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

"In other words, our fight is still meaningful. At least now we have accumulated value for our existence." Shinji Ikari rolled his eyes. Only when a person has value will they be valued. This really applies everywhere. "So, insiders, if we reorganize, we shouldn't just be dealing with things on the Japanese mainland anymore."

"That's probably right. Normally, organizations that have lost their value but still have strong capabilities should be merged in. Speaking of which, TERRA next door just sent us a request, asking you to tell them the exact location of Yggdrasil!" Kaji Ryoji smiled wryly. He didn't know if these guys were really still asleep or pretending. Putting aside the issue of whether he was an accomplice or not, how could Shinji Ikari possibly go against Ayato Kamina's wishes and tell them his location?

"...I guess even I won't be able to find him this time." Shinji Ikari's face was full of helplessness. After all, he once thought that giving him power and will would allow him to escape his original tragic fate, just like himself. But obviously, he underestimated the extent to which his ability could change fate. Ayato Kamina has become stronger, but not strong enough. He can still only face his tragic fate.

It seems that his battle with Gendo Ikari was the catalyst for Gendo's final push. He wonders if Gendo will be able to greet him with a smile the next time they meet.

"This is something TERRA has to worry about. If you have some free time, you might as well think about the name of the new organization. I reckon the higher-ups will give your suggestion a serious consideration." Kaji Ryoji said with a smile. Everything turned out well. This young man in front of her had almost shouldered everything. Her partner had almost no chance to perform before the end came. She was very interested in piloting Unit-02 once.

However, Shinji Ikari didn't give him any chance and completely shut everything down. Perhaps he was just a hair's breadth away from winning, but he ultimately prevailed.

"Give it a name?" Shinji Ikari looked at Ryoji Kaji, who was standing to the side, with a puzzled expression. "Aren't we going to use the name NERV anymore?"

"NERV's delisting is an inevitable result because your father... Commander Ikari crossed far too many red lines. NERV must be dismantled, and the jurisdiction of Tokyo-3 will be taken back by the Japanese government. Of course, the new organization will probably have the right to use the former NERV facilities."

“Probably…” Misato Katsuragi repeated impatiently. After all, for them, the facilities they had painstakingly built, the fortress city they had painstakingly constructed, all of which had been built by countless people who had poured their bounty into it, would now, “retain the right to use it, probably…”

Just hearing this is already quite dissatisfying, but everyone knows it's an inevitable outcome.

"So it seems that layoffs and equipment restrictions are inevitable?"

"That depends on what you achieve. They might even increase their investment in this unnamed institution. After all, eradicating all the threats to humanity in this world is no small undertaking."

"Indeed... By the way, I think I've come up with a name."

"Oh?"

"SSSP".

"What do you mean?"

"What do you think of the Special Science Investigation Team?"

"Sounds like a police officer?"

"Yes, isn't the organization that big shots use to monitor world security just a kind of police agency?"

Chapter 425 Yusuke’s half-year appointment

They gave the organization a ridiculous name, and it's unclear whether the higher-ups will use it. But for the people at NERV, the most important thing right now is to take a short break, repair EVA Unit-01 as soon as possible, and there are two other EVAs waiting for them to work overtime. In any case, these three will be NERV's biggest trump card.

Of course, a series of necessary procedures were also essential. For example, Shinji Ikari just walked out of the infirmary and let out a long sigh. A sense of utter exhaustion was almost overflowing from Shinji's heart. The series of fierce battles had left Shinji feeling somewhat physically and mentally exhausted.

"The engineering department has completed the dismantling of the EVA your father piloted, and no body was found." Ritsuko Akagi leaned against the wall, clearly waiting for Shinji Ikari to come out. "Should I congratulate you on fulfilling your childhood dream?"

"This can hardly be considered some kind of damned childhood dream." Shinji Ikari shook his head. Although from his own perspective, after experiencing the relationship between himself and Gendo Ikari, Shinji's resentment towards Gendo Ikari had indeed deepened, the thought of constantly wanting to punch Gendo Ikari and kill his father was not Shinji's first choice.

Shinji Ikari even considered telling Gendo Ikari about his mother's existence, but ultimately abandoned the idea because Gendo's madness was too profound, and he might even know Yui's true whereabouts. Not to mention, the reason for the two punches was that one was for his grandfather and the other for his grandmother.

