Shinji Ikari, the pilot of Unit-01 during the Spirit Awakening Era

"Well done!" Shinji Ikari advanced instead of retreating, his Exploding Flame Finger colliding with the Evil King Flame Killing Fist. Before Mei Isayama's claw attack could arrive, Shinji Ikari knocked away Hiei and then jumped to avoid the plants that sprouted from the ground!

"Oh... Brother is so fierce!" Himuro Kirie didn't say anything, but Himuro Mimori, who peeked out from behind Himuro Kirie's skirt, was shocked. How did Shinji Ikari's fighting power suddenly increase so quickly? Is this scientific? Is this magic? This isn't witchcraft, okay!

"Shinji's trip there this time was really worth it!" Ryoko Sakaki looked at the scene before her with a look of surprise. Although Shinji Ikari was barely considered one of the top ones among his friends, he never seemed to be able to fight back and forth against a group of people like this.

"Hmph! Protecting... what's that woman from the Onmyōryō called again? The one who's always hanging around Shinji Ikari." Shinji Ikari still concealed some things in his words, avoiding mentioning why he went, who took him, and so on. And wasn't this fight just for his benefit? To make him not pursue the matter.

"Sister, are you talking about Sister Guo?"

"Yes... call her to see me! Looks like I have one more person to visit, and this time I can even bring that person from Mount Hikami along!"

"...Isn't that a bit of an exaggeration? After all, Shinji did benefit from it."

"We can't let them get away with this! ...And Shinji too!"

Chapter 301 The Game Between Fierce Gods

"It's even more exaggerated than the legends say!" Standing at the edge of Mount Hikami, Shinji Ikari's eyes widened. They had come up by cable car, and just after leaving the cable car station, before Shinji could even meet with the Countermeasures Bureau and the Spellcaster Association, he saw that the entire Mount Hikami was almost devoid of any greenery, with black spring water flowing everywhere.

After expelling the remaining sword energy from Shinji Ikari, Himuro Kirie, thinking that who knows what other trouble Shinji might cause if she delayed any longer, decided to stop delaying. She threw all the corpses into the Gate of the Underworld, sealed the gate, hung the cart, and immediately took everyone and headed straight for Mount Hikami.

"Don't worry about anything, my people are here to greet me! Shinji, the inn you stayed at seems to have been cleaned up. Take them there, I'll go talk to her!" With a flick of his wrist, the barrier rope stretched out in all directions, naturally forming a barrier wherever it passed, directly sealing the power unleashed by Mount Hyuga within the area enclosed by the barrier rope.

Then, in front of everyone, a group of shrine maidens who were already dead stood on both sides of the road, bowing slowly to Himuro Kirie. Himuro Kirie flicked her sleeve and strode in.

“This is truly a rare sight…” Asou Yuu, who had come along, picked up her camera and used a special film to capture the scene. Theoretically, this film wouldn’t harm any spirits, but it could capture their images. The photo in Ikari Shinji’s hand was the product of the technology behind this film.

"You're really daring to take this picture. It'll probably become an urban legend once it's developed." Mei Isayama sighed as he watched Yuu Asou's reckless behavior. They may be familiar with each other, but Kirie Himuro is a fearsome goddess. How dare you take a picture of her, even just her back? That's not a good thing. Something tainted by the aura of a fearsome goddess is really no fun at all. It looks like it might actually fall apart. It wouldn't be surprising if she went crazy one day.

At this moment, within Mount Hikami, due to Himuro Kirie's barrier ropes and seal, resentment and death energy rapidly accumulated, shrouding the entire area in a pitch-black mist, making it impossible to discern the situation inside. Two groups of pale-faced, veiled shrine maidens were respectfully welcoming Himuro Kirie, who wore a brand-new, exquisitely crafted white shrine maiden's outfit offered by the Onmyōryō (Yin-Yang Bureau). They moved forward in flashes, each flash covering a considerable distance.

