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

"Oh, I have a GSX1300R, but since people my age would think I'm a biker gang member if I rode one, I usually leave it at the repair shop." Shinji Ikari shrugged. As a seasoned jujutsu user, he naturally needed an excellent means of transportation. Moreover, since jujutsu users are often in a hurry when they receive missions, Shinji Ikari simply bought this crazy motorcycle as his ride.

I bought it after showing my special certificate to a car repair shop uncle. At the time, the uncle was stunned for a moment, but was very happy to help me and even said he could help me repair it for free!

It can only be said that every man has a moment when his inner chuunibyou (a person with delusions of grandeur) burns. Several times after the car was damaged, it was indeed this uncle who helped repair it. Every time Shinji Ikari set off, he could feel that the car was well maintained.

"By the way, can I ride my bike over in a while?" she asked, looking at Misato Katsuragi, whose face was contorted in pain.

Misato Katsuragi decided that the first thing she would do upon returning was to cause a scene at NERV's intelligence department! What the hell! They're already riding falcons! Don't you know they're monsters that can go over 300 km/h?! Idiots! If you have any dignity left, you should commit seppuku! While Misato was internally raging, she heard Shinji Ikari's words and said somewhat helplessly, "Sure, and you don't have a license plate yet, right? I'll help you put one on."

"Oh! That's a huge help! Thank you!" Shinji Ikari said happily. Although he hadn't been caught yet while on a mission, it seemed like he was already on the police's blacklist. They would chase him like crazy whenever they saw him, without even considering how fast those toy cars could go!

However, Shinji Ikari, overwhelmed by the constant trouble, had no choice but to change his car and repaint it to evade the police. This was a significant expense for Shinji, and even though the car dealership only charged for the materials, it was still a considerable sum. If he changed to official license plates now, well! Let's see what those cops will do then!

"May I ask you why you accepted NERV's invitation? After all... given your current situation, you must have saved up quite a bit of money, and with your grades, getting into either Tokyo University or Waseda University shouldn't be difficult." Misato Katsuragi glanced at Shinji Ikari. A passing car's headlights shone on Shinji's face, making his expression momentarily unreadable.

"The reason? There's no reason. I also want to see what Gendo Ikari's cause is that he's been gone for so long. I also want to know why my mother died. If there isn't a plausible reason, I won't hold back on Grandpa's punch or Grandma's punch." Shinji Ikari clenched his fist, his bones cracking. He'd wanted to beat this bastard for years. The riddle-maker with the poker face, the source of evil who wanted to restart the world—even the commander was cleaner than him! Tsk tsk, who else should he beat up if not him?

"Ah, this..." Misato Katsuragi started to have a headache. This reason was so convincing that she, as a person with normal ethics and morals, couldn't bring herself to dissuade him. After all, Shinji Ikari's reason wasn't for himself, or even for his mother, but for his grandparents... What was she saying! Based on what Commander Ikari had done, you really couldn't say anything to refute him for being unfilial.

However, judging from what Misato Katsuragi saw today, if Shinji Ikari were to throw a punch without holding back, would Commander Ikari, who, despite holding great power, be killed instantly with just two punches? Misato Katsuragi felt that this was a question that did not need to be asked.

Ah... to be honest, Misato Katsuragi is really excited about this family drama. She really wants to know how it ends, but judging from the current situation, if she gets punched like that, she might lose her job. That's just too damn bad.

"Um, let me give you a brief introduction to NERV!" Misato Katsuragi forced a smile as she tried to speak to Shinji Ikari.

"Established in accordance with UN regulations, this is a direct intelligence agency set up to deal with the Third Impact. The sorcerers think you're useless people who misappropriated a lot of funds to dig tunnels. The Onmyōryō thinks NERV is a scientific religious madman. Even the Alien Countermeasures Bureau, which is also under the UN, thinks you're always sneaking around and not doing your job properly. In short, most people have a very good opinion of you. As Gendo Ikari's son, I'm often called in by them to have a good chat about your embarrassing stories. Want to hear them?" Shinji Ikari tilted his head and looked at Misato Katsuragi, whose face was almost bursting with smiles, and shrugged with a smile.

"This... do you really think it's true?!" Misato Katsuragi sighed. Rivals are common among competitors, especially organizations like theirs that receive the lion's share of funding and have extremely high authority.

