The Trash Returned from Warhammer

”I am Lieutenant Yu Suzuki of the Security Intelligence Department, Counter-Espionage Division.”

”Shinji-kun, don’t be nervous. This is just a routine inquiry.”

Inside a room emblazoned with a giant NERV logo, a stern-faced, middle-aged man flashed his credentials. Shinji sat in the chair opposite him, observing his surroundings with keen interest.

Being invited for ”tea” was perfectly normal; no one was blind. His transformation before and after was too drastic; he was as different as if he had been possessed by a ghost.

The safest course of action would have been concealment and patience, but an Astartes does not know how to act. His mind was filled with the memories of an Astartes; he couldn’t expect himself to be as ”normal” as Suzuhara Toji and the others.

However, he wasn’t panicked. An Evangelion pilot was far too precious to be discarded. Besides, if the entities hidden in the shadows didn’t take action, how was he supposed to dig them out?

”What about Miss Misato? She is my direct superior. Why is the Security Department handling this inquiry?”

The agents exchanged glances. This kid was indeed extraordinary. A typical brat would have wet his pants at this sight, having no idea that for an Astartes, interrogations from the Inquisition were a constant occurrence.

”She is the head of the Operations Division and only responsible for directing EVA combat.” Suzuki Yu shook his head, forcing a smile. ”Inviting you here is just to ask a few simple questions. Just answer them truthfully; this is also to ensure your safety.”

”Proceed.”

”Good. First question: During the two interceptions of Angels, the Technical Department did not collect any synchronization rate data. Does this have anything to do with you?”

”No,” Shinji answered expressionlessly.

”You need to tell the truth. Do you see the device on the ceiling? It is equipment from the Psychological Adaptation Department; it can analyze your brainwaves.”

Shinji had noticed these primitive devices long ago. With human technology, how could they possibly detect a psyker?

”No,” he repeated. He saw Suzuki Yu turn his head to look at the screen on the table, where the signals were perfectly steady.

”Fine.” The Security Department didn’t believe this had anything to do with Shinji either; by design, it was impossible for a pilot to shut down the monitoring.

”Second question: What kind of training did your father, Commander Ikari, put you through to make you so proficient the first time you boarded Unit-01?”

Shinji narrowed his eyes. This question was very interesting—it felt more like it was aimed at Gendo Ikari.

’Not his people?’

He suddenly realized that Gendo Ikari did not have absolute control over NERV. Logically speaking, subordinates wouldn’t dig up dirt on their superior.

”Does it matter? The stronger I am, the more confident I am in fighting the Angels. The reason for my ability is not important; what matters is whether I can defeat the enemy.” Shinji deliberately retorted, and his point was logically sound.

An Astartes does not act like someone from the Officio Assassinorum, nor did he need to hide anything. As long as he could defeat the Angels, who cared who forged this sharp blade or how peculiar its personality was? Misato Katsuragi, for instance, didn’t care.

”You only need to answer the question.”

”It has nothing to do with him. This is my own strength.”

The agents looked at the screen again. The steady brainwaves left them staring at each other in confusion.

’How is this possible?’

Ikari Shinji looked like a veteran who had fought through a hundred battles. That wasn’t something strict education could produce; it had to be tempered in blood and flesh.

Even Gendo Ikari himself couldn’t explain what was going on. Those higher up felt that the Intelligence Department had been bribed and had submitted false reports—they were convinced Shinji must have undergone incredibly brutal training.

The blade was indeed sharp, but the question of what the blade-smith was planning was what SEELE cared about. The script was already set, and no one could change it.

”You need to tell the truth.”

”This is the truth. That was my first time boarding Unit-01. I hadn’t seen Gendo Ikari for several years before that.”

”But you couldn’t be that proficient. Even a genius needs an accumulation of experience.” An agent slammed the table, posture aggressive: ”Shinji-kun, the organization must be pure. We don’t want to be stabbed in the back while dealing with Angels.”

Shinji looked over, his sharp gaze making the agent recoil: ”This is a fact. What right does Gendo Ikari have to forge a blade as sharp as I am?”

”Then who trained you? That ’Emperor’?”

”Of course. Everything is under the Emperor’s guidance,” Shinji replied solemnly.

The agents almost couldn’t contain themselves. The Intelligence Department had long ago checked—no religion worshipping an ”Emperor” existed in the world. Furthermore, Shinji had never left Tokyo-3. Saying an Angel had granted him his power would have been more believable.

Wasn’t this just the delusional rambling of a late-stage ’chunibyo’? But the problem returned to the starting point: what had turned a fourteen-year-old boy into this?

The Security Department and the Special Oversight Department couldn’t get anything out of him and could only let Shinji leave, saying they would find him again if they had questions.

Suzuki Yu packed up the documents, pushing open the door with a headache. There was a room next door, and a one-way mirror allowed for observation of the entire interrogation process.

A man in a black-striped suit with short blonde hair and a gentle expression stood there, rubbing a long scar on his neck with his hand.

”Director Mark, this is all the record. It doesn’t look good; we can’t report back to headquarters with this.” Suzuki Yu complained as he handed over the materials, the contents of which even he didn’t believe.

’Strength doesn’t come from training, but from the guidance of some ’Emperor’? Who is the Emperor? Where am I supposed to find him?’

This was clearly nonsense.

”What is the truth as you see it?” Mark gently took the records, reading them with interest. The entire Security Department had been replaced recently.

”Gendo Ikari has secretly won over the supervisors, providing false intelligence to the higher-ups, setting up secret facilities to train Shinji Ikari in some way, and perhaps even sending him to the battlefield in secret. But I don’t understand—what is the necessity of doing this, and why the secrecy?”

”That is exactly what the higher-ups want to know.” Mark bared his teeth. This Shinji Ikari was too formidable; he couldn’t have been piloting Unit-01 for the first time. There had to be a simulator, at the very least.

If someone was training him in secret, it could only be Gendo Ikari.

’Why is Gendo doing this quietly? If he can cultivate one, can he cultivate more? What is he trying to do?’

”Entrusting NERV completely to him was a dangerous thing to begin with. Since Shinji-kun refuses to tell the truth, I will have no choice but to use more drastic measures.”

Mark tossed the records down, muttering to himself as the papers fluttered like snow.

”The future of humanity requires people who are absolutely loyal to push it forward.”

