Chapter 185 217: The Cycle of Souls

'The hell do you call this "infiltration"?'

Kaji Ryoji followed behind Shinji, moving in a straight line toward their destination, feeling like he'd wasted his entire life. As an ace spy and infiltration expert, he thought he'd be able to show off his skills when he heard the word "infiltration," but as it turned out...

BOOM!

An armed helicopter turned into a fireball in the sky. With the sound of twisting metal, it crashed into the snow hundreds of meters away. On the other side, elite soldiers wearing exoskeletons had just raised their rifles when a dark shadow landed among them. The flash of lightning released by the youth forced them to close their eyes; when they opened them again, they saw nothing but charred remains.

No disguise, no clever planning, and certainly no need to patiently wait for an opening. The youth paved the way ahead, tearing apart anyone who dared to stand in his way, whether it was an elite patrol squad or armored machinery. No one could even clearly see the target, and no one could transmit intelligence back.

'This is a humanoid Angel.'

Kaji saw with his own eyes dozens of rocket-propelled grenades as thick as human arms freeze in mid-air, only to fly back to where they came from, leaving the pilots staring in disbelief. The youth was marching, crushing the will to resist with maximum efficiency.

Boom, boom, boom...

Explosions followed one after another, fireballs erupted, but gradually, no one dared to come in this direction to throw their lives away, leaving only wreckage smoldering with black smoke everywhere.

"Alright, infiltration complete. The First Branch won't be coming to disturb us again until they figure out the situation." Shinji clapped his hands lightly. It had been a long time since he fought independently without the cover of an EVA. Only by doing it himself did he realize that he was countless times stronger than when he had fought the Angel of Rain.

Without fortress-grade fire support, mortal troops were far too fragile. He could move through the wind and snow like a ghost and then casually eliminate the enemy.

'God, you call that "infiltration complete"? You just used brute force to destroy their will to resist.'

Kaji desperately wanted to complain, but didn't know how to phrase it. Killing everyone who came to investigate—well, that was technically a successful infiltration.

The First Branch, under full-channel jamming, was completely baffled. They only knew the enemy had attacked from the outside, creating the illusion that an unknown organism had

come to "rescue" the Free Angel. Until they could figure out who the enemy was, it would be impossible to send out more troops.

"Is there any way we could have been a bit more subtle?"

"The alarm was triggered by Him. The First Branch is heavily fortified; if I were to go looking for Him aimlessly, it would cause even more casualties. Sometimes, appropriate terror tactics are more merciful."

'Merciful?'

Kaji glanced at the charred corpses around him and his eye twitched, but he understood what Shinji meant.

This destructive march left the First Branch in a state of suspicion and fear. This area was like a black hole; no matter how many troops were sent to investigate, none returned. Anyone with a brain would stop the meaningless suicide missions and pull their military forces back to hold the base.

In short, the enemy was terrified and would need time to analyze the situation. Furthermore, this commotion would send a message to the Free Angel. It was indeed the most efficient method.

"They will send out Unit-07 and Unit-09. Are you planning to take on an EVA in hand-to-hand combat?" Kaji's voice was hurried. No matter how incompetent the First Branch personnel were, they could at least identify the scale of the enemy.

On this Earth, who could crush an army single-handedly if not an Angel?

"No, they will indeed predict that this is an Angel attack, but tell me, who on this Earth is best suited to handle an unknown and powerful Angel?"

'Of course, it's... Unit-01.'

Kaji held his breath, suddenly remembering the suspected Angel signal near Alaska.

'So this was a chain reaction.'

Presumably, Unit-01 had already been loaded onto a Ravens transport and set off; the pilot had just arrived a step early.

He no longer had questions and obediently followed Shinji. After the brief chaos, the snowfield returned to an eerie silence. No one dared to disturb them; the garrison forces stationed here had already retreated into the base.

They had no choice. The First Branch was too important. It didn't just store mass-produced EVAs; the Spear of Longinus was there, and Chairman Keel himself was there. It absolutely could not fall. With those old men's cowardly nature, he estimated they were already ordering NERV headquarters to mobilize their entire force for support.

'Is there really a way if you just hold out firmly? How truly insidious.'

The man's mouth twitched. In the midst of the chaos and without knowledge of the enemy's situation, Chairman Keel didn't even dare to run. Given his health, leaving the heavily guarded base was even more dangerous. Shinji had essentially forced a time-difference strategy, allowing himself to choose his next move at his leisure.

Whether to fight, to leave, or to act as if nothing happened—it was all in Shinji's hands.

'He and Unit-01 came to reinforce, the Free Angel escaped, an unknown Angel attacked—what does any of that have to do with me, Ikari Shinji?'

Shinji looked up at the mountain peak. There, a boy stood with gray hair, red eyes, a slender build, and a handsome face, looking at the two with a gentle gaze.

