Chapter 168 - 84: Rei Ayanami, So Many Rei Ayanamis! (Part 2)

Chapter 168: Chapter 84: Rei Ayanami, So Many Rei Ayanamis! (Part 2)

Number Nine led Alex to the very center of the container area. Here sat a massive life-support pod, its specifications and appearance completely different from the other incubation pods.

Inside the pod, a naked, emaciated brown-haired boy floated curled up in the LCL fluid. His expression was frozen in a state of pain and bewilderment.

Shinji Ikari!

The Child of Destiny of the Neon Genesis Evangelion world!

His father, Gendo Ikari, was the greatest mastermind behind the SEELE organization and the Supreme Commander of NERV, the man who single-handedly brought about the completion of the Human Instrumentality Project.

As Alex approached, the boy kept his eyes tightly closed. He showed absolutely no reaction to the outside world, looking exactly like an empty shell.

"Shinji..."

Number Nine caressed the freezing outer wall of the life-support pod, her expression revealing a rare hint of tenderness.

Finally, Number Nine spoke slowly.

"Strong one from another world, this world is sick... Right now, only Shinji can truly be considered ’alive’..."

"Back then..."

Alex immediately cut her off.

"Get to the point. What exactly happened after the Human Instrumentality Project was initiated?"

Rei Ayanami Number Nine’s ruby-like eyes looked slightly unfocused. She wasn’t surprised by how Alex knew so clearly about the Human Instrumentality Project; instead, she simply continued following his prompt.

"After the Human Instrumentality Project was initiated, Gendo Ikari... Shinji’s father... utilized the authority he held to fuse the embryo of Adam into himself..."

"He altered the programming of EVA Unit-02 and sacrificed Asuka... He released all of Unit-02’s limiters... channeling Adam’s power entirely into himself..."

"But he underestimated Adam’s power. He transformed into a monster and began infinitely propagating Angels..."

A flash of realization crossed Alex’s eyes. So it was Gendo Ikari’s ambition that inevitably led the entire world into ruin!

He had vainly attempted to become a god, yet he lacked the Divinity needed to protect his soul. Ultimately, he was completely eroded by Adam’s cells, dragging the entire world down into an irreversible abyss.

"Is there any way to fix all of this right now? And what is the situation with Shinji Ikari?"

Alex stared intently at Shinji. With the world ruined to this extent, perhaps only the Child of Destiny, Shinji Ikari, could salvage everything.

Number Nine looked at the frail boy soaking in the nutrient fluid, appearing as if he were already dead.

"He witnessed Asuka’s death with his own eyes... as well as countless people turning into pools of blood during the Instrumentality. He originally thought the Angels were humanity’s enemies, but he never expected that the one attempting to destroy all of humanity was his own biological father."

Number Nine let out a rare sigh.

"His last shred of sanity completely collapsed... He refused to be instrumented, and he also refused to go on living..."

Alex nodded slightly. Shinji Ikari was indeed this kind of weakling. His mind was exceptionally fragile, completely lacking the indomitable, ever-courageous spirit found in the Children of Destiny of other worlds.

Ever since he was born, he had been constantly manipulated by his biological father. The death of his mother back then, and the subsequent deaths of his friends and the one he loved, were all single-handedly caused by his father. A total psychological breakdown was only natural.

Alex suddenly recalled something else. He turned to look at Rei Ayanami Number Nine.

"If I’m not mistaken, you should have died in the battle during the Angel of the Womb’s attack..."