari shook his head with a wry smile. He always felt that SEELE's docile behavior must be because they were plotting something bad. He could say that he had ripped their script to shreds. For these guys, calling them mortal enemies wouldn't be an exaggeration.

Recently, we finally found out what SEELE had prepared for us: the first EVA that seems to be able to fly... waiting for us there, and maybe there will be some other things as well.

"Haha, the stronger you get, the more timid you become. You've made so many preparations, what are you afraid of?" Ryuji Danma laughed and patted Shinji Ikari on the shoulder.

“It’s precisely because I know that endless troubles are coming, and this time I have to get through it all at once.” Shinji Ikari shrugged. “If we fail… it might not just be a matter of some people dying.”

"Then wipe them out completely!"

"...Yes, wipe them out completely!"

Chapter 401 Nutritional Meals

"You really arrived right on time." Misato Katsuragi looked at Shinji Ikari with a speechless expression, a half-smile on her face. She knew exactly what Shinji was doing. As the de facto rulers of Tokyo-3, they naturally knew that Shinji was eating skewers in front of Ryuji's car dealership. If they wanted, they could even have hundreds of people watching Shinji eat skewers.

However, Shinji Ikari was surprisingly well-behaved. After finishing his meal, he said goodbye to Ryuji Danma, got in the car, and left. But he went home first. Then, at exactly 2 hours, 59 minutes, and 12 seconds after entering the NERV base, Misato Katsuragi looked at Shigeru Aoki on the other side, preparing to have him issue a combat readiness order to forcibly recall Shinji Ikari, at least to get an explanation and a deadline for his return.

"You didn't say when I'd be back, so it's just combat readiness. Why are you calling me back to base so urgently?" Shinji Ikari had a somewhat strange expression. He had just stopped the car when he was blocked by Misato Katsuragi. Why did Misato Katsuragi seem so resentful?

"This is the latest intelligence; you probably haven't seen it yet." Misato Katsuragi handed Shinji Ikari a stack of handwritten documents, densely packed with information and hand-drawn charts. It was a compilation of all the important intelligence she had recently gathered; essentially, she had filtered out the most crucial details and removed most of the unnecessary information.

"I've already looked through most of the information." Shinji Ikari glanced through it and was somewhat surprised. He had obtained most of it from Mari Makinami. "She was doing her homework during her date. That's tough." After memorizing the contents of the information, Shinji Ikari rubbed his hands together, and the papers containing the information were instantly crushed into shreds, more efficient than a paper shredder.

"Huh?!" Misato Katsuragi was shocked by what Shinji Ikari said. Shinji Ikari knew that too? But then she realized that Shinji Ikari probably learned this information through the girl he had mentioned to her. "Then tell me something I don't know?" Misato Katsuragi said without any hesitation.

“There are at least two or three extraordinary S-rank warriors preparing for the battle against the Demon Realm, and one of them, being rather meddlesome, has already arrived in the Demon Realm,” Shinji Ikari said with a wry smile. On his way here, Shinji received a call from Shinobu Sensui.

Shinobu Sensui didn't mean anything by it; she simply stated that she would go to the Demon World again, and if possible, she would try to see if what Shinji Ikari had said was truly feasible there.

What did Shinji Ikari say? "These demons fear power but don't appreciate virtue. If you want them to do what you want, you have to subdue the world with your fists." While this statement is quite absurd, it actually happened later in the Yu Yu Hakusho storyline. Despite the many things to criticize, it was through sheer force that a true king of the demon world was chosen, and not just one of the current three demon leaders.

“I guess it must be your mentor.” After swiping the card to open the elevator, Misato Katsuragi and Shinji Ikari walked in together. Looking at the mechanical floor display dial on the elevator, Misato Katsuragi hesitated for a moment and said, “I’m a little surprised, but you’ve done so much, so it’s not without its value.”

"Right... but one thing is certain, my ancestor didn't understand." Shinji Ikari watched the wheel spin layer by layer, curious about its size and how many layers were engraved inside. He tried not to think about his two stubborn masters; no matter which one, just thinking about them gave him a headache. "He still wanted a world where demons and humans could coexist."

