Call with Kaji ended.
Professor Fuyutsuki entered Gendo's office.
"Two Angels appearing simultaneously. This should be impossible." He said.
The Dead Sea Scrolls. Prophecy book recording Angel appearances and Human Instrumentality rituals. SEELE and NERV—both guiding everything toward the Scrolls' predicted future.
But when the Third Angel's prophesied awakening came in 2015, discrepancies appeared.
First anomaly: the Scrolls' Angel records... changed.
"According to field reports, the Sixth Angel appeared first. Then immediately after, from an undersea volcano... the Eighth Angel." Fuyutsuki's voice carried unease.
"The Seventh hasn't appeared yet. But the Eighth already has."
"Not in embryonic form either. Already a massive individual."
"The Angel sequence. Disrupted."
"Likely... connected to that Angel which should not exist."
Fuyutsuki recalled the Dead Sea Scrolls anomaly they'd discovered. About a month ago. In the Angel records. Shadows appeared from nothing.
Counting Adam and Lilith as creators, including humanity—eighteen Angels total.
Then that day. We witnessed it. The Nineteenth Angel materialized from non-existence. Its name appeared before our eyes in the Scrolls.
[Ghost Angel]
Like a phantom. Intruding into our reality from the void.
"They detected two Angel signatures from the Eighth. But only one life sign."
"No mistake. It's the ghost." Gendo's expression hardened.
The Nineteenth possessed the Eighth.
Abnormal Angel appearance frequency. The ghost's doing.
"Unit-00 and Unit-02 against three Angels simultaneously. Difficult."
"Should we deploy Unit-01?" Fuyutsuki's concern showed.
The Angels target Adam's embryo. Critical to the plan. Cannot be lost.
"Unnecessary."
"Shinji's there." Gendo showed no worry.
I deliberately separated Shinji from Unit-01. To confirm if there's a direct connection between Shinji and the giant.
If Shinji's endangered and the giant appears—hypothesis confirmed.
As for Adam's embryo—with Unit-00 and Unit-02 engaging, Kaji will find a window to extract it.
Pacific Ocean surface.
"What? Another Angel?" Shinji froze in Unit-02's cockpit.
Angel attack frequency is way too high.
"No problem. I'll engage the other Angel." Rei's voice came through comms.
"Counting on you, Rei." Misato said. "Asuka, Shinji—be careful. This mission just got extremely dangerous."
Never expected two Angels. Can these EVAs win in such unfavorable terrain?
But it's come to this. I have to trust these kids.
"Relax... Against something like this..." Asuka gripped the high-frequency particle blade. The Fish Angel charged. She swung.
SLASH.
Blade met flesh. Cut in. Blood poured. But the Fish Angel's jaws clamped Unit-02's leg. Dragged it forward.
"Gah!"
"Damn it! The damage isn't enough!" Pain shot through Asuka. The wound on the Angel's massive body—insignificant. This thing's tougher than I thought.
"Hey! Let go!" She tried yanking Unit-02's leg free. The struggle only worsened the armor damage.
Shinji understood. First real combat. Not scared. But inexperienced.
Unit-02 got dragged through the water. The carrier connected by power cable followed.
"Asuka! Your position—" Misato watched the carrier get pulled. Alarm rising. Then she looked up. A massive brown shape broke the surface.
SKREEE!
Giant flounder-like creature. Long tentacles on both sides. Flat head. Circular mouth packed with teeth. Launched straight for the flagship.
[Image: Eighth Angel, Womb Angel]
WHAM.
Unit-00 blocked the attack. Grabbed the Angel's sides. Held against the force.
The ship rocked violently.
Kaji ran across the deck. Sealed briefcase in hand. Sprinting for the helicopter. Get out before this turns into full combat.
"Eh? Kaji?" Misato spotted him from the bridge. Surprised.
He's here too? Where's he going?
ROAR!
The Womb Angel saw Kaji. Locked on.
BOOM.
AT Field surged. Amplified.
Unit-00 got thrown back. Tipping toward the water. Rei reacted fast. Grabbed another carrier. Pulled herself upright.
"Not good!" Kaji heard the impact behind him. Turned. The massive Womb Angel airborne. Diving straight at him.
Its flat body cast him in shadow.
If that lands, I'm paste.
It's after the embryo. No question.
"Kaji!" Misato's shout from the bridge.
That instant. A glowing object shot from the water. Faster. Higher.
CRASH.
The Womb Angel hit something. Recoiled backward. SPLASH. Back into the sea.
"What?"
"That's...!?" Kaji looked up. Massive silver shield. Red trim. Gold diamond centerpiece.
Underwater.
Unit-02's cockpit.
"What did you just throw?" Asuka turned to Shinji.
His eyes. Golden light flickered in them.
"Nothing."
"Leave the rest to me." Natsuki's voice came through Shinji.
"Huh?" Asuka's confusion peaked.
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