EVA: Shinji Ikari Returns from Tiga

Chapter 114 The Tenth Apostle Attacks!

"All personnel! First combat configuration...! Repeat! All personnel! First combat configuration!"

"Prepare for air interception! Prepare for air interception!"

When Asuka and Rei Ayanami arrived at the command room, the piercing alarm had not yet stopped.

"Anti-air interception... Is it coming from space again?"

Asuka frowned... Isn't this the same thing as the Seventh Apostle?
"Asuka...! Rei! Thank goodness... you're back before the Angels launch their attack."

Seeing that the two drivers arrived in time, Misato Katsuragi breathed a sigh of relief... After all, it was her arrangement to make sure the drivers didn't have to come today.

If the apostles really seize this opportunity and cause irreversible and massive damage to the base, then I will have to give back all the commanding authority I just acquired.

"What's the situation...?"

Rei Ayanami took the initiative to speak... Realizing that Shinji Ikari was not there, she felt it was her responsibility to take the lead.

"Suzuhara-kun is still far away and on his way... We can't get in touch with Mari... You're the only ones we can deploy right now. The maintenance on Unit 2 and Unit 0 is complete, right?"

"Yes Yes!"

The two nodded in unison.

However, Misato Katsuragi still asked a question.

"To be honest, the situation of the Angels is still unclear... It's not feasible for you to wait until Shinji returns..."

"I'll take the lead!"

Before Misato Katsuragi could finish speaking, Rei Ayanami stepped forward and spoke decisively.

"We don't want to put all the burden on Ikari-kun's shoulders... We can fight too! We must do everything we can to share Ikari-kun's burdens!"

"...Yes, yes! That giant spider apostle from before...! Wasn't it the two of us who took it down!"

Since Rei Ayanami has already expressed her willingness to fight... Asuka, not wanting to be left behind, also spoke up.

"Is that so... Then, explain the situation. The Tenth Apostle is currently still in satellite orbit—maintaining a fixed speed, falling slowly and steadily... It is not yet clear whether the Apostle possesses the same long-range attack capabilities as the Seventh Apostle."

With that, Misato Katsuragi nodded to the intelligence analyst Maya Ibuki, signaling to display the satellite image of the Tenth Angel on the monitor.

As the signal slowly connected... a bird-shaped outline appeared, completely unlike flesh and blood, but rather drawn from a mass of light and shadow.

"...This is...the Tenth Apostle..."

Asuka clicked her tongue inwardly... She had a feeling that this guy was definitely not someone to mess with!
"The battle plan is... to use long-range sniper rifles... to snipe the Tenth Apostle the instant it enters firing range. But—"

Misato Katsuragi paused in her story because... the second half of her sentence... was not easy to say.

“However…we do not yet know the range of the Tenth Apostle…If we send you out to take your firing positions…but the Tenth Apostle’s attack range is longer than the range of our longest-range weapons…then it would be like lambs to the slaughter.”

Kaji Ryoji took the initiative to speak, finishing the second half of what Katsuragi Misato had been hesitant to say.

"...If Commander Gendo Ikari were still alive, he would have ordered one of you to go without hesitation. Even if it meant sacrificing a mobile suit, it would have been worth it to figure out the enemy's range. But, the current commander is not Gendo Ikari... Although it is nominally Misato Katsuragi, you should know very well... that the leader of our U Project is actually Shinji."

Kaji Ryoji completely disregarded the presence of three intelligence analysts—Ibuki Maya, Aoba Shigeru, and Hyuga Makoto—who were not directly involved in the factional struggle…

No, perhaps... he was also using this opportunity to make these three understand... who is now the absolute leader of NERV.

"...It really is Shinji..."

What is Project U...?

"I don't know... but if it's Shinji, there won't be any problems." After a brief whisper, the three operators tacitly acknowledged Shinji's current dominance.

Kaji Ryoji, somewhat satisfied, continued to speak—

“Shinji values ​​each and every one of you very much, so I propose that you remain at the base and await orders until Shinji returns.”

Although it was a suggestion that suited Shinji Ikari's character, Rei Ayanami couldn't accept it...

"If it is Ikari who has returned, then... the only change is that the one who takes the lead and bears the risk of being attacked by the Tenth Angel has become Ikari."

"Perhaps... But you should also know... Shinji can't be defeated. But you can... So I don't recommend that you take the risk."

Kaji Ryoji's logic is entirely based on the fanatical premise that he will not lose to Shinji Ikari...

However, Rei Ayanami is unwilling to rely on him like that... She fights by Shinji Ikari's side in order to minimize his pain and help him as much as possible.

"Miss Misato...please allow me to proceed."

"Korea……"

Misato Katsuragi looked at Rei Ayanami's face with some difficulty... From a tactical command perspective, she should naturally have Rei Ayanami or Asuka probe the enemy's attack range and attack patterns first...

However, considering Shinji Ikari's personality—I should wait until Shinji Ikari returns before making a judgment…

"I can let...!?"

Just as Misato Katsuragi was organizing her thoughts to persuade Rei Ayanami, a scream came from Makoto Hyuga.

"EVA Unit-02! Launch...!"

"What did you say?!"

It was only then that everyone realized... while Rei Ayanami and Ryoji Kaji were arguing... Asuka had disappeared without a trace.

She went inside EVA Unit-02 all by herself and launched herself!

"Asuka...!!"

Misato Katsuragi immediately tried to call out via communicator, but by then Unit-02 had already detached from the ground and reached the surface.

"Hehehe... Sorry, Misato! But I'm already exposed... To prevent that jerk from getting his hands on me for nothing, hurry up and give me the sniper rifle! Watch me take him down with one beautiful shot!"

"Asuka..."

Rei Ayanami looked at Unit-02, which had already entered its battle position on the screen, feeling extremely guilty... Asuka's words echoed in her mind...

"What nonsense are you talking about, Ali... I'm the one protecting you!"

I should have acted sooner... not argued with Misato or Kaji... but acted directly like Asuka...

Asuka did it to share my anxieties and dangers...

"Miss Misato! Requesting deployment...! I'm in support position! If anything happens, I can bring Asuka back immediately!"

With that, Rei Ayanami ran toward the EVA hangar.

"I know...! Prepare for battle!"

Misato Katsuragi tacitly approved of the two girls' actions... Since the two girls had shown their determination to become Shinji Ikari's helpers... she could no longer stand in their way!

(End of this chapter)