When Setsuna arrived once again at the EVA assembly plant, a massive dark-colored mecha stood proudly in the open lot.
Compared to the Strelitzia or Strike Freedom, it was slightly larger, but more compact and refined overall—like a giant clad in black armor.
The entire design exuded an overwhelming sense of aggression, resembling a weapon of war piloted by a villain in a sci-fi epic.
The head and shoulders bore sharp, spike-like decorations—and Setsuna had to check several times to confirm they weren't tentacles or anything of the sort.
The armor plating across its body was segmented, with an almost arthropod-like pattern, carrying an eerie yet captivating aesthetic.
"Not bad at all."
Setsuna examined it carefully.
It wasn't as incomprehensible as he had imagined. In fact, this Ancient God mecha actually matched his personal sense of aesthetics quite well.
"This is the result of our Cthulhu-class reconstruction of Unit-01—the Evangelion of the Ancient Gods: Nyarlathotep Type I, nya."
"Its inner core is Nyarlathotep's avatar—the Creeping Mist. The external suppressive armor was co-designed and built by us and the Bulin team."
Akashi twitched her ears proudly, presenting the Engineering Division's latest masterpiece.
"That fast?"
Gudako blinked in disbelief.
Nearby, Units 00, 02, and 03 were still undergoing modernization, yet the most insane project—the Outer God mecha—was already completed.
"Of course, because I'm here~~"
Nyarlathotep twisted playfully beside Setsuna, leaning in with a grin.
"This is part of my body, after all! Though, I'll admit those Bulins were quite impressive."
"..."
The Colorful Bulin foreman behind them looked utterly exhausted.
"Commander, Bulin doesn't ever want to work on that thing again, burin!!"
"Bulin works on it during the day, and at night, she has nightmares, uin! Nightmares full of Nyarlathotep, rin!!"
"..."
It was the first time Setsuna had ever seen a project actually break Bulin's spirit.
He patted her head gently.
"I'll give you all a month of paid leave when we get back. Have Erina and the others cook you something nice."
"Thank you, Commander, burin!!!"
After soothing the Bulins, Setsuna turned his gaze back toward the mecha.
From the start, this had been a half-serious, half-whimsical project—a spur-of-the-moment idea from Nyarlathotep and the Engineering Division. Truth be told, his curiosity far outweighed his expectations.
He just wanted to see what kind of result they could actually produce.
"It's called Nyarlathotep Type I? Does that mean there'll be more versions later?"
Asuka asked curiously.
"Mhm~" Nyarlathotep nodded.
"This one's made from my body, so it's the Nyarlathotep Type. Later on, there could be a Shub-Niggurath Type, a Yog-Sothoth Type, or even an Azathoth Type."
"Since an EVA's essence is to use divine bodies to craft a Gundam-like mecha that lets humans wield the power of gods, the result will vary depending on which god you use~"
"..."
"An Azathoth-type EVA? You might as well make a Chaos God Engine while you're at it."
Setsuna muttered dryly and climbed into the cockpit.
"I'll handle this! It's my body—I know it best!"
Nyarlathotep squeezed in beside him.
Shua—
He tapped a few commands on the holographic interface, initiating the startup sequence for the Cthulhu-modified Unit-01.
"LCL circulation system active... initiating fluid injection."
"Startup sequence—beginning neural link."
"Self-restraint system disengaged—begin synchronization..."
A series of mechanical prompts echoed from within the cockpit.
"LCL fluid? You're using that too?"
"Yes. We discovered it's an excellent medium for constructing the pilot-to-EVA neural connection."
One of the maintenance girls answered.
Hummmm—
A soft azure glow radiated from the mecha's chest and head as the unit trembled slightly.
Setsuna could feel it immediately—this EVA wasn't just a machine.
It was alive.
Unlike the Strike Freedom, Turn A, or the Strelitzia, this was a living construct—born from an Outer God's own flesh.
Boom!
[Synchronization Rate Test in Progress...]
[Confirmed: Evangelion Synchronization Rate – 100%]
"Oh."
Synchronization rate represents the degree of harmony, communication, and connection between the pilot and the EVA. The higher the synchronization, the greater the combat efficiency and defensive response, allowing the pilot to draw out more of the EVA's hidden potential.
Setsuna wasn't surprised. Since he could already adapt to multiple energy systems, piloting an EVA was nothing difficult.
Clack—
The moment he fully connected to Unit-01, an indescribable surge of power poured into his body—his consciousness fused completely with the EVA.
