After roughly a minute, communications with the outside world finally returned.
"What the hell are the Self-Defense Forces doing?!" Misato Katsuragi roared.
Their opponent was not an enemy trying to throw Earth into chaos, but a human military force.
The pure-white giant that had appeared against an enormous swirl of clouds was an EVA, a human weapon.
What was about to begin might well be a war between humans.
Misato Katsuragi stared at the monitor.
"Technical Department, Information Department, do you have any intelligence on that other Unit-02?"
The winged white giant appeared to be the same type of unit as Unit-02.
She still remembered that Unit-02 had not been developed by NERV Headquarters. It was a combat model built by the German branch.
Maya Ibuki replied, "We can confirm that this EVA model belongs to NERV's German branch."
"So they're European Union forces?" Misato Katsuragi murmured.
Ritsuko Akagi studied the image on her monitor and the white EVA's wings, which resembled the equipment recently installed on the F-Type EVA.
"Restraining Armor based on the Second Stage, and the Allegorica Wings, which have only just seen combat."
"This isn't just a question of the EVA model. Our technical intelligence has clearly been leaked."
"People really are the least reliable of all, even when they shout about their glorious faith."
The white giant slowly descended from the clouds, clearly using their technology.
"Misato, the one piloting that Unit-02 is Asuka," Shinji Ikari told the woman with full authority over wartime operations.
Leaving specialized work to the specialists was perfectly fine.
"I thought that voice sounded like Asuka too, but how is that possible?" Misato Katsuragi frowned deeply.
"Because..." Shinji Ikari thought for a moment. "She might be an Asuka we don't know."
As a result of his apotheosis, Shinji Ikari was