"What is that?"
Staring at the white fog spewing head-on, Shinji Ikari was stunned, and Asuka and Li were also looking at each other in confusion, unsure of the situation.
However, watching the elusive figure within the fog, Gendo Ikari’s expression beca even more grim.
"All personnel, first combat preparation. Target: unknown entity, attack."
First combat preparation?
"But Commander, that’s not an Angel Envoy..."
"This is an order."
Gendo Ikari paid no heed to what others thought, decisively issuing the command. Upon hearing this, the staff below also changed their expressions several tis before reluctantly lowering their heads.
Soon, the barrage reignited.
"What on earth is happening?"
Seeing this, Shinji Ikari was completely at a loss.
"Weren’t the Angels already eliminated?"
"They’re not targeting the Angels."
At that mont, Rei Ayanami imdiately provided an answer, and at the sa ti, Asuka and Shinji Ikari watched in astonishnt as the girl floating in the air was suddenly engulfed by the barrage and completely vanished.
"Father, what are you doing?!"
Startled, Shinji Ikari hurriedly initiated communication to contact his father.
"That girl saved us! What are you doing?"
"She is not human; there’s no evidence proving she is our ally."
"But..."
"Unit-00, Unit-01, and Unit-02 deploy imdiately and capture the target."
"What?"
Hearing this order, Asuka also lost her composure.
"Why? She’s not an Angel Envoy! I refuse! Shinji, Rei, will either of you go?"
"...I’m not going."
Unlike in the ani, Shinji Ikari no longer needs to act according to his father’s wishes, so he hesitated for a mont before imdiately making his decision.
As for Rei Ayanami, she didn’t speak up. Instead, Unit-00 imdiately sprang into action, dashing toward the girl.
"Wait, Rei, what are you doing?!"
Seeing this, Asuka exploded in anger.
"If you dare to take action, I’ll have a falling out with you!"
However, Rei Ayanami did not respond; instead, Unit-00 dashed in front of Red Ponytail, raising its shield to block this round of attack!
"...Li."
Seeing this, Gendo Ikari finally lost his cool.
"This is an order."
"I refuse to comply."
Rei Ayanami’s voice remained calm, but everyone present was utterly shocked.
It’s outrageous, even Rei Ayanami is not listening to Commander Ikari!
Hearing this, others couldn’t help but look towards Gendo Ikari to see what he intended to do. In fact, many found Gendo Ikari’s inexplicable order surprising; although that girl’s origins were unknown, she had helped to fight off the Angels. Not only is there no gratitude, but you also plan to repay kindness with malice?
"..."
At this mont, Gendo Ikari’s face was as dark as coal.
"Cut the connection between EVAs and their pilots, activate the Puppet System."
"This..."
"That’s an order."
"Yes..."
"-----!!"
The next mont, the three EVAs suddenly ceased action. Then, they opened their eyes again, emitting a crimson Radiance.
"Boom!!"
Unit-01 suddenly stretched its hand towards the girl in front and grabbed at her. anwhile, Unit-00 and Unit-02 each drew their weapons and hacked at the floating girl.
However...
"Swish-----!"
A sparkling blue barrier appeared instantly, blocking the attacks of the three EVAs. The floating Red Ponytail turned her head, looked towards NERV headquarters, and smiled slightly.
"I knew you wouldn’t give up until you hit a dead end, Gendo Ikari."
As she spoke, Red Ponytail raised her hand and snapped her fingers. In the next instant, the three EVAs seed to be drained of energy, showing no response.
"What’s going on?"
Witnessing this, Gendo Ikari was shocked internally and asked in a low tone.
"I don’t know, it’s... it’s... the Puppet System was forcibly cut off, completely deleted!"
"How could this be? Imdiately..."
However, before Gendo Ikari could finish speaking, Red Ponytail on the screen lifted the Greatsword in her hand. Soon, a forty-ter-long Fla Great Blade shot skyward, then heavily ca down, cleaving NERV headquarters into two halves!
"Boom!!!"
The great blade of fla almost grazed Gendo Ikari’s ear as it swept past, yet even so, Gendo Ikari remained seated in the chair, motionless.
"Don’t think I don’t know what you’re planning, Gendo Ikari."
A strange, crisp, sweet voice echoed from all directions, resonating throughout the subterranean city.
"You and SEELE want to destroy humanity, see first if our Heavenly Dao Palace agrees. This is a warning; if even after the Angels are completely eliminated, you stubbornly persist, then for the sake of humanity, our Heavenly Dao Palace will completely annihilate you vile heretics!"
After saying this, a fla erged from Red Ponytail’s body, engulfing her completely, disappearing in the blink of an eye.
The entire headquarters fell into a deathly silence.
Gendo Ikari sat in front of the desk, speechless, while the other staff mbers, at this mont, looked toward Gendo Ikari with eyes filled with doubt and unease.
All along, they thought NERV was rely a combat departnt against the Angels, but now... according to what that red-haired girl said, things seem not so simple?
Destroy humanity?