"Hoo..." At the foot of the mountain, Ling, who was directing the police and countermeasures bureau agents, watched as the spring water suddenly became clear and the unsettling atmosphere quickly faded away. The gloomy, otherworldly atmosphere that had permeated the entire space vanished rapidly. She shook her head and exhaled a puff of smoke.

She then threw her cigar on the ground and stomped on it. "What a temper, already putting on a show of defiance." As a master of psychological warfare, Rin could easily understand what had happened. Who else could have caused this scene? Only the fierce god could deal with the fierce god, which naturally meant Shinji Ikari's cunning older sister had made her move!

However, all top-tier demons, ferocious gods, and demon kings possess an extremely strong sense of territory. For a ferocious god to directly intrude into the territory of another ferocious god is unheard of. Generally speaking, what will happen next is obvious even to a fool...

Thinking of this, Rin sighed, "That little rascal, always causing trouble! I hope he'll have a chance to survive in a bit!" Rin's direct agents, Shinji Ikari's former colleagues, looked at the old man with amused smiles. If you were to ask who among them was the old man's favorite, it would definitely be Shinji Ikari himself, who was stubborn, daring, and able to navigate through a bunch of messy situations, always managing to bring everyone back alive.

Signaling to those nearby to ensure the cable car's safety, a squad from the Countermeasures Bureau quickly entered the tour bus area and took over the defenses. Simultaneously, they notified their colleagues on the mountain to secure Shinji Ikari's escape route. Walking down the mountain was too slow; this unreliable tour bus became their fastest means of retreat. Of course, if this method had to be used, all the Countermeasures Bureau agents present must be prepared to die here, just like their colleagues who had been monitoring the Morishita-ya! Facing the Fiend!

"Grandpa, it seems some of those guys who went up the mountain aren't completely dead. They might run into Shinji and the others. Should we warn them?" A team member smiled and handed Rin a cup of tea.

"Never mind him. If this little brat officially returns to the Countermeasures Bureau, the director might have to consider giving him a deputy director position. And if you include his sister, heh!" Rin blew on her tea leaves and took a small sip. "Not to mention, this is Mount Hikami. I can't think of anyone who could do anything about a man designated by the Hikami Demon God. Even Sensui Shinobu didn't even have the desire to make a move against Shinji Ikari at the gates of the Onmyōryō. So we don't need to worry about him."

"Really? Well, he and his friends are really strong." The team member's eyes flashed with envy. "A team with all members at A-rank, whether it's the Onmyoji Guild, the Spellcaster Association, or even us, there aren't many like that. They're practically the ultimate, top-tier elite team."

"Rank A... Heh... I'll tell you something interesting. According to headquarters' assessment, every single person who went up the mountain with Shinji Ikari has the potential to be Rank S. In other words, if they don't perish, you might witness a miracle soon." The old man laughed, and for a moment, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes seemed to lessen.

So what are these guys with S-class potential doing right now?

They were standing in the dilapidated inn, not complaining much about it. As exorcists, they were experienced in sleeping in the open, so they didn't care about the inn's state. Besides, as the deepest outpost of the Countermeasures Bureau and the Spellcaster Association in the Himakami Mountains, the inn had already been roughly cleaned up by the spellcasters and operators. All they needed to do was find a clean spot to lay out their sleeping bags.

Moreover, these conditions have already made the sorcerers and operators who have been holding out here for several days feel extremely satisfied. After all, they were likely to be on guard before and dared not do anything about living alone, because they might be taken away by the shrine maiden for a chat. When they first entered this place, even sleeping was a luxury for them, until the barrier was set up and the trenches were dug to divert the stream full of the power of the Night Spring.

However, everyone was watching the interior of Mount Hikami, where a series of muffled thunder-like sounds were coming from. Although there was no thunder, and the afternoon sun was even a little warm, everyone present felt a chilling, strong wind sweeping across their bodies. The sorcerers and operators couldn't stand it and retreated back into the inn. Of course, Asou Yuu didn't come out in the first place. After setting up some cameras to observe the environment, he stayed in the inn to watch the luggage.

