EVA Unit 00 moved swiftly, snatching Takenoyama up in its massive mechanical hand—as effortlessly as it had grabbed that officer before.
Takei Musan, fierce though he'd been, was powerless against this war machine built to fight Angels—not humans.
"Help! Help me!" he screamed, terror flooding him—just as the military officer had. Facing such a titan, any man would soil himself.
Rei, controlling the Eva, had no mercy. In her eyes, Asuka's suffering was clearly Takenoyama's fault.
With a crushing motion, EVA 00 squeezed. Boom!
Takei Musan's body exploded into a red shower of gore, bones and flesh crushed in an instant. Only pulp remained.
The Eva dropped what little remained on the ground, glanced down at Asuka, and stalked away. Rei knew others from NERV would arrive to rescue Asuka soon. Her mission here was done.
She resumed her march into the distance, giant footsteps echoing behind her.
---
Captain Kishimoto's expression was stormy—no one, not even the Black Dragon gang, had been able to approach Kitazawa Ryota.
Ryota's blood-soaked figure seemed surrounded by an invisible shield preventing any harm—no bullet, no blade, no knife could reach him.
This outrageous revelation inflamed Kishimoto's fury.
"Captain Kishimoto, today I want to see Ryota die with my own eyes," Hattori Narumi spat, clenched fists shaking. "Does the army even work? Billions in budget, and this is your victory?"
Kishimoto's face went dark.
"Lord Hattori, please calm yourself. My intention in using the Black Dragon gang was to preserve military honor. Ryota was once hailed a hero—killing him outright is politically disastrous."
He paused.
"But if not even the Black Dragon group can take him, then it's time our forces did."
Narumi laughed cruelly. "Excellent. Start the operation. Let your troops tear him to bits!"
"Have the troops arrived?" Kishimoto barked at his aide.
"Yes, sir. They've arrived," the aide answered, wiping sweat from his brow.
Fleet after fleet of military trucks rolled in. Soldiers burdened with firearms poured into the school grounds, encircling every building with lethal intent.
Inside, the students—Aida Kensuke, Suzuhara Toji, and others—trembled in fear. They'd never seen such militarization—armed men converging on their school.
Upstairs had been a hellscape: blood, severed limbs, and gore everywhere—a testament to Kitazawa Ryota's savage battle with the Black Dragon gang. Without his god-given shield, he would have fallen too.
"Kill—open fire!" Kishimoto ordered. His aide relayed it via radio; guns were raised, bullets chambered, all aimed at Ryota.
But Ryota remained calm—confidence radiating from him.
"Act like that again. Let's see how you die," Kishimoto snarled through clenched teeth.
He refused to believe anyone could deflect bullets. Ryota wasn't a superhuman—just flesh and blood.
And just as tons of soldiers took aim, a deafening roar shattered the air.
"Rumble… rumble…!"
The ground vibrated. Footsteps thundered.
They turned—and there it was: EVANGELION Unit 00, painted deep yellow, stepping onto the battlefield. Every soldier froze. The faculty and students gasped.
This weapon—designed to annihilate Angels—was impervious to their puny bullets.
"They escaped again!" Kishimoto clenched his fists in fury. Rei had saved Asuka, Ryota had held off an entire gang—and now showed himself surrounded by military firepower.
Damn it! Kishimoto regretted not sending more troops—he'd underestimated NERV's pilots.
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