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

Clearly, Shinji Ikari's decision to immediately activate his Holy Light to strengthen his body was absolutely correct. However, even so, all the bones in his body began to groan in pain. Not to mention his internal organs, if it weren't for his own Holy Light protecting him, he would probably already have ruptured organs and be dead!

"Thump!" With an exceptionally heavy blow, Himuro Kirie slammed Shinji Ikari onto the ground in front of her, causing the entire plaza to explode and Tsukasa Eishi's stove to be blown away.

Tsukasa Eishi gave a wry smile, then began to think about what dishes he could cook for lunch. Shinji Ikari was clearly in no condition to go out to Mount Hikami, and Shinji and Toguro were seriously injured. He had to think carefully about what dishes to make for them. Perhaps some warming ingredients would be better.

"Pfft..." Shinji Ikari tilted his head slightly and began to cough up large amounts of blood. In order to prevent the blood from entering his lungs and suffocating him, Shinji had to actively compress his already injured lungs to make sure he could cough it up as cleanly as possible.

"How does it feel?" Himuro Kirie's chest heaved violently, clearly furious. "Anyway, if the negotiations with Himeyama fall apart, you'll just die. Facing this Sensui Ninja, you're going to die anyway! I'll just send you on your way!" Her eyes were filled with intense emotions that shouldn't be present in a fierce goddess.

"Uh...unexpected! Sis, I really didn't provoke him." Shinji Ikari lay back, lamenting his miserable fate. How did he end up in front of Kirie? Sensui Shinobu! You even tried to turn me against you! You must be shocked watching from afar! Based on his understanding of Sensui Shinobu, Shinji Ikari guessed that Sensui Shinobu hadn't gone far, he thought angrily.

"Hmph!" Himuro Kirie glared coldly at Shinji Ikari, then looked at Mei Isayama, who was snickering beside her. "You say it!"

"Uh!" What do I do when I'm halfway through a chuckle and suddenly get stared at by a furious, angry-looking man?! Help! Isayama Mei tapped her lower lip, thought for a moment, and then, in an as detached tone, recounted what she knew.

From the moment Sensui Shinobu threatened a somewhat cowardly demon to go to Shinji Ikari to promote his products, to Shinji Ikari simply spreading the word, to the recent investigations by various agencies into Sensui Shinobu's actions, Mei Isayama readily revealed everything he knew.

Mei Isayama knew very well that even if she didn't say anything, Shinji Ikari would tell her when Himuro Kirie asked him. Not to mention the shrine maidens belonging to the Onmyōryō who were training at the Himuro mansion; they would definitely reveal all the information as soon as Himuro Kirie questioned them.

"So, sister, this really isn't mine..." The matter wasn't too complicated, so Mei Isayama quickly finished explaining, and Shinji Ikari wanted to cry out in grievance.

"Shut up!" Himuro Kirie calmed down. The whole thing wasn't Shinji Ikari's fault, but she wasn't angry that Shinji caused trouble. What angered her was that he actually tried to hide it from her after causing trouble! He's grown wings, hasn't he? She'll have to let him know what it's like to be a fallen angel!

"Cough cough..." Shinji Ikari lowered his head and coughed up blood, but at this moment he was spitting out the stagnant blood in his body, and at least the Holy Light Aura was still reliable.

“If possible, please let me treat him first,” Yusa Emi stepped forward and said to Himuro Kirie. In her opinion, Shinji Ikari had already accepted his punishment, so there was no need to let him continue to suffer. Although it wasn’t a proper healing spell, her holy energy could achieve some similar effect.

"No way! Let him suffer a little longer!" Himuro Kirie waved her hand, directly dispelling Yusa Emi's healing spell. "Let him learn his lesson!" Himuro Kirie was clearly still angry. "Also, you've been watching for so long, aren't you going to say something?"

