Ryōji Kaji had seen Ryōta Kitazawa's abilities firsthand. As the man he regarded as his most formidable opponent, Kitazawa was someone he could never afford to underestimate.
"Finding you here wasn't difficult. Especially since your movements, Kaji-san, aren't exactly classified. Even if I had to track you, it was only a matter of time before I caught up," Kitazawa said with a slight shake of the head, a faint smile playing on his lips.
Kaji exhaled slowly, thinking for a moment before finally deciding to lower his gun. Fixing his gaze firmly on Kitazawa's eyes, he asked, "Alright—tell me. How did you know what I was investigating? And why are you so sure the matter I'm looking into has nothing to do with Gendo Ikari?"
"Heh… that's simple. Unit-04 triggered a Dirac Sea and wiped Carson City off the map. There's no way that incident would just be left at that. Even if NERV wanted to bury it, the Americans wouldn't let it end there. And more importantly, above NERV there's an even higher authority—SEELE. They wouldn't ignore it either."
"Oh? So you know about SEELE?" Kaji's eyes narrowed sharply. "Just how much do you know, Kitazawa? You're making me more and more curious."
"If you can know this much, Kaji-san, then as an EVA pilot, it's hardly surprising that I might know as well," Kitazawa replied, shaking his head. Of course, he would never tell Kaji that he was actually from a place called Earth—and that everything he knew came from having seen the anime beforehand.
Kaji studied Kitazawa from head to toe. Sensing no immediate threat, he finally said, "Alright, let's say I believe you—for now. But explain this: how can you be so sure this has nothing to do with Ikari?"
"The accident with Unit-04 was no coincidence. It's tied to the Vatican Treaty," Kitazawa said evenly. "Every nation wants its share of the EVA program. In the Vatican meeting, the biggest winner was the United States. So if Unit-04 were to suffer a catastrophic accident… tell me, who would stand to gain the most from it?"
"…Could it be… Europe?"
Kaji's eyes narrowed again, suspicion deepening.
The moment the Unit-04 incident happened, Europe had jumped at the chance to demand Unit-02's return. It was… suspicious.
And considering the Bethany Base explosion—an incident Kaji himself had caused—it wasn't hard to imagine Europe engaging in questionable acts to secure EVAs for themselves.
Realizing this, Kaji's expression eased slightly. "Even if what you say makes sense, claiming Ikari has no suspicion at all is still a bit too hasty."
"True. But I think you've already pieced together the logic, haven't you?" Kitazawa said, shaking his head. "The disappearance of Carson City and the destruction of Unit-04 did nothing to benefit Ikari—in fact, they hurt him. But for Europe, it's a perfect opportunity to pin the blame on the Japanese. After all, the organization that understands EVAs best is NERV, and NERV Headquarters is in Japan. If Japan and America end up at each other's throats, the ones who profit in the end are still the Europeans. Which makes finding the real culprit a lot simpler, doesn't it?"
"Then let me ask you this—why do you even care so much?" Kaji's stare sharpened. "You're just a fourteen-year-old boy. Political intrigue isn't exactly something most kids are interested in."
"Heh. What if I told you… I just don't want to see Asuka get hurt?" Kitazawa replied with a faint smile.
"This… wait—you mean Unit-02…"
Thinking of the news that Unit-02 was to be recalled to Europe, Kaji began to piece things together. If he could prove that Europe was connected to the Nevada incident, maybe the recall could be stopped.
What he didn't know was that Kitazawa's true motive wasn't merely to prevent Unit-02 from being taken—
It was to keep Asuka from ever piloting Unit-03.
Because Unit-03 was no ordinary EVA—it was the vessel of an Angel, and part of an American plot to harm NERV Headquarters.
Naturally, Kitazawa had no intention of telling Kaji any of this.
Even so, Kaji seemed to catch a glimmer of understanding. He nodded and finally holstered his gun. "In that case, I'll take your word for it. But from the looks of things, the two of us might be working together from here on out… am I wrong?"
"You're right. Since we have similar objectives, we can cooperate—at least for now. I want the truth as much as you do," Kitazawa replied, the determination in his expression growing ever more resolute.
"Good. If, as you say, Europe is behind this, then where do we start?" Kaji asked with a faint smile, studying Kitazawa's unflinching face.
"If we're going to investigate, we start in Europe. Among the European nations, Germany is the strongest, followed by Russia, the UK, France, and Italy," Kitazawa said thoughtfully. "In the Vatican meeting, the biggest beneficiary was Italy—so we can rule them out. The UK and France don't seem to have enough motive to take such a risk. Germany has always been a beneficiary under the NERV program. Which leaves Russia.
"After the Bethany Base explosion, Russia hasn't had a single new EVA. And during the Vatican meeting, they lost the chance to ever acquire another. So… it's entirely possible Russia is behind this."
Kitazawa spoke while holding Kaji's gaze—a gaze so penetrating it made even Kaji feel a subtle pressure in his chest.
Kaji's tone remained neutral. "So in your view, Russia is the prime suspect in this incident. Is that right?"
"Exactly. Which is why I think our next step is clear—we'll have to make a trip to Moscow," Kitazawa said coolly.
Of course, he didn't mention the matter of Asuka.
History… must be rewritten by his own hands.
PS: Access the complete chapters/series at