Of course, Ryota Kitazawa's impressive knowledge was thanks to his sharp memory—and the marine biology books he'd read before crossing over into this world. If not for that, he wouldn't have been able to name any of them.
But the more species Kitazawa identified, the more surprised Ryoji Kaji became. The range and depth of knowledge Kitazawa displayed were far beyond what any average 14-year-old should know.
"Very impressive, Kitazawa-kun,"
Kaji said casually, though his tone held a probing undertone.
"Tell me—have you seen these species before, in person?"
After all, many of the aquatic creatures in this facility were considered extraordinarily rare in the current era. Some of them weren't even mentioned in textbooks. For Kitazawa to recognize so many, and with such confidence, raised a few red flags.
Kaji had always been somewhat suspicious of Kitazawa. His physical abilities were too exceptional, his composure too mature. He didn't seem like a typical teenager at all.
As NERV's chief intelligence officer, Kaji couldn't help but feel that something about Kitazawa was… off.
"Heh, not really. I've just read about them in books before,"
Kitazawa replied smoothly, brushing off the suspicion with a light smile.
Kaji nodded and didn't press the issue further.
Lunchtime arrived.
As soon as the lunch boxes were opened, a delicious aroma filled the air—fresh sushi, mushroom soup, and even Chinese-style dishes.
"Well then—Itadakimasu!"
Kensuke Aida and Toji Suzuhara didn't need to be told twice. The moment they saw the food, they dove in with gusto.
"Delicious!!"
Minutes later, their voices rang out through the cafeteria.
"Unbelievable! I didn't think synthetic meat could taste this good! This is shocking!"
Kensuke exclaimed. From the moment he'd arrived at the aquarium, he'd been like a kid in a candy store, curious about everything.
Holding up his food—a type of flatbread stuffed with meat—he turned to Kitazawa:
"Hey, Kitazawa! What is this? I've never seen it before!"
"That's Roujiamo. It's a traditional Chinese dish."
Kitazawa replied with a small smile. He hadn't expected them to be so impressed.
"Wait… Kitazawa-kun, don't tell me you made all this?"
Even Kaji looked surprised now.
After the Second Impact, Earth's population had been cut in half due to massive natural disasters. With people struggling just to survive, preserving traditional food culture had become nearly impossible.
Real meat had long since become a rare luxury—classified as a protected species from the pre-Impact world. Eating it? Pure fantasy.
And so, synthetic meat had become the norm. But it usually tasted awful.
Yet what Kitazawa had made… was not only edible—it was delicious. Even Kaji found himself eating more than usual.
"Heh. Misato-neesan always eats instant food, so I cook from time to time,"
Kitazawa replied casually.
"Kitazawa-kun, just so you know—guys who can cook are very popular!"
Kaji grinned mischievously, wagging a finger.
"Yeah! I'm gonna start learning from Kitazawa too!"
Kensuke chimed in enthusiastically.
"Tch! Cooking is totally not a guy thing,"
Toji said, setting down his chopsticks with a scoff.
"That's women's work."
"Wow, how backward can you be?"
Asuka rolled her eyes, full of disdain.
"You're just a brainless idiot."
"What was that?! Say that again if you dare! A man's pride is sacred!"
Toji exploded instantly.
"Hmph. Then come prove it!"
Asuka snapped, clearly ready to throw down.
Of course, everyone knew Toji wasn't crazy enough to actually fight Asuka. He'd seen her skills with his own eyes. No amount of pride would make him try that.
"So that means… Shikinami-san must be pretty lucky, huh?"
Kensuke, still chewing, mumbled through a mouthful of food:
"She and Kitazawa-kun both live at Misato's place. So Shikinami gets to eat Kitazawa's cooking all the time, right?"
"Hmph. Who cares about his cooking?"
Asuka snorted dismissively.
"I'm German. I'm not used to eating Japanese food."
"Actually, I make Chinese food,"
Kitazawa replied lazily, slipping in the correction without much effort.
"Tch. Whatever! It's all the same! If I didn't have to eat, I wouldn't touch your cooking. It's gross!"
The bickering continued between the two of them. Meanwhile, in the middle of the commotion, Rei Ayanami quietly opened her lunch box and took a small bite of Kitazawa's food.
"Kitazawa-kun's cooking… is really delicious."
"Is that so? If you like it, eat more,"
he replied with a nod.
"No… I was just thinking—if one day, we fail to defeat the Angels… and the world is thrown into a third cataclysm… will anyone still be able to eat food like this again?"
At Rei's words, a heavy silence settled over the group.
The Second Impact had left deep scars. Humanity had barely survived. If, as Rei suggested, a Third Impact were to occur…
Would humanity be wiped out entirely?
"Which is why,"
Asuka crossed her arms and said confidently,
"we have to fight with everything we've got. You can't take fighting Angels lightly!"
"Leave it to me—I'll handle every last one of them!"
Her words were bold, but the room remained somber. Rei's question had hit too close to home. The Angels weren't just enemies—they were a threat to humanity's continued existence.
"That's why we all need to stick together,"
Kaji said with a soft smile,
"Only through unity can we defeat the Angels."
And that was the real purpose of today's event.
Kaji wasn't going to miss the chance to drive that point home.
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