"You've worked hard, Shinji-kun, Kaji-san."

The voice was very soft. Even though Kaji Ryoji knew this was an Angel, he couldn't help but feel no disgust at all. Seeing really was believing; the Free Angel was an extremely unique Angel. Anyone with a slightly immature mind would likely be hoodwinked within a few sentences.

Fortunately, Shinji was not such a person.

Kaji looked at Shinji, who stood straight with his psychic power coiled and ready—an absolute professional. He was the only one who could play other people.

"You did well. You passed the initial test."

"As expected, you didn't plan to meet me secretly, so I had to come out." Kaworu Nagisa's smile was somewhat bitter. He envied Ayanami Rei; they were similar existences, but the difference in their treatment was just too great.

He had risked having his head blown off to come out. Of course, he wasn't afraid of his head being blown off, anyway.

"I don't take unnecessary risks, and I certainly won't easily change the current status quo."

"Hmm, that's why I took the initiative to meet you, to leave you with some room. If you choose to maintain the status quo, just leave in a moment. I won't tell those old men you were ever here."

The Free Angel could not be cracked by torture or forced interrogation. Besides, even if he told the truth, no one would believe him.

"I've always been curious, where does this friendliness of yours come from?" Shinji stared at him. As a rational Astartes, he found it very hard to adapt to this.

"Do you think I'm too good to you?"

"Yes. From a standpoint, we are natural enemies. My hands are stained with the blood of Angels; there's no reason for you to cooperate like this."

"It's simple, because I like you, Shinji-kun. I really want to be friends with you." Nagisa lifted his head, his face full of a gentle smile. "I once had a dream that you and I became very good friends. I was also very happy to clear away your confusion. Although you were very fragile and immature in the dream, you were still very likable."

The world line seemed to be stubbornly converging. Shinji didn't need to ask to know that Nagisa's dream was the same version as Ayanami Rei's.

"And then you died peacefully at my hands?"

"No, I fought side-by-side with you and changed the world." Nagisa's smile became even more tender.

Shinji was stunned. So the dream was a bit different, but world-line convergence certainly wasn't limited to just one path, so this wasn't a big deal. Kaji Ryoji, on the other hand, felt his skin crawl. Looking at the handsome boy, he wondered if he should quietly slip away.

'Wait, Shinji-kun brought me along—could it be to act as a witness? Asuka, you'd better pay attention; Shinji-kun's charm crosses species and gender.'

"So you were disappointed?" Shinji regained his focus; he wasn't here to interpret dreams.

"A little, but more than that, I am happy for you. You are so firm and so powerful now. I don't have to see you in pain anymore—isn't that a good thing?" Nagisa stood up, hands in his pockets, walking right up to Shinji, looking at the youth with an extremely gentle gaze.

"The current you makes me admire you even more. You found a better path even without my help. From a partner to an idol—I should be happy."

It sounded a bit mystical, but the psychic feedback was the same as before. This Free Angel was genuinely happy for him. This feeling was as incomprehensible as love at first sight; Shinji could only analyze it with the unique rationality of an Astartes.

"If you truly yearn for freedom, then you should indeed assist me."

"Yes, you are fighting for the fate of humanity and me. I was always on your side." Nagisa took a deep breath, somewhat excitedly. "Ever since we last parted, I've understood your words more and more. If I don't break free from the inevitable fate, I cannot gain true freedom."

The slightly ambiguous words finally brought the topic back to the right track. This was also the reason why Shinji had made this special trip. As the vessel for Adam's soul, the first and last Angel in the script, Nagisa was sharper than Ayanami Rei.

But before Shinji could ask what orders He had received from the will of the negative universe, Nagisa had already raised two fingers.

"Shinji-kun, are we friends now?"

"No. You are still shackled by fate; you are bound to return to Adam."

Nagisa was stunned, his face full of regret, but he liked Shinji's honesty. He wasn't like other "humans" who would try every means to deceive him. Even if he craved answers, he still spoke the truth.

The enemy of my enemy is my friend—this wasn't necessarily a truth in 40K; usually, both had to be eliminated.

"But we aren't enemies either." Shinji spoke suddenly, looking into the slightly trembling red eyes, and explained, "As long as you resist fate, we are barely fellow travelers. I can tolerate your existence."

Nagisa smiled. Even if it was barely, that word "tolerate" seemed to clear away the wind, snow, and dark clouds, giving meaning to all the choices he had made during this time.

"Shinji-kun, as long as I don't become your enemy, that is enough."

Nagisa didn't ask for much. To Kaji Ryoji, who was eavesdropping, it even seemed a bit humble, making this legendary lover unable to understand where Shinji's charm came from. Shinji was powerful and had strong personal charisma, but to be honest, he was too hard-headed when it came to emotions—he annoyed Asuka into a frenzy every day. It was truly strange: why was Nagisa acting like he wouldn't stop until he became Shinji's friend? Was this the way a normal person thought?