"How pitiful..." A voice that made Shinji Ikari freeze in his tracks rang in his ears. A small, cold but fair hand pulled Shinji up and gently brushed against him, greatly easing the pain in his body. Kurosawa Aise looked up at Himuro Kirie, who was dressed in a pure white shrine maiden's outfit. "Although I'm surprised that you're his sister, as I didn't sense your presence before, you were still too ruthless."

"Don't you think he should be disciplined?" Himuro Kirie looked at Kurosawa Ayase, who was dressed in black, with her eyes narrowed. If she wanted, she could destroy the photo that contained a wisp of Kurosawa Ayase's soul at will.

"What an interesting question. Whether it's forming a bond with me or becoming the successor to that man named Sensui Shinobu, it's all the result of his own past actions. Isn't it inevitable?" Kurosawa Aise stared at Himuro Kirie before her, completely unconcerned that Himuro Kirie would suddenly make a move. However, she was also very surprised that Ikari Shinji would so readily reject Himuro Kirie's suggestion to weaken himself.

At this moment, everyone around had a slightly distorted face and strange expressions. Look at this family, the fierce-looking sister and the fierce-looking fiancée, what kind of good fortune could produce such a family background?

"We weren't prepared..." Si Yingshi muttered in a low voice, his face filled with fear and frustration, which attracted the attention of the two fierce-looking men.

"What do you want to do? This is not your place to run wild!" Himuro Kirie stepped aside to shield Tsukasa Eishi from Kurosawa Aise's direct gaze. Tsukasa Eishi was taken aback, but showed a grateful expression.

"No, I'm just curious what he has prepared. His strength is far from enough. Shinji's is only barely considered good." To Kurosawa Aise, Tsukasa Eishi, who had only been practicing Himuro-ryu for a short time, was simply not up to par.

"Um... Now that you've come to the Himuro mansion, I need to prepare a meal for you. My cooking utensils were just destroyed again." Tsukasa Eishi glanced at the completely deformed cooking utensils that Shinji Ikari had bumped into when Himuro Kirie was swinging around and smashing them, and gave a wry smile.

"I see, my apologies!" Kurosawa Aise was somewhat surprised. "I'm just accompanying Shinji, and my true form isn't here to eat, so please don't worry about it."

"...We must talk." Himuro Kirie looked at Kurosawa Ayase in front of her. She had just stopped when she suddenly sensed a strange power stopping her on the barrier rope! Otherwise, Shinji Ikari might have suffered a bit more.

“There’s nothing to talk about. Although I’m somewhat unhappy, I have no ill intentions towards that girl. It’s just that an agreement is an agreement, and Shinji must come to Mount Hikami to complete the ceremony with me,” Kurosawa Aise said with a smile.

"This is absolutely impossible!" The barrier rope began to stretch, releasing terrifying resentment. Himuro Kirie's anger from before had not completely dissipated, and she was clearly very eager to attack. She intended to deal with Kurosawa Ayase's wisp of soul directly. As for what would happen on Mount Hikami, she didn't care! In short, she couldn't touch Shinji.

"Um, can I ask you a question, Kurosawa Aise?" Shinji gritted his teeth and quickly interjected. If these two sides really fought, who would be the unlucky one?

"No need to be so formal, Shinji-kun, as my betrothed, you can relax and speak." Kurosawa Aise bowed slightly to Shinji Ikari. The Onmyōryō priestesses standing behind Himuro Kirie nearly popped their eyes out. A fierce-looking man! Bowing to Shinji Ikari!? Ah! I must tell my boss when I get back that you can't mess around with Shinji anymore, otherwise even that person might not be able to protect you.

"I mean, is there a time limit for fulfilling this agreement? Also, if we can find a way to seal the Night Spring, can this agreement be lifted? After all, in a sense, this is a place similar to the Gate of the Underworld. We've already stabilized the Gate of the Underworld through some means, and you can see my sister can wander around freely, so it's not a big problem." Shinji Ikari took a deep breath and quickly asked two questions.