"It seems we've really become much stronger after the special training with Himuro Kirie." Mei Isayama looked around with a sigh. She simply used her hand to shield her eyes from the leaves flying in the strong wind, who knows if those leaves were already soaked in the night spring water.

"It is indeed much stronger than before, and I really have to thank Shinji's sister for that." Yusuke Urameshi suddenly swung his sword, smashing a fierce spirit that pounced on him into pieces. Although it was outside the sealed circle, as the fierce conflict began to break out inside Mount Hikami, the powerful spirit scrambled away from this perfect place for the two evil gods to start their duel.

"So what's the situation inside..." Hearing the muffled thunder-like sounds coming from inside the mountain, Kurama looked at the interior of Mount Hikami with some worry. After all, they had been under the care of Himuro Kirie during this period. Without her pressure, it would have been difficult for them to achieve such a huge improvement.

How is the fight between Himuro Kirie and Kurosawa Aise going? In a sense, it's a very intense fight. Their powers are constantly tearing each other apart on Mount Hikami. As the master of Mount Hikami and the one who controls the Yomizu Spring, Kurosawa Aise does have a relative advantage in terms of terrain. However, Himuro Kirie is a veteran evil spirit, and her strength should not be underestimated. In addition, her power carries sealing power, making it difficult for Kurosawa Aise to stop each collision.

Furthermore, Himuro Kirie has been receiving offerings from the Onmyōryō and the Totsuki Group, and in terms of both her realm and the speed of her strength improvement, she seems to be inferior to Kurosawa Ayase, who relies entirely on herself and has to fight against the Night Spring's erosion.

However, the fight between the two did not feel like a typical brawl. In fact, what was even more unbelievable was that the two were sitting at a table, leisurely drinking tea.

"Sister~ So the conditions are limited, and I apologize for not being able to entertain you properly." Kurosawa Aise said with a smile, as a tea set was placed on the table, and the fragrance of tea was wafting from it.

A bolt of dark lightning swept across the sky, striking a section of the barrier rope that had already been hit several times but was rapidly extending in all directions, scorching a large part of it. Unfortunately, this only slightly slowed down the extension of this section of the barrier rope and did not stop it from extending further.

"I've already said it, I haven't agreed yet, you can't call me 'older sister'!" Himuro Kirie took a sip of tea and nodded. "Very good tea ceremony, it's just a pity that Shinji, that little idiot, can't appreciate it. He prefers to drink all kinds of ready-made beverages." Himuro Kirie felt a slight sting in her mouth.

A section of the barrier rope suddenly broke free from the constraints of space, and a cluster of slender sanctuaries flew out from the end of the rope, rapidly spreading in all directions. The black lightning that was rolling in the sky was also directly shattered by an unknown force, dissipating into the air. However, a terrifying tremor occurred in the space immediately afterward, and the extending barrier rope was crushed and broken in an instant.

"It's alright, times have changed. He'll buy it himself." Kurosawa Aise smiled as he refilled Himuro Kirie's teacup. "What kind of person is his current girlfriend?"

"You're not allowed to hurt her, or not only will I never forgive you, but Shinji will never forgive you either." Himuro Kirie put down her cup, glaring at Kurosawa Ayase with a serious expression. A chilling aura instantly spread across her. Both sides were fierce, so neither side needed to use any magical artifacts like resentment or death energy. There was no doubt that using them would just be sending the other side to their deaths. Therefore, whether it was the power being secretly mobilized or the spells being used openly, both sides were using a different system.

“You underestimate me. I’m actually quite happy that she still exists. After all… our situation is special, isn’t it?” Kurosawa Aise sighed softly. “After all, you who seal the gates of the underworld should understand that our destiny will eventually dissipate.”

