9:00 AM.
Beneath Tokyo-3, Japan. NERV Headquarters.
Inside the EVA Unit-01 hangar monitoring room, Gendo stood before the glass. Watched the massive purple-green machine body. Bloodshot eyes behind his glasses. Exhaustion written across his face.
He hadn't rested for a day and night. After learning Yui would be resurrected today, his mind held nothing else.
"Every method we tried to rescue her failed."
"Will this time... truly succeed?"
Ritsuko Akagi entered the monitoring room. Stood behind Gendo. Also looked toward Unit-01.
Gendo didn't answer.
His gaze remained fixed on Unit-01.
"Seems we can only pray for a miracle."
Seeing no response, Ritsuko spoke to herself.
Soon—
The hangar side door opened. Misato and Shinji appeared together.
"Too slow."
Gendo's gaze shifted from Unit-01 to Shinji. Voice hoarse.
Hearing that voice, Shinji looked up.
"Father, you're also... looking forward to seeing Mother?"
Shinji saw the bloodshot in Gendo's eyes.
On the way here, Shinji had been anticipating the reunion with his mother.
"Yes."
Gendo rarely engaged with Shinji.
"Everything I've done—for Yui. For your mother."
"Stop wasting time. Begin."
"I expect you to keep your promise."
This was directed at Natsuki.
As his words fell—
Golden light surfaced in Shinji's eyes.
"Don't worry."
Natsuki raised his right wrist. Prepared for Hikari's remote operation.
But the moment he channeled energy into the bracelet's crystal—
He heard a faint sound.
"Shinji... Shinji..."
A voice that sounded inherently gentle.
"This voice?"
Natsuki keenly caught the sound. Seemed to come from inside Unit-01.
Strange. Last time piloting Unit-01, he hadn't heard this.
Was Unit-01 speaking?
Or... was Yui, trapped inside Unit-01, speaking?
Seemed like she wanted to convey some message.
"Open Unit-01's Entry Plug. I need to go inside."
Natsuki looked up. Told Gendo in the monitoring room.
Gendo nodded.
Right now, forget entering Unit-01—if it meant seeing Yui again, he'd give half his life.
"Prepare it."
He turned to Ritsuko.
Ritsuko nodded. Arranged for personnel to eject Unit-01's Entry Plug. Let Shinji enter.
Meanwhile.
In void space.
Ghost Angel observed the Angels sleeping within Earth from this dimension.
"Strength alone is absolutely insufficient."
"To stop that one, only Leliel's Dirac Sea will work. Trap him in imaginary space. Just three minutes is enough."
"And the other Angels—must seize Adam's embryo from Gendo during this opportunity."
"Even if they fight each other, if just one succeeds, I win."
Elsewhere.
Beneath the American NERV branch base.
Zao Jefferson stood before a transparent container filled with nutrient fluid. Looked at the white-haired boy inside.
"Use you first... or... seek help from the system?"
"Either way, Ultraman shouldn't exist."
He stood before the container. Hands behind his back. Constantly deliberating.
Inside EVA Unit-01.
"Shinji... Shinji..."
The gentle voice grew clearer.
Undoubtedly, this was Unit-01's voice.
Through telepathy, reaching Shinji's mind.
"Who... are you?"
Natsuki responded with telepathy as well.
After he spoke—
The cockpit scene instantly transformed. They arrived in a pure white mental space.
"You've... grown up, Shinji."
A woman appeared before Natsuki. White lab coat. Short chestnut hair. Extraordinarily beautiful features.
She wasn't speaking to Natsuki. Speaking to Shinji behind him.
"You're... Mother!?"
Shinji looked at the woman before him. He couldn't remember his mother's face clearly. But this overwhelming urge to embrace her—couldn't be wrong. She was his mother.
"Mother!"
Shinji stepped forward. Ran toward Yui.
Tried to embrace her. But passed straight through her body. As if she were only a phantom.
"...Why?"
Shinji turned back blankly. Looked at Yui's phantom. Mood plummeted from joy.
Yui turned around. Looked at him with gentle eyes.
"Not yet, Shinji."
"I can't leave Unit-01."
Shinji couldn't understand these words at all.
Urgently said:
"You can!"
"Natsuki-san is willing to help us!"
"He's incredibly kind and has miraculous powers. Natsuki-san has helped me so much during this time, and he promised to resurrect Mother!"
In this moment, Shinji was simply a child wanting to see his mother.
"I see."
"Shinji... thank you for taking care of him."
Hearing Shinji's words, Yui turned toward Natsuki. Bowed in gratitude.
She'd witnessed both times Shinji piloted Unit-01.
Though only the scenes of Shinji sitting in the cockpit.
Then she explained to them why she must remain inside Unit-01.
"SEELE's plan wants everyone to lose physical form. Become one complete entity. But this... would make people lose their 'self.'"
"I don't approve of this plan. But with my strength alone, I can't oppose SEELE."
"So during Unit-01's experiment, I chose to leave my soul here. Give Unit-01 a soul."
"Only this way can you pilot Unit-01, Shinji. And ultimately... gain the right to decide this world's direction."
Unit-01's experiment years ago wasn't an accident at all.
Yui did it deliberately.
She wanted to enter the game herself. Stop SEELE's plan. And leave the final choice to her son.
If nothing unexpected happened, Shinji would eventually grow through repeated breakdowns. After losing their crucial piece, SEELE would use Shinji and Unit-01 as the key to godhood. Have Shinji complete the final Instrumentality ritual.
And Gendo's plan was also destined to fail.
This was a woman truly orchestrating everything from behind the scenes. She didn't agree with SEELE's plan. What she wanted was using EVA technology to achieve humanity's true immortality. Leave eternal proof of existence in the universe.
According to her original plan, Shinji would ultimately face two choices: fulfill SEELE's wish and complete the Human Instrumentality Project, making humanity one entity—or refuse SEELE, refuse Instrumentality, restore the world to normal, while Unit-01 as an eternal existence would wander the universe forever.
Hearing all this—
Shinji was stunned.
What was all this?
One after another, everyone creating these complicated plans?
If this were the old Shinji, after hearing Yui's words, he'd definitely fall into confusion. Not know what choice to make.
But now—
Shinji Ikari simply walked before Yui. Tone resolute:
"Mother's plan has nothing to do with me!"
"My choice is to resurrect Mother. As a mother, stay by my side!"
"And SEELE's plan—Natsuki-san and I will definitely crush it!"
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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