Shinji Ikari, returned from Warhammer

"Now is my time, come with me!" Asuka grabbed Shinji's wrist again, like a leaping fire sprite. She threw off the high heels that made her move, stepped barefoot on the deck, and strode quickly back towards Unit-02.

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PS1: Today's third chapter, still 3,000 words, is entirely to compensate for the somewhat excessive length of the Asuka chapter.

PS2: Asuka's storyline is a bit long, twice as long as Rei's. This is entirely because the character is too unpredictable. Several times I thought I could handle the character well, but she always slipped out of my grasp.

In my opinion, Asuka and Shinji are mirror images of each other; their personalities are completely opposite, except for their equally fragile and sensitive hearts. Like Shinji, she craves the approval of others, but the character I wrote is Shinji from *Return of Warhammer*, which leads to some clashes in their personalities. Fortunately, once the main story is complete, the rest will be much easier to write.

PS3: For the sake of Chapter 3, please vote! You guys aren't voting at all, are you expecting your votes to give birth to little lolis for you? I'm almost crying!

Chapter 51: Fish Apostle & Unit 2

In the winding corridor, Shinji Ikari stood on the stairs, gazing at the missile swarm being launched in the distance.

Asuka was changing into her combat uniform inside, while he was responsible for guarding the door to prevent others from peeking in. Asuka, on the other hand, was responsible for ensuring that he wouldn't peek in.

Shinji Ikari certainly wouldn't peek, and even felt that Asuka lacked Rei Ayanami's frankness. With a familiar sound of the valve expiring, Shinji knew that the proud German girl had changed her clothes.

A few seconds later, Asuka stood smartly in front of him, her original beige dress replaced by a bright red combat jumpsuit. In the short time it took to change clothes, she transformed from a sophisticated European socialite into a dashing female pilot.

However, she still held onto her red suitcase, and pulled out another red item from it, throwing it into Shinji Ikari's arms.

"Yours," Asuka said simply. "You can borrow this combat suit. You'd better thank me properly!"

"This is a women's version, isn't it?" Shinji Ikari looked at the crimson combat suit in his arms. The curved breastplate was clearly the same as the one Asuka was wearing.

"So what if it's a women's outfit?!" But Asuka completely ignored Shinji's concerns, stood with her legs apart in front of him, suddenly leaned close, pointed at his nose, and said arrogantly, "You're coming too!"

“Then there’s no need.” Shinji Ikari casually tossed the combat suit back into his bag. “My synchronization rate doesn’t need such an external object to improve it.”

Asuka fell silent, her previous arrogance instantly shattered. She thought to herself, "What a compelling reason! Their initial synchronization rate is already higher than mine after all this effort. It's truly infuriating."

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The USS Carl Vinson sank, the USS George Washington and USS John Stennis were badly damaged, the USS Ronald Reagan sank, and the USS Cheslawville guided-missile cruiser sank.

Within minutes, nine plumes of black smoke rose from the sea.

"Why isn't the attack working?!" Commander Robert stared at the figure in the water, feeling his body slowly cooling from his fingertips to his heart. Including the previously sunk Storm, a total of three aircraft carriers, two destroyers, and one cruiser had sunk, while the number of heavily damaged aircraft carriers and destroyers was in the double digits.

By this time, Robert could already guess what fate awaited him upon returning to the United States. He slumped into a chair, utterly despondent.

"Even an attack of this strength couldn't penetrate the Seventh Angel's AT Field?" Misato Katsuragi, who also witnessed it, was somewhat prepared, but she couldn't help but be astonished. "In terms of the density of souls within the AT Field alone, it's even stronger than the Water Angel when it first landed in Tokyo."

However, looking at the fish-like apostles constantly lurking around the numerous aircraft carriers, cruisers, and destroyers, Misato Katsuragi belatedly realized that something was wrong. "Strange, it seems like it's looking for something."

For some reason, at that moment, Misato Katsuragi suddenly thought of Ryoji Kaji, who had also appeared out of nowhere. Was he hiding some crucial information?

Meanwhile, the legendary multi-talented spy was sitting in his dormitory, legs crossed on a bench, seemingly communicating with someone via satellite phone.

"We've run into an attack by the Angels here, Commander-in-Chief. You didn't tell me we'd encounter something this dangerous." Kaji Ryoji scratched his head helplessly, carrying a small silver suitcase.

"So we've prepared a second unit for you. If you're still worried, there's also a backup pilot." Gendo Ikari's indifferent voice came from the other end of the phone.

"Backup pilot, Shinji Ikari... Haha, I've received your attention. But I believe Asuka can handle this Angel attack."

Ikari Gendo ignored Kaji Ryoji's reply and continued, "If the situation is urgent, you are allowed to evacuate on your own. The MiG transport helicopter is currently on the helipad of the Nimitz aircraft carrier, and a pilot will be there to meet you when you arrive."

"Even if it means sacrificing your precious son, you're willing to protect my safety. I appreciate your kindness. However," Kaji Ryoji said, looking through the screen at the narrow silver line rapidly approaching on the distant sea, "I still want to see what happens. Perhaps there will be a turning point."