At such a high synchronization rate, his control wasn't just perfect—his nerves and the mecha's nervous system had become one, allowing him to feel every sensation of the unit directly.
In layman's terms, if the EVA's arm were severed or its chest pierced, the pilot would feel the pain as though it were his own.
Right now, what Setsuna felt was boundless, unfathomable power.
In an instant, his world shattered apart. His vision stretched infinitely, and distorted, alien notes echoed in his ears—like whispers from ancient gods.
When he refocused, his perspective expanded—he could see the low mounds below, and the Bulins and shipgirls watching from the ground.
"Wait a second."
He checked the system interface carefully and noticed that this EVA had no weapon systems at all.
No corrosive missiles, no beam lances—nothing.
"This Unit-01 doesn't need any weapons, nya," said Akashi.
"Nyarlathotep's avatar itself is already the strongest weapon. Missiles and torpedoes would just be redundant."
"Besides, Commander, if you wanted to use technological firepower, wouldn't the Eternal Snowfall be more effective?"
"...Good point."
Setsuna nodded.
He rarely used Gundam-style units because, on an equivalent technological level, starship-class weaponry utterly outclassed mecha arms.
Now that this EVA followed a magical route, there was no reason to load it with tech-based armaments.
Boom—
Unit-01 took a single step forward, the ground shaking under its weight.
Setsuna steadied his mind, feeling the enormous chaotic energy surging through the machine.
Through this EVA, he could channel a portion of an Outer God's power.
"What can your powers actually do?" he asked Nyarlathotep.
"Umm..."
The silver-haired girl tilted her head, her ahoge bouncing slightly.
"If you mean my divine powers... I can twist people's minds and enslave their souls? Though, I don't use that much."
"I can also summon my followers or other avatars?"
"And maybe, if I really wanted, I could turn everyone in an entire planet or even a star system into Deep Ones or Night-gaunts?"
"..."
Setsuna listened silently—none of that sounded remotely normal.
"So... how do you fight with those powers?"
He wasn't very familiar with the combat style of Outer Gods, hoping for some insight.
"Well..."
"When I'm in human form, I usually just conjure something and hit people with it..."
"And when I use my true form, most enemies just run away or lose their minds after seeing me, so... not much fighting happens."
Nyarlathotep scratched her cheek shyly.
"Commander, how about I teach you how to use my power to make a weapon? A Gundam looks weird fighting empty-handed."
"Sure."
Setsuna suddenly understood why Nyarlathotep always pulled crowbars and grenades from under her skirt—it wasn't storage; it was creation.
For an Outer God, to desire something was to manifest it.
This Cthulhu-type EVA followed the same principle—whatever he imagined, he could create.
Nyarlathotep leaned close, guiding his hands gently.
"Concentrate the power in your palms. Nyarlathotep can become anything—any weapon in existence, I can form it!"
Her hands were small and soft, pleasantly warm.
Whoosh—
Setsuna felt the chaotic energy inside the EVA gather, condensing in his hands.
"Manifesting a weapon from thought? That's... actually pretty cool."
He learned fast.
Within minutes, the swirling chaos condensed into a dark, shifting mass in his grasp.
After a moment of thought, he decided on a classic.
"Let's start with a sword."
"No problem~" Nyarlathotep replied cheerfully, continuing to guide him.
Clack—
The chaotic energy surged, forming a massive sword several dozen meters long.
The blade was dark crimson, wrapped in rolling black mist.
Upon closer inspection, countless shapes writhed within—limbs, tendrils, and eyes faintly intertwined.
Even a faint sound of weeping echoed from within it.
"???"
"What the hell... is this indescribable sword?!"
Setsuna could only stare in disbelief. As expected of a Cthulhu-type Evangelion—even its weapons radiated insanity.
Forget its power—just looking at it could drive someone mad.
"This is the Blasphemous Holy Sword!!!" Nyarlathotep puffed her cheeks indignantly.
"It's one of my treasures—like my Blasphemous Grenades! It took a lot of effort to help you make it!"
"Anyone weaker than me can't possibly withstand it!"
"Alright, alright."
Setsuna could tell, despite its horrifying appearance, that the weapon was immensely powerful—infused with divine energy.
If Nyarlathotep said anyone weaker than her couldn't block it, that meant only beings above her level could resist it.
"What happens if someone gets hit by it?"
