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

Shinji Ikari paused for a moment after hearing this, then gave a wry smile, "I'm not..."

"Of course you're not!" Asuka stood up. She had already put on her combat suit and was ready to participate in today's synchronization test, as well as field combat training, other daily training, and even some virtual mini-games, such as the action imitation game that Shinji Ikari had been playing with Asuka and the others recently.

For the three of them, today was just another ordinary day. Before Ayato Kamina arrived, Shinji Ikari only needed to attend half a day of classes, then return to NERV for training and testing to see if they were in good condition. After all, everyone was now certain of one thing: Shinji's Unit-01 was extremely powerful, but Shinji himself was running around everywhere...

It's highly likely that in the event of a surprise attack, Asuka and Rei Ayanami will be the first to step in, just like when they faced the Angel of Thunder last time. Rei Ayanami was constantly providing cover fire to draw the enemy's attention, allowing Shinji Ikari to launch a surprise attack and kill the enemy in one blow. Misato Katsuragi wouldn't mind using this tactic a couple more times.

“They’re expecting the hero they’ve imagined. Speaking of which, you using the Eternal Emperor’s suit was kind of a fluke, since the Eternal Emperor isn’t exactly a good guy in the traditional sense.” Asuka tossed her hair. “I’m going to go into the insertion chamber and wait, Misato.”

"Okay, thank you for your hard work!" Misato Katsuragi looked at Asuka with great pleasure. Although she didn't know what Shinji Ikari and Asuka had talked about back to back that day, it was obvious that Asuka was not so unsociable now. Although she had heard that she still didn't get along well with her classmates at school, and that she could hear the two of them arguing in class almost every day.

When Kanzaki Reimi bullies the teacher, Asuka snaps at her; when Asuka acts coy, Kanzaki Reimi snaps at her; and then during recess, the two exchange barbs. The mutual animosity between these two genius beauties makes their relationship incredibly tense.

"Idiot Shinji, hurry up! The sooner we start, the sooner we finish." Asuka looked bored. Because it was a routine training test, Asuka found it somewhat tedious. Although she knew very well that these basic training exercises were important to her, before she could make the Rasengan, it was obvious that her Unit-02's combat power was not worth considering. It was completely inadequate compared to Shinji Ikari's Unit-01.

"Okay! I understand! Coming, coming." Shinji Ikari stood up and walked out from the area on the other side of the curtain, then suddenly remembered something, "Where's Rei?"

"Rei has already gone to the insertion plug, and I guess she's already started the synchronization rate test. She's much more diligent than you," Misato Katsuragi tilted her head, looking at Shinji Ikari with a mischievous smile, and then whispered, "Are you sure you want to participate in that Dark Tournament? I heard you already have the invitation ticket?"

“Yes, I’m absolutely certain. After all, it’s not like I’ve only been looking to humiliate these guys for a short time. Seeing them swaggering around in the human world is incredibly annoying!” Shinji Ikari nodded firmly, then pressed a button on his wrist, expelling excess air from his combat suit. Shinji stretched his limbs and looked at Misato Katsuragi, continuing, “So, since we have such a great opportunity, a stage they’ve set up themselves, it would be a bit inappropriate not to slap them in the face.”

"You rascal!" Misato Katsuragi laughed. She was somewhat helpless at Shinji Ikari's arrogant attitude, after all, Shinji Ikari had the right to be arrogant.

According to Ritsuko Akagi, Shinji Ikari's physical condition has become even stronger recently. It can only be said that the nutritional supplements provided by the Totsuki Group and the sake brewed by Ryoko Sakaki have been of great benefit to Shinji Ikari!

"Be careful during the match, we'll cheer you on," Misato Katsuragi assured Shinji Ikari with a smile. "But let's focus on the test today. According to Ritsuko Akagi, your synchronization rate has started to drop slightly lately! What did you do? Your performance hasn't gotten worse, has it?"

"Perhaps it's because I haven't had a worthy opponent to pilot an EVA lately," Shinji Ikari said with a smile. Testing and some activity-related actions naturally couldn't allow him to achieve any breakthroughs in his performance.

"Oh! Shinji, it's perfect that you're here. Don't rush to leave after the test. Come here for a bit. Your physical data has changed quite a bit, and I need to update it." Ritsuko Akagi tapped Shinji Ikari on the forehead. Shinji was turning around to say this to Misato Katsuragi when the electronic door suddenly opened, and he bumped right into Ritsuko Akagi.

