The Trash Returned from Warhammer

”Ah, the NERV contingent. You’ve finally arrived. My, why have you brought a child? Our unveiling ceremony isn’t a Boy Scout field trip, you know.”

As the plane landed and the group was led into the venue, they were intercepted in the corridor by a gaunt man in a dark suit. He had thick, bushy eyebrows and spoke with an extremely flippant tone.

”Who are you calling a Boy Scout?”

Misato Katsuragi flared up on the spot, possessing none of the patience she had shown with the Pacific Fleet. She rolled up her sleeves, ready to go in and ”reason” with him, but fortunately, Shinji raised a hand to stop her.

”Don’t act impulsively like a child. This is a place of science and logic.”

Shinji’s expression was calm as he stepped forward and extended his hand.

”You must be Dr. Ito. I’ve read all your papers.”

The man looked surprised. He had long been annoyed by these NERV ”budget thieves,” which was why he couldn’t resist the sarcasm. He hadn’t expected the child to be the most composed among them.

”And you are?”

”The Third Child, Shinji Ikari.”

”Oh? You are the Third Child?”

Ito looked him up and down. To be honest, Shinji and his kind were essentially his enemies; it was precisely because the EVA’s performance was so explosive that the JA suffered from budget shortages. He couldn’t help but show a bit of disdain.

”Can someone your age even understand a research paper? Don’t make me laugh. If you want to trample on my dignity, at least let Dr. Akagi do it.”

”Regarding ’Modular Weapon Configuration’, ’High-Intensity Batteries’, and ’Miniaturized Reactors’—the content is very interesting. I cannot fully grasp the theory, but I deeply agree with the application.”

Shinji began to speak in detail. Ito’s smile froze, and Ritsuko Akagi also looked over sideways. He wasn’t bluffing; he had actually read them?

Shinji had indeed read them, but the technology of 40K was so vastly different from this world that many theories were incomprehensible to him. He was no Tech-Priest and couldn’t simply replicate future technology. If a member of the Adeptus Mechanicus had actually transmigrated here, the EVAs would likely have become irrelevant.

’Wait, he didn’t come here to crash the party?’

Ito’s expression grew even stranger. He sized up Shinji once more. Before this, his impression of the Pilots was very poor. What kind of broken robot requires a teenager to pilot it? A ”boy saves the world”? Wasn’t that a trope from a manga? Does NERV have no shame in exploiting half-grown children?

But Shinji was changing that stereotype slightly. At the very least, this kid was professional; he knew to read the papers before opening his mouth.

”Does NERV support the development of the JA?” He was now confused about their intent.

’Support? Who would help a competitor take a share of their resources?’

Ritsuko Akagi was about to speak, but Shinji beat her to it.

”Of course we support it, but we support a specific part of the JA plan. You haven’t personally experienced the power of an Angel; those classified recordings are far from enough. Humanity does not have the resources to support the simultaneous development of two combat weapons, therefore...”

”Therefore, NERV wants to steal my research results and apply some key components to the EVA?” Ito finally understood, his eye twitching.

”Yes. This is the most efficient way to increase combat power. Do you agree, Dr. Ito?”

”Of course I don’t agree!”

Ito’s face turned black on the spot. He had heard of academic plagiarism, but he had never heard of someone trying to rob him to his face. Was this Shinji Ikari a thief or a mugger?

He snorted coldly and turned to leave with his assistant. Watching his back, Shinji sighed softly.

’This world is truly screwed up. Even in the decaying Imperium, I’ve never heard of someone researching a new type of power armor and refusing to give it to the Chapters.’

(Though, actually, there were cases. Some Chapters could never get supplies, and even his own MK.VIII power armor had been ”sourced” from the Ultramarines.)

”Shinji, I didn’t know your tongue was so sharp. Ito’s face turned green with rage.” Misato Katsuragi was beaming; she also disliked these arrogant institutions.

’Me? Anger him? That would be meaningless. It’s just about making his emotions fluctuate violently to plant a psychic seed.’

Shinji shook his head, having made a full plan before coming. He then looked at Ritsuko Akagi, whose eyes were flickering; she had already realized Shinji wasn’t here just to ”broaden his horizons.”

”It will be your turn to step up shortly. He has been provoked. As a researcher, he cannot allow his masterpiece to be desecrated.”

What he said just now was the truth, but it’s the truth that hurts the most. If someone told Ritsuko that the EVA was useless and should be dismantled for parts to put on something else, even she might not be able to restrain herself.

”You want to force him into a match against the EVA? Will he fall for it?” Ritsuko understood immediately. No one was a fool; JA had only finished one prototype, how could it compete with Unit-01?

”Currently, Unit-01 has no flaws, so he cannot attack the unit itself to elevate his own work. And for a project that has cost hundreds of billions of dollars, he must demonstrate its value.”

