NERV Headquarters, a deep underground corridor.
Hansen walked unhurriedly, the cold light casting long shadows on him.
The day's battle was over, and subsequent tasks such as EVA recovery and city reconstruction were proceeding in an orderly manner.
A large number of personnel were engaged in their respective duties, making the vast base seem somewhat deserted.
He had just accepted Ritsuko Akagi's invitation and was planning to go to her usual bar for a drink later.
Just as he turned a corner, his footsteps suddenly halted.
Hansen stopped, slowly raising his head.
At this moment, his deep gaze seemed to penetrate layers of thick armor and rock, invisibly converging with the moon, which cast a clear, cold glow.
"Oh my~ BOSS, what's on your mind?"
A charming, smiling voice sounded in his ear.
Mari Makinami, with a piece of bread she'd just swiped from the cafeteria in her mouth, emerged from some corner, silently approaching Hansen like a cat that had discovered its owner's secret.
Her voluptuous and proud figure was wrapped in the NERV uniform, revealing every curve, and her blue-green eyes behind red-framed glasses sparkled with cunning.
Following Hansen's line of sight, she saw only the cold alloy ceiling printed with pipeline diagrams.
"What, did you see a ghost?" Mari Makinami teased, her warm, girlish breath gently fanning Hansen's ear.
"A ghost?"
Hansen withdrew his gaze, toying with the girl's hair, a smile of interest appearing on his face.
"Indeed, a ghost from a cyclical timeline has awakened," he said softly.
"The last piece of the puzzle is about to be completed."
...The night in Tokyo-3 wasn't only about alarms and ruins.
In some underground districts untouched by the war, lights still glowed, and the lazy strains of jazz and the aroma of alcohol flowed.
Blue Note Bar.
This was Ritsuko Akagi's little-known secret base, a haven where she could briefly escape the heavy pressure of NERV.
At this moment, in the dimly lit private room.
The phonograph slowly spun, and the bass of the saxophone was like a gentle hand, caressing the restless souls in the night.
"Cheers."
Two clear crystal glasses clinked in the air, emitting a crisp sound.
The amber liquid, agitated by the ice ball, refracted a hazy glow.
Ritsuko Akagi had shed her usual cold white lab coat, changing into a deep purple sleeveless dress.
The fitted cut perfectly outlined her graceful figure, unique to a mature woman.
At the slit of the skirt, her long legs, encased in black stockings, were crossed, and the red sole of her high heel at the tip of her foot looked particularly alluring under the light.
Her neat blonde hair now fell slightly messily by her ears, and her eyes no longer held the rationality and coldness of her work, but rather a hint of tipsy haziness.
"Mr. Hansen, today's battle... was truly eye-opening."
Ritsuko took a sip of whiskey, the spicy liquid sliding down her throat, bringing a rush of warmth.
She turned sideways, leaning slightly forward, a posture that made her deep cleavage subtly visible, exuding a fatal allure that combined intellect and wildness.
"Does that kind of power... truly belong to the realm of science?"
Her voice was a little hoarse, filled with inquiry and a hint of imperceptible longing.
Hansen sat on the leather sofa opposite her, his posture casual and relaxed.
He toyed with his wine glass, watching the woman before him, who was attempting to use her charm as a weapon, through the amber liquid.
"Dr. Ritsuko," Hansen's voice was low and magnetic, echoing in the enclosed private room, "did you invite me out tonight just to discuss physics class?"
Ritsuko paused, then chuckled softly, her finger slowly tracing the rim of her glass: "As a scientist, maintaining curiosity about unknown truths is instinct, isn't it?"
"Truth is often dangerous." Hansen put down his glass, leaning slightly forward, his strong masculine pheromones instantly invading Ritsuko's personal space. "Like Pandora's Box, once opened, you can't go back."
The distance between them instantly closed, their breaths audible.
Ritsuko looked at Hansen, so close, and couldn't help but recall that night they had secretly indulged.
This man was handsome, powerful, and mysterious, like a massive black hole that not only devoured Angels but also seemed intent on devouring her rationality.
She had originally planned to use alcohol to extract information, but it turned out that her little scheme was useless; instead, she had gotten herself involved.
The night was seductive.
The lights in the private room seemed to dim further, with only the chanteuse in the phonograph still softly singing, covering the suppressed yet passionate gasps... Two and a half hours later.
Hansen walked out of the bar alone.
The night breeze was cool, dispersing the scent of ladies' perfume and faint tobacco clinging to him.
He hadn't taken Ritsuko back to his apartment; sometimes, leaving a little aftertaste makes the adult game more alluring.
As Hansen reached his apartment building, a familiar clamor pierced the night sky.
"Give it back! You thieving cat! Four-eyed pervert!"
That was Asuka's high-pitched scream, loud enough to penetrate the floorboards.
"Oh my, don't be so stingy, Your Highness~ Is this what they call a limited edition? What a childlike pattern~"
Followed by Mari Makinami's irritating yet cheerful voice.
Hansen's mouth twitched slightly; it seemed the battle at home was more troublesome than dealing with Angels.
In the living room.
Mari Makinami was wearing a loose white shirt, its hem barely covering her upper thighs, and as she jumped, a glimpse of her 'absolute territory' was subtly revealed.
She was waving a pair of pure cotton panties with a bear pattern, like a victory flag, nimbly leaping around the living room sofa.
"Give it back!!!"
Chasing her was Asuka, already on the verge of Berserk.
Asuka had clearly just showered when she was attacked, wrapped only in a large bath towel.
Due to the intense running and grabbing, the bath towel was precarious, revealing large expanses of her fair, smooth skin.
Her back, as smooth as top-grade porcelain, her long, straight calves, and her shoulders flushed crimson with shame and indignation, were all fully exposed under the bright living room lights.
The girl's unrefined yet already prominent youthful body exuded dazzling vitality and beauty.
"Not giving it back~ Nya nya nya~"
Mari Makinami performed a nimble backflip, landing steadily on the TV cabinet, pushed up her glasses, and smiled like a cat that had stolen a fish.
"So our ace pilot still has a little baby inside~ A bear pattern, how cute~"
"I'm going to kill you! Mari Makinami!!"
Asuka trembled with rage, her sapphire eyes practically spitting fire.
She disregarded her loosening bath towel and lunged at Mari Makinami.
"Getting angry out of embarrassment already? Our Princess is truly not honest~~" Mari Makinami deftly dodged, leaving Asuka fuming with frustration.
The two eva unit-02 pilots staged a cat-and-mouse battle in the small living room, with pillows flying and slippers scattered everywhere, making the scene chaotic and alluring at times.
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