Chapter 139 171: Tabris, Kaworu Nagisa.

A secret is only a secret when it is known by a very few. In a sense, the Emperor's Conjecture—yes, Ritsuko Akagi had originally named it the Shinji Ikari Conjecture, but how could a loyal Astartes have the thick skin to take the title? On the spot, he changed the name under the pretext of the Emperor's guidance.

The Emperor's Conjecture was even more hidden than the Human Instrumentality Project. The latter had been revised into dozens of versions, and the number of people in the know exceeded double digits.

However, only three people knew of the Emperor's Conjecture, and one of them was completely unable to understand it; as for their respective goals, there was simply no comparison between the two.

To put it bluntly, the Human Instrumentality Project was a research outcome based on the Dead Sea Scrolls, with very little involvement in the essence of the Negative Universe. Coupled with the inevitability of destiny, even if Gendo Ikari hadn't proposed it, someone else would have researched it, and a group of fools craving eternal life would have rushed to help.

But the "Conjecture" was different. Had Shinji not been a Psyker, he wouldn't have even been able to discover those issues, let alone use his 40K service experience to work backward.

Fortunately, there was still some connection between the two; Shinji didn't need to spend a massive amount of time laying the groundwork. His small circle only needed a few people. In any case, the heavy lifting had already been prepared by SEELE; when the time came, he would simply usurp the fruit.

Therefore, the upcoming Thirteenth Angel was extremely important. Its behavior would verify the Emperor's Conjecture. Shinji referred to it as a "possible upheaval."

"Do we really not need to tell Rei and Asuka?"

Misato Katsuragi followed behind Shinji, asking for the third time. she felt truly miserable—a stifling sense of frustration, like having a surge of hot-blooded passion with nowhere to release it. If she had known it would be like this, why did she get herself so worked up?

"No need. The two of them can't help much. Or rather, doing their own jobs well is the best help they can give. Or do you have some twisted hobby, wanting others to be as stifled as you are?"

"Ah, you saw through that too."

Misato stuck out her tongue quietly. If Asuka saw her, she'd be mocked for acting like a child again.

"But I keep thinking about it—this represents the future of humanity, the world, and even the universe. It's so hard to act like I never heard it," Misato mumbled, clasping her hands behind

her head. "I finally understand why you never told me anything before. When a secret reaches a certain level, it's simply not for someone of my rank to hear."

"You've grown."

Shinji suddenly showed a look of relief and whispered, "That's why, during my service, many secrets had to be sealed. Every level has the secrets they should know. Knowing too much brings nothing but danger and causes more harm than good."

Because the Blood Ravens Chapter particularly enjoyed exploring ruins, Shinji had ample experience in keeping secrets. Secrets of different levels should be known by people of different ranks. It was just like the "Second Em..." cough cough—that kind of world-shattering gossip would be useless even if the High Lords knew; it could only be handled by the Emperor himself.

If someone thought themselves peerless in loyalty and insisted on obsessing over it, did they think the Five Hundred Worlds of Ultramar were made of clay? Even if the disloyalty of the Ultramarines were confirmed, wouldn't that cause massive damage to the Imperium?

"I won't be a hindrance! I'll do exactly as you say."

Misato looked quite obedient, a sight that NERV members passing by could hardly bear to watch.

"Maintain the status quo. Help Ritsuko more and be more attentive to your work. That can be considered a contribution to the future of the universe."

'Can taking a dump while off the clock save the universe? Being a hero sure is easy.'

"Fine. I'll work overtime tonight to finish everything. Tell Asuka I won't be back for dinner today."

As if injected with adrenaline, Misato quickened her pace toward her office. Shinji watched her silently from behind and sighed.

'I've practically become a master at balancing the water in the bowls.'

Telling Misato Katsuragi had a deeper purpose; otherwise, she would feel ignored, and her negative emotions would skyrocket again. The previous conversation also served the follow-up plan—otherwise, with Ritsuko Akagi bearing the brunt of the research work, Misato would have shut herself down out of a sense of uselessness.