-

-

-

Shinji walked out of the room without taking the incident to heart. He gradually realized he had unintentionally set a trap for Gendo Ikari.

’Loyalty that is not absolute is equivalent to absolute disloyalty.’

Coming from 40K, he had plenty to say about ”loyalty.” The lunatics in the Inquisition were the types to pick bones out of an egg; compared to them, those agents looked as naive as fledglings.

’However, with this, my conjecture is verified: Gendo Ikari has someone above him, and it isn’t the United Nations.’

His expression turned serious. NERV was a special organization under the UN, and he knew how low the efficiency of human government was; it was impossible for them to be collecting dirt on Gendo so quickly.

’Then the question arises: why question Gendo’s loyalty? Even if he did train me, doesn’t that prove his supreme loyalty?

Unless... they don’t just want to defeat the Angels.’

Shinji narrowed his eyes. He didn’t know how many well-organized Chaos cults he had destroyed, though investigating the truth was not an Astartes’ strong suit.

Regardless, he now had an entry point.

He wasn’t concerned about his own safety. Having defeated two Angels, his psychic powers were recovering. It would be difficult to crush an entire army as he once did, but killing a few dozen mortals was no harder than killing chickens.

Rounding the hallway, he saw Misato Katsuragi waiting. She saw Shinji and stood up, looking somewhat ashamed.

”Sorry, Shinji. I wasn’t notified. These people have quite high clearance.” Misato was truly ashamed; she felt she had failed to protect him.

It was cruel enough to let the boy fight the Angels; to drag him into adult power struggles as well was unforgivable.

”It is of no matter. I have been waiting for them to come find me for a long time.” Shinji waved his hand, walked into the elevator with Misato, and watched the numbers jump. Suddenly, he asked: ”Miss Misato, are you curious about my past as well?”

”Of course. You are filled with mysteries. The file provided by the Intelligence Department is like a joke.” Speaking of which, Misato wanted to vent.

’A weak, autistic boy? A coward with no friends who only knows how to flee? A middle-schooler with an ordinary life and no notable highlights?

Please, this is the exact opposite of reality!’

”That is not important. Even if you were a ghost returned from the dead, as long as you can defeat the Angels, it is fine. I don’t care what secrets you have.” Misato snorted. She represented the thoughts of the majority at NERV.

NERV existed to fight the Angels and protect humanity from catastrophe. Even if Shinji Ikari were a hair-covered baboon, as long as he could defeat the Angels, it would be enough.

”But to some people, it is very important.”

Shinji’s voice was very soft, but Misato heard it. Her eyes twitched, and her mind was in chaos. She wasn’t an idiot; having been at NERV for so long, she had long since noticed problems.

Most simply, the funding after the city was damaged—the UN would always complain and bicker, but the money would always be transferred eventually.

’Who are these ”some people”? What do they want? It’s so troublesome. If everyone just united to defeat the Angels and let humanity continue, that would be the end of it. Why does such a simple thing have to become so complex?’

Misato was feeling frustrated when she heard a ”ding.” She quickly adjusted her expression, but as the elevator doors opened, her face became expressive once more.

Standing at the entrance was Ayanami Rei. She looked at the two in the elevator with a similar sense of confusion, instinctively stepping inside. She stood with her back to them, biting her lip.

She, too, had things she wanted to say, but didn’t know where to start, or whether she should say them at all.

Seeing Misato’s frustration and Ayanami’s hesitation, Shinji stood ramrod straight, looking quietly at the closing elevator doors.

”Do not have doubts, do not wander, and do not overthink.”

The man looked straight ahead, his voice not loud, but firm as steel.

”Because I will solve every problem.”

The ripples in their tranquil life caused Misato Katsuragi to feel uneasy, and Ayanami Rei seemed to have learned the emotion of ”internal conflict.”

As for Shinji Ikari—

He remained as steady as an old hound.

Everything was merely an interlude. Shinji had experienced too much; he could treat a situation with gravity, but he would not get nervous.

No matter how much trouble this was, could it be more troublesome than being surrounded by heretics outnumbering you fifty to one?

No matter how treacherous, could it be more treacherous than walking toward the pinnacle of life one moment, only to turn around and find everything was a dream woven by Tzeentch?

No matter how horrific, could it be more horrific than the Tyranids stripping a planet bone-dry?

Compared to the chaotic dance of demons in the 41st Millennium, the troubles at hand didn’t even qualify as nuisances.

Shinji had already calculated it; everything was within his grasp.

He truly didn’t take it to heart, which caused the members of the Security Department to start whispering. This mental fortitude was simply too high. Furthermore, this composure allowed Misato Katsuragi to settle down completely.

Just as the boy had said: do not overthink, he would solve every problem.

Ayanami Rei was slightly more difficult. The girl began to space out frequently again. Shinji didn’t ask what she was thinking; a quality like ”gentleness” could never manifest in an Angel of Death.

Even though he knew Rei harbored many secrets—such as taking leaves of absence every few days, never eating meat, or taking medication long-term.

But if Rei didn’t speak, he wouldn’t ask. Asking would be futile anyway. Since Gendo Ikari was comfortable enough to let Rei interact with others, he had ways to ensure she kept his secrets.

Regardless, the days without Angel attacks were peaceful. School life and NERV work were strictly partitioned, with only one new item added to the schedule—

The exploration of the Angels.

”This is the analysis of the residual genetic tissue from the Fourth Angel. It’s similar to the report from the Arctic branch.”

Ritsuko Akagi sat before the computer with a cigarette in her mouth, looking at the contemplative Shinji. She wasn’t sure if this middle-schooler could understand the dense genetic maps.

”A 99.82% similarity to human DNA... such a small gap can cause such severe mutations?”

Shinji rubbed his chin and frowned. Mutation was not rare in 40K; various abhumans existed to the point where the Inquisition could only verify identities through skull-measuring methods.

He recalled a joke: if an Iron Man from the Golden Age scanned an Astartes holding a banana, it would only issue a warning:

’Xenos, put down the human in your hand.’

”Were the Angels mutated from humans?”

”That’s impossible. The two are entirely different things.” Ritsuko waved her hand, pausing before adding, ”If there’s a connection to be made, it’s the AT Field. It’s just that the Angels’ fields are far more powerful. Aside from piloting an EVA, human fields cannot interfere with reality.”