Despite his somewhat weak words, the chill on the table stopped abruptly in the middle. A thin layer of moisture blocked the icy cold, while a little further outside, a blizzard raged with lightning and thunder. Huge gaps kept opening up on Mount Rishang. It's likely that even those who established the Mount Rishang system never imagined that the power of two fierce gods would collide here.

"Not necessarily... Look at my original body, it's already able to leave the Himuro mansion, isn't it?" Himuro Kirie looked at Kurosawa Ayase in front of her. "They also sealed a Hollow from Minakami Village before. The girl there is named Kurosawa Sae, and she seems to have some connection with you." Himuro Kirie wiggled her fingers and took out a photo from her pocket. "I got this from Shinji Ikari. Don't blame him. You can choose a better one, and I'll help you kidnap it."

"It's too late. The agreement has already been made, and even I can't cancel it." Kurosawa Aise shook his head. "I know Minakami Village, but the methods he used can't be used here. However, after venting this time, my pressure has eased a lot, and perhaps I can hold on for a while longer." A bolt of dark lightning struck a large tree in the courtyard, snapping it in two. Dark flames ignited on the trunk.

"..." Himuro Kirie naturally understood what Kurosawa Aise was saying. She gritted her teeth and thought, "Silly little brother, remember to take good care of Mimori. Sealing Yozumi... Let me try!"

"You're willing to go to this lengths for him?!" Kurosawa Aise looked up in surprise at Himuro Kirie, Yomi no Men and Yomi no Izumi. These were no laughing matter. Even for a fierce god like Himuro Kirie, sealing two places at the same time would come at a huge price, possibly even leading to her demise.

"Yes! My brother! If I don't protect him, who will?" Himuro Kirie said very naturally.

“…It’s truly enviable.” Kurosawa Aise murmured. Suddenly, the black mist rolling over Mount Hikami began to dissipate. Himuro Kirie paused for a moment, then began to withdraw her barrier rope and other powers. “But, sister, this is my responsibility, so please don’t try to take it.”

“Complete sealing probably won’t work. What if we just compress it?” Himuro Kirie thought for a moment and offered a new suggestion.

“If it’s just the two of us… we’re still a bit short.” Kurosawa Aise thought for a moment. If it’s just suppression, even with Kurosawa Aise as a fresh addition, it might still be a bit short and wouldn’t be able to completely seal Yozumi.

"That idiot Shinji is down there, along with a bunch of laborers. I can even go to the Onmyo Bureau to call for more people." Having spent a lot of time with Shinji, Himuro Kirie had picked up some of Shinji's habits. If she couldn't do something by herself, she would ask more people to try! If it worked, she could repay the favor next time. There was no doubt that Himuro Kirie had a lot of influence.

"Then...shall we give it a try?" Kurosawa Aise was somewhat tempted. If the pain could be reduced, that would be ideal, as it would allow his spirit to endure for a longer period.

"Okay, bring these guys up here and give Yozumi a thorough check-up! But you're not allowed to touch Shinji! And Ryoko Sakaki too!"

"Don't worry, sister~"

"Humph!"

Chapter 302 The Accident with Unit 4

"Ugh..." Feeling the sharp pain in his waist, Shinji Ikari gave a wry smile. He had taught Ryoko too well! No doubt, Ryoko had mastered the original East Invincible Style extremely well; her strength was excruciating. His group of mischievous friends, including Mei Isayama, were all secretly laughing. For them, Shinji's humiliation was a truly delightful thing, especially since his girlfriend had given him a beating—it was something to celebrate. "Give me a little face."

"You still want face? Oh, a fierce god as a wife! Tsk tsk tsk..." To say she wasn't angry would be a lie, but Ryoko Sakaki was also very clear that this was a great opportunity for Shinji Ikari! Of course, the biggest problem with Ryoko Sakaki not refusing was that if Aise Kurosawa really went all out, unless Kirie Himuro was with him every day, killing her and Shinji Ikari would be a piece of cake.

"I never expected it to turn out like this." Shinji Ikari pulled Ryoko Sakaki tighter. Ryoko struggled for a moment, then resentfully let him go. "Whatever the promises, you're my girlfriend and my fiancée, and my sister approves of it!"