"..." Shinji Ikari didn't rush to answer. He first looked at Ritsuko Akagi in front of him, then glanced back at Misato Katsuragi, sighed, and had an expression that said there was still a gap between them. Then he ducked to avoid the folder that Misato Katsuragi threw at him in a fit of rage and ran away.

"That jerk!" Misato Katsuragi glared angrily at Shinji Ikari's retreating back! How dare he tease her like that!?

"Miri, Ryoko is older than you!"

"Shut up! Ritsuko, all you do is spoil Shinji."

"Really? I don't think so. Let's hurry up and go, the experiment is about to begin."

"it is good."

Chapter 224 Transfer Students

"Ayato!" The next day, when Shinji Ikari returned to school, Eikichi Onizuka introduced a temporary day student. The moment Ayato Kamina walked in, most of the girls in the class started shouting loudly, and the boys waved their arms happily to greet him.

Because of his strained relationship with TERRA, Ayato Kamina would often visit Tokyo-3 whenever he had free time. Aside from learning to ride a motorcycle with Ryuji Danma, he would be taken by Shinji Ikari to participate in some of their Class 3-4's group activities. With Shinji Ikari leading the way, Class 3-4 frequently formed teams to play baseball and basketball, especially baseball. In order to make up for Kunio Murai's shortcomings and quickly catch up with the baseball skills of this player who had previously been busy just getting by, the boys in Class 3-4 would hit a few bats whenever they had free time. Kunio Murai was already quite good at swinging (hitting), and now he was able to make it onto the first team's reserve team. The coach thought he was a good prospect, but it was a pity that he was wasting his potential.

Ayato Kamina was naturally dragged into participating in many sports activities during his visits. He was quite handsome and had surprisingly good athletic ability. The young people quickly became closer, and after playing ball, the group of them would laugh and joke with Shinji Ikari as they went to enjoy NERV's perks.

Although they could only get one blind box set, which basically consisted of a cola, a burger, and fries, the group didn't care; they were happy to get something for free. Afterwards, if they were still interested, they would jokingly go to Danma Ryuji's shop to help out or cause trouble, or loudly laugh at Ayato Kamina's mistakes while he was learning to ride a motorcycle. The group became friends through their playful banter.

The warmth of the group immediately improved Ayato Kamina's mood, who had been feeling awkward for a long time. At least in this new place, he had a group of friends again, and these friends had no ulterior motives, which made him very happy.

"Hi... Hello everyone, I'll be studying here for a while, please take good care of me." Ayato Kamina scratched his head shyly. He was already very familiar with most of the people in this class, and a few girls had even given him subtle hints, hoping to get a little closer to him, which made the boy quite shy.

"Looks like everyone's already familiar with each other! I won't go into too much detail. You can sit in front of Shinji. Okay! Now, let's have Fuyutsuki-sensei teach the class. Reimi! Don't bully anyone." Onizuka Eikichi was happy that he could save himself some trouble, but before leaving, he still made sure to give him a little reminder. Kanzaki Reimi, who was lying on the table, simply made a face at him.

"How long is Ayato-kun's temporary enrollment?!" As soon as Fuyutsuki-sensei's class ended, a group of boys and girls swarmed around him without any hesitation, chattering and asking about Ayato's situation. Since they were already quite familiar with each other, they naturally started their siege.

"Ah, because of work, I've been spending about ten days at NERV, so it's been about ten days." Since everyone was familiar with each other, there was no awkwardness when they started chatting, and Ayato even casually crossed her legs.

"Yes, so if you want to flirt with him, you need to hurry. He probably only spends about half a day at school, just like me." Shinji Ikari, sitting in the back, chimed in. The group exclaimed "Oh!" and then happily continued asking about Ayato Kamina. The girls were most interested in Ayato Kamina's life, including his hobbies, favorite foods, and so on, to see if they were compatible and to prepare for possible future strategies.

The boys are more direct. They'll say things like, "Let's play baseball together today," or "Let's go eat and drink together later." It's fair to say that boys at this stage are relatively simple-minded, thinking more about things like eating, drinking, and having fun.

"I'm free tomorrow, so let's hang out together. I made plans with Shinji today to go together to a shrine this weekend," Ayato Kamina said with a smile. He couldn't say anything more, since the shrine they were going to had a hot spring, and it was really better not to mention it.

