"Zero's awake!"
"Shinji's revived!"
"They did it!!!"
"Thank goodness!!!"
Unprecedented cheers erupted throughout NERV headquarters. The sight of Zero awakening on the screen sent everyone into a frenzy. At that same moment, people watching the live broadcast around the world were swept up in the same excitement. Children held their Zero toys high, shouting at the screens, their eyes shining with pure eagerness and hope.
Yet after that brief surge of joy, grim reality settled over NERV's command center once more.
Even with Zero back, the battle remained dire.
Geed's beam was being devoured inch by inch by the D4 Ray. The Color Timers on all five Geeds' chests flashed violently in unison, their shrill alarms ringing across the battlefield. Inside Geed Ultimate Final, Riku gritted his teeth, his arms trembling uncontrollably. Sweat had long since drenched his forehead and back.
He was nearly at his limit.
And he was not alone. Under the assault of countless Mass Production Models, the Ultra Brothers and Ultimate Force Zero were also beginning to falter. Every warrior's Color Timer had begun to flash, their alarms blending together like their steadily weakening heartbeats.
"Mebius!" After swinging his sword with all his strength, Hikari, clad in knight armor, reached out to help the fallen Mebius.
His armor was covered in scratches and on the verge of shattering completely.
"Cough... everyone..." Even Zoffy's eyes flickered as he struggled to stand.
Ultraseven slowly moved his hand, gripping his Head Blade with all his might.
The Ultra Warriors had not given up.
The light in the Jean Brothers' eyes had dimmed. Mirror Knight knelt on one knee, the yellow glow of his eyes nearly extinguished, while the flames surrounding Glenfire gradually weakened.
They had all approached their limits. Every attack seemed to burn through the last of their