"There is no need for regular training today. Your task is to try to activate the 'No. 3 Unit'," Misato Katsuragi pointed at the three behemoths soaked in purple-red liquid in the test site and said, "By the way, you and your respective machines are in sync.
The synchronization rate has no reference value, or in other words, if habitual dependence occurs, the higher the original synchronization rate, the lower the adaptability to the new body may be."
"Ha--it's so ugly--are we going to sit in those things?" Asuka complained loudly while lying on the glass.
"If you have a preconceived impression, the synchronization rate will be very low?" Misato Katsuragi shook her finger.
"Hmm..." Asuka crossed her arms and tilted her head back, as if she wanted to find out the cuteness of the machine.
No matter what, there must be at least 50% on Ayanami's side. Shinji Ikari glanced at Ayanami Rei.
"What are the selection criteria? What will happen to the unsuccessful machines?" Rei Ayanami raised his hand and asked.
"This..." Misato Katsuragi looked at Ritsuko Akagi next to her.
"Based on all considerations, and most importantly, the judgment of the host MAGI," Ritsuko Akagi adjusted her glasses: "If the body is not selected, it will most likely become a part of other bodies, just like you can see."
Indeed, it is easy to understand.
Shinji Ikari turned his attention to the three "Unit-3 embryos" in the pool.
They are three gray-white creations that are about the same size as the upper body of the EVA body. They can roughly be seen as human-like - if they are put together.
In order from left to right, the three machines have only a trunk without limbs, no lower torso and lower limbs, and no upper torso and upper limbs. The common feature is that they all have no heads, and are densely connected to all parts of the body.
Wires and cables.
"The materials available for the Apostle are limited. If you can only build one machine body and can't find a qualified person, the energy, time and money spent will be wasted. Therefore, we have temporarily built three incomplete versions. After successful startup, they will
Based on your matching data, search for a driver who can activate it in the Assembly Garden," Misato Katsuragi said, "Maybe it will be one of your classmates?"
"Hmm..." Shinji Ikari's first reaction was - Kensuke Aida. Although his super power that people don't pay attention to is a bit useless, it can allow him to obtain the "Winged Dragon of the Sun God". He must have had it himself
In terms of people, Suzuhara Touji is relatively weak in comparison. What the hell is that "Golden Captain"? He can't even appear in regular battles.
"Huh? Wait?" He suddenly discovered a blind spot: "There are already 8 EVA units now, right? This new one, according to the number, it should be... uh, Unit 8?"
"Too naive! A relative!" Asuka turned around and pointed at him: "Without a driver, an EVA body that cannot be started is just scrap metal and is not qualified to have a serial number!"
If your synchronization rate can reach 20% this time, I will eat the next apostle alive on the spot!
"..." Ayanami Rei looked at Shinji Ikari, and then held up the non-existent glasses frame.
...Don’t?
——
"[Experimental insertion plug is ready!]"
"[The driver has boarded!]"
"[Prepare to dock with the experimental body!]"
Since the test site is not a launch site, the movement of the insertion bolt from the spine cannot be as fast as that of a conventional body. The three insertion bolts are hoisted close to the experimental body like some assembly line process.
"[Hmph, these machines must have been modified by the apostle I hacked to death at sea. Conquering it again is a piece of cake.]" Asuka boasted on the channel.
"Have you forgotten, the fish-shaped apostle was taken away by the ground fleet, and the materials used here can only be the materials of the fourth or fifth apostle." Shinji Ikari said.
[Kuri Kuri~] Li Ziqiu nodded in agreement.
"[Yes, yes, yes! I know that's the result of your victory. It's okay for you to be awesome, don't remind me all the time!]" Asuka yelled dissatisfied.
Hmm... Shinji Ikari tried to analyze the meaning of her words...
——Afraid of being embarrassed by not being able to start, being bold and having his mistakes pointed out, Shinji is a fool.
Just say it!
"Um, Sister Misato?" Shinji Ikari decided to demonstrate how to speak normally: "The materials for these machines come from the Fourth Apostle, right? After all, I killed it. Maybe the synchronization rate will be so low that it cannot be started. Then you
Don’t laugh at me.”
"[Be confident, Shinji,]" Misato Katsuragi replied: "[You are not afraid of living, how are you afraid of death?]"
Did you hear that?
Shinji Ikari turned his head to look at Asuka and found that she had turned her head away, leaving only the back of her head for him.
This girl is really difficult... Shinji Ikari rolled his eyes slightly and turned to look at the three machines in front of him.
Well, everyone is missing arms, legs and heads, and I don’t know what the complete body looks like...
call--
As soon as he thought of this, the scene in front of him was replaced by "illusion".
No! Wait?! The postures of these three aircraft are not suitable for anthropomorphism! Who will stop this!
Just when Shinji Ikari was about to simply close his eyes and watch nothing, the image that appeared first made him stop this action.