“If I’m not mistaken, if nothing unexpected happens, you should have asked your sister or your fiancée for help from the beginning, right?” Ritsuko Akagi looked at Shinji Ikari. To be honest, Shinji’s actions this time could be said to have anticipated most of the possible actions of the other party and made corresponding countermeasures. The various forces of SEELE and some guys who wanted to take advantage of the situation were simply intercepted outside Tokyo-3.

Therefore, Ritsuko Akagi estimates that Shinji Ikari asking his sister or fiancée to help him resolve someone's soul decisively would end any potential recurrence. In this particular era, this seems to be a very necessary situation, especially since Gendo Ikari himself is not exactly normal.

What Ritsuko Akagi admired most was that this little rascal had actually considered the interests of all parties. Most of the organizations and individuals involved in this series of events had received massive benefits. The only one Ritsuko Akagi didn't know what specific benefits he had received was Yusuke Urameshi. However, he hadn't returned yet, which suggested that he might indeed have some ulterior motive.

However, Ritsuko Akagi didn't intend to inquire further. Shinji Ikari's actions had already demonstrated the potential of a leader, which was arguably the biggest highlight of this incident. As the successor to the position of Commander-in-Chief of NERV, he had begun to show his abilities, but ironically, NERV itself was about to lose its meaning.

"No, but now that you mention it, I think I should ask my sister or Kirie for help." Shinji Ikari shook his head, denying the idea. He'd already arranged for Kirie and Aise to meet his mother, so how could he possibly ask them for help with something so outrageous? Besides, as an exorcist for so long, surely Shinji knew some methods to ensure someone's soul could be safely sent away and reach paradise?

"Then why are you still looking so gloomy?" Ritsuko Akagi looked at Shinji Ikari with suspicion. Since he said it wasn't true, then it wasn't true. He only glanced at the report she gave him and then gave up.

"I'm worried about Urameshi and the others. Although that might be their biggest opportunity, it could also be a quick meal that turns them into easy prey." Shinji Ikari shook his head. While Sadao Maou was willing to help in many situations, there were too many uncertainties about him. As a Demon Lord, he was far more cunning than portrayed in the anime. Just look at the first episode of the anime, where he quickly figured out his identity, which was already quite commendable.

"Oh?" Ritsuko Akagi glanced at Shinji Ikari. So they've already arranged for him to go to the Demon World? How interesting.

"I hope they're lucky." Shinji Ikari shrugged.

"Pfft..." Fei Ying slammed heavily against the wall. Having suffered severe injuries in the fierce battle in a short period of time, his body had indeed reached its limit. He spat out a mouthful of blood. Although his expression was still very unwilling, he had indeed reached the point where he could not move.

"Cough cough..." Zangma, who was barely able to support himself and had already started using plants to stop his bleeding, looked at the disheveled man in front of him in disbelief. One of the three kings of the Demon Realm, the Dou Di "Lei Chan"! He had not shown his face for a long time, but just now, in his extremely weak state, he had easily defeated the three of them by simply flicking his fingers with one hand without moving.

"Shinji, that bastard..." Yusuke Urameshi lay on the ground, his long hair flowing freely. In terms of appearance, he did bear a slight resemblance to Raizen in front of him.

"What, isn't that enough?" Maou Sadao looked at Raizen before him, a smile playing on his lips. He'd actually made a promise to a woman, then gone centuries without food, nearly starving to death—that was truly interesting. "This is divine blood hundreds of times purer than human blood. Enough to restore you, right?"

"I'm curious, what kind of person would ask you to make this trip?" Lei Chan casually tossed back a thermos-like container, nearly two liters of "divine blood" that was rapidly restoring his body to life.

"A... very interesting little guy, and I'm also quite interested in this so-called Demon World." Maou Sadao glanced at the building beside Raizen and said somewhat casually.

"It seems I owe a huge favor, and I hate owing favors." Lei Chan slowly got up, stretched his body, and then in the next instant, a terrifying demonic aura soared into the sky, causing the castle he was in and even the land outside the castle to tremble slightly.

"Ugh!" In an instant, it felt as if a mountain had pressed down on them, and Yusuke Urameshi, Kurama, and Hiei couldn't help but groan.