"What should I do after witnessing such a heartless man?" A voice that sent chills down everyone's spines suddenly appeared behind them. The expression on the face of the black-clad Kurosawa Ayase was unusually playful. Although there was an unexpected factor in the agreement she made with Shinji Ikari when he was still a little kid, the potential that Shinji Ikari showed afterwards made her feel that she had not made the wrong choice.

As for Shinji Ikari having a girlfriend, Ayase Kurosawa was quite open-minded. It was true she and Shinji had a pact, but once that pact was activated, Shinji would be forcibly taken away, something she couldn't stop. Especially after traveling with Shinji to many places and experiencing many things as a wisp of his soul, Ayase Kurosawa realized for the first time how rich and colorful, yet also how full of suffering, the human world truly was.

Seeing the cult harming people, the inherently kind-hearted Kurosawa Aise wished she could jump out and strangle those guys, but her true form was guarding Mount Hikami. That's why, when she discovered that the Eternal Life Cult was bewitching people into Mount Hikami, she didn't hesitate to detonate the Night Spring Eruption! It was both to relieve her own stress and to give those who disgusted her a good lesson.

As for the romance between Shinji Ikari and Ryoko Sakaki, Kurosawa Aisei practically swore it out like a love story, practically obsessed with it, only lacking body pillows, bubble tea, and snacks. So when she met Ryoko Sakaki in person, Kurosawa Aisei couldn't help but smile, showing no hostility. After all, she had been through everything with this girl alongside Shinji, so she also liked this adorable young woman.

However, Shinji Ikari and Ryoko Sakaki were unaware of this, and the rest of the group knew even less. As a result, everyone was staring at the person in front of them, completely terrified. Even though Ayase Kurosawa and Kirie Himuro behind her were ordering the countermeasures bureau to send people, the group was completely frozen in place.

"Relax a bit. Your sister and I have roughly reached an agreement. You'll have a lot to do from now on." Kurosawa Aise looked at the group of people who were stunned and staring at him stiffly with satisfaction. Then Kurosawa Aise reached out and patted Sakaki Ryoko. "I acknowledge your status as his girlfriend and wife. Don't worry. We just need to have a good talk."

"..." Sakaki Ryoko stared in horror as Kurosawa Aise gently patted her shoulder, tears welling in her eyes. What could possibly go wrong after being patted on the shoulder by a monster like that?!

"Don't worry!" The moment Kurosawa Aise patted Sakaki Ryoko's shoulder, Shinji Ikari mobilized his inner energy, channeling it into Sakaki Ryoko's body through his clenched hand. After circulating it twice, Shinji was surprised to find that Kurosawa Aise hadn't done anything to Sakaki Ryoko; he had simply patted her shoulder.

Although Shinji Ikari isn't an S-rank, he's already approached the threshold and can recognize some S-rank techniques. However, there's no indication of any such techniques at present. Besides, his sister is right there, and Himuro Kirie acknowledges Ryoko Sakaki; she probably won't stand by and watch Aise Kurosawa harm Ryoko. Therefore…

Shinji Ikari looked at Ayase Kurosawa with a complicated expression, who seemed somewhat embarrassed because he had accidentally made the little girl cry.

"Ugh..." Ryoko Sakaki looked at Shinji Ikari with teary eyes. "You were supposed to be the one targeted by Aise Kurosawa, so why are you suddenly looking for me to talk?" This wasn't how things were supposed to go. Ryoko hugged Shinji Ikari, trembling. Fear of death is human nature, so Shinji Ikari could only quickly comfort her and begin channeling his holy energy into her body to make her feel more at ease.

"Don't worry, she's here just to talk to you. It's not about my stupid little brother. You can even ask her for help if Shinji Ikari bullies you in the future." Himuro Kirie stepped forward and assured Sakaki Ryoko, while giving Kurosawa Aise a sidelong glance. Finally, to comfort Sakaki Ryoko, she took off a bracelet from her wrist and put it on her wrist. "If there's any problem, just break this bracelet. I can sense it."