"A shrine? What shrine? Izumo Shrine?" The group immediately perked up. After all, Izumo no Okuni from Izumo Shrine had actually staked out Shinji Ikari at their school gate. How could a beautiful and sexy older sister sitting in a supercar not leave a deep impression? And it seems she wasn't the first stunning beauty to stake out Shinji Ikari.

"No, it's a shrine deep in the mountains. He came here on a mission, and it's not going to be easy. I'm being dragged along with him..." Shinji Ikari, who was frantically working on his practice questions, complained (I chatted with a former high school genius yesterday, and he said that doing practice questions is actually somewhat interesting, but it's not interesting because you... can't solve them! That Versailles scoundrel), "Training, training!"

"Don't scream so pitifully..." Ayato Kamina complained to Shinji Ikari, feeling somewhat embarrassed. Shinji had given him a long lecture during their recent meeting, making Ayato Kamina wonder if he had unintentionally tricked Shinji once.

"Alright, let's leave it at that. Hiking, aerobic exercise, then high-intensity training, and cramming-style education." Shinji Ikari shrugged, having already outlined what he would be facing. After all, he had promised Helena Babem, and it wasn't easy to repay her favor. "By the way, you can look forward to Monday. I guarantee that day will be a great opportunity for you to curry favor with her."

Amidst the laughter and jeers of the girls, Ayato Kamina's face instantly turned red. A group of boys stood by, loudly mocking Ayato Kamina, and it seemed like the commotion would continue until the next class began.

Meanwhile, Asuka, who had been out of work for a while that night due to her double act with Misato Katsuragi, wasn't in very good spirits. She pouted, tilted her head, and leaned against the table, thinking, "They really are a bunch of idiots!" Then she noticed someone walking up to her, turned her head, and saw Rei Ayanami standing next to her.

"Shinji asked me to give this to you." Rei Ayanami walked over and placed a small bottle on the table. This was a drink made by Ryoko Sakaki, which she handed to Asuka. "It's not alcohol, but it will make you feel better." Rei Ayanami explained briefly, and then Reimi Kanzaki behind her looked shocked. Rei Ayanami actually took the initiative to talk to Asuka?! What... is going on?

"...Thank you." Asuka was also visibly stunned for a moment. After a busy night, her brain felt like a rusty gear, completely unable to function. She definitely needed something to perk her up. Without thinking much, Asuka picked it up and took a few sips.

A cool sensation rushed to my brain, making me shiver. It was like hundreds of bottles of ice-cold mineral water had suddenly been released into a pond in the middle of summer, causing the fish in the pond to jump out of the water from the cold.

My thoughts and reaction speed were quickly brought back to normal, and my exhausted mind and body became active again. "It really is... thank you!"

"How rare! I thought people from Europe all thought they were superior and wouldn't know how to thank anyone!" Kanzaki Reimi pounced on Ayanami Rei's back, cheek to cheek, and her sarcastic words came as expected. According to Shinji Ikari, the two girls didn't have much disagreement with each other, but both were smart and wanted to be superior to the other, which made them compete with each other endlessly. They didn't even care whether it was meaningful or not.

"Because some people deserve to be treated with respect, while others are only worthy of this level." Asuka tilted her head and squinted. This morning, Kanzaki Reimi had already provoked her because she was in a bad mood. At the time, she was too sleepy to bother with her, and Kanzaki Reimi left naturally after getting bored.

"Speaking of which, Asuka, are you going later?" Shinji Ikari said with a smile. "If you're not busy, Reimi, you don't need to look after me. Eikichi Onizuka said he's going to help out at Ryuji Danma's shop this weekend. Blame it on someone dragging him to Ristorante F. He emptied his wallet in one meal, and he has to earn some extra money."

"What does it have to do with me that he went to Ryuji's shop!" Kanzaki Reimi retorted stubbornly, but her puffed-up expression clearly indicated that she wouldn't go. Besides, she could also get a part-time job; after all, she could replace Rei Ayanami as the shop's mascot!

Because Danma Ryuji's shop doesn't have rent, it's one of the few franchised shops that sells motorcycles at the genuine Suzuki "suggested retail price." Moreover, Danma Ryuji's repair and modification skills are excellent, and his reputation quickly spread among motorcyclists on the Tokyo Bay Coast Expressway. So, although the shop hasn't been open for very long, business is already very good.