’That isn’t necessarily true.’

Shinji remained silent. He hadn’t yet figured out the relationship between psychic power and the AT Field, and he was no expert in genetics. He remembered the Genestealers among the Tyranids; those damned xenos must be very sensitive to DNA.

”What about the research on the Angel’s Core? How does such a massive xenos obtain energy for movement?”

”The two are different. The Core is the Angel’s life center; it maintains their biological structure and, hmm, perhaps serves to guide energy interaction.” Ritsuko exhaled a smoke ring. Informing Shinji of these secrets had, of course, been authorized.

To defeat an Angel, one must understand the Angel.

”Guiding energy?”

”Yes. Angels don’t require power cables like the EVAs because they possess the S² Engine. This is an organ composed of biological superconducting coils the size of DNA. It generates energy through matter-antimatter annihilation and can exist anywhere in the Angel’s body. That’s why the Angel of the Day could still fight even after you cut it in half.”

Shinji nodded. As a frontline combatant, he had a deep understanding of the Angels. These monsters felt no pain and possessed no intellect, acting entirely on instinct. They had infinite energy and would self-repair unless the core was destroyed; they were essentially immortal.

”But there is no true perpetual motion machine in the world. No matter how high-end the technology or how powerful the conversion efficiency, energy must have a source.” Shinji raised his doubt. Seeing Ritsuko’s surprised expression, he continued:

”To be honest, the Angels are already very high-end xenos. Human technology can turn matter into energy, but it cannot turn energy into matter. In this regard, the Angels’ existence has already transcended the scope of technology, yet they still have limitations. They cannot create something from nothing.”

He crossed his fingers and looked directly at Ritsuko. An Astartes was no engineer, but the Blood Ravens’ Librarians loved dealing with strange affairs; his horizons were quite broad.

Beyond having higher technology, the Imperium of Man was fundamentally similar to this world, typically using nuclear fusion or plasma reactors, with very few using bio-energy.

However, other factions had plenty of bizarre energy sources.

The Orks’ Waaagh! field. The Eldar’s psychic crystals. The Necrons’ void engines.

Shinji knew of these things. Some were more conceptual and metaphysical than the S² Engine, yet even those ”skeletons” couldn’t create energy from nothing.

Ritsuko was stunned. Misato, sitting behind them, couldn’t quite follow, while Ayanami Rei was peacefully reading her novel.

”I didn’t expect you to be so well-educated. You didn’t read that in a sci-fi novel, did you?”

”I saw it with my own eyes.”

”...”

Ritsuko didn’t respond but pulled a whiteboard over, calling Maya Ibuki over as well.

”Ahem. This has nothing to do with fighting Angels, but since you’re interested, there’s no harm in telling you. This is just a hypothesis of mine—an interesting one.

The interaction of the S² Engine is similar to an antimatter reaction. Because it’s at the DNA level, it’s like nuclear fission; when multiple reactions overlap, the energy intensity is unimaginable. But there are still two problems here.”

Ritsuko’s interest was piqued. She glanced down; Misato was already dozing off, and Rei wasn’t listening at all. Her student, Maya Ibuki, was deep in thought, and only Shinji followed her words.

”The first problem: judging by combat performance, there are individual differences between the Third and Fourth Angels. This means each Angel’s energy intensity is different.” Shinji met her gaze and thought for a moment before saying:

”Second: This interaction is missing one part to achieve a perpetual loop—namely, where does this energy come from?”

”Correct. Therefore, I have a hypothesis: Does the S² Engine achieve energy circulation by slipping into a higher-dimensional space and then returning to this dimension? Of course, I have no evidence.” Ritsuko tapped the whiteboard. Seeing Shinji frown, she assumed the theory was too obscure, so she drew a coordinate line on the board.

On the horizontal axis, the right side was 1, 2, 3, 4, while the left side was -1, -2, -3, -4, with 0 as the separator.

”The positive numbers are our world. The left side is another dimension, which can be called the Dirac Sea or the Negative Universe. Some call it Imaginary Space. Our activities in the physical world create a projection in this Negative Universe; you can think of it as a mirror of this world.”

The theory became even more obscure. Misato was now completely asleep.

Ritsuko didn’t expect Shinji to understand; this was the simplest explanation she could provide.

As for things like reverse entropy, increasing entropy, or quantum mechanics, she doubted these people would understand a single word.

”A completely opposite universe. Our world is the material world, while the Negative Universe is a spiritual world. The reason the Angels are so powerful is because they can receive replenishment from the Negative Universe?” Shinji spoke calmly. This sounded more and more familiar the more he heard.

”More or less. You could also call it the world of souls. Of course, the research into whether souls exist in this world belongs to another field; I tend to believe it’s just a form of invisible energy.”

’I get it. The Warp.’

Of course, the differences between the two were vast. The biggest difference was that the Warp possessed a violent self-awareness, gave birth to four Chaos Gods, and was full of aggression, whereas the Negative Universe was purer.

”It’s something like that. Note that this is only my hypothesis, as it’s impossible for humans to observe the Negative Universe.” Ritsuko felt a surge of goodwill toward him; she never expected a middle-schooler to be able to discuss such obscure theories with her.

However, Shinji’s ”research” was more direct and brutal. Using his traits as a psyker, he could not only observe but even touch the Negative Universe.

”Tell me, is there a ’God’ in the Negative Universe?” He sat ramrod straight; this was his primary concern.

Ritsuko was visibly taken aback, then shook her head. ”The Negative Universe does have concepts similar to Hell or the Underworld in theology, but we are scientists. Science relies on data, so I cannot answer that question.”

’Cannot?’

Then how to explain naming those xenos ”Angels”? Why give them the names of celestial beings? Why can Angels link to the Negative Universe to obtain energy?

Many questions flashed through his heart. With Ritsuko Akagi’s assistance, Shinji had taken a major step forward toward the truth of this world, and he was in no hurry.

A mirror world that humans cannot observe—but he could touch it. The stronger his psychic power, the deeper the contact.

He suddenly felt a sense of relief. All the mysterious terms and obscure concepts in this world—once you stripped away the theological exterior—weren’t they just like the 40K universe? I’m very familiar with this territory.

”Thank you, Dr. Ritsuko Akagi. When there is an opportunity, let us study the Negative Universe together.”

