Aozaki Aoko [650-651] (Patreon)

Chapter 650: Containment Breach

Of course, as the chief scientist of the Bethany Branch, Touko still had to put on a show. For instance, after the base alarm sounded, the branch chief immediately contacted all senior staff to head to the operations command room, and Touko was naturally among them.

She tidied up her appearance and leisurely made her way to the command room, passing by some unfortunate colleagues in a panic, who hadn't even washed their faces.

"Dr. Aozaki, do you know what's going on?" one colleague asked as he tried to fix his clothes and messy hair. "Did the Third Angel A breach containment and escape?"

"Not sure yet," Touko shook her head, taking out her custom terminal to check the details. "But the chief's notice says there has been an intruder inside the base..."

The colleague looked baffled, clearly not understanding the notice. "What kind of intruder would trigger a full alarm? This is just a research containment facility, right? Could it be terrorists?"

"Who knows. We'll find out once we're in the command room," Touko shrugged innocently. "After all, the chief called us there."

Touko stopped discussing the matter and, together with the colleague, silently took the internal elevator to the operations command room, located deeper than the residential quarters.

As soon as they entered, they saw the chief standing on the command platform, shouting furiously, veins bulging on his forehead. Everyone present could feel his anger.

"I don't care how you let these damned intruders in!" the chief roared. "I want them taken out immediately! The final Cocytus River system's seal cannot be compromised! The Third Angel A must not be released from its seal!"

"But Chief, it seems our security protocols were easily bypassed," the head of security replied nervously. "All the verification measures were useless against the intruders. In other words, among our staff, there is..."

"—A spy," Touko finished for him. "He's right. There must be a spy planted by some external force, relaying information from within. Otherwise, there's no way they could have gotten into the final Cocytus River system so easily, even if we're just a research base."

"Aozaki, you're finally here!" The chief breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing Touko, looking particularly exhausted. "We can't worry about the spy for now. Those people are breaking through the Third Angel A's seals one by one. Do you have any suggestions?"

"Deploy the Styx Guardian No. 5 Unit Alpha immediately," Touko said decisively. "Is the pilot ready?"

"Already on standby in the entry plug!" The chief replied. "Patch me through to Unit 5's pilot!"

The central screen flickered, showing Mari in a military-green plug suit and special A10 neural helmet, arms and waist connected by several tubes.

"Can you hear me, Mari?" Touko asked, donning the microphone headset. "It's a bit sudden, but it's time for you and Unit 5 to sortie. How do you feel?"

"The new suit is great, really comfortable. I thought I'd have to wear last time's training suit again," Mari replied cheerfully. "That one was way too tight in the chest~"

"We do care about user experience," Touko smiled. "You have all the info on the enemy now?"

"The Third Angel A that might escape from the final Cocytus River? I know. And the intruders?"

"Terminate on sight!" the chief ordered grimly. "If possible, capture one for intel, but if not, kill them all!"

"That's a harsh order, chief," Mari said, "But it's fine, I'll carry it out."

"If even the completed Unit 5 Alpha doesn't scare them, these aren't ordinary intruders," the chief said. "We must hit them hard, show our resolve!"

"Please, Mari," Touko said seriously. "The Third Angel A is a completed project. If anything major goes wrong, humanity's future could be greatly affected."

"I understand," Mari replied decisively, starting to run system checks. "First time piloting an EVA in battle, so exciting—N2 reactor output up to 100%!"

"Evangelion Unit 5 Alpha, launch!"

As Mari reported, the front of her helmet lit up green, and the military-green giant—dozens of meters tall—awoke, like a fully armored general.

Originally, the temporary Unit 5 plan used four roller devices for fast movement in the Styx axis. But after obtaining JA-series equipment, Touko went to the equipment department to design a set of "roller skate" devices for Unit 5 Alpha.

If Touko had seen "Code Geass," she'd find it familiar—the Knightmare mechs had similar foldable roller devices on their heels and calves.

Now, under Mari's control, Unit 5 Alpha moved like a speedy ice skater in the Styx axis tunnel, astonishingly fast.

Seeing Unit 5 perform so well, even the nervous branch chief felt somewhat reassured—with such a powerful EVA, even an Angel would struggle to resist.

Elsewhere, the secret infiltrator unit at the Angel's seal inserted their makeshift puppet system, "Black Coffin," into the Third Angel A's entry plug.

The Third Angel A, trapped in multiple seals, was restless but immobilized by the surrounding pillars.

The team leader signaled, and team members brought up devices resembling grenade launchers, aiming at the most restrictive seals.

But what these "launchers" fired were not grenades, but cross-like spikes. As soon as their tips pierced the seals, the pillars ceased to function, no longer providing the anti-L Field.

With most of the seals disabled, the infiltrators began retreating—they didn't want to witness an Angel's destructive power firsthand.

But as they retreated through the maintenance tunnel, they found it blocked by a swarm of palm-sized spider "robots."

"Fall back! It's an ambush—" the leader shouted, but it was too late. The spider dolls instantly activated and, like facehuggers, latched onto the intruders and self-destructed.