"Fine, you're going to the hot springs, right, Shinji? I'll pay for her, but if you don't go, you'll have to pay me back double, how about that?" Asuka began to tease Kanzaki Reimi with a very malicious intent.

"Tch, who's short of a few bucks!" Yes, Reimi really isn't short of money. She's also one of the regular mascots at Danma Car Dealership. Unlike Rei Ayanami, who has the aloof goddess vibe, Kanzaki Reimi is a saleswoman who knows how to win people's hearts. At crucial moments when customers are hesitant, she can use persuasive techniques to entice them to make up their minds and take out their wallets to pay. Naturally, Danma Ryuji wouldn't treat such a top saleswoman and mascot unfairly.

"So, are you going or not?!" Asuka smiled, "Don't say anything irrelevant! You decide whether you're going or not."

"...Hmph!" Kanzaki Reimi narrowed her eyes, then suddenly smiled. "Hey! It's okay, Reimi will stay with me, right?"

"No, I will go." Rei Ayanami decisively stated her position.

"Ah! Rei, you've gone too far! You should be helping your friend right now. If you're this heartless, we're breaking up!" Kanzaki Rei almost choked on her words and started poking Rei Ayanami's cheek in dissatisfaction.

“Hi!” Rei Ayanami nodded, indicating that it was you who said it.

"You didn't even consider it! That's too much!" Kanzaki Reimi hugged Ayanami Rei and started pretending to cry.

Chapter 225 Climbing

"Keep going! Look at the map, there's still a third of the way." Shinji Ikari handed a stick he had picked up from the roadside to Ayato Kamina, who was clearly struggling to walk. They had set off that afternoon, and this trip was not only reported to NERV, but it should also be said that it was a test conducted with Ritsuko Akagi's consent.

After all, there is one very important indicator for EVA pilots: the strength of their mind, or what is commonly known as willpower. This not only affects the synchronization rate, but also makes it less likely to experience mental backflow (commonly known as berserk mode). In a sense, it also affects the strength of the EVA's AT domain.

Generally speaking, activities like mountain climbing, which are relatively less strenuous but still test physical strength, are indeed excellent ways to train willpower. They are relatively gentle and generally do not cause any harm. However, NERV still equipped them with signal guns and some necessary equipment so that they could easily call for help in case of an emergency. However, Misato Katsuragi thought that with Shinji Ikari around, they probably wouldn't need them.

After all, as they were doing now, the group got off the car some distance away and trekked along the rugged mountain path towards a shrine deep in the mountains. Although they were chatting and laughing at the beginning, after most of the day had passed and their physical strength was nearing its limit, they all started asking Shinji Ikari how much further they were to arrive.

"You said there's only a third left on the map? That's what you said half an hour ago." Ayato Kamina sighed. He opened his water bottle and took a small sip to moisten his throat and ease his discomfort. Nothing else mattered, but the feeling of being completely exhausted with no end in sight was truly awful.

"Because this mountain path has been winding along the mountainside since we started, we haven't actually traveled very far in a straight line." Asuka glanced at the direction of the sun, then at her watch, still somewhat dissatisfied with how far they had progressed so far. "Cheer up! You're a boy, after all. Even if you're not as good as that idiot Shinji, you're still better than me and Rei, right? I haven't even made you carry a backpack!" said Asuka, an active-duty German Air Force pilot.

"Are you a devil?" Ayato Kamina glanced at Asuka. She was so beautiful, why was she so sarcastic? Despite saying that, Ayato Kamina gritted her teeth, straightened her body, and decided to continue walking forward.

“No, this spot is perfect. Let’s take a break. Once we turn around, there won’t be such a large open space, and there won’t be any shade.” Shinji Ikari interjected. “Although 11:30 is a little early, let’s rest a bit and have some food.” Shinji Ikari looked at everyone, and Ayato Kamina sat down. He was clearly exhausted. After all, he had been walking up and down the mountain path for four hours straight since getting off the train at 7:30 in the morning, and had even crossed several mountain streams. It had left him quite tired.

"What?!" Asuka was still very dissatisfied. Rather than camping in the wilderness, she was looking forward to reaching the shrine as soon as possible so that she could get a proper rest. The longer they spent now, the later they would arrive at the shrine. And what was certain was that they had other training sessions in the afternoon. Misato Katsuragi and Shinji Ikari, who devised the training plan, clearly had the primary goal of exhausting the three young people's physical strength.

