"Shinji!"
Misato below saw the scene. Had no idea what happened. But instinctively shouted Shinji's name.
"That's impossible."
"No human could shatter that glass barehanded..." Ritsuko Akagi froze.
That glass wasn't ordinary blast-proof material. Basically required heavy weaponry to break.
But this boy just punched through it.
His earlier actions could be explained by exceptional physical ability. But this? Completely beyond science.
"Commander Ikari!" Other hangar staff shouted in concern.
"Commander Ikari..." Rei Ayanami struggled to look that direction.
The boy who'd caused all this stood before Gendo Ikari. Unyielding.
"Are you... Shinji?" Gendo stood still. White-gloved hand touched the slight blood on his cheek from glass shards. Voice heavy.
He'd been monitoring Shinji. Not from paternal concern. From the perspective of watching a tool.
Shinji Ikari was an essential piece in his plan. He knew Shinji's physical condition intimately. The boy's physique was ordinary human range. Couldn't do this.
Which meant something had happened to Shinji outside his surveillance.
Daring to defy his orders. Even attack him. Absolutely not something his insecure child could do.
"Does someone like you deserve to be called a father?" The boy lowered his fist. Stood before Gendo. Questioned him.
'Natsuki-san...' The real Shinji Ikari watched this scene. Stunned.
Natsuki was controlling the body now. Shinji was the observer.
As a veteran Ultraman, though his combat power had declined, he was still extremely adept at wielding partial strength in human form.
Shinji felt anger at his father's orders. But his upbringing prevented him from venting those emotions.
Now Natsuki-san had rebelled in his place. Completely unexpected.
Though his personality couldn't produce such behavior, somehow—seeing this scene felt satisfying.
"What do you mean?" Gendo looked at the boy whose temperament had drastically changed. Cold face.
Since yesterday, unexpected events kept happening. His mood was extremely irritated.
"Go learn what a father's responsibilities are."
"'I' am not your tool."
"Next time, this fist won't just shatter glass."
The boy stared into Gendo's eyes. Gaze sharp.
Gendo fell silent for a moment. Seemed to listen. Mind also pondering deeper matters.
"Understood." After brief consideration, Gendo made his decision. Nodded.
"This world needs you, Shinji."
"Board the EVA."
Hearing this, the golden light in the boy's eyes gradually faded.
"Mm." Shinji said.
He didn't know how Natsuki-san managed it. But his father's attitude toward him had indeed changed.
'Thank you, Natsuki-san.' He said internally.
Natsuki nodded silently.
This old fox was probably still scheming. But at least on the surface, he'd backed down.
Treating a child purely as a tool—he truly couldn't tolerate it.
Soon, under Ritsuko Akagi's arrangements, Shinji entered Unit-01's Entry Plug cockpit.
He would pilot Unit-01 against the monster. Natsuki was curious what power this world's machine could unleash.
"Entry Plug entering Unit-01."
"EVA Unit-01, prepare for activation!" Outside, Ritsuko Akagi—actual head of the EVA development project—commanded Unit-01's startup procedures.
As the white Entry Plug inserted into Unit-01's spinal position behind the head, coolant around Unit-01 began draining. Revealing a slender purple-green giant body.
BOOM!
Above ground, the Fourth Angel still battled automated defense towers. Began attacking the surface. Preparing to force through to the underground space.
"We need to hurry." Ritsuko felt the base shaking. Accelerated Unit-01's sortie procedures.
Misato also headed to the command center. Ready to direct this battle.
Gendo left the control room.
After power connected, dormant Unit-01's eyes slowly lit up.
"This thing isn't a mech. It's a living creature..." Inside the cockpit, Natsuki examined Unit-01's structure. Instantly saw flesh beneath the steel shell.
Unlike Pacific Rim's Jaegers, these machines weren't purely mechanical constructs. Couldn't even be called mechs.
Unit-01 was alive.
"Huh?" Shinji, still curiously examining the cockpit, heard this and froze.
He wasn't piloting a mech, but a living creature?
Others might feel revulsion.
But sitting in Unit-01's cockpit, Shinji felt an inexplicable warmth. Didn't dislike Unit-01.
Then LCL liquid flooded in. Replaced the air. Allowed Shinji to synchronize more closely with Unit-01.
"Mmph!" Strange liquid entered his nasal cavity. Shinji instinctively covered his mouth.
"It's fine. This stuff helps you breathe." Natsuki reminded him.
Pacific Rim's Jaegers had similar technology.
"...It really does." Shinji released his hand. Found he could actually breathe. The liquid directly supplied oxygen to his blood.
And the cockpit walls became transparent. He could see outside directly. He'd begun neural synchronization with Unit-01.
"Mental contamination readings within standard range. All connections normal. Communications linked. All circuits open..." Ritsuko had left the hangar. Arrived at the command center watching data on screens.
"Incredible. Nearly 35% sync ratio without any training." She said, amazed.
Not just anyone could pilot Unit-01. The other pilot, Rei Ayanami, had participated in Unit-01's activation tests. But her sync ratio was much lower than Shinji's.
Most critically—this was Shinji's first time piloting an EVA. Hadn't even worn a specialized suit. Yet achieved such a high sync ratio.
It seemed Unit-01 could unleash its proper power in this boy's hands.
"Only 35%?" Gendo saw the data. Also surprised. But not because the value was high. Rather—too low.
EVA sync ratios related to a person's mental state.
This situation could only mean Shinji's closed heart had opened slightly.
The more normal a person's mentality, the lower their EVA sync ratio.
Under normal circumstances, Shinji's sync ratio should exceed 40%. This situation... related to those golden eyes?
Gendo guessed it connected to whatever had happened to Shinji. But right now, no time to investigate specifics. Had to see what current Shinji could achieve piloting Unit-01.
Eliminating the Angel was the primary objective.
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