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

Correct!

I know. He gave me a few warehouse addresses, I'll send them to you in a bit. Tell your people not to make things difficult for him; there's probably an important person in his car.

What big shot?

Is his sister enough?

Why do I make this judgment? This brat couldn't beat that dead rat, but now that rat is dead! Why do you think that is?

Okay, that's settled.

After a brief exchange with his superior on the phone, Ling tapped on his phone and sent two text messages. One was to inform Shinji Ikari that the report had been submitted and that he should receive a call soon. The other was to send out the four addresses that Shinji had told him.

"I'm so envious, he gets to get something for nothing!" Clenching his fist, Izumo no Okuni felt that Shinji Ikari hadn't disciplined him enough lately, since he wasn't the first one to be thought of. Clearly, that brat wanted to keep it all to himself, and now that he felt he had his fill, he was only passing it on to the old man.

Izumo no Okuni decided that once he finished his current tasks, he should have a serious talk with Shinji Ikari. He couldn't just ignore them when there were benefits to be had, and he was always bringing them a bunch of powerful figures to distract them. Of course, at this point, Izumo no Okuni would absolutely not mention that the reason these powerful figures were powerful, and not a nuisance, was because the Onmyōryō (Bureau of Yin and Yang) had profited so much from them!

"Isn't your Onmyōryō the one that takes the most?" Gojō Satoru continued munching on his bun. "You dare to talk about the profits from what Shinji Ikari and his group have been messing around with?"

"That's not the same. Can the joy of eating sushi be the same as the joy of eating at a buffet?" Izumo Okuni rolled his eyes at Gojo Satoru in front of him. You obviously don't understand, or you're just too lazy to care about these things. For a group, the steady stream of benefits is hard to excite people, but this sudden increase in a huge amount of skills is a great achievement that makes people feel happy.

"I can have the sushi buffet." Rin glanced at the thank-you text message from Shinji Ikari, confirming that the jerk had already started to leave. Without replying, she took a sip of water and then chuckled self-deprecatingly, since even she herself couldn't accept her own statement.

"Alright, so that means the distribution ratio here is settled? After all, this isn't just a few kilograms, it's tons." Izumo no Okuni shook her head, speechless at being choked up, but since the two sides were talking about completely different things, she didn't press the matter further.

"Yes, I'm all set." Rin nodded. Since the government had put in a lot of effort, the countermeasures bureau had a little more to spare. After all, they still had to bribe their superiors. The fact that they were able to mobilize a large number of troops to solve the problem so smoothly this time was not enough to rely solely on Shinji Ikari's influence.

“No problem, the Spellcaster Association is very satisfied with the quantity.” Gojo Satoru stuffed the last bun into his mouth. He didn’t report the proportion, but directly reported how many tons of meat he could get. The Spellcaster Association was very satisfied with the quantity, so it was considered settled. As for earning more, Gojo Satoru was too lazy to care.

Chapter 283 The NEET Angel is up to something.

"Is this... the Fruit of Time?" Shinji Ikari held a small fruit, frowning as he looked at Kurama beside him with suspicion. Although he and Kurama weren't very familiar with each other, they were at least acquainted, and he shouldn't be in a situation where Kurama tricked him.

However, based on his vague memories, Shinji Ikari believed that although the anime described it as being liquefied inside a jar, the Time Fruit itself was not small; it seemed to be about the size of an apple.

After returning to Tokyo-3, Kurama and his group gathered with Shinji Ikari in the "New Demon King Castle." Shinji and his group unloaded the items from the van and took them to the room where Sadao Maou had prepared a magic circle. Then, the group happily unpacked the packages to check the harvest time. Since the dolls that were obviously a big problem were simply handed over to the Countermeasures Bureau, who had also gained quite a bit of benefits, to deal with.

For the Countermeasures Bureau, these missing girls, whose disappearances spanned a considerable period, weren't necessarily a terrible thing. The actions of the Mad Vengeance Honganji Temple were tantamount to confining them in a dark vault for an unknown amount of time.