What exactly does Commander Ikari want to do?! Isn’t NERV established to protect humanity?
"This is troubleso now..."
Perceiving the gazes coming from all directions, Vice Commander Fuyutsuki frowned slightly. The Human Complent Plan is completely unknown to most of NERV’s staff. Only a very few, very few people know about the Human Complent Plan, and for the plan’s details, those truly inford probably don’t exceed five.
But now... the situation might be difficult to predict.
Moreover, Gendo Ikari’s face was ashen, remaining silent.
His layout, his plan, everything he had.
At this mont, all were thoroughly exposed.
As for the outco... even Gendo Ikari himself does not know.
The Angel’s attack was thwarted, but what remains for NERV is a ss difficult to clean up.
Firstly, the three pilots, originally to be detained for defying orders, yet...
"Go back to where you ca from."
Fang Zheng stood in front of the three, facing the NERV Ministry of Internal Affairs mbers, not giving them a single good look.
"I believe their actions were not wrong; no punishnt or confinent is needed."
"But they disobeyed orders."
"Disobeying erroneous orders is not a mistake, can only say that those issuing the commands lacked brains."
"I am not here to argue right or wrong with you, Third Lieutenant Fang Zheng."
Having said this, the black-clad man in front also beca serious.
"This is an order from NERV’s higher-ups; you do not have the authority to refuse."
"Sorry."
Fang Zheng said, simultaneously taking out his credentials and giving them a shake.
"I am not under NERV’s jurisdiction, truly have the right to refuse... If you want to detain them, report it to the League of Nations first."
"......"
Seeing this, the black-clad man also was at a loss for words. Fang Zheng’s position has always been under the League of Nations, strictly speaking, his relationship with NERV is like a partnership between the League of Nations and SEELE. So if Fang Zheng cooperates with NERV, he cooperates, but if he chooses not to, NERV can’t do anything except go through the motions.
"And really, I say you trouble these three kids, rather than investigate Gendo Ikari, see what conspiracy he’s cooking behind the scenes to destroy humanity, that’s the main thing."
"This..........."
"Alright, if there’s nothing else, leave then, and let remind you, if you control the pilots without permission, don’t bla for being rude."
"......"
This ti the black-clad persons had no further argunts, obediently turning to leave.
Of course, they are not afraid of Fang Zheng’s authority; as Fang Zheng said, NERV is a subordinate organization of the League of Nations, Fang Zheng also originates from a departnt within the League of Nations, mutual coordination fails... then see whose fists are stronger. Comparatively, Tokyo-3 is NERV’s stronghold, while Fang Zheng, though a vigorous Dragon across the river, can’t easily overthrow this local snake.
But truthfully, they themselves are not in the mood.
Inside NERV presently, one could say there’s a state of alarm, even within the headquarters, many are probing each other, inquiring for news. They all want to know what Commander Ikari’s actual plan is, what he intends to do with NERV?
No one believes the Red Ponytail girl is lying, the reason is simple, she can single-handedly shatter the strongest Angel’s AT Field, and has repeatedly saved them several tis; with such power, she simply doesn’t need to lie. Moreover, her speech clearly carried a warning tone, which inevitably makes one contemplate deeper.
Additionally, there’s one more corroborating detail: since the girl’s appearance, Commander Ikari has persistently tried to eliminate her, even then Asuka and others did not understand, indeed most NERV staff also didn’t understand why he wanted to do so. Deeming now, perhaps an implication lies within, could it be Gendo Ikari intended to silence her, to prevent her from revealing his sche to destroy humanity?
What are Commander Ikari and NERV up to?
What exactly is SEELE as an organization?
If it were another world, perhaps most people would dismiss it as a re joke and laugh it off. But humans in this world are different; it has only been a decade or so since the Second Impact ended, back then humanity truly stood on the brink of annihilation. So the sensitivity to the term "destroy humanity" is remarkably high in this world.
Thus, upon hearing that Gendo Ikari and an organization called SEELE are conspiring to destroy humanity, almost everyone was shocked.
Montarily, NERV internally was plunged into a disarray.
The incapable ones organized protests blocking the gate, wanting to find out the truth. The capable ones began to collaborate, seeking clues and threads. Despite being NERV employees, they joined NERV to resist Angels, to protect humanity and the world.
Not to let so people destroy the world again!
"Now it’s trouble."
Looking out at the gathering staff below NERV headquarters, Assistant Commander Fuyutsuki also sighed. Though they issued a gag order internally, it was utterly ineffective. Now many staff are demanding the truth, asking Gendo Ikari to go out and explain what he intends to use NERV for.
Although this ti, they are not completely without gains. At least they have learned the mysterious girl has a backing organization called "Heavenly Dao Palace," but... what use is it?
They learned the opponent’s identity, yet were forced to lay bare their hidden cards publicly; in this situation, what could they possibly do?
"Ikari, what’s your view?"
"......"
Facing Fuyutsuki’s inquiry, Gendo Ikari was silent for a mont.
"In that case, all we can do is accelerate the pace of the Human Complent Plan."
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