"It sounds like this dream has already come true." Misato Katsuragi looked at Shinji Ikari strangely. Aren't there enough of these things in the world now? All kinds of monsters, ghosts and evil spirits roam the entire world. As humans, in many situations, perhaps a group or a few individuals are exceptionally powerful, but most people are just ordinary people. These people are very vulnerable in front of these monsters and demons.

“Yes, but what he wants is a world without discrimination and without killing each other, but how is that possible…” Shinji Ikari shook his head. Sensui Ninja, who went from one extreme to another, may be a demon like that, or perhaps there are humans like that, but this is definitely not a universal idea.

"Alright, but it's a good thing that he's willing to go. So, Fairy, you can go and prepare for battle with peace of mind." Misato Katsuragi nodded with a smile. This is good. At this time, a veteran S-rank powerhouse, as long as he's not on the opposite side, is already great news.

"So, can we confirm which one it is?" Shinji Ikari tilted his head. Generally speaking, when he was on standby, he would usually find traces of an Angel unless something unexpected happened. This wasn't the first time something like this had happened. Of course, there were also some false alarms. So, there were times when he would spend a day or two in the NERV base doing nothing but being highly tense, only to end up going back to sleep.

"We observed the Penghua Group of the AT domain in the sea, so it should be an Angel if there are no surprises." Misato Katsuragi said simply. It's not surprising that it's an Angel, but all the strange signs and the power that SEELE has mobilized in terms of intelligence are making Misato Katsuragi feel that this time, they may be facing more than just an Angel.

The elevator arrived at their floor. After the doors opened, Misato Katsuragi didn't immediately step out. Instead, she leaned against the elevator car and asked, "Shinji, are you ready to fight against anyone other than your master and student?"

“Hey…” Shinji Ikari turned around and laughed. Misato Katsuragi was actually worried about this? “Thank you for your concern about my mental health, but I can tell you very clearly that this is not a problem. If I don’t want to, my hand that pulls the trigger is quick and steady.” Shinji Ikari, “A little bit of information about myself.”

"Hmm?" Misato Katsuragi stepped out of the elevator, looking at Shinji Ikari with some surprise, while also being quite curious about what kind of story Shinji Ikari was going to share with her.

"As for me... I had my past memories awakened during the Dark Tournament. It was an era when humanity had already set foot on the stars." Shinji Ikari laughed, the corners of his mouth curving slightly dangerously.

"..." Misato Katsuragi silently swallowed. Her high-tech combat suit and the high-energy combat blade in her hand were unforgettable for everyone at NERV. It's said that Ritsuko Akagi lost a lot of brain cells trying to craft that story. "And then?"

"That soldier is called Lancer, a sergeant first class, belonging to the UNSC's ODST Hell Paratroopers. Although this unit has been fighting on the front lines against aliens ever since, guess what its initial goal was? Also, what battles has Lancer himself participated in? You might want to guess." Shinji Ikari said quietly, without turning around, waving his hand as a greeting to Misato Katsuragi, and then walked into the EVA pilots' changing room.

"Really, it seems I was worried for nothing!" Misato Katsuragi was quite impressed with Shinji Ikari's answer. She hadn't expected this outcome. After all, she was worried that Shinji, being a young man, might hesitate slightly when pulling the trigger, or that the other party might exploit this weakness. But now it seemed she didn't need to worry about that.

"Baka Shinji! You're only arriving now?" As soon as Shinji opened his wardrobe after the electronic door closed, he heard Asuka's voice coming from the other end of the room, which combined the dressing room and lounge.

"Ryuji and Nagisa are moving out today." Although her tone was as calm as ever, Asuka, who was about to say something, paused for a moment. She could detect a hint of reluctance in her voice, which was not a common emotion for Rei Ayanami.

"Yes, I was helping out with Brother Ryuji, and then I had a barbecue in the backyard before coming over." Shinji Ikari took out his battle suit, took off his clothes, and started changing.

"..." Asuka tilted her head and frowned as she watched Shinji Ikari change his clothes. However, perhaps because she was German, she did not reprimand Shinji for his obviously impolite behavior.