"Um! I'm sorry, I was rude. I wonder what you'd like to talk to me about?" After receiving Himuro Kirie's assurance, Ryoko Sakaki calmed herself down in Shinji Ikari's arms, wiping her tears on Shinji's coat. She turned around and gave a slight bow to Ayase Kurosawa. She had been completely terrified, and this was not the proper way to treat a fierce person.

"I didn't realize that you, a girl who is usually quite bold, could have such an adorable side." Kurosawa Aise crossed her arms, her smile unwavering, just like an older sister discovering that her usually strong-willed younger sister had suddenly revealed a cute side, her mischievous grin tinged with a hint of excitement.

"I hope you still remember the important matter." Himuro Kirie was somewhat dissatisfied with Kurosawa Aise's attitude, but thinking about it, if it weren't for Shinji Ikari arranging a lot of leisure activities for her, she would probably be extremely bored.

“Yes, I remember, but she hasn’t arrived yet, has she? Let’s go talk over there. You come too, so she won’t be too scared.” Kurosawa Aise pulled Sakaki Ryoko along and they left.

"Why does this fierce-looking guy seem to know Ryoko quite well?" Mei Isayama stroked her smooth chin, a woman's intuition telling her that something was amiss.

"One problem after another." Shinji Ikari felt a terrible headache coming on.

"Alright, cheer up. At least it seems like they're still looking out for Ryoko, right?" Aso Yuu patted Ikari Shinji, who was shaking his head and sighing beside him. "Although what happened on the mountain was a bit scary, it's still much better than we could have hoped for. You should be content."

"This is a very good combat suit, much better than mine. As expected of the Babem family, they really spared no expense." As Asuka pressed the button, the combat suit deflated instantly. She moved around a few times; the suit suited her perfectly. "Can I keep it after the testing is over?"

“No problem. After all, this combat suit was custom-made for you; no one else could wear it. Now, let's start testing the sensor data on the combat suit. Do some light warm-up exercises.” Akagi Ritsuko said softly, then gestured for Ibuki Maya to take over. She walked over to Katsuragi Misato, who was looking at a large pile of documents, and asked, “How's the construction at the testing ground going?”

"The restraint equipment at the Matsushiro test site is basically complete, as is the explosion-proof equipment. The remaining installation of instruments and cables will take about three more days. Although there are some minor discrepancies, some are faster and some are slower, but overall, there should be no problems." Misato Katsuragi said very quickly, then took a sip of coffee and pursed her lips. "I think I would be even happier if Shinji's coffee milk tea were available at this time."

"I wonder how things are going on his end. We haven't received the latest update yet. I hope everything goes well, but we can't really focus on them here!" Ritsuko Akagi sat down wearily in a chair. For some reason, she had been getting tired very easily lately. Twirling her pen, Ritsuko was about to drink some hot water when she suddenly frowned. "Hmm?"

"What's wrong?" Hearing her friend's suspicious voice, Misato Katsuragi turned her head slightly and looked at Ritsuko Akagi beside her.

"The data communication between the first branch in the United States has crashed?" Ritsuko Akagi asked, sending the command again in surprise. "What's going on? They were about to conduct the start-up test of Unit 4, how come the data was suddenly interrupted? Did the submarine cable get bitten through again?" Because of the presence of large creatures in the sea, submarine fiber optic cables laid by humans underwater are often damaged. "Satellite communication seems to be working fine, Shigeru. Contact the Nevada branch and see what's wrong with them. We can't receive data from Unit 4."

Because even Unit 3 had to be sent over for NERV headquarters to activate, the activation test of Unit 4 was also coordinated with their side, so Ritsuko Akagi and the others could directly see the data from there.

"Okay! Communication... is down?" After trying to connect via satellite phone, Shigeru Aoki found that communication was still unavailable. "Dr. Ritsuko, I'd like to request to check the satellite feed. I hope there's nothing wrong."

