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

"It's our pleasure. When would be a convenient time for you?" Kurama glanced at Hiei through the rearview mirror. Hiei looked somewhat annoyed and wanted to refuse. After all, in the Demon World, such free lunches usually didn't end well, so Hiei instinctively wanted to refuse.

But Kurama gave him a look, telling him not to say anything more. Could they just refuse the boss's kindness? They didn't have a fair basis for negotiation with the other party at all. The other party had given them an opportunity, and it was smart to take advantage of it on the spot. Afterwards, whether the boss found it annoying or they hid themselves, the boss generally wouldn't care about them. Rather than disobeying on the spot, they might find themselves alone when they got off the bus.

"We've taken a break at a convenience store on the mountaintop," Shinji Ikari's voice came through the walkie-talkie on the front of the car. While Kurama was still driving around halfway up the mountain, Shinji and the other three had already reached the top.

"Understood, we'll arrive in about ten minutes." Kurama picked up the walkie-talkie and quickly replied.

"Got it! What do you want to eat? It's almost lunchtime, have a little something." Shinji Ikari got off his heavy motorcycle Hayabusa and rolled his eyes at Mei Isayama, who was smugly tossing his long hair in front of him.

Then he looked back and saw Aso Yuu, who had been so busy with orders that he had fainted, and had finally caught a chance to go out with Shinji Ikari and the others. Aso Yuu also took off his helmet and hung it on the handle. After waving to Mei Isayama with a grin, he walked into the convenience store in front of him.

As soon as Yusuke Urameshi stopped his motorcycle, he realized that he didn't have the riding skills that Shinji Ikari and the others had gained from riding for a long time. Moreover, his Suzuki 250 was significantly inferior in performance to the top-of-the-line heavy motorcycles that Shinji and the others rode. In the end, once they left the mountain road and the heavy motorcycles began to unleash their full potential, he was left far behind.

"You guys are going really fast!" Yusuke Urameshi said excitedly. It was the first time he had ever driven so fast, completely letting go of all restraints and speeding wildly against the mountain wind on the mountain road. It made Yusuke Urameshi feel his blood boiling.

"Let's go, let's go get something to eat. We might need some energy later," Shinji Ikari said with a smile.

“However…” Yusuke Urameshi glanced at the well-decorated and spacious convenience store with a hint of doubt, “It’s a bit odd that this store is here.” In the middle of nowhere, far from any village or shop, it’s strange that a convenience store would appear in the heart of New Tokyo!

“This isn’t our first time at this store, so don’t worry too much. Their business is much better than you think.” Before Shinji Ikari could explain, Mei Isayama chimed in. It was normal for Yusuke Urameshi to have such a question since he had never been here before. After all, when they first came here, all three of them stared at this convenience store for a long time, and they once thought it was a rather sophisticated illusion.

After all, this is a remote mountain area, not Tokyo Bay, where there is a well-developed logistics system to quickly replenish supplies. Normally, shop owners who open shops in places with no people would lose everything. But this is a genuine convenience store, honest and trustworthy, and you don't have to worry about the products expiring. The store's business is actually quite good.

"It's a bit shady in the mountains, how about a cup of oden and some skewers?" As soon as I walked in, Asou Yuu was already buying things at the counter. Judging from the drinks he had already bought, he was probably ready.

"Business is really good." Yusuke Urameshi walked in and took a look. Apart from the few trucks parked outside with their drivers eating, Yusuke Urameshi also saw seven or eight other people sitting in the rest area eating or reading magazines. If they didn't look out the window, they would never realize that they were in a mountainous area. It was just like a convenience store in a city.

"Hmm?" After Sadao Maou arrived, a group of people occupied two tables and started eating. Apart from the three gluttons like Mei Isayama, Shinji Ikari, and Yusuke Urameshi, the others didn't eat much. Kurama even brought his own rice balls, which, according to Yusuke Urameshi who ate one, were much tastier than the rice balls sold here.

“There’s no trace of magic in this store, and there are no villages nearby. Apart from the truck drivers, I really can’t figure out why business here is so good.” Sadao Maou was somewhat puzzled. He was a store manager who had received formal training from McDonald’s and was very sensitive to things like foot traffic and the size of the target group. But this convenience store in front of him clearly defied all that knowledge.