Perhaps to confirm Kaji Ryoji's words, accompanied by a deafening roar that shook the earth, a massive, crimson figure descended from the sky onto the deck of the Nimitz aircraft carrier like a colossus. The two pairs of eyes revealed behind the centrally opened visor each possessed a different color.

"Unit 2! It's here!" Misato Katsuragi exclaimed excitedly as she peered out the window. "Asuka, head to the USS Fitzgerald destroyer. There's an external power source there that can extend your operational time by up to ten minutes."

"Who allowed it to come out? Activate the shutdown mechanism and put the machine back!" Commander Robert instinctively tried to grab the microphone back, but the first and second officers forcibly pressed it down. At this moment, he had already lost all authority.

"Is this Misato? Received!" Asuka's cheerful voice came through the walkie-talkie. Using the aircraft carrier's deck as a foothold, she leaped and quickly jumped to the deck of the destroyer on the other side. The power socket on her back was quickly turned on, and she manually and precisely completed the connection.

"It's beautiful! Both the operating skills and the synchronization rate with the machine are outstanding," Misato Katsuragi exclaimed in admiration. True skill lies in the details. Although it was just a simple jump and backup power installation, such fluid operation could only be achieved with a certain level of mastery over the machine itself.

"Ikari-kun, he's inside," Rei Ayanami said coldly.

"Huh? What?" Misato Katsuragi looked up in surprise, but quickly realized another problem. "Rei, how did you know?"

Rei Ayanami's expression was serene, and he couldn't explain why, but she just knew.

Compared to Shinji Ikari's ferocious fighting style, which resembled a raging dragon ascending to the heavens, Asuka and Unit-02's coordination was like an elegant waltz. As Asuka installed the backup power supply into the power port on her back, the fish-like Angel, which had been roaming the sea surface, finally locked onto its target and charged straight towards the Nimitz-class carrier headquarters.

"Great! That's it!" Asuka was overjoyed. If this elusive fish apostle had remained hidden underwater, she wouldn't have been able to catch it at its speed of over seventy knots.

But if it's going to be a head-on clash, then this is her home turf! Asuka hasn't forgotten the assessment of former Operations Commander Sir Tiffany: the Vanguard Unit-02, equipped with the Red Type-B Close Combat Armor, boasts the most compatible weapons among all current EVA series!

She pressed down the control stick, and a pre-prepared high-vibration particle blade popped out from the red Type-B close-combat armor on her shoulder blade. Shinji Ikari also noticed the weapon in Unit-02's hand. Compared to his own high-vibration particle blade, the one before him was longer but thinner, and it emitted a sharp pink light after Asuka activated it.

Facing the menacing Fish Apostle, Asuka remained dignified and fearless.

"Watch closely! Third boy, this is the moment of divine might that will determine me and Unit 2!"

Chapter 52: Shinji Ikari's Forced Synchronization

Under Shinji Ikari's watchful gaze, Asuka gripped the control handle and leaped again.

Using the destroyer's deck as a landing point, it leaped up like a crimson lightning bolt across the sky and landed heavily on the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier's deck.

Asuka piloted Unit-02, holding the even narrower, high-vibration particle blade horizontally in front of her chest, her sharp gaze fixed on the rapidly approaching, vast silver line ahead. It was the back of the Fish Angel cutting through the water's surface, while the true form hidden beneath the surface possessed a massive size comparable to an aircraft carrier.

The moment the flying fish leaped across the water was like a majestic miracle, like a roc spreading its wings. The angel Gagil, with unparalleled power, broke through the water, and the colossal creature crashed down on the slender, red machine like a mountain.

"No! Asuka, get out of the way!" Misato Katsuragi suddenly realized a crucial point. That was that the Type B equipment, including the red Type B close-combat armor of Unit 2, was unable to perform underwater operations.

But at that moment, Asuka had already wielded her high-vibration particle sword, gleaming with a pink high-frequency light, to meet the attack head-on. With equally unstoppable momentum, the Fish Angel and Unit-02 clashed. Amidst the earth-shattering roar, the two collided with flesh and blood. The Fish Angel, weighing nearly ten thousand tons, held an absolute advantage; Unit-02 was propelled backward by its immense kinetic energy, while the Fish Angel glided forward, clinging to the deck, but the long, narrow trail of blood left by it was even more gruesome.

“—Aa ...

Unit Two wields a high-vibration particle blade, its pink light unstoppable, cutting through anything made of flesh and blood with the ruthlessness of a hot knife through butter, even the mythical angel before it.

In an instant, blood flowed freely, staining the entire aircraft carrier deck and even reaching the starboard island. The immense pressure still caused Unit-02 to emit a groan of unbearable pain. But Asuka's eyes shone brightly as she propelled her long, high-vibration particle blade forward. Facing a battlefield where the aircraft carrier served as the stage, the distance between the two sides was compressed to its limit. She was confident she could break through with unstoppable force until she pierced its core.

Until her legs gave way and her body tilted backward uncontrollably.

"Asuka!" Misato Katsuragi shouted, gripping the walkie-talkie.

