Just as this hard-won stretch of blue gradually became a symbolic landscape of hope for Tokyo-3, the piercing air raid siren abruptly tore through the city's tranquility once more.
The Fifth Angel, in its massive and oppressive form, steadily pushed toward the NERV Headquarters.
The command was issued, and Shinji Ikari was again ordered to enter Unit-01.
Unlike his previous state, where he virtually dragged his feet toward the entry plug, this time, although he remained silent, his movements displayed less obvious resistance and more of an almost numb efficiency in compliance.
Unit-01 activated, and the synchronization reading steadily rose, even exceeding his previous average level, suggesting an unspoken, tighter connection between the pilot and the machine.
The battle unfolded amidst the urban ruins.
Unit-01 fiercely clashed with the Angel; explosions and shockwaves continually rocked the surrounding buildings.
However, when the Command Center analyst urgently reported that the Angel's corrected trajectory would inevitably pass through the reviving bay—the Marine Ecosystem Restoration Zone where the Ninth Institute was located—Shinji Ikari, who had remained silent until then, suddenly spoke up over the communication channel.
His voice was no longer his usual soft, uncertain tone, but carried a clear, almost instinctive urgency: "No! It can't go that way!"
Almost as soon as the words left his mouth, Unit-01's actions suddenly intensified.
It stopped passively reacting to the Angel's attacks; instead, it proactively, and somewhat recklessly, ramped up its offensive, using its body and armor to forcibly block the path, attempting to steer the Fifth Angel away from that direction.
He muttered unconsciously and repeatedly, as if psyching himself up or explaining to some unseen entity: "That place—it's the ocean that everyone worked hard to make blue again—"
"Mr. Tanaka, Miss Suzuki, they—they record data every day—"
"And those fish and corals that just started living again———— we can't—we can't let them turn red again!"
"We have to hold it—we must hold it—"
This unprecedented fighting will, driven by a clear goal of protection, was distinctly reflected in Unit-01's movements and the soaring synchronization data.
He was no longer fighting merely out of command or fear, but fighting for a 'thing' he could see, understand, and genuinely felt was precious.
That blue stretch of ocean and the efforts, represented by Dr. Osiris, to 'repair' the world slowly and surely, now became a specific, small reason for him to grip the controls and face the Angel head-on.
Meanwhile, inside the Ninth Institute, the emergency evacuation order had been given.
Most of the staff, led by Tanaka and Suzuki Miyuki, were orderly withdrawing to the underground shelter.
However, Osiris remained in his core laboratory.
He wasn't trying to be a hero; he had spotted a golden opportunity for an experiment.
Using sensors distributed throughout the restoration zone, he rapidly analyzed the biological signals and energy signatures emanating from the Angel.
A bold hypothesis, based on his existing technological path, quickly formed:
Since the core principle of his developed 'Catalytic Particles' was to prompt abnormally active LCL substance to return to a stable, ordered ground state—effectively decomposing and purifying the LCL-contaminated blood that resulted from an Angel's death—it logically followed that this 'purification' effect should, in theory, also work on the similar, abnormally active biomass that constituted the living tissue of the Angel.
The key lay in 'specificity.'
Ordinary catalytic particles were like broad-spectrum disinfectants. To make them highly effective against the Angel's living body, they needed to be 'tuned' into a 'specific antidote' targeting that particular Angel's biological structure.
He rushed to the main console, his hands flying across the interface.
He retrieved the stock of base catalytic particles, mixed them in specific ratios with several high-energy catalysts that temporarily boost particle activity and targeting, and simultaneously fed in the unique biological signal and energy spectrum just captured by the environmental sensors throughout the restoration zone.
Based on this real-time data, he performed precise parameter adjustments on the mixed particles, aiming to make them more effectively recognize and act upon the Fifth Angel's biological composition.
In his mind, he wasn't designing and manufacturing a weapon; it was more like executing an urgent, on-site environmental processing solution verification for an extremely high concentration of specialized 'contaminant.'
He was attempting to use a potent 'detergent' to neutralize a massive, active source of pollution.
Finally, a batch of specialized catalytic particles, highly unstable and internally faintly glowing with a pale blue light, was created in the reaction vessel.
They contained far more purifying energy than the conventional version, but they were also extremely dangerous, capable of uncontrollably releasing their energy upon any severe impact.
With time running short, Osiris unhesitatingly loaded all these high-risk particles into a reinforced pressure container, installing a simple remote detonation device.
A crude-looking but highly destructive 'Purification Bomb,' lethal to its specific target, was complete.
Outside the institute, the clash between Unit-01 and the Fifth Angel had reached its climax.
AT Fields crushed against each other, emitting a sharp, ear-splitting resonance and constantly flashing, blinding light. Shockwaves swept through the ruins like physical walls, kicking up clouds of smoke and dust.
Osiris secured the 'Purification Bomb,' which radiated an ominous pale glow, to the passenger seat and jumped into the institute's military jeep.
The engine roared as he sped out of the garage, but he did not drive straight toward the center of the conflict—a battle between gods and monsters—that would be suicide.
Gripping the steering wheel, his eyes sharply scanned the map. He chose a predetermined, relatively concealed material access route to flank the battle.
"Dr. Osiris! Immediately stop advancing! Return to the shelter! Repeat, return immediately!" The desperate, almost frantic voice of the combat command communications officer blared through the car's radio. "You are not authorized to enter the combat zone! That is an order!"
Osiris held the steering wheel steady with one hand amidst the violent bumps, grabbing the radio with the other. His tone was unexpectedly calm, almost like a research log entry: "Authorization code Delta-Nine-Niner.
Target identified as extremely high-concentration active contaminant. I am executing an emergency environmental intervention procedure! I must verify the efficacy of the purification solution!"
"What environmental intervention?! That's suicide! We cannot guarantee your safety!"
"My safety," Osiris's voice suddenly turned cold. Through the communicator, one could hear the increasingly close roar of explosions and the non-human, chilling shriek of the Angel. "Is irrelevant compared to letting that thing completely contaminate and destroy the ecological samples we worked so hard to rebuild."
He immediately cut the communication and floored the accelerator.
The jeep dangerously weaved between rubble and twisted rebar. Stray rounds and force field fragments continually exploded nearby; the vehicle violently shook, and the windshield was cracked with spider-web patterns from flying stones.
His eyes were locked on the center of the battle.
Right there, Unit-01 let out a muffled roar, extending its arms forward, its orange AT Field fully deployed, pressing fiercely against the Angel's colorful, distorted barrier. Energy surged, reaching a fragile point of equilibrium—the exact moment when both defensive fields mutually neutralized and were at their weakest!
It's now!
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Guess we're doing daily chapters.. ˙◠˙