"Hmm?" Qu, who had just returned to his residence, turned his head to look in the direction of Lei Chan's castle, somewhat surprised, but quickly smiled slightly. "It seems that our Dou Di has returned. Someone must be very unhappy."

"Hmph!" Huang Quan's displeased face suddenly darkened. Although his plan to invade the human world couldn't be said to have completely failed, it had undoubtedly suffered a crushing defeat, and the losses were no longer just about personnel! Shinji Ikari's Unit-01 and the Virtue were wreaking havoc on his territory! The losses were so great that they were almost shaking the foundations of the nation. Didn't you see that although he lost a capable general and a large number of his subordinates, he was almost overjoyed!

As a result, before he could fully grasp the situation in his own country after the chaotic battle, Lei Chan suddenly unleashed such a powerful demonic aura. Although it wasn't stronger than his own, it was clear that Lei Chan's period of weakness had ended! And Lei Chan hadn't participated in this matter, meaning he suffered no losses! If this guy cared about his previous encroachment on his territory... now, it seems it's Huang Quan's turn to have a headache!

"Oh... Lei Chan, he's still alive?" In some remote corners of the Demon Realm, some powerful demons raised their heads and looked in Lei Chan's direction with surprise. Their faces immediately lit up with smiles. Yes, an old friend was still alive, which was definitely good news.

"You bastard..." Yusuke Urameshi glared at Raizen with a ferocious expression. He couldn't believe how strong the person in front of him was! Was the S-rank they had just faced a fake? Wasn't S-rank supposed to be the strongest level? Then he was sent flying by a blast, slamming hard against the wall. Yusuke Urameshi felt as if all his internal organs had shifted, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.

"A guy who's barely A-rank at best dares to look at me like that." Raizen grabbed Yusuke Urameshi by the neck and lifted him up. "Weak, too weak! Unbelievable, you actually have my blood in you."

"Let go..." Hiei struggled to stand up, but was held down by Sensui Shinobu beside him.

"It's pointless. If he wanted to make a move, let alone you, even I would probably be easily killed. Shinji, that bastard, actually managed to get us to deal with Raizen directly. Be grateful. He didn't intend to kill you." Sensui Shinobu glanced at Raizen. "Stop acting. It's pointless. The guy you're holding onto is more competitive than you can imagine."

"Interesting!" Raizen casually tossed it aside, and Urameshi Yusuke slid right next to Kurama as if he were just tossing away a piece of trash. "Human, so what are you doing here?"

“A little bastard told me that my dream might fall on you. Indeed, a guy who can starve for hundreds of years for a promise does seem to be very close to my dream.” Sensui Shinobu looked at Raizen in front of him with complicated eyes. He had always been considered to be among the most talented. He never thought that one day he would be staring blankly at someone else’s strength.

"Hmph!" Lei Chan shifted his gaze. He had time now; he could discuss Sensui Ninja's "dream" later. "Do you still have any 'divine blood' you brought?"

"No, the thing is in that little bastard's hands. It's not a threat, it's just that there aren't many of these things to begin with." Sensui Shinobu lied through his teeth. There were quite a few of these things in the Totsuki Group's sealed warehouse, but even Maou Sadao didn't intend to expose him, so why should he tell the truth?

“Very good… Tell him I agreed. He just wanted to stop Huang Quan, right? Huang Quan won’t have the chance.” Raizen doesn’t want to live? No, he just doesn’t want to eat people. Since there’s a way to get around it, then it’s a win-win situation. “However…” Raizen kicked Urameshi Yusuke, who was trying to stand up, away. “I’m keeping this kid! Since he has my blood in his veins, if he can’t become strong enough, come and collect their three corpses in six months.”

"Six months?" Sadao Maou looked at Yusuke Urameshi and laughed. Yusuke Urameshi, like Shinji Ikari, was a latecomer to the sport, and he even started training later than Shinji. So, in a sense, Yusuke Urameshi's talent and potential were truly terrifying. Six months was enough time for Yusuke Urameshi to undergo a complete transformation! "Understood, I will pass it on to Shinji."

"Good luck!" Sensui Shinobu patted Hiei's shoulder crisply and put the small bag on his back on the ground. "Some medicines and supplements, but as the king, he shouldn't lack anything here. I'll come to see you often." After saying that, Sensui Shinobu turned and left. Having been in the Demon Realm for so many years, he naturally had places to go.

