Eva-titan—The Divine Punishment-class Volcano Cannon mounted on its back reached peak charge. The space around the muzzle distorted into ripples visible to the naked eye. Blinding white light made it impossible to keep one's eyes open, and a low hum sounded like the countdown of death.
Its red mono-eye coldly locked onto the deifying Unit-01 beneath the gate of guf, without any hesitation.
"It—it's really going to attack!" Asuka's voice trembled with fear.
Attacking the deifying Unit-01 and the gate of guf—the consequences were unimaginable!
Inside the NERV command center, Misato Katsuragi's face turned deathly pale. She wanted to give the order to stop it, but found her commands seemed utterly feeble in the face of absolute violence.
Gendo Ikari's gaze, hidden behind his glasses, was fixed on the screen. His interlocked fingers turned white from the force—this sudden attack could completely disrupt his plans!
However, inside the safe house, Osiris's eyes were calm, without a single ripple of emotion.
His calculations were clear and ruthless: the deifying Unit-01 was the most unstable factor at this moment, the core key that could initiate and possibly dominate the "Complementary Project."
It must first be "neutralized," or at least its process temporarily interrupted, to create space for subsequent actions.
As for the risk—in his deductions, the risk of allowing Unit-01 to continue deifying was even greater.
"Target: The energy connection point between Unit-01's Deification core and the gate of guf. Divine Punishment-class Volcano Cannon, full power, fire!" The command was instantly transmitted through the psychic link.
The next moment, the world seemed to lose all sound.
An indescribable, blazing white torrent, with a diameter large enough to swallow a skyscraper, roared out from the cannon mouth on eva-titan's back!
It was not light, nor flame, but destruction energy of the purest extreme. Where it passed, space itself seemed to be melted,
torn apart, leaving behind a briefly existing, distorted vacuum trail.
This torrent of destruction did not directly impact Unit-01's body. Instead, with terrifyingly precise accuracy, it violently struck the energy nexus connecting the massive white halo above Unit-01's head and the phantom of the gate of guf!
"BOOM!!!!!"
An indescribably loud explosion finally erupted, like ten thousand thunderclaps detonating simultaneously.
Immediately followed by a burst of intense light strong enough to blind retinas, casting the entirety of Tokyo-3, and even areas beyond, in a stark, pale white.
Unit-01's originally unshakable golden AT Field, under this strike that surpassed the conventional physical laws of this world, emitted an unbearable, piercing shattering sound, like glass struck by a heavy hammer!
Countless golden AT Field fragments scattered like solid crystals, only to be completely vaporized the instant they touched the blazing white torrent.
Unit-01 itself let out a roar mixed with pain and fury. Its massive purple body was violently shoved away from beneath the gate of guf by this irresistible force and slammed into the ground.
The divine radiance swirling around its body instantly dimmed. The white halo above its head flickered violently, becoming unstable as if it could extinguish at any moment.
The rotating geometric patterns of the gate of guf also experienced a momentary stagnation and distortion. The streams of colorful energy flowing from within the gate became chaotic.
This single shot had almost forcibly interrupted the Deification process!
"Synchronization rate dropping sharply! Unit-01's Deification state unstable! Energy levels falling!" In the command center, an operator practically roared the report.
Everyone was rendered speechless, awestruck by this god-slaying strike.
Including Gendo Ikari.
The most crucial link in his plan had been almost disrupted by this unknown enemy in such a violent, direct manner!
However, Osiris gave no one a chance to catch their breath.
Almost before the energy aftershocks from the Volcano Cannon's firing had dissipated, while the muzzle still glowed with a dark red light and underwent overload cooling, eva-titan's massive frame had already turned sharply. Its red mono-eye, like a searchlight, instantly locked onto the next target.
Unit-06, which had just risen from the ruins and was preparing to attack.
The true threat had not yet been eliminated.
The terrifying Volcano Cannon on eva-titan's back fell temporarily silent, but its massive feet stomped the ground. Its heavy frame erupted with a speed that belied its size, charging towards Unit-06 like a mountain of steel.
Its ferocious power claws were already raised. Their tips tore through the air, carrying an aura of annihilating all matter, as they descended to grab Unit-06's head—Unit-06's newly formed dark red energy spear, not yet thrown, had to be shifted to block.
It raised the energy spear, attempting to parry the giant claws capable of crushing mountains.
"CLANG—!!!"
The piercing sound of metal impact mixed with the explosive roar of energy annihilation.
The energy spear in Unit-06's hands cracked all over the instant they made contact. Its entire frame was forced to slide backward by eva-titan's sheer power, its feet carving two deep trenches in the ground.
Osiris's tactics were crystal clear: Use overwhelming firepower to interrupt the most threatening Deification process, then use formidable close-quarters combat power to swiftly eliminate the interference unit directly controlled by SEELE—Unit-06.
Just as the two giant gods engaged in brutal melee combat, deep within NERV Headquarters, in the Central Dogma.
Gendo Ikari watched the screen showing the Deification-interrupted, struggling Unit-01, then looked at Unit-06 locked in fierce combat with the unknown powerful enemy, and the distant unit-03 swaying from the energy impact. A muscle in his face twitched slightly.
The lance of longinus had already been pulled from Lilith's chest by technicians risking their lives. It now floated quietly within a specialized restraint field, emitting an ominous dark red glow.
However, where was the "hand" that could wield it?
Unit-01 was temporarily out of control, Unit-00 was fused, Unit-02 was critically damaged and paralyzed—
The only remaining mobile unit with a relatively stable pilot condition was that white unit-03.
He had to mobilize all available forces to stabilize the situation and eliminate the threats.
His icy voice transmitted directly through the comms channel to Asuka's entry plug: "unit-03 pilot, Asuka Langley Soryu."
Asuka was struggling to stabilize unit-03, which was affected by the energy shockwaves. Hearing the voice, she was stunned: "—commander?"
"The lance of longinus is ready. Proceed immediately to the designated coordinates to receive it." Gendo's voice brooked no argument, carrying the finality of a supreme commander issuing an ultimate order. "Your mission is to use the lance of longinus to defeat the current primary threat targets—that gray unknown unit, and the unpredictable Unit-06. Ensure the success of NERV's operation."
The lance of longinus? That legendary divine weapon that pierced Lilith? Entrusted to her to use?
Asuka's mind went blank for an instant under the weight of this sudden, overwhelming task.
Using that thing—to fight?
An immense pressure enveloped her.
But amidst the chaotic thoughts, one core understanding was clear: Whether it was that gray giant god that nearly destroyed everything, or the purpose-unknown, dangerously abnormal Unit-06, they were enemies that must be stopped.
Protecting this place, ending this battle, was the pilot's responsibility.
Confusion and a heavy sense of duty intertwined in her heart. Ultimately, the latter gained the upper hand.
She had no time to ponder whether there were other meanings behind this command. Defeating the immediate enemy was the top priority.
"—Understood." She heard her own voice reply, carrying a hint of tension from the pressure.
The white unit-03's engines roared. Without hesitation, it changed direction and sped at full throttle towards the coordinates indicated by Gendo, preparing to receive that god-slaying spear.
And on the ground battlefield, the death struggle between eva-titan and Unit-06 was entering its most intense phase.
Every collision between power claws and energy spear erupted with ear-splitting roars and dazzling sparks of energy.