They are completely immobile, yet capable of thought and perception, but unable to communicate. Although the Mad-Greed Honganji Temple believes this is to protect its daughters from being deceived, it is undoubtedly a brilliant way to drive people insane!

This explains why Maou Sadao absorbed a massive amount of fear and despair after entering the treasure vault of the Mad En Honganji Temple. As for why the Demon King threw the Mad En Honganji Temple inside, allowing him to indulge in love with his daughters, it was simply because these girls had offered so much power to the Demon King, and he decided to demonstrate his generosity!

The valuable goods that Shinji Ikari and his companions had acquired were, in Maou Sadao's opinion, already somewhat presentable. Shinji and Mei Isayama both agreed that the Demon King's standards and requirements were truly high. Maou Sadao expressed his complete understanding, as they themselves hadn't been at that level not long ago.

“That’s right, Shinji, this is the Time Fruit. If you’re talking about the one we found in that guy’s room, then he used a special method to soak it until it swelled up, making it easier to extract the liquid.” Kurama explained, then added his own suggestion, “Of course, you can’t eat this directly, otherwise the overwhelming power of time will devour you. My suggestion is to use the method he has already successfully used to absorb just a little bit of its power.”

"Just a little bit?" Shinji Ikari had a headache. If it was just a little bit, what was the point of all the effort he put into getting it? Wouldn't it just be giving Kurama a free ride? "Alright, although the Madou family isn't exactly reliable when things get heated, they are indeed excellent researchers. I have to admit that." Shinji Ikari sighed.

"So I brought some over. You can try it out first. After all, there's a huge difference in dosage between inhalation and direct ingestion." Seeing the somewhat frustrated expression on Shinji Ikari's face, Kurama laughed. He had indeed wanted to talk to Shinji about this before, but at the time he was already excitedly preparing to go shopping, and if he couldn't shop, he was ready to rob someone!

"Okay, you guys take your time opening the boxes. I'm not very lucky!" Shinji Ikari glanced at the excited group of people beside him, took the small bottle of medicated oil that Kurama handed him, and went upstairs with the NEET Angel who gestured for him to come along and take a look.

"So, you've finished those two orders?" Shinji Ikari walked into NEET Angel's current studio. After discovering he could make money this way, he had started making professional boosting his main source of income. Even without counting the favor orders from Shinji Ikari, he now earns a stable 20 yen a month. In a sense,

"How could that be... You wanted the entire line..." NEET rolled her eyes at Shinji Ikari, then glanced back at the location inside the basement. "You replenished Yusa Emi's Holy Aura?" she asked, casually opening the game launcher. Shinji glanced at it; the German line was maxed out, and the Dongfeng 105 was available, but he hadn't practiced the other tanks much, clearly having learned his lesson. Now, probably following someone's advice, he'd switched to the American line, currently still messing with the M1 ​​family... Beautiful!

"Yes!" Shinji Ikari looked at the NEET in front of him, seemed to hesitate for a moment, and finally resigned himself to opening the Mantou family. Although the cannon was a bit weak, it was still hard.

"You told Sadao Maou?" The NEET glanced at Shinji Ikari. It had been a long time since he had seen such a reckless guy. Getting so close to the Demon King and even replenishing his nemesis's magic power.

“Of course, what else?” Shinji Ikari leaned against the wall, looking at the NEET angel in front of him with some surprise. He was somewhat surprised that the NEET had actually kindly reminded him. “I even suggested that he might as well just take Yusa Emi with him. Anyway, Maou Sadao has no intention of going back to your original world. Here, Yusa Emi and Maou Sadao have no reason to fight, right? Besides, they make a good couple.”

"Pfft..." The NEET angel, who was drinking cola, turned his head and spat it out. After coughing a couple of times, the NEET angel, having caught his breath, looked at Shinji Ikari with a shocked expression. "How could you come up with such a crazy idea? Letting Sadao Maou go with Emi Yusa..."

"Demon King, female knight... I refuse to believe that you can't think of anything interesting when you put these two words together." Shinji Ikari tilted his head and looked at the NEET next to him, giving him a knowing look.