"Let's rest for half an hour, eat, drink water, and then spend an hour walking to the end of this hike, how about it?" Shinji Ikari put down his bag and took out the rice balls he had made. They were obviously copied from Ryoko Sakaki's handiwork. Although they weren't as skillful as Sakaki's, they tasted pretty good.

"Is this instant noodle soup?" Ayato Kamina took a cup of "soup" from Shinji Ikari, took a sip, and his expression was very surprised. The delicious soup and the vegetables floating in it tasted quite good, but it was a flavor that he found very familiar.

He threw some dehydrated vegetables into a thermos he had brought with him, added several packets of seasoning powder, shook it briefly, let it sit for a while, and after distributing the rice balls he had brought, he poured the vegetables into disposable cups and distributed them to the three people.

“That’s right. We initially planned to use a concentrated broth.” Shinji Ikari took a big gulp from the cup. The warm broth did effectively relieve his mental fatigue and quickly replenish his body’s salt. “But after such a long journey, the water in the thermos wasn’t hot enough to dissolve perfectly, and carrying it was also a bit of a hassle. We didn’t have time to do it slowly, so we used a more convenient method.”

"No wonder you bought instant noodles down the mountain." Asuka saw Shinji's gesture of buying instant noodles and didn't understand what he was trying to do at first, but now it seemed like a good choice. She took a sip and started eating her rice ball. "Ryoko's cooking is still the best."

"Of course, I didn't end up going down that path. I thought I might become an exorcist, but for some reason I couldn't continue fighting, so I had to run a small restaurant to make a living," Shinji Ikari joked.

His reason for learning to cook was very simple, so simple that he found it a little funny: he was already there, so it would be a waste not to learn, since he was already there, right? Because this reason was too embarrassing, he had to force himself to elevate his thinking. Well, the explanation now sounded somewhat tragic, but also positive.

"Hmm..." Asuka glanced at Shinji Ikari with some surprise. This reason was indeed unexpected, so she didn't say anything more.

"Ugh...cough cough..." Perhaps because of the huge physical exertion, Ayato Kamina did not feel very hungry at first and did not have a good appetite. However, he did not expect that when he got the rice ball in his hand, before he even put it to his mouth, a strong feeling of hunger burst out from his body. Ayato Kamina ate the rice ball made by Shinji Ikari in big bites.

"Have some soup, have some soup. Although my cooking skills are not bad, don't be so exaggerated." Shinji Ikari patted Ayato Kamina on the back and handed him his soup. Ayato Kamina took two big gulps, then took a deep breath and thanked Shinji Ikari.

"The rice balls are so delicious, and I suddenly realize I'm so hungry!" Ayato Kamina only then realized that he had already eaten his third rice ball, while Rei Ayanami and Asuka next to him had only just finished their first rice ball. "Anyway, Shinji, your cooking is amazing."

"All the recipes are from my girlfriend Ryoko Sakaki, so I guess I do have some skill after all. You're welcome, there's more if you want." Shinji Ikari watched Ayato Kamina wolf down his food. Wasn't this the best compliment for a chef's skills? He felt somewhat proud.

"Let's set off as soon as we finish eating. Even if we rest for half an hour, the fatigue won't be effectively relieved. Instead, the soreness will become even worse because we've stopped exercising." Asuka finished her food in a few bites and waved to Shinji Ikari, indicating that she had eaten enough.

“That’s enough. It’s delicious.” Shinji Ikari then looked at Rei Ayanami, who had been silent all along. Rei shook her head, indicating that these two rice balls were enough for her. After finishing the soup in her hand, she started cleaning up the mess as if she were at home.

"Hmm... I'm full, I'm full!" Ayato patted his stomach. He also felt that what the woman next to him said made sense. While eating, the soreness in his body started to appear very obviously, just like the feeling of taking a long-distance running test in school. "I hope that this remaining third is really only a third left." Ayato stood up, put his backpack back on, dusted off his pants, and took a deep breath.

"Are you planning to grit your teeth and walk all the way to the shrine before resting?" Shinji Ikari laughed. He really didn't want to discourage Ayato Kamina. Even if they did reach the shrine, what awaited them wasn't some damn rest, but high-intensity training. This mountain hike over the weekend was just an appetizer. What training ahead would be easier than this?

