Chapter 138 170: Ritsuko Akagi is Truly Invincible!

The Inevitability of Fate.

Ritsuko held her breath. Even stretching her mind to its absolute limit, she couldn't find words to describe that particular brand of confusion and despair. After a long silence, she finally managed to force out a single sentence.

"So that is what a God truly is."

Is a God a statue in a temple, or the personification of a concept? No, those were far too shallow. She began to suspect that human faith itself—the very expectation of beautiful things—was a form of conspiracy. Those intense emotional feedbacks reflected into the Negative Universe would serve as superior nourishment.

A true God would never be defeated like a villain in a novel; one couldn't even manage to observe or touch it. It existed in another dimension. The mere act of imagining it had already drained her energy.

A true God was beyond description because it was a collective of infinite emotional feedback, containing all concepts of the world. How could a mortal possibly use terms like "good" or "evil" to describe it?

"No wonder the Secret Dead Sea Scrolls used the word 'Fruit' to distinguish humans from Angels. The Fruit of Wisdom, the Fruit of Life... once the fruit is ripe, who is meant to swallow it? Only a God."

Ritsuko opened her eyes, and certain things suddenly clicked into place. Indeed, the Scrolls clearly stated that humans inherited the Fruit of Wisdom and Angels the Fruit of Life. Of all the adjectives available, why choose "Fruit"? Whether it be human or Angel, a fruit has a time to ripen. Does one even need to wonder who the harvester is?

"Wait... if the Human Instrumentality Project is the final sign of the Fruit of Wisdom ripening, then the contact between Angels and humans is the means by which the Fruit of Life ripens? That final ceremony requires the two fruits to merge into one—doesn't that mean..."

"It means it's time to eat the fruit. One might not be enough to satisfy the hunger, but it can be eaten infinite times."

Shinji finished her thought indifferently. Ritsuko's deduction provided him with some new insights as well.

His empirical experience had allowed his imagination to run wild, proposing terrifying hypotheses, but it also shackled him. Whenever he thought of "Fate" or "Plans," his mind was filled with the image of those blue-skinned Tzeentchian bastards.

However, his home was not the same as 40K. The Warp here was merely a prototype, whereas the latter had reached maturity, where the very concepts of "Gods" were personified—just as the Four Chaos Gods represented different intense emotions of sentient beings.

Misato Katsuragi sat obediently to the side. She thought for a long time but still couldn't leap beyond concepts like "Allah," "Buddha," or "Mount Olympus." Fortunately, she didn't care much about that.

"The things you're talking about won't happen for tens of thousands of years. Besides, what does any of this have to do with Shinji?"

"Exactly. And so the problem returns to its starting point."

Ritsuko broke free from the endless speculation, pointed at the two charts, and stared intently at Shinji. "Even if the Human Instrumentality Project succeeds, there won't be any fundamental change. I want to know why."

Everything returned to Shinji. This time, he didn't hide much.

"Because I am special."

"You really are an esper!"

Misato blurted out. As expected, with her around, this seminar on the fate of humanity couldn't stay serious for long.

Shinji glanced at her, feeling a mix of annoyance and amusement. He corrected her: "I am a psyker."

"So what's a psyker? Is there a difference between that and an esper?"

'Uh... actually, no.'

Shinji was momentarily stumped. He patiently explained: "In terms of manifestation, there isn't much difference. But in essence, the gap is massive. Espers are generally the result of genetic mutations, which aren't rare on certain planets."

He paused. The topic had drifted again. He quickly pulled it back.

"A psyker's power originates from the Warp—the Negative Universe. But as a price, it leaves a projection in the Warp. Thus, while a psyker gains great power, it is also extremely dangerous. The Warp consciousness will lock onto you directly."

"You haven't been locked onto, which proves from a side angle that the Negative Universe hasn't developed a self-aware consciousness?"

Ritsuko clearly kept up with the logic. Looking at the charts on the screen again, she suddenly understood: "This anomaly is related to you!?"

The gazes of the two women turned eerie. What was this? Was the Savior also the World-Ender?

Shinji remained expressionless. Even if this were the truth, Misato wasn't the type to pull a gun on him. Humans were sentimental creatures like that.

"Profit is always proportional to risk. I crushed the Angels, and that implies a cost. Don't look at me like that. From the moment of my return, the gears of fate began to turn. It was only a matter of speed."

Never fleeing from responsibility, and never making excuses. Shinji simply informed them of a reality: "A Warp projection is more concrete and higher-level than soul data in the physical universe. While you gain survival, you will also face a terrifying unknown."

Because of him, Tokyo-3 had not been destroyed, and everyone enjoyed a relative peace. Because of him, the fates of Rei Ayanami and Asuka had been reversed, breaking free from loneliness and pain.

But also because of him, fate would gallop like a runaway horse toward the unknown. If "God" found a shortcut, it would mean a cataclysm for humanity—no, for the physical universe.

Yet, Misato and Ritsuko didn't show a hint of blame. This had nothing to do with personal feelings; the logic was simple.

Without Shinji, the Third Angel would have breached Headquarters, and the grass on their graves would be three meters high by now. Without Shinji, the Human Instrumentality Project would inevitably be completed. Why should a puddle of orange juice worry about the birth of a God?

Since this world was a literal cesspool, how could they blame the person who brought a glimmer of light?

"So, the Secret Dead Sea Scrolls are useless now?"

Ritsuko skipped directly over the previous topic.

"They are useful. It would be a problem if they lost their validity—that would mean God has already developed a subjective consciousness and modified the underlying code, making it invincible."

Shinji spoke calmly, then shifted his tone: "But they are also becoming useless. The birth of a Warp entity is a process; perhaps it will generate some passive consciousness."