"..." The NEET looked speechlessly at Shinji Ikari beside him, because he understood. Yes, as a new-era otaku, he clearly understood what Shinji Ikari was talking about. It wasn't anything else. Although he scoffed at these things to some extent, how much... "You mean to make Yusa Emi fall into depravity!? That... sounds quite interesting!" A malicious smile suddenly appeared on the NEET's lips.

He was getting a bit fed up with being bossed around by that damn stay-at-home husband. If he could add a little spice to his life, especially with that bastard Sadao Maou, "It would be very interesting! Very interesting. In that sense, we're accomplices?"

"Huh?" Shinji Ikari was taken aback. What conspiracy? I just wanted to watch the show and, as a mischievous friend, play matchmaker. Did you misunderstand something?

"So... what are you planning to conspire for? Can you tell me? You've made such a big sum of money today, if there are any other benefits, I'd love to hear it, Shinji!" He walked over and patted Shinji on the shoulder, glaring at the nervous NEET in front of him.

"Nothing much, just gossiping about you." Shinji Ikari spoke frankly and openly, despite the NEET's horrified gaze. "But we're discussing the possibility between you and a particular woman."

"Oh?" Maou Sadao also seemed to have become somewhat interested. After all, gossiping about you behind your back and plotting against you behind your back are two completely different things.

“A woman whose status and position should match yours.” Shinji Ikari glanced at Sadao Maou. Could he not have heard? Shinji Ikari was a little skeptical. “Interested in guessing?” The NEET next to him covered his face. His guess was the same as Shinji Ikari’s. He simply did not believe that Sadao Maou could not have heard.

“I heard you, so there’s no point in guessing.” Sadao Maou shook his head. “Shinji, don’t meddle. While we’re not exactly mortal enemies, we’re definitely not on friendly terms. You can help her replenish her Holy Energy, otherwise, this world will be filled with malice towards her. And you, since you’ve taken Shinji’s job, get to work.” After saying that, Sadao Maou tapped the NEET on the head.

"Ah, it's true, Shinji didn't even come to urge me!" NEET covered his forehead, clearly indicating that Sadao Maou's seemingly casual action was anything but gentle.

"Let's go, Shinji Ikari. Drink that liquid and see what happens. I'm very curious to see what happens after you drink it." Sadao Maou explained his purpose, and Shinji Ikari nodded and followed him. With Sadao Maou's help, his recall operation should be much easier.

"Hey!" Turning his attention back to the steamed bun that had just been blown up by the 500LB explosion on the computer screen, the person smiled and curled up the corners of his mouth. "Such an interesting thing, and you don't seem to object. So where should we start? It seems like Shinji lives right across from her?"

If Shinji Ikari knew about this scene, he would definitely have Sadao Maou learn from Himuro Kirie's excellent experience and hang this guy who was planning to make the gossip come true from a flagpole and let him sway in the wind for a few days. This would definitely make him feel refreshed, and if he was hung upside down, it would further increase his mental activity.

"If that guy isn't in a good mood when I wake up..." Shinji Ikari didn't know yet, so he was busy preparing a few words in advance to avoid offending the demon king in front of him for no reason.

“I understand. Unless something very strange happens, I probably won’t care. If something does happen, I’ll tie you up and wait for the effects of the drug to wear off.”

"Um...can we not tie her up?"

"Then it's up to you."

"All right……"

Chapter 284 A Gift from a Past Life

"Bang!" Yusuke Urameshi was sent flying backward. He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, propped himself up, and looked at the square-faced youth in front of him. Hiei, Kurama, and Mei Isayama were in similar condition. Several people were attacking one person, but they were all easily defeated by the opponent with simple and clean fighting techniques. Obviously, the difference in skill level between the two sides was very large.

"Looks like time's almost up, shall we continue?" Lin Shenhe, dressed in a simple T-shirt and with an ordinary-looking face, smiled at the group in front of him. The group immediately assumed a defensive stance. Just as they started to besiege Lin Shenhe, he smiled slightly like that, and in the next instant, they were all in the air. In particular, Isayama Mei, who wanted to struggle a few more times in his dragon form, ended up getting another beating!

