Departure, preparations on all sides, the beginning, a double, and the Special Unit X Summoner

Sigma Unit Building

Misato's House

Shinji Ikari picked up his packed luggage from the floor, stepped through the door, and left.

Behind Shinji Ikari, Misato, whose injured arm was still bandaged, said gently, "Shinji, I think you understand. Even if your registration with NERV is canceled, they'll still keep you under surveillance. Your movements will be restricted... You forgot something. Suzuhara and Aida left you messages. They're both worried about you."

With that, Misato took out the Walkman Rei had retrieved from the trash.

Shinji Ikari did not want to turn around. Deep inside, he kept resisting, driven by the negative emotions he had suppressed for so long.

Self-blame, inferiority, doubt, anxiety, fear, avoidance, cowardice.

At that moment, Shinji Ikari no longer wanted anything to do with the troubles entangling him. He only wanted to leave as soon as possible. Tokyo-3 had left him with too many indelible memories, but neither the sorrow nor the happiness in them mattered anymore.

What mattered was that he no longer had a reason to protect this place.

He was disappointed, and he felt guilty.

Shinji Ikari refused Misato. "I don't need it. I'm not taking it with me."

Misato slowly lowered the hand holding the Walkman and said helplessly, "Aren't you even going to ask about Rei and Huang Zhetian?"

Shinji Ikari: "..."

Misato's voice gradually grew sorrowful. "To be honest, I didn't care about humanity or the world. Though I ended up standing here, I originally applied to join NERV... because I wanted to feel closer to my late father.

"Just like you piloted an EVA because you wanted Commander Ikari's approval.

"That's why I saw myself in you. I know that might have exhausted you. I understand that you're disheartened and don't want to pilot an EVA anymore.

"But I still