Chapter 111 : Power Angel!

Just as Ikari Shinji hesitated, a scream echoed from Asuka's mecha through the communication link, and then the connection was abruptly lost!

Shortly after, a transmission from the headquarters came through, announcing, "The fate of the second unit is uncertain!"

Upon hearing this news, Shinji Ikari's face filled with panic, and his forehead glistened with sweat.

"But he remains motionless, his countenance a mix of pain and confusion!"

"It's as if he's ensnared in a colossal whirlpool, torn between orders on one side and a still-living pilot in Unit 3 on the other, rendering him unable to make a choice!"

Offscreen, Asuka stood in shock.

"How did someone like him pass the test and pilot the Eva for the first time?"

"Are they kidding?"

"The fate of the comrade in front is unknown, and he's still grappling in the background. This is too unreliable!"

Not only that, but almost all viewers frowned.

This was the first time such cowardice was displayed in any Eva battle!

In Misato's house, Ikari Shinji held his head in his hands, unable to look at the screen.

This situation was deeply connected to his childhood experiences.

As a child, he witnessed his mother's death in an Eva experiment. Subsequently, he was placed in foster care by relatives who paid little attention to him. His life was difficult, marked by frequent bullying, contributing to the development of his current character.

Ikari Shinji was tormented internally, finding the scene in front of him a form of torture.

The camera shifted; the 13th Angel continued its advance, effortlessly defeating the No. 0 unit piloted by Ayanami.

"Now, the only hope to stop the Angels in the island nation lies with the first unit!"

Under the setting sun, Shinji Ikari sat in the cockpit, watching the infected No. 3 unit slowly approaching him.

The next moment, he noticed the exposed No. 3 unit, with a small part of the insertion bolt protruding.

"The pilot didn't really die. Faced with this situation, Shinji Ikari couldn't launch an attack at all!"

"However, the Angels weren't about to let him off!"

Without any awkwardness, the colossal flesh-and-blood mecha leaped, somersaulted in mid-air, and planted its foot on the chest of the first unit!

(The air rippled, and the first unit was sent sprawling!)

Due to the 100% neural synchronization, Shinji Ikari was suddenly overwhelmed with pain!

He tried to command the No. 1 unit to stand, but in the next second, the arm of the infected No. 3 unit elongated like rubber, seizing the No. 1 unit by the throat!

Inside the cockpit, Ikari Shinji's neck pulsated with blue veins, struggling to breathe!

At this moment, within the Eva world, many personnel in the command station wore expressions of disbelief!

Even without attacking, he couldn't resist?

Was this a suicidal move?

In the command post, someone shouted to quickly lower the synchronization rate; otherwise, as the pilot, Shinji Ikari would undoubtedly die in his Eva!

But this command was vetoed by Ikari Gendo, the commander-in-chief!

"Shinji, Why didn't you fight back?!" Ikari Gendo asked, coldness in his eyes.

"I can't, Dad! There are still people on it!" Shinji Ikari uttered with difficulty.

Ikari Gendo, furious, shouted, "If you don't fight back, you'll die!!"

Shinji, without hesitation, responded to Gendo.

"That's better than murder!"

This line shocked viewers worldwide! Many wondered if Shinji Ikari was a hero, a coward, or perhaps both.

In the Shinigami world, Aizen's eyebrows lowered as if he were about to fall asleep. He couldn't believe such a person could be a video protagonist. To him, this soul seemed cowardly and harmless, lacking will and consciousness—nothing special.

Unable to sit still, Ikari Gendo stood up and quickly issued an order: "Completely cut off the synchronization between the pilot and the Eva, switch to puppet mode!" The next moment, in Unit 01, Shinji Ikari felt like a drowning man pulled to the shore, finally able to breathe. However, he lost control of Eva.

In the command station, a synthetic voice sounded, "The control system is switched, connecting all nerves to the puppet system." Gendo sat down again, speaking indifferently, "Release the system and start attacking!" Lens conversion.

As Gendo's voice echoed, the eyes of Unit 01 lit up, and it stood up, ignoring the opponent's attacks. It grabbed the thirteenth Apostle's neck, and a whimper rose from the Apostle's mouth. Eva, seemingly stimulated, shook its arms. Moments later, it pulled the Apostle's head with a forceful yank. Blood sprayed, raining in the sky.

But it wasn't over. The blood-stained Eva resembled a devil, smashing the Apostle's head with its foot, then crazily dismembering the body. Blood covered the scene, turning rivers and green mountains red—a hell on Earth.

Off-screen, Lucifer's eyes flashed a strange look. Not due to the blood or cruelty, but because he sensed something more. It wasn't just remote control; it felt like Eva acted instinctively, and he sensed a trace of a human soul.

In the EVA world, countless EVA staff were shocked. They never knew Unit 01 was so powerful—far surpassing the other three combined. What terrified them more was Eva in puppet mode, like a bloodthirsty demon—brutal and terrifying.

In the cockpit, Shinji Ikari was stupefied. Before his eyes, blood and dark red flesh tore apart, and he couldn't accept that Unit 01 had severed the insertion bolt of Unit 03.

Under such intense stimulation, Ikari Shinji fainted. When he regained consciousness, it was the next day.

Fortunately, the pilot of the third Eva was only injured, not dead. However, Shinji Ikari was still affected and immediately sought out his father, the commander-in-chief.

"I don't want to pilot an Eva anymore, and I don't want to be here," he asserted firmly. On the opposite side, Ikari Gendo, still in the same posture, hands crossed on the table, responded indifferently: "If that's the case, then leave!" 

Shinji muttered 'good,' turned around, and started to leave without hesitation.

Ikari Gendo watched his son's departure and continued, "Are you trying to escape again? I'm truly disappointed in you, and I won't see you again in the future."

"Okay, that's my plan too," Shinji said and walked out without a hint of nostalgia. Countless viewers were astonished by the strained father-son relationship—one filled with indifference and resentment, worse than that of strangers.

In the EVA world, Misato, responsible for Shinji's custody, felt a deep sense of distress. She understood the hardships he faced in childhood, having experienced a lack of paternal love due to her own father's death. 

This empathy led her to pity Ikari Shinji. Gradually, an inexplicable connection developed between them. Meanwhile, in the command post, Ikari Gendo, though expressionless, felt a subtle pain in his heart.

Outside the station, Shinji Ikari waited for the next train home. At that moment, a sharp alarm sounded, and the horn urgently announced the invasion of the Apostles: "Everyone, please enter the shelter quickly!"

This time, the Apostles descended from the sky, reaching the command post headquarters unnoticed. Air defense missiles lit up the sky, resembling a meteor shower, but the Apostles remained unharmed. After the smoke cleared, panic spread as the Apostles showed no signs of damage.

The next second, the Apostles retaliated, unleashing explosions like lightsabers on the ground, effortlessly penetrating 18 layers of defenses and threatening the underground city below. The strength of these Apostles far surpassed previous encounters, posing a grave threat. 

Even the first Eva in puppet mode was viewed with skepticism by onlookers. Instruments in the command post began recording and analyzing to better prepare for future encounters.

Asuka piloted the second Eva to confront the Apostles, but the power disparity was overwhelming. The second Eva's top-level firepower failed to breach the Apostle's AT field, resulting in the instantaneous loss of both arms. 

In a frenzy of pain, Asuka charged towards the Apostle, and in the ensuing chaos, the second Eva was decapitated, crashing to the ground. 

The situation had taken a turn, leaving many bewildered, especially those who had recently watched the live screen. Numerous changes had occurred, leaving much to be understood.

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