Hmm...it's a bit weird, but it seems acceptable?
The machine he originally wanted to pilot was the one without legs. The illusion that replaced it was a giant girl with sound legs, long purple hair, a shy face, and a very plump body. But she was wearing a pair of super giant ones on her hands.
His metal claws were beating with knuckles, as if he would raise his hand to slap someone at any moment.
The machine Asuka was originally going to test-drive had no arms, and neither did the giant purple-haired girl in the illusion. She was tall and slender, wearing an aqua blue tutu with tied cuffs. Her expression was cold and ferocious, and her feet were
Wearing a pair of gleaming sharp blades, he seemed ready to stab someone at any time.
As for Rei Ayanami, she only has a trunk body to pilot, and the illusion is a bit tricky. She looks like a giant nun with a hood on her head, only showing a gentle and smiling face, and her whole body is covered by a black nun's robe—
—As long as it can’t be seen, it doesn’t exist, right?
Fortunately, okay, if the performance is really realistic according to the current posture, the synchronization rate will definitely fall to the bottom.
"[Insertion bolt connection completed!]"
"[Get ready for startup experiments!]"
Click, click, three insertion bolts drilled into the backs of the necks of the three "giant girls".
Will this illusion disappear?
——
"[Zero, synchronization rate 50%, continue to maintain.]"
"【yes.】"
"[Asuka, synchronization rate is 55%, very good.]"
"[Hmph, of course! I'm a genius!]"
"[Shinji-kun? Are you feeling uncomfortable? The synchronization rate is only 21%, and it almost won't start.]"
"Uh...actually it's not bad," Shinji Ikari tried to raise his hand. About two seconds later, he saw the giant girl he was "riding" from the exterior window and slowly raised the big paw and shook it: "Maybe because
This unit is too far removed from Unit 1, and it’s also incomplete.”
"【about this……】"
"[Are you stupid?]" Asuka's window flashed and grabbed the topic: "[Don't habitually synchronize the whole body, just synchronize the body parts of the experimental body. You have never seen an incomplete EVA, right?
?I have been synchronizing with Unit 2 since it was first built~】"
If her grades were poor, she would be depressed and indifferent, and if her grades were good, she would be arrogant. Did she go to a school where scores were paramount?
In line with Asuka's words, the tall girl with sharp bladed feet also turned around and glared viciously at the giant girl with big claws where Shinji Ikari was, causing her body to tremble.
"[Okay, the synchronization rate has increased to 25%, keep working hard!]" Katsuragi Misato said.
What's the point of this... Because we were scolded together?
In that case, how can we work hard? Should we curse Asuka more?
It's not impossible, I have thick skin anyway.
No, wait, Ayanami is still here.
Shinji Ikari looked at Rei Ayanami's window and happened to see her mouth opening and closing slightly.
Ah Hou.
fool.
"[Oh! The synchronization rate has reached 30%! Not bad!]"
I’m not asking you to scold me together!
——
In the end, after a lot of jumping up and downs, the synchronization rates of the three people working together on the prototype No. 3 machine reached 50%, 60% and 35% respectively.
"[Oh, it seems that you can only have such a high synchronization rate when piloting Unit 1. From now on, I'll call you a 'specialist', ho ho ho~]" Asuka covered her mouth and laughed.
"There is no way." Shinji Ikari did not intend to continue working hard. It is not surprising that a boy has a high synchronization rate with a powerful robot, but it is strange that a boy has a high synchronization rate with a girl with a pair of huge claws on her hands.
"[What's the result?]" Rei Ayanami asked.
"[Not sure yet,]" Ritsuko Akagi replied: "[In fact, your current synchronization rate can only represent yourselves, and indirectly proves that they are all available. We still have to analyze a large amount of adaptation data in the entire process, and
The process of calculating new qualified candidates through the 'Maruduk Report' may take one to two months.】"
【Is that so? Then I won’t wait. 】
It's really too long...wait? Who's talking?
Shinji Ikari looked up at the machine Ayanami Rei was riding in in shock. He saw a bright light suddenly shining from behind the phantom nun. Then, a new huge phantom appeared. Although the face was exactly the same as the nun, there were two long hairs growing on the top of his head.
With sharp corners, her clothing also changed into a pink bikini with a lot of white gauze, and she was holding a water-blue ball in her hand.
"[Contamination alarm issued on floor A of Σ unit!]"
"[The 87th protein wall has deteriorated!]"
"[The corroded part is growing exponentially!]"
Why does Ayanami's machine go berserk every time?
Well, if you think about it carefully, it doesn't seem strange.
"[The laser is invalid! AT force field appears! It's an apostle!]"
"[Insertion bolt pops up urgently!]"
Anyway, let's play cards.
Shinji Ikari withdrew his gaze from the giant woman who was flying away, and turned to look at the "Duel Disk" floating on his left arm, and raised his hand to draw the card.