Chapter 651: The Angel's First Battle

The secret infiltration team sent by Gendo died silently, leaving not even their corpses behind, because Touko had modified her spider dolls so their explosive magic released a special alchemical solution, quickly dissolving the bodies.

Gendo's secrets couldn't be exposed to the committee so soon—or rather, Touko couldn't let Gendo become totally obedient to SEELE now, so she had to quietly "clean up his mess."

At this moment, almost everyone in the command room was focused on the impending battle between Unit 5 Alpha and the Third Angel. While everyone was tense, Mari—the pilot—remained completely relaxed, even humming a song as she advanced.

"...Happiness won't come by itself, so we must pursue it. One step a day, three steps in three days..."

Her singing echoed through the comms into the command room, but no one rebuked her for being unserious.

Come on, she's only fourteen. Sending a child into such danger is already an adult failure; who could blame her for something so small?

Unlike Gendo.

Besides, if she's relaxed enough to sing in battle, it shows her strong mental fortitude—definitely a good thing.

With the Black Coffin puppet system installed, the Third Angel easily broke through the multiple seals of the final Cocytus River system. Just one blast of its cross-shaped light cannon destroyed all the surrounding cursed pillars.

Likely due to the puppet system containing detailed info about Bethany base, the Third Angel, upon breaking free, immediately chose the correct escape route among eight exits, spiraling upward along the Styx axis. The emergency barriers were no match for a "living" Angel.

But it didn't matter—the branch's trump card, Unit 5 Alpha, was now on the only escape path, heading straight toward the Angel. Their collision was inevitable.

In the original timeline, Kaji Ryoji had time to chat with the command staff after the Angel breach, but now he was in a panic.

Kaji had recognized the intruders the moment the alarm sounded. Although he didn't know Gendo had raised a secret unit, given their goals and the Black Coffin, their sender was obvious.

Kaji didn't think Gendo would be so kind as to leave him an escape route after releasing an Angel. During his long career as a spy, he'd learned that once EVAs and Apostles fought, the chances of saving the Bethany base were slim. He wasn't going to bet his life on Unit 5's victory.

Though Unit 5 didn't have a self-destruct system, there was still the Black Coffin—and the Angel's core.

Time to retreat.

Dressed in his full flight suit, Kaji, carrying a metal case, hurried along an escape path he'd prepared years before, heading for the topmost helipad, where a tiltrotor aircraft awaited.

"...Three steps forward, two steps back, life is all about dodging blows~"

"Oh? Here you are, Mr. Angel!" Mari's song stopped abruptly as she spotted the Angel at the edge of Unit 5's sensors. Her mood soared, and a delighted smile appeared.

"Field, full power!"

Invisible waves rippled out from Unit 5 Alpha, causing cracks in the weaker parts of the walls—proof of the EVA's AT Field, able to counter an Angel.

The deeply modified Third Angel moved rapidly along the Styx axis, its "neck"—the spine supporting its skull and core—swaying rhythmically for balance.

A strange sound, like a whale or some bird, echoed from the Angel's body—a signal that it had found its "enemy," Unit 5 Alpha.

"Pseudo-Lance of Longinus, ready!"

Mari licked her lips, drew the long lance from her lower back, and unfolded it into a crimson "cavalry lance" with a split tip.

"Take this~!"

Like a medieval lancer, Mari used the momentum from her charge and thrust the Pseudo-Lance of Longinus at the Angel's red core at its throat.

But unfortunately, the Angel twisted its long neck like a braid, dodging at the last instant.

Still, the attack wasn't wasted. Though its core dodged, the Angel's heavy torso was struck. The tough alloy armor couldn't withstand the lance and was easily pierced.

Red liquid, like "blood," gushed out—but Touko knew it wasn't blood. She'd previously analyzed it and found it to be a core material similar to the red "seawater" in Earth's Red Ocean.

Wounded, the Angel fought back, whipping its tail at Unit 5. But Mari, in perfect sync, fired an electromagnetic "spike" from the EVA's left wrist, severing the Angel's tail—its AT Field hadn't yet regenerated after the lance strike.

But thanks to the Black Coffin puppet system, the Angel's tactical mind was far sharper than that of a normal, fruitless Angel. Taking advantage of Unit 5's momentary distraction, it scurried up the wall with its many legs, escaping through an overhead tunnel.

"Huh?! That thing can climb walls?" Mari was startled, pausing briefly.

But that was enough—the Angel had already fled quite a distance.

"Wait, don't run! Damn!"

Mari quickly turned Unit 5 to give chase, the rollers sparking against the tunnel as a high-speed pursuit began.

"What?! The Third Angel is... running away?" The branch chief was shocked. According to his info, all Apostles aimed to annihilate sinful humanity, and even if defeated, would self-destruct rather than flee.

"No, that's not an 'Angel,'" Touko said, shaking her head as she watched the control room feed. "Remember the devices the intruders implanted into the Third Angel's modified entry plug?"

"Wait, you mean... someone developed a way to control modified Apostles and EVAs without pilots?" The chief suddenly realized the most critical intel hidden in Touko's words.