Chapter 516: For a Blue and Clean Ocean
A flash of resolve passed through Ryo's eyes.
He no longer evaded. Yanking the steering wheel, the jeep's engine let out an overwhelmed roar as it charged like a runaway wild horse straight towards the Angel's massive rear flank, which was rippling slightly due to the chaotic A.T. Field!
The distance rapidly closed. He could even clearly see the bizarrely smooth texture and flowing energy veins on the Angel's surface.
In the split second before impact, he slammed the remote detonator in his hand, set to instantaneous release, while simultaneously pushing the car door open with all his might and leaping outward!
"For a blue and clean ocean!"
He let out a low roar, rolling and crashing into a pile of loose rubble.
Almost at the exact same instant—BOOM!!!
There was no deafening explosion; only a silent yet blindingly brilliant azure sphere of light suddenly expanded, completely swallowing the jeep and nearly half of the Angel's body.
Wherever the light passed, the Angel's indestructible body melted like ice under a scorching sun, emitting teeth-aching sizzles as it rapidly broke down and dissolved, scattering as a rain of clear droplets!
The Fifth Angel let out its most agonizing shriek since the battle began. Its massive body was instantly maimed, its movements freezing completely stiff.
Unit-01, which had been struggling to hold on, seized this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. With an unstoppable momentum, the Progressive Knife thrust precisely into the exposed, flashing core.
The battlefield plunged into an eerie silence in that instant. Only Unit-01's heavy breathing and the crackling of scattered fires in the distance echoed.
The battle was over.
Inside the command center of NERV Headquarters, you could hear a pin drop.
Data streams continued to scroll on the screens, but everyone was struck speechless by this unbelievable turning point.
Misato Katsuragi rested her hands on the console, staring at the figure on the main screen who was standing up from the rubble and casually brushing the dust off his lab coat. Her eyes held a mixture of shock, lingering fear, and an indescribable scrutiny.
Ritsuko Akagi was completely immersed in the data. Her hands flew across the auxiliary console, pulling up every energy reading, particle distribution, and biological reaction signal from that bizarre explosion. Her brows furrowed as she muttered to herself, "This reaction pattern... is entirely different from any known weapon... Is it targeted biological decomposition?"
In the shadows at the back of the command room, Gendo Ikari rested his chin on his crossed hands. The orange lenses of his glasses reflected the cold light of the screens, obscuring his eyes. His deep voice broke the silence, devoid of any emotion, yet it seemed to drop the surrounding temperature by a few degrees: "Fuyutsuki, what do you think?"
It wasn't a question.
Standing beside him, Kozo Fuyutsuki's gaze was equally fixed on Ryo, who was currently being escorted away by security personnel on the screen. He spoke slowly, his tone carrying his usual prudence: "It was absolutely no accident. The principles of the technology he used differ from any system known to us. It appears to be an extended application of environmental purification, but the effect... is too precise and lethal."
He paused, the gaze behind his glasses sharpening. "A researcher dedicated to restoring the ocean shouldn't possess such an... efficient, targeted solution. His background is much more complex than we imagined."
The corners of Gendo Ikari's mouth seemed to curl up in a nearly imperceptible arc. It wasn't a smile, but something much deeper.
"He has demonstrated value, but also exposed danger," his voice remained steady. "Monitor him closely. Investigate everything behind him."
"Understood." Fuyutsuki gave a slight nod. "I will personally oversee the review process. Furthermore, regarding his 'catalytic particle' project..."
"Keep it for now," Gendo interrupted, his voice carrying unquestionable resolution. "Before we completely control him, it still has its uses."
These few simple exchanges had already set the tone for NERV's top brass regarding Ryo: utilize, but never trust; necessitate, but must control.
This researcher who had unexpectedly stumbled onto the chessboard had transformed from an irrelevant corner piece into a dangerous pawn that needed strict guarding and could detonate at any moment.
Amidst the battlefield ruins, Ryo stood in place, panting slightly.
He first looked toward the distant azure bay shimmering with golden light under the setting sun—the Ninth Research Institute and the ecological restoration zone were completely intact.
His face showed none of the smugness or excitement of a victor; there was only an almost ruthless focus, as if what he had just completed was not a life-and-death adventure, but a high-risk field study.
He looked down at his slightly scraped hands, then toward the direction where the Fifth Angel's remains had finally dissipated, leaving only faint clear wet streaks. Using a voice only he could hear, he whispered clearly, as if recording lab notes: "Catalytic particles on living Angel biological tissues... confirmed to have specific decomposition effects. The effect is significant; the speed of action exceeded expectations. However, energy dissipates too quickly, the range of effect is limited, and stability and controllability urgently require optimization. Sample data has been recorded."
Just then, Unit-01's head turned slightly. Its massive optical sensors, glowing with a ghostly green light, locked onto the minuscule yet impossible-to-ignore figure below.
Inside the Entry Plug, Shinji Ikari clearly saw Dr. Ryo standing in the ruins through the panoramic screen.
He saw that although the doctor looked a bit dishevelled, he stood straight, raising his hand to wave vigorously in his direction. On his face was a tired but clearly visible smile carrying affirmation and gratitude.
That smile, piercing through the cold screen, penetrated the numbness and daze following the battle and was clearly transmitted into Shinji Ikari's heart.
An indescribable emotion surged up—it was relief, it was feeling moved, and perhaps a trace of the warmth of being acknowledged.
The EVA he piloted had protected the doctor's dream; and the doctor, in a way he never expected, had helped him win this battle.
However, this brief exchange was quickly broken.
Several black SUVs painted with the NERV logo rushed onto the scene with screeching brakes. Heavily armed security personnel quickly disembarked, forming a loose perimeter as they politely yet undeniably "invited" Ryo into the car.
"Dr. Ryo, please cooperate with us. We need you to provide a detailed explanation of your actions just now." The lead security supervisor's tone was formulaic, his gaze sharp.
The smile on Ryo's face faded, returning to his usual calm.
He offered no resistance, merely looking up at Unit-01 one last time and giving a slight nod, as if to say, "I'm fine." He then turned around and, under the "escort" of the security personnel, calmly sat in the SUV.
The vehicle carried him away, heading towards NERV Headquarters.
What awaited him would inevitably be a deep and meticulous investigation and interrogation.
This shocking "on-site experiment" of his, although unexpectedly inflicting heavy damage on the Angel and doing NERV a huge favor, had also thoroughly exposed him under the spotlight.
He successfully verified an extremely potentially valuable technological direction, winning himself more special attention and perhaps higher internal clearance. But at the same time, in exchange, he brought upon himself a stricter, more cautious, and possibly suspicion-filled gaze from within the NERV system.
Risk and opportunity were tightly intertwined at this moment.