By this point, Ishiki Kishimoto had figured it out: it was all politics. The military was merely a pawn, and he—Captain Ishiki—was just cannon fodder. With the situation spiraling out of control, he was being set up to take the fall.
A cold wind swept through his bones as he realized the harsh truth.
Meanwhile, deep beneath the surface, Gendo Ikari sat at a conference table bathed in blue glow. Before him, twelve large projection screens pulsed with cryptic numeric identifiers.
Unseen by outsiders, those in the room represented the most powerful twelve individuals on Earth—members of SECRETIVE SEELE—meeting now in dire circumstances.
"The situation has collapsed," one voice declared. "NERV must act immediately. We must stop the Sixth Angel."
"The Sixth has sensed the Fruit of Life's aura. Angels are awakening faster. If we delay, our entire plan collapses."
Muttering across several screens, Gendo noted, "EVA is under military control. Unit 00 rampaged and must be repaired before it can function. For now, we must rely on the military."
"Hand EVA back to NERV at once," called another screen. "That boy—Kitazawa Ryota—must begin combat within four hours. The Sixth Angel will breach defenses and reach the core soon. Ikari, you must act."
Gendo shook his head. "We must consult Ryota first. He answers to no one but himself."
"Whatever happens, we must defeat the Sixth."
A deep voice echoed—Gendo recognized it immediately:
"If the Sixth Angel finds the secret of the 'Final Commandment,' it will blow our entire plan. The Human Instrumentality Project will fail."
It was Chairman Keel Lorenz. His commanding tone shivered through the bunker.
Gendo responded after long silence: "Very well. I won't let you down."
The Twelve screens winked out, leaving the underground chamber in darkness.
Gendo emerged from the secret room, crossing the corridor to find Fuyutsuki waiting.
"Gendo, I can tell you're shaken," Fuyutsuki observed. "Those SEELE discussions were brutal, weren't they?"
Gendo sighed. "Nothing is more foolish than politics. The script is already in motion, yet they bicker over crumbs."
He paused, then said, "EVA will soon return to NERV. We have little time left—prepare yourself."
Fuyutsuki nodded in acknowledgement.
Elsewhere, silently and unseen, the secret meeting faded from history—but the crisis was far from over.
NERV technicians moved swiftly to deactivate the crazed Unit 00—and found its assigned pilot dead beyond revival. The repair work began immediately.
With access to NERV headquarters restricted, Misato's apartment became an improvised command center... all because of Ryota Kitazawa.
Following the clandestine SEELE meeting, United Nations pressure reached a fever pitch. The Japanese military finally received a stern warning: regain control of EVA and restore order—immediately.
Captain Ishiki was furious but powerless.
Meanwhile, the only person with the influence to stop the disaster was Ryota Kitazawa. When military envoys arrived—encircled by the cameras—they were shocked: he adamantly refused to pilot Unit 01, even rolled his eyes at them.
Panic set in. If he didn't act, the disaster would unravel not just NERV but the entire military's reputation.
The military turned to Gendo Ikari for answers—but only Fuyutsuki would speak: "Ryota Kitazawa is not NERV's. He is the designated pilot for Unit 01. We cannot force him. Only he decides."
Though the logic was flimsy, it bought time.
Cornered and desperate, the military finally relented: if Ryota agreed to pilot Unit 01, all their demands would be granted.
Lying on Misato's sofa and calmly sipping juice, Ryota finally spoke.
His demand was simple: Captain Ishiki must kneel and apologize to him.
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