"Let's go then." Shinji Ikari put the collected trash into a plastic bag, picked it up, and planned to dispose of it at the shrine. "Rei, do you need me to carry your things?"

"..." Rei Ayanami glanced at Shinji Ikari. For some reason, Shinji felt that Rei Ayanami rolled her eyes, but this eye roll was somewhat out of place with Rei Ayanami's calm and composed face.

"Ayato-kun, although I think you're just an ordinary student, isn't your physical fitness a bit too poor?" Although she didn't have any major objections, Asuka was somewhat dissatisfied with Ayato's hesitant pace, as if he couldn't walk anymore and was just pushing himself to the limit.

"No, this is my training. I've already tricked Shinji, so I can't trick you guys too," Ayato Kamina said through gritted teeth.

"Hmm..." Asuka's eyes darted around, seemingly wanting to stir things up. After all, everyone was on the verge of collapse after getting this far, so she was just thinking of something to say.

"Just focus on walking, it should take about an hour to get there!"

"This is really good news. Shinji, you might as well not have said it."

"The Hall of Spells and Incantations".

"Sounds weird."

"Indeed, but it's definitely worth the price."

Chapter 226 Dinner and Walk

"Ugh... Ugh... Another bowl!" Ayato Kamina quickly shoveled down a bowl of rice, held it high, and chewed the rice in his mouth with gusto.

"Good! Good lad! Eat more so you can grow strong!" The current priestess of the Spellcasting Hall, Spellcaster Xiaogui, was a very kind-looking old lady. She was smiling as she served rice to several people, after all, today's amount of exercise was seriously excessive even by post-Cold War German standards.

So, apart from Shinji Ikari, the other three all seemed to have a big appetite. Even Rei Ayanami ate an extra bowl of rice. Asuka only put down her chopsticks after eating her third bowl. As for Ayato Kamina, who was now asking for more rice, he had already eaten his fifth bowl. However, compared to Mei Isayama, who remembered to be a lady after eating his eighth bowl, he was still a bit lacking.

"What a pity. Ryoko Sakaki is such a good cook, Shinji's culinary skills are completely wasted." Misato Katsuragi, who was standing next to her, chewed on her chopsticks. She wasn't very active, but she had still eaten two bowls of rice and felt very full. She stared resentfully at the good dishes left on the table.

"Shinji must have done this on purpose today. These Chinese dishes he made are obviously the kind that go perfectly with rice." Ritsuko Akagi was sipping her tea when Shinji's comment caught her attention. Although she swam in the LCL all the time, she still had to watch her weight. Should she just learn Shinji's "Himuro Style"? It seemed to be incredibly effective at losing weight. Ritsuko glanced at Rei Ayanami beside her.

This is not surprising. Shinji Ikari, who did not seem very tired, took the initiative to cook before dinner. When Enma-senpai saw that her guest was going to cook, she was happy to take it easy and gave up the kitchen. According to the menu that Shinji had given her, she had enough vegetables delivered from the vegetable shop at the foot of the mountain. Then, Shinji started washing, chopping and preparing the vegetables with the three homemade wood-fired stoves that the engineering department had brought for his camping trip (yes, NERV's amazing engineering department thought the stoves were quite fun and made a few extra). Half an hour later, he began to stir-fry the vegetables on a large scale.

Kung Pao Chicken, Twice-Cooked Pork, Mapo Tofu, Shredded Pork with Garlic Sauce, Spicy Chicken, and Stir-Fried Double Crispy Dishes are all available. Soup dishes include Mao Xue Wang (Sichuan-style spicy blood curd) and Boiled Beef. Even the vegetarian dishes are semi-vegetarian, such as Stir-fried Sliced ​​Meat with Hand-Torn Cabbage and Stir-fried Shredded Vegetables. The only truly vegetarian dish is a large cold noodle dish that wasn't quite made to perfection.

As the grand finale, a huge pot of braised pork belly with preserved mustard greens, which Shinji Ikari had started stewing as soon as he arrived, was already incredibly fragrant while it was still simmering. When Shinji opened the pot to serve the food, everyone from NERV rushed forward. Because there were so many people, it was all gone in the blink of an eye, even before Shinji could turn around to put the lid back on.

Since the dishes Shinji Ikari cooked were all quite strongly flavored and meant to be eaten with rice, with the chili peppers primarily being aromatic and spicy, he wasn't planning to make everyone here experience a fiery, intense sensation again when they went to the toilet the next morning. However, these dishes would definitely make you want to eat more rice!

