"Heh. Well, from the way you say it, NERV really does sound like a power-hungry organization,"
Fuyutsuki chuckled heartily.
"Come on, Ikari-kun. Let's head back and settle this once and for all."
The two men got into the same car and quietly made their way toward NERV.
Tokyo-3 was more chaotic than ever, but the small car they rode in went unnoticed, blending into the city's endless traffic—until it eventually arrived at the NERV underground complex.
Before long, the Supreme Commander's office welcomed back its rightful occupant.
The news spread through the entire NERV headquarters like wildfire:
Gendo Ikari had returned.
His return, amid the current maelstrom of public outcry, was like a shot of adrenaline to the entire organization.
With the Commander now present, Misato Katsuragi could finally breathe a little easier. She didn't have to carry everything on her own anymore.
Not long after the announcement, both Ritsuko Akagi and Misato Katsuragi were urgently summoned to Gendo Ikari's office to report on recent operations.
"You did well in the battle against the Eighth Angel,"
Gendo said after Misato finished her report.
Lighting a cigarette and taking a long drag, he added:
"Defeating the Eighth, even at the cost of a few EVAs, is acceptable. If I had been the one commanding, I doubt I could have achieved such low casualties."
"Thank you, Commander… But—about how I handled the protests… I may have gone too far."
Misato bowed her head and admitted,
"The protests are deeply tied to the Japanese government. With NERV being stationed in Japan, I shouldn't have acted so rashly."
"No need for that."
Gendo shook his head.
"This is no longer your concern. The matter will be resolved soon. Now, return to your duties. I'm very satisfied with the work you've done at NERV recently."
"But, Commander—"
Misato tried to say more, but Fuyutsuki raised his hand with a smile and interrupted:
"Since the Commander has already made his decision, there's no need to worry further, Katsuragi."
"Understood…"
With the Vice Commander stepping in, Misato had no choice but to nod and leave the office.
After she left, Fuyutsuki turned back to Gendo, smiling knowingly:
"So, you're quite confident about resolving the protests, aren't you?"
"Only the foolish and ignorant are so easily manipulated,"
Gendo replied calmly.
"And the shameless politicians are even more foolish—focused only on short-term gain, never the big picture. But the protests will be silenced soon enough."
"Oh? Because of the upcoming Vatican Summit?"
Fuyutsuki chuckled.
"Don't forget—it's only a few months away now. World leaders will be gathering in the Vatican to discuss everything related to the EVAs."
"Hmph. Nothing but a loot-sharing meeting."
Gendo sneered.
"SEELE has been operating the Human Instrumentality Project behind everyone's backs. And those fools still have no idea. They squabble over meaningless crumbs—who gets an extra grain of rice, who loses a single sesame seed. Pathetic. Yes, I may be part of SEELE, but the path I, Gendo Ikari, walk is entirely different from theirs."
"Exactly. The path we've chosen has always been a separate one."
Fuyutsuki nodded.
"That said, word is that SEELE has begun development of Eva Unit-06. What's your take on that?"
"Unit-06, is it?"
Gendo shook his head.
"It seems they're finally preparing to build a true 'god.' The previous units were only prototypes leading up to it. So… SEELE has begun to suspect us."
He paused for a moment, then said:
"It's clear—we don't have much time left. If SEELE is beginning to doubt us, then we must activate Unit-01 as soon as possible. After all, Unit-01 is the key to our entire plan."
Later that night – Katsuragi residence
"You look so relaxed. Aren't you even a little worried? What if Commander Ikari can't resolve this either?! Then what?!"
A sharp, irritated voice echoed through the room.
It was Asuka. After Misato had told her and Ryota Kitazawa about Gendo Ikari's return and their earlier conversation, Asuka had immediately exploded—her tone full of panic and fury.
For Asuka, piloting an EVA was her greatest pride. If NERV fell, then her dream—her purpose—could vanish in an instant.
But her fury didn't provoke any response from Kitazawa.
He didn't even say a word.
Instead, he sat motionless, completely absorbed in his PSP, as though none of this had anything to do with him.
"Hey! Say something, will you?! Don't you care at all whether NERV survives or not? You cold-blooded jerk!"
No matter how much Asuka ranted, Kitazawa remained glued to his handheld console, utterly unfazed.
Watching the two of them, Misato couldn't help but sigh quietly.
How long are these two going to keep this up?
"Alright, Asuka, enough. Come help me prepare for tomorrow's gathering."
Misato cracked open a can of beer and took a swig as she spoke.
"Kaji said the theme is going to be a marine life exhibition. No one's allowed to be late! And to make it more fun, Kensuke Aida and Toji Suzuhara will be coming too."
"Hmph. I'm not going. Why should I go to a party full of idiots?"
Asuka scoffed with obvious disdain.
"Kaji said this event is meant to help build team chemistry—to strengthen the bond between all of you."
Misato said with a smile.
"Then can I not go?"
"Nope."
Misato denied her instantly.
"Tch! Being forced to spend time with that idiot… I'd rather die!"
Asuka's voice rose into a shriek of outrage and despair, echoing through the house.
"You're going. End of discussion."
Misato's tone was even firmer than Asuka's—leaving no room for debate.
While the argument carried on loudly in the background, only Kitazawa remained silent, still tapping away on his PSP.
But on the inside, he was reflecting on something Misato had said earlier.
If Gendo Ikari said the protests will end soon… he must have something planned. But it can't be magic. They've already seen how shameless and unreasonable politicians can be. This isn't something even Gendo can resolve with words alone…
Could this have something to do with the Vatican Summit?
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