The shattered golden light had yet to fade from the steel earth of Tokyo-3.
The wreckage of Yomi-Hirasaka hung in midair like shards of glass, each fragment still trailing the scorching gusts left by the shattered spatial barrier.
Maki hovered nearby in Unit-02, her chest still heaving. The energy blast that had torn through heaven and earth moments earlier still had her nerves on edge.
But NERV had already accounted for this in its contingency plans. It was no unexpected turn of events, though witnessing such power firsthand was enough to leave anyone awestruck.
A dull rumble came from the bedrock below, signaling the activation of the programmed emergence sequence.
A blue figure shot skyward through the fissure, piercing the suspended fragments and revealing a slender, imposing silhouette at the center of the dust-filled battlefield.
Unit-06's blue armor gleamed coldly in the scattered light. Behind its sleek shoulder plates and chest, Kaworu Nagisa sat in its cockpit.
"Seventy-two seconds ahead of schedule, Shinji."
Kaworu's voice came over the encrypted communications channel, gentle yet precise.
"Yomi-Hirasaka is no longer blocking the way, and my preparations are complete. Requesting permission to execute the second-stage mission."
Misato Katsuragi leaned over the console, grabbed the microphone, and shouted, "Kaworu, proceed according to plan!"
Everything in the command room remained orderly. Unit-06's identification signal appeared on the main screen as scheduled, while a red "Ready to destroy" indicator flashed in the corner.
Maya Ibuki typed rapidly, the data streams scrolling in orderly succession:
"Unit-06's synchronization rate is holding steady at infinity."
"Spear of Longinus charge calibration complete."
"Target coordinates calibrated."
"Energy output switched to 'Full release' mode."
"No abnormal feedback."
Ritsuko Akagi held her communicator, watching the energy curve climb sharply on the screen. Her voice was calm but grave:
"Kaworu, activate the MAGI System's