Chapter 580: Giving a Choice
Ryo (second avatar) ended the call with Executive Stoke. He did not immediately summon the three pilots, but first returned to his own office.
He needed a little time to clearly sort through the entire situation and the choices he was preparing to offer them.
He stood before the observation window, gazing at the three vividly painted EVA-Titans standing quietly in the hangar below.
Crimson, violet, and ice-blue; they represented three young lives he had taken away from their originally despairing fates.
He brought them here to give them new possibilities, not to push them once again into another war-torn world, even if the form of warfare in this world was completely different from what they were familiar with.
A sense of responsibility and a protective desire born from "knowing" intertwined in his heart.
He clearly knew that in their original timeline, they had endured too much heavy pressure and trauma that shouldn't be borne by people their age.
Here, he hoped to give them a true right to choose.
A moment later, Ryo summoned Shinji Ikari, Asuka, and Rei Ayanami in a relatively spacious briefing room in the base that carried a touch of daily life.
When the three walked into the briefing room, their expressions varied.
Shinji Ikari appeared somewhat constrained, his head lowered, his hands subconsciously rubbing the hem of his clothes repeatedly, as if the rough fabric could bring him a trace of stability.
Asuka walked with her usual, slightly guarded pace, her lake-blue eyes quickly sweeping across every corner of the room, carrying scrutiny and curiosity before finally landing on Ryo.
Rei Ayanami walked at the very back. She remained calm, her face devoid of any ripples, her red eyes like two deep wells reflecting the room's image yet bottomless.
Ryo stood in the center of the room. That Tartaros-pattern Terminator power armor made him appear exceptionally tall and imposing, its dark metallic surface gleaming with a cold, hard luster under the lights.
However, he was not wearing his helmet at the moment. His face was directly exposed to the air, forming a bizarre contrast with this armor completely steeped in an aura of slaughter.
His gaze swept over the three of them, and he spoke in a peaceful tone, "Please sit."
After the three took their seats opposite him, Shinji still shifted his body somewhat uneasily, Asuka straightened her back, and Rei Ayanami was as quiet as a doll.
Ryo didn't make any superfluous small talk and cut straight to the point. He raised a hand and operated the virtual control console at the side, and a light screen of a star map unfurled in the air.
"I just received a formal communication from the headquarters of the Steel Hound Legion," he said, his voice carrying a natural, low resonance due to being inside the power armor, but his speaking speed was steady, his enunciation clear. "They have issued an invitation to us—or more specifically, to you and your EVA-Titans—to participate in a real military operation."
The star map focused, magnified, and locked onto a planet displaying a mixed yellow-green hue.
"The target is Verdant III, an Agri-World. Currently, it is suffering an invasion from a decently sized Ork tribe." As he spoke, blurry battlefield footage and reconnaissance data began scrolling beside the star map. "The local defenders have suffered heavy casualties, and their defensive lines are continuously retreating. The Steel Hound Legion has decided to dispatch a main detachment to provide support."
"They hope that the EVA-Titan combat squad can tag along, to test and showcase your combat capabilities in a real battlefield environment."
He deliberately paused for a moment, allowing this information to settle in the hearts of the three.
He clearly saw Shinji's hands, resting on his knees, tighten slightly, his body shrinking back imperceptibly, his eyes revealing obvious fear.
Asuka's brow furrowed, her lips pursed tightly as she stared at the red block marked as a threat zone on the star map, her gaze sharp and complex.
Rei Ayanami remained in that tranquil state, only her red pupils moving slightly, taking in the information on the screen.
"I must emphasize that this is not simulated training." Ryo deepened his tone, his gaze passing over the three young faces in turn. "This is a real war. The enemy are Orks, an alien species that takes pleasure in destruction and war, possesses astonishing reproductive capabilities, and is extremely violent."
He carefully chose his wording, wanting them to understand the danger without overly frightening them. "Combat inevitably entails casualties and risks. Even with the protection of the EVA-Titans, in the chaos of a battlefield, no one can guarantee absolute safety."
He looked at the almost overflowing bewilderment in Shinji's eyes, and at the rapidly pondering gaze beneath Asuka's tightly locked brows. His tone turned much more solemn, even slowing down a bit: "I summoned you here to tell you one thing very clearly: you have the right to choose."
These words were like a pebble dropped into calm water, making all three of them raise their heads, their gazes focusing on him.
Even on Rei Ayanami's face, which seemed like it would never have emotional fluctuations, those red eyes seemed to flicker ever so slightly.
"You are not soldiers of the Imperium; you have sworn no oaths of loyalty, nor do you have any obligation to participate in this war far from your homeland." Ryo's voice was clear and affirmative, leaving no room for doubt. "This invitation, essentially, is a practical combat test request based on our cooperation framework with the Steel Hound Legion. Therefore, you have the right to refuse."
He adjusted his stance slightly, the joints of his power armor letting out faint hydraulic sounds, trying to make his posture look less oppressive.
He continued speaking, his voice a bit gentler than before: "Moreover, I think it is necessary to let you know that if you feel unadapted to this universe, to the environment you are currently in, or simply do not wish to be embroiled in any form of war and conflict ever again..."
He paused to ensure they were all listening. "I have alternative plans. I can send you, along with your EVAs, to some more peaceful worlds far away from major conflicts and wars."
"There, you can live relatively peaceful lives, never having to face Angels again, nor having to face Orks. When I initially decided to take you away, this was one of the possibilities I had considered."
His gaze watched them peacefully, his black pupils carrying earnestness and candor, word by word completely handing over the weight of the choice: "So, right now, the power to decide rests in your own hands."
"Whether to accept this combat invitation and step onto the battlefield of this unfamiliar universe; or to choose to leave and seek a more tranquil sanctuary. I need each and every one of you to give your own answer."
After Ryo finished speaking, he stopped talking, merely standing there quietly, waiting.
The briefing room instantly fell into silence, with only the low background hum of the air circulation system and Shinji's somewhat rapid, forcefully suppressed breathing.