"Tch!" Mei Isayama instantly understood Shinji Ikari's plan! If things really couldn't be done, then he'd rather be on the verge of death before fulfilling his promise! Undoubtedly a scumbag!

"Our fates are intertwined by the agreement, this won't do!" Kurosawa Aise shook her head regretfully. When Shinji Ikari accepted her photograph, her soul imprint was already on Shinji's soul. Sealing Yozumi couldn't break their agreement, not even in life or death (Hikage Mountain can summon the souls of the dead to hold ghost marriages, and incredibly, it can even make women pregnant, it's ridiculous)...

What surprised her was that Himuro Kirie, who clearly considered herself the older sister, had also left her mark on him. Shinji Ikari's soul was actually able to bear the marks of two fierce gods. Was this a sign of innate strength? Even she had to admit that he truly lived up to his promise.

"Intertwined?" Himuro Kirie stared at Kurosawa Ayase in front of her, her expression showing great dissatisfaction. "Then why didn't you come out when Shinji encountered so many dangers?"

"Oh! That's a question for Shinji-kun. How did he manage to cause so much trouble in the mansion of a malevolent god who was about my level but whose intelligence hadn't been awakened?" Kurosawa Aise sighed. Did she not know that Shinji Ikari was capable of such antics? No, she did know even a little earlier than Himuro Kirie! "Those one or two months exhausted the last bit of my power. After all, I was just a wisp of a malevolent god's soul. My main body was still suppressing Yozumi, and helping him avoid a certain death had exhausted my power. After that, I began to sleep."

"..." Shinji Ikari was stunned, tilting his head to look at Ayase Kurosawa. Back in the Himuro mansion, when he was dancing the cha-cha with Kirie Himuro, he had narrowly escaped death several times. So someone had helped him back then? "So it was you..."

"Don't look at me. It's still Shinji's own effort. I can only give some hints and warnings."

"So I should thank you for letting me meet Shinji?"

"Since Shinji acknowledges you as his older sister, there's no need to be so polite."

"...We need to have a serious talk! This time, we'll use the main body!"

"I'll be waiting for you at Mount Rishang, sister~"

"Okay! But you called me too early, sister!"

"Um! Can you not..."

"Shut up!"

Chapter 294 The Unlucky Shinji Ikari and the Serious Kirie Himuro

"So after you got a good beating from your sister, you were too badly injured to go to Mount Hyuga and had to slink back?" Ritsuko Akagi covered her face, looking at Shinji Ikari lying on the hospital bed with a speechless expression.

"And the fact that your sister has arranged a fight with that person is really big news." Ritsuko Akagi was typing her report rapidly. Shinji Ikari's account basically meant that only the Onmyōryō (the Bureau of Yin and Yang) and NERV knew about it, which was a very good thing. After all, Mount Hirakami wasn't too far from NERV's location, and this was an opportunity to observe the battle between two top-tier powerhouses with divine abilities, which wasn't something that happened all the time.

"Stop talking, my head is about to explode." Shinji Ikari was extremely frustrated. He should have tried his best to stop this from happening, but obviously, both Himuro Kirie and Kurosawa Ayase were furious, and Shinji couldn't stop them from being so angry.

"Don't think too much about it now. Get some rest. Although your body is very strong, you're quite badly injured. You need to rest properly. Why don't you try the biological treatment equipment that Mei Izayama used before?" Ritsuko Akagi picked up her coffee, took a sip, and said to Shinji Ikari with a smile. She felt that there was no use in Shinji worrying. In a sense, he could only passively accept the outcome now. Strength not only determines treatment but also family status.

"Baka Shinji..." Asuka crossed her arms and glared at Shinji Ikari in front of her. "Serves him right!" Although the whole process was really ridiculous, and a fierce god actually made a promise with Shinji Ikari and was ready to fulfill it, Asuka didn't know whether she should feel sorry for this unlucky guy or give him a punch first.

