As the media war escalated, strangely enough, NERV's top command remained entirely silent.
Gendō Ikari and Kouzou Fuyutsuki had yet to speak a single word. As Commander and Vice Commander of NERV, their habitual silence at such a critical time struck many as highly unusual.
And NERV's true supervising organization—SEELE—hadn't made a peep either, allowing things to play out on their own.
Of course, very few people even knew of SEELE's existence. Besides a handful of powerful UN officials and some top brass in the military, the only people privy to its identity were Gendō Ikari, Kouzou Fuyutsuki… and now, Ryōta Kitazawa.
No one knew the complete roster of SEELE's members. The only publicly recognized figure was its chairman, Keel Lorenz, one of the UN's permanent delegates and the lead legislator in the American national assembly.
Since SEELE hadn't made a move, some speculated whether the pressure on NERV came with Keel's silent endorsement.
Of course, Ryōta Kitazawa didn't care about any of this.
He had more pressing matters on his plate—like the fact that footage from his battle against the Fifth Angel had been broadcast all across Japan.
In particular, that climactic moment—when Unit-01 stood tall in the wind, looking back with godlike majesty—had seared itself into the public imagination.
In an instant, Ryōta Kitazawa became a celebrity. A battle idol.
And in Tokyo-3, it was a full-blown sensation.
Every day, scores of journalists crowded the gates of Municipal First Middle School. They were all there for one reason: to catch a glimpse of Ryōta Kitazawa.
Inside the school, the hype was no less intense.
After all, humanity's savior was a teenage boy—how could anyone resist idolizing him?
> "Kitazawa-kun, I made these rice balls just for you this morning. Please have one..."
"Kitazawa-kun, try my sushi! I made it myself, just for you~"
"Kitazawa-kun, are you free tonight? Could you maybe tutor me at my place?"
"Kitazawa-kun…"
"Thanks," Ryōta responded with a polite smile.
He accepted their gifts and attention graciously, showing no irritation at the overwhelming praise. But inside… he was already tired of it.
So this is what it means to be a celebrity... It's endless.
Especially those reporters outside the school gate. Every single day they camped there, nonstop. Damn NERV and their need for a poster boy. Sure, humanity needed a hero—but did it have to be him?
Alone on the school's rooftop, wind brushing through his hair, Ryōta let out a long sigh.
> "It seems like Kitazawa-kun is very popular these days."
The voice came from behind him—soft and feminine, but cold in its clarity. Emotionless, yet perceptive.
Ryōta turned around.
There she was: a girl with short blue hair, standing quietly, her pale eyes fixed on him.
> "Oh, it's you."
He offered a mild smile.
> "What? Is Kitazawa-kun not happy to see me?"
The girl stepped forward. Her tone was calm, almost detached. She was like a drifting breeze, always just out of reach.
> "No. I'm just surprised." Ryōta shrugged. "But if you're here to ask again about evolving Evangelion… I'm afraid you're going to be disappointed."
Rei Ayanami visiting him in person? That alone was enough to catch him off guard. In her world, there were only two things that mattered: piloting Evangelion and obeying Gendō Ikari.
The only reason she'd seek him out must've been about evolution.
> "Actually, I just wanted to see Kitazawa-kun," she said.
Then, unexpectedly, she smiled. It was the faintest curve of the lips—delicate as morning light.
> "I felt you were different from everyone else."
Ryōta blinked. Then he smiled too.
> "Oh? I wonder what makes me different?"
> "I don't know," Rei said softly. "What is Kitazawa-kun's dream?"
> "My dream?" Ryōta looked up at the sky. "To defeat the Angels. But before I can do that, I need overwhelming strength. That's the goal I've worked toward my whole life. Still... one person alone can't change the world. So... I want to give it a shot."
He didn't say the rest: that he had a plan to create his own version of the Human Instrumentality Project. A different one. One not built on lies and death.
But those were words he couldn't say to Rei—not yet.
Even so, that one sentence—"I want to give it a shot"—rang with a kind of unstoppable conviction.
Rei tilted her head slightly, watching him.
> "Then I look forward to Kitazawa-kun's performance."
> "Thanks." Ryōta nodded with a smile. "And what about you, Ayanami? What's your dream?"
> "To pilot Unit-00. To defeat the Angels. And… maybe…" she hesitated for a moment, "to see if I can make Unit-00 evolve. Like yours."
Ryōta laughed.
> "Sounds like a plan. Let's work hard—together."
As he looked into Rei's eyes, something stirred deep inside him.
Maybe, just maybe, things in this world really were starting to change.
Of course, their rooftop meeting was just a passing moment. The real headache still waited for him downstairs.
The reporters.
Ever since Second Impact, humanity had been desperate for hope. With half the world's population wiped out, anyone who rose up as a symbol of resistance… would be swarmed by media.
In other words: humanity needed a hero.
And that hero… just happened to be Ryōta Kitazawa.
Because no one could forget the image of that boy standing tall against the Angels.
Finally, the school bell rang. Dismissal.
Ryōta slung his bag over his shoulder, shoved his hands into his pockets, and made his way toward the school gate.
> "Ahhh! That's Kitazawa-kun! The way he walks is so elegant and cool! He's like a prince!"
He could already hear the girls squealing behind him.
He let out another sigh.
It's going to be another long day.
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