Lin Shen and Yi Le didn't seem inclined to continue their attack. However, when they turned to look at Maou Sadao, they subtly frowned, clearly feeling somewhat uncomfortable with Maou Sadao's presence. Their time was limited, and fighting this guy would likely be a battle that would last at least a day.

Instead, Sadao Maou nodded to the young man before him, expressing respect for the strong. It was not surprising that he was hostile towards him; this was Shinji, yet not Shinji. Such a reaction was not surprising at all. After all, a strong person would have to react when seeing a strong person from another race.

Lin Shenhe nodded slightly to the person in front of him, as he subconsciously felt that they had a good relationship. He didn't say anything more, then lowered his head, hesitated for a moment, and bowed slightly to everyone. In the next instant, smoke and clouds began to envelop Lin Shenhe, and after a while, Shinji Ikari appeared in front of everyone.

"Damn it... what did this guy do?!" The moment Shinji Ikari returned, his fatigue and soreness immediately overwhelmed him. The sudden burst of muscle soreness was so intense that Shinji had to kneel down, a rather amusing sight compared to the other guys who had been knocked down.

“It seems the physical strain is still there, and the effect is too short-lived to sustain your combat ability. It can only be considered your most crucial combat skill… It seems a bit strenuous. If you fail, you will almost instantly lose your fighting ability.” Sadao Maou looked at Shinji Ikari. The combat ability he had just displayed was not weak; it truly crossed the line between A-rank and S-rank.

However, it now appears that the cost is enormous. All the energy expenditure in S-rank mode ultimately returns to Shinji Ikari's own body, so Shinji's power will plummet after returning to normal.

"It can be used as a last resort when fighting for your life, but it's not enough to kill a true S-rank powerhouse." Mei Isayama stood up and shook his hands. That bastard really went all out when he fought just now. However, according to Sadao Maou, this kind of fighting is indeed beneficial for Mei Isayama to digest the demonic power he unleashed. Perhaps this ordeal was somewhat worthwhile.

Mei Isayama flicked his tail, seemingly quite pleased.

"But could this guy just now really reach such combat power with only pure fighting skills and ki?" Hiei looked at Shinji Ikari with a somewhat incredulous expression. He had another question he didn't say. Although Shinji Ikari's previous life didn't show much fighting skill, Hiei still recognized many similarities between Shinji Ikari's current fighting skills and his starting stances.

Fighting skills are nothing more than years of training, and many movements become fixed patterns, becoming traceable moves. Shinji Ikari's movements have too many traces that are exactly the same as those of the person just now. They have been acting together frequently during this period, so Hiei can naturally see it.

Then, Hiei glanced at Isayama Mei beside him. Isayama Mei had a natural expression on his face, clearly not intending to say anything. Hiei didn't believe that the person in front of him knew nothing. He guessed that the person just didn't want to say anything. Everyone has their own secrets, right?

"Alright, that's settled then. Do you want to rest here for a bit, or go back to your own place?" Maou Sadao said with a smile. He was very satisfied with this trip. His treasure trove finally had something decent again. He could allow those who had contributed their efforts to use the things in his treasure trove if they needed them in the future, of course, only those who had contributed their efforts.

"Let's go back. Looks like I'll have to spend the rest of my holiday in bed!" Shinji Ikari struggled to his feet, feeling the soreness all over his body, and twitched his lips. "I'll have to trouble you a bit, Kurama, later. Could you help me ride my bike to Ryuji's bike shop? By the way, you and Hiei were a great help this time. If you're interested, how about getting a motorcycle like Yusuke's at the shop?"

"Thank you so much." Kurama did not refuse Shinji Ikari's gift. Although they had gained a lot this time, it all went into Sadao Maou's pocket. In a sense, the two of them were truly empty-handed, and Shinji Ikari's compensation was reasonable.

"Can this be considered another motorcycle squad?!" Isayama Mei's eyes darted around before she quickly said. That's what the three of them were called back then. Apart from two rather abnormal female cops, many local police stations would call them directly after they learned about them, asking them to come and help.