Oh, "Electric Man"? There seems to be...
Buzz - a red trap card stands up.
When was it built?
[Death Deck Destruction Virus: Send one of your monsters with an attack power of less than 1,000 to the graveyard, and send all cards in the opponent's hand and deck with an attack power of more than 1,500 to the graveyard. 】
Poof, a puff of smoke rose from the surface of the deck, and the Electro that he had just drawn shattered and disappeared.
Poof! The three insertion bolts fell into Lake Ashi and floated up and down.
"What?!"
"[What happened?]" Asuka chirped in the channel.
"[Invasion of the Eleventh Apostle.]" Rei Ayanami said: "[Because it is only at the nanometer level, the early warning function is completely disabled.]"
What kind of strange virus apostle is that?
In other words, even if you pilot Unit 1, there is no place where you can exert your strength?
Shinji Ikari frowned and drew the card again after 60 seconds.
"Wing Man" is okay.
Hero decks have never been good at high attack power, even ordinary monsters with low attack power...
Buzz——
[Demon Deck Destruction Virus: Send one of your monsters with an attack power of 2000 or more to the graveyard, and send all monster cards in the opponent's hand and deck with an attack power of 1500 or less to the graveyard. 】
What?!
Shinji Ikari watched helplessly as the Winged Man in his hand also shattered and disappeared.
No, wait a minute, now all the sealed Exodia is gone!
Calm down, there are magic cards you can use, I have seen a "Miracle Fusion" before.
Just draw it...
60 seconds passed, and Shinji Ikari drew a card again.
[Miracle Fusion: Remove the materials needed for the fusion monster from the graveyard and special summon the fusion monster. 】
Okay! In this way——
Buzz——
[Dark Deck Destruction Virus: Send one of your monsters with an attack power of 2500 or more to the graveyard, and send all magic cards in the opponent's hand and deck to the graveyard. 】
"..." Shinji Ikari, who was already a little numb, watched the magic card in his hand shatter and disappear.
Are you being targeted? Will the apostles share information?
There is no doubt that the three prototypes of Unit 3 are the enemy monsters that have been ambushed, and while our own side was still arguing about the synchronization rate, they had laid all the traps.
The only good news is that your opponent can no longer activate similar decks to destroy trap cards, but you only have trap cards available.
Hmm... The opponent can obviously use monsters to attack, but they use them to set up traps. Could it be that...
"The NERV computer host MAGI has been invaded by the virus apostle and will control the underground fortress to self-destruct in 17 minutes." Rei Ayanami said.
Not too surprising...
Shinji Ikari started to draw cards, but they were all useless.
[Heroic Barrier], [Heroic Explosion], [Heroic Spirit], [Heroic Counterattack], [Heroic Mark]... all are cards that can only be effective if the hero is present, but now there are no heroes.
Although there are other powerful trap cards available in the deck, they are all based on the opponent's attack. Now the opponent is obviously stalling for time to wait for self-destruction, and may have captured more trap cards. Can we only place our hope?
Is it Ritsuko Akagi’s anti-virus technology?
[Kuri Kuri!] Kururi Ball shook his head repeatedly and pointed at the card pile with his paw. Shinji Ikari looked at it and then raised his hand to draw the card.
Although the opponent is in an undefended state, he has no means of attack at all. There are also traps on the opposite side, and nothing can be drawn——
[Sky Dragon of Osiris: Attack power:?, Defense power:?]
[You need to free three monsters to summon.]
[The summons will not be invalidated.]
[When the summon is successful, the opponent cannot activate magic cards, trap cards and monster effects.]
[Attack power becomes the number of cards in hand x 1000 points.]
Wow, that’s it. Is the question mark higher than 1500 or lower than 1500?
No, that should be said——
【This is not a monster, this is a god!】
Draw cards again, trap cards.
[New Universe Expansion: Summon as many ‘heroes’ that exist in the graveyard as possible to the field. When your own field does not have any cards, you can activate it from your hand. 】
Huhuhu——
When Shinji Ikari played this card, with bursts of golden light flashing, one after another, human-like or non-human "heroes" formed around him. However, since there were only five positions on the "Duel Board", in the end,
Only Bubble Man, Wing Man, Explosive Girl, Clay Man and Electro were at the forefront.
Then, the figures of three of the heroes disappeared, and a giant dragon with red body and ferocious scales emerged from the thunderous clouds and mist.
"Ahem," Shinji Ikari quietly turned off the external communication, raised his hand and pointed forward: "[Superelectric Guided Wave Thunder Cannon]!"
【Hang——!】
An illusory but real dragon's breath penetrated the fog above Lake Ashi and shot straight to the location of NERV's underground fortress.
The next moment, accompanied by the angry and unwilling voice of a woman, the same illusory cross of light exploded in the sky.
"[Success, Ritsuko! The virus apostle evolved to the end and destroyed itself!]"