The Trash Returned from Warhammer

”Is that so? Chairman Keel controls the American military-industrial complex, and that complex supplies ninety percent of NERV’s ammunition?”

Shinji stood on the rooftop, feeling the wind brush through his hair. He cradled the phone between his shoulder and ear, while his fingers held a photograph—one that Kensuke Aida had rushed to develop.

The photo featured the school building as a backdrop. A boy and two girls stood at the base of the steps; upon closer inspection, their expressions were quite peculiar.

Asuka had her left hand on her forearm and her right hand extended in a ’V’ sign. her face was like a blooming flower, smiling so wide her white teeth showed; even through a piece of paper, one could feel the girl’s excitement at that moment.

’A girl with trauma in her heart, yet yearning for the light, like the sun.’

Looking to the right, it was a different scene entirely. Rei Ayanami wore her plain school uniform, hands hanging at her sides, her entire posture appearing somewhat stiff. Her smile was diametrically opposed to Asuka’s—reserved and cool, cautiously dreaming of the future.

’A blank sheet of paper, sketching out infinite colors, as cold and mysterious as the moon.

As for me.’

Shinji looked at the boy in the middle. He held his Rosarius, his gaze resolute and his expression devout, as if he were gripping two power swords, ready at any moment to charge at the xenos beyond the lens.

Truly... what magnificent loyalty!

He nodded with satisfaction. Professional matters should indeed be left to professionals. Kensuke Aida’s advice to use their ”most comfortable pose and expression” had been like a moment of enlightenment. It was just a shame Asuka had hugged his arm so tightly; he hadn’t been able to drop to one knee.

”Shinji-kun? Er, if you’re busy, I’ll call back later.”

Ryoji Kaji’s voice came through the receiver. While Shinji was enjoying the school festival, this man was trudging through the ice and snow of the Arctic Circle, shivering from the cold.

”No need. Find out the members of the Human Instrumentality Committee as soon as possible. Saionji is only one member of SEELE and isn’t clear on the details of the plan; I don’t want to expose myself too early. Secondly, investigate the locations of the Mass Production EVAs and the Spear of Longinus, find out what’s going on with the ’Free Angel’ in their hands, and the details of the pseudo-S² engine activation tests.”

’Wait a minute, you’re really working me to death, aren’t you?’

Kaji’s head throbbed just hearing it. Working for this ”pressure monster” was too difficult; there was almost zero time for rest.

”Shinji-kun, why do I hear singing on your end?”

”Mhm. First Middle is holding its school festival. This is a performance by the Opera Club.”

’Damn it, I’m out here crawling through ice and snow outside the Arctic Branch, and you’re participating in a school festival?’

Kaji felt a sudden wave of vertigo. The world was simply too unfair.

”Do not waver. I am responsible for fighting the Angels, and you, as a professional spy, should be put to your best use. Striving for the continuation of humanity is not a simple task.”

’Fine, fine, I’ll believe the big dreams you’re selling me, but why am I so envious I’m nearly weeping tears of blood?’

Kaji found a spot sheltered from the wind and sat down, waving his hand. Several soldiers in snow camouflage stood guard around him. Looking at their wooden, expressionless faces, he had to admit that he could be replaced, but there was no replacement for Shinji.

These were troops directly under SEELE, yet they followed his every word as if they’d drunk a magic potion—absolute reliability and loyalty. Truly devilish.

”Since you want to dig SEELE out, you shouldn’t show any weaknesses. They are hiding deeper now; even Commander Ikari finds it difficult to attend Committee meetings. It seems they are just waiting for you to finish off the Angels so they can come and harvest the fruit.”

”Saionji has already told me.”

Shinji recalled SEELE’s most recent meeting. The core agenda was handled by the Committee, of course, but ordinary members also participated in the first stage of the meeting. The content was simple: discussing the anomaly of the Tenth Angel. It clearly could have destroyed Neo Tokyo-3 directly, yet at the last moment, it crashed into Unit-01 instead.

”I did it on purpose.”

”Purposely exposing that the Adam embryo is in your hands?”

”No. The Adam embryo is only one possibility. They won’t think I am the mastermind; at most, they’ll assume Gendo Ikari used some method to hide the embryo, creating a coincidence.”

Shinji suddenly smiled. He was the one hiding behind the curtain. As a fourteen-year-old boy, his combat power already exceeded imagination; if they were to add the labels of ”mastermind” and ”master thief,” SEELE themselves wouldn’t believe it.

The only one capable of this was Gendo Ikari. After all, the ”mastermind” colors on him couldn’t be washed clean even if he jumped into the Pacific Ocean. The most tragic part was

that he repeatedly flipped between loyalty and betrayal—confirmed as trustworthy during the Ninth Angel, and becoming suspicious again during the Tenth.

Likely, Gendo Ikari himself was bewildered. He was already walking on thin ice, yet that group of old men just wouldn’t let him go. Consequently, he could only focus more on his work to prove his irreplaceable value.

Shinji called this bizarre phenomenon ”healthy competition.”

”...Is it really okay to set up Commander Ikari like this? Even without evidence, he’ll start overthinking things.”