"Permission granted!" Ritsuko Akagi responded without even looking up. Because Unit 2 needed to be sealed off and Unit 3 needed to be tested, the entire NERV headquarters was in a complete mess. The Unit 4 test at the Nevada branch was just to help check if there were any abnormal fluctuations in the data.

"!" Shigeru Aoki suddenly froze, then said in a trembling voice, "An accident has occurred at the Nevada branch! My God, were they attacked by Angels? There's been a massive explosion at the Nevada branch!"

"What?!" Misato Katsuragi threw down her pen and jumped up from her seat. "Project the image onto the main screen."

"Yes!" Aoki Shigeru typed rapidly on the keyboard, and then the scene that only he could see before was now visible to everyone.

"Thud..." Ibuki Maya, who was talking to Asuka, covered her mouth with an incredulous expression, and the folder in her hand fell to the ground.

"Hiss..." Ritsuko Akagi took a deep breath. "Maya, immediately notify Commander Gendo Ikari and Vice Commander Fuyutsuki! The No. 4 unit's activation test has been suspected of being attacked or an accident has occurred!"

“This is really…” Katsuragi Misato looked at the bright cross on the rising mushroom cloud in the satellite image and bit her lower lip. “Emergency halt to Unit 3 startup test! Ritsuko, I request that you conduct a full inspection of Unit 3 again! Hinata Makoto, immediately gather all relevant information about this explosion. Whether the Nevada branch was attacked or an explosion occurred, I need as much information as possible and notify the engineering department to prepare for a review of the safety equipment.”

“No problem. Bring Unit 3 back. I can arrange it immediately.” Ritsuko Akagi nodded. Misato Katsuragi’s judgment was not only timely but also very correct. Ritsuko Akagi did not hesitate to carry it out.

Although Unit-04 is very different from Unit-03, and its creation goal was to create an EVA without time constraints, they still share some basic design elements. If problems arise in this area, the same issues that might have happened with Unit-04 could be repeated with Unit-03. Seeing the scene resembling a nuclear explosion, no one wants this to happen again at NERV headquarters.

"What happened?" The communicator rang, and Ritsuko Akagi answered it without hesitation. Asuka's voice came through the receiver. She had just been talking to Maya Ibuki when Maya suddenly went silent. Then she heard a series of jumbled commands coming from the side, as if something had happened.

"An accident has occurred at Unit 4 and the Nevada base. The specific details are still unclear. Until we figure it out and confirm that there are no problems, we must temporarily stop the startup test of Unit 3. Asuka, get away from the insertion plug immediately. Someone will come to pick you up soon... Be careful and keep your eyes open."

“…Understood!” Asuka acknowledged Ritsuko Akagi’s ambiguous words, indicating that she had heard them. “I will be careful. I’ll leave now.”

"Ugh...really, there were already so many things to deal with, and now we're practically starting all over again," Misato Katsuragi complained loudly.

“This isn’t just a simple restart, Misato… SEELE is moving faster than we thought.” Leaning against the shadows, Kaji Ryoji suddenly muttered to himself, then turned on his phone and frantically tapped something, sending a message to someone. “This is the second branch that has fallen. It looks like we don’t have much time left.”

Chapter 303 They will not stand idly by.

"What's the situation now?" Because of the explosion of Unit 4, the start-up test of Unit 3 was urgently stopped. Gendo Ikari and Kozo Fuyutsuki, as the leaders of NERV, rushed over immediately. They had already heard the briefing on the way. After arriving at the scene, Gendo Ikari immediately asked for a report on the specific information.

After a moment of silence, what was originally a simple test mission has now put all the pressure on NERV headquarters! As the organization with the most resources, NERV headquarters has now turned its attention to them. The Babem Foundation has urgently requested and dispatched a specialist to NERV headquarters.