"Did you tell Ryoko?" Misato Katsuragi asked, with a look of anticipation, a question that should have been a real blow to Shinji Ikari. Ryoko and Shinji had a very good relationship, and all the factions had already accepted them. Even Gendo Ikari had mentioned Ryoko's name when he was chatting with Ritsuko Akagi.

"I told you, Ryoko is on her way to the Himuro mansion." Shinji Ikari rubbed his forehead. Although Ryoko Sakaki was very unhappy—Shinji, you actually have such ulterior motives outside—she still reacted very quickly and started rushing towards the Himuro mansion.

Shinji Ikari and Ryoko Sakaki's relationship has always been smooth sailing, with almost no major setbacks. At most, there are occasional bouts of jealousy to spice things up. They might not be considered a perfect couple, but they are at least a pair of lovers who constantly shower others with their affection.

Now, things are really messed up. Shinji Ikari can't stand the sudden appearance of a fiancée, let alone Ryoko Sakaki! But Ryoko Sakaki then showed her independent nature, carefully questioning Shinji Ikari about the whole thing several times. After confirming that Shinji Ikari hadn't lied to her, Ryoko Sakaki immediately determined her position.

Putting everything else aside, Shinji Ikari and the others tacitly avoided mentioning their own names. Shinji only mentioned that he had a girlfriend. Now, Shinji's sister, Kirie Himuro, approves of him, not the other guy, Ayase Kurosawa, who theoretically helped Shinji. Moreover, Shinji and Ayase are indeed mutually in love. So, the key now is to suppress Ayase Kurosawa.

Ryoko Sakaki clearly understood that the probability of directly expelling Ayase Kurosawa was too low. The Totsuki Culinary Group, being part of the exorcist system, naturally understood the significance of a malevolent god's mark. Not to mention, in a sense, Shinji was a beneficiary. It was under Himuro Kirie's protection that Shinji Ikari reached his current level, and if Ayase Kurosawa were also willing to provide support to Shinji, they would go even further.

However, this doesn't mean that Ryoko Sakaki is willing to give up her relationship with Shinji Ikari. At most, she would just acknowledge that Ayase Kurosawa's status and position overlap with hers to some extent, and that's the limit!

"..." Shinji Ikari shook his head helplessly. After confirming that he was going to knock on the gate of Mount Hikami, Himuro Kirie drove Shinji away very fiercely! The rest of them were left behind for intensive training, so that they could work hard to increase their strength. They couldn't just be a burden, otherwise, in the serious battles to come, since they had already entered this core circle, they should at least not hold Shinji back.

"I must admit, you and Ryoko Sakaki have done a great job. You're truly an enviable couple!" Ritsuko Akagi nodded. She wasn't surprised by Ryoko's reaction; after all, Ryoko was a smart girl. But Shinji Ikari's complete lack of intention to hide anything was beyond the emotional intelligence of most men. After all, such matters could be big or small, and many people choose to hide them to save trouble. Naturally, when it comes to light, it's no small matter.

"Ritsuko, the machine you mentioned is in a place I know, right?" Shinji Ikari gently patted Rei Ayanami's head comfortingly. Rei Ayanami glanced at Shinji with a slightly more lively look, but didn't say anything. Clearly, this incident had been somewhat stimulating for Rei Ayanami, and her little mind was a bit confused. However, one thing was certain: there was no doubt that Rei Ayanami's eyes were filled with extreme disdain.

“That’s right, you go ahead first, I’ll be right back.” Ritsuko Akagi nodded, and the group of women watched Shinji Ikari walk away.

"Shinji-kun... I don't seem to feel sorry for him at all." Ibuki Maya scratched her cheek. What a blessing it was to have a woman with such great power as his wife for nothing! "It's just a pity that this so-called ghost marriage is really going to be fatal."

"Yes, I really didn't expect things to turn out this way. Sensui Shinobu... Luckily, we don't have to confront him. According to the information, he's a super important figure!" Hyuga Makoto said with a sigh. The information on paper and the real-world threat are two completely different concepts...