”Huh? How would we study it?” Ritsuko’s hand, reaching for a light, paused. These things were all based on her conjectures and calculations.

Shinji said nothing, reflecting on the feeling when he pierced the Angels’ cores. That thing wasn’t an S² Engine, but it was the key that linked to the Negative Universe. No wonder the Angels died instantly when it was shattered—the energy cycle was cut off.

As for how to study it?

Naturally, by using the Angels as fuel—burning them to illuminate the path forward.

”Ah—I truly admire how you’re able to chat with Ritsuko.”

Misato Katsuragi let out a long yawn, feeling like she hadn’t slept that soundly in a long time.

’Quantum mechanics? Imaginary space?’

Aren’t those just fancy tricks to fool people? She couldn’t help but wonder: why on earth does this kid know more than I do?

She snuck a glance at Shinji, who was deep in thought, and then at Ayanami Rei, who was reading her novel while walking. She quietly nudged the latter.

”Rei, did you understand any of that earlier?”

”I was not listening, nor do I need to,” Rei replied softly, only to be hugged from behind by Misato.

”Thank God! Finally, someone as dense as me! I knew it—why is a teenage brat even talking about quantum mechanics?”

She was actually doing Shinji a disservice. The technology of the Imperium of Man had long since diverged from conventional paths, and an Astartes was no scientist; it was just that a psyker’s methods of research were more concise and efficient.

A thick barrier separated the positive and negative universes. In theological terms, they were ”forever apart.” This barrier could not be broken by physics; no matter how high the output of the artillery, it was impossible to blast it open.

The Angels had used some method to link with it, proving that the Negative Universe might be their source. Yet, they shared 99.82% of their DNA with humans. Could it be that humans also originated from the Negative Universe?

It was a chicken-and-egg paradox. Without a psychic projection from reality, where would the Negative Universe come from? But without the Negative Universe, how could the material world be generated?

Shinji’s head began to throb. Even in the 41st Millennium, few dared to touch upon these theories. There was no helping it; if you dared to think about the origin of the world or contemplate the formation of the Warp, certain daemons would lock onto you and cast their attention your way.

’Oh? This little guy can think, can’t he? Curious about the truth of the world? Want to participate in a grand game?’

Therefore, most of the time, thinking about these questions was itself a scheme of Tzeentch.

”Alright, alright, stop thinking! If you think too much, you’ll end up as sexually repressed as Ritsuko,” Misato suddenly hugged him from behind, speaking bluntly.

”Things will work themselves out when they reach the bridge. Just train hard and defeat the Angels when they come. Positive universe, negative universe—what does that have to do with us?”

Her words were quite reasonable. The strong never let themselves be troubled by such things.

”Defeating the xenos is the primary mission.” Shinji stopped thinking and led them away from the Technical Department toward the elevator. ”By the way, that ’JA Project’ you mentioned earlier is interesting. EVA is a weapon, and JA is a weapon. Why can’t the two be combined?”

”We just finished researching the Angels, and now you want to start researching mechs? It’s Sunday! Please, let me be!” Misato began to wail, thinking to herself that it was a good thing she had sent this kid to school, or she would have worked herself to death within three months.

”How lazy. What of it being Sunday? You do not even offer prayers to the Emperor.”

”It means I should be resting today! Besides, JA is a project led by the UN; I don’t have a say in it. That Dr. Ito treats NERV like a competitor. You have no idea how smug and insufferable he is.” Misato stomped her foot, but quickly clamped her mouth shut.

A burly man with blonde hair was walking toward them. He wore a suit and had a long, narrow scar on his neck. They passed each other, and other than their gazes colliding for a split second, there was little interaction.

”How unlucky, running into the dogs from the Security Department,” Misato muttered, even more annoyed.

”Aren’t you colleagues?”

”Those guys are responsible for counter-espionage. They drag you in for ’tea’ whenever they have nothing better to do. The person who called you in last time was him.”

Shinji turned his head, glancing at the back disappearing around the corner. His expression became intrigued. ”Is it necessary for NERV to have counter-espionage? The existence of the Angels was once top-secret, but it isn’t anymore. Could it be that the Angels know how to disguise themselves and infiltrate?”

”Oh, it’s to defend against other countries. You can’t understand the thinking of those big shots. Many countries aren’t happy with us, so we have to stay on guard.”

’If only it were that simple.’

Shinji said no more. He knew that although Misato seemed carefree, she was actually quite sharp; there was no need for him to remind her of certain things.

If they were only dealing with the Angels, what secrets could NERV possibly have? Didn’t everyone have the same enemy?

The elevator doors opened, and they ascended rapidly from the deep underground. Misato stretched, looking left and right.

The boy stood straight as usual, quietly watching the jumping numbers. The girl looked down at her book, turning the pages lightly.

’These two oddballs, honestly...’

Misato covered her head, reached out, and grabbed both of their shoulders, pulling them closer together. She laughed heartily: ”Oh, it’s finally Sunday! No school, no experiments, and no Angels. What should we do?”

”Naturally, go home and train. In the evening, I will summarize Dr. Akagi’s findings.”

”I want to go to the headquarters library, then go home.”

Misato’s eyebrows twitched. She applied a little force to her hands, pulling the two together: ”How about you go to the commercial district? Yame Street is very lively. You can pick up some food while you’re at it.”

”Purchasing food only takes five minutes; there is no need to go that far.”

”I want you to! And don’t forget you still have things to ask of me—don’t throw me away once you’ve achieved your goal!” Misato’s voice turned sharp, then she looked tenderly at Ayanami Rei: ”Rei, come to my place for dinner tonight. Eat some meat occasionally, you’re far too thin.”

In recent days, Ayanami Rei had grown accustomed to this enthusiasm. She closed her book.

”Okay.”

.

.

.

’I’ve been tricked’.

Misato Katsuragi had done something completely meaningless again.

Shinji stood at the entrance of Yame Street, arms full of supplies. The blue sports car was nowhere to be seen.

He did things with his usual maximum efficiency, completing the shopping in less than five minutes. When he returned to the spot where Misato was supposed to be waiting, she had already escaped.

He sighed and looked around. Yame Street was indeed bustling, filled with throngs of people. Because of the special nature of Tokyo-3, they were essentially all young people.

