Clack—
In the assembly plant constructed in Tokyo-3, researchers and engineers from the Starsea Empire, along with Bulin, officially began their study on these massive machines.
Unlike Strike Freedom or the Strelitzia, the EVA units were a kind of biomechanical mecha—their energy originated from the body of a "God" that had been separated.
Humanity hoped to gain a power close to that of a "God" by piloting the EVAs, to fight against the divine "Apostles."
Based on this same concept, Akashi, Nyarlathotep, and the Research Division's little lolis decided to attempt something bold.
Boom—Boom—
Bulin and the Angeloid carefully dismantled the external armor of the three EVAs, layer by layer.
Revealing the bare inner forms.
Once the purple shell of Unit-01 was removed, its inner structure resembled that of a giant—its entire body covered with light brown muscles.
A red core, similar to that of an Apostle, rested in its chest. Its face carried humanoid features, and from behind, one could even see the structure of a spine.
The towering figure hung suspended within the plant, awe-inspiring and intimidating.
"Ah... this is..."
Asuka and Mari Makinami, who had come to watch, were stunned.
"Unit-01 was separated from Lilith's body—basically a fragment of Lilith herself, nya. That's why they look so similar."
Akashi pointed with her wrench toward the nearby research tower, where Kayo Senju was currently leading a team to study Lilith's main body.
"Also, the EVA's armor isn't for protection—it's to suppress its energy and prevent the unit from going berserk, nya."
Among the dismantled armor fragments, countless neural conduit-like structures could be seen, all designed to restrain Unit-01's immense power.
Once the armor of Unit-00 and Unit-02 was removed, their inner forms were nearly identical—Unit-00 and Unit-01 both originated from Lilith's body, while Unit-02, created from Adam, showed minor differences in size and proportion.
The Life Sciences Division's little lolis surrounded the EVAs with their instruments, assisted by the Angeloid. They collected biological samples and conducted various analyses in the lab.
"Never thought I'd see the day—building a mecha actually needs the biology department involved..."
Muroto Sumire, her eyes dark from lack of sleep, had set up camp with her team, analyzing the biological composition of Adam and Lilith.
Hiss...
During training breaks, Asuka and Mari often sneaked over to watch Bulin and the young researchers work on the EVAs, only to end up full of even more questions.
"All your research staff are kids? The engineers too? They just looked at the blueprints once and can already dismantle an EVA?!"
In the past, NERV had spent months—sometimes years—just to assemble a single EVA. Yet Bulin had disassembled them effortlessly, without any damage at all.
Every part was neatly arranged to the side, categorized and labeled.
"Don't underestimate them—they may be small, but they're smarter than you."
Setsuna replied with a smile.
"As for Bulin... just let them handle it. If Bulin says she can do it, then she can."
"Ugh..."
Asuka felt a wave of defeat.
She had always taken pride in being an honors student and an EVA pilot, unable to accept anyone surpassing her.
But in front of these true prodigies, her so-called 'elite' status seemed meaningless. They were researching spaceships, mechas, and technologies beyond her wildest imagination.
"Don't be too hard on yourself. There are always people stronger than you out there—and some gaps just can't be bridged by effort alone."
Setsuna pinched her cheek gently.
He understood her strange pride and stubbornness—it was merely a mask for her fragile heart.
"No... even if I'm not good at anything else, I'm still the strongest EVA pilot."
Asuka puffed up her cheeks defiantly.
"Just wait and see—when it comes to piloting an EVA, I won't lose to anyone."
"Well, how about you go have a sparring match with Gudako first...?"
...
The Engineering Division took a short while to disassemble and analyze the EVA units.
Setsuna remained there for the time being, assisting the research team with their examinations.
Asuka and Mari developed a strong interest in the Strelitzia and, under Gudako's guidance, occasionally tried piloting that massive machine.
"How about switching to piloting Gundams in the future? I could be your senior. The Commander can start you off with a Zaku, and once you're skilled, you can move up to the Strike Freedom, Turn A, or something else."
The Embodiment of Human Evil seemed eager to take on apprentices.
"No way! I'm Unit-02's pilot and the Second Child. I only want to pilot EVAs."
Asuka refused firmly.
To her, compared to mechas that anyone could pilot after some training, the EVA was far more special.
About a week later, Kayo Senju, Akashi, and the members of the Engineering and Science Divisions once again came to report to Setsuna:
"Commander, we've fully studied and mastered the principles behind EVA construction."
"By extracting and cultivating cells from the remains of Lilith and Adam—the First and Second Apostles—we can now manufacture mass-production type EVAs."
