"Why are you so angry? Don't you say the same things about Z?" Jugglus Juggler smiled at the furious Zero before him.
Watching Jugglus Juggler tease Zero, Shinji had to admit that he had quite a personality. Even Zero couldn't win an argument against him.
He quietly asked Riku, "Has Zero ever been like this before?"
"No, this is my first time seeing him like this, too." In Riku's eyes, Zero was a powerful, dependable senior.
"I guess not everyone can handle Jugglus Juggler the way Gai Kurenai can..."
"All right, all right, let's get down to business." Zero shook his head impatiently.
"Have Belial Splinters appeared in your world, too?"
"Yes, you guessed right. We at STORAGE have already dealt with several monsters driven berserk by them, alongside Z."
"That Belial just won't stay gone. He's been dead for ages, and he's still making trouble for us..."
"Speaking of which, weren't you the one who knocked off most of those splinters, Zero (￣.￣)?" Jugglus Juggler knew all about the "love-hate relationship" between Belial and Zero.
"Listen to yourself! How could I have known this would happen back then? Nobody told me! Besides, could I really have just not fought him?" Zero hated having Jugglus Juggler undermine him.
Riku, meanwhile, began muttering to himself. "Whatever the case, this started with my father, so I have to settle things with him once again!"
"That's enough, Riku. Let's not talk about that anymore," Zero urged. Joking around was one thing, but he genuinely didn't want Riku to revisit painful memories.
Shinji picked up on those words.
"Does that mean... Riku Asakura is Belial's...?"
"I'll explain when I have time. Don't ask Riku about it." Coming back to his senses, Zero quietly told Shinji.
After their conversation, Riku went to rest in the room STORAGE had arranged for him. Following Zero's suggestion, Shinji went outside for a stroll, with Haruki accompanying him for safety.
It was already nighttime when they stepped outside.
Standing on Tokyo's bustling streets, Shinji was stunned by the sea of people before him. Night had fallen, but Tokyo's nightlife was only just beginning. The streets blazed with lights, crowded and alive with activity.
By contrast, Tokyo-3 was exceptionally deserted at night. As soon as evening came, a veil of silence seemed to settle over it. Its streets were empty, with only the faint sounds of the occasional passing car.
"What do you think, Shinji?" Zero patted Shinji's shoulder and asked with a smile. "You've never seen crowds like this before, have you?"
Shinji nodded, his gaze drawn to the distant skyscrapers and neon lights. He had never seen anything like them in Tokyo-3.
Looking at the lights glowing in countless homes before them, Haruki said feelingly, "Protecting these people is our job." His voice carried a sense of duty and responsibility.
"Protecting the lights of every home is my dream now, too." As Shinji looked at the rows of illuminated buildings, that dream burned ever brighter.
Once, he had struggled to understand what that dream meant. Now, however, he truly understood the burden that came with this power and had decided to shoulder it.
After looking around Tokyo, Shinji settled into the dormitory Jugglus Juggler had arranged for him.
Looking at Shinji, who lay on the bed watching him, Zero began telling Geed's story.
"Shinji, I mentioned Riku-Ultraman Geed-to you before. Do you really want to hear about him?"
"This is another sad story..."
"I can listen. I'll definitely be able to handle it this time," Shinji said firmly.
"Geed's father was the traitor to the Land of Light... Belial..."
Zero told Shinji Geed's story: how he had been kept in the dark ever since he was created, how he had bravely pulled himself together and fought against fate after learning his origins, how his trials had made him a true warrior, and how he had finally sealed Belial into subspace with his own hands.
"In the end, he sent Belial into an alternate-dimensional space and finished him off himself. Both Belial's body and soul vanished."
"Even if your body came from him, your soul belongs to you alone. Never give up on changing your fate!"
Images appeared in Shinji's mind.
Ultraman Geed crossed his arms in the standard cross-shaped stance and fired a beam at Belial. Belial fired a black-and-red beam of his own to clash with it.
Geed's beam gradually overpowered Belial's.
"Geed!"
With a shout, Belial exploded.
"Goodbye... Father..." Geed murmured as he watched Belial explode.
Shinji was deeply moved by Geed's story.
Not only thanks to Zero's earlier stories, but more importantly because he had grown stronger inside, Geed's story didn't make him cry.
"Even if you're born into misfortune, you can still change your fate?"
"I understand!"
"I'm going to take control of my own fate, just like Riku Asakura!"
"That's the spirit."
After their chat, Shinji went to sleep first.
Zero glanced outside and couldn't help sighing.
"Am I really any different?"
"First the Absolutian, then the Belial Splinters. When will peace return to the universe?"
