EVA: Daybreak

At that moment, the blinding pillar of golden light pierced the heavens, illuminating the hearts of all who witnessed it.

Misato Katsuragi collapsed to the floor, trembling uncontrollably.

Kouzou Fuyutsuki dropped to his knees, hands clasped in devout prayer.

And Gendo Ikari—with uncharacteristic fervor—ripped the cross from his chest, clenching it tightly in his fist as he stood firm, bathed in that sacred radiance.

Eventually, after what felt like an eternity, the light began to fade.

The chaos gave way to silence.

Unit-01 still stood—majestic on the horizon.

But now… above its head, floated a halo—a glowing crown of divine power, reserved only for gods.

> Evangelion Unit-01 had evolved. It had reached its perfect form.

> "It's EVA... EVA has awakened... My God, what have I just witnessed?"

Fuyutsuki stared, his voice shaking, eyes wide with reverence and disbelief.

The crown above Unit-01 was no illusion—it was the mark of the divine.

He knew what had just occurred.

He understood the impossible had been made real—and that revelation struck him with overwhelming awe.

> According to ancient myth, after Lilith was exiled from Eden, God created another…

Time eroded memory, and the world eventually forgot her face.

But her name endured—etched into an ancient Hebraic manuscript passed down through forgotten generations.

Her story, though shrouded in millennia, remained.

> Her name was Eve.

---

Meanwhile, Gendo Ikari spoke quietly, a rare flicker of wonder on his face:

> "Perhaps… our script truly can be realized through this one: Ryota Kitazawa."

He let out a rare laugh—dry, wry, and filled with quiet awe.

Unit-01, a clone of Lilith, had now ascended beyond its own limits, achieving a perfect life form.

And deep beneath NERV Headquarters, another—greater—lifeform remained pinned by the Lance of Longinus.

> Her name: Lilith.

The Mother of All Mankind.

---

While the entire base buzzed with shock and disbelief, inside the Entry Plug, Ryota Kitazawa allowed himself a small smile.

This—was just the beginning.

> The first step toward his goal:

Evolving Unit-01 into its perfect form—

Becoming the Nineteenth Angel.

Only in its final, perfected state could Unit-01 face the battles yet to come.

> If you wish to do great work, you must first hone your tools.

---

Suddenly—

Sachiel, the Fourth Angel, screamed.

Even the Angel of Water, faced with Unit-01's transformation, staggered back, its body trembling with fear.

That shriek—was not a roar of rage.

It was fear.

Pure, primal fear.

All across the command center, gasps of disbelief echoed. No one could believe what they were witnessing:

> An Angel… retreating.

Sachiel backed away, roaring in defiance—but its steps betrayed a predator facing a superior threat.

Unit-01's new divine pressure was unbearable.

But Ryota showed no mercy.

With a flash, Unit-01 surged forward, faster than ever.

A progressive knife materialized instantly—

And stabbed forward with overwhelming force!

The AT Field shattered—layer by layer—like breaking glass under divine judgment.

> SLASH!

A gaping wound tore through Sachiel's body.

Moments later, the massive creature finally collapsed, lifeless.

---

> The first battle… ended in Ryota Kitazawa's total victory.

For a long while, the NERV command center remained in stunned silence.

Everyone stared at the screen, trying to process what had just happened.

On the battlefield, Unit-01 stood tall, its glowing halo casting judgment over Sachiel's fallen corpse.

> Towering above like a conqueror. A god among machines.

Then, at last, the silence shattered—

Cheers erupted across NERV.

Laughter, tears, celebration.

Even Misato let out a long breath she didn't know she'd been holding. Her lips curled into a smile.

> She had been right about him all along.

> "This kid… Ryota Kitazawa… he's the real deal."

In the top command chamber, Fuyutsuki was smiling too.

> "After seeing that… I doubt the remaining Angels will be a match for him."

Make no mistake: the Angels were beyond human. They were apex lifeforms.

But Ryota had defeated one—not just cleanly, but overwhelmingly.

Gendo looked at the screen one final time, then turned away.

> "Fuyutsuki," he said calmly, "Begin preparations. The military… will be here soon."

Fuyutsuki sighed as Gendo walked out.

> "The military, huh… troublesome bunch."

He looked skyward, thinking of Yui Ikari.

> "Yui… will your sacrifice truly lead us to truth?"

---

Later, a transport bus slowly rolled away from NERV HQ.

Inside sat a handful of students—laughing, chatting—still children at heart.

But one sat apart.

Toji Suzuhara leaned against the window, expression dark.

> He had lost.

Completely.

Utterly.

He had mocked Ryota. Scorned him.

And now… Ryota Kitazawa was humanity's chosen warrior.

The shame burned like acid. He couldn't even look his classmates in the eye.

> "Damn that Ryota Kitazawa…"

As the bus cruised forward, a convoy of military trucks thundered past in the opposite direction.

Armed soldiers stared grimly ahead.

Their vehicles were loaded with weapons—and purpose.

> Toji's eyes narrowed.

> Where are they going… in such a hurry?

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