So now a large group of people are eating rice from the Kokuyakujuhodo family's rice like crazy. More than a dozen people have finished two large buckets of rice.

"Phew... I'm full, I'm full!" Ayato Kamina put down his chopsticks, put his hands on the ground, and shouted loudly. He felt warm all over after eating, and the fatigue quickly began to recede under the impact of the fullness. However, because a large amount of blood began to be sent to the digestive system, Ayato Kamina started to rub his eyes.

"Get up and walk around a bit after you finish eating, otherwise you'll get indigestion and feel terrible later!" Shinji Ikari said with a smile, reaching out to pull Ayato Kamina.

"Ah... I still have to walk..." No longer a Japanese elementary school student, Ayato Kamina clearly no longer had the stamina to carry 30 kilograms of weight and march 20 kilometers in a single morning. Simply carrying a basic travel backpack, after walking nearly 20 kilometers of mountain trails, Ayato Kamina felt like he was about to die.

Although he did feel a great sense of accomplishment when he arrived at the shrine, now... after eating cross-legged, the soreness and swelling in his lower back and the excruciating pain in his heels made Ayato Kamina have only one thought: Damn it, I want to cut off my legs!

"Stop thinking about it, walk a few more steps, otherwise even a short visit to the hot spring won't save you." Shinji Ikari forcefully pulled Ayato Kamina up. "It's just a little bit of mountain path, you don't want to miss the hot spring, do you?"

"Why is it a missed opportunity? How could a hot spring disappear?" Ayato Kamina looked at Shinji Ikari with a strange expression. Although he had never been to a hot spring hotel, he still had some common sense.

"Because there are quite a few rules in this Yijufudo Hall. The hot spring is only open until 10 o'clock, and two and a half hours of that time are for women. We two have to hurry." Shinji Ikari shrugged. After so much time has passed, being aloof won't get you anywhere. So Yijufudo Hall is also open to the public, offering "hot spring training" services by reservation. However, because it's so remote, business is very... "so-so".

However, because the hot springs here are very effective in nourishing the body, and the Yakujuhodo Hall, which inherits the lineage of Yakujuhodo, genuinely has some techniques that are willing to be taught openly, those in the know often make appointments to come here for professional training. So, they can survive here, and even live quite well.

Of course, the Onmyodo within the system would also actively introduce some customers to them. For example, a certain patriarch of the Suzuki family spent a fortune and brought his old buddies to enjoy a life of luxury at the hot springs of the Yakujuhodo.

"Okay..." Hearing that the hot springs might only be open to men for a little over an hour, and that NERV is full of rough men... and that the rest of the time is for women, if you don't want to get beaten up, you'd better prepare yourself mentally in advance.

Ayato Kamina stood up with Shinji Ikari. He knew that after intense exercise, one shouldn't simply lie down and rest, otherwise, even if you're not healthy today, the sore muscles will definitely make you unable to be healthy tomorrow.

"Ayato walks like a wooden doll. Even though they've walked about the same distance, Shinji seems completely unaffected." Ritsuko Akagi had just briefly checked their heart rates, and compared to Shinji's completely calm heartbeat, Ayato's heart was barely close to the beat of a general's command.

“How could it not be? Although it was supposed to be lightly equipped, we walked 20 kilometers of mountain trails in 7 hours without any prior training, only resting for about ten minutes in between. Then we did some training in the afternoon, although most of it was just simple restorative activities.” Misato Katsuragi tilted her head and looked at the two people leaving. “I have to say, our Shinji-kun’s looks are not as good as Ayato’s.”

"Phew... How did you do that?" Ayato Kamina, who was following Shinji Ikari, asked a question. During their time at TERRA, it was unclear whether it was to retaliate against Shinji's previous smear campaign or to lay a solid foundation for Ayato, preventing this newbie from being fooled by NERV.

Having already grasped the significance and value of the performer, TERRA absolutely could not tolerate Ayato Kamina being dragged away by Shinji Ikari. Therefore, Haruka Shidou explained Shinji Ikari's identity to Ayato Kamina... Then, Ayato Kamina listened to Haruka Shidou's (suddenly realizing that the spelling of this name is damn evil) introduction. On the surface, this was a super genius who was all-around athletic and could easily get into any university in the country, but in private, he was an exorcist who walked in the darkness to fight evil and save lives...