After intense and secret internal deliberations among the high-level personnel, NERV ultimately could not abandon the catalytic particles' unique and "divine judgment"-like lethality against the Angels.
Although Gendo Ikari and SEELE harbored deep reservations about its operational boundaries, particularly the potential threat it posed to the EVAs, a cautious compromise was eventually approved. This was driven by the strong appeals from pragmatic commanders like Misato Katsuragi, and the external pressure from the UN demanding technology sharing.
A project to formally begin the weaponization research of the catalytic particles was initiated, but it had to be placed under the highest level of supervision and restriction.
As a reflection of this resolution, Osiris was granted higher-level security clearance and resources far exceeding the previous phase, including limited access to NERV's dedicated advanced materials repository and cutting-edge manufacturing facilities.
A weapon development project codenamed "Cherub's Sword" was launched deep within headquarters, with Osiris serving as the chief technical director.
This religiously themed designation hinted at its role as a "sword of protection," yet also revealed the contradictory feelings of expectation and apprehension held by NERV's upper echelons.
However, during the negotiation of the project details, Osiris exhibited unexpected persistence.
He successfully ensured the completeness and independence of the Ninth Institute and its marine ecology restoration plan, shielding it from being entirely absorbed by the new weapons project.
After several rounds of consultation, the final operational model was established: Osiris arranged for most of the conventional R&D, testing, and data processing work for the "Cherub's Sword" project to take place in a specially established, highly confidential laboratory within HQ. He, himself, maintained a work schedule of frequent transit between HQ and the Ninth Institute.
This arrangement, seemingly a diversion of his energy, was actually a perfect fit for his deeper requirements.
At HQ, he led a new, complex team comprised of personnel assigned from various departments, rigorously pushing forward the weaponization research as planned.
The technical data he provided was sufficient to make the project's progress appear "steady and promising," with every test result meticulously designed to be both reasonable and encouraging.
Yet, at every crucial juncture, he would cite "technical sensitivity" or "instability in the synthesis process" as reasons to firmly retain control over the most critical synthesis pathways and key threshold parameters, ensuring the core technology remained sealed within a "black box" that only he could fully interpret.
This approach of detached involvement satisfied NERV's demands for project advancement while reserving ample technical autonomy for himself.
Shuttling between the two research sites daily, Osiris was like a master chess player. Every move he made was within the established rules, yet secretly contained implications that transcended those rules.
While fully advancing the "Cherub's Sword" weaponization project, Osiris opened up another equally compelling research front at the Ninth Institute.
Based on the genesis particle technology obtained from the Dead World, he conducted deeper localized improvements, successfully developing a new generation of specialized catalytic particles.
This new particle, named "Metatron's Seed," maintained its exceptional purification efficacy while exhibiting a characteristic that shook the entirety of NERV: it could catalyze the creation of the most primitive, self-replicating life structures within the purified, nutrient-rich waters.
When the first completely new, primitive microbial communities were detected in the waters of the Ninth Institute, NERV's Technical Development Department monitoring system immediately captured the anomalous signal.
Ritsuko Akagi watched the life signal data flickering on the screen, a look of rare shock crossing her normally composed face.
She immediately called an emergency technical assessment meeting. The holographic projection in the conference room clearly displayed images of the dividing and replicating single-celled organisms.
"This is absolutely not the result of natural evolution," Ritsuko Akagi declared, pointing at the proliferating microbes in the projection. "The detected gene sequences are completely unknown, and their speed of appearance and distribution pattern clearly point to artificial intervention. Dr. Osiris's 'Metatron's Seed' is not merely performing environmental restoration; it is creating life from scratch."
The commotion this discovery caused within NERV surpassed even that of the previous weaponization project.
If "Cherub's Sword" symbolized the power of judgment and destruction, then "Metatron's Seed" directly touched upon the core mystery of the origin of life.
At the highest decision-making meeting, chaired by Gendo Ikari, SEELE representatives actively participated in the discussion via encrypted communication.
"To create life from nothing—this has crossed into the domain of God."
"Metatron is the angel who records the Book of Life; this naming is deeply significant."
"The potential impact of this technology on the Human Instrumentality Project must be assessed."
Faced with the inquiries from NERV's high command, Osiris remained exceptionally calm.
At the technical hearing, he explained in a professional and measured tone: "Metatron's Seed" is indeed capable of catalyzing the formation of primitive life, but this is essentially a necessary extension of the environmental restoration effort. To reconstruct a healthy ecosystem, one must start by building the most basic biological chain; the formation of microbial communities is an indispensable step."
He precisely defined the limits of the experimental demonstration—the primitive life forms generated were kept only at the basic evolutionary stage, capable of fundamental metabolism and reproduction, forming simple microscopic ecological foundations, but showing no signs of spontaneously evolving into more complex forms.
This controlled creation both demonstrated the astonishing potential of the technology and cleverly avoided triggering excessive panic.
Now, Osiris had established a unique rhythm between the two equally important research areas.
At times, he supervised the weapons system tests for "Cherub's Sword" in the isolated laboratory deep beneath HQ, watching the energy focus parameters displayed on the screen; at other times, he appeared on the coast of the Ninth Institute, observing the microscopic life forms catalyzed by "Metatron's Seed" through a high-power microscope.
These two projects, both named after angels—one symbolizing the divine power of judgment, the other carrying the secret of life's origin—operated like two core, precise components of an instrument, maintaining a subtle synergy and balance under Osiris's coordination.
This shift in research focus was not merely a simple division of time, but more like a conductor's seamless transition between two musical movements.
When he was in the sealed laboratory of the "Cherub's Sword" project, he was surrounded by the energy hum and data streams characteristic of weapons testing; when he returned to the Ninth Institute, he was faced with the quiet signs of life budding in the culture tanks.
Two fundamentally different research environments, two opposing yet complementary forces, were advancing their respective processes under his composed management.
In this world full of opposition and contradiction, Osiris seemed to possess a unique art of balance.
He could delve into the technical details of weapon development, ensuring every parameter was precise, yet turn around and immerse himself in the exploration of life's origin, meticulously recording every subtle change in the new life forms.
This effortless traversal between destruction and creation prevented the two projects from hindering each other, instead forming a peculiar symbiotic relationship.
While reviewing the progress reports for the dual projects, Misato Katsuragi couldn't help but sigh to Ritsuko Akagi beside her: "Is he a genius, or is he a madman? Forging the sword to slay the Angels on one hand, and scattering the seeds of creation on the other."
Ritsuko Akagi pushed up her glasses, gazing at the two project logos displayed side-by-side on the screen. She responded softly, "Perhaps that is what is most unsettling about him—we can never be sure if he is merely fixing this world, or fundamentally reshaping it according to his own blueprint."