"Maybe it's because it's cheaper?" Kurama looked at the price, but his tone was very hesitant. Although it was indeed cheaper than the prices in city convenience stores, the difference of a few dozen yen shouldn't be enough to attract people to buy things here.

"Then there's only one special address left." Maou Sadao glanced at the people sitting in the rest area eating and resting. Apart from a few who were probably truck drivers, the rest were mostly not ordinary people. Maou Sadao's eyes flickered. "So, we've arrived?"

"We're here? Where are we?" Yusuke Urameshi swallowed the bento he had bought, his face full of confusion. "Isn't this a convenience store? Weren't we supposed to be in the deep mountains?"

“No, that’s right, we have indeed arrived. I told you he’s a shrewd businessman. Although it’s not a lot of money, this shrewd businessman doesn’t seem to be missing out. And everyone who comes here does need to rest and have something to eat.” Shinji Ikari shook his head. “Just think of it as a restaurant next to a tourist attraction.” He didn’t mince words and simply revealed the answer.

“That means…we are now…” Urameshi Yusuke paused for a moment, his eyes sharpening.

“But the staff are just ordinary people, and we didn’t see anything suspicious.” Fei Ying quickly glanced around the store and frowned. It was different from what he had imagined. Moreover, these guys were continuing to eat without any fear, even though they were potential enemies.

"To be precise, this convenience store is already part of the other party's business. In most cases, the other party also assumes that the convenience store is within their business area." Isayama Mei threw the last chicken meatball into his mouth and chewed it heartily.

"It's just behind there. There's a small path leading into the mountains. You can't see it from here, but motorcycles and cars can still go in. Once you turn around the mountain, you'll see his luxurious villa." Shinji Ikari took out a receipt from his pocket, gestured to it, and the waiter came over, took the receipt, and then went to the counter to make a phone call.

"They seem to be very cautious."

"After all, a coward is like a mouse..."

Chapter 277 Professionals

"Although it was indeed the transaction receipt I issued, I really didn't expect you to come." Feng Yuan Honganji glared fiercely at Shinji Ikari in front of him. To be honest, his reputation has been too good lately. It's so good that some demons have come up to ask if he has sided with humans. Anyway, a living demon god has emerged from the demon race, and his relationship with this bastard in front of him is completely unbelievable. If he touches him, he will definitely be punished by that person.

"I'm just here to ask a few questions. My companion is the one who really wants to buy things." Shinji Ikari pointed to Mei Isayama beside him with a sneer. Although this bastard was a demon, he was very particular about his reputation. Although the Countermeasures Bureau had investigated the Ghost Group and some of his businesses, upon closer inspection, most of them turned out to be special ingredients, and they hadn't found anything wrong with him.

"What do you want to ask?" Feng Yuan Honganji sat down cross-legged and gestured to his new daughter beside him to serve tea to him and Shinji Ikari. "I can't guarantee whether you'll answer or not."

The two twins, whom he had never met before, obediently agreed. Dressed in kimonos, they gave Shinji a sense of respect mixed with fear, for some reason. Clearly, they had seen something that terrified them.

"Do you have the Fruit of Time here? If not, do you have any information about it?" Shinji Ikari asked bluntly.

"...The Fruit of Time?" Shinji Ikari's question triggered the cunning merchant instincts of the Mad Honganji Temple. He narrowed his eyes at Shinji Ikari, rolled up his sleeves, and seemed to have been pondering for a while. "I don't have the Fruit of Time, but I do have some information on it. I'll give you 500 million yen."

"He's definitely a swindler." Lancer was almost laughing in anger. Just from how long this guy hesitated, Shinji Ikari was already certain that he must have something, or at least something similar or related. But after calculating the gains and losses for a long time, he finally decided not to sell it to him. After all, his reputation among these demons and monsters was undoubtedly exceptionally good.

So, the information this guy was willing to sell me, without even asking, must have been the information after the most crucial parts were removed. There's no need to guess at all; this guy is just that cunning. And since he sold me something, I won't get angry and cause him any trouble. Isn't this a perfect solution?

"Alright, then there's nothing left to discuss here. Mei Isayama, it's your turn." Shinji Ikari shook his head. Since this guy wasn't sincere, there was no need for him to waste his energy and breath. After all, he had predicted this situation from the beginning. He had just returned from the Dark Martial Arts Tournament. If this guy could sell the item to him so readily, it must be because he hadn't caused enough trouble at the Dark Martial Arts Tournament, and too many others had survived.