"We can also modernize the EVA's outer armor, installing more advanced weapons and reactors."
That they had completely understood such complex structures in just a week sounded like a myth to Asuka, but Setsuna didn't seem particularly surprised.
"Good."
He glanced over the submitted modification plan.
"We plan to modernize the EVAs piloted by Rei Ayanami and Asuka—Unit-00 and Unit-02—and additionally build one for Mari."
"They are all qualified pilots, so handling the upgraded units shouldn't be an issue."
"...As for Unit-01..."
Kayo Senju scratched her head.
Since Unit-01 had been captured, it was technically Setsuna's trophy—and potential personal mecha.
"Unit-01 was separated from Lilith's body. Frankly speaking, even Lilith herself, a so-called god, isn't as powerful as the Commander..."
"So, conventional modification would be meaningless. Instead, we plan to use Unit-01 as the prototype and reconstruct its inner form."
"We'll replace Lilith's organic structure with a portion of Nyarlathotep's body. Theoretically, that would grant Unit-01 a fragment of an Outer God's power."
"???"
Asuka and the others were baffled.
"Who's Nyarlathotep?!"
"She's the crawling chaos that writhes right beside you!"
Nyarlathotep struck a dramatic Kamen Rider pose.
"???"
"A part of you?! You're a god?!"
They couldn't comprehend how this cute, mischievous girl could possess such an unimaginable identity.
Putting a piece of her into an EVA?
That sounded... strange.
"Hohoho~ Commander, you've found the perfect person for the job."
Nyarlathotep crossed her arms proudly.
"I'm the best suited for this task—even more than Shub-Niggurath or Yog-Sothoth! Do you know my other title?"
"..."
Setsuna thought for a moment.
"The God of a Thousand Faces?"
When Nyarlathotep had fought her master earlier, she had used the ability Chaos Annihilation, a manifestation of the Thousand Faces' authority.
Nyarlathotep existed across countless parallel universes and timelines—present in the past, present, and future simultaneously.
"Exactly. If Shub-Niggurath were to divide herself, her power would weaken."
"But every fragment of me is me—completely Nyarlathotep."
Her explanation was a bit mind-twisting; Setsuna had to think for a while before understanding.
Nyarlathotep's mode of existence was beyond human comprehension—a fragment of her was her whole self.
"Alright, enough tongue twisters. For now, we'll let Nyarlathotep try. Maybe later, we can discuss it with Shub-Niggurath..."
"Mmm... I wonder if we'll ever get a chance to bring Azathoth into the mix..."
The little researcher girls began letting their imaginations run wild again.
"Alright then."
Seeing Nyarlathotep and the research team full of enthusiasm, Setsuna gave them permission to proceed.
"How will the process work exactly?"
"We'll replicate the EVA production procedure—have Nyarlathotep separate a part of herself, then use armor and restraint systems to shape it into a mecha form, nya..."
Akashi thumped her chest confidently.
"Don't worry—it won't turn into some grotesque abomination."
"Alright..."
Setsuna turned toward the Bulin foreman beside him.
"I've got a task for you—any issue with building an EVA out of an Outer God?"
"...Buri!"
Colorful Bulin blinked in surprise.
"Commander, are you trying to get Bulin in trouble, buli?!"
...
"Alright then, the first thing we need to deal with is the base body of Unit-01."
In the open lot of the EVA manufacturing plant, Akashi and Kayo Senju gestured respectfully to Nyarlathotep.
"We'll need a divine body as raw material for the EVA. We'll be counting on you."
"No problem~" Nyarlathotep agreed cheerfully.
Nearby, Asuka, Mari, and the others looked on. Rei Ayanami, though quiet as always, also turned her gaze toward the silver-haired, green-eyed girl.
With a curious expression, she studied the girl closely.
"A real god? An Outer God? I'd like to see what that actually looks like."
Asuka crossed her arms, muttering under her breath.
After seeing Lilith's true form, her divine illusions had already been shattered.
Yet from the way Setsuna and the others treated this girl named Nyarlathotep, there was clear respect—and even reverence.
She didn't know much about the Cthulhu Mythos and couldn't make sense of it at all.
"Commander, which part of my body do you want~?"
"Do you want the upper part, the lower part, or maybe~"
Nyarlathotep's teasing gaze turned mischievous.
"..."
"Can you just focus on the task?"
If it had been any ordinary shipgirl or another woman saying that, Setsuna might've assumed it was an invitation for an all-nighter party.