Rei Ayanami didn't care at all. Not to mention watching Shinji Ikari change clothes, there were more than a few times when Shinji came home late, rushed into the toilet to relieve himself, and made eye contact with Rei Ayanami while she was soaking in the bath. Although afterwards, Shinji would often be chased to the point of having nowhere to run after Nagisa (Yasha) with a baseball bat.

However, the crisscrossing scars on Shinji Ikari's back still shocked the two of them time and time again. This was undoubtedly telling everyone that Shinji Ikari's strength came at a huge price, and these scars were proof of that price! They were also a manifestation of Shinji Ikari's own willpower.

"You finished your barbecue before coming over? And now we only get these 'nutritious meals'?" Asuka looked at the plate in front of her, her face suddenly darkening! During the combat readiness period, all EVA pilots were only allowed to eat the standard nutritious meals provided by the NERV kitchen.

This kind of meal, which was criticized by the entire NERV, is probably no longer seen except in the supply room. On a standard four-compartment plate, there is a protein drink (or milk), mashed potatoes, vegetable puree, mixed fruit puree, two vitamin tablets, and two generously thick slices of milk toast (including a small box of jam).

Such a meal is absolutely nutritionally balanced and rich, with no excess calories, and is easy to digest. There will be absolutely no problems, and the risk of food poisoning is virtually nonexistent. In a sense, it can be considered a perfect meal! Of course, to be honest, in Shinji Ikari's description, this thing has absolutely no texture. Perhaps only Indians can accept so much porridge, not to mention the seasoning, which, for the sake of so-called health, is almost bland and tasteless.

"His nutritional meals are different from ours." At that moment, Rei Ayanami suddenly added insult to injury...

Yes, Shinji Ikari's "nutritional meals" are completely different from those of Rei Ayanami and Asuka Langley Soryu. Shinji's "nutritional meals" are prepared by Erina Nakiri and Alice Nakiri, and they are not only nutritious but also taste much better.

"Looks like my snacks are quite good." Shinji Ikari glanced at another rather traditional-looking food box placed to the side, casually flicked his key, and lightly knocked open the lid without flipping the box itself. Underneath the lid was a set of exquisitely crafted food, each piece square, resembling a pastry more than a proper meal. "Let's try some."

"Then I won't be polite." Asuka looked at what was in front of her, then at Shinji's not far away, and was really angry. She directly thrust her fork into Shinji's lunchbox.

"Thank you, let's eat!" After eating and drinking with Shinji Ikari for a while, especially after Ryoko Sakaki's cooking skills improved, Rei Ayanami began to look forward to food and even learned to make some desserts from Shinji Ikari.

After eating the snack-shaped nutritious meal, Rei Ayanami's expression briefly brightened, but she quickly returned to her original lifeless expression.

Asuka, standing to the side, froze for a moment before twitching her lips twice and letting out a vicious "Tch!"

"Huh? Why did you only eat one each?" Shinji Ikari noticed that the two girls were only taking a small bite when he walked to the table, which was very strange!

"Hmph! They specially made this meal for you! How can we just eat whatever we want!" Asuka smacked Shinji Ikari on the back of the head, her tone full of sarcasm.

"It's warm, but it's not for me." Rei Ayanami was drinking the hot juice, seemingly trying to cleanse her palate.

"Huh?" Shinji Ikari was taken aback. What was going on? Erina Nakiri, what are you up to? He picked up a piece with his chopsticks and put it in his mouth. After chewing it a couple of times, he froze, a softening look appearing in his eyes. "Alice actually pulled this trick..."

Who else could it be? This recipe was prepared by Alice Nakiri using all her means for Shinji Ikari. It was full of emotion, leaving Shinji speechless. Sometimes, the feeling of being deeply indebted to a beautiful woman is more than just feeling unworthy of her. At this moment, Shinji was sweating profusely.

"I want some too~" Whether Rei Ayanami can see it or not is uncertain, but Asuka definitely can't. Aise Kurosawa whispered in Shinji Ikari's ear. If she can't understand this, she's lived in vain!

"Sigh..." Himuro Kirie sighed helplessly. Her own younger brother... "Let Alice worship me."

"Hmph! So eager to protect your brother's little lover?"

"Humph!"

"Um... Alice and I are nothing..."