“But Shinji has to face him!” Shigeru Aoki sighed and shook his head. “This time, he really angered that lord of the Himuro Mansion, and Shinji was dealt with terribly.”

“Yes! I really didn’t expect that, given Shinji Ikari’s physical strength, he would actually be knocked down and seriously injured without facing any strong enemies.” Ritsuko Akagi finished the last bit of coffee in her cup, stood up, and prepared to go to the laboratory to treat Shinji Ikari’s injuries.

The fact that Shinji Ikari returned severely injured a day after going to the Himuro Mansion almost shocked the entire NERV. Although Unit-01 did not perform well last time, it was mainly because it did not have enough energy. And even so, didn't it still manage to cut the Yamata no Orochi to pieces?

“Yes, but for us, this is also a bit of a hassle.” Ritsuko Akagi shook her head. “The sudden diligence of the American branch caught me off guard.” Misato Katsuragi smiled wryly. The American NERV branch specifically requested that Shinji Ikari pilot Unit-03, and Shinji Ikari had already agreed to pilot it himself. He wanted to see what the Angel was like, and if possible, send it away directly inside using the Spirit Gun or the Blazing Finger.

But now, all the plans have been disrupted. Projects that Shinji Ikari could have worked on are now all waiting and can't keep up with the schedule.

“Yes, Unit 3 will arrive the day after tomorrow. After a few days of testing, we’ll have a ton of economic matching work to do. Shinji’s current condition is clearly not up to par.” Shigeru Aoki sighed, then saw someone walking from behind and quickly jumped up to salute, “Vice Commander Fuyutsuki!”

"Don't be nervous, I'm just here to convey the requests of a few other organizations." Fuyutsuki Kōzō waved his hand. Shinji Ikari's recent incident had really broadened the horizons of this old man. He had even teased Gendō Ikari earlier, saying, "Your daughter-in-law seems to be a fierce god. Perhaps we don't even need complicated plans. Your daughter-in-law alone can accomplish a lot." "Just one thing: it's best to avoid a battle between two fierce gods. If it can't be avoided, it's best to minimize it as much as possible."

"Huh?!" Misato Katsuragi gave a wry smile. "Is this something we can decide? Even Shinji couldn't do it."

“I understand, but let Shinji handle this matter. As for Unit-03…” Fuyutsuki Kozo’s gaze swept across Asuka and Rei Ayanami’s faces, and for a moment he was undecided.

"I'll go! Even Shinji, that idiot, can't do it!" Asuka volunteered.

"Alright! Then let's get ready as soon as possible." Fuyutsuki Kozo nodded, then turned and walked away.

"Asuka, are you sure there won't be any problems?" Misato Katsuragi looked at Asuka. Shinji Ikari had mentioned to Misato earlier that the American branch was completely insane. The experiments they were conducting were essentially contaminating the EVA itself. It would be a miracle if Unit-4, as the test subject, was still functioning well. If that's the case, Unit-3 would most likely also have problems. However, if it were Shinji, Misato thought he should be able to handle it.

“No problem! Shinji won’t have time anyway, right? It’s just a matter of starting it up, standing up and walking a few steps, and then shooting targets or something, right?” Asuka looked at Misato Katsuragi beside her, and Misato Katsuragi nodded. Indeed, there were only a few projects. “Then let Shinji Ikari go and resolve the conflict between his sister and his fiancée. After all… both of them are very important to him.”

Both Himuro Kirie and Kurosawa Aise were very kind to Shinji Ikari. Now Shinji understands how he, so weak back then, was able to dance the cha-cha with Himuro Kirie, who hadn't yet regained her senses, at the very bottom of the Himuro mansion. It was all thanks to Kurosawa Aise's protection and assistance; he probably would have been strangled to death by the resentful Himuro Kirie at the time.