She was dragged down to the seabed by the enormous body of the fish angel, and she disappeared in an instant. Only a silvery-white thing resembling a carp's tail fin remained on the surface of the water, which sank into the water with a ripple.

Only the blood-red color rising like smoke was incredibly unsettling.

“Ikari is still inside,” Rei Ayanami suddenly said.

“Yes, Shinji Ikari is inside!” Misato Katsuragi’s eyes were burning.

Theoretically, even the most skilled pilot is limited by the machine's performance; the Red Type B close-combat armor is incapable of underwater operations under any circumstances. The defeat of Unit 2 and its pilot was inevitable.

But whenever Shinji Ikari's voice and appearance came to mind, Misato Katsuragi always had a feeling—

—Victory is assured, please wait a moment.

The sound of impact continued to echo underwater.

The fish apostle's determination to bring Unit 2 to the seabed despite its own injuries was not going to end so easily. The sharp wail of the crimson armor shattering and the deep bass of the underwater city ruins being crushed behind it formed a duet.

Asuka, inside the cockpit, could only scream in agony, feeling the pain with her own, as she was swept away by the Fish Apostle and thrown to the seabed, crashing violently against the layers of underwater city ruins below.

However, the Fish Apostle did not stop there, but continued its rampage with the second unit—

—Boom! Thud!

Several destructive sounds came from the seabed, piercing through several buildings, before finally stopping when Unit 2 was smashed into the silt.

—Splat! Splat!

In the hazy darkness of the seabed, only a faint red glow emanated from the water.

At this moment, the cockpit screen was filled with a full-screen red warning. Now, everything outside was red—how festive! Asuka's lips twitched; she wanted to say something, but in the end, she just gripped the control lever tightly.

"Move it! Why isn't it moving! Move it!" Asuka roared in a low voice, pushing the control lever forcefully.

However, Unit 2 did not respond at all. Just as Misato Katsuragi said, the pilot was also limited by the performance of the machine. In any case, the Red Type B Close Combat Armor could not carry out underwater operations.

At this moment, she was buried 400 meters underwater, and this pioneering No. 2 aircraft, which she was so proud of, is her tomb.

"Do you need any help?" Shinji Ikari's voice sounded from the side, his tone indifferent, as if he were asking her if she wanted some ice cream.

"You still have a way to get her moving?" Asuka suddenly turned around and looked at Shinji Ikari behind her, just like the old man in the Calabash Brothers looking at Doraemon who had suddenly appeared.

"It's not just about moving things around; killing the Angels is also an option," Shinji Ikari said calmly.

But just as they were talking, the shadow in the water appeared. The fish apostle Gagil revealed its enormous form once more. The wounds that had been torn by Unit 2's high-vibration particle blade had healed, and it even opened its blood-red maw toward Unit 2 with an even more ferocious aura.

"Then hurry up and do it! He's coming! We're going to be eaten! Don't be so disgusting, damn it!" Asuka cried out in terror, clutching Shinji's head.

Shinji Ikari pried Asuka's arms, which were tightly clutching her head, off and flipped her over, squeezing the girl to the side. Asuka's face was flushed red; after all, everything for a pilot was custom-made, including the driver's seat, designed to fit Asuka as her personal pilot. With two people squeezed in, it was too cramped.

But soon a strong, powerful arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her into a tight embrace. Her combat suit, designed to improve synchronization, clung to her skin. The sensation of skin-to-skin contact made Asuka's head spin. But before she could speak, she heard Shinji Ikari's calm voice.

"Miss Langley, don't move now. Otherwise, you'll be eaten and excreted as feces, and I won't be responsible."

"Ah, I see. And you, don't think you can pilot Unit-02 so easily. After all, Unit-02 isn't like Unit-00 or Unit-01, those prototypes that can be easily synchronized without training..."

The originally crimson display screen turned a vibrant blue, indicating a connection was in progress. In an instant, Shinji Ikari took control of Unit-02, even achieving a synchronization rate of 86%.

Asuka stared intently at the number, for it was a peak she had never been able to reach before. But the synchronization rate continued to increase, breaking through the 100% threshold in just a few seconds.

At that moment, Asuka, who was also a driver, was momentarily dazed. It seemed as if a familiar, warm embrace enveloped her from behind.

"……Mother?"

At that moment, the visor of Unit 2, which was held in the mouth of the Fish Apostle, suddenly lifted, and a pair of captivating gold light suddenly rose from its pupils, which had previously only shone with a deep lake-like green light. The scene was exactly like a demon possessing a creature from mythology, as if lava was flowing deep within the eye sockets of the machine.

"Was it swallowed? That makes it even simpler."

Shinji Ikari chuckled, turning the control stick in his hand and using one hand to prop open the giant beast's mouth. At that moment, one of the fish-like Angel's snow-white teeth pierced through Unit-02's abdomen from that spot, before being completely snapped off. At that instant, Unit-02's body unleashed terrifying power, splitting the heavens and earth, while a platinum-gold concentric diamond-shaped field rapidly appeared in his palm.

The realm materialized, rotated, and then burst forth with dazzling golden light!