They traveled through time at the same time, but the villainous scientist

Chapter 186 Preface

And so, several more days passed.

With only one Angel remaining, the tension within NERV headquarters seemed to ease temporarily.

Kaworu Nagisa, as "reinforcements" sent by SEELE, officially joined NERV as the Fourth Child.

He was assigned to pilot the repaired EVA Unit-02, ostensibly to deal with the long-awaited final Angel.

His silver hair, ruby-like eyes, and otherworldly smile made him stand out from the crowd.

However, what is most incredible is his almost instinctive closeness to Shinji Ikari.

"Your existence is wonderful."

Kaworu Nagisa had said this to Shinji Ikari, who was covered in sweat, more than once after simulated training sessions, his voice clear and sincere.
"Like music, it deserves to be treated gently."

Shinji Ikari was somewhat taken aback by this sudden act of kindness, but more than anything, he felt a sense of relief and recognition.

He attributed it to a certain resonance between them as fellow EVA pilots, and gradually, this enigmatic boy became one of his few friends.

But beneath the calm surface, turbulent undercurrents are brewing.

In Misato Katsuragi's office, the ashtray was already overflowing with cigarette butts.

She hadn't slept well for the past few days; her eyes were bloodshot as she stared intently at the tiny chip on the table.

This was something Kaji Ryoji gave her, like a Pandora's box, containing the truth of SEELE's "Human Instrumentality Project," a project that could overturn the entire world's understanding.

She had to do something.

But with SEELE's power, how could she guarantee that this message would reach the people who could help her?
Although the blessing said everything would be alright, and that a very reliable person was handling the matter, but...

The next moment, the piercing alarm shattered the tranquility of the entire NERV headquarters!
"Emergency alert! The MAGI system has been compromised!"

"Enemy origin confirmed! It's a MAGI clone from NERV's German and American branches!"

"They are attacking 'CASPER', 'BALTHASAR', and 'MELCHIOR' simultaneously! This is a coordinated attack!"

Inside the command center, everyone was stunned by this sudden turn of events.

Internal strife? What exactly is going on?

"Stay calm! Activate A-660 defense barrier! All firewalls upgraded to highest level! Track the intrusion source data stream and suppress it!"

Ritsuko Akagi was the first to react, her hands moving like blurs across the keyboard as she calmly directed the war in the digital world.

As one of the people in the world who understands the MAGI system best, Ritsuko Akagi quickly stabilized the situation.

But just as everyone breathed a sigh of relief...

On the main screen, the face of the UN Secretary-General was forcibly cut in; his expression was as cold and hard as he read out an ultimatum that left no room for argument.

"...NERV Commander-in-Chief Gendo Ikari is suspected of concealing information and intending to use EVA to trigger the Third Impact, destroy the existing world order, and establish his personal dictatorship."

The United Nations Security Council has unanimously decided to demand that NERV immediately disarm, cease all resistance, and accept a full investigation!

These words struck Misato Katsuragi's heart like a heavy hammer blow.

She instantly understood; this was SEELE's tactic. The guilty party was accusing the innocent first!

For that mysterious organization hidden at the pinnacle of global power, with members spread among political figures from various countries, turning black into white and portraying NERV as the enemy of all mankind would be a piece of cake.

But... why?
A strong sense of unease flashed through Misato Katsuragi's mind.

SEELE's goal is to complete the Human Instrumentality Project. To achieve this, they need to eliminate all the Angels and then use Unit-01, Lilith, or the Spear of Longinus to complete the ritual.

But now, the final apostle hasn't even appeared yet, so why are they flipping the table at this crucial moment?

And...where are Commander Ikari and Vice Commander Fuyutsuki since the attack began? They can't be seen in the command center at all!
"Alert! High-energy reaction detected! In the central vertical trench! It's EVA!"

An operator's exclamation interrupted her thoughts.

The scene on the big screen changed instantly. The bright red EVA Unit-02 was breaking through layers of defense at an astonishing speed, crashing into the Ultimate Dogma Zone, the deepest part of the underground, like a meteorite!

"Identification signal... Pattern Blue! It's an Apostle!" What?!

Upon seeing Kaworu Nagisa standing on Unit-02's shoulder on the screen, Misato Katsuragi's pupils suddenly contracted.

That boy named Kaworu Nagisa… that fourth Child sent in by SEELE… is he the final Angel?!
Was all of this a scheme orchestrated by SEELE from the very beginning?

But that doesn't make sense! Does SEELE intend to hand over control of the Human Instrumentality Project to an Angel?

Before the chaotic thoughts could be sorted out, an even more desperate scene appeared.

Several white shadows were reflected on the huge porthole outside the screen.

Like fallen angels or vultures from hell, they slowly descended from the sky and landed on the ruins of Tokyo-3.

There are nine in total, which are the mass-produced EVAs that appeared in the theatrical version.

After the mass-produced EVAs were deployed, they began to cooperate with the United Nations forces to destroy NERV's facilities.

"Depend on!"

Misato Katsuragi could no longer remain calm and blurted out a curse.
"Send Unit-01 out immediately! Prioritize dealing with the Angels underground!"

There might still be room for negotiation with the United Nations, but the Apostles... the Apostles are absolute enemies who cannot be communicated with!

"No! The attack has failed!"

"MAGI's firewall has been breached! We have lost highest command privileges! We are unable to execute the attack program!"

Ritsuko Akagi stared intently at the constantly crashing data stream on the screen, a fine layer of cold sweat beading on her forehead.

The MAGI she designed, the culmination of her mother's hard work, now resembled a child stripped naked, utterly powerless against the enemy.

There should only be one person in the world who understands MAGI better than her and can do this kind of thing.
But isn't that person already dead?
"What...what's going on?!"

……

Meanwhile, deep beneath NERV lies the ultimate dogma.

The space, as vast as an underground temple, was deathly silent.

The crimson LCL sea spread like a pool of blood, and in its center, a white giant was nailed to a massive red cross.

"I see……"

Kaworu murmured softly, the giant's figure reflected in her red pupils.
“Lilith…Zhang Qi, you’re not lying.”

The next moment, a sudden change occurred!

The operating system interface of Unit 2 instantly turned blood red, and all control was stripped away in an instant.

EVA Unit-02 extended its massive mechanical arm and grabbed Kaworu Nagisa, who was in mid-air, in its palm!

A violent tremor and a sense of oppression struck, but Kaworu showed no panic on his face.

He even gave a knowing smile, a smile tinged with mockery.

"So that's how it is. It's the puppet system hidden in the core of the machine. It's using this to break free from my control..."

SEELE's script, NERV's script... You humans really enjoy this kind of thing...

As he spoke, he looked down into the deep shadows.

The sound of footsteps slowly began.

A man emerged from the shadows, step by step.

He was wearing a NERV uniform, his white gloves were impeccable, and his eyes behind his glasses were colder than the millennia-old ice beneath the ground.

It was Gendo Ikari, the commander-in-chief of NERV.

(End of this chapter)