'Well, he's not a normal human, is he?'

Kaji understood instantly. Nagisa was an Angel to begin with; why try to apply human perspectives to him? What he was pursuing was something no one else could give him except Shinji.

'Is that so? Was this the order transmitted by the will of the negative universe?'

Shinji didn't think that much. He listened to Nagisa's account. Actually, there was nothing to discuss in length. The so-called will wouldn't issue orders; it only transmitted a feeling: Launch an attack on the Third Child.

"That is exactly why I was so urgent to see you. I felt the shackles tightening. Perhaps before long, I will be forced to do something against my will." Nagisa looked very melancholy, which proved that Shinji was right. The freedom he had possessed before was fake; he was no different from a marionette, just that his former "father" didn't know how to manipulate the threads of fate.

"Shinji-kun, you have brought hope, but you have also brought destruction."

A single sentence pointed to the essence, but Shinji remained unshaken. This was perfectly normal. The Emperor's Angels were always double-edged swords. He had even heard of a type of unrecordable, indescribable Astartes who, if they descended upon a planet, would only bring about even crueler destruction.

"I never claimed to be a pure savior, nor am I someone who wouldn't carry any negative emotions."

"Yes, that's why you are worthy of this heavy responsibility. It's just a pity that Shinji-kun has also changed."

"Changed how?"

"My freedom is being stripped away, and that girl probably won't have to wait much longer either." As Nagisa's voice trailed off, he saw Shinji's eyes stall. He couldn't help but feel a little sour in his heart, regretting that he had wasted too much time and could no longer leave a deep mark.

"Of course, you don't need to worry. That child inherited Lilith's soul, the Fruit of Wisdom is infinitely divided, and her power is very weak. The will of the negative universe won't target her quickly."

Shinji narrowed his eyes, discovering that this Nagisa was truly extraordinary. He could be called the best-natured intelligent being he had seen in both of his lifetimes. He had seen people who helped their enemies, but never anyone who could help their enemy with such consideration. Every time he chatted with him, he felt his worldview being challenged.

"Lilith is indeed special, but it's only a matter of time."

"Shinji-kun, you won't wait until that time. That is exactly the reason you came thousands of miles to see me."

Shinji's lips moved slightly. He hadn't seen Nagisa many times in total, yet somehow, the two had an astonishing tacit understanding. It wasn't the same as predicting the other's next move in a battle of wits—it was a resonance of the soul.

Just like the scenes in some movies, where often nothing is said and nothing is done, yet someone just understands you.

'Is this what Chihaya Rin called "full of gay vibes"?

That's simply too blasphemous!'

Shinji touched his brow. He suddenly understood why Nagisa walked so close to him in some world lines. It wasn't a deliberate approach, but a natural sense of affinity—an extreme level of empathy.

'Fortunately, my heart is like steel, and I will not be shaken. He is an Angel; not having annihilated him already is the greatest indulgence.'

"Yes, I came to get a sense of the progress from you. You did very well. Now I have a bottom line in my heart."

"It is my honor." Nagisa elegantly held his chest and bowed lightly.

'Hiss, truly incomprehensible.'

Shinji took a breath. With psychic detection, he wasn't afraid of Nagisa misleading him, so he silently pondered the intelligence he had just obtained.

He had confirmed the birth of the negative universe's will. It wasn't just instilling power into the Angels; it had developed the prototype of active consciousness and started issuing orders. Of course, this consciousness was still in a very low-level stage, just a slight extension of instinct.

It was no different from eating, sleeping, or breathing. It was reading his projection inside the negative universe. Of course, the stronger the projection, the better. This was too rigid—it had merely issued a simple order to attack him, without active feeding, internal purges, or sophisticated operations like hidden objectives. Therefore, the Angels were simply attacking with all their might, never having considered what to do if they actually managed to kill him.

"But this way, the framework of the Dead Sea Scrolls is further broken. The instinct to attack me will gradually amplify until it eventually surpasses the instinct to return to Adam."

"Hmm, it is indeed amplifying. No wonder I didn't have much interest in executing my mission last time I went to Tokyo-3." Nagisa became slightly more serious; he had only realized this after he returned.

"So that's it. Fate really is something that infiltrates silently. Some upheavals were foreshadowed long ago." Shinji had his answer. He remembered that when he was on vacation by the sea last time, he had set up a trap to lure Nagisa to the Terminal Dogma area. At the time, he was curious how an Angel could control its instincts and just not go.

"Issuing explicit directives is already a qualitative change. The current crude methods will gradually become sophisticated. It is like a maggot attached to the bone—it will grow by clinging to me, becoming smarter and more proactive."