"If that's the case, then only Kazuma Sangen is missing." Yusuke Urameshi laughed. Kazuma Sangen was still recovering and undergoing rehabilitation because he was seriously injured in the Dark Tournament. The location was in a rather strange place, Minakami Village. It is said that he may be transferred to the Himuro Mansion with the shrine maidens who have completed their training.

"Then he'll have to figure it out himself. You reap what you sow. Of course, if he's willing to report to NERV, I think NERV would be more than happy to pay his salary." Shinji Ikari shook his hand and bounced a couple of times. Fortunately, he hadn't used any special moves in his previous life; he had simply used his fighting skills to spar with the guys in front of him. Shinji Ikari seemed to have regained some of his mobility.

"It's alright, we can take him with us." Yusuke Urameshi didn't seem to care much. As for joining NERV, after these past few months, he was no longer a young man who had just entered society. He could indeed get a lot of convenience and benefits from NERV, but these conveniences and benefits were priced from the beginning, and he would eventually have to pay the price. As for what Sangyuan thought, that was for Sangyuan to decide.

A group of people helped each other out of the new Demon King's Castle and onto motorcycles. Except for Shinji Ikari, who was suddenly too exhausted, the others had all been defeated by Shinji Ikari...

"See you tomorrow!" Shinji Ikari waved weakly at Kurama and the others, then lay down on Mei Isayama's back. He even grabbed Mei Isayama's tail out of curiosity and got smacked by it, almost flying off.

"See you tomorrow." Kurama swung his tail and dashed off in a very cool way. He and Hiei, along with Shinji Ikari's Hayabusa, roared with their explosive engines and shot far away. Yusuke Urameshi shrugged at Shinji, put on his helmet, pulled the handle, and rushed off.

"I've had a question I've been wanting to ask you for a while now." Isayama Mei put on his helmet as well. "Did you get any benefits this time?" After asking, he twisted the handle, and the Kawasaki ninja rushed out, his speed just as impressive.

"..." Shinji Ikari took a deep breath. "I'm not entirely sure myself, but his revival definitely means he understands what I mean. There must be a reason for such intense exercise. I'll have to experience it carefully to find out exactly what happened." Shinji shook his head, feeling the wind blowing against his face. "But one thing is certain: he forced my body to adapt to this high-speed maneuvering, and that's probably the most important improvement for me."

"That kind of speed?" Mei Isayama curled his lip. Among them, only Hiei could keep up with his speed, so Hiei was the first to be taken down. A series of attacks sent Hiei bouncing back and forth in mid-air like a pinball. The others who tried to come to his rescue were also sent flying through the air, like balls being tossed around by a clown.

“Yes… I tried it myself before, and my leg was almost ruined, but now… I just feel sore. I think I can say that I’m starting to move on to the next stage.” Shinji Ikari said with a smile. In combat situations like Hiei’s, where you’re at super speed, you have many options. After all, speed is the ultimate weapon in martial arts.

"Sounds good..." The motorcycle slowly came to a stop in front of his shop. "Need any help?"

"No need, I can still walk!" Shinji Ikari got off the motorcycle, stood up, and stretched. He was really exhausted and needed to take a long nap before having a good meal. Unfortunately, Fuyumi Mizuhara wasn't there, so he could only choose between the NERV cafeteria and McDonald's, maybe with a barbecue restaurant as an option.

"Oh, you don't need help? Then let's settle our score!" Mei Izayama grinned wickedly. You had a good time beating him up, and you kept making those little moves along the way. I'm not Ryoko Sakaki! What, are you really still holding a grudge about that face wash incident?! Mei Izayama lashed out with his tail, sending Shinji Ikari flying.

"Damn it!" Caught off guard, Shinji Ikari only had time to give the middle finger to Mei Isayama, who had suddenly attacked him.

Chapter 285 Homecoming Day

The next day, after Shinji Ikari woke up, he felt that he should still follow the behavior of a good student and go to school to attend classes. Although he could find a lot of reasons to explain that he should rest at home and that there was no need to go to school during the three-day holiday. As his battles gradually escalated, he seemed to no longer need to maintain the identity of that star student. However, going to school itself seemed to be a kind of entertainment. The bickering between Rei's friends, Reimi Kanzaki and Asuka, was very interesting!