Gudako trembled as she watched the EVA grip its unspeakable weapon.
"Well... hard to say. They might die instantly... or be assimilated by my power into something else entirely."
"After all, Cthulhu represents chaos, doesn't it?"
...
"..."
The shipgirls, Gudako, Asuka, and Mari all stared at the indescribable Blasphemous Holy Sword in Unit-01's hands with mixed, uncertain expressions.
In a strange way... it actually fit the Cthulhu Evangelion rather well.
Piloting Nyarlathotep's avatar while wielding a weapon she personally shaped—honestly, it was hard to find a more perfect combination.
"Commander, are you... Cthulhu's chosen one?!"
Gudako narrowed her eyes, scanning the EVA up and down.
This was giving her serious déjà vu. Somewhere, in some other world, chaos worshippers devoted to the Four Gods of the Warp received blessings—Khorne's berserkers, Slaanesh's chosen, and so on.
But the Commander clearly outranked all of them—he seemed favored by the Three Pillars of Cthulhu themselves.
"Wait a minute, no—Khorne's champions don't exactly cuddle with Khorne, do they?"
Setsuna chuckled, rubbing Nyarlathotep's head before pulling her close and pinching her cheek.
Soft, warm, and impossibly cute.
"You're amazing."
"Ehehehe~"
Nyarlathotep's ahoge bent into a little heart shape as she leaned in and kissed him on the cheek.
Even knowing he had seen her true form, Setsuna still accepted her—and even wanted to learn her power. Whatever tiny trace of anxiety Nyarlathotep still held vanished completely.
"Let's find a target to test this thing on."
Setsuna waved his hand, and the massive Blasphemous Holy Sword dissolved into black mist.
Thanks to divine power, he could summon it—or reshape it—whenever he wished.
He focused on sensing that strange, incomprehensible Outer God energy.
Chaotic, alien, and unbound by any rule or order—unlike any energy system he'd ever seen.
"How about you hop in the Strelitzia and spar with me?" he asked Gudako casually.
"No way!!!"
Gudako recoiled immediately, waving both arms in panic.
"Who the hell wants to fight a Cthulhu mecha?! I'd rather take on the Eternal Snowfall! What if you use those tentacles on me for some pervy torture play or something?!"
Her face turned pale.
"I'm weak! Go find someone strong! Maybe a Siren Arbiter or Observer—they're into that tentacle stuff too!"
"..."
As they argued, a sudden beep— interrupted them.
Sophon's voice echoed through the comms.
"Commander, abnormal energy detected in the Pacific Ocean."
"Target confirmed—Fourth Angel, Shamshel, advancing toward Tokyo-3."
On the holographic radar, its exact coordinates appeared.
"Huh? What's an Angel doing here?"
Setsuna paused, then quickly realized the reason.
Both Lilith and Adam's bodies were located here—it made sense the Angels would be drawn to them, just like in the original story.
"Icarus, take the Angeloid and—"
Before he could finish, Nyarlathotep interrupted, her voice bubbling with excitement.
"Commander, Commander! Isn't this the perfect test target?"
"Let's go—I'll teach you how to hit things!!!"
...
Over the vast Pacific Ocean.
A massive, grotesque lifeform—over a hundred meters long—skimmed low across the waves.
Its body was deep crimson, resembling a giant squid. Numerous insect-like limbs sprouted from its torso, and its head bore a mask-like, angelic face.
Two pale pink tentacles coiled at its sides, glowing softly.
The Fourth Angel—Shamshel.
In ancient myth, it was called the "Fourth Dominion," the Angel of Daylight.
Crack—
Shamshel glided over a small island.
Its tentacles sliced downward like vibrating particle blades, cutting through the island's buildings and terrain as if they were made of paper.
Anything that came into contact with the appendages disintegrated instantly into dust.
"..."
Silent and relentless, Shamshel continued flying toward Tokyo-3, drawn by a familiar, powerful energy.
Born from the Fruit of Life, each Angel instinctively longed to reunite with Adam—to return to a perfect, unified form.
They had existed long before humanity; in truth, the Angels were the Earth's original inhabitants.
Hummmm—
Before long, the sea ahead began to twist and churn, as dark gray mist gathered rapidly on the horizon...
The mist spread rapidly across the ocean, soon enveloping half the sea. Visibility inside dropped so low that even a few meters ahead became obscured.
The Angel of Daylight instinctively halted, shifting from its prone flight posture into an upright combat mode, cautiously observing the surroundings from a distance.