“I’ve seen the data on the Second Impact… Can you stop the Third?” Shinji Ikari asked Misato Katsuragi.

"Yes! I will absolutely not let it happen!"

"Then it's worth it, isn't it?"

Chapter 7 The Two-Punch Pact

“…Phew…” Ritsuko Akagi looked at the report submitted by Misato Katsuragi, glanced at the group of people staring intently at the test below, and then rubbed her head, feeling a headache coming on. What kind of nonsense was this? Last night, after Misato Katsuragi brought Shinji Ikari back, she dragged her out for drinks, saying she was a bit depressed, and then spent the whole time insulting NERV's intelligence department as a bunch of idiots.

She herself didn't understand, but now, looking at the group of intelligence officers on the other side of the room, facing Vice Commander Fuyutsuki who was constantly tapping the table with five fingers, and not daring to breathe loudly, Ritsuko Akagi felt a wave of heartache. How did they end up with such a bunch of incompetent teammates? Shinji Ikari had already become such an outstanding person without saying a word, and they didn't even know. Did they really think NERV didn't have death quotas?

Ritsuko Akagi glanced at Shinji Ikari below, who was undergoing testing. Just before the test, Shinji had told them to wear protective gear because his skills weren't yet fully honed and he might not be able to withstand the force. The group hadn't believed him, but then Shinji crouched down and delivered a flying kick, denting the entire door of an SUV belonging to the intelligence department. Seeing the SUV's gruesome state, as if it had been in a highway crash, everyone obediently put on their protective gear…

Even so, in the fight, Shinji Ikari's fighting skills still seemed to be playing around. He would brush off their attacks with a smile and send them flying, but he was never unable to stand up.

"What a cool and desperate technique! It seems our defense department's training is quite lax. They can't even beat a 16-year-old boy with an electric baton?" Misato Katsuragi said with a hint of schadenfreude. "Hey...hey! The fourth phase of the test is over. Anyone else want to continue?"

Shinji Ikari glanced at the people above. Ah, no wonder the original Shinji Ikari was a sullen and difficult character. Anyone would feel helpless and bored if they were locked in this steel cage every day and had to participate in various tests. Let alone the sensitive little guy from before. He spread his hands to indicate that he had no objection to whether it continued or ended here.

As for the sparring partners who were beaten to a pulp, they naturally had no desire to continue playing. They knew very well that Shinji Ikari was holding back when he exerted his strength, and in most cases, he used skillful techniques. Otherwise, several of them would have been hospitalized with broken bones and internal bleeding by now, while Shinji Ikari was only slightly sweating. What was the point of fighting such a monster?

"How can a level 3 sorcerer, a level 2 peripheral investigator, and a level 7 exorcist from the Onmyoji Bureau be this strong?!" Ritsuko Akagi said helplessly. "In comparison, our people are as useless as a joke."

“Director Akagi, this is Shinji Ikari’s medical examination report…” Maya handed a whiteboard to Ritsuko Akagi, but her expression seemed conflicted.

"More than 140 fracture marks, exceeding the muscle density of a normal person. In short, all indicators, well, all are above the standard! The residual drug components in the body can be summarized into a list of commonly used surgical drugs, very good..." Ritsuko Akagi shrugged and twirled the pen in her hand. According to her knowledge, several of the indicators on it had exceeded the normal threshold, and even reached the so-called lethal dose, but obviously this did not apply to the lively Shinji Ikari in front of her.

“It seems…we’ve done more than just fail in our duty!” Vice Commander Fuyutsuki Kozo looked at Shinji Ikari, who was standing below with a smile on his face, with a pained expression. “Let’s open the door first, or our all-around protagonist will be unhappy.”

"Ah...yes!" Shigeru Aoba quickly opened the operating system on the control panel. Ritsuko Akagi noticed that Shinji Ikari helped up the guys from the defense department he had just fought with as he opened the door and helped them out.

"Where does he live now?" Ritsuko Akagi shook her head. There was already a lot to study about Shinji Ikari's physical condition alone, and it was clear that the things this boy had experienced were not simple, and his life was far more than just a little complicated.