Shinji Ikari made his decision and quickly stood up. Nagisa Danma flicked his forehead with a half-smile and gave him a few warnings before letting him go.

Because Shinji Ikari's Suzuki Hayabusa motorcycle was still being maintained by Ryuji Danma, Shinji was quite unconventional today. Yes, he rode a bicycle, which wasn't unusual, considering how low-key he was compared to riding a motorcycle.

But today, Shinji Ikari gets far more attention on the road than this guy speeding around on that GSX1300R Hayabusa motorcycle that makes both male and female hormones surge!

There was no other reason than Rei Ayanami gently shielding her eyes from her hair as a light breeze blew by. The relationship between Shinji Ikari and Rei Ayanami was already a hot topic. After all, among the students, Shinji was a star student, and Rei was an ice queen; they even lived together. Despite their self-proclaimed sibling relationship, gossip about them never ceased. Their shared affiliation with NERV added another layer of mystery to their relationship.

Autumn is deepening and winter is beginning to quietly fall. In addition to her school uniform, Rei Ayanami is wearing a wool vest on top, and on top of the standard Japanese schoolgirl sailor skirt, she is wearing thick flesh-colored stockings, which make her already slender legs look even longer and thinner.

The girls looked on with envy, while the boys drooled. Along the way, Shinji felt he'd unknowingly ruined countless childhood friends' chances. All the while, he could hear the girls pulling on his ears and relentlessly berating their male companions, clearly annoyed by their eyes following Shinji's companion as he rode on the back of his bicycle!

"Oh! The king of truancy finally remembered he's a student!" Just as they entered the school gate, they heard a familiar voice. Kanzaki Reimi, standing nearby, sneered and then slapped away Shinji Ikari's arm as he tried to help Reimi. "Stay away from Reimi, don't corrupt the honor student!"

"Tsk! You're still as unlikable as ever." Shinji Ikari rolled his eyes, handed a backpack with a Unit-00 figure hanging from it to Rei Ayanami, then slung his own backpack over his shoulder. "How have things been these past few days? How's it going with that blockhead?"

"Mind your own business!" Kanzaki Reimi was not easily defeated by Shinji Ikari, and made a face. "On the contrary, your long-distance relationship didn't end well either!"

"You two say the same two sentences every day, don't you get tired?" Murai Kunio walked by with a smile. "Good morning, Shinji, why aren't you riding your cool motorcycle today?"

"It's been getting maintained at Ryuji's shop for a while now, so I haven't had to mess with it." Shinji Ikari shook his head with a smile. When he went out this morning, Ryuji Danma happened to come downstairs and greeted him. Yesterday, Kurama and Hiei each got two motorcycles from him. The money Shinji deposited with him was enough to buy twice as many motorcycles, and in a sense, it was a way to pay off his debts with a profit. Ryuji Danma was very satisfied.

"That's great! But after trying out this commoner's mode of transportation, did you find it very tiring?" Murai Kunio said with ill intent. After all, among their group, the person they envied the most was not anyone else, but Shinji Ikari. In their eyes, Shinji Ikari, who could casually throw away millions or tens of millions of yen, had a beautiful girlfriend with a good figure who was also a good cook, and a beautiful younger sister in name only. Although his father was still alive, he basically didn't care about him.

Wow, what an amazing script! They've only ever seen this kind of life in novels and comics! Just thinking about it makes them feel incredibly excited.

Previously, Kunio Murai and his group had interacted with Shinji Ikari. Hearing their envious tone, Shinji almost laughed himself to death, and then gave them a very realistic expense chart.

Living alone, even excluding all social activities, going straight home after get off work, doing nothing but eating and sleeping, what are the daily costs? What about the expenses for daily necessities and essential clothing? Then there's the difference in cost between eating out and cooking at home, as well as the time and energy consumed...

