Xiao Ran left satisfied. The others also departed Gendo Ikari's office amid all manner of doubts and astonishment. Misato Katsuragi, who had just arrived, led everyone away to handle the transfer procedures for Unit-01 and Unit-00 to join the Victory Fleet. Only Gendo Ikari and Vice Commander Fuyutsuki remained in the enormous office.
Only after Xiao Ran and the others had gone completely out of earshot did Vice Commander Fuyutsuki look at the rather calm Gendo Ikari with confusion, disbelief, and a hint of panic. "Why did you agree to such an unreasonable demand from that man?"
"If I hadn't, he wouldn't have trusted us." Gendo Ikari returned to his desk, interlaced his fingers beneath his chin, and assumed that most iconic pose.
Vice Commander Fuyutsuki was puzzled. "What do you mean?"
Gendo Ikari said gravely, "He mentioned life and souls. I'm afraid that man has already realized what EVA truly is. Otherwise, he would not have said that something clearly meant to be a tool possessed life and a soul, was beyond control, and posed a threat."
"How is that possible!?" Vice Commander Fuyutsuki's eyes widened, his face full of disbelief.
Gendo Ikari asked in return, "Then have you considered the possibility of another world? Have you imagined that a human could pilot a machine that was not an EVA, shatter an Angel's AT Field in a single strike, pierce the upper armor and the geofront shell, and directly turn this place into such a mess?"
Hearing Gendo Ikari's words, Fuyutsuki opened his mouth, yet ultimately had no idea how to answer. The strength Xiao Ran had displayed while piloting Darkness Sky was simply terrifying. Without an AT Field, he had actually broken through an Angel's AT Field, pierced it to instantly kill the Angel, and even penetrated the