So at this point, a Plan B is needed as a backup plan! After all, the only people here are Shinji Ikari, his two companions, and Yusuke Urameshi. The three people in the van, on the other hand, didn't enter with them from the beginning; instead, under the guidance of Kurama, the "professional," they naturally had to pay a proper visit to the mansion of a certain unscrupulous merchant.

The biggest obstacle was that Shinji Ikari was worried that Kurama's high moral standards would lead him to reject Plan B. However, to his surprise, Kurama not only agreed immediately but also seemed eager to try it out. This made Shinji think that Kurama was a very interesting person, and his similar personality to Yusuke Urameshi was also quite unexpected.

“Okay!” Mei Isayama handed two slips of paper to the little girl beside him. “These are for my and Yuu Aso’s needs. Similar alternatives are also acceptable.” What Mei Isayama was thinking about were some of the items on the list of so-called “essential items for going out” that Shinji Ikari had made up, especially those that could quickly stop bleeding, sustain life for a short time, and be used as a last-ditch effort.

Aso Yuu wanted all sorts of strange and unusual things, from translucent crystals with special properties to minerals with special characteristics. He was clearly preparing to build a higher-performance camera. After becoming famous in the battle of Minakami Village, many exorcists even traveled across the ocean to the Onmyōryō to buy his camera. The little stock left in Isayama Mei's black shop had long been sold out. However, Aso Yuu was obviously not the kind of person who planned to simply rest on his laurels. He also had many new ideas.

"These things... um..." Fengyuan Honganji had a headache. He took the items and glanced at them. Isayama Mei's medicine was somewhat easy to explain, but what were the rest? Weren't these all preparations to deal with them? Don't you know how troublesome a soul-striking weapon that can sweep across a wide area is for them?

After Asou Yuu rented out her equipment at the Onmyo-ryo (Yin-Yang Bureau), several previously notoriously difficult dens of gregarious monsters were directly destroyed. For these creatures that rely on sheer numbers, this equipment was practically cheating! Although activating it was quite a spectacle, often requiring facing a frenzied attack from the enemy, once activated... it was an annihilation strike. In the past, humanity could only organize large-scale armies and, after paying a heavy price, forcibly annihilate them with firepower.

This situation naturally aroused fear among many creatures in the dark world. After all, theoretically, if more of these things were made, wouldn't they be able to block the gates of any creature in the dark world and kill them? After all, their energy and time are not unlimited. This thing can be deployed in just a short time. With such a method of killing power close to S-class, no non-S-class demon or monster can withstand it.

So what new ideas does Aso Yuu have now? Asking me to buy things? Ha! You probably just want me to die faster. What kind of monsters and demons will your machine kill? Their friends and family will probably come knocking on my door for a heart-to-heart talk! How is that any different from selling the Time Fruit to Shinji Ikari? It's even riskier!

"Alright, to be honest, the problem isn't the goods, it's you all. Do you understand what I mean? I'm sorry, I have nothing to sell you." Fengyuan Honganji pushed the items back, shaking his head. For him, money, while he desperately wanted it, required being alive. Otherwise, what use would money be to him if he became a ghost?!

The Mad Resentment Honganji Temple was unwilling to offend the group before them. Look how young they were! Shinji Ikari's appearance at the Dark Tournament had already aroused a mix of envy and panic from all sides. This guy was only 14 years old! He hadn't even turned 15 yet! And he was already a top-notch fighter! Generally, those prodigies who could break through the A-rank barrier would become the names of that era! In the current era, it was a very young Gojo Satoru who ruled this era, but Gojo Satoru wasn't a diligent person, so his human aura wasn't too strong.

But look at Shinji Ikari now! Just a few months ago, he was only considered a C-rank with A-rank potential, but now... he has already proven his combat power at the Dark Tournament with his Super Crack Purple Flame Bullet. His teammates even killed an entire powerful team by themselves. Although Mei Isayama's dragon transformation was completely exposed during the battle, it was bound to happen sooner or later, so it's not very important.

"I understand..." Shinji Ikari looked at the Mad Resentment Honganji Temple before him. They had everything, right? Before coming here, Shinji had a feeling there was a chance he'd come away empty-handed; this was just confirming that. "The tea is good, but what about those two girls from last time?" Shinji glanced sideways at the two girls' reactions, and sure enough... his hand trembled violently.