"Is that why the Angels are becoming more difficult to deal with?"

"Mm. To be honest, I don't even know if there are only seventeen Angels anymore. Theoretically, as long as 'It' is willing, it can send a continuous stream of Angels, or even fundamentally modify their characteristics."

Ritsuko fell silent. This was her field of research. For instance, would the Angels continue to come one by one to their deaths? Were there truly only seventeen as recorded in the Scrolls?

But she thought about it—that was the high-probability scenario.

"According to your logic, God needs your projection. By eliminating Angels, you gain power. Raising you like livestock is the shortcut to its birth; it's a way to achieve the transition from quantitative to qualitative change."

"Then we just stop letting Shinji fight, right? If that projection doesn't get stronger, God's plan fails."

Misato suddenly interjected. Seeing the other two scrutinizing her, she felt self-conscious. "Did I say something wrong?"

"Everything about that was wrong. Do you think Angels are just stray cats and dogs? Without Shinji, Tokyo-3 wouldn't have lasted this long. He must also become strong. As the strongest sword of humanity, standing still is also death."

Hearing Ritsuko's explanation, Misato sat stunned for a long while, feeling a chill run through her. She finally understood what "The Inevitability of Fate" meant—it meant that no matter how you struggled, you couldn't escape the calculation.

This was an enemy with infinite resources and infinite time. The thought alone was despair-inducing.

"You have a plan, don't you?"

"Of course. No one can keep an Astartes as livestock, and no enemy can shake an Astartes' resolve."

Shinji never sought to destroy people's spirits. Since he was willing to speak, he certainly had a way.

"Passive consciousness has a limit. Before 'It' truly awakens and becomes a Warp entity, we open the Door of Guf and purge it physically. That is the plan."

"Can... can that be done? After everything you both said, I can't even imagine this 'God'."

"I cannot kill a concept. But Its evolution involves placing Its head before me. Even if it seems impossible, it must be done. There is no other way."

The firmest tone, the steeliest will, the most absolute confidence. This was Shinji's reason for being. Even if a bottomless abyss lay ahead, if he said he could cross it, he would.

The hearts of Misato and Ritsuko suddenly settled back into their chests.

'Right, we have the invincible Shinji. What is there to worry about? At worst, we turn into orange juice.'

"I'm suddenly getting nervous. What do you need me to do? Should I start working overtime from today?" Misato became solemn, looking like a world-saving hero.

"You need to do nothing. Just like Rei and Asuka, maintain your normal pace of life. You can't help much anyway; don't create a psychological burden for yourselves."

''Wait... you told me the secrets of the world and then told me to do nothing?'

Misato blinked, feeling the vibe was very strange. But thinking carefully, there really wasn't much she could do. Fighting Angels was already her job.

"Then why did you tell me all this?! You scared me to death!"

Shinji looked at her silently for a long time before saying: "You were the one who stayed. I wouldn't have actively informed you, but I won't hide it from you either."

"..."

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Ritsuko lit a cigarette, watching Misato draw circles in the corner. "You're quite gentle, letting her stay in 'salted fish' mode."

"As I said, she can't help. It's better to create some positive emotional value. If there's too much negative emotion, I have to waste time mediating."

"A very rational choice."

Ritsuko smiled but said nothing. She knew there was definitely some personal sentiment involved. But whether Shinji hadn't realized it or had simply learned to be stubborn, as a mature woman, she saw no need to point it out. She just turned the cigarette in her mouth and lit the next one directly.

"So, this is the only way. Has humanity lucked out? It is indeed as you said: you cannot destroy a concept, but you can slay a God."

Ritsuko pondered, then suddenly thought of something else: "In that case, the next Angel is very important. It might lead to a cataclysmic shift."

"Mm. A upheaval. This drama will be led in another direction. It's hard to say what the ending will be; we have to take it step by step."

'Just like research.'

Ritsuko Akagi suddenly looked forward to the next Angel arriving sooner. Then another thought occurred to her: "If the Negative Universe gradually forms a will, will it give the Angels a 'cheat'?"

"In fact, 'It' has been cheating since the Fourth Angel. It's just a matter of degree."

"Don't you think that's unfair?"

'The Emperor and the rest of you have given me cheats too. The Angels haven't complained about it being unfair.'

Shinji paused for a moment and shook his head. "No. Besides, I usually refer to such situations as a 'Blessing'."

"Blessing?"

"Yes. Since they are called 'Angels,' isn't it only natural for them to receive a God's blessing? From a lineage perspective, the relationship between an Angel and the Warp will is comparable to that of the Emperor and a Primarch."

As he spoke, Shinji took the cigarette from the woman's mouth and pressed it into the already overflowing ashtray.

"This path is difficult. I need your assistance to turn hypothesis into reality. Therefore, I order you to ensure your health. In the future, control the frequency of your smoking."

Ritsuko froze. In a split second, she thought of many things, and her expression became complex. She knew this concern stemmed from her value, but still—

"That man used me for so long, yet he never once said those words."

"That is why I am different from him."

"Yes. This time, I will definitely not choose the wrong person."

Ritsuko's gaze softened. She asked directly: "When do you plan to deal with SEELE and Gendo Ikari?"

"I will consider it once they have prepared the materials for the ceremony and I see how large the cataclysmic shift actually is."

Shinji was not in a hurry. He had no personal vendetta against those people.

"Good. I really want to see how these masterminds meet their end—how they are crushed by an absolute powerhouse."

Misato, who had been drawing circles in the corner, looked up. She saw these two equally rational people looking at each other, their gazes gentle and full of mutual recognition of each other's abilities.

She opened her mouth soundlessly, suddenly feeling a chill.

'Oh no. Ritsuko Akagi is actually the invincible one!'

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