”That is precisely his reason for existing. In fact, SEELE has already made a move. At this very moment, ’Owl’ has received orders to kidnap Fuyutsuki Kouzou.”

”Huh? Vice Commander Fuyutsuki? Well, that makes sense. Commander Ikari is too important; SEELE can’t afford to get rid of him easily. But why aren’t you worried? Fuyutsuki Kouzou knows a lot of things—enough to make Commander Ikari overthink ten times over.”

Shinji remained silent. The reason was simple: the ”Owl” sent afterward had similarly been brought under his control. SEELE would only receive the information he wanted them to have, while he happened to be able to learn more secrets from Fuyutsuki’s mouth.

’When I want you to die, you die. If I want you to keep living, you will live on.’

Shinji’s gaze suddenly became vigilant. He silently recited ”For the Emperor” ten times before the Slaaneshi corruption of the lust for power was purged.

”I don’t have time to play hide-and-seek with them. The reason for exposing myself was to force SEELE to gather offline, or to send out that ’Free Angel’ they hold.”

”Will it work?”

”Effort brings results. Even if it doesn’t work, it doesn’t matter; I’m set on taking that Free Angel too.”

Shinji knew more than anyone imagined. The so-called ”Free Angel” was an Angel whose specific identity was unknown. However, judging by the status of the Adam embryo and Rei Ayanami, this Angel was not simple—it was the trump card held in SEELE’s hand.

The Adam embryo was nearing a state of Schrödinger’s cat. There weren’t many ways to find ”Him” definitively to determine Gendo Ikari’s loyalty once and for all, and the Free Angel was the most efficient option.

SEELE was merely afraid of an Angel breaking control, but as long as they were willing to take the risk, those old men always had a way.

The phone fell silent for a moment. Shinji saw Misato Katsuragi waving her hand down by the school building, saying incomprehensible things like, ”The performance is about to start! If

you don’t come down now, get ready to be ’chopped’ when you get back!” Regardless, the conversation was mostly finished.

”Misato is calling me. Continue infiltrating the Arctic base. Report back if anything happens.”

Beep—beep—beep—

Before Kaji could react, the call was disconnected. He listened blankly to the busy signal. As the piercingly cold wind blew past, he couldn’t help but wrap his collar tighter. It took a long time before he squeezed out one word:

”Shit!”

.

.

.

”Who were you talking to so happily? Don’t you know you’d be in big trouble if you missed this? If I hadn’t come to find you, were you really not going to go?”

Misato Katsuragi finally found her guardian’s authority on certain issues. She began lecturing Shinji the moment she saw him.

”I calculated the time. I won’t miss it.”

Shinji didn’t resist, letting her pull him along. Then, she stopped without warning.

”Hey, didn’t you say it was about to start?”

”Just a few seconds. Classmate, help us take a photo!”

Misato grabbed a passing student, handed them her phone, and hugged Shinji’s arm while making a ’V’ sign. By the time Shinji realized what was happening, the photo was already taken.

”I’m the guardian after all, yet you didn’t include me in your group photo! Fine, don’t explain. Though, that look of bewilderment on your face is hilarious.”

Shinji looked at his ”disloyal” expression and reached out to grab the phone. To his surprise, Misato was prepared and instantly darted ahead. After chasing her for a few steps, they arrived at the auditorium, just in time to hear the announcer’s voice.

”Now, please welcome the members of the Music Club to the stage.”

The applause was like thunder. Whether the music would be good was unknown, but their popularity was certainly explosive. However, the expressions on Asuka and Rei Ayanami as they appeared were not pleasant.

Their eyes scanned the dense crowd below like radar, their gaze growing increasingly disappointed. They remembered Shinji slipping away halfway through to take a call.

’It’s a very important matter, but we prepared for this day for so long... are you really not coming?’

At that moment, the auditorium doors were pushed open with a thud. Accompanied by the rays of the setting sun, the boy stood at the entrance, his gaze meeting theirs perfectly.

”Doing meaningless things again.”

Shinji glanced at Misato Katsuragi, who was hiding by the door, winking as if to say this was the ”bonus” for the photo.

’But, at last, she’s acting like a guardian.’

He looked ahead. He saw the two people on stage light up like a burning bonfire; their faces instantly became bright and moving. All the waiting fully blossomed in this moment.

The lights suddenly dimmed. Shinji could no longer see the audience in between. He watched the stage enveloped by the spotlight. That light seemed to drape a layer of pure white clothing over Asuka and Rei Ayanami.

Chihaya Rin, Ibuki, and Horaki Hikari took their positions. Accompanied by the sound of strumming strings, Rei Ayanami walked to the very front.

The light moved with her. A white dress, pure white silk stockings, icy blue long hair—no hair accessories, no makeup. Or rather, she didn’t need any extra embellishment at all; her existence itself was a synonym for beauty.

Her pale skin glowed under the lights. Her red lips and red eyes added a touch of mystery, making her look like an unapproachable Moon Goddess.

”Please enjoy.”

Rei Ayanami brought her lips to the microphone. Her voice was cold, but the gaze she directed at the boy was burning.

””ONE LAST KISS”.”

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