NERV's external affairs department urgently contacted several other mysterious organizations. Apart from the Totsuki Culinary Group, which did not respond, the others had already sent back messages. Shinji Ikari had not officially joined them. Instead, they asked in their feedback whether NERV was going to give up on Shinji Ikari. If so, they wanted to invite Shinji Ikari to join them. If only one organization said this, it might not be a big deal, but the fact that all three organizations said this left NERV's external affairs department speechless.

"He's staying at the Suzuki Hotel. I heard he helped that rich girl out, so he has a super VIP card with a 1% discount on room rates! He also provides free buffet meals three times a day. To be honest, I was even thinking of staying with him." Misato Katsuragi recalled that on the way there, she suggested that she stay at her place for the night, and then he said he would go with her, and he would arrange everything for the night. So she checked into a luxury hotel owned by the Suzuki Group, where all the gym and massage services were free, and she could eat at the 24-hour buffet restaurant as much as she wanted.

However, it didn't seem to be entirely free. That evening, after taking a shower, Misato Katsuragi saw Shinji Ikari with a flashlight, seemingly patrolling the hotel inside and out.

"A hotel owned by the Suzuki Group?! The Suzuki family's heiress?" This surprised even Ritsuko Akagi. As a special agency based in Japan, NERV inevitably dealt with some local Japanese corporations, and the Suzuki Group was already considered one of the top conglomerates in Japan! How did this super heiress get in touch with Shinji Ikari?

"Because when I was in the first year of junior high, I played a match between the soccer club and their school's soccer club, and that's how we met. Later, quite by chance, we bumped into each other during a mission. She was a girl with a bit of bad luck on her body. I removed it for her twice, but there was still a bit of death energy of unknown origin. So, is the entrance test considered complete?" Shinji Ikari, who had come up from the testing ground, overheard Misato Katsuragi and Ritsuko Akagi's conversation and naturally explained the reason to avoid any unnecessary misunderstandings.

Yesterday, after Misato Katsuragi went with him to enjoy the luxurious amenities of the Suzuki Hotel, she kept subtly asking Shinji Ikari if he was going to marry into the Suzuki family. Shinji Ikari gave her a look that said, "Are you an idiot?"

"An entrance exam?!" Ritsuko Akagi asked with a puzzled expression.

“Yes, all the entrance tests have been completed. Is there anything I can help you with?” Vice Commander Fuyutsuki said to Shinji Ikari, and he couldn’t help but smile. They really looked alike; their eyebrows and eyes really resembled his mother’s.

"Nothing else is wrong, but I wanted to ask when Gendo Ikari would like to see me? After all, he summoned me from so far away, there must be something he wants to discuss." Shinji Ikari picked up his water glass from the table and took a few big gulps of water.

"Ah, regarding this matter, we should..." Vice Commander Fuyutsuki didn't think much of it, assuming it was just a normal request from a son who hadn't seen his father in a long time. He was about to agree when someone interrupted him.

"At your current rank, you probably won't be able to meet Commander Ikari Gendo. The physical examination and interview are over. Go and get some rest. I'll take you for a walk around the neighborhood this evening. Go and rest in the lounge first." Katsuragi Misato interrupted Commander Fuyutsuki's speech rather rudely, while simultaneously waving her hand rapidly behind her back, signaling to Vice Commander Fuyutsuki not to agree.

"Oh?" Shinji Ikari gave him a look that said, "You actually took advantage of me and didn't even help me," then shrugged and spread his hands. "Is there a place to take a shower? I've worked up a sweat."

“Yes! Maya, take him with you.” Ritsuko Akagi nodded and had her assistant take Shinji Ikari off.

"Shinji Ikari, come with me." Maya Ibuki gestured for Shinji Ikari to follow.

After the two left, Ritsuko Akagi leaned back in her chair and looked at Misato Katsuragi, who was covering her head. "You won't be able to stay in hotels anymore. Why did you stop him from seeing his Commander Ikari? He's the real Commander Ikari's son."

"...On the way back yesterday, I asked him why he accepted NERV's invitation. After all, at this point, most people would normally react with a bit of sulking." Misato Katsuragi stared blankly at the ceiling. Ah, my luxurious hotel room with a panoramic view, my unlimited lobster, seafood, and drinks buffet...gone! All gone...