"They left, and I was very sad." Fengyuan Honganji said calmly, "I have always regarded them as my daughters. My children have grown up and have their own ideas. What can I, an old man, do? It's not like the past. I can't just rush into the city and do anything. My old bones can't withstand a few punches from your Holy Light Qi."

"You're too kind... I'm quite confident that my two punches shouldn't be enough to kill an S-rank powerhouse, at least he's a near-S-rank, isn't he?" Shinji Ikari smiled as he looked at the Mad Grudge Honganji in front of him. "After all, if you're too weak, you won't be able to hold your own at a festival of this scale, like the Mountain God Festival. You... isn't that your usual habit? Too weak people can't command respect." Shinji Ikari looked at the Mad Grudge Honganji opposite him, who had narrowed his eyes.

For the Mad Vengeance Honganji Temple, the Dark Tournament was just something he paid money to have fun, and whatever happened there had nothing to do with him. But the Mountain God Festival that Shinji Ikari mentioned was a different story. It was something he was responsible for managing and suppressing, and yet such a huge mess had occurred there. A vengeful spirit had directly ascended to the level of a malevolent god at the Mountain God Festival and started killing monsters indiscriminately! This incident had completely shattered his prestige among demons.

"We're not getting along, so let's end it here. You're still as unlikable as ever." Feng Yuan Honganji picked up his teacup and took a sip, his mannerisms quite adept.

"Goodbye." Shinji and the others didn't drink tea at all; who knows what this guy might put in it? The four of them got up and left.

"You're quite efficient, bringing all four cups of tea. You don't even know how to appreciate such expensive tea." Mad En Honganji tilted his head and looked at his "daughters." Although the two newcomers were more obedient than the previous ones, they were still ignorant... Mad En Honganji's eyes flashed with a fierce light, and he clicked his tongue in displeasure. If the day ever came, he would be willing to spend ten million to buy Shinji Ikari's flesh and have a feast.

Shinji Ikari and his companions walked out of the courtyard in complete silence, then rode their motorcycles down the mountain. On the mountain road, Shinji's phone rang. He made two hand gestures to the back, and the group pulled over and gathered together as if to have a brief chat. The other three then began to observe their surroundings.

"Didn't you guys come out a little too quickly?" Sadao Maou's voice came from inside. As one of the ambushers, he was very puzzled. How could Shinji Ikari have come out of the mansion so quickly? From the time he entered the house until now, it hadn't even been twenty minutes. How could he be out already? Don't you need to see the goods before buying them and negotiate the price? How could it be considered a done deal so easily?!

"Because the other party didn't want to do business with us at all. The only reason he met with us was because of the transaction receipts he had previously issued. This guy had to meet with us and give us an explanation," Shinji Ikari, wearing a helmet, said somewhat irritably. "So it was a complete waste of time."

"I understand. It's a very clear-headed judgment." From the beginning, Sadao Maou and Shinji Ikari had reached a small consensus: the probability of them gaining anything from this trip wasn't entirely zero, but it was certainly not high. Humans were preparing to teach the ever-arrogant youkai a lesson. Under these circumstances, hoping to get the Time Fruit from this guy was impossible unless he had realized a serious problem and planned to switch sides. Otherwise, he wouldn't do something so reckless.

"Then let's see if your actions can accomplish it," Shinji Ikari said with a smile.

“Yes.” Maou Sadao closed his phone after saying that. To him, breaking into someone’s treasure vault and stealing their precious treasures was a very common thing. “It’s our turn. Lancer and the others have found nothing. Where do we begin?”

“First, we need to sneak in. This is a plant powder that can effectively remove our body odor. There are three dogs near the warehouse.” Zangma took out a small packet of blue powder.

“No need for all that trouble. They can’t smell us. As long as we’re not face to face, they’ll even ignore some of our movements.” Maou Sadao smiled and cast two spells to erase traces. In fact, he was more familiar with how to fight back against this kind of guy. After all, there were far more people who coveted his treasure and his head than this rat in front of him.

"Then I'll go in first, grab someone, and find out the location of the warehouse."

"No need to ask. Generally speaking, there's no need to look for a warehouse for such high-value items. What's stored there are usually ordinary goods that aren't that valuable. Truly precious treasures are stored in small, secure warehouses close to the body. This way, they're better guarded and easier to take."

