"You assembled the Entry Plug all by yourself? Isn't the system still down?" Shinji Ikari asked.
Ritsuko Akagi gave a soft snort.
"Don't underestimate human technology. Before computers existed, thousands of years of human engineering relied entirely on 'pure mechanics' and 'pure manual operation.'"
"From precision instruments to heavy industry, humans still have plenty of devices that need no chips and can perform complex logic and control using nothing but physical structures and electricity."
"As head of the Technical Department, I've been through situations like this twice already. How could I possibly still be unprepared? Wait here while I get the Entry Plug ready."
As a god, Shinji Ikari admitted that he loved Ritsuko Akagi.
He truly could find no reason not to love her. Whenever you had a problem that needed handling, she always seemed able to find a solution.
The difficult part was bestowing a reward for her devotion afterward.
Shinji Ikari actually knew how he ought to thank Ritsuko Akagi, but this clearly wasn't the time.
Soon, he would pilot Unit-01 with its upgraded armor and power system. There wasn't another machine this perfect in the world.
Given his personality, he shouldn't have needed to hide his joy, but he wasn't as excited as he'd imagined. In its place was a complicated sense of calm.
He had felt that way ever since seeing Unit-01, as though his flesh and soul had separated. His body still stood where it was, yet his soul seemed to have merged with Unit-01.
At that moment, he felt he was only one step away from the divine throne, yet his heart remained calm.
Mother or humanity. What an idiotic choice.
If the brain governing Shinji Ikari's thoughts could learn to fight itself the way Asuka did, he probably would have split into