But coming from Nyarlathotep, it clearly meant something entirely different.
"Try something a little more... normal, alright? I don't want Bulin or the research lolis losing their sanity—or scaring the others."
"Alright~"
The girl clapped her hands.
"Nyarlathotep—the Crawling Chaos lurking beside you—manifests here!"
Whoosh—
In an instant, the once bright and sunny sky darkened under thick clouds.
The heavens turned pitch-black as if ink had been spilled across them, and the temperature around them plummeted by over ten degrees.
"Eek—!"
Asuka and Mari shivered, hurriedly grabbing coats to wrap themselves in.
Then, as Asuka turned her head, she noticed something terrifying—
The EVAs that had been standing nearby were gone. Tokyo-3, the assembly plant, the research center—everything had vanished.
All that remained was an infinite, suffocating darkness.
From the distant horizon came a cacophony of chaotic, thunderous sounds, like someone striking titanic drums somewhere in the cosmos.
Looking up, she saw it.
On the far edge of the horizon loomed a massive, shifting shadow.
Its form changed constantly, never staying the same for even a second.
At one moment, it was a headless giant wreathed in black smoke, holding its own head aloft—a manifestation of Tezcatlipoca.
The next moment, it became a massive, gelatinous mass, black fluids oozing down its sides. Blue veins pulsed beneath its surface, while crimson tendrils writhed beneath its bulbous body.
In the blink of an eye, it transformed again—into a towering, spiraling black droplet, writhing with tentacles and gaping mouths, all screaming in unison. Millions of tendrils twisted in the air like ropes of flesh.
It was so vast that even covering the entire sky, only a fraction of its form could be seen.
Indescribable shapes warped and merged before their eyes.
Just a single glance was enough to send one's sanity plummeting into chaos.
"W-W-What the hell is that?!"
Asuka's voice cracked, her legs trembling. She forgot all pretense of composure and clung tightly to Setsuna's arm.
She pressed against him instinctively, desperately seeking a sense of safety.
She couldn't even find the strength to run. She was terrified that if she turned her head, the endless darkness would swallow her whole. So she just held onto him with all her might.
"Eek—"
Mari crouched down, covering her head, refusing to look at the Outer God directly.
"Well, that's quite the spectacle."
Setsuna realized that after spending so much time around Cthulhu girls, his resistance to this sort of thing had improved a lot.
Whoosh—
After several minutes—or what felt like centuries to Asuka and the others—the colossal being in the sky finally stopped its shifting dance.
The clouds gradually receded, and light returned.
Thump—
Nyarlathotep landed gracefully from above.
"Ah, I summoned a few of my avatars earlier—pardon the mess."
"This one is one of my avatars—the Creeping Mist. Commander, I'll give it to you. Make good use of it~"
Following the direction of her finger, they saw it.
In the open field stood an indescribable entity, shrouded in a thick, grayish-black mist.
It was around seventy to eighty meters tall. Within the swirling smoke and clouds, faint, twisted shapes could be seen—indefinable, alien, and grotesque.
Now and then, faint cries of sorrow could be heard echoing through the air.
"Oh."
Setsuna recognized this as one of Nyarlathotep's classic forms—relatively easier to handle compared to the others.
At least, it wouldn't drive you insane with a single glance.
"Well, thanks for not turning into a Shoggoth."
Gudako wiped the sweat from her forehead.
"Wait, you... you're that thing from earlier..."
Asuka stammered, pointing at the sky, then at Nyarlathotep.
"That was just a part of me—just a small part~~"
"If I were to descend in my true form, this planet would probably be doomed."
Nyarlathotep scratched her head casually.
"Hiss..."
"Holy crap..."
Asuka looked between the adorable, smiling Nyarlathotep and Setsuna, her expression gradually turning solemn.
The Ancient God Commander... truly terrifying.
...
After obtaining Nyarlathotep's avatar, the Research Division and Bulin team immediately began reworking it.
It was a task that sounded utterly impossible—like something out of pure fantasy. Even with Nyarlathotep's cooperation, many of the research lolis were left scratching their heads in frustration.
They had initially hoped to study the Outer God up close, but they soon discovered that any device that came into contact with her avatar would immediately begin to malfunction.
Unable to observe, unable to measure.
No scientific method could analyze this existence.
Even staring at the amorphous mass for too long would cause one's mind to blur, sanity slipping away.
"Nyarlathotep's way beyond Aqua or Eris, what the hell?!!"
"Even for Heaven's goddesses, we could at least analyze the fluctuations in their energy fields!"