Ritsuko nodded. Unit-01 hadn’t gone berserk, and every battle had been nearly perfect. To try and trash-talk something perfect would just make him look idiotic. Thus, he could only gain attention from another angle.

”True. Dr. Ito must show JA’s value. In the absence of an Angel, demonstrating it against an EVA of the same class is the only way. But I still don’t think he’ll take the bait; there’s no chance of winning.”

”No, he will. Some things don’t require a total victory; he just needs to show he can surpass those ’relics.’ And I... will not use an AT Field.”

Shinji’s expression was confident. The psychic seed would influence the human subconscious, much like how Gendo Ikari was paranoid and didn’t dare to strike back. It was invisible; one wouldn’t even notice it themselves.

”No AT Field? You’re going to let him have his way?”

”How is that possible? I will only utterly shatter his confidence and make him serve me.”

Shinji turned and walked away. As a fourteen-year-old child, this was the only way.

”Wait, is this Commander Ikari’s arrangement?” Ritsuko couldn’t help but call out. Seeing the boy merely wave his hand, she fell into silence.

A very familiar scent, yet more decisive and more confident than that man.

”Does it feel both familiar and strange?” Misato patted her shoulder, her expression equally solemn. ”I told you not to underestimate Shinji. He’s different from ordinary people; he’s far more than just a pilot.”

”I have never underestimated him.” Ritsuko shook her head silently, looking toward the corridor. The boy had already disappeared. She lowered her head and murmured to herself, ”Does this count as the student surpassing the master?”

.

.

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The unveiling ceremony began. Various dignitaries, officers, scholars, and capitalists sat together, making the three from NERV look quite insignificant. Events unfolded exactly as Shinji had predicted.

Dr. Ito had to show his value to secure future funding. This time, since he couldn’t attack the EVA for going berserk or causing mental pollution, he chose a different route: Absolute obedience and mass-production capability.

The JA was, after all, a pure mechanical weapon. Humanity’s industrial assembly lines could produce them endlessly. One could kill an Angel with sheer numbers—something the EVA could never do.

Firstly, the EVA was expensive—extremely, astronomicaly expensive. Even a powerhouse like the US could only manage three units; they were essentially ”doomsday weapons.” Secondly, the construction cycle was incredibly slow. Even if built, finding a Pilot was difficult; without one, it was just scrap metal.

Lastly, and most importantly: the manufacturing technology of the EVA and the selection criteria for Pilots were entirely controlled by NERV. This meant nations only had to provide money, while how the units were used had nothing to do with them.

Because of this last point, even though Unit-01 had demonstrated absolute power, nations still hadn’t let go of their investment in the JA. The existence of SEELE was a secret, but the top levels of various countries knew a bit. NERV was full of ”top secrets” that weren’t open to the public; how could that put anyone at ease?

’Your ’top secrets’ are for ordinary people; how can you hide them from your investors? Are you treating the UN like an ATM?’

”The adults just think too much. They haven’t even finished fighting the Angels, and they’re already thinking about what comes after.” Misato held her head high, her face full of sarcasm.

Shinji wasn’t surprised at all. This was human nature. The so-called United Nations had no real power before the Second Impact; it was only the common enemy of the Angels that forced nations to unite. But changing a weapon’s paint to the ”UN” logo didn’t mean the UN controlled all the military.

The Angels would eventually be finished. Without a common enemy, the world would return to the old state of ”one superpower and many strong nations.” At that time, who would want a ”father” named NERV that stood above sovereign nations?

It was normal—very, very normal. Without the existence of the Emperor, the Imperium would have collapsed long ago; the Administratum and the Inquisition would likely have been the first to go to war. This world had no Emperor, so it was naturally a heap of loose sand. It was just that this internal friction stood in Shinji’s way, and he had to intervene to correct the JA plan.

”Remotely controlled by professionally trained and vetted technicians, there will be no safety issues. I have a classified file here showing that EVAs actually select fourteen-year-old children to pilot them. This is simply preposterous. My colleague’s son is that age; everyone knows half-grown children are mentally immature. What if they develop ’chuunibyou’ and cause a disaster?

Furthermore, EVA construction is entirely classified and too slow. It reminds me of a battleship called the Yamato. If weapons cannot form a scale of production, are they just works of art for the Louvre? I would be loath to send them to the battlefield.”

Dr. Ito was eloquent, his speech full of dark humor, drawing bursts of laughter from the audience. Indeed, in reality, handing the fate of the world to a group of middle schoolers was ridiculous. Could they carry such a heavy responsibility?

Amidst the laughter, military and police officials were lost in thought. NERV was shrouded in mystery. They didn’t even know if the Pilots underwent political vetting. What if they were brainwashed into becoming terrorists? If an EVA went rogue, no one could stop it.

Politicians whispered to each other.

Professionally trained and vetted technicians sounded good. With a single order, they would perform even if the enemy wasn’t an Angel. The military-industrial complex was even more excited; since antique equipment was useless and procurement budgets had slashed, they didn’t care who the enemy was—they just wanted the orders.