Moreover, the agreement he made with Kurosawa Ayase was entirely his own fault. Kurosawa Ayase was actually very easy to talk to. When he was being so reckless, she was just joking with him. But now she wants to drag him to accompany her into a permanent slumber, and he's finding it hard to resist.

Himuro Kirie goes without saying; not only Shinji Ikari, but even his friends know to cling to her! She'll save you from any danger! Shinji owes both of them debts of gratitude, which can be measured in the number of lives they've given him. Logically speaking, no matter what they want him to do, Shinji shouldn't refuse.

As for why Shinji Ikari was kicked back, it was simply because Himuro Kirie really didn't want to see Shinji Ikari, who had actually brought Ayase Kurosawa to her Himuro mansion. This made her feel uncomfortable. What kind of fierce god doesn't have a sense of territory? Now, he actually came straight to her territory!

Despite not regretting meeting Shinji at all, Himuro Kirie is very happy to have a younger brother. They are not related by blood, but their relationship is better than that of ordinary siblings. In particular, this younger brother also brought her a younger sister. Himuro Kirie has won again!

So at this very moment, something big is happening in the Himuro mansion! Himuro Kirie also needs to make some preparations, because going to Mount Hikami is going to their home turf! If she wants to gain the upper hand, she can't do it without some preparation. After driving Shinji Ikari away, Himuro Kirie walked to the Gate of the Underworld, waved her hand, and a certain ghost car that was tied to the gate and barely clinging to life, which had been forcibly trained to near A-rank, was smashed to the ground. The Gate of the Underworld, having lost its suppressive core, slowly opened, but it was held back by the barrier rope, so it was open, but not fully open.

In an instant, pure resentment began to emanate from the Gates of the Underworld, as countless vengeful spirits struggled to pass through this threshold and reach the mortal realm! Himuro Kirie narrowed her eyes, watching the things that seemed to want to crawl out, and sneered. She never thought she would suddenly become so dedicated to her job. The barrier ropes quickly wove themselves together, forming a huge net at the gate. Himuro Kirie stood at the only exit, a smirk playing on her lips. "Come on, you scum, offer me your power."

"I'm doomed! I'm doomed! My sister's gone ruthless!" Himuro Mimori paced anxiously outside the Himuro mansion. She was terrified. Why hadn't she just gone with her sister when she chased away that idiot brother? Now that her sister was so ruthless, what good would it do her? Even if she wasn't targeting her, she was sure she'd get her share of the training later!

"Is this... the oppressive power of a fierce god? It feels like I'm weighed dozens of times more." Yusuke Urameshi's face was contorted with rage. Now, every single one of them was kneeling on the ground, their faces contorted with rage.

"No...it's different. Miss Kirie hasn't fully unleashed her power yet." Kurama looked down with a strange expression. At first, the heavy resentment even caused signs of a change in the heavens, but soon, Kurama discerned something other than the resentment. Kurama actually sensed a familiar feeling in this damned pressure! At the other end of the passage, there seemed to be a faint aura of the demon world!

“This is really interesting. Shinji Ikari’s sister has a power that we don’t know about! We…” Hiei was thinking of what to say when he suddenly felt the entire space tremble, and an indescribable vibration erupted from the Himuro Mansion.

Isayama Mei, who was standing nearby and wanted to train, only had time to assume a defensive stance before being knocked back a considerable distance. His arms, which were not in dragon form, were torn and covered in blood. Isayama Mei gritted his teeth and stared at the gate of the Ice Chamber mansion in front of him, his eyes sharpening. The dragon scales on his body involuntarily emerged. He took a step forward, ready to continue!

"Don't try to hold on! Hurry back to your rooms and set up a barrier!" Yusa Emi turned to Tsukasa Eishi and the Onmyōryō priestesses behind her and said.

"I'm sorry..." Tsukasa Eishi nodded. He had indeed reached his limit. If he continued to stand there, it was only a matter of time before he was thrown away. He and the shrine maidens, who were relieved, ran away quickly.

