Shinji Ikari, returned from Warhammer

They turned to each other simultaneously, revealing their true intentions!

Chapter Twenty-Nine: The Final Battle, Neo-Tokyo

The battles with the apostles were the cleanest and most decisive, because neither side understood the possibility of conflict and there was no basis for exchanging harsh words; it was simply a matter of life and death.

"Rei, proceed according to plan." Misato Katsuragi's voice rang out in the cockpit of Unit-00.

The moment Unit-00 set foot on land, it immediately sprinted to the left. Despite its imposing entrance, the yellow-bodied Unit-00 fled in a panicked manner, resembling a frightened rabbit.

But the very next second after they left, a dark red beam of light, surrounded by lightning, streaked across the sky above Tokyo-3 in a chilling arc.

That beam of light, capable of tearing through everything, was even more powerful than the Light Spear of the Water Apostle. Amidst the swirling lightning, the dark, light-colored beam, transcending the boundaries of physics and continuing to increase in power, transformed into a weapon capable of slicing through everything after being continuously charged by the Lightning Apostle, and then began to tear apart everything it touched.

The steel forest composed of reinforced concrete cracked open like clay, however—

The yellow figure moved across the earth like a bolt of lightning (Note 1).

"Rei, the energy output of the Sixth Angel is still rising. Keep running." Misato Katsuragi's voice rang in Rei Ayanami's ear.

“Understood,” Rei Ayanami replied.

Despite the chaotic scene of a chase, each department was brimming with confidence.

The battle plan, devised before the battle even began, involved a pre-emptive evacuation. This was because technicians at the central control center had observed the Lightning Angel's energy gathering. Clearly, the operational command was successful; even such an exaggerated beam failed to damage Unit-00.

Of course, the umbilical cable was inevitably severed in two.

Despite their enormous size, EVA units possess extraordinary mobility. They can jump to their own height from a standing position and leap hundreds of meters from a single point. At this moment, Unit-00 was even speeding through Tokyo at near-sound speed.

The yellow machine seemed like lightning tearing through the steel forest.

"Warning, the umbilical cable has been disconnected from power and switched to backup power. The current maximum output can be maintained for one minute, and the minimum operating output for five minutes." The mechanical female voice of MAGI, belonging to the Three Sages Supercomputer System, sounded in Rei Ayanami's ear.

Although the umbilical cable was severed by the beam of light, Misato Katsuragi remained completely unmoved.

"No need to worry about it, Rei, proceed according to the original plan." Misato Katsuragi kept her eyes glued to the screen as she continued to issue instructions, "Attention, the Sixth Angel's Absolute Territory has been deployed, and its form has changed from an attack stance to an unknown state. Begin preparing to charge the Anode Electron Cannon."

“Understood,” Rei Ayanami replied.

At this moment, in the central command center, Misato Katsuragi listened to reports from various departments in the adjacent control room while frantically issuing orders to Unit-00. At this moment, all departments of the NERV Headquarters Tactical Operations Bureau were operational—an unprecedented sight, or perhaps, this was how it should be.

A special monitoring department is responsible for observing the Angels, including their form changes, energy charging, AT field deployment, and many other situations; a top-tier logistics department is responsible for the synchronization rate of the combat units, battle damage, circuit connection, and many other situations; finally, the Three Sages system organizes and controls the data, transmitting it to the central command center where Misato Katsuragi is located, where they formulate the battlefield operation plan.

Whether it was the Thunder Apostle's changing form, its ability charging, or the absolute domain currently unfolding, all of these were observed in advance by headquarters. Different countermeasures were then formulated in response to its changes.

"This is real combat!" Everyone exclaimed in their hearts, so much so that even the staff working in a flurry of activity were full of energy.

While Unit-01's exhilarating, godlike combat style was undeniably satisfying, he completely ignored headquarters. What were they then? Just extras in anime, waiting to applaud the protagonist's victory?

Oh, it seems that's really the case.

Damn it! We also want to hug the pilots and celebrate the greatness of humanity after the battle!

Rei Ayanami truly lived up to her reputation as the first chosen one trained by the headquarters. At this moment, everyone was in high spirits, finally finding a sense of accomplishment in participating in battle through Rei Ayanami.

Rei Ayanami, piloting Unit-00, was like the most perfect machine; the program she had practiced hundreds of times had become second nature to her. The power core spun with a high-frequency noise, and lightning surged from the G-type equipment. A deep roar emanated from the barrel, like the sound of a wild beast.

However, the Thunder Apostle also raised its AT stance to protect itself, but Misato Katsuragi's gaze remained sharp as she issued her orders.

"Operation proceeds as planned. HIMARS multiple rocket launcher systems are connected to the Japan Aerospace Defence Ground Environment Network. All systems are to be launched!"