"Then I'll take my leave, Yusuke. Shinji should cover for you, so don't worry about home. But from now on, it's up to you." With that, Maou Sadao activated a magic circle beneath his feet, teleporting himself back to his starting point.

"Damn it! You bastard, dried-up corpse!"

"Boom!"

"You're all talk and no action!"

Chapter 426 TERRA and "Isshiki Shin"

"So... I actually guessed right by accident!" Shinji Ikari rolled his eyes, then tore open the sixth Big Mac box and started munching on it. After waking up, Shinji was starving, so he went straight to a place that could provide him with a lot of food in a short time. Yes, it was Sadao Maou's special McDonald's.

After leaving the infirmary, Shinji Ikari ate something and then, being too tired, took a nap at the NERV base. When he woke up on the morning of the third day, it seemed that the bigwigs had not finished their discussion yet, and NERV was still operating as usual. Having decided that he would be fine as long as he did not leave Tokyo-3, where NERV headquarters was located, Shinji Ikari turned around and ran to the shopping street, intending to fill his stomach first.

As soon as Shinji Ikari entered the store, he saw that although he had just returned from the Demon World, he had already changed into a work uniform and was preparing for the daily midday battle.

"Yes, but it seems like NERV won't last much longer?" Maou Sadao glanced back at Shinji Ikari. The two girls beside him, who seemed to have succeeded in some things, looked up at Shinji and then exchanged glances. Maou Sadao's words were not just casual remarks; they were a judgment he made based on his long-standing experience.

So... NERV, an organization with a distinguished record of war achievements and immense power, is going to disappear? The two women found it somewhat hard to believe.

“Direct dismantling is impossible; it will probably be reorganized. After all, as you know, EVA is a top-tier dangerous item, and even maintenance requires a large team. It's also likely that the rights to Tokyo-3 will be returned to the Japanese government.” Shinji Ikari smiled and glanced at the two women who were standing there dumbfounded, explaining what he knew.

"This is a practice unique to Earth, I suppose." Sadao Maou smiled and handed a large Coke to Shinji Ikari, treating him as a meal. "This trip to the Demon World certainly showed me a good show, and also confirmed one thing."

"Can you tell me?" Shinji Ikari asked curiously. He was surprised that Sadao Maou would agree to help so readily, and he was also surprised that a teleportation spell would send him back to Tokyo-3. So if Sadao Maou was willing to reveal his purpose, Shinji Ikari would be happy to listen, since they had a good relationship. However, he really shouldn't ask about things he shouldn't ask.

"Yusuke Urameshi and that Demon King do have a very interesting relationship." Sadao Maou didn't intend to reveal everything. Instead, he glanced at Raiko and the other person who were looking at him with curiosity. The two rolled their eyes and went back to work.

"The Spirit World really knows how to pick people, doesn't it?" Shinji Ikari shook his head with a smile. Although the Little King of Hell still has a bit of a kind heart, once he really reaches the position of King of Hell, he will understand that many things are not as he thinks. Killing one person for the sake of the world is a normal choice, but it is very difficult to have the best of both worlds.

"Yeah." Taking a sip of his coffee, Maou Sadao turned and glared at Ae, who was looking down and seemed to be chuckling, before casually slapping a silencing barrier on the ground. "But do you really think Urameshi Yusuke can come back alive from that guy called Raizen?"

"With his current strength, although defeating Lei Chan is a pipe dream, he is still at least on the verge of A-level. The next step is S-level, at which point he should at least be able to protect himself."

“Hmph…” Sadao Maou chuckled. “I can kill you without a second blow.”

“…That’s right! To be honest.” Shinji Ikari rolled his eyes. Who’s a big shot with tons of trump cards like you, the Demon King? This is the first time I’ve ever consistently passed S-rank in both my past and present lives.

“After you lifted his weakened state, he should be no worse than me.” Maou Sadao gave a very direct comparison. “However, you are quite right. This guy’s commitment to his promises is astonishing. It’s really ironic that such a guy is a demon.”

"It should be pride, no matter what race. In many ways, this is absolutely the same." Shinji Ikari shook his head. "I guess there will be a rare period of peace soon. Enjoying a simple life might not be so bad?" Shinji glanced at Raiko and Aya not far away with a half-smile, and was glared at fiercely by Aya.