"Hmm?" Fuyutsuki Kousaku and Akagi Ritsuko looked at Katsuragi Misato with curiosity in their eyes. Shinji Ikari gave them a sense of maturity beyond his years, but looking at Shinji Ikari's resume, as someone who was on secondment to three underground organizations and had been walking in danger for many years, he was used to life and death, so it was only natural that he was much more mature than his peers.

“He said he wanted to see his father and see what he was so obsessed with in his work, and whether it was worth it.” Misato Katsuragi looked at the two of them, put one hand on her hip and rubbed her forehead with the other, then helplessly spread her hands. “If it’s not worth it, he won’t hold back a punch from Grandpa or Grandma.”

"..." Ritsuko Akagi calmly sipped her coffee, the light reflected from her eyes obscuring her gaze.

“This is truly an unexpected answer.” Kozo Fuyutsuki was silent for a moment, seemingly suppressing a laugh, but he still accepted the answer quite happily. “I will help him create opportunities. Misato, you should trust our NERV medical expertise.”

“He kicked a grave and a coffin to pieces in front of me, and then punched two low-level cursed spirits to death.”

"puff……"

"Ritsuko..."

"I'm sorry, Vice Commander Fuyutsuki, I'm a little surprised."

Chapter 8 Breakfast Buffet

"I didn't expect to see you here, Dr. Akagi." Shinji Ikari said with some surprise as he looked at the two people in front of him. Compared to Misato Katsuragi, it was Ritsuko Akagi who was really surprising to Shinji. Moreover, perhaps because they were staying at a luxury hotel like the Suzuki Hotel, which didn't bother to use star ratings to prove their status, the two of them were dressed in very formal attire, which was quite eye-catching.

For some reason, Shinji Ikari thought he would be facing the Water Angels as soon as he arrived, but after staying at the Suzuki Hotel for two days, he still hadn't encountered any of the Water Angels attacking him. There was no scene of him facing a crisis like in the anime. After undergoing physical fitness and physique tests on the second day...

Shinji Ikari didn't take off his clothes all night, spending the entire night in meditation and contemplation. The night passed uneventfully, but as dawn broke, to be honest, Shinji, who had been looking forward to it all night, was starting to feel a bit overwhelmed. Everyone says the protagonist is the last to arrive, it's all about making a grand entrance! And here comes the villain who stood him up?!

Shinji Ikari, who hadn't slept all night, simply took a shower. Just as he finished changing, Misato Katsuragi called and asked him to come down for breakfast! It was obvious that Misato Katsuragi was trying to use his connections to get a free buffet and eat and drink with him.

I don't know where Katsuragi Misato got the nerve to ask me to come over for dinner again this morning, after I had just abruptly interrupted Mr. Fuyutsuki's promise to help me arrange a time to meet Gendo Ikari. I almost helped countless manga fans and anime enthusiasts realize their dreams.

“I’ve heard so much about the 24-hour buffet at the Suzuki Hotel, so I’m really looking forward to this feast,” Ritsuko Akagi replied to Shinji Ikari’s question with a smile. “Even though they don’t serve seafood or anything like that for breakfast, it’s still something to look forward to, isn’t it? After all, a main meal costs 10000 yen and breakfast costs 3000 yen. It would be a shame to miss it.”

"Alright, I hope you like it." Shinji Ikari turned around and led the two inside. He then spoke to the hotel lobby manager, who quickly presented Shinji with two meal vouchers and bowed to express his gratitude.

The fact that all Suzuki hotels offered Shinji Ikari a 90% discount on room rates and a free buffet... all Suzuki hotel operators hoped Shinji would visit more often! Because, without a doubt, for hotels, the cost of buffets and rooms is one of their fixed costs, and the expenditure is very limited and not important at all. However, when Shinji came, he would help them inspect the entire hotel to make sure that no strange "things" had moved in, and occasionally after the inspection, he would even notify them to exterminate rats and ants.

If any problems arose, Shinji Ikari would simply call them, and the hotel would cordon off an area. The issues were usually resolved within half an hour to an hour. The longest delay was about three hours, apparently due to a suicidal employee who had become a vengeful spirit. After resolving the problem, Shinji unexpectedly discovered that the hotel's location wasn't ideal. He consulted a friend in the Yin-Yang Bureau who understood feng shui, and after taking a look, he was horrified. It turned out to be a place where yin energy was stagnant. He wondered what the Suzuki Group had decided on in the first place.