"It makes sense..."

"After all, I'm a professional..."

Chapter 278 Get Used To It

"Is this the place?" The treasured storeroom of a certain rat was opened, and Maou Sadao glanced at the surroundings before frowning.

"I really couldn't believe it. This guy is a fan of anime and manga." Kurama walked in, looking at the scene with some surprise. Although there were indeed some display shelves, the surrounding walls were completely surrounded by figurines of beautiful girls, posed in various ways. The hundreds of square meters of space were filled with these girls, but the situation gave people a strangely eerie feeling.

"Putting these things here, alongside important treasures, this guy is really interesting." Fei Ying examined the figures and frowned. These figures were not the common ones on the market, whether it was the level of detail in the figures, the fineness of the clothing, or even... the design!

Yes! In terms of appearance, female characters in anime or games generally have some appeal to otaku, so unless they have a special label, their figures are usually very hot! Many times, these characters claim to have a C or D cup size, but their actual size is probably much larger than an E. However, the female figures in these figurines seem a bit too realistic, making them seem somewhat ordinary.

And most importantly, these women's eyes don't have the larger, more aesthetically pleasing eyes often seen in anime; they're very realistic. So, all things considered, if these figures are truly...

Feiying didn't touch the figurines. There were bound to be some kind of sensor or spell on the items in this warehouse, and touching them carelessly was definitely not a good idea. However, these figurines had already made him suspicious; they were definitely not just as incredibly detailed as they appeared. Touching them was definitely not a good idea.

Therefore, Hiei didn't notice that the other person's skin was also as smooth as a real person's...

"Anime?" Sadao Maou shook his head. "This guy is not anime..." Kurama and Hiei's knowledge was still lacking. As the Demon King, he had seen many crazy technologies, but to be honest, this was the first time he had seen one on such a large scale.

Sadao Maou looked at Kurama with undisguised admiration and apprehension in his eyes. Kurama's "professional level" greatly impressed Sadao Maou. The Mad En Honganji Temple had set up extraordinary security measures, especially after Shinji Ikari's visit today, which brought these measures to the maximum.

Unfortunately, these measures are undoubtedly only good for guarding against ordinary people. In front of Kurama, who can lead people directly into the Spirit Realm's treasure vault, well... she thought a lot, but it was still a bit bland. After all, in the Demon Realm, she had seen many spells that aimed to annihilate all living things in the warehouse once triggered, so this was really lacking.

"All the figures... are made from living people! Each of these toys is priceless. Although I need to study them carefully to be sure, I guess they've been imbued with some kind of time-stabilizing magic, and that these human women were transformed into this state using special methods while still retaining their vitality. Interesting! Shinji Ikari guessed right, this guy must have the Time Fruit or some other treasure that can manipulate time." Sadao Maou's lips curled into a cruel smile. Connecting some of Shinji Ikari's descriptions, he had a bold guess.

The yokai of the Madman Honganji Temple is a true madman. His daughters may not have left him as he claimed. On the contrary, they may have accompanied him "forever" in another form. This madman must have been very successful in his original world, and then he became one of the black marks on him that led to his condemnation.

However, this is definitely not something that can be changed by their will, because Maou Sadao only needs to take a light breath, and the power called despair and fear is surging wildly into his body from these dolls. This is not a warehouse, but rather his excellent training ground. If he were not already uninterested in those scheming and intrigue matters, he would definitely kill this madman Honganji and then take over this place.

After all, these dolls are constantly suffering from loneliness and darkness, producing the highest level of despair and fear. The longer it goes on, the deeper and greater the loneliness and despair they produce. "Find what we want, and then we'll leave. As for Shinji Ikari's ideas, let him have them."

“A reasonable assessment.” Kurama nodded. This treasure vault was filled with countless traps and spells, making it the enemy’s home turf. Engaging in conflict here was definitely not a smart idea; it would be far easier to attack directly from the outside.

As for the practice of turning living people into dolls, Kurama had seen it before, but most of the time it was to use human souls to refine something, or more simply to use their pain to contaminate something. However, this was the first time he had seen such a large-scale operation and such careful preservation of the dolls.

"...Madman!" Hiei, however, felt something different. His sister was currently working at the Onmyōryō (Bureau of Yin and Yang), and had recently even led a public dance performance in Minakami Village. His sister looked to be about that age, yet possessed such beauty... An unnamed fire burned within him. For the first time, he felt that if Shinji Ikari wanted to do something, he should lend a hand! "You bastard! Damn it!"