"Now let's see who can hold out until the very end!"

"Urahan! Don't be so confident. I estimate... it will get even stronger in a while. It's only a matter of time before we fly out."

"No way! Ming, is it really that exaggerated?"

"Ha...you don't understand women!"

Chapter 295 Exercise

"How are you feeling? All the equipment was designed according to Mei Isayama's data. In terms of physical condition, you haven't reached his limit yet. Don't look at me like that. I've already seen that, haven't I?" Ritsuko Akagi stood in front of the liquid treatment chamber, looking at Shinji Ikari inside. "You're not actually that innocent, just like your father."

"..." Shinji Ikari glared at Ritsuko Akagi, speechless. Their relationship was a bit complicated. Not long after Ryoji Kaji's first visit, one evening Ryoji Kaji hosted a dinner for them. So, Shinji Ikari, Ritsuko Akagi, Misato Katsuragi, and Ryoji Kaji went to Ristorante F for dinner. They drank some of Ryoko Sakaki's new drink, which was a bit strong. Except for Shinji Ikari, all four of them were a little unsteady on their feet.

Misato Katsuragi was naturally taken back by Ryoji Kaji, while Ritsuko Akagi, who was already quite weak, was taken back by Shinji Ikari. On the way back to her residence, Ritsuko loudly complained in her drunken ramblings, complaining that Shinji was an idiot, complaining about NERV's unreasonable rules, complaining about the perpetually insufficient budget, and even complaining about Misato Katsuragi's good luck...

It was clear that the blonde beauty in front of him was under a lot of pressure, so Shinji Ikari only gave reassuring replies like "Ah! Yes, yes. Yes!" and "You're right" as he escorted Ritsuko Akagi back to her residence, even wiping her face with a towel for her.

Then... whether she sobered up after having her face wiped with a towel, or perhaps she wasn't actually that drunk to begin with... Ritsuko Akagi looked at Shinji Ikari, who was about to leave, and said, "Are you really going to leave like this? Are you even a man?"

"..." Shinji Ikari looked at Ritsuko Akagi, pulled the door shut, turned around and walked back. "Do you know the consequences?"

"Oh? What other consequences are there?" Akagi Ritsuko looked at the young man with a smile on her lips. "Don't worry, this is a secret between you and me. Some secrets need new secrets to keep them safe."

As a result, the next day, when Ritsuko Akagi went to work, she kept rubbing her lower back...

"Hmm, you've recovered better than I expected. It turns out the reason it wasn't as effective on Mei Isayama was because of Mei Isayama. Shinji Ikari, your physical condition needs improvement!" Ritsuko Akagi pressed a button, and the liquid in the liquid therapy device began to dissipate. "Circulate your Qi and see if there are any problems."

Shinji Ikari removed his oxygen mask and sighed in annoyance. His relationship with Ritsuko Akagi had gone a little... off track ever since then. In any case, it wasn't just once. Shinji had no intention of sticking to his principles when it came to an intellectual and mature woman like Ritsuko Akagi.

In particular, the generation of Hell Paratroopers were very...open in this regard. Especially in the later stages of the war, when there was no tomorrow, the terrifying pressure made everyone frantically fight. Basically, both sides would bring up this topic, and if the other side didn't object, they would find a place to start close contact. This was a great way for both sides to relieve pressure.

In a sense, Sergeant Lancer, with his fierce combat record, was quite popular with women when it came to this messy affair, so his values ​​were changed quite a bit. The direct consequences... well, if it weren't for the iron fist education from Master Dongfang Bubai, which corrected him somewhat, he certainly wouldn't be in this state now, even if he wasn't a collector.

As a result, their relationship has become what it is now. Ritsuko Akagi probably knows what Shinji Ikari and Misato Katsuragi are doing. She doesn't participate and even provides some conveniences. Especially after she discovered that Gendo Ikari is no longer a normal human being, she leans even more towards Misato Katsuragi and Shinji Ikari.

