The collision of the two Evangelions unleashed such force that the entire Central Dogma shook violently.
And in the midst of this upheaval—Unit-01 struck first!
The first slash. The second. The third.
Each blow landed with surgical precision, pressing Unit-13 firmly onto the defensive.
Every strike was angled with uncanny perfection, sealing off all avenues of movement. No matter how Unit-13 tried to shift, the razor edge of the progressive knife was already poised to carve deep into its armor.
Yet at the very same moment, Unit-13 thrust forward with a spear. Its trajectory was just as sharp, just as exacting—cutting off all possible routes of retreat for Unit-01.
With a single exchange, Unit-01 was forced to evade.
A longer reach means greater power.
This is the essence of close-quarters combat.
But then, a feral roar erupted from within Unit-01. Blue light surged outward in violent waves. For once, the ever-composed Kitazawa Ryōta unleashed the full extent of his power. When the lamb ceases to be silent—when the king fights with all his might—what unimaginable force will that bring forth?
Unit-13 surged forward without hesitation, twin spears in hand, intent on slaying a god. The Spear of Longinus—the most domineering weapon of all.
The relentless progressive knife clashed with the tyrannical spear. Two utterly different forces collided head-on.
Meanwhile, the battle between Unit-00 and Units-02 and -03 had already reached its conclusion. Inside Unit-00, the Rei Ayanami clone was left shaken and dazed, unable to comprehend what was unfolding.
Asuka and Mari, hands clasped tightly, were drenched in cold sweat.
Ryōta… you have to win.
Shhh!
The two beams of light from the duel blazed, neither yielding an inch.
"ROOOOAR!!"
Both Evangelions bellowed with primal fury, their spirits clashing as violently as their weapons. The twin pillars of radiance were no mere energy—they were the manifestation of Ryōta's mind locked in direct combat with the dual pilots of Unit-13.
Everyone present knew: in a psychic battle of this scale, even the smallest edge could become an infinite gulf.
BOOOOM!
The two lights swelled until they detonated in a thunderous explosion. Radiance flooded the chamber.
"Ryōta!!"
Asuka and Mari cried out in unison, Asuka nearly breaking into a sprint toward the battlefield.
The ferocity of the clash left no room for reassurance.
As the blinding glow faded and the choking smoke began to disperse, Asuka clenched her fists so tightly her knuckles turned white.
She dreaded only one sight: Kitazawa Ryōta defeated. Because if he fell in that battle, it would mean his death. Against an opponent of that magnitude, even the slightest misstep meant instant annihilation.
And then—
Through the last drifting veil of smoke, the silhouette finally emerged.
A giant machine, gleaming in its coat of azure light. Unit-01, standing tall and unbroken.
Ryōta had won.
Unit-13, on the other hand, lay shattered on the ground, its frame mangled beyond repair.
"Tabris. Ikari Shinji."
Ryōta's voice was cold, stripped of all warmth, as he looked upon the two figures crawling weakly out of the ruined Entry Plug.
"So… you even know my name," Tabris murmured, his expression a faint smile despite the defeat. "Kitazawa Ryōta. I never imagined that even our union would end in failure before you."
Ryōta recognized them instantly. To mistake these two would have been unthinkable.
Shinji was spiraling into madness, unable to comprehend what he had done, his mind fraying at the edges of hysteria.
"I admit—science is powerful. But science is not omnipotent. And you… you are no mere product of science, are you?" Ryōta said evenly. Tabris—Nagisa Kaworu—was, after all, the strongest warrior born of Evangelion. To have crossed blades with him today was honor enough.
"Hah… hahahaha… I won't beg for your pity, Ryōta. I was deceived, after all. To fall from the First Angel, Adam, into the very last of the Angels… truly, a cruel twist of fate." Kaworu laughed quietly.
Ryōta said nothing. This was Kaworu's destiny—his curse, or perhaps his choice. He was Adam incarnate, and no one could erase that truth.
"You must know what you are—Adam's vessel. And Adam's presence in this world could only ever lead to this ruin, to the Earth you now see." Ryōta's gaze hardened. "So I'll grant you one dignity: end your life by your own hand. Humanity can no longer endure your existence."
Kaworu smiled faintly. "Thank you, Ryōta. Birth is never chosen. But death—that, at least, is ours to decide."
With that, he pressed the collar of his restraint device.
His body detonated in an instant, erupting into a burst of crimson.
The spray of blood rained down upon Shinji, who shrieked in despair, his cries rising into broken wails.
The clone of Rei Ayanami, Unit-00's pilot, had long since collapsed into unconsciousness from the divine pressure of Unit-13's awakening. She was taken captive without resistance.
All eyes now turned upon Shinji with pity. This pitiful boy… he should never have been born into this world.
"Kill him."
Those words left Ryōta's lips like a sentence. Then Unit-01 turned and departed the Central Dogma.
Lilith had perished. Unit-13 had been destroyed. Kaworu Nagisa was gone by his own hand. To prevent the Fifth Impact—or even a Sixth—the only path left was to eliminate Ikari Shinji.
The Fourth Impact had already been narrowly averted by Misato and the others. Only one last obstacle remained.
Ikari Gendō.
When Kitazawa Ryōta finally stepped into the Commander's office, a lone, weary figure was already waiting for him.
"Ryōta Kitazawa… so you survived once again. How disappointing." The voice was calm, low, and carried no surprise. The face that lifted into the light belonged, of course, to Ikari Gendō.
"Sorry to let you down," Ryōta replied, shaking his head. "But in my homeland, there is an old saying: good will be rewarded with good, and evil repaid with evil."
"Heh… you don't understand anything. None of you understand. Humanity is a doomed species, destined for extinction by the hand of God. The Human Instrumentality Project is the only path of salvation. Without it, mankind will inevitably vanish!"
"I'll ask you one last time," Ryōta said, taking a step forward, his gaze piercing with sovereign force. "Where is Rei Ayanami? And where are the clones of Ikari Shinji?"
He no longer intended to waste words with Gendō. This was already a man at death's door, and Ryōta would not allow him even one more moment of indulgence.
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