Finally, following Shinji Ikari's suggestion, the Suzuki Group enshrined a Jizo Bodhisattva statue at the location where the employee committed suicide, and also placed several Bodhisattva statues in the hotel. To make it less jarring, they even set up a high-end Thai restaurant to cover it up.

As a result, in Japan, where there are many Buddhist believers, many people feel a strong connection to dining at this place with its many Buddha statues and candles. Surprisingly, the business is quite good, and people feel that it can cleanse their souls. It has even been recommended as a local restaurant and is incredibly popular. Shinji Ikari really doesn't know where to begin complaining about this.

In any case, both Shinji Ikari and Hotel Suzuki felt they had won big. After all, inspecting the hotel was just a side job for Shinji, taking only an hour or two to complete. But for Hotel Suzuki, hiring even the lowest-level sorcerer or exorcist to inspect the hotel, even at the lowest possible price, would cost at least 200,000 yen, since the agency would take a third of the fee. Compared to Shinji's few buffet meals and discounted room stays, it was nothing!

What's more, Shinji Ikari, under the protection of JACES security personnel hired by the Suzuki Group, single-handedly killed a B-rank cursed spirit right in front of the Suzuki Group's daughter. Therefore, the Suzuki Group didn't consider Shinji Ikari a level 3 cursed sorcerer or a level 7 exorcist at all—to hell with him! It was an honor in itself that such a powerful individual was willing to stay at the Suzuki Hotel! And he even helped them with patrols and exorcisms! Ah, this is the joy of a white girlfriend.

As for Shinji Ikari, spending 3000 yen on a breakfast buffet here, which includes three meals and even fruit in the evening, is a relatively acceptable price. If he didn't want to be too greedy and make a bad impression, Shinji would have preferred to stay here instead of renting a house.

Last night, the Suzuki Hotel in Shikoku called to ask Shinji Ikari if he could stay for a couple of days since he hadn't been there in a long time. They offered to cover his room and travel expenses. Shinji laughed and said he would visit when he had time, but he wouldn't pay for the room; he wasn't that poor.

The three of them found a place to sit down. Misato Katsuragi happily picked up her plate to get some food, but Shinji Ikari didn't get up. Instead, he looked at Ritsuko Akagi, who also hadn't gotten up, and asked, "Dr. Akagi, why aren't you getting any food?"

"Oh? Why don't you go?" Ritsuko Akagi looked at Shinji Ikari with a hint of amusement.

"Because I'm in charge of watching the tables first. Although this place isn't a very popular breakfast spot, most of the guests choose to eat here," Shinji Ikari said with a smile.

"An interesting boy!" Ritsuko Akagi nodded, put her handbag on the table, and then got up to go eat.

"How did you sleep last night! Here, I got this for you!" Misato Katsuragi returned with a smile, carrying an egg sandwich, some bacon, two separate fried eggs, a hot dog with bacon, some corn salad, and what looked like a glass of hot milk for Shinji Ikari. It seemed she had put some thought into the presentation and the selection of the ingredients. However, seeing that she had taken more than twice the amount of food for herself, Shinji was inexplicably speechless. Wasn't she afraid of gaining weight?

"Thank you. You should try the crab roe xiaolongbao here later; it tastes great," Shinji Ikari said with a smile.

"Oh, you even have Chinese snacks like this?" Ritsuko Akagi grabbed some pastries, a vegetable salad, and a cup of coffee for herself. Just as she was about to sit down, she heard Shinji Ikari speak. Ritsuko looked at the area where steamed and boiled dishes were served. "Crab roe xiaolongbao, is that right? Would you like some?"

"Hey! One for Misato Katsuragi! One for Shinji Ikari!" Misato Katsuragi said happily, then Ritsuko Akagi rolled her eyes at her and walked over. "How did you sleep last night?" Misato Katsuragi asked Shinji Ikari with a smile.

"Not bad, I believe you know that the beds here are quite nice." Shinji Ikari said with a smile to Misato Katsuragi. After taking a sip of milk, he started eating breakfast. Although it was a bit small, the charm of a buffet is that you can get food anytime.

"I thought you'd be somewhat shocked by such a stunning scene, but I didn't expect you, a boy, to show no excitement at all." Misato Katsuragi said with a speechless expression.