Couples in NERV uniforms held hands, and there was no shortage of students from the First Middle School. Shops lined both sides of the street, selling food, clothing, and entertainment; there were even several arcades.

If this were the Shinji of the past, he would have felt nothing but disdain for such a waste of resources. But he had grown much gentler; while he couldn’t understand it, he couldn’t be bothered to voice his opinion.

His gaze returned to his side. The girl with ice-blue hair was crouching on the ground, petting a small white cat. The cat closed its eyes in delight, continuously rubbing its head against her.

”Miss Misato had no malicious intent. She wanted to play matchmaker and have us go on a date.”

Shinji turned around, astonished. The doll was evolving rapidly; not only did she know how to initiate topics, but she could also predict others’ thoughts.

”Do you know what ’matchmaker’ and ’date’ mean?”

Rei stood up, patted the cat hair off her skirt, and said expressionlessly, ”Yes. Miss Misato wanted us to stroll through the streets together, then find a place to copulate when tired. This is called matchmaking.”

Silence descended upon the surroundings.

Passersby who had previously looked at them with appreciation all moved away. The gazes they cast toward Shinji Ikari were as if they had seen something filthy, and some even pulled out their phones to call the police.

Shinji felt embarrassed for the first time. Even though an Astartes wasn’t well-versed in emotional matters, this definitely wasn’t right.

”No. Where did you learn that?”

Rei pulled a book from her bag. On the cover, it read Abyss of Desire, along with an ”18+” label.

”In the future, it is best to have Dr. Ritsuko or Miss Misato review the books you read. Do not learn things that are a mess; be careful of Slaanesh corruption.” Shinji took the book with an expressionless face and tossed it into a nearby trash can, walking into the street amidst various hostile glares.

”We shall walk home. This route passes through the old city district; I will leave some food for you along the way.”

Rei, of course, wouldn’t object. She followed behind him, but as they walked, she couldn’t help but ask: ”Then, Shinji-kun, do you know what ’matchmaking’ and ’dating’ mean?”

’I know what ’Iaijutsu’ is, and what a ’slaughter feast’ is. Oh, and the ’profane banquet’ of Slaanesh cultists.’

Fortunately, he was much more ”normal” than Rei. After a long silence, he replied: ”Matchmaking is playing the go-between, allowing a man and woman to interact. Dating is the process of that man and woman increasing their favor for one another.”

”Then why did she want to play matchmaker for us?”

”How would I know?” Having interacted for so long, Shinji knew that Rei’s questions would never end and would only delve deeper into the abyss of philosophy. He hurriedly countered: ”Do you know what ’favor’ means?”

”According to the book, it means ’not hating’.”

”Then do you favor me?” Shinji asked casually, following the topic.

Tap.

Her black leather shoes paused. Rei stopped, staring blankly at the boy in front of her. The bustling crowd flowed past, but her sight was concentrated entirely on him.

’Favor. Like. Heartbeat accelerating. My heartbeat is accelerating. Is this ’favor’?’

Nouns only found in books began to leap out. She placed her left hand on her chest, feeling the accelerated heartbeat.

”What is wrong?” Shinji turned his head. Seeing the blank-faced girl, he felt somewhat helpless. It seemed this question was too complex and had fried Rei’s CPU.

”Let’s change the question then: if my orders conflict with Commander Ikari’s orders, which side would you listen to?”

He was a bit more serious. Even if he hadn’t asked anything, many things were clear to see.

The sunset filled the sky, draping the girl in a layer of blood-red robes. She stood amidst the crowd, many images surfacing in her mind.

After a long while, she shook her head.

”I do not know.”

Shinji smiled imperceptibly. He was quite satisfied with this answer. As expected, interacting more with others was useful; this Battle-Brother was becoming increasingly reliable.

Therefore, he wanted to deepen the plan.

”Let’s go. We can stroll through this street. Miss Misato gave me 50,000 yen; we can spend it as we please. Is there anything you wish to buy?”

Rei shook her head, yet felt that some things were different after that sentence. Originally, this Yame Street had nothing to do with her.

But now, those footsteps, laughter, hawking, and music—everything became vivid, as if an invisible hand was pushing her forward, bringing her closer to Shinji.

”Is this a date?”

”I don’t know either.” Shinji glanced at the slender girl beside him and nudged his chin forward.

”Then let us explore together. Let the operation commence.”

It was the peak of the eternal summer. As the sunset filled the sky, Yame Street was as bustling as ever. Children splashed in the fountain, couples leaned into one another, and the appliance stores on both sides were doing brisk business. Everything was perfectly normal.

Passersby occasionally glanced at a teenage boy and girl. They wore the uniforms of Municipal Middle School No. 1; the boy was handsome and the girl beautiful. Even among the street’s many couples, they stood out—though their behavior was far stranger than their appearance.

There was a palpable awkwardness between them. They weren’t holding hands, nor were they talking. Many older onlookers sighed silently.

’Such an innocent couple is a rare sight these days.’

But looking closer, the expressions of the onlookers would turn peculiar.

’Isn’t that boy walking a bit too fast? Why aren’t they smiling? Why is there a faint scent of iron and blood about them? Dammit, you two, is this a date or a military operation!’

Shinji ignored the surrounding gazes.

In his bloody and long-winded memories, ”dating” was a complete knowledge blind spot. The noisy crowd actually made him psychologically uncomfortable. The last time I saw this many people gathered on a single street was beneath some hive city, where cultists of Chaos were charging my squad.

Then, I unleashed a single psychic lightning bolt, turning dozens into mincemeat, followed by that fellow Baltitus charging and head-on slamming an armored vehicle into scrap parts.

War memories brought back a sense of security. The bloodthirsty smirk that crossed his face caused pedestrians to clear a path.

Ayanami Rei didn’t care; she wasn’t a ”normal” person herself.

’Isn’t the process of a date to stroll, buy gifts, eat, and then go to a hotel to copulate? Why is he just moving forward?’ The girl tilted her head.

This was different from what was written in the books. She suddenly understood what ”exploring together” meant.

’So, Shinji-kun doesn’t know how to do this at all. This time, it’s my turn to teach him.’

For some reason, a sense of pleasure welled up in her heart. Having always been taught by Shinji, she could finally give back, just as the books described. A fair hand pulled on Shinji’s sleeve. The boy, who was currently reminiscing about chainswords carving through flesh, blinked and turned his head. ”What is it?”

