> "You... you…"
Toji Suzuhara's face twisted with shock. Ryota Kitazawa's words had left him speechless, stunned to the core.
> "If you want revenge, get in the Evangelion and fight the Angels.
If you're just a coward clinging to life, then shut your damn mouth and get out of my sight."
With that, Ryota turned his head away, not even sparing Toji a glance. He looked completely uninterested.
> "Fine. You've got guts, Kitazawa. Just wait—one day, I'll show you what real courage is!"
Toji's hands were trembling, his entire body shaking with fury and humiliation. Every word from Ryota had stabbed into his chest like a needle—deep and painful.
He turned and stormed off, fists clenched. The pride he had lost in front of Ryota Kitazawa—he swore he would take it back.
> "Kitazawa-kun… what were you even talking about just now?"
As Toji left, Hikari Horaki blinked in confusion. She couldn't make sense of what Ryota had said. His words had been harsh—piercing, even—but somehow, she couldn't refute them.
And what was that thing he mentioned… "Evangelion"?
Hikari had never even heard of it. She wanted to ask, but when the words reached her lips, she hesitated and swallowed them back down. Something about Ryota Kitazawa felt… different. He didn't seem like the same person she used to know.
She couldn't quite explain it—but he had changed.
Ryota simply smiled.
> "Heh…"
He looked at Hikari briefly, then fell silent again.
There was no need to explain anything to her.
To this fierce and stubborn girl, his thoughts—his vision—would be completely incomprehensible.
His ambitions, his focus… were far beyond this small world of Tokyo-3.
His eyes were set higher.
---
Far below, in a dark, damp underground chamber, a man knelt in solemn prayer.
His voice echoed in the vast, empty space—soft, murmured recitations filled the room.
The thick lenses of his glasses reflected the dim light, concealing the emotion—or lack thereof—within his eyes.
At that moment, he was reciting a passage from the Book of Daniel, Chapter 3, Verse 6:
> "Whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace."
> "Commander Ikari…"
Hurried footsteps echoed down the corridor. A young man rushed into the room in a panic. Just as he was about to speak, a sharp glare from a nearby woman silenced him.
Standing beside the commander were a man and a woman.
Both of them were visibly shaken—though the woman forced herself to remain composed.
As NERV's Operations Director, she had to maintain her professionalism, no matter what.
She turned to the commander, waiting for him to speak—to give them direction, or at least clarity.
> "What is it?" Commander Gendo Ikari finally ceased his prayer and asked, his tone calm and detached.
> "Your son… Shinji Ikari... his vitals have stopped."
The young man's voice was heavy, and for a moment, the room went silent. The only sound left was the ragged breathing of those present.
> "I see," Gendo said as he stood. A faint, bitter smile tugged at his lips.
"So… Unit-01 is without a pilot now, is that correct?"
As NERV's Supreme Commander, he had to remain composed. If he faltered, panic would ripple through everyone.
> "The Fourth Angel is still approaching," the young officer said hesitantly.
"At the current pace, it's only a matter of time before it locates this facility…"
> "What should we do, Commander?"
> "Our priority remains the same: destroy the Fourth Angel."
From the side, Kouzou Fuyutsuki let out a quiet sigh, his face weary and lined with pressure.
> "Ayanami is severely injured and currently unfit to pilot Unit-00. It seems we'll have to find someone new to take control of Unit-01."
> "Katsuragi… I'll leave it to you," Gendo said softly, turning to Misato Katsuragi. His expression was tired, weighed down by something heavy.
Even Misato—who had long believed that Gendo felt nothing for his son—could now see it clearly on his face:
Grief.
> "Yes, Commander Ikari," she responded quietly, then turned and left the chamber.
As she stepped into the corridor, she paused, eyes closed, taking in a long, shaky breath.
NERV carried the last hope of humanity.
And now, Shinji Ikari had died in Unit-01, and with him, that hope had dimmed.
Their first battle had ended in failure. Their ace pilot was dead. And now, in the eyes of the military and the public, NERV had become a disgrace.
Misato's heart felt cold and heavy.
She squeezed her eyes shut as memories began to flash through her mind—old fragments that made her entire body tremble.
A new pilot had to be found. The Fourth Angel had to be stopped.
But who knew… what tomorrow might bring?
---
Meanwhile, in the Kitazawa household...
> "Open system interface."
Ryota Kitazawa sat cross-legged on his bed, eyes closed, focusing intently on the War God System he had awakened.
> [Host: Ryota Kitazawa]
[Age: 14]
[Physical Index: 11]
[AT Mental Index: 18]
[Assessment: Current stats insufficient for piloting an Evangelion.
Please enter War God Training Space to increase stats.]
> "Just as I thought…"
Ryota nodded slightly. The results matched his expectations exactly.
With those current numbers, there was no way he could pilot an Eva.
After all, not just anyone could sync with an Evangelion. A high AT Mental Index was essential to establish a connection with the unit.
The higher the AT Index, the better the sync rate—and the more effective the pilot.
And on top of that, a strong Physical Index was necessary to survive the strain of combat with Angels.
Ryota's stats were pathetically low. His physical abilities might be trainable over time, but the AT Index… that was much harder to raise.
Right now, Rei Ayanami was severely injured. Shinji Ikari was dead. And the Fourth Angel was closing in.
Time was dangerously short. Unit-01 needed a new pilot—fast.
NERV would likely issue a global recruitment order soon in a desperate bid to find a replacement.
With the Fourth Angel closing in, no one could afford delays. Every second mattered.
Everything was urgent.
Everything was riding on the edge.
> Good thing I have the War God System.