When explosion firelight dispersed, standing on the battlefield—only the giant with red and silver body.
Under night sky, those glowing eyes were exceptionally striking.
"Giant of... light." Misato Katsuragi stared blankly at the distant giant. Countless memory fragments flashed through her mind. Hand gripping the chest cross tightened further.
Fifteen years ago—the Antarctic continent destruction event. The government's public announcement—natural disaster caused by meteorite.
When this disaster occurred, Misato Katsuragi was on scene.
She was that incident's sole survivor. Also one of the few in the world who knew the inside story.
What caused the Second Impact... wasn't any meteorite at all. But a giant awakening from light. A deity about to cleanse and restart the entire world—Adam.
The organization SEELE, grasping world secrets while secretly controlling human society, wanted to conduct a series of experiments on sleeping Adam. So according to plan, awakened Adam who was once creator.
However, they discovered awakened Adam couldn't be easily controlled by them. Had no choice but to activate the self-destruct system pre-installed in Adam's body. Reversed and destroyed Adam's AT Field.
The impact triggered when Adam self-destructed destroyed Antarctic glaciers. Led to thousands of species' extinction. Simultaneously took half of humanity's lives. This was the Second Impact's truth.
Misato Katsuragi's father's team was the experimental executors SEELE dispatched. That year she also followed and participated in that mission. Personally witnessed Adam's awakening. Once left enormous shadow in her heart.
So now seeing again a giant with destructive power, her mind still couldn't help recalling that day fifteen years ago.
"Are you... Adam... or a giant bringing hope?" Misato Katsuragi stood before numerous NERV organization members. Gaze never left the giant. Expression complex.
She didn't know if the giant would turn its blade toward them after eliminating the Angel.
She only knew—if the giant wanted to unleash destruction now, they fundamentally couldn't stop it.
Not just her. Professor Fuyutsuki and Gendo Ikari in the command room were also guessing the giant's subsequent actions.
And exceeding their expectations—
"Energy reaction appeared on the giant again!"
"He... flew up!" Technical personnel constantly monitoring the giant loudly reported.
On-site personnel only heard a "BOOM" loud sound. That giant leaped toward the night sky. High-speed flight's impact stirred up a hurricane. Dispersed and swept through.
Misato Katsuragi raised her hand to block the dispersing hurricane. Then stared blankly at the sky: "...Left?"
"Lock onto its position. This time definitely don't lose track." In the command room, Gendo Ikari stared at the screen. Ordered several technical personnel.
Last time the giant suddenly appeared, then suddenly disappeared. They couldn't react in time. But now he wouldn't let it slip away under his nose.
"Target's speed already exceeded twice the speed of sound. And still accelerating. About to enter the troposphere. Breaking through toward outside the atmosphere... Not good! It disappeared!" Technical personnel monitoring the giant exclaimed in unison.
"What?" Gendo Ikari turned to look at them. Furrowed brow. "Why did you lose track?"
"Specific situation still being determined. But... from the footage, it disappeared instantly after entering the troposphere's clouds."
"This... really is a sufficiently mysterious existence." Professor Fuyutsuki heard technical personnel's report. Also furrowed brow.
Appeared when people fell into crisis. Quickly eliminated Angels. Then quickly disappeared.
Completely no intention to communicate with them. Also couldn't determine whether it possessed intelligence. The only thing certain—it didn't have an AT Field. But still possessed extremely powerful strength.
Judging from this battle, its power far exceeded Angels. Even far exceeded EVA series units.
Even if EVA went berserk, probably couldn't contend with it.
"Why would such a powerful existence... appear on Earth?" Professor Fuyutsuki couldn't figure it out.
Their understanding of the giant was really too limited. Even the prophecy book never mentioned its existence.
Currently the only intelligence they could determine—the giant had no malice toward humans. And even actively helped them eliminate Angels.
Whether standing from humanity's perspective or standing from the Human Instrumentality Project executors' perspective—they temporarily had no conflict of positions.
"Regardless, the giant's existence is good for us now." Gendo Ikari crossed hands. Glasses lenses reflected light. Voice low. "If this giant hadn't appeared this time, we would have suffered massive losses."
If the giant hadn't appeared, they would have simultaneously lost Unit-01 and Unit-00 in this mission.
"Shinji's behavior this time also exceeded our expectations." Professor Fuyutsuki heard the word "losses." Thought of Shinji Ikari's behavior at the critical moment. "At that time, he should have fired the second shot under Unit-00's cover."
Shinji Ikari didn't follow their orders. This was also a troublesome matter for them.
"No matter."
"We can completely accept the current result." Gendo Ikari wasn't very concerned about this.
After all, he originally didn't have high hopes for his son.
"Moreover... Shinji and that giant very likely also have some connection." Gendo Ikari recalled these days' details. Keenly discovered this point.
The day the giant descended, Shinji was not far from the battlefield. Was affected by the military's N2 Mine explosion at that time. But in the end was completely safe.
Afterward, even displayed an unfamiliar side he himself didn't know.
Today when Shinji fell into danger, that giant appeared again. Various clues made it hard not to connect both sides.
"Those eyes... definitely aren't something Shinji could possess." Gendo Ikari touched the fine scabbed wound on his face. Recalled that scene earlier in Unit-01's hangar.
Even though they hadn't met for years, he knew what personality his son had. Absolutely wouldn't make such forceful behavior.
"Shinji and the giant?" Professor Fuyutsuki listened. Narrowed eyes. "Do you plan to obtain information about the giant from Shinji?"
If a connection existed between both sides, then Gendo Ikari definitely had methods to obtain information about the giant using his father's identity.
"No need." Gendo Ikari again brought hands together. Returned to sculpture state.
"With Shinji's current situation, doing that would only be counterproductive."
"I only need him to be able to kill Angels. That's enough."
He could only guess Shinji might have a connection with the giant. As for what kind of relationship both sides had—he completely couldn't guess.
Current situation was all what he hoped to see. Since so, no need to add variables.
"Shinji's specific situation doesn't need to be reported to those SEELE people. We only need to execute the plan according to our expectations." Gendo Ikari said to Professor Fuyutsuki.
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