Though lacking true intelligence, the Angel could sense that the power emanating nearby wasn't from Lilith or Adam—and it was terrifying beyond reason.
Whoosh—
The black Unit-01 slowly emerged from the thick mist.
Each step it took upon the sea sent massive waves crashing outward.
"Teleportation? That must be the power of the Creeping Mist, right?"
Setsuna asked. With just a thought, Unit-01 had dissolved into mist—and in the blink of an eye, reappeared thousands of kilometers away.
"Yup! That's my ability," Nyarlathotep said proudly. "When people see this black mist, they know I'm coming~."
"Once you master it, Commander, you'll even be able to travel freely through space—or across parallel universes. It's far superior to your standard warp jumps."
"Interesting."
As expected of an EVA crafted from an Outer God's avatar—it came with plenty of strange functions.
"!!!"
The Angel suddenly recoiled, as though realizing it had encountered something it could never hope to match.
Though it lacked human reasoning, its primal instinct for survival screamed in warning—telling it to flee from this abominable entity and the cursed sea around it.
"Ha—"
Setsuna summoned the Blasphemous Holy Sword and thrust it forward.
Seeing that escape was impossible, the Angel lashed out with its tentacles, striking toward Unit-01.
Zzzzt—
The blade-like appendages, sharp enough to slice through steel, never even touched the armor. The moment they brushed against the surrounding black mist, they were instantly scorched away.
Boom—
Without suspense, the Blasphemous Holy Sword pierced the Angel clean through.
Rumble!!!
A chaotic explosion of energy erupted.
The massive creature's body deflated like a punctured balloon, then collapsed inward—melting into a viscous fluid that was swiftly absorbed into the sword itself.
"Ah, it got eaten."
Nyarlathotep blinked at the sword, where the Angel's distorted form now twisted faintly within its blade.
One-hit kills were normal—but the sword devouring its prey was enough to make anyone's sanity slip a little.
"The Angels belong to another pantheon," she explained. "So my power just... consumed it. Hmm, looks like both Unit-01 and I got a tiny bit stronger. Maybe by one hundred-millionth."
She smacked her lips thoughtfully.
"...That weapon of yours sounds kinda evil."
"Eh, whatever. I like it."
...
After finishing the test run of Evangelion of the Ancient Gods – Nyarlathotep Type I and incidentally slicing down an Angel, Setsuna returned to the Tokyo-3 Research Center.
"Not bad," he said, jumping down from the cockpit. "Aside from the weapon looking a bit too creepy, this EVA's power is incredible."
In truth, this was something entirely different from the Gundams he had piloted before—a fusion of divine and mechanical life, rather than a technological construct.
Still, the mecha looked stylish enough, and the weapon—while insane—was undeniably effective.
"Commander, you still haven't fully mastered its power," Akashi reported, reviewing the live data with Kayo Senju.
During the test, they had monitored both Setsuna's vitals and the EVA's performance.
"To truly master it, you'll need to merge completely with it—to become one in essence. Only then will you wield power equal to Nyarlathotep herself."
"After all, every face of the Thousand-Faced God is Nyarlathotep."
When pilot and EVA became one, Unit-01's power would be his own. The stronger his synchronization, the greater his personal strength.
It was a long process, though—the powers of an Outer God were too bizarre to comprehend, even for him.
"The power of the Three Pillars, huh? Guess I really am turning into an Ancient God Commander."
Setsuna hadn't expected to stumble into an entirely new power system by accident.
"Whether or not you become a new Outer God doesn't matter," Kayo Senju said, thinking aloud. "With the EVA's protection, you won't lose to any random deity you encounter."
"Some gods can rewrite reality with a thought, erase powers with a whim—but Unit-01 is Nyarlathotep. Unless they're strong enough to interfere with or erase the Cthulhu Trinity itself, most divine authorities won't even work on you."
"Oh?"
Setsuna realized he might've just secured the ultimate cosmic insurance plan.
Bless the Engineering Division. Praise Bulin.
"Thanks."
He looked at Nyarlathotep again—she was blushing adorably.
"Ehehehe~"
"Since Unit-01's made from my body," she said, giggling, "it's basically... me. So when you're going in and out of it, Commander, it's like you're... inside me."
Her cheeks turned redder, eyes sparkling with hearts.
"Should we... maybe test that a little more? Commander, would you prefer this form—or my true one?~"
"???"
—
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