Then, the barriers of the Third Tokyo Four Directions, including the mountains and forests, were all opened, and streams of ground-attack missiles and long-range anti-ship missiles, trailing thick white smoke, all flew towards the blue Thunder Apostle in the center.

The speed of the Thunder Apostle's reaction and transformation exceeded everyone's expectations in the combat department. In just a moment, it completed its new form. Its unique shape, resembling a Ferris wheel, locked onto the missile swarms flying from all directions, and then shot out a magnificent pink beam of light.

With a locking mechanism comparable to the Three Sages System, the Thunder Apostle annihilated the incoming missile swarm in a single round. It was at this moment that the true trump card was revealed.

"Launch now!" Misato Katsuragi gave the order.

“Understood,” Rei Ayanami replied.

Lightning bolts shot out from the cannon barrel of the cation cannon. Even without Rei Ayanami's control, the supercomputer's Three Sages System automatically planned the trajectory and perfectly corrected various errors in the sniping process.

The brilliant golden flash, like lightning streaking across the earth, struck the side of the Thunder Apostle, who was now shaped like an upper and lower pyramid.

At this moment, a golden concentric octagonal diamond shield quickly and automatically generated beside the Thunder Apostle to block the blinding lightning shooting from the other end.

However, the Thunder Apostle, still in its transformed mode, was at its weakest point in the AT field. The cation cannon, its trajectory corrected by the Three Sages System, accurately hit its core.

"Success!" The monitoring department erupted in cheers!

"Hit the core. Attack is expected to cease in four seconds," the logistics department reported.

"Did it succeed?" Misato Katsuragi rested her hands on the table, staring at the large screen overflowing with golden light, as if trying to see through the lightning and barriers with her naked eyes to see the specific situation inside the Angel.

The next moment as she pondered this—the distant sky flickered on and off, and after a while, she seemed to hear a faint sound as if the earth was being torn apart.

"It sounds like thunder?" someone in the central command room asked in confusion.

"High-energy reaction detected inside the target!" the monitoring department quickly issued a warning.

The next moment, even more ferocious lightning shot out from the other end.

The destructive beam of lightning, in the form of annihilating lightning, shot straight ahead from the core of the Thunder Apostle, clashing head-on with the cation cannon that was still continuously emitting light.

Until, both bolts of lightning perished together.

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Note 1: Let me introduce the three basic pieces of equipment in EVA (although I feel like nobody cares about this).

Type B Equipment —

Introduction: The Type B equipment is the standard combat equipment, with the highest adaptability, suitable for most combat situations. However, the Type B equipment becomes completely ineffective underwater. (Note: Shinji Ikari, when first piloting Unit-01 during the battle against the Water Angels, was equipped with the Type B equipment. Its stats are the most balanced.)

Type F equipment —

Introduction: The F-type equipment is a hidden feature of Unit-01, not appearing in the TV series. It was deployed as a crucial fighting force in the official novel *EVA-ANIMA* to repel the mass-produced EVA units. BANDAI has released an HG model of Unit-01 F-type equipment.

It is equipped with a chainsaw (scratch that, a chainsaw sword) and extremely thick armor (Note: Unit-01 wielding the chainsaw sword during the battle against the Daytime Angels was equipped with the F-type armor. High attack and high defense).

G-type equipment —

Description: The most unique type of equipment, with a ballistic calculation system attached to the right shoulder to correct various errors during sniping. The G-type equipment has very poor mobility and is almost entirely an auxiliary ballistic computer. In the new theatrical version, Unit-01 was equipped with the G-type equipment when it used the anode electron cannon to attack the Raijin. However, after being attacked by the Raijin, the G-type equipment was abandoned and Shinji Ikari manually corrected the errors.

In addition, there is also specially customized equipment based on the above models.

For example, the second unit piloted by Misaka is the B-type Equipment Modified Red B-type Close Combat Armor. Also, in the new theatrical version, the second unit is parachuted into the F-type Equipment Modified S-type.

In this chapter, Rei Ayanami is wearing the G-Type Equipment Modified - Abandoned Auxiliary Ballistic Computer. This is a secondary setting by the author.

Because I think the existence of this auxiliary ballistic computer is illogical! Is the supercomputer's Three Sages System just for show, or is it like taking the college entrance exam when your cell phone has no signal?

It can only be said that EVA was made too early; the author did not anticipate the rapid technological advancements that followed the millennium.

Abandoning the complete auxiliary ballistic computer, the Three Sages system assists in correcting the trajectory, achieving the same level of mobility as the standard Type B equipment.

Chapter 30: Unit-00 Awaiting the Day of Resurrection

The thunder subsided, and both appeared to be unharmed.