The next day, Shinji got up and prepared to leave. He had to return today.
He ran into Jugglus Juggler.
Seeing that no one else was around, Jugglus Juggler quickly took out a USB drive and slipped it into Shinji's pocket.
"Here's a little information on the Special Airborne Armors. It'll be useful on your side."
"Mr. Jugglus Juggler..."
"Call me Hebikura here." Jugglus Juggler gave a wicked smile, then turned to leave.
Zero and Shinji quickly discussed it.
"Um... Mr. Hebikura, how about I treat you to breakfast?"
Jugglus Juggler was caught off guard. "Hm?"
"I just wanted to return the favor..."
"That's right, Mr. Hebikura. I brought money." Shinji took out his wallet.
Looking at the slightly bashful Shinji and Zero before him, Jugglus Juggler smiled.
"You don't mind if I invite someone else, do you?"
"Not at all!"
Before long, an elderly man wearing glasses approached. His face was stern, and an imposing air showed in his brow.
"Let me introduce you. This is Mr. Yato, head of the Engineering Team. I've known him for over a decade. Oh, right, he knows my true identity."
After a brief exchange of greetings, the three headed toward a noodle stall.
"Shinji's still young, so we won't make him treat us to anything expensive. A bowl of ramen will be enough to show his appreciation," Yato explained.
The three each ordered three bowls of ramen.
After slurping down his noodles, Shinji took out some banknotes to pay.
"Hold on." Noticing something wrong with the money, Yato snatched it away.
He gave a dry chuckle. "Heh. It'd be a miracle if the owner accepted these."
Shinji and Zero looked bewildered.
Yato handed the banknotes to Jugglus Juggler. "Take a look, Hebikura."
Jugglus Juggler glanced at the notes in surprise, then gave Shinji's bottom an irritated slap and pinched it.
"Tell me... why is the person printed on your money different from ours?!"
"Did Zero draw these for you on the spot?"
With that, Jugglus Juggler took out a banknote of the same denomination to compare them.
Zero hadn't noticed that, because of the Second Impact, the yen notes in the Eva world had a different design from those in a normal world.
They worked in the Eva world, but in Z's world, they were nothing but wastepaper.
Based on his past experience, wasn't yen supposed to work across different worlds...?
"Offering to pay for a meal... only to find out the money doesn't work..." At that moment, Shinji and Zero wanted nothing more than to crawl into a hole.
"Never mind, never mind. The boy didn't know. I'll pay..." Yato smoothed things over and prepared to pay.
"No, I'll pay. You save your money." Jugglus Juggler took out his wallet and paid.
"Remember this, Zero. You owe me a favor now!" Jugglus Juggler shot Zero a sidelong glance and left without looking back.
Zero had originally wanted Shinji to buy some gifts before returning... but now that their money was useless... they could only head back early.
"How humiliating! I actually owe that guy a favor..." Zero's phantom threw back his head and wailed.
"I feel pretty humiliated, too... Zero..." Shinji was just as embarrassed.
It was time to part ways. Riku, Haruki, and Shinji gathered in an open area.
A spaceship came to pick Riku up.
At first, Riku said he wanted to stay on this Earth and protect it alongside Z, but Haruki stopped him.
"Z and I will make sure those people abusing Devil Splinters get the punishment they deserve!"
"All right." Riku bumped fists with Haruki.
"Count me in!" Shinji ran over and bumped fists with them, too.
"Goodbye, Shinji, and you too, Zero! Keep doing your best in that world!"
"Goodbye, Riku Asakura!"
"Take care of yourself, too, Haruki."
"And make sure Z takes care of himself, too."
Shinji raised his arm. The Palaj Bracelet began to shine, and Zero's glasses flew out.
Shinji snapped them on and transformed into Zero.
"See you!"
Zero flew into space, while Riku boarded his spaceship.
"Riku Asakura, Zero, Shinji! I'll definitely keep our promise!"
Somewhere no one had noticed, "Shinya Kaburagi" was handing something to a shadowy figure.
"Hmph... I'm only helping because I have high hopes for your Civilization Self-Destruction Game."
"Then I should thank you for your trust."
"I really didn't expect you to want this seemingly useless technology."
"No technology is useless. It just depends on whether you know how to use it."
"Keep running your mouth, then. Here, take this, too."
It handed two jars of red liquid to the shadowy figure.
"I've already finished making the Medals, so you can have some of this."
"Thank you. I should head back. I wish you success, Celebro."
"You too. Watch out for the Ultra Warriors."
"Not even they can stop my plan..." the shadowy figure said through gritted teeth.
Before you continue