"Hehe, I believe you, do you?"

Chapter 402 Perhaps There Is a "Future"

"So it's confirmed that it's an Angel?" The phone in the lounge suddenly rang, saving Shinji from being glared at by two beautiful girls (plus a fierce-looking guy poking at Shinji's spirit to express his desire to eat him).

The call was from Ritsuko Akagi. "I just received further information from the US military. It's basically confirmed that all the signal characteristics we've collected match those of the Apostles, but..." Ritsuko Akagi whispered, "China has gone around in circles and notified Misato Katsuragi... They've spotted several large, unidentified ships in the near sea, also heading towards us."

"Interesting." Shinji Ikari's eyes narrowed. This time, they weren't worried about not having enough guests; in fact, they were a little concerned that not enough people would come! After all, Shinji Ikari planned to let the demons experience the hardships of the human world on the stage they were preparing.

"So you're all ready?" Misato Katsuragi took the microphone from Ritsuko Akagi and said quickly.

Misato Katsuragi's question about preparations was not about whether Shinji Ikari was ready to pilot the EVA into battle. Shinji had already arrived and was ready to enter Unit-01 at any time. What she was asking about were Shinji's strange and wonderful friends.

"Ah... I think everything is probably ready. After all, managing the food and drink for these people every day is quite stressful even for me." Shinji Ikari said with a smile. Several S-class powerhouses, including Satoru Gojo, Sadao Maou, and Kyo, were prepared to confront SEELE's possible backup plan. On the other hand, it was also meant to deter those who wanted to cause trouble or non-human beings.

When Shinji Ikari said he was taking care of their food and drink, he was obviously not just taking care of their food and drink in the ordinary sense...

"This is truly delightful... Old Master, your wine is excellent." Kuang put down his wine cup. That sip had brought back many memories and insights, and he had even had a peculiar feeling. His crimson eyes darted around, as if he had suddenly experienced a breakthrough in his swordsmanship. Even Kuang, with his proud nature, had to admit that a great reputation is well-deserved, and considering the aura emanating from these chefs, the Far Moon Group was not to be underestimated.

Each of the powerful S-rank figures present had a small sake cup. It wasn't that the Totsuki Group was stingy, but rather that Nakiri Senzaemon had only brought out so much sake. After deducting the amount used to offer to Himuro Kirie and Kurosawa Aise, Nakiri Senzaemon barely had enough for himself.

"Shinji's influence is truly immense." Gojo Satoru happily popped a thick slice of steak into his mouth, chewed it lightly, and glanced at Maou Sadao, who was also leisurely eating beside him. "How is it, Manager-san? The food prepared by the Elite Ten of the Totsuki Group is exceptionally rare, especially this year with Eishi Tsukasa and Ryoko-chan from the Himuro Mansion~"

"Amazing culinary skills, a magical experience, and an addictive aftertaste." Maou Sadao squinted, this really wasn't magical at all! He got goosebumps all over! The Elite Ten, plus a little bit of sake brewed by Nakiri Senzaemon, made him feel a mental shock once again after who knows how long! Feeling the unique sensations the chefs brought him, and the increase in his own mental strength, Maou Sadao couldn't help but smile.

"Hahaha... You're really too kind. Our Totsuki Group has received great favors from Shinji Ikari. This little thing is only to be done, only to be done!" Senzaemon Nakiri laughed heartily.

Sadao Maou's lips curled into a smile. As someone who was relatively close to Shinji Ikari, he had recently been helping Shinji solve a huge, ingenious idea that Shinji had put forward. So he was now sitting here with a perfectly comfortable feeling, accepting the hospitality of the chefs from the Totsuki Culinary Group.

However, perhaps because he had a lot of contact with Shinji Ikari and Ryoko Sakaki, and even Fuyumi Mizuhara was right across from his shop, he was very clear about the capabilities of the chefs at Totsuki Culinary Group. So when he saw the chefs cooking, he only glanced at them a few more times.

But the situation was different for him. After all, in his view, almost every one of these chefs was quite skilled, and even the monsters he hunted might not be as powerful as them. However, he knew very well from Izumo no Okuni that although the Totsuki Culinary Group had recently launched attacks on all sides, killing many monsters and blocking some passages, they had tried their best to increase Shinji Ikari's chances of success.

