"Captain Shikinami…"
At that moment, both Kensuke Aida and Toji Suzuhara stood frozen in shock, staring at the impossibly beautiful girl before them.
Wait, what? Shikinami… Captain?
She's a captain?
Kensuke and Toji glanced at each other in disbelief. She looked to be about the same age as them—and she was already a captain?
"What? Surprised?" Asuka scoffed, hands on her hips. "I am Captain Shikinami, Europe's ace fighter pilot!"
Her eyes then locked on Ryota Kitazawa as she added coldly, "And let's get one thing straight—my Unit-02 is on a whole other level compared to Units 00 and 01. Those are just experimental prototypes. My Eva is a perfect combat model, built specifically for battle. Now that I, Captain Shikinami, am in Japan, all future missions should obviously be handed over to me."
Her tone was filled with hostility—aimed directly at Kitazawa.
Where exactly that attitude came from was anyone's guess.
"Ahem."
Breaking the tension, Misato Katsuragi cleared her throat and stepped in, cutting off the awkward standoff. "Let me introduce everyone properly. This is Shikinami Asuka Langley, newly transferred from NERV's European branch—though I think she already introduced herself… Anyway, these are Rei Ayanami and Ryota Kitazawa, pilots of Units 00 and 01."
"Heh, I know exactly who you two are," Asuka said smugly, striding up to them with a self-satisfied grin.
Looking Rei up and down, she sneered, "You must be Rei Ayanami. I've heard all about you—became Unit-00's pilot just by sucking up to Commander Ikari, right? Tch. A lifeless doll. Not like me. I earned my status as an Eva pilot through pure skill!"
Kensuke and Toji, who'd been captivated just moments ago, exchanged glances again—only this time, their admiration had clearly taken a hit.
What the hell happened to that first impression? This Captain Shikinami's kind of awful…
Rei glanced at Asuka but said nothing, simply turning her head away with a quiet grace.
"What?!" Asuka snapped. "You stupid doll—turning your head like that—what, think you're too good to look at me?! Hmph!"
Still, Rei said nothing and simply walked away.
What a pain…
Asuka huffed and turned back to Kitazawa. "So, you're Ryota Kitazawa?"
She took a step closer and examined him with a serious gaze. Her tone dropped slightly.
"That's right," Kitazawa replied coolly.
"I hear you're supposed to be impressive," she said, voice rising with challenge. "Care to spar? If you can't convince me of your skills firsthand, I'll just assume your 'hero' reputation is nothing more than media hype."
"I don't think that's necessary," Kitazawa said, shaking his head calmly. He had no interest in messing around with some girl—especially one he had no conflict with.
But Asuka wasn't having it.
"Hmph! That's not your decision!"
Suddenly, she let out a sharp shout and lashed out with a blazing-fast roundhouse kick, aimed directly at Kitazawa's lower body!
The strike was lightning-fast—packed with strength and precision. Even seasoned soldiers would have trouble dodging, let alone countering, such an attack. It was a clear demonstration of Asuka's combat prowess. At only 14 years old, she was already a captain and a military prodigy.
Asuka expected that, even if she didn't land a direct hit, the force of the blow would at least make Kitazawa stumble back.
But to her surprise… she missed.
Just as her leg was about to sweep through, Kitazawa simply took a single step back—graceful, casual, effortless.
And that tiny movement… was enough to completely dodge her attack.
A single step can mean the distance of a thousand miles.
That proverb had never rung truer—for Asuka.
"Y-You… damn you!"
Seeing her attack fail completely, Asuka was filled with fiery determination. She had to test his limits—had to know just how strong this so-called "hero of humanity" really was.
Boom!
Without hesitation, she shifted stances. Her right arm rose sharply, and with all her strength, she launched a devastating elbow strike toward Kitazawa.
The elbow—one of the hardest parts of the human body—was a brutal weapon, and Asuka wasn't holding back. This was a serious blow.
But—
Before the attack could land, Kitazawa once again stepped back with uncanny smoothness, and in a flash, his arm slipped around her waist. With lightning speed, his other hand shot up and locked her striking elbow in place.
In a blink, Asuka was completely immobilized.
She couldn't move an inch.
The technique Kitazawa used was none other than traditional Chinese grappling—Da Qinna.
Asuka froze in place, stunned. She never expected Kitazawa to be this skilled. With just one swift motion, he had completely neutralized her—and she couldn't even struggle free.
She tried to break loose, but Kitazawa's grip was like steel cuffs—unyielding and precise.
Furious, she shouted, "Ryota Kitazawa! Sneak attacks—how cowardly! Let go and fight me properly if you have any honor!"
Everyone nearby, Misato included, went speechless.
Seriously? Who started the sneak attack again?
"…Alright," Kitazawa said simply, loosening his grip and stepping back. His calm demeanor was oddly disarming.
Toji, watching the whole thing unfold, felt a cold sweat on his back. He had experienced Kitazawa's terrifying strength firsthand. Seeing him now, so polite and composed, Toji thought: If this guy can handle even girls with that kind of precision… my respect for him just went up another level.
"Hmph. At least you know your place."
Asuka rubbed her sore wrist, eyes flashing with determination. Then, without warning, she launched a full-on combo—a flurry of punches aimed at Kitazawa.
Even in the military, Asuka's hand-to-hand skills were top-tier. She may not have been on the level of the legendary elite, but to achieve the rank of captain at just 14, her combat ability was nothing short of extraordinary.
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