Kozo Fuyutsuki froze as he watched Gendo Ikari fall backward, his head tipped up.
He had not fired. The gunshot had come from behind him.
He turned and saw a squad of fully armed Special Forces soldiers holding up their smoking guns.
"Reporting in. Target eliminated, Final Dogma Area secured. NERV Headquarters commanding officer Kozo Fuyutsuki located. Awaiting orders."
"Permission to eliminate granted. Hold the target area and await reinforcements."
"Yes, sir."
"The Self-Defense Forces?" Kozo Fuyutsuki froze in surprise.
Seeing the Self-Defense Forces aim their guns at him, Kozo Fuyutsuki prepared to meet his death.
But just then, the soldiers seemed to witness something utterly terrifying. They stood rooted to the spot, their eyes wide with disbelief.
Kozo Fuyutsuki turned back, following their gazes.
Gendo Ikari, who had fallen to the ground moments earlier, had stood up again.
Gendo Ikari simply lowered his head and looked at the fragments of human tissue that had once belonged to him.
There was clearly a gaping hole in the back of his head, yet the wound was no longer bleeding.
Seemingly unconcerned, he picked up his brain tissue and put it back inside his skull.
"Unit-01 has completed its pseudo-deification, yet the third impact still hasn't begun to spread, and the souls within the Black Moon haven't gathered."
When Gendo Ikari raised his head again, his shattered sunglasses left his eye area exposed.
Neither eye was visible. It looked as though both eyes and the bridge of his nose had been gouged out, leaving only a golden cross of light flickering inside his broken skull.
"Ikari, did you use the Key of Nebuchadnezzar, that soul anchor of Adam connecting humanity and God, to abandon your human body?" Kozo Fuyutsuki's eyes widened.
"I merely inscribed information transcending this world's truths into my body.