However, compared to the blue diamond-shaped apostle that quickly recovered to its full state, Unit-00, which was severely lacking in power, was like Ultraman with a red light flashing on his chest, already on the verge of collapse.

"Rei, discard your equipment (cation cannon) and take cover!" Misato Katsuragi said into her headset.

In an instant, a pink beam of light shot out from the blue rhombus-shaped apostle whose core had been revealed. Unit-00 dodged in time, alerted by Misato Katsuragi. But the city behind them was instantly transformed into a sea of ​​fire and inferno.

"High-energy reaction detected inside the target!" the monitoring department quickly issued a warning.

"What?" Misato Katsuragi placed her hands on the table and quickly brought her face close to the big screen.

On the screen, the blue rhombus-shaped Thunder Apostle underwent another unknown change. Now, it took on a square shape, but three sharp rhombus-shaped cones emerged from its body, gleaming with pink light.

This time, there wasn't even time to warn them; the pink beams from the three pyramids hit Unit-00's fuselage precisely.

It was as if time had reversed, but the two had switched places. The Thunder Angel, with some kind of ballistic correction effect, successfully hit the advancing Unit-00. Under the impact of the pink radiation heat rays, both the cockpit inside Unit-01 and the screens in the control room displaying the machine's status continuously popped up crimson warning messages.

In the blink of an eye, the situation reversed.

Misato Katsuragi swiftly issued the order, "Declare this operation a failure and prepare to recall Unit-00!"

"No, Unit Zero is still half a kilometer away from the nearest elevator shaft. And she's completely unable to move!" shouted a staff member beside her.

Hearing the girl's screams from inside the cockpit, Misato Katsuragi turned her head away, unable to bear it any longer. "Lower the synchronization rate to the minimum first, and have the ground forces begin rescue operations. Hurry! Unit-01 is still here!"

At this moment, in the logistics department, warning red indicators were flashing everywhere on the screen reflecting the current status of Unit-00. Most of the functions on the screen had already malfunctioned or been destroyed, with only a few indicator lights flashing repeatedly between red and green. This meant that the connection between Unit-00 and Rei Ayanami was on the verge of collapse, but the Lightning Angel, or rather, his nervous system, was stubbornly resisting.

As for Unit-01, or rather, Shinji Ikari's whereabouts, MAGI, belonging to the Three Sages System, automatically answered in Misato Katsuragi's earpiece before her subordinates could respond.

[Lieutenant Ikari is now in the cockpit. Unit-01's first stage has successfully started and it is moving towards the launch bay. It is expected to reach the ground in twenty-three seconds.]

Rewind five minutes. While Unit-00 was heading to the battlefield, Shinji Ikari was also rushing to the Third Test Site where Unit-01 was located.

Shinji Ikari had no way of knowing what was happening on the ground. But he could vaguely sense another heart beating steadily.

Shinji Ikari knew that it belonged to Rei Ayanami.

It seems that Rei Ayanami, piloting Unit-00, is the only complete individual. Even though they are separated by a great distance, Shinji Ikari can feel her heartbeat and pulse in this state, and... fear.

Suddenly, the ground shook violently overhead, as if a meteorite had struck the earth, and the aftershocks spread through Hakone like ocean waves. Shinji Ikari abruptly turned his head to look in a certain direction above, and in that instant, it was as if the light of a sword being drawn flashed in his pupils.

At that very moment, his gaze seemed to pass through Rei Ayanami, meeting the gaze of Unit-00 on the rampaging Thunder Apostle on the ground.

"Target's internal charging has slowed down; attack temporarily halted!" At this moment, the monitoring department delivered the good news.

"Alright! Deploy the blast shields immediately! HIMARS multiple rocket launchers provide cover, ground troops are responsible for rescue!" Misato Katsuragi made a decisive decision and relayed the new instructions.

Although she didn't know why the Thunder Angel suddenly stopped attacking, it didn't stop Misato Katsuragi from trying to rescue Unit-00, even though she felt the chances were slim.

At this moment, in the third test site, a mechanical female voice conveyed a message to Shinji Ikari via broadcast.

"Shinji Ikari, the Third Child, your spinal cord system is activated. Please log into the cockpit immediately!"

The ground battle situation didn't look optimistic; Shinji Ikari could even hear the urging in the mechanical female voice. Without even prior checks, Unit-01's spinal connection system was already activated, as if everything was being kept simple.

Shinji Ikari stood on the transport platform and passed through a two-meter-high door to arrive at the third test site.

From his vantage point, the test site appeared as a rectangular space. Each side of the test site also had two massive metal gates, each approximately 100 meters high. The test site was largely empty, containing only essential equipment and a few logistical staff.

But none of that matters, because from beginning to end, Shinji Ikari's gaze remained fixed on the giant purple machine at the very front.