In short, this whole scheme gave these young people a taste of the harsh realities of society, leaving them feeling terrible. It also made them realize that living under their parents' wings and living independently are two completely different things. Of course, this doesn't apply to fathers like Gendo Ikari.

Especially since Shinji Ikari, who had just returned from killing a B-rank monster, claimed that he had driven over 300 kilometers the previous night to get back to class, these guys simply didn't believe him.

"To be honest, I got more stares on the street today!" Shinji Ikari said with a smile. Seeing Kunio Murai's bewildered expression, Shinji had to admit one thing: every single student in Eikichi Onizuka's class had an exceptional talent for facial expressions. "After all, Rei was in the back seat!"

"So that's how it is!" Murai Kunio glanced at Rei Ayanami, who was dragged away by Kanzaki Reimi despite her reluctance. "Rei Ayanami is certainly eye-catching. It's great to have a sister like that."

"Stop lamenting, if we don't get to the classroom soon, it'll be time for class." Shinji Ikari rolled his eyes and walked ahead of them. Kunio Murai and his two friends quickly caught up, chatting and telling Shinji about the funny things that had happened at school recently.

"Baka Shinji? What brings you here today? Didn't Ritsuko Akagi give you a three-day holiday? Shouldn't you have another day off today?!" When Shinji walked into the classroom, there was another person who was very surprised, namely Asuka, who had arrived at the classroom early and was sitting there looking a bit bored.

Shinji Ikari's leave of absence became common knowledge throughout NERV. After all, the entire NERV security level had been raised due to the attack on the NERV Commander, even though the attacker was none other than his own son. Everyone was thoroughly entertained by the gossip that day! Except for Asuka, who suffered a minor loss.

Thinking of this, Asuka's eyes turned unfriendly, and she snorted and turned her head away from Shinji Ikari.

Shinji Ikari was immediately speechless. What happened to me? Who am I? Where am I? What did I do? However, Shinji felt that this seemed to be a "normal" way of communicating between Asuka and himself, so he shook his head and didn't take it to heart.

"I had only taken a day off, so I managed to get things mostly sorted out yesterday." Perhaps because of a prior agreement with Asuka, who had also joined Shinji Ikari's group that was subtly targeting SEELE behind NERV, Shinji offered this explanation.

"Miri wants you to go to her house tonight. She wants to talk to us about something," Asuka said without turning her head. Shinji Ikari's explanation surprised Asuka a little. Actually, Shinji didn't need to explain to her at all, but this gesture made her feel a little tender.

"Understood." It seems that Misato Katsuragi has discovered something but is unable to directly exchange information with Shinji Ikari. Apparently, it's because Shinji punched his father, which can be considered an attack on the Commander-in-Chief of NERV, so the intelligence department has been keeping a close eye on him and his associates lately. Of course, this is meaningless to Shinji. The intelligence team members don't dare to directly step into Shinji's residence to collect something, after all, the shrine of the evil god is still there, and they might not come out alive even if they go in.

"So what did you do yesterday? After what happened, you still had to go?" Asuka hesitated for a moment, seemingly to break the awkwardness, before asking Shinji Ikari.

"Oh, um, I went to a special place to buy some things," Shinji Ikari said with a smile. "Then the shopkeeper wasn't very willing, so I had no choice but to kill and rob him and the others who went with me."

"Are you an idiot? Trying to fob me off with such a lame excuse!" Asuka's mood instantly soured. In her eyes, Shinji Ikari's explanation was clearly a lie! She wouldn't believe a single word of it!

"..." Shinji Ikari was taken aback, then clicked his tongue. Well, although I omitted a lot of details, it seems that what I said was all true. These days, it's one thing to tell the truth, but to criticize me is a bit too much.

"Fine, if you don't want to talk about it, then forget it." Asuka turned her head back. Shinji Ikari's ugly expression made her feel a little smug, as if she had won a small victory.

"Rei, why does it hurt so much when people take your words as lies when you tell the truth?" Shinji Ikari turned slightly to the side and spoke to Rei Ayanami beside him.

"...because you are telling the truth."

"That actually makes a lot of sense!"