Kurama swiftly released a series of powders, and various things began to appear. The group carefully avoided various sensors and slowly walked to certain areas. Although Maou Sadao had to use detection spells to determine what was sealed in each box along the way, to be fair, the results from the detection spells on many of the boxes were quite interesting to Maou Sadao. However, today was not a good time or opportunity. Perhaps they could try again next time, or maybe something would go wrong later...

“Looks like this is what we’re looking for.” Deep inside the warehouse, the three of them found what they were looking for: three neatly arranged boxes, contained in a larger trunk.

"We'll find you as soon as possible..." Fei Ying was about to say something, but before she could finish, she suddenly turned to look in the other direction. The three of them used their respective abilities and then hid.

"Eh... I've spoiled you too much and haven't disciplined you properly. That's my fault, but you shouldn't have given that bastard Shinji Ikari the look of disapproval! You've broken my heart." Mad En Honganji walked in, carrying two identical figurines. If Lancer and the other three were here, they would definitely recognize who they were.

“Hey, you two should reflect on your actions here. I’ll come to see you often…” The voice of the Mad Honganji was filled with genuine emotion. He truly regarded the two sisters in front of him as his own daughters. Above these two girls was the young woman that Shinji Ikari had met at the Mountain God Festival. “And with so many older sisters with you, you shouldn’t be lonely, right? You should love each other.”

"Hmm?" Fengyuan Honganji turned and looked back at the warehouse, his eyes narrowing slightly. His gaze swept over the ground, noticing that the dust seemed a little thick. Fengyuan Honganji seemed to sneer, and muttered, "Hmph, looks like someone's been slacking off. Looks like they need to learn the price of laziness!"

After saying this, Fengyuan Honganji turned and walked outside, as if everything was normal. The warehouse door closed quickly, and the light inside dimmed, as if everything had returned to its former tranquility.

"We've been discovered." As the three emerged from their hiding place, Kurama immediately set the tone: "They just don't want to fight us here."

“No fool would directly engage in battle with the enemy inside their own treasure vault, because once a fight breaks out, no matter how you look at it, the one who suffers the greatest loss is themselves.” Fei Ying looked around. “Moreover, his treasures are a bit special. If they start a war with us like this, many people here will die.”

“Yes…” Maou Sadao walked up to the two dolls that the Mad Resentment Honganji Temple had just placed down, tilted his head to observe them. The magical traces on them were still very fresh. After just a glance, Maou Sadao stared at them carefully with interest, then released a few spells to examine and detect them carefully. A look of doubt and interest appeared on his face. “As expected, every world has very unique technology.”

"So how does Vaughn plan to leave?" Kurama searched through the collection and found quite a few things. Since the other side already knew that someone had come in, he might as well take more things to dilute suspicion. If he only took the Time Fruit that Shinji Ikari needed, or something similar, then it would be tantamount to admitting guilt without being asked, so why should they be polite?

“Don’t be so nervous.” Sadao Maou felt the despair surging into his body at close range, and a smile appeared on his lips. “Put it down. We can pick what’s here later.” Sadao Maou straightened up and walked towards the door of the treasure vault. “You guys can take care of the rest of them. Shinji and the others should have already sneaked back, so… don’t worry.”

"I've really never experienced anything like this before..."

"Get used to it. Being friends with Shinji, similar things will happen quite often."

Chapter 279 Siege and Killing

“This is private property! You’re not welcome… um!” A bodyguard in a suit seemed to want to say something, but a sharp punch to his abdomen cleanly interrupted his nonsense. In the instant his consciousness faded, he looked to the other side and saw his other companion.

"Thud!" The muffled sound of the electric gun exploded in the lower back of his colleague, and the bodyguard who had been knocked down by Shinji Ikari had a strange thought: "I hope his kidneys aren't damaged by the electric shock. His girlfriend is so beautiful." It has to be said that a beautiful girlfriend does attract unwanted attention.

"You're actually faster than me?" Mei Isayama stared wide-eyed at Yuu Asou, who was holding a homemade stun gun. There was some disbelief in her eyes as she looked at the guy in front of her. After all, it was one thing for Shinji Ikari to steal her target, but when did Yuu Asou become so fast?

