Lilith's ability was acquired, and Hansen's gaze fell upon the red spiral spear piercing Her chest—
The Spear of God-Slaying, symbolizing despair: the "Spear of Longinus".
This thing wasn't just a giant fork; it was a devastating weapon on the conceptual level.
It ignores all AT Fields, suppresses the actions of divine beings, and is one of the key catalysts for the Human Instrumentality Project.
Since he had already come all this way, leaving without taking a souvenir would be impolite.
Hansen raised his right hand and clenched it in the void.
The Spear of God-Slaying, which normally required immense strength even from an EVA Unit to pull out, was light as a feather in his hand.
"Rise."
The long spear was slowly pulled out.
The moment the spear tip left Lilith's core, the previously silent white body shuddered violently.
A terrifying fluctuation, enough to turn ordinary people into orange juice, was about to spread, but in the next second...
Hansen flipped his left hand, and the Imaginary Divine Power he had already constructed instantly materialized.
A red double-helix spear, identical in appearance, material, and even the despairing aura it emitted, manifested out of thin air.
"Back in you go."
Pfft.
The wound that had just been pulled open hadn't had time to heal before the new spear, with lightning speed, stabbed back in.
The position was perfectly accurate; even the depth of penetration was flawlessly replicated.
Although it was a counterfeit that had just been copied, the sealing power coiled around it was no different from the original.
The terrifying life force of the Progenitor of Humanity was instantly suppressed, the horrific regenerative ability extinguished on the spot, and the incomplete lower half remained exactly as it was.
Lilith:???
Is he messing around?
The next moment, the genuine Longinus Lance in Hansen's hand rapidly shrank and warped under the infusion of Divine Power, finally transforming into a spiral bracelet worn around his wrist.
Simultaneously, the flow of time around them returned to normal.
Misato Katsuragi blinked, feeling as though she had zoned out for a moment, but seeing Lilith still pinned down before her, she detected no anomaly.
"Let's go. The tour is over. Today's training isn't finished yet."
"Ah, yes!"
Misato took one last look at the sealed White Giant, then turned and quickly followed the two of them... The elevator ascended slowly.
Inside the confined space, the atmosphere was somewhat heavy.
Shinji kept his head down, his eyes unfocused, lost in thought.
"Don't overthink it."
A warm, large hand pressed down on the top of his head.
Shinji looked up, meeting Hansen's calm, placid eyes.
"As long as you are strong enough, you can do anything you want."
Behind the two of them, Misato Katsuragi's lips curled up slightly.
That truly was simple and crude logic.
She seized the chance to interject, "So, Shinji-kun, is there anything you want to do?"
"I want to protect... Miss Misato, and Mr. Hansen," the boy whispered, a glimmer of light gradually appearing in his eyes.
Besides them, a serene, smiling face echoed in his mind.
—And Classmate Ayanami.
"That's right."
Hansen withdrew his hand and put it in his pocket.
Ding.
The elevator door opened, returning them to the metallic reality of the world above.
"Phew—! We're finally out. That smell down there was unbearable, a suppressive scent of rust."
Misato Katsuragi stretched dramatically, her beautiful curves fully displayed beneath her signature red leather jacket.
She turned around, the serious officer expression having vanished, replaced by the playful enthusiasm of a cheerful older sister.
"No time like the present..." Misato snapped her fingers, her purple hair bouncing lightly with the motion. "Dinner is on me tonight! How about we have a big feast!"
"A feast?" Shinji looked doubtful. "Miss Misato, it's not instant curry again, is it?"
"Nonsense! This time it's a real feast!" Misato playfully ruffled Shinji's hair, then turned to Hansen, her deep brown eyes glistening with a hint of subtle expectation and charm. "Mr. Hansen, will you grace us with your presence?"
At this moment, Misato truly possessed a charisma that was hard to refuse.
She wasn't perpetually tense like Ritsuko, nor was she cold as ice like Rei.
She was like a passionate fire, full of life.
She tilted her head slightly, a few strands of hair hanging near her cheek.
The collar had opened slightly due to the stretch, revealing the dazzling white skin below her collarbone, along with the Crucifix Necklace that always rose and fell with her breathing.
The scent of faint tobacco mixed with cheap perfume on her wasn't pungent; instead, it carried a unique sense of lazy wildness typical of a mature woman.
The contrast between the workplace powerhouse and the private, messy drunk was Misato Katsuragi's unique charm.
"Since it's Miss Misato's invitation, of course, I can't refuse." Hansen smiled slightly... The so-called feast was actually a rather decent barbecue restaurant in Tokyo-3.
Charcoal crackled, and the aroma of dripping oil permeated the air.
"Cheers—!"
Misato boldly raised her massive beer mug and clinked it against Hansen's glass, producing a crisp sound.
Gulping down half a mug of cold beer in one go, she let out a sigh of extreme satisfaction: "Ha—! This is what life is all about! Work can go to hell!"
Shinji sat beside her, quietly flipping the beef on the grill, watching Misato devour her food without a care for her image, his lips curling up slightly.
Is this what home feels like?
After several rounds of drinks, Misato's cheeks were stained with two alluring patches of red, and her eyes grew slightly hazy.
She rested her chin on her hand, looking at Hansen across the table, and suddenly sighed: "Speaking of which, we don't have many peaceful days left. Command just sent a notice. To cope with the increasingly frequent Angel attacks, they decided to supplement the defense forces at Headquarters."
"Eh?" Shinji looked up curiously.
"Well, simply put, we're getting a new comrade." Misato pointed her chopsticks toward the distant west outside the window. "In about two days, the Pacific Fleet will escort EVA Unit 02 and its dedicated pilot as they arrive in Japan from the Germany Branch."
At this point, Misato seemed to recall something troublesome and gave a wry smile: "I heard the Unit 02 Pilot is an absolute genius, but her temper... tsk tsk. I reckon things are going to get lively around here."
Shinji blinked. "Is the Unit 02 Pilot fierce?"
"Not fierce, arrogant," Misato shook her head. "But she has the right to be proud. She's the Ace that the Europe Branch has been coddling. I just hope she doesn't turn Headquarters upside down when she gets here."
Hansen, sitting nearby, put down his empty beer mug.
Of course, he knew who that was.
One of the representatives of the tsundere type, Shikinami Asuka Langley.
He even knew the exact date of her arrival.
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