If the Angel were to break through the atmosphere and reach NERV, wouldn't that mean mutual annihilation?
Misato Katsuragi couldn't shake the thought, anxiety tightening in her chest.
"If the Angel lands a direct hit, the resulting explosion will affect an area of approximately 420,000 square kilometers," reported Maya Ibuki, her voice trembling. "Ground subsidence could reach depths of 15,000 meters. At that point, it's highly likely the entire Tokyo-3 area would be obliterated, and…"
She didn't finish.
She didn't need to. Everyone present knew what she was about to say:
If the explosion happened—not just Tokyo-3, but potentially all of Japan could be wiped off the map.
"Yes, and if an explosion of that magnitude occurs, even Central Dogma will be exposed!" another technician quickly added.
The Central Dogma—positioned directly above the Terminal Dogma—was the core command center of the entire NERV organization. Its strategic importance was beyond question.
Misato's face had gone deathly pale. Her jaw clenched tightly as if she were locked in an internal war of decisions.
Twice now, she had faced situations threatening total destruction.
The weight of it all was immense.
"Where's Commander Ikari? Can we reach him?" Misato asked urgently, biting her lip.
"No contact. Due to the Angel's interference, the atmospheric electromagnetic systems are still unstable—we can't establish any connection with Commander Ikari."
"I see…"
Misato's expression darkened further.
Commander Ikari was gone. Fuyutsuki was also missing.
That meant Misato Katsuragi was now NERV's highest-ranking officer.
And if she held the top position—then the responsibility was hers, and hers alone.
"Looks like… I'll have to make the call myself."
She slowly closed her eyes. Then, after a long, deep breath, she exhaled.
When she opened her eyes again, they burned with fierce resolve.
Confident. Steadfast. Unshaken. The hesitation, the anxiety, the unease—gone in an instant.
She immediately turned to the room and began issuing commands:
"Notify the bureaucrats in Nagatachō, and all provincial governments throughout Japan—invoke Emergency Directive D-17. Everyone within a 120-kilometer radius must be evacuated immediately!"
D-17?!
Everyone in the room snapped to full attention.
That was the highest-level emergency order NERV could issue. A 120-kilometer radius meant evacuating nearly half of Japan!
"The government has already begun organizing the evacuation," a technician reported after receiving confirmation from Nagatachō. "It's proceeding quickly and should be completed soon."
"Good," Misato nodded, finally allowing herself a breath of relief.
—
Outside of NERV, aircraft soared into the skies, and ships patrolled the waters. Every available resource had been mobilized for the emergency evacuation.
The evacuation progressed methodically, and soon the government relayed the latest update to NERV.
"All civilians have been fully evacuated. According to the National Police Agency, non-combatants and D-class service personnel have also been cleared. Reporting complete!"
"MAGI has been handed over to the Matsushiro Test Facility for remote coordination," said Maya Ibuki. "What do we do now, Commander Katsuragi?"
MAGI—NERV's supercomputer system, known as the Three Wise Men. It could track Angels, monitor city-wide data, and assist in operational decisions.
Misato nodded. As long as MAGI remained operational—even if HQ were destroyed—they could still observe the Angel's movements.
"But… how are we supposed to engage it?" Maya asked, exhaling shakily.
"She's right," another technician added. "If the Eighth Angel lands, the damage will be catastrophic. But EVAs can't fly—they can't intercept mid-air. And we have no high-altitude firing positions. We have no way to stop it!"
"No." Misato's voice cut in, calm and certain.
"We do have a way."
---
"You can't be serious, Misato."
In the underground corridor, Ritsuko Akagi walked alongside Misato, her voice filled with disbelief.
"Come on," Misato smiled faintly, "You think I'd treat something like this as a joke?"
"You're seriously going through with this?" Ritsuko shook her head. "This isn't a strategy—it's a reckless gamble. According to MAGI's projections, the failure rate is 99.999%. Even if it succeeds, we'll likely lose all three EVA units. Possibly complete destruction. Misato, are you sure you've thought this through?"
"At least… the odds aren't zero." Misato turned her back to Ritsuko and said,
"And I believe—this is our only chance of success."
"But as head of the technical division, I can't accept this plan," Ritsuko said, adjusting her glasses in frustration. "Instead of waiting on a miracle, we should focus on concrete alternatives—refining strategies, adjusting deployments. And don't forget—protecting Lilith and Unit-01 must remain our top priority."
"Protecting Lilith…" Misato repeated softly.
She smiled, though no one could say what that smile meant.
Perhaps she found it ridiculous—that in the face of mass extinction, they were still worrying about guarding Lilith, a relic from humanity's ancient origins.
"I'm not going to sit around waiting for the end," she said, shaking her head.
"We'll forge a miracle by human will alone."
She looked determined—so determined, it bordered on harshness. So absolute it felt almost… inhuman.
It was the kind of determination that could easily frustrate others. And even Ritsuko had finally had enough.
"Misato Katsuragi!! Do you even realize the weight of the responsibility you're carrying? This isn't a game!"
"Of course I know, Ritsuko," Misato replied coolly. "But don't forget—I am NERV's current commanding officer. That means it's my responsibility to make this decision."
"Destroying the Angel is my duty. My objective is to eliminate the target. Everything else… is outside my jurisdiction. Do you understand?"
With that, Misato turned around to face her head-on.
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