EVA: Shinji Ikari Returns from Tiga

Chapter 107 Code! The Beast [THE BEAST]!
"…This is…!?"

In addition to the unimaginable power, there was also a boiling heat...

Along with waves of extreme overload, vaporized body fluids seeped out from every joint gap of Unit 8...The shape of Unit 8 also underwent huge distortion, becoming hideous and horrifying!

"EVA... has this level of functionality?! No... that's not right... the only thing that can be simulated is the big data already mapped in the MAGI central database... In other words..."

Misato Katsuragi stared at the change in Unit 8 with her mouth wide open... She had never heard that EVA had the ability to abandon its human form and transform into a beast, but... MAGI was able to simulate it... which meant that at least core figures like Ritsuko Akagi and Gendo Ikari knew about it.

“…I’m really being looked down upon!”

Misato Katsuragi clicked her tongue in displeasure. Clearly, everyone was on the same page in opposing the apostles... yet they kept such a high level of information opacity from her, the operations chief... Were they really not afraid that the apostles would destroy humanity?
Misato Katsuragi placed her hand on the CPU switch and was about to pull it down when she was stopped by Ryoji Kaji.

"Hey! If this continues, no one knows what will happen! That form... we have no idea..."

"Shinji-kun's communication channel is still connected. If necessary... Shinji-kun will let us disconnect it. So, for now, just trust him, okay?"

Just as Kaji Ryoji said, Ikari Shinji did not intend to stop immediately... After all, the opportunity to have in-depth communication with Makiba is rare.

“Ugh…! This power… and this abnormal change, even my joints are twisting. There’s no point in countering humans’ ground attacks…!”

The arm clamped by Unit-01 was twisted to an incredible angle starting from the elbow joint... almost a 360-degree rotation with the elbow as the origin... The exposed sharp claws cut through the armor on Unit-01's chest like cutting through iron, bringing waves of burning pain.

"...You, shouldn't just be playing a training match."

Realizing that it could no longer suppress the enemy with brute force, Unit-01 took the initiative to jump backwards to increase the distance, while switching the communication channel to a private chat with Makiba.

"Hello? Hello? Moshimoshi? If you lose consciousness and run away, I'll have Misato call a halt."

“…No, not yet…”

When Shinji Ikari asked, he finally heard the hoarse and miserable voice of Makiba suppressing the pain and animal desire.

"... Because, Shinji-kun... you told me... your identity, right?... At that time, I don't know why... I didn't... I didn't have even a single doubt...!"

Makiba continued to utter fragmented words one by one... With each letter, a limiter buried deep inside Unit 8 would pop out...

Unit 8's body will also expand a little more... developing sharp claws and baring fangs...!
"So, you just want to fight me? What kind of logic is that?"

Shinji Ikari observed the ferocious beast not far away with a faint smile, his eyes quickly scanning the surrounding environment, the terrain, and the props that could be used...

"I don't know... but... I just want to! And... you can't... use that power here, right? So, I really want to see... I really want to see, Shinji-kun... when you meet me————!!!"

The completely incoherent words...completely ignited the burning fighting spirit within Makiba...

Unexpectedly, Shinji Ikari was able to understand Makiba's inner thoughts... She wanted to know... how she would react.

When non-humans with great power are on the same stage as humans... the stage of EVA-qualified people... how will they react to the powerful power displayed by humans?

Although he did not question Shinji Ikari's identity as Tiga... he still wanted to use his own body to confirm... whether this young man had the will and awareness to rewrite his destiny, so he seized this rare opportunity.

————Is that so! Makiwa Mari Elantrias!

“…………! It’s——————’s!!!!!!” The voice of the beautiful young girl could no longer be heard, instead it had become the long roar of a wild beast… After death, it landed on all fours and its claws on all four limbs exerted force at the same time!
Bang…!!

The next moment... the building a hundred meters behind Shinji Ikari collapsed... Without even seeing the process of the sprint, Unit 8 had already flown towards it, brushed past the side of Unit 01, and crashed into the building at the far end.

“He dodged…!?”

Katsuragi Misato's face was filled with disbelief... Unit 8's sprint speed just now far exceeded human reflexes and dynamic vision... No matter how unreasonable an EVA may be, it still depends on the pilot's control...

It is impossible for humans to dodge the evil beast that is rushing towards them at zero distance like a Shinkansen.

But... EVA Unit-01 was still standing there intact... there was only some damage on its left forearm... the external armor had completely collapsed.

"No, I didn't avoid it—I anticipated it."

Compared to Unit-08, Ryoji Kaji was always paying attention to Unit-01's movements... Before Unit-08 swooped down, Unit-01 was already prepared to dodge.

Based on Makiba's preparatory movements for charging power, Shinji Ikari can perfectly predict the trajectory of Unit 8's attack, so it doesn't matter even if his reflexes can't keep up!
Perfect…?
Shinji Ikari doesn't think so.

"Tsk...!"

He smacked his jaw slightly as he shook his almost numb left hand... How could a mere scrape have caused such severe damage? This guy was truly terrifying...

If I had known she had such a useful skill earlier, I would have let her fight the apostle earlier, which would have saved me a lot of energy.

"Miss Misato!"

"Here! Shinji-kun...! Do you want to shut down the CPU?!"

"Don't worry—don't think about shutting down the processor... Wait, listen to my instructions and prepare to cut off... No, there's no need to cut off... Just lower it, lower the neural synchronization rate to 30%!"

Just like Asuka just now... If we fight at the same rate, it will hurt so much that we want to die.

"Alright! Prepare to lower Unit-01's neural synchronization rate..."

Katsuragi Misato also realized that Shinji Ikari wanted to reduce the damage and pain he would suffer during the battle. Although it would affect the accuracy of the operation, it was only a drill after all. It was understandable that he wanted to avoid pain.

"Wait! What the hell is this? How can it be mine?!"

But Katsuragi Misato's response left Shinji Ikari speechless... Hadn't he just omitted a subject? How could this be a mistake?

"Eh…"

"Of course, it's Makiba's."

He pulled out a high-frequency particle dagger from his shoulder armor... He held it with his backhand and lightly drew a beautiful sword flower.

"Come on... beast. Let me show you how humans fight...!"

(End of this chapter)