“No problem, but… is this really just a simple liquid cell therapy device?” Shinji Ikari was somewhat suspicious. Although the presence of the Holy Light had lessened the damage to his body, his power was still suppressed after being tied to Himuro Kirie’s barrier rope, and he was seriously injured from being hit.

So, after Shinji Ikari, clinging to life by the Holy Light, returned to Tokyo-3, he didn't go back to his residence to rest. Instead, he rushed straight into NERV headquarters. He had Ritsuko Akagi give him emergency treatment, which led to the situation where he was surrounded by a large crowd earlier. To be honest, that situation made Shinji feel even more ashamed than the current one.

"So you want to know some detailed technical details?" Ritsuko Akagi looked at Shinji Ikari. This thing was a simple medical device, a statement that even Ritsuko herself didn't believe. The thing in front of her was already the result of several revisions by Ritsuko. The healing potion not only contained LCL liquid, but also some special components extracted from the blood of the Angels. For some reason, it had a significant effect on treating various injuries in humans. Recently, Ritsuko Akagi used it to neutralize the powerful effects of the Time-Time Fruit, and then increased the concentration to feed it to Conan, who was the first test subject, to see how it went.

"I don't want to." Shinji Ikari probably knew something. After all, at NERV headquarters, the only major consumer of Angel blood was Ritsuko Akagi from the research department, and especially when Mei Isayama was recuperating here, the consumption was even faster! In a sense, Mei Isayama was able to master the semi-dragon state so quickly, and she really had to thank Ritsuko Akagi for the huge investment she made in her.

"That's good. Put your clothes on. Misato Katsuragi and the others have already made the decision. Since you're not feeling well, Asuka will take your place to conduct the activation test of Unit-03. As per the European branch's request, Unit-02 will be temporarily mothballed, but that's perfect for the engineering department. The equipment they made for Unit-01 has just been completed. It's a product they're very confident in."

"That ship-slaying sword??" Shinji Ikari felt a bit dumbfounded. Although, according to the body size proportions, Unit-01 could call any heavy sword it used a ship-slaying sword, it was astonishing that the engineering department had actually made a real, thick-backed greatsword for Shinji Ikari, and even used very rare materials. It was said that their own calculations showed that it was several times stronger than weapons made of normal alloys.

“Yes, the scene where you cut open the fish angel was recorded by TERRA. It was such a shocking scene. In comparison, the recent battles either weren’t recorded, or the visual impact of the battles was completely incomparable.” Ritsuko Akagi tossed her clothes to Shinji Ikari, who was drying off, lit a cigarette, and then, as if remembering something, extinguished it.

"This is truly a shockingly real and absurd thing." Shinji Ikari himself had seen the video that TERRA filmed behind Unit-01. Unit-01, with a pair of light wings unfolding behind it, slashed forward with its sword, then, like Moses parting the sea, sliced ​​everything in its path. It has to be said, it was incredibly powerful even without special effects.

"If it's Asuka, then the preliminary preparations..." Shinji Ikari hesitated. He felt he should try again. Currently, perhaps because of Shinji's formidable combat strength, the relationship between Asuka and Shinji was more like that of comrades-in-arms who relied on each other back to back. This reminded Shinji of the fierce female soldiers on Reach who were no less capable than the male soldiers.

He had a general idea of ​​what kind of trouble would happen to Unit-03. He wasn't sure if someone had tampered with it, but he was certain that Unit-04, which had been tested in the US, had indeed become an Angel when it exploded. The radical design and manufacturing plan of the US branch might have really touched the essence of EVA.

“While you are undergoing treatment, Asuka has already completed one-third of the preliminary preparations. I know what you are worried about. Don’t worry, if there are any abnormal situations, I will immediately eject the insertion plug,” Ritsuko Akagi assured Shinji Ikari.