But! It wasn't the chefs from the Far Moon Group who were doing these things. They were still happily challenging the limits of human taste and senses, even though they would occasionally go into the now somewhat dangerous forests to hunt for special ingredients.

In a sense, why are the chefs of Totsuki Academy so grateful to Shinji Ikari and Kirie Himuro, even planning to replicate the Himuro Mansion in the main building complex of the academy and place a life-size statue of Kirie Himuro inside? The reason is simple: before receiving the Himuro-ryu tradition, the chefs of Totsuki Academy had explored some methods for strengthening their bodies through dietary supplements, but this path was slow, and people's digestive abilities could not withstand such drastic supplementation.

However, after practicing the Himuro style, the chefs of the Totsuki Culinary Group found a safe path to the superhuman, completing their original path. Many even experienced explosive growth, which made these chefs even happier. The path they were pursuing became clearer and more defined!

Now, the Totsuki Group is proactively repaying Shinji Ikari's every need! Senzaemon Nakiri brought the Elite Ten with the intention of more than just providing logistical support! Eishi Tsukasa even went so far as to learn some martial arts from Toguro's younger brother.

"You idiot, don't you know what situation you're in right now? All you do is worry about weird things." Misato Katsuragi chuckled, clearly annoyed by Shinji Ikari's complaints. After a few encounters with Helena, she knew that Shinji was no stranger to money. Not only had he robbed the yakuza, but he'd also robbed some monster merchant; his pockets were definitely bulging! A few meals wouldn't bankrupt him, would it?

“This level of skill seems sufficient to handle some situations.” Ritsuko Akagi glanced at Misato Katsuragi beside her. She knew a little more. The reinforcements Shinji Ikari had brought were not just some powerful individuals. Tens of thousands of meters above the ground, there was also a powerful aircraft that had returned from the United States, watching the Japanese archipelago on the ground.

Yes, Yonex Winged God has also secretly returned from America. Although Ayato Kamina's mental state isn't good right now, his actions of causing trouble for the Barbem Foundation throughout America have led him to show some signs of turning to the dark side. But at least, when Shinji Ikari asked him for help, he returned immediately without hesitation. The feelings between young people are actually very simple. If someone helped me when I needed it, then I will be there for them without hesitation when they need my help.

So now, in the expanded Lake Ashi, the Winged God Sone is sleeping soundly. Before returning to participate in the Totsuki Elite Ten's group activities, Sakaki Ryoko had already made a special trip to deliver food and some daily necessities to the gloomy-faced Kanna Ayato.

"So now it all depends on what kind of cards the opponent will reveal after the battle begins." Shinji Ikari, holding the microphone, had a big smile on his face. To be honest, after this series of moves, even Shinji himself felt like it was the final battle. Once the problem of the Demon Realm was solved, Shinji truly felt that he needed to have a serious talk with his father, who was thinking something he didn't know. If the talk broke down, he would just talk with his fists!

After all, Shinji Ikari had vaguely begun to find a direction he wanted to move forward in, whether it was the world reboot he actively chose in the original work, or the world reboot that was started like a puppet under the manipulation of others. From Shinji's current perspective, it was all a damn bad ending!

Everyone thinks Shinji Ikari is a cowardly escapist, but at this moment, he places all his hopes on a world-rebooting mechanism similar to reincarnation, repeatedly pushing humanity down the path they've already trod, starting all over again. Are you playing a game here?! Didn't get the ending you wanted? Reload and start over?! Wake up!

The world we live in now is fraught with danger, one could say it's fraught with peril! But restarting the world is no different from believing in reincarnation in religion—it's like thinking the next life might be better—it's both boring and ignorant!

Shinji Ikari feels he has a lot to say on this matter, since he feels that each of his loops is worse than the last!

Although the first life ended in a direct battle with the Covenant to the death, he still lived in a relatively ordinary and modern city during his childhood.

Although the second life seemed to be in a civilized world with advanced technology, it was still a wasteland! All the truly powerful and influential people had immigrated to space! And from the moment he started learning from the old man from the East, he lived like a savage…