Chapter 557: The Volcano Cannon Roars
The silent standing of the EVA-Titan brought an immense pressure that far exceeded its direct actions. The single red optical sensor beneath its icy helm swept across the battlefield; every single unit "gazed" upon by it felt a chilling sensation of being locked onto by a higher-order apex predator.
Unit-06 was the first to react. It apparently judged that this suddenly appearing, gray colossus bearing a giant cannon carried an exceptionally high threat level, even temporarily shelving its intent to attack the deified Unit-01.
Transforming into a streak of black lightning, Unit-06 charged straight toward the EVA-Titan. At some point, a light spear formed from high-energy particles—resembling a miniature version of the Lance of Longinus—had condensed in its hands, piercing directly toward the Titan's torso core!
"It's coming!" Inside the safehouse, Ryo clearly perceived Unit-06's attack trajectory through the psionic link.
Instead of choosing to intercept it head-on with the power claws, he controlled the EVA-Titan to execute a sideways slide with a nimbleness completely at odds with its massive, heavy frame. Simultaneously, the barrel of the Nemesis-class Volcano Cannon on its back began a low rotation and charge, radiating heart-palpitating energy fluctuations.
Rumble—!!!
An indescribable, scorching jet stream as thick as a mountain range erupted from the Volcano Cannon's muzzle! It was no simple energy blast or solid projectile, but a destructive torrent embedding extreme thermal and kinetic forces.
The jet stream was not aimed directly at Unit-06, but precisely slammed into the ground right ahead of its charging path.
In an instant, the world lost its color. The area directly struck by the artillery fire did not merely explode; the ground was instantly vaporized and molten, forming a massive crater exceeding a hundred meters in diameter that churned with dark-red lava! A terrifying shockwave rapidly expanded outward in a ring, crushing and blowing away architectural ruins and remnant organic Angel tissue alike wherever it passed. The air was ionized, emitting sharp snapping sounds and briefly warping light rays.
Unit-06's charging momentum was forcefully halted by this earth-shattering strike. It had to forcefully twist its direction in a posture that nearly tore its chassis apart, narrowly evading that lethal lava crater and the core shockwave.
However, even with the protection of its A.T. Field, the chassis was still violently thrown back by the expanding energy remnants. The surface armor emitted an ear-piercing screech of friction as it collided with debris and energy turbulence, crashing once more into the distant ruins and throwing up a haze of dust dozens of meters high.
This single shot demonstrated not merely raw power, but an absolute capability to control and reshape the battlefield environment.
Asuka watched from a distance, thoroughly dumbfounded, as the white Unit-03 shook violently within the shockwave. "What... what kind of artillery strike is that?! It's practically like... like a volcanic eruption!"
Ryo, meanwhile, rapidly gathered data on Unit-06 through this demonstrative shot, while simultaneously evaluating the Volcano Cannon's impact effect on the space of this world.
Target evasion reaction limits confirmed... Spatial structural stability endurance threshold initially mapped...
He did not pursue Unit-06. The charging hum of the back Volcano Cannon gradually lowered, the barrel micro-adjusting as it focused its primary sensors back onto the deified Unit-01. That icy red single eye seemed to be weighing the value of the next target.
At this moment, the silhouette of the Doors of Guf above Unit-01's head had grown increasingly clear. It was a massive, complex, continuously rotating concentric circle, its center an bottomless darkness that seemed to connect to the ultimate mysteries of the universe. The space surrounding the gate manifested a wave-like distortion, where the divine energy and the red, LCL ocean-like energy stream overflowing from inside the gate intertwined and collided.
The gates were slowly opening.
An even vaster spiritual pressure surged from within the gates, acting upon the entirety of Tokyo-3 and even broader regions. The debris on the ground began floating upward in defiance of gravity, and the microscopic particles in the air radiated a bizarre light. Some mentally sensitive individuals began experiencing hallucinations, hearing inexplicable whispers and seeing phantoms of deceased loved ones.
"Doors of Guf opening level at thirty-five percent... continuing to rise!" inside the command center, the operator's voice carried despair.
"No! We must stop it!" Misato Katsuragi snapped her head toward Gendo Ikari. "Commander! Unit-01 is out of control, Unit-06's objectives are unknown, and now a mysterious giant unit has appeared! We must deploy every single means, even if it's... the Lance of Longinus!"
Deploying the Lance of Longinus meant venturing deep into the absolute depths of Central Dogma to pull it out from Lilith's chest. This was undeniably an exceptionally dangerous act that might accelerate certain processes.
Gendo Ikari remained silent, seemingly weighing his options. His plan required Unit-01 as the key and required the Doors of Guf to open, but if the opening level spiraled completely out of control or was entirely dominated by SEELE, then his personal objectives could not be achieved.
Right at this moment, Vice Commander Kozo Fuyutsuki, who had remained silent all along, spoke up. His voice carried a trace of exhaustion and profound depth: "Gendo, it is time to make a choice. Is it for their script, or is it for... her?"
This sentence acted like the final straw. Gendo Ikari's crossed fingers finally lowered, and he stood up, issuing a cold command: "Authorize the deployment contingency plan for the Lance of Longinus. Unit-00... no, prepare to initiate the Rei Ayanami clone for the 'ritual' preparations."
He ultimately chose to push forward his own script, even if it meant a direct conflict with SEELE. What he desired was not SEELE's Instrumentality where the consciousness of all humanity fused, but to open the pathway to the "Anti-Universe" through the contact between Unit-01 and Lilith to search for Yui.
The issuance of this command meant that the final schism and decisive battle within NERV was about to begin.
Almost at the exact moment the command was issued, Ryo captured a highly covert yet exceptionally high-tier energy fluctuation coming from the direction of Central Dogma deep within NERV Headquarters via the EVA-Titan's sensors—it was the unique spatial ripple generated when the Lance of Longinus was disturbed.
Has it finally begun... Ryo thought to himself. He knew the most critical moment was drawing near.
He immediately contacted Ryoji Kaji again through encrypted communications: "Kaji, the Lance of Longinus has been disturbed. Gendo Ikari has begun executing his personal script. Your task is to ensure that amidst the chaos, we can 'approach' that zone. I will create the opportunity for you."
"Understood. The corridor has been secured; we can breach at any moment," Kaji's response was swift and resolute.
Ryo nodded, his gaze focusing once more onto the massive Doors of Guf and the deified Unit-01 on the screen. Now, he needed to make this muddy water turn even more chaotic.
The red light within the EVA-Titan's massive single sensor suddenly flared violently. This time, its target was explicitly the Doors of Guf and the deified Unit-01 beneath it!
He wanted to test exactly how much pressure this gate and this "key" could endure. Simultaneously, he wanted to draw everyone's attention entirely onto himself.