”I think this is wrong. The dates described in books aren’t like this.”

’Those are Slaanesh heretical books!’ The thought popped into Shinji’s head, but he also felt that his current behavior was indeed a bit off. He asked seriously, ”What do you suggest?”

”It seems... we should eat something. Simply walking like this isn’t right.”

Shinji immediately looked toward a nearby ice cream truck and nodded firmly. A moment later, Ayanami Rei was following behind him with a three-layered ice cream cone. She daintily stuck out her tongue, gave it an unfamiliar lick, and her expression shifted slightly.

”So cold. So sweet.”

”Is it? Eat faster. According to my calculations, in this heat, the ice cream will melt within five minutes.”

”Do you want some?” Rei extended the cone. Seeing the boy’s look of resistance, she couldn’t help but remind him: ”The books say one must not refuse a lady’s request.”

Shinji thought about it—fair enough—and leaned in to take a lick. Very cold, very sweet, and rich in energy. He narrowed his eyes comfortably, but soon felt something was wrong again. This was knowledge Rei had learned from those Slaanesh heretical books; how could he just follow along?

”Let’s rest for a moment.” He pointed to a nearby bench. While many couples nearby were snuggling, the two of them sat down with their backs ramrod straight. Opposite the bench was a small plaza where children played by the fountain. On the building behind it was a giant LED screen that occasionally made pedestrians stop and watch. There wasn’t a single sign of the apocalypse here. Of course, if one went to the edge of the city and looked toward the sea, the ruins would still serve as a reminder that this was not a normal world.

Shinji sat quietly, looking at the children by the fountain one moment, the big screen the next, and the girl beside him after that.

Everything was so foreign, so tranquil. He saw the ice cream melting, dripping through her fair fingers, as Rei frantically tried to lick it up.

”Here, wipe it off.” Shinji handed her a tissue, his leg bouncing slightly. He felt his deep-rooted, bloody memories being diluted significantly. His brain entered a dormant state, ceasing all complex thought. The feeling was indescribable, yet inexplicably comfortable.

Rei felt the same way. She sat on the bench, lightly swinging her legs, watching the human ”cubs” playing in the water and savoring the cool sensation in her mouth.

She didn’t know if this counted as a ”date” according to the books, but one thing was certain: the books said a date was something that made one feel comfortable, and indeed it was.

”Shinji-kun, what are you looking at?” She finally finished the ice cream and turned to the boy, who was staring unblinkingly at the LED screen. ”Some crazy and foolish people.” Shinji pointed his finger, feeling somewhat wistful. Even after returning from 40K to 2K, some things never changed.

The LED screen in the plaza was broadcasting the news.

It said the Japanese police department had busted a cult. This cult worshipped the Angels, claiming they were messengers sent by heaven to punish humanity; therefore, humanity should not resist, and killing an ”Angel” was an act of blasphemy. They had been carrying out continuous terrorist activities.

Rei tilted her head, not understanding it at all. She instinctively asked, ”Why?” She had developed an inexplicable favor for Shinji. Whenever there was something she couldn’t grasp, the boy could always provide an answer.

”Because human nature is complex. Where there is supreme beauty, there is also bottomless depravity. Heroes and cowards will always coexist; everyone is only willing to believe the truth they see through their own eyes.” Shinji’s gaze was weary, as if he had experienced similar events countless times. The clash of ideologies was far too violent in the 41st Millennium; even among the forces of Chaos, Khorne still loathed Slaanesh. ”So, in their eyes, humanity is born sinful. Our act of resisting the Angels is wrong, and we should instead find rebirth through destruction.”

”Then, are we doing something wrong?” Rei asked earnestly.

”We are absolutely right. Once you decide on a course of action, no matter the temptation or the cruelty of the truth you face, do not waver even slightly. Carry it through to the end.” Shinji didn’t hesitate.

An Astartes doesn’t flip-flop between being a villain and a hero like some brat.

”What does Shinji-kun want to do?”

”Defend the survival of humanity with my life and exterminate every xenos that threatens mankind.” His tone remained as firm as steel.

Suddenly remembering something, he asked in return: ”And what of your conviction, Ayanami?”

”I have no conviction.” Rei shook her head gently.

Such a thing felt too distant for her.

’Is that so?’ Shinji wasn’t surprised.

Rei had changed a lot since their first meeting, but some things remained deeply ingrained. No ideals, no convictions, covered in shackles—just like a doll.

”Find it slowly. Perhaps one day you will know what it is you want to do.”

Shinji stood up, noticing the looks of profound respect from the couple on the neighboring bench.

’Kid, did you bring a girl out just to discuss philosophy? Bizarre.’

Shinji turned his head and saw Rei still sitting blankly on the bench. He saw her eyelashes quiver as she looked up, seemingly summoning her courage.

”I have many secrets... but I cannot tell anyone.”

”I know. But tell me, would you attack me alongside an Angel?”

The boy’s eyes were bright and piercing.

”That... of course not.”

”Then your secrets are not a threat. Tell me when you have completely broken free from your many shackles.” Shinji extended his hand, having no intention of prying a breakthrough out of her just yet. Seeing her fair hand fall into his palm, he applied a gentle force and pulled the girl up.

”Let’s go. We shall continue this operation known as a ’date’.”

Her crimson eyes were a bit dazed as she looked at their joined palms. His forearm was solid and powerful, like a puppeteer holding the strings of a marionette, pulling her up effortlessly.

’Why help me? Why get close to me?’

She still had no answer, but as usual, she felt joy and peace. After a few seconds, her fingers tightened slightly, gripping the boy’s hand.

Hand in hand, the two finally merged into the bustling crowd. They were closer than before. This was still a knowledge blind spot for Shinji, but this time, he felt he had it right.

Their gazes were no longer fixed only on the path ahead; they began to look around with interest. It turned out there were so many beautiful clothes and so many wonderful goods.

The end of Yame Street was just ahead, where the crowd would disperse into various side streets.

Rei began to slow her pace. At that moment, she learned a new word from the books: Reluctance.

If only Yame Street had no end.

She wanted to stay here forever, even as the sun gradually dipped below the horizon.