Kayo Senju groaned, staring blankly at a pile of incomprehensible data.
Human understanding couldn't reach the realm of Outer Gods. Even when machines extracted the data, it turned into pure gibberish.
They existed in ways beyond imagination, interfering with reality through incomprehensible power—far beyond the Research Division's capacity to calculate or comprehend.
"Ugh... our computation capacity isn't enough. We'll have to wait for the Research Nexus or the Stellar Computation Array to be completed before trying again..."
The little lolis were visibly disappointed.
In the end, they had to give up on researching the details and hand the task over to the ever-reliable Bulin team.
Understanding the theory wasn't important—what mattered was that the thing could be built.
"Bulin, we need to attach this... to that. Think it's doable?"
Akashi held up the design schematics and assigned the task to a group of colorful Bulins.
"Buri."
The Bulins tilted their heads, studying the plans for a while.
They didn't say yes, but they didn't say no either.
They'd never worked with an Outer God before—let alone use one's body to build an EVA.
From refitting warships to constructing starships, from building stellar bases to creating the Galactic Wonders—Bulin had always felt the Commander kept raising the difficulty. And now, he wanted them to make an Outer God mecha.
"If it's just a matter of attaching the armor... and she cooperates... Bulin thinks it's worth a try, burin?"
"No problem!"
Akashi and the research lolis cheered in excitement.
Fundamentally, an EVA was a biological weapon created by using armor and restraining systems to harness the power of a "God."
Since Nyarlathotep was one of their own, there was no risk of her power going berserk.
All they had to do was shape her into a humanoid form according to the mecha design, then link the pilot's interface to the EVA body.
The only real concern was that the power of an Outer God was simply too immense—and potentially sanity-draining.
Only someone like the Commander, whose body could withstand and synchronize with multiple types of energy, would be capable of piloting it.
Clack—
Rumble—
Every day, Setsuna and the others came to the EVA plant to check on progress.
After removing the outdated armor plating from Unit-00 and Unit-02, they replaced it with the Starsea Empire's advanced nano-alloy armor and integrated dark matter reactors.
Inside the units, new interstellar-era weaponry had been installed—miniature gamma laser cannons, corrosive missile launchers, and matter disintegration devices, among others.
Nearby, they had also cultivated a new base body modeled after Unit-02, constructing a similarly designed Unit-03.
Each EVA was painted in its original signature colors: Asuka's bright red, Mari's pink, and Rei's Unit-00 in light blue.
Asuka's blood was practically boiling—she couldn't wait to pilot her new EVA.
However, when she glanced over to the other side of the plant, where the research lolis, Nyarlathotep, and the Bulins were working together on modifying Unit-01, she couldn't help but feel her sanity slipping.
Zzzt—Clack—
Just as Bulin attached a piece of black armor to the frame—
Pff—
A tentacle suddenly burst out from the mecha's shoulder, writhing wildly in the air.
"Burin!!"
Bulin jumped back, startled.
"Ahhhh! The restraint module's bugging out! Increase the suppression power!"
The team scrambled in panic, pushing the tentacle back into the frame.
Boom—
A moment later, a pair of terrifying wings erupted from the mech's back.
"Rear armor panel energy leak! The Outer God energy level is too high! Quick—inject more suppression fluid and reinforce the containment field!"
"Nyarlathotep, give us a hand!!"
After a flurry of chaotic adjustments and frantic operations, the mecha kept sprouting bizarre and indescribable appendages from its body, making everyone's eyelids twitch in nervous horror.
"Can someone actually pilot that thing???"
Asuka and Mari were dumbfounded, even Gudako—used to facing all manner of absurdity—was speechless.
"I have only one condition," Setsuna said flatly. "It has to at least look humanoid. If it ends up looking too strange, I refuse to pilot that thing."
Who could've imagined that after piloting Strike Freedom, Turn A, and the Strelitzia, his next ride would be an EVA of the Outer Gods.
"Don't worry, it'll be fine, nya!"
"Nyarlathotep is the God of a Thousand Faces—building an EVA from her avatar means it'll have all sorts of extraordinary powers, nya."
Akashi assured him confidently.
...
After another half-month in the EVA world, one day, as Setsuna was overseeing local operations and planning planetary climate restructuring, the Engineering Division delivered great news:
"Commander, reporting in—Unit-01's Cthulhu-class modification is complete."
"We've named it: Evangelion of the Ancient Gods – Nyarlathotep Type I. Ah, praise the Outer God!"
—
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