Yesterday, after completing the test, Misato Katsuragi showed Shinji Ikari a rather shocking scene in the evening: a cluster of buildings rising from the ground, a steel city built in an instant. Shinji was very shocked by the mechanical achievements of humankind in this world, but he also sighed and wondered why what was created was not a Gundam, but something like EVA.

When Misato Katsuragi was explaining to Shinji Ikari that Tokyo-3 was a fortress city belonging to NERV to fight against the Angels, Shinji couldn't help but start to complain, "You call this a fortress? No wonder people in the jutsu world generally think that NERV is a waste of money..."

"Huh?" Misato Katsuragi was completely stunned. How come you're not moved at all? Are you even a guy? All the guys in your department were incredibly excited when they saw this.

"You're telling me this is a fortress?" Shinji Ikari leaned against the roadside railing, hugging his knees. "It's not sturdy, and its impact resistance is terrible. Although I don't know what you're defending against, judging from your preparations and the experimental environment this afternoon, it should be at least equivalent to a large-scale creature. Using this kind of thing is less sturdy and durable than a reinforced concrete complex." Shinji shrugged. In retrospect, this thing was utterly useless, easily cracked open, and the citizens were constantly having to evacuate. It was utter nonsense. "Looks like NERV is a good place to steal salary."

This almost made Misato Katsuragi explode with anger, but Shinji Ikari's next question surprised her greatly. "So these buildings probably just look like buildings, right? What's inside? Sealed mechs? Hidden fire delivery systems? Some kind of concealed passageway?" Shinji Ikari pointed at the steel buildings and asked the question with a smile, which startled Misato Katsuragi. Had he seen through her with just one glance?

"So, there's something even more shocking to show me today, right? Otherwise, Dr. Akagi wouldn't be so free to drive half an hour to have breakfast with you."

"Forehead……"

"Boys who are too smart are not popular!"

"Ritsuko... he said he has a girlfriend."

"Oh my! Really? Can I see the photos?"

"I reject!"

"why?"

“Because you will definitely investigate, and then the report will be on Gendo Ikari’s desk. I hate that feeling.”

"Well, indeed."

Chapter 9: Questioning Along the Way

After breakfast, Shinji Ikari followed Misato Katsuragi and Ritsuko Akagi to NERV's underground laboratory. Watching the vehicle transport platform, resembling an escalator, ascend into the underground passage, Shinji felt a surge of disbelief.

"So what are the experiments we need to do today?" Shinji Ikari asked, leaning back in his seat with his hands behind his head.

"There's nothing special planned for today. Maya will mainly show you around the different departments and help you collect your ID card, which is already ready! If all goes well, we'll take you through the enrollment procedures this afternoon, and you can meet your classmates," Ritsuko Akagi said with a smile. "Your school is considered one of the better private schools in Hakone."

"Oh?" Shinji Ikari glanced at Ritsuko Akagi behind him. "Is Nakiri Private Middle School any good?" Shinji Ikari asked a very simple question.

“To be honest, the facilities may be similar, but in terms of teaching quality, Seirin Academy is already the best school in the Hakone area.” Ritsuko Akagi shrugged. “In addition, you should also know that Nakiri Private Middle School does not have a high school section. Its high school section is the so-called Totsuki Academy. As someone with exorcist and jutsu master licenses, you should know that they are not ordinary people.”

"You mean those chefs? That makes sense." Shinji Ikari nodded. Of course he knew. His girlfriend was going to go to Totsuki Academy. Unlike the junior high school section, which recruits ordinary students, the Nakiri Private Academy High School, or Totsuki Academy, doesn't recruit students publicly at all. Most of the time, they call themselves a professional chef training institution.

The chefs trained by Totsuki Culinary Academy are indeed renowned worldwide. This dose of medicine was enough to send them to their deaths, and their daily meals were like a revolving lantern.

“By the way, Shinji Ikari, the restaurant where we ate that day…” Misato Katsuragi hesitated for a moment, but still couldn’t help asking the question in her heart.

"Yukihira Restaurant? Want to ask the manager? Unless you're planning to be Yukihira Soma's stepmother, I know nothing about it." Shinji Ikari shrugged, running his index finger up and down his lips to indicate that his mouth had been sewn shut.

"Oh?" Ritsuko Akagi immediately burst out laughing. "I'm starting to get interested. Can you tell me more?"

