Chapter 542: Support from the Main Body
With the help of the clear, targeted clues provided by Ryo, Ryoji Kaji mobilized his intelligence network to conduct an in-depth and dangerous investigation into the "Lance of Longinus" and the "Spear of Cassius."
Information regarding the Lance of Longinus was relatively easy to verify. After all, its physical body was sealed in the deepest part of NERV Headquarters within Central Dogma, piercing Lilith's chest—an existence known to many high-ranking officials but strictly confidential.
Kaji confirmed its unique appearance: a red double-helix structure formed from the residual roots of the Tree of Life, and its status as the ultimate weapon—the only thing capable of penetrating an A.T. Field and effectively killing an Angel. At the same time, it was confirmed to be an indispensable, crucial prop in SEELE's ritual for the "Human Instrumentality Project."
However, the investigation into the "Spear of Cassius" fell into layers of dense mist. The existence of this spear seemed to be deliberately covered up and erased by an even more powerful force.
Kaji utilized multiple deeply hidden lines of informants and even risked reviewing some sealed ancient documents, ultimately obtaining only a few extremely vague, near-legendary clues. Its power level was considered equivalent to the Lance of Longinus, but its symbolic meaning and specific functions might be diametrically opposed. Scattered hints linked it to "hope," "choice," and even "another application of God's power," but all of these lacked substantive evidentiary support.
Kaji secretly transmitted this report, which aggregated the relatively solid intelligence on the Lance of Longinus and the extremely vague clues on the Spear of Cassius, to Ryo.
In the report, he also attached his own research on the religious archetypes behind the two spears:
The Lance of Longinus derived its name from the Roman centurion Longinus recorded in the Bible. When Jesus was nailed to the cross, he pierced Jesus' side with a spear to confirm his death. This spear, stained with the blood of the "Son of God," was thus called the "Spear of Destiny" or the "Lance of Longinus." In legend, it was endowed with the immense power to slay gods, witness, and control destiny. Its symbolic meaning was tightly bound to "termination," "confirmation," and even "despair."
The Spear of Cassius, on the other hand, likely derived its name from Cassius Longinus (sharing a name with the centurion but not the same person), one of the assassins involved in the assassination of Julius Caesar in ancient Roman history. This assassination was viewed as a rebellion against absolute authority, aimed at restoring the Republic. Therefore, the spear named after Cassius leaned more toward "rebellion against tyranny," "breaking destiny," and "the choice to seek hope," bearing a strong color of resistance and liberation.
Ryo read the report carefully. Kaji's findings highly correlated with the core framework within his main body's memories, especially regarding the philosophical core of the two spears' dualistic unity—they were like two sides of the coin of destiny, respectively carrying the ultimate symbols of "despair" and "hope."
The Lance of Longinus represented the termination of established destiny and the absoluteness of God's power, while the Spear of Cassius heralded the possibility of breaking destiny and choosing the future. He focused particularly on the speculation mentioned in the intelligence that the Spear of Cassius might possess the power to "seal EVA's power," as well as its connection to "hope" and "choice."
This provided new ideas and potential tools for his future plans. If the Lance of Longinus was the key to SEELE and Gendo Ikari executing "Instrumentality," then the Spear of Cassius might be the key to disrupting, stopping, or even reversing this process.
"Thank you for your hard work; this information is very valuable," Ryo fed back to Kaji, particularly expressing approval of his in-depth analysis regarding the religious archetypes. He knew that understanding these mythical backgrounds was critical for predicting the thinking modes and behavioral logic of the SEELE elders, who were deeply influenced by mysticism.
Now, the outlines of the dual spears were clear in his mind. The Lance of Longinus was a Damocles sword hanging overhead, the promoter of established tragedies, while the Spear of Cassius was that ray of hope to turn the tables, still enveloped in mist, needing to be pursued and mastered.
His next actions—whether accelerating the modification of Unit-03 or pushing the modulation of the EVA in the Warhammer world—had to incorporate the factor of how to deal with or even utilize these two spears into the core considerations. The true game had already touched upon the foundational rules of this world.
Ryo transmitted the detailed investigation report acquired through Ryoji Kaji regarding the Lance of Longinus and the Spear of Cassius—including their symbolic meanings, functional speculations, and deep religious mythical archetypes—completely to his main body far away in the Warhammer world via the dimensional communicator.
He explicitly expressed concern regarding such forces involving the world's foundational rules and requested the main body to evaluate the risks and provide potential coping strategies or countermeasures based on its broader vision and knowledge base.
The main body's response did not return instantly; evidently, it was conducting deep deductions and considerations.
The wait did not last too long, but when communication was re-established, what was transmitted was not merely an information flow, but an indication that it would send an ancient technological relic from the main body's treasured collection to deal with potential emergencies.
Following the guidelines of the protocol, Ryo activated the receiving procedure inside his absolutely controlled isolation laboratory at the Ninth Research Institute.
The space rippled slightly—not a violent tear, but an almost elegant folding and unfolding. The light stabilized, and a metallic container of archaic design and unknown material levitated in the designated position. The container's surface bore no visible interfaces or engravings, cold to the touch, made of no known metal.
Following the mental cipher synchronously transmitted by the main body, Ryo slowly injected psionic energy into a specific invisible node on the container's surface.
Hum—
With a barely audible low drone, the container seamlessly disassembled and unfolded like a living thing, revealing the item stored inside.
Upon seeing the item, even with Ryo's rock-solid mind tempered by Space Marine modifications and his experience witnessing various incredible phenomena in this world after crossing dimensions, his pupils still uncontrollably constricted slightly, a rare expression of shock and disbelief flitting across his face.
It was not any form of weapon or other technological device he had anticipated. Its form... completely surpassed his cognitive scope based on the tech trees of the current two worlds (the EVA world and the Warhammer world).
It quietly levitated in the center of the unfolded container, emitting an indescribable ancient rhythm that was neither pure matter nor pure energy, as if it were a physical manifestation of some paradox.
"...To think... it's this kind of thing..." Ryo murmured subconsciously, his voice carrying a gravity he hadn't even noticed himself.
He swiftly gathered his exposed emotions, but the waves in his heart failed to calm down for a long time. The main body had actually transmitted such a... relic across dimensions; its determination and the degree of importance placed on this operation far exceeded his prior estimates.
He did not rush to touch or test that relic, but first re-sealed it within a special shielding force field according to the highest security standards. He needed time to thoroughly digest the forbidden knowledge regarding its basic preservation and activation conditions subsequently transmitted by the main body.
Although the specific function and application method of this relic remained a strictly guarded secret, its mere existence felt like a heavy counterweight, vastly increasing Ryo's inner confidence.
The trace of uncertainty that had originally arisen when facing the near-rule-based absolute power of the Lance of Longinus and the unknown, ethereal possibilities of the Spear of Cassius was replaced at this moment by a more grounded confidence. The main body's support was no hollow promise; it had invested its true trump card.
With this relic from ancient technology as a hidden card, Ryo's grasp on succeeding against the oncoming ultimate game surrounding the "spears" and "Instrumentality" undoubtedly added a few more degrees of certainty.
He stared at that ancient creation isolated by the force field, his gaze turning sharp and resolute once again. For this relic was the hope capable of breaking a deadlock and even reversing destiny at the final moment.