Chapter 567: Return to the Warhammer World
Ryo called up a virtual screen, displaying the system structural diagrams for Unit-01 and Unit-03.
"I have adjusted Unit-01's Dummy System. Based on a deep understanding of the 'special existence' within it—referring to Yui Ikari's soul—and the guidance of its biological instincts, I configured it so that Unit-01 can activate an 'autonomous defense mode' upon detecting specific threat patterns. Although its flexibility is inferior to manual pilot control, it is more than sufficient to handle most conventional threats, and it can maximize its own inherent potential power."
Next, he pointed to Unit-03's data: "Unit-03's Dummy System has also undergone a deep optimization, and I have unlocked its pilot compatibility protocol. As long as the synchronization rate meets the benchmark, any trained qualified pilot can operate it. As far as I know, you should have a backup list of pilot candidates stored from before, correct?"
Finally, he mentioned Unit-00: "As for the damaged Unit-00, its repair work can be accelerated with the technical support we provide. Once repairs are complete, it can be assigned to a new Ayanami-type clone pilot—though of course, that depends on your future ethical choices and tactical demands."
Hearing Ryo's arrangements, Misato Katsuragi's tightly furrowed brow finally relaxed slightly.
While losing two ace pilots was undoubtedly a massive blow, if Unit-01 could fight autonomously, Unit-03 could be handed to a new pilot, and Unit-00 had the potential for repair and deployment, then WILLE's core combat strength was indeed preserved to the maximum extent. It had even been enhanced due to the technological triumphs.
"...I understand." Misato let out a long sigh, her tone softening. "Let's proceed as you suggested. I hope they can find the peace they desire in your world."
On the other side, as Asuka made her final preparations, she looked at the pure white Unit-03—which embodied Ryo's painstaking efforts and countless drops of her own sweat—her eyes filled with a complex reluctance to let go. This machine had witnessed her lowest points, accompanied her toward rebirth, and stood as a symbol of the unique connection between her and Dr. Ryo.
Giving it up felt like cutting away a piece of her past self.
"Reluctant to leave it?" Ryo's voice echoed behind her.
"...Yeah." Asuka did not deny it, murmuring, "This is the unique machine you prepared for me, Doctor."
"A machine is merely a tool in the end." Ryo looked at her. "Besides, who said you can't pilot an EVA in the future?"
Asuka froze for a moment, looking at him in confusion.
Ryo raised his hand and pointed out the hangar window toward that gray colossus standing silently like a mountain range—the EVA-Titan.
"It belongs to you from now on."
A single simple sentence, yet it caused Asuka to instantly freeze right in place. She widened her eyes in absolute disbelief, looking at Ryo, then out the window at that massive entity radiating a cold, majestic aura, her brain nearly ceasing to function.
The EVA-Titan? That otherworldly colossus powerful enough to interrupt Unit-01's deification and effortlessly annihilate the mass-production models? It belonged... to her?
The massive impact, the unbelievable pleasant surprise, alongside the grievance, agony, and confusion accumulated over the past days, burst like a breaking dam at this moment, violently shattering her final psychological defenses.
"Ugh... Doctor...!"
Unable to control herself any longer, Asuka spun around abruptly and buried herself directly into Ryo's embrace, her hands tightly clutching his lab coat as she buried her face in his chest, weeping aloud. Her crying was no longer suppressed, filled with release and liberation; she wept like a child who had been lost for a long time and finally found her way home.
Ryo did not speak, merely standing quietly, letting her tears soak his clothes while gently patting her back with one hand. He knew that these tears were not only emotional excitement over obtaining a powerful machine, but also a farewell to everything of the past, and a release toward a future that was slightly uncertain yet filled with hope.
The preparation work for their departure proceeded in an orderly fashion.
For Shinji Ikari and the unconscious Rei Ayanami, the transfer was relatively simple, merely requiring the preservation of the life-support chamber's stability during the cross-dimensional teleportation process. The true difficulty lay with Asuka and Ryo himself, especially how to carry away that colossal engine of war, the EVA-Titan, along with them.
Deep within the subterranean layers of the Ninth Research Institute, Ryo—having restored his Astartes physiology and changed back into his Tartaros-pattern Terminator power armor—activated the expanded and reinforced dimensional teleporter.
The aura of deep blue light ignited once more, its complex energy lines constructing a spatial portal far more massive and stable than the one used to transmit the mass-production model wreckages previously.
First to be teleported away was the life-support chamber housing Rei Ayanami, along with a portion of the core research data and samples Ryo had collected in this world that he deemed valuable. Shinji Ikari followed tightly beside the life-support chamber, vanishing into the spatial portal alongside it amidst the flashing light.
Next was Asuka. She had already changed out of her plugsuit, wearing a simple set of casual clothes as she stood at the edge of the teleportation zone, casting a final look back at this world filled with memories of agony and combat. Her gaze swept over the silhouette of the distant WILLE Headquarters structure, a trace of complexity flitting across her eyes, only to be ultimately replaced by pure resolution.
"Are you ready?" Ryo asked.
Asuka took a deep breath, nodded, and stepped into the deep blue aura, her silhouette vanishing right after.
Finally, it was the EVA-Titan. The colossal machine stepped into the teleportation zone with heavy strides. Its massive bulk almost filled the entire space, the hum emitted by the teleporter reaching its absolute zenith, the energy fluctuations so violent that the entire subterranean chamber vibrated slightly. Following an exceptionally brilliant flash of light, the iron-mountain-like frame of the EVA-Titan completely vanished from this world as well.
The entire teleportation process lasted for several minutes, and when everything returned to tranquility, only an empty teleportation zone and gradually dissipating energy remnants remained.
Ryo was the last one. Standing in the center of the teleporter, he cast a look at this world where he had stayed for a duration that wasn't exceptionally long, yet had profoundly altered its destiny's trajectory. His mission was far from completely over; the cooperative partnership with WILLE had been forged, and his main body would continuously monitor and provide limited backing.
But for him, matters here were concluded; it was time to return and set about handling the samples and personnel he brought back.
The deep blue light enveloped him once more.
WILLE Command Center, the signals representing Ryo and all the transferred targets vanished completely from the main screen.
Misato Katsuragi, Ritsuko Akagi, and Ryoji Kaji stood there, speechless for a long time. Losing two critical pilots and a powerful ally from an alternate universe all at once felt as if their absolute backbone had been stripped away. The other staff members within the command center also more or less manifested unease and confusion.
"They... really left," Misato murmured to herself, her tone carrying a trace of an empty, hollow feeling.
"But the cooperative channel still exists," Ritsuko Akagi reminded her, pulling up a new technical optimization scheme just received by the technical department from Ryo's main body. "The backing he promised has not ceased. Furthermore, we need to test and adapt to the solutions he left behind as quickly as possible."
Ryoji Kaji massaged his brow, picking up the thread: "SEELE will not cease their operations just because of a single failure. We must utilize the technologies we obtained to strengthen ourselves as quickly as possible, while actively contacting potential allies. From now on, we have to walk the road ahead on our own."