Mortals are so fragile. It's like raising a daughter—you have to monitor their emotional changes constantly.

'Wait? Why am I raising a daughter?'

Shinji keenly noticed a flaw in his thinking but didn't dwell on it. He went straight to the escalator leading to the surface. On the way, he encountered Kozo Fuyutsuki. The two made eye contact, but neither spoke.

After the "Conjecture," this Sub-Commander and Gendo Ikari were no longer important. In any case, from beginning to end, they were not worthy of being enemies.

Leaving the headquarters, Shinji first went to the supermarket. Carrying two bags of groceries as he walked, he looked nothing like the grand terms of "Future," "Destiny," or "Universe." The setting sun shone on the street; the strong youth looked just like a high schooler who had just finished classes, no different from the young men and women passing him by.

His emotions were stable, his thinking clear. He carried out his various plans like a clock, focusing on doing every single task well. Right now, his mind was only on what to make for dinner, unlike a mortal who, upon receiving a great secret, would become frenzied or start talking to themselves.

Turning right from Hachime Street toward the apartment buildings in the new district, the people on the road suddenly thinned out. Shinji, who was thinking about how to make steamed pork ribs with rice flour, suddenly stopped and snapped his head up.

Standing in front of him in the narrow alley was a youth. He wore the same white short-sleeved shirt and black trousers, looking like a student from First Municipal Middle School—but Shinji could guarantee that First Municipal Middle School could not possibly have such a student.

Silver-gray hair, crimson eyes, and skin as pale as Rei Ayanami's. He wore a collar around his slender neck, and his face was exceedingly beautiful—surpassing all the celebrities Asuka often watched. Even more peculiar was his aura.

Gentle, mysterious, and possessing an incredible sense of approachability. He turned his head, revealing a harmless smile.

"We finally meet, Shinji-kun."

Time seemed to freeze. The youth at the other end of the alley remained expressionless, neither drawn in by this approachability nor surprised by the mysterious feeling.

'Psychic scan: No threat, no hostility—but the soul is abnormal.'

Shinji stared at him intensely, slowly bent over, placed his grocery bags on the ground, and cracked his knuckles with a sharp crack.

"The Fourth Children?"

"Yes. My name is Kaworu Nagisa. It's a pleasure to meet you, Shinji-kun."

The youth waved gracefully but remained frozen in place. His instincts told him there was danger, yet his face remained full of smiles.

Destiny had long since become unrecognizable. The Shinji that Kaworu saw was not the lost boy by the lakeside longing for answers, but more like a predator, radiating an aura of extreme danger.

"A pilot sent personally by SEELE?"

"You know a lot. To be precise, it was a transaction. I won't help them spy on intelligence or anything. To be exact, I came for you."

The youth named Kaworu waved his hand lightly, possessing an aura that could charm both men and women. Unfortunately, Shinji didn't buy it at all.

"If it's an assassination, you should have brought Unit-03, or prepared an army of a thousand fully-armed soldiers."

"Hahaha, Shinji-kun, you truly are the most unique and interesting of the Lilin. Just like the rumors say—as hard as steel, difficult to approach."

Kaworu was stunned for a moment, then suddenly laughed. His red eyes seemed to see through everything in the world.

"I'm curious. How did you see through my essence at a single glance, without even giving us a chance to be friends?"

His IQ was extremely high. Having sensed a special energy fluctuation just now, he knew he had been exposed. He felt a secret pang of regret; Kaworu had originally intended to become friends with Shinji, slowly understand him through friendship, and then explore himself through Shinji.

"I'm also curious. Since you clearly know I am extremely dangerous, why do you still dare to face me directly, Angel of Free Will?"

Shinji walked forward slowly. Did this Kaworu think he wouldn't recognize him? That he would become friends and be moved to blushing by a few words?

Then his hundred-plus years of service would have been in vain, and he wouldn't be worthy of returning to the Golden Throne.

