Regarding Akagi Ritsuko’s assessment of Ikari Shinji, Katsuragi Misato nodded in deep agreement.
Ikari Shinji has a face that would look good with any hairstyle and clothes, but it is so delicate that it makes people feel he is weak.
This is an “unpopular” child who was sent by his father to be raised by relatives since childhood.
In their expectations, Ikari Shinji was most likely that kind of introverted, sensitive, and weak boy.
But Katsuragi Misato, who had walked all the way with Ikari Shinji, found that this boy was completely different from what she had imagined.
Whether it is his expression or his tone of speaking, both are full of deep affection, and Katsuragi Misato felt that the god he spoke of might be just like this.
But beyond this universal love, there was an inexplicable sense of alienation, as if they were not in the same world, even making Akagi Ritsuko subconsciously not want to continue making eye contact with him.
“Hello, I am Ikari Shinji.” Ikari Shinji politely extended his hand.
Akagi Ritsuko shook his hand, “I am the chief personnel of the First Technical Section of the NERV Headquarters Technology Development Department, and the person in charge of the EVA development project, Akagi Ritsuko.
Pleased to meet you.”
Just as the two finished their self-introductions, the NERV base’s alarm sounded again, still that electronic female voice, and the elevator indicator lights also flashed red.
[All personnel to level one alert, repeating, all personnel to level one alert!]
Hearing the alarm, Akagi Ritsuko came back to her senses, released his hand, and said: “Shinji, I have something to show you now, do you want to go?”
“If it is something that must be seen, then it is fate.”
Akagi Ritsuko did not care about Ikari Shinji’s crazy-sounding words; as a qualified child, it was normal to be psychologically abnormal.
She then pressed twice on the elevator panel.
The lights in the elevator went out.
In the pitch-black environment, Ikari Shinji thought the base had been invaded and lost power, after all, the alarm had just sounded.
But before he could speak to ask, even without light, the elevator began to move.
They were sent to an unknown area and stopped, and as the lights suddenly turned on…
In a sea of blood-red, an unimaginably massive figure stood tall!
Any words seemed pale and powerless, and no adjective was enough to describe this behemoth in front of him!
When the giant object appeared in front of Ikari Shinji, a throbbing that transcended the boundaries of the world instantly spread throughout his body.
The otherworldly traveler actually felt a sense of being alive.
EVA—Unit-01!
“The ultimate all-purpose humanoid decisive battle weapon created by humanity, EVANGELION, which means gospel, EVA for short.”
Akagi Ritsuko stood beside Ikari Shinji, and the two looked up together at that tall purple humanoid weapon.
“This is Unit-01, and it is also humanity’s final trump card, you look like you really like it.”
Ikari Shinji did not respond to her words, only muttering to himself: “This is destiny.”
Saying even one more word would seem somewhat superfluous.
What a fateful encounter, they are destined to be connected together, Ikari Shinji believed so.
At the first sight of Unit-01, Ikari Shinji was certain that they should become one.
Regardless of his past life memories, an eighty-meter-tall humanoid decisive battle weapon is presumably a romance that most boys cannot refuse.
“Is this the thing that Ikari Gendou is researching?” Ikari Shinji unceremoniously called his father in this life by his full name.
Katsuragi Misato silently glanced at him without speaking, but Ikari Shinji himself did not care at all about the issue of politeness, only looking up at the glass window on the upper level.
“That is right, this is destiny.” The middle-aged man standing there spoke coldly: “Ikari Shinji, long time no see.”
Ikari Shinji narrowed his eyes; above was a middle-aged man he found somewhat familiar yet even more of a stranger.
Tall and thin, wearing round sunglasses, with a beard connecting to his sideburns, he looked like the Beast Titan with its hair dyed black.
He was wearing a black work uniform, and although words of greeting came out of his mouth, his tone was exceptionally cold.
The most uncomfortable thing was his eyes—through the sunglasses, one could faintly feel a bone-chilling indifference.
That kind of gaze made the person being looked at no longer a human, but a tool whose usefulness was being considered.
“What a disgusting look.” Ikari Shinji suddenly felt even more disgusted with Ikari Gendou.
It is said that when Ikari Gendou was young, he was a beautiful boy just like him, but now he is completely a gloomy middle-aged man.
“Long time no see, you are not dead yet?” Ikari Shinji greeted him in a friendly manner.
The moment his voice fell, everything around became unusually quiet, and a suffocating atmosphere filled the air.
For the first time, the middle-aged man’s expression changed, but it was only an imperceptible slight twitch, and his entire face remained cold.
He looked down condescendingly at the boy below, an imposing manner that scared all the staff into silence, even making their breathing seem exceptionally careful.
Katsuragi Misato was the first to react, leaning towards Ikari Shinji beside her and muttering in his ear:
“Can you not greet people normally?
How does that saying go…
God loves the world!
God loves the world, my divine child!”
“Is that a human?
Isn’t that an animal?” Ikari Shinji blanked for a moment, and could not help but frown.
Before coming to NERV, his impression of Ikari Gendou had stopped at when he was very young.
The evaluations of this man in the comment section of the videos from his past life memories did not have a single good word.
Coupled with more than a decade of life in this world, he only had the feeling of a home and happiness when his mother was alive.
Although he did not fully understand what kind of person Ikari Gendou actually was, he temporarily felt that those evaluations were quite pertinent.
It turns out the future Lord God cannot tell the difference between humans and animals!
Katsuragi Misato was shocked.
But without giving everyone time to continue chatting, the entire NERV headquarters suddenly shook violently, and the electronic female voice sounded again.
[The first layer’s eighth armor plate, damaged.
Fires have broken out everywhere in Area D, and all passages in the area are under emergency lockdown.
All personnel evacuate immediately, repeating, all personnel evacuate immediately.]
“That bastard, did He find this place?” At this time, a trace of irritation flashed across Ikari Gendou’s face as the rhythm of his plan was disrupted.
This was beyond expectations.
The father and son had not seen each other for many years, and Ikari Gendou’s understanding of this child actually all came through the materials sent by investigators.
But Ikari Shinji in the materials should have been a cowardly boy who never even left the house except for necessary socializing, was obsessed with mythological stories, and would even go to the church to seek solace from a priest.
He originally thought that this kind of autistic child who was extremely lacking in love and needed psychological dependence would obediently listen to orders and honestly act as his pawn with just a casual reprimand or two.
But he did not expect that all his words would be stuck in his throat, unable to spit out even half a syllable, and severe reprimands at this moment would probably only be exchanged for even more merciless humiliation.
To actually throw a childish temper tantrum at a time like this!
Ikari Gendou stared at Ikari Shinji, and said coldly: “Launch!”
“Launch!?
Hasn’t Unit-00 been frozen?
Are we going to deploy Unit-01?” Katsuragi Misato asked, “But the pilot…”
“Ikari Shinji…” The scolding that was ready to come out of Ikari Gendou’s mouth suddenly stopped, and he changed the subject: “Rei is not dead yet, wake her up.”
Following Ikari Gendou’s order, several medical staff quickly pushed a hospital bed in through the side door.
Lying on the hospital bed was a blue-haired girl, her head wrapped in thick gauze, and a syringe was still stuck in her arm.
As the girl was struggling strenuously to get up from the hospital bed, everyone saw Ikari Shinji suddenly walk quickly to the side of the bed and support her.
While the girl was in a daze, Ikari Shinji had already pressed her back onto the bed.
“She acts more like a human than you do, Commander Ikari.” Ikari Shinji turned his head and smiled; it was impossible for him to give up the opportunity to pilot Unit-01 to anyone else.
“Let the savior handle world-saving matters.”