”It’s time to head back and make dinner.” Shinji also slowed his pace, though he didn’t feel the same reluctance as the girl. He, too, had learned a lot today. Experiencing peace during the intervals between battles forged one’s will to protect. And having a beautiful girl by his side made for an exceptionally good mood.

”I want to buy a gift. That way, no matter how much time passes, I can remember today.” Rei sounded as if she were afraid of something—as if she might forget the feelings of today. Shinji didn’t ask further. He looked around and saw a gift shop right next to them.

”Then go and pick something.”

The moment the words left his mouth, Rei pulled him along. Looking at her from behind, he could see her eyes shining and a faint excitement on her face, as if another layer of the ancient glacier had melted.

’How wonderful.’

The scene of melting ice was stunning even to an Astartes. Looking at the hand dragging him along, he realized this was likely the first time Rei had taken the initiative.

’Are you moving forward amidst your wandering?’

Shinji saw her ice-blue hair fluttering as she ran, like a doll breaking free from its many constraints. He allowed himself to be dragged into the shop, stopping before a row of plush toys.

Rei had already chosen her target. She reached out but then paused in mid-air, turning back to confirm.

Seeing Shinji nod with a smile, she reached out and took a cat plushie from the shelf. It was a plushie that required both arms to hug, with a crescent moon pattern on its forehead.

’A moon cat?’ Shinji glanced at the tag, not knowing which anime this character was from. He asked softly, ”Is this the one?”

”Yes. This one.” Rei hugged the toy to her chest, savoring the soft sensation. Then, she seemed to remember something.

”The books say that when receiving a gift, one must give one in return. But I didn’t bring any money.”

”Simple. You can give me a gift that costs nothing.”

”What is that?”

Shinji thought for a moment, looking the girl up and down, and said enigmatically: ”A smile, perhaps.”

As the words fell, his pupils constricted slightly. The afterglow of the setting sun filtered through the window, bathing the girl in light as if she were under a spotlight, making her the brightest figure in the room.

Rei froze for a long time, clutching the giant cat plushie.

Then, she gave a smile—unfamiliar, gentle, and happy.

In the old city district of Tokyo-3, within an apartment complex already slated for demolition.

The room was bathed in cold, grayish-white tones, with almost no signs of life. Ayanami Rei lay on a single bed, her face buried in her pillow.

’Is this what a date is? Is this happiness? Is this favor?’

Her red eyes were somewhat dazed, and her slightly bloated stomach—from eating—pulled her back to reality. Like always, she had eaten a lot at Miss Misato’s house today. She had even tried meat; Shinji-kun’s cooking was truly excellent.

The corners of her mouth curled up imperceptibly.

The past month felt like a dream. She had learned many things, met many people, and experienced many emotions—all without anyone deliberately guiding her.

Ayanami Rei turned over, lying on her back to stare at the dilapidated ceiling. The old her would never have noticed such things. Everything, absolutely everything, stemmed from Shinji’s teachings.

’When you do not know what to do, use your intuition to decide.’

She felt it made sense, so she had always followed it. Looking back now, that intuition explained one thing.

’Is everything just my own wish?’

The girl placed her hand over her left chest, feeling the clear beat of her heart. She didn’t know if this wish was good or bad, but the feedback it brought made her feel extremely good.

Happiness, beauty, humanity...

”But that person does not expect me to do this.”

Ayanami Rei’s eyes suddenly stalled. She could see a pair of shattered glasses on the table. Gendo Ikari’s face appeared in her mind, causing her to become distressed.

”Bonds. The bond with him.”

Rei turned her head and looked at the corner of her bed. The ”Moon Cat” plushie looked completely out of place in this oppressive room.

”If my orders conflict with Commander Ikari’s orders, which side would you listen to?”

The boy’s voice echoed in her ears. Rei froze for a long time, hugged the plushie, and closed her lost eyes.

’Do I really not know?’

.

.

.

The flower of humanity was slowly blooming.

Shinji sat in the cockpit of the Evangelion Unit-01, reminiscing about the smile from last night. The image of the girl holding the plushie with a pure, innocent smile left a deep impression.

’Well, it’s all my credit.’

He hadn’t made Ayanami Rei reach enlightenment in a single day. Instead, he had sown the seeds, watered them for over a month, and only now was the flower of humanity slowly blooming.

If he had forced Rei to ”date” at the very beginning, he would only have received a silent, icy doll. As for a smile? He’d have been better off dreaming.

Fight together, live together, pull in Misato Katsuragi, Hikari Horaki, and the others to melt the ice.

As for why he did this, Shinji wasn’t sure. He never intended to use Rei as a breakthrough point to uncover secrets, nor did he feel he held too much affection for her.

”Perhaps, while influencing Rei, I am also integrating into this world. Ever since I made contact with her, my integration efficiency has increased significantly.”

It had been nearly two months since his return, and he had already found his rhythm. Daily life consisted of only a few things: school, training, searching for secrets, and fighting Angels.

Each task did not interfere with the others and yielded its own gains—just like this moment.

Just after leaving his home this morning, he received a notification from NERV headquarters stating that the ”Pave Paws” radar array had detected an unidentified object.

Without a second thought, he immediately boarded Unit-01 and stood by, switching into the state of a warrior.

”Only, this time is different from the past.” Shinji thought of the encouragement from his friends, especially Kensuke, who had actually offered such a loyal blessing as ”May the Emperor protect you,” which pleased him immensely.

These things weren’t important, but having a good mood to meet a target was never a bad thing.

”Miss Misato, has the target type been confirmed?”

The command center was a hive of activity. Various detection systems were scanning. As the target approached, the energy spectrum was finally analyzed.

[Type confirmed as Blue; it is the Fifth Angel.]

[All personnel, combat readiness Level 1.]

’Hah, finally.’

Half a month between attacks?

Shinji smiled silently. These xenos were truly considerate, not at all like their counterparts in 40K. On one side, a battle just ended, while on the other, they were calling for support; no sooner had the support returned than one would receive a boarding mission.

War is endless.

Vacation? Such a thought was blasphemy in itself.

To fight until death was a blessing, because more cruel was the reality: even if you died, you had to keep fighting.

”This Angel is quite confident, actually approaching slowly from several hundred kilometers away, giving us ample time to set up.”

”Don’t be careless. Every Angel is an unfamiliar enemy.” Misato Katsuragi was busy coordinating with the UN forces while preparing for combat.

