At that very moment, Unit-01 was locked in combat with the unknown Evangelion.
The gaping wound that had once been pierced through its body by the Spear of Cassius now began to close—
Yes, it was healing. Slowly, flesh-like tissue knit itself together, mending what was thought impossible.
How could this be? Unit-01 was a machine… how could it regenerate like a living being?
Everyone who witnessed it was struck dumb. Misato Katsuragi in particular stood agape, stunned beyond words.
The mysteries surrounding Unit-01 had always been countless, but this sight was beyond comprehension.
And of course, inside the entry plug, the pilot was Ryōta Kitazawa.
This time, he had reclaimed Unit-01—and with it, the initiative. Only in his hands could Unit-01's full power be drawn forth. Ever since the battle with the Fourth Angel, Unit-01 had already ceased to be what it once was. It had transformed—no longer merely an Evangelion, but something greater.
It had become Eve.
Now, at last, it was awakening.
A feral roar ripped across the battlefield—
The unfamiliar white Eva before him swung a massive fist, hammering down upon Unit-01 with crushing force.
Boom!
The impact was so overwhelming that Unit-01 was sent plummeting like a falling star, crashing into the ground with a thunderous quake.
For a long moment it lay still.
The onlookers were aghast. It was the first time they had ever seen Ryōta struck down. And his opponent—another Eva.
Slowly, Unit-01 rose again. The white Eva wasted no time, drawing a particle knife for its second strike.
The same armaments… but with more advanced technology?
Ryōta could not tell if it was manned by a pilot or controlled by a computer. It didn't matter. Either way, he had to defeat it.
Behind him were the survivors—Misato and the others. He could not yield, not even a single step.
With a sharp parry, Ryōta countered, driving his own blade deep into the white Eva's shoulder.
Then, in a flash, Unit-01 pulled free a Gatling rifle.
Rrrrrrrrraaatatatatatat!!!
The weapon roared, showering the enemy Eva in relentless fire.
Smoke and explosions consumed it.
"Is it… over?"
Misato and the others stared into the haze, shaken by the sheer ferocity of this new Eva. Its strength rivaled, perhaps even exceeded, that of the Tenth Angel. Could it have been the Eleventh? Misato's thoughts raced. Whatever it was, it was stronger than any Angel they had faced before.
But Ryōta wasn't finished. Even as the gunsmoke still lingered, Unit-01 surged forward, knife in hand.
The others began to understand—
the white Eva was still alive.
To endure such an onslaught… what kind of technology was this? Since when had Gendō Ikari possessed an Eva so advanced? None could fathom it. But there was no doubt: the battle was far from over.
For from within the smoke, a giant hand lunged forth—smashing into Unit-01.
A violent collision of A.T. Fields erupted, sand and wind blasting outward in waves.
At last, in that clash, the markings on the white Eva's body became visible:
Mark.12.
"So it's the twelfth unit of the Mark series… No wonder I've never seen it before. Gendō must have kept it deliberately hidden."
Misato muttered bitterly.
The Mark series had always been shrouded in secrecy, even from her. She knew little, save that they were purpose-built weapons—Evangelions developed solely for combat, with clear, ruthless intent behind their design.
And the chief engineer of the Mark series had been none other than Ritsuko Akagi. Whether she was alive or dead now, Misato could not say. The thought weighed heavily on her heart.
Meanwhile, Unit-01 and Mark.12 had entered a deadly stalemate.
Their A.T. Fields clashed again and again in the skies, sparks of storm and energy bursting around them. The more fiercely they fought, the faster their movements became, their strikes blurring with speed. Until at last, the two Evas were locked in a battle with no clear victor.
For the first time, Ryōta felt he had met a true equal.
And as he studied Mark.12, a suspicion took root—its movements weren't human. It fought like a system, an imitation.
What's more—its techniques mirrored his own.
Could it be…?
The thought seized him entirely.
And just then, Misato's voice cut into his comms:
"Ryōta Kitazawa! Haven't you realized yet? Mark.12 is being controlled by a simulation system—one that's copying your fighting style!"
"What!?"
The survivors in the shelter gasped aloud. Many of them had been NERV engineers themselves. Hearing Misato's explanation, they understood at once. That was why Mark.12 was so formidable—it was imitating Ryōta's combat data. It had been recorded, somehow, at some point—and now it fought him blow for blow without yielding an inch.
Such a weapon was practically a man-made Angel. If the Tenth Angel had faced Mark.12, it would surely have been annihilated.
Ryōta's eyes narrowed. Misato's words confirmed his suspicion.
Mark.12's fighting style was his own. A fabricated mirror of himself.
But no matter how perfect the copy, it was still just a machine. Machines were dead things.
He was alive.
That difference alone was enough.
A cold smile touched his lips. Tightening his grip on the knife, he surged forward.
Mark.12's computer responded instantly, predicting his advance. Its counterattack came sharp and precise—a spinning roundhouse kick, slamming toward Unit-01.
And Ryōta recognized it instantly.
It was his own move.
Please drop some power stones support me at my
PS: Access the complete chapters/series at