Unit-03 and Unit-04 were both EVAs built by the US branch, and they shared many similarities in their basic design. The explosion that occurred with Unit-04 directly vaporized the Nevada branch, and no one knows whether a similar thing will happen when Unit-03 at NERV headquarters is activated.

"When Unit 4 was activated and exploded, we had just finished Asuka's final tests." Ritsuko Akagi's glasses reflected the light from the computer screen. "Because I had just discovered that the data link was broken, I asked Shigeru Aoki to contact the Nevada branch in the United States. After confirming that they were out of contact, Shigeru Aoki mobilized satellites to observe the situation. This is the footage taken at that time." Ritsuko Akagi pulled up the footage and sharpened it.

The scene was short, just over a minute long, and the mushroom cloud rolling and rising from the ground was very eye-catching. Of course, what was even more eye-catching was the cross on the mushroom cloud.

"Subsequently, all commercial satellite networks refused to provide follow-up services to the Nevada branch," Shigeru Aoki reported briefly. The footage cut off very suddenly, but it had already provided very important first-hand information. "The US side is investigating the reason, but has no intention of disclosing the specific details."

"The explosion at Unit 4... is just one problem." Kozo Fuyutsuki stared at the frozen cross-shaped beam of light on the screen. "That's another huge problem. What exactly happened back then?" Others might not know, but the reason EVA possesses such wondrous qualities is that it originates from an Angel. And that's why this problem occurred...

Fuyuki Kōzō glanced at Akagi Ritsuko, who had strongly opposed the plan from the beginning, and could only say that the US branch's radical plan, in a sense, forgot the most important thing! They wanted to obtain EVAs that could operate for a long time or even indefinitely, but the restrictions they removed were the last safety valve. It can only be said that such an operation was very... Indian.

"So, should we agree to the Babem Group's demands?" Ritsuko Akagi glanced at Gendo Ikari, then at Ryoji Kaji, who was standing not far away waving at her, and shook her head. Suddenly, she felt a sense of exhaustion.

"Miri Katsuragi, as the on-site commander, what's your opinion?" Gendo Ikari and Kozo Fuyutsuki were both silent for a while before Gendo finally spoke up to ask.

"The current countermeasures are to immediately suspend the startup test of Unit 3, strengthen the restraint equipment of Unit 3, and... strengthen defenses. Unit 3 will be returned to headquarters for a comprehensive inspection. For now, until there is more information, this is all we can do." Misato Katsuragi answered very directly. Now that the Nevada branch is completely destroyed, the United States is obviously trying to cover it up. Perhaps Babem rushed here in order to conceal certain characteristics of Unit 3.

Kaji Ryoji, standing to the side, shook his head. Katsuragi Misato's handling was correct and very standard, but she showed some weakness. This indicated that NERV headquarters did not have much useful information and even hinted at wanting to complete the experiment. Wouldn't the Americans be happy to let NERV headquarters be the scapegoat?

From Kaji Ryoji's perspective, the current task of testing Unit-03 is neither necessary nor beneficial to any party. Furthermore, looking at it from a broader perspective, can you really say that the Babem Foundation, which supports both TERRA and NERV, is truly dedicated to serving humanity?

Kaji Ryoji had met the head of their family before, and they didn't seem like people at all. That eccentric old man looked like a born villain. But what happened next surprised Kaji Ryoji, since he didn't think the scheming Commander Ikari could be a good person.

"Recall Shinji Ikari and prepare Unit-01." Gendo Ikari's words startled everyone.

Everyone knows what Shinji Ikari is busy with. This matter could be big or small, but it directly relates to Shinji's life. Gendo Ikari's demand is simply that Shinji abandon this problem and return to deal with the threat posed by Unit-03. As the Commander-in-Chief of NERV, this demand is very reasonable, but as Shinji's father, it is rather...heartless!

Furthermore, the meaning of preparing Unit-01 is quite significant. If any unexpected events occur, Unit-01, currently NERV's strongest combat force, can be deployed to resolve the issue in the simplest and most direct way.