’Careless?’ You would never find that word in the vocabulary of a qualified Astartes.

Shinji grew serious. Certain changes in the Fourth Angel had left a deep impression on him. Only if an Angel knew how to utilize its abilities could it be called a formidable foe.

”Is it a coincidence, a mutation, or the beginning? Let me see.”

[Target distance 300 kilometers. High-altitude reconnaissance plane in position. Displaying image.]

An icon appeared on the big screen. Misato looked up and raised an eyebrow slightly.

’This thing is different from the first two Angels.’

A massive object was flying over the ocean. It had a surface as dazzling as a gemstone. Its body did not possess the biological form of the previous two; it looked more like two pyramids stacked together, appearing exceptionally eerie.

”An alien spaceship? You don’t think it’s carrying a bunch of little Angels inside, do you?” Shigeru Aoba joked. Seeing Misato glare at him, he quickly shut his mouth.

It did indeed look different, but just as Shinji had said, this Angel was arrogant.

Misato had never seen an Angel launch an attack from several hundred kilometers away. One had to understand that human defenses didn’t end at Tokyo-3; the armies of various nations were a force to be reckoned with. It was just that the Angels usually arrived too quickly for conventional forces to assemble.

”What does the Self-Defense Force—no, the UN forces—say?”

”They are full of confidence, preparing to give the Angel a hard hit to prove that their tax money isn’t being wasted.” Kozo Fuyutsuki shook his head; he had already contacted the front-line command post.

The Strategic Self-Defense Force, the U.S. Seventh Fleet, and the navies of neighboring countries had deployed. Along the coastline, various tanks and artillery were arranged in combat formations.

Heaps of steel torrents appeared on the screen. The coastal highways were lined with self-propelled artillery, and soldiers running about like ants made for a spectacular sight.

’Incurable arrogance.’

Misato snorted, but she also understood that NERV would have no command authority until these countries were at their wits’ end. She crossed her arms.

”Let them try first. MAGI, handle the data collection and analysis. EVA Unit-00 and Unit-01, continue to stand by. Oh, send the battlefield footage to Shinji.”

This was the third Angel to arrive. Everything was routine. Shinji took out an incense burner to soothe the machine spirit while watching the war blockbuster.

[Open fire!]

Countless contrails bloomed in the sky, on the water, and underwater. Viewed from high above, it looked like thousands of plumes of thick smoke rising, all flying toward the Fifth Angel.

AGM-84 Harpoons, BGM-109 Tomahawks, SS-N-22 Sunburns...

Various instruments of slaughter created by humanity flew toward the Angel. The frenzy of firepower was truly shocking, with various fire-control radars illuminating the target.

[10 seconds to missile cluster impact.]

[9]

[8]

[High energy reaction detected inside the Angel.]

Dazzling light bands emerged at the seams of the two ”pyramids.” Then, the sunlight dimmed, and a pink beam swept across the sky.

Boom, boom, boom, boom...

Dense fireballs erupted. Hundreds of missiles were detonated simultaneously, the smoke turning into a cloud, while falling shrapnel kicked up countless water splashes.

’What?’

Misato Katsuragi’s eyes widened. She knew the UN forces were tax-thieves, but for such a massive volley to be erased in an instant? Billions of dollars worth of missiles just kicked up a spray of water?

[Switching to infrared observation mode. Angel is unharmed.]

[Report, the Angel is accelerating.]

The counterattack followed immediately. The Angel of Thunder, which had been traveling at less than 20 km/h, suddenly sped up. Despite having no thrusters, its speed increased several-fold. Then, the pink light emerged again, only this time it split into dozens of beams.

They weren’t as thick as before; each beam was less than a meter in diameter, as dazzling as music balls in a KTV.

But this was the Light of Death. The bomber group that had just dropped their ordnance hadn’t even reacted before the dense beams swept past them; the pilots couldn’t even manage to eject.

[3rd Bomber Squadron completely annihilated.]

[137th Carrier-based Air Wing decimated.]

[N2 bomb transport plane crashed.]

A massacre. An absolute massacre. The blue markers representing friendly forces disappeared rapidly on the map. Even if there were frictions in daily life, everyone at NERV was speechless.

Hundreds of lives were vaporized in an instant. The Angel was like a giant beast, casually crushing the humans standing in its path.

”Active defense capabilities. It seems this isn’t a one-off case.”

Shinji frowned. The biggest difference between the Fourth and Third Angels was exactly this. While the Angel of Water was strong, it was ”dull,” often only counterattacking after being hit. The Fourth and Fifth Angels were different.

They utilized their abilities to actively attack their targets.

He watched the second and third waves of missiles approach; most were shot down halfway, while the ones that slipped through could never break the AT Field. The Angel of Thunder was still accelerating, heading straight for Tokyo-3.

It stopped occasionally to fire its pink beam cannons, which no aircraft, surface ship, or even submarine hiding beneath the sea could escape. Even a battleship with heavy armor was sunk by a single shot.

Shinji remained expressionless. The ”Astra Militarum” existed to test the enemy. Just as the Empire never dared to hand over command to an Astartes Chapter, the cold Angels of the Emperor treated mortals as cannon fodder, causing heavy casualties.

But this death itself had meaning. He looked at the exploding flames in the images, the sinking warships, and the survivors struggling on the sea.

”Rei, do you see anything?”

Unit-00 was also broadcasting battlefield footage. Ayanami Rei just watched and shook her head gently.

”Is this Angel very powerful?”

”Yes. This Angel is stronger than the Third and Fourth. It is more like a long-range specialized type.” He reached out and zoomed in on the tactical map. The ngel was like a blade, crushing the barrage, shooting down fighters, and sinking the opposing fleet.

One by one, the blue light points vanished. Humanity suffered heavy losses.

”It has no reason to launch attacks from hundreds of kilometers away and crush the UN forces like a head-on confrontation. Furthermore, it clearly possesses faster speed, yet it waited for the enemy to assemble.”

Thinking of this, Shinji’s eyes twitched. He knew what the Angel of Thunder wanted to do.

It wanted to eliminate humanity’s conventional military power in the open sea to pave the way for subsequent battles and fully unleash its powerful firepower?

”Angel of Thunder, have you gained tactical instinct? Started to understand how to set phased goals?”

’Interesting!’