"I have to admit, NERV's engineering department is much more capable than I imagined!" Yuu Aso spread her hands in front of Mei Isayama, looking like she was in Versailles, indicating that she was fine with it. It was good to have someone help solve problems. She would put out a rough design drawing, and then someone would help her with some minor adjustments to the details.

This stun gun can fire a single stun bullet, powerful enough to paralyze a person, 10 meters away. It doesn't use gunpowder power, but rather a mechanical ejection mechanism. Although it's a single-shot weapon and needs to be reloaded after each shot, it's still very useful (Strange toy from the Engineering Department +1).

NERV's engineering department not only helped him complete the design work, but also enhanced the power of the electric shock, making it enough to stun someone even if they were wearing clothes. Of course, if the clothing was very thick, or even had bulletproof plates, then let's just pretend we didn't mention it.

"Let's go!" Shinji Ikari said softly. Now was not the time for them to stand still. He and Mei Isayama stood on either side of the wall. Shinji Ikari glanced around and saw that it was almost exactly the same as when they came in.

"Let me see..." Asou Yuu released his drone. The small, silent drone circled quickly in the air. It was so stable that it surprised him. He even saw a woman in a kimono on their previous path, taking small steps and leading two little girls toward the hut they had come out of two hours earlier.

"Is it really necessary to be so slow?" Yusuke Urameshi peeked out at the situation ahead. He didn't quite understand why Shinji Ikari was being so cautious. Since the guy in front of him was a demon and had indeed done things that harmed humans, why not just go and confront him directly?

“Someone thought that way before.” Shinji Ikari shook his head. After hearing Yusuke Urameshi’s words, Shinji Ikari understood why Shinobu Sensui had been so lenient with Yusuke. Normally, both Shinobu Sensui and Toguro’s brother had the power to instantly kill Yusuke upon meeting him, but they hadn’t done so.

“But we’re here today only to take what we want, not to fight him,” Shinji Ikari said to Yusuke Urameshi. This way, even if they were discovered, it would just be a charade, and no real fight would break out.

There's room for maneuver if things don't escalate into a full-blown conflict. In a sense, it's like you're indirectly buying something. Both sides can basically save face in the end, with each side just paying a little more money. No one will feel awkward about it.

"Boom!" A loud explosion was heard not far away, and half of the main building was blown away. The bodyguards on the main building side immediately rushed over to protect the two "future" young ladies and cover them away from the location where the conflict was taking place.

"Is this what you meant by not coming here to fight?" Yusuke Urameshi looked at Shinji Ikari, pointing with his thumb in the direction of the explosion. Half of the timber, which might have originally been used as a beam, flew far away and landed in front of the three of them. Shinji covered his face, while Mei Isayama turned around and let out a muffled laugh.

"Shinji Ikari...it really is you!" A dust-covered figure emerged from the smoke and dust, turning around to see Shinji Ikari lying by the main beam, clutching his face and sighing. He immediately roared fiercely, perhaps because of the explosion.

"Pah! Me, my foot! I just got in here!" Shinji Ikari yelled back irritably. "How about I turn around and leave right now, and you pretend you didn't see me, okay?" Shinji said irritably. What's wrong with Sadao Masao? Why did he suddenly start playing with explosions?

"Oh, Shinji, you're here? There's a lot of good stuff inside. How about we take care of this guy and move it slowly?" Sadao Maou emerged from the smoke and dust, waved to Shinji Ikari, and then looked at the Mad Grudge Honganji, whose clothes were torn, demonic energy was surging, and who was repairing his body. He smiled and said, "You are indeed quite impressive, being able to hoard so many good things, but you've wasted a lot of energy."

"Do you think I'm stupid?!" To be fair, the Honganji Temple was very tempted by Shinji Ikari's proposal at first glance. Shinji's purpose was obvious: he wanted the Time Fruit. They had it, and as long as he left today to avoid being attacked from both sides, they could at least make some private contact later.

But Sadao Maou's words immediately enraged the Mad Envy Honganji. Shinji Ikari had indeed been deceiving him! "Today, you will all die here. No one will leave alive!"

With a roar, the Mad En Honganji lunged forward. Its already somewhat terrifying face became even more frenzied, revealing its true form. Its body alone grew to five or six meters in length, and its tail extended like a steel whip, reaching almost the same length as its own tail, which continued to grow even longer.