"Proud?" Maou Sadao laughed and shook his head. "Perhaps, as you said, I should indeed let go of some things and enjoy life."

Sadao Maou smiled and shook his head, then suddenly looked up at Shinji Ikari as if he remembered something. "I suddenly remembered that since NERV is going to cease to exist, what about the NERV orders that were originally in my shop?" Sadao Maou said hesitantly, after all, this was not a small order, but equivalent to dozens of times the normal turnover outside.

"Pfft!" Lai Zi couldn't help but burst out laughing. His store manager had only realized this now. NERV was doomed! Their workload could finally be reduced. They wouldn't have to be as busy as before, like fighting a battle, around mealtimes every day.

"Probably, but you probably don't lack business here either." Shinji Ikari looked around. Almost all the booths were full. Many organizations and institutions were exchanging information here, partly because of the good privacy, and partly because the prices were reasonable.

"Performance! Performance!" Sadao Maou slammed his fist on the table in frustration, expressing his anger at Shinji Ikari's ignorance.

“Even without NERV’s orders, you must have long lines here every day.” Shinji Ikari glanced at the kitchen. Wow, it’s not just one Totsuki chef anymore, it’s three. Although two of them seem to be apprentices, Totsuki chefs’ skills have never been comparable to those of outside chefs.

"Hmph!" Sadao Maou gave Shinji Ikari a disgruntled look and fell silent. There were actually several KFC and McDonald's restaurants in Tokyo-3, but even if his business was cut in half, it was still better than the others, since many of his signature dishes were not available elsewhere.

"How much longer will they stay there? I need to inform the Spirit World." Shinji Ikari finished his hamburger, wiped his hands, and asked one last question.

"Six months. After six months, you'll either become a decent strongman, or..." Sadao Maou raised an eyebrow. He didn't need to be too direct; Shinji Ikari would understand.

"...Seriously, these lunatics could pull this off, so peacefully?" Shinji Ikari took a deep breath, hoping Yusuke Urameshi could meet their demands. This was the Demon World's style: either become stronger or die...

“He doesn’t owe you any favors anymore,” Maou Sadao said simply. “But he’ll probably still ask you for divine blood.”

As soon as the words "divine blood" were uttered, both Aya and Izumi stared back and forth between Shinji Ikari and Sadao Maou. Everyone knew that the blood of the Angels on human hands was difficult to preserve, so every drop used was precious. Clearly, the amount the other party wanted was not a small number.

"That's fine. With him here, we don't need to worry about the Demon Realm for the time being." Shinji Ikari stood up, stretched, took out a Fukuzawa Yukichi card and threw it on the table. "Thank you for the hospitality. I'm going to my friend's shop now."

"Is this Ryuji Car Shop? Could you ask if my food cart is ready?" Maou Sadao asked, watching Shinji Ikari's retreating figure.

"Understood." Shinji Ikari replied and then walked away.

"The Demon King, just like that? Isn't that a bit too easy to talk to?" After looking around, Raiko looked at Maou Sadao in front of her, her eyes full of curiosity. She was waiting for Maou Sadao to explain to her.

"Hey! This is where you fall short of Shinji Ikari!" Sadao Maou chuckled and ruffled the girl's hair. "He demonstrated his power to show everyone the price to pay for attacking the human world."

"Why do I feel a little sad about Shinji Ikari? It's not much, is it because NERV is going to be dismantled?"

“Look…” Sadao Maou gestured to the television on the wall, which was preparing to interview Mr. Shin Isshiki, the commander-in-chief of TERRA, about NERV and a grand plan he had recently decided on: humanity would rely on its own strength to forcibly break through Tokyo Jupiter and reclaim the land that humanity had lost.

"Hmm? Let's not talk about that for now. These guys really don't know what they can and can't do," Ya Hui said, resting her chin on her hand, a helpless expression on her face.

"But wasn't it said that all of this guy's clones had died from the curse of the evil god?" Lai Zi noticed the white-haired TERRA commander's appearance, which was exactly the same as the one who had been killed before. "Is he an imposter?"

"It shouldn't be, but since you said it's a clone, what's so difficult about cloning another one?" Maou Sadao shook his head and stood up. "So you two shouldn't speculate."