"Yes, an unsolvable problem. The wisdom of a 'God' has no upper limit. Perhaps it will pen you up in the future. It is also constantly stripping me of my freedom. That is exactly why I was in such a rush to see you."

"Not only that, now it is issuing directives to the Angels; the next step might be direct interference with humanity. This is a dimensionality-reduction strike; no defense is of any use."

"Are you worried about SEELE?"

"No, about all of humanity. Controlling souls and manipulating consciousness is too simple for a 'God.' Humans and Angels are both on the loom of fate. It can only control one half now, but controlling the other is just a matter of time. If it wants to keep me penned up, it must first isolate me, and then it will slowly learn how to control the 'heat'—letting me grow without letting me lose control."

As the two spoke, Kaji Ryoji, listening on the sidelines, was covered in cold sweat. He knew what kind of enemy they were facing, but he didn't realize that this enemy was only in its cellular stage. Even at such a primitive stage, it had already pushed humanity to the brink of extinction.

For a moment, he instinctively put his hand on his rifle, harboring a faint idea of cutting off the path of the god's growth.

"It's useless. Once the first step is taken, reaching the final goal is only a matter of time. Besides, its first step was taken very firmly." Nagisa glanced at Kaji, causing the latter to lower his head quickly.

It was too late to put the script back on track. The moment Shinji returned, this train had already started to run wild.

"Do you know why Shinji-kun has such a strong attraction to me?"

"Because he is very strong."

"No. Even if Shinji-kun were as weak as he was in the dream, he would still attract me. Kaji-san, you should know the concept of a 'protagonist.' Certain things are inferred from the results."

Novels have protagonists, TV shows have protagonists, and worlds have protagonists.

Nagisa was indeed special. During this time, he had also realized many things. His obsession with Shinji wasn't some "gay vibe" at all, but a pre-determined result. "I once dreamed of the world restarting countless times, but every time, it was Shinji-kun who chose the future. He would reject the Third Impact and create a seemingly 'correct' result, but the outcome would never change."

"The Cycle of Souls?" Shinji frowned, becoming even more interested.

"Yes, it is a cycle. Of course, every restart isn't a simple copy; the world undergoes some subtle changes. For example, an explosion in human technology, or the fact that there isn't just one Adam, or changes in the quantity and quality of Angels, or keys other than the Spear of Longinus. For example, every version of the 'Human Instrumentality Project' is different. This is like—"

"Like a process of repeated accumulation, where quantitative changes accumulate toward a qualitative one." Shinji took over, finally understanding what the "God's" original script looked like.

This couldn't be called clever; it was even clumsy, because every cycle was uncontrollable. There would always be some impurities left behind. Humans, possessing the Fruit of Wisdom, wouldn't just sit there and wait for death; they would leave things behind according to the repeatedly updated Dead Sea Scrolls.

Perhaps SEELE's control would be stronger, developing more powerful weapons. Oh right, and there was that guy Gendo Ikari. As the true mastermind behind the scenes, he would definitely keep adding his own private agenda—after all, the "Human Instrumentality Project" was proposed by him.

But he was destined to fail, because this man didn't care about the fate of humanity at all; all his efforts were just helping God.

"Hmm, a clumsy accumulation, accompanied by many uncertainties." Nagisa had his hands in his pockets, his eyes flashing with light. At this moment, time paradoxes and parallel world theories didn't exist at all.

"But it will eventually reach the end. Perhaps this method is too clumsy, or perhaps humans will keep looking for solutions, but there is still a chance to turn the table. The only difference is the cost."

Humans and Angels were both fuel. For that final glimmer of light, how many lives must be burned?

Shinji didn't like this kind of uncertain future, just as he couldn't trust the version of himself that hadn't been tempered by 40K. He was just curious.

"After the Cycle of Souls, was He born?"

"He was born, and He was not born. Shinji-kun, the original you was the greatest uncertainty. Because you were too weak and too fond of escaping, you would often grow rapidly, only to return to weakness the next moment. What kind of good result do you think such a 'protagonist' would bring?"

Being pointed at and scolded like this by Nagisa, Shinji actually laughed. It seemed that inevitable fate had its benefits—like his mother and Unit-01 becoming one, Gendo Ikari's conspiracy, Nagisa's awakening, the birth of the EVA; the outline of the script wouldn't change much.

In the Imperial Conjecture, Shinji had already determined that "God" was born through "data." If the "weak" version of himself was the protagonist, what kind of good data could God get? A movie about a boy growing up and completing himself—this "growth" also referred to the deity.

But things were different now.

Shinji took a deep breath. He finally knew why this script was running wildly in another direction. Compared to the Cycle of Souls—this clumsy and long script of constantly restarting the world—it was still more accurate to lie on his own negative universe projection and read the data.

Because, this time, I'm at max level the moment I step onto the field.