"A handsome middle-aged man who runs a small restaurant, the father of my classmate Soma Yukihira, cooks incredibly well. So good that Misato cried after eating a plate of fried rice he made with care." Shinji Ikari pointed at Misato Katsuragi and began to expose Misato's embarrassing situation without hesitation. Ritsuko Akagi burst out laughing while also being shocked.

As the commander of NERV's combat division, Misato Katsuragi holds the rank of Colonel 3, placing her in the upper-middle class of the Japanese average income of over 6 million yen per year. Combined with NERV's service allowance, she's not incapable of affording good food. Furthermore, during external liaison duties, she frequently has opportunities to attend high-level banquets, so she's not exactly unsophisticated.

A simple fried rice dish could make Misato Katsuragi cry. Just how skilled must this chef be to achieve this? Truly, the simplest ingredients yielded the most terrifying culinary creation… Without a doubt, such a chef must be from Totsuki Academy, or at least they would have invited him to join, and right here at Nakiri Private Middle School…

"Slap! Whoa!" Misato Katsuragi slapped Shinji Ikari's hand away. "That's all the old man's story! I don't believe it! You didn't know, did you?" Misato Katsuragi said fiercely. Usually, this kind of provocation was very effective at getting information out of a young man like Shinji Ikari.

"Yes, I don't know!" Shinji Ikari said with a smile, seemingly trying to provoke me. "I'm lying down, you can continue."

"...Puhahaha. Shinji Ikari, you're really interesting." Ritsuko Akagi and Misato Katsuragi were both visibly taken aback. However, after her shoulders trembled for a while, Ritsuko Akagi laughed. This newcomer was just too interesting. "I'm starting to believe that you have a girlfriend. Misato, continue. We still have an hour to reach our destination. Let's see if you can get anything out of her."

"Hmph!" Misato Katsuragi snorted irritably. "Never mind, it's not a very important thing anyway. By the way, I've found a place for you. It's 7 yen a month, not including utilities and furniture. But it wouldn't cost much to buy it anyway. Are you sure you just want to rent it?"

“Hmm, rent! If you rent, and something happens, it's someone else's house that gets damaged. If you buy, you have to pay the insurance company every year! That's not worth it.” Shinji Ikari said with a smile. As a jutsu master and an exorcist, he was highly likely to be targeted for revenge. Of course, these idiots basically wouldn't dare to vandalize Suzuki Group's hotels, because Suzuki Group could really crush them with money. So, after his house was vandalized three times, even the insurance company refused to insure his house anymore, let alone make a claim.

So, after witnessing his house being destroyed for the fourth time, Shinji Ikari vowed to only rent and never sell from now on. But these bastards played along, adopting a code of honor! Damn it, they stopped smashing it! Then Shinji wondered if his rivals had run away, so he renovated it, only to have it vandalized the very next day! This infuriated Shinji. It was unbelievable, but Shinji resigned himself to his fate; he's been renting ever since.

“That’s really a heartbreaking reason…” Ritsuko Akagi shook her head. Although NERV didn’t get very detailed information because each company kept their own data confidential, judging from the fact that each company basically extended invitations to Shinji Ikari afterward, it was safe to assume that Shinji Ikari’s abilities, or rather his achievements, were quite remarkable, at least enough to attract the attention of the higher-ups.

“Actually, you could stay at the Suzuki Hotel indefinitely, right? 90,000 yen a month isn’t unacceptable,” Misato Katsuragi said with a grin. She had already eaten three buffet meals at the Suzuki Hotel costing over 10,000 yen each and enjoyed a free full-body spa treatment. To be honest, she thought Shinji Ikari was right about one of his quotes: “Rich people aren’t necessarily happy, but you can’t understand the happiness of the rich.”

“Money is no object, but favors are hard to repay. Misato-nee, didn’t you see me helping them check the store that night?” Shinji Ikari said with a grin. Misato Katsuragi was taken aback for a moment, then immediately realized, “Oh, I see. Didn’t you say you helped the Suzuki family’s daughter and she gave you a VIP card?”

“I did help you, but favors are finite. It would be pointless to waste them on this. By the way, when is my motorcycle coming? I haven’t ridden it in a few days, so I’ll be a bit rusty,” Shinji Ikari said with a smile.