"So... this is what's troubling Shinji Ikari right now?" Ae thought for a moment, then shrugged and asked bluntly.

"That's right, after all... it's practically a straight line, and Shinji Ikari clearly stated before that he wanted to go and kill this guy decisively. Now that he's successfully taken over, it seems that Ayato Kamina might really come for revenge on that day! At that time..."

"Shinji and Unit-01 have become their last hope?"

"Yes."

"This is really ugly."

"efficient."

Chapter 427 SEELE's Last Contribution

"Why would Terra be so confident in courting death after NERV has made such a huge mistake?" Shinji Ikari stood in a place he had never imagined before, looking at the empty command room in front of him. Now, only a few people remained in this position.

The United Nations had supported NERV, so it wouldn't be difficult for them to bring it to its knees. Cutting off its resource supply would be enough to cause NERV to disintegrate on its own. However, at this point, NERV was proactively implementing protective layoffs, with many staff members being laid off on a evacuation basis.

With one of NERV's commanders killed in action and the other captured, the heads of the three departments at NERV's highest command level—the Operations Department, the Technical Department, and the Engineering Department—held their final collective meeting. Misato Katsuragi, who chaired the meeting, expressed her gratitude for NERV's contributions to all of humanity over the years and stated that NERV was nearing the end of its mission, allowing them to return to their original societies with their heads held high and tell their families that they were heroes.

After thanking them, Misato Katsuragi allocated a large sum of money from NERV's not-yet-frozen but not very abundant funds, and distributed it to those who had terminated their contracts with NERV. These former NERV employees calmly accepted it all. Having experienced the final battle, they probably knew things they should and shouldn't know. At this point, being able to escape safely was already a good thing, not to mention that Misato Katsuragi and her team gave them a substantial severance package.

If Misato Katsuragi and the others hadn't refused to leave, these people might have simply followed the three giants. Of course, they also knew that Misato and the others were among those who couldn't leave; they had responsibilities and the consequences they had to bear.

Therefore, having ended his spy career, Kaji Ryoji is currently attending a United Nations meeting as NERV's temporary representative. This meeting will determine NERV's future: whether it will truly become the UN agency as Shinji Ikari envisioned, or whether it will be completely eliminated due to the dangerous forces it possesses, with its key personnel imprisoned.

“Because it’s certain that although the fighting was very intense before, after we dealt with all the Angels and defeated their trump card, SEELE fell into fear, and countries around the world have also begun to cut off and investigate the truth about SEELE. They are in big trouble.” Ritsuko Akagi, biting on a chocolate bar, sat in Gendo Ikari’s original seat and struck a pose like Commander Ikari.

"Then panic made them veer to the other side." Misato Katsuragi covered her head. "If Kaji Ryoji's spy friend is reliable, then the two sides have truly joined forces. This is definitely a new nightmare, and NERV is basically..."

“We can’t maintain our previous level of combat power anymore; that’s their bottom line. Besides…” Shinji Ikari took a deep breath. “We might end up working with the people from TERRA.”

"This is truly a terrible prophecy." Misato Katsuragi sighed, turning to look at the hall behind her. The huge command hall, though still lit by various lights, was no longer bustling with activity; it was empty and desolate.

"Isn't this a little pessimistic? Based on yesterday's communication, Kaji Ryoji said that the bigwigs believe that while restructuring and layoffs at NERV are inevitable, with that in mind, the worst is already over. The remaining question is what kind of restructuring we will face," Shinji Ikari said with a smile. "But how are EVA's preparations going?"

"Unit 1 has completed repairs, Unit 0 is expected to take another two days, and Unit 2... will take longer. After all, the EU doesn't want us to continue possessing Unit 2 at all; they're trying to propose a motion to reclaim it." The head of the engineering department crossed his arms and sneered. The EU guys were dreaming.

“These guys…” Ritsuko Akagi shook her head. It was indeed a pipe dream. If even NERV headquarters couldn't be saved, what reason would the individual NERV branches have to exist? And with Gendo Ikari's reckless actions, all those secrets became less important; knowing just one thing was enough… EVA could also cause an impact! That was enough! They couldn't hold onto Unit-2, and the EU thought they could? They wouldn't even get past the UN.