That brief pause was merely him weighing the pros and cons. The Angel of Free Will was SEELE's most important asset; the so-called "transaction" proved their special relationship. If he killed him, how much time would be needed to smooth over the aftermath? What losses would it cause to the overall plan?

It would take 24 hours to slaughter all the old men, while simultaneously annihilating the nearby 2nd Division and the direct fleet. However, SEELE's "tools" were not yet ready, and there was still a possibility of self-destruction. If it really came down to it, he would have to let Ritsuko Akagi conduct research from the current foundation, which would delay things by at least three years.

By the third step forward, the outline of the follow-up plan was already formed. Kaworu stood his ground, the smile still on his face, the light in his eyes growing even brighter.

"Shinji-kun, the reason I dared to come is that there is still a slight chance now. If I had waited until those Lilin were ready, I expect you would have acted before I even opened my mouth."

He seemed to have mind-reading abilities, seeing through Shinji's thoughts. Indeed, if the layout were complete and no losses would be incurred, the youth would not listen to a single word or syllable from him.

Shinji continued forward in silence. The air visibly distorted; electric arcs flickered on the newly lit streetlights. This time, Kaworu took half a step back, and his smile stiffened.

"Are you not even curious about my stance? Surely you've never seen such a strange Angel as me."

"A little. I'll analyze it properly after I've killed you."

"I hold many secrets. They might be related to your plan."

"Do not speculate randomly. You do not know my plan. If you did, you'd have to die even sooner."

Kaworu stopped smiling. This guy was completely impenetrable. He had come with goodwill, hoping to contact the most unique of the Lilin—believing that by understanding him, he would understand the Lilin. But both the timing and the target were wrong.

Shinji was not lost; he did not need an Angel full of philosophy to understand and comfort him. He was even less likely to be deceived by the other's handsome appearance. He didn't need a savior, let alone a "light of life."

An Astartes has only one guide: the Emperor's Will.

Their roles were completely reversed. It was Kaworu who needed contact with humans to complete his instincts. The more unique Shinji appeared, the more curious he became—as if he could find the answer to "freedom" through him.

"I want to make a deal with you. I want to understand the Lilin to explore my own destiny. In exchange, I can do some things for you, because I can't get any answers from those old men."

Psychic scan: Truth.

Tap.

The sound of that extremely approachable and well-meaning voice made Shinji stop his pace. A smile appeared on Kaworu's face, then froze again.

"First, do not use 'Lilin' to describe humanity."

The strong youth and the slender, pale Angel formed a sharp contrast. Shinji's right palm gripped the empty air, and a psychic blade coalesced in his hand.

"Second—

I do not make deals with enemies."

Read ahead (100 chapters) by supporting me on buymeacoffee com/varietl or ko-fi edwriting

Announcement

I'm happy to announce that there are 2 new Fanfiction!

Hachiman wants to escape the Romantic Minefield in COTE

Why are Yukino and Yui in this school too?!

To ensure a comfortable future, Hikigaya Hachiman chose to attend a highly advanced high school with a 99% college entrance and employment rate.

However, upon entering, Hachiman immediately noticed something was amiss.

Karuizawa : "If... you hadn't been there back then, I probably wouldn't have made it..."

Kushida Kikyo: "Hachiman-kun, if you dare tell anyone about what happened in middle school, I'll make sure you can't stay here!"

Yui: "Hachiman... if the lights are off, can't you just pretend I'm Ichinose-kun?"

Yukino: "Hachiman-kun, it seems you need to explain how many people you've messed with since transferring schools!"

Shirou's multiverse selves

"I've actually been reborn ten years in the past, during the Fourth Holy Grail War."

Realizing this, countless ideas flooded Shirou's mind. Just as he was about to put them into action, Shirou suddenly found himself in a space filled with white mist, where he encountered two other versions of himself.

But these versions have different powers and their world are familliar, and with only a touch we can share memories and powers.

Massive Multi-Crossovers and multi protagonist(the protagonist are the various Shirou in their world)

One Piece, FGO, Food Wars, Slime Tensei, Fairy Tail and more