’See? I understand too well what humans are.’

Shinji saw it all. This was the real purpose of his trip. He didn’t want a situation where he was fighting a bloody war against Angels while humanity started killing each other. This wasn’t unfounded worry.

Don’t forget what filled the first years of the second millennium. Don’t forget how Old Tokyo beneath them was ruined. Thinking of this, he glanced at Ritsuko Akagi.

The woman was frowning, somewhat amazed by Dr. Ito’s eloquence. Unable to find weaknesses in the EVA itself, he had found a different path that garnered even more attention—and the key was that he was quite right. She understood the EVA’s flaws all too well; it wasn’t a tool for nations to fight wars. As for those flaws, after the Completion Plan was finished, there would be no more nations, so the flaws wouldn’t exist.

’As expected of Dr. Ito. Just like the rumors say, he’ll do anything for funding.’

Just as she was thinking, she felt a sudden kick. Ritsuko immediately snapped back to reality and raised her hand high.

”I have an objection.”

As one of the world’s most famous scientists and NERV’s chief technician, Ritsuko Akagi’s reputation preceded her. Almost the moment she raised her hand, she captured the attention

of the entire hall. If it had been Shinji, he probably would have been escorted out by security to do his summer homework.

”Oh? If it isn’t the world-famous Dr. Akagi?” The man on stage was wary, but he maintained his flippant tone. ”What problems could you possibly find in my report? Which word of mine was wrong? Or do you think this classified file is a fake?”

”It’s real. EVAs indeed cannot be mass-produced, nor is it necessary. The flaws in the Pilots are also obvious; children of that age are indeed mentally immature.”

’Is this woman here to crash the party or act as his hype-man?’

Ito was suspicious. To admit flaws so readily—could she be surrendering?

”Then NERV also approves of the JA project?”

”I do not. This is a waste of precious resources. You’ve said so much, but you’ve actually bypassed a fatal flaw.” Ritsuko looked directly at his deep hostility and smiled. ”Trash. The quality of the unit itself is too poor. No matter how easy trash is to manufacture, it’s still trash. JA and EVA are simply not products on the same level.”

Misato Katsuragi was stunned. She never expected her best friend to be so sharp-tongued. Seeing the man on stage turn red with rage, she finally couldn’t hold back a laugh.

Pfft.

In the dead silence of the hall, it was piercing. Ito finally broke. He slammed his fist onto the table.

”Do you think having an AT Field means you can do whatever you want!?”

”Yes. Having an AT Field means you can do whatever you want,” Ritsuko nodded gently.

”I will break through that thing sooner or later!”

’How can a big hunk of iron possess an AT Field? How ignorant.’

Ritsuko’s gaze, looking like she was watching a primary schooler, was enough to drive anyone into a frenzy. She remained cool: ”What I am emphasizing is that even without an AT Field, the JA is not on the same level as the EVA. Haven’t you researched many combat modules?

I propose that the activation experiment be changed to a mock battle experiment. JA-01 against Unit-01—without the use of an AT Field. Dr. Ito, do you have the courage?”

’Huh? You can do that?’

The hall suddenly became restless. They all knew NERV was there to crash the party, but they hadn’t expected it to be so blunt and crude. Don’t intellectuals usually emphasize using their mouths instead of their hands?

Yet, they were intensely interested. Everyone wanted to see the EVA’s combat capability against a non-Angel target. This would influence the national policies of various countries. It’s not that we don’t trust you; we just want to see for ourselves.

The atmosphere heated up instantly. How could a press conference be more interesting than a robot fight? Everyone looked at the two facing off. In terms of development time, JA and EVA were similar. They didn’t expect it to defeat an EVA with ”alien technology”; simply showing potential value would be enough.

Ito gritted his teeth, not quite letting anger dictate his actions. He thought a lot. This was clearly a trap dug by NERV. But the atmosphere had reached this point; how could he explain it to his investors if he didn’t accept the challenge?

Besides, he had seen the combat footage. Aside from the AT Field that had yet to be broken through, he didn’t think there was much of a gap between two robots of similar size.

”I’m going to break that toy of yours. Don’t cry.”

Ritsuko gave him one last look, said nothing, and turned to leave. This level of contempt was maddening. Misato Katsuragi felt a massive sense of relief and followed excitedly. Shinji gave a polite bow before turning to leave.

Ito glared at them, suppressing the urge to pull out a gun and shoot Ritsuko Akagi. He could not tolerate his research being negated, for it was the meaning and value of his existence.

”Director, are we really going to agree to them?” the assistant whispered.

”Nonsense. They’ve stepped all over us. If we back down, how do we explain it to the investors? Fortunately, the conference was delayed, and I’ve made preparations.”

The doctor turned back, squeezing words through his teeth:

”Equip JA-01 with heavy armaments. Let them see for themselves exactly who has more potential!”

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