I participated in the development of EVA

"This is your responsibility, not mine."

Because he felt the shadow of his father in his previous life in Ikari Gendo.

If you can't take responsibility, why did you bring him into this world?

He really wanted to ask a question, but he still couldn't say it, because he knew very well that to Ikari Gendo, Ikari Shinji was far less important than Ikari Yui.

Ikari Gendō was silent for a long time again before he spoke.

"Then let him be raised by other relatives temporarily."

Everyone cast sympathetic glances at Shinji Ikari who was in the corner, but Shinji Ikari had no idea what these glances meant, nor did he know what was happening around him. He was just a little scared of being stared at by so many people, so he shrank into the corner in fear, while looking around for his parents.

however……

He didn't know that his mother would never come back and his father might also disappear.

At this time, many people in the command room focused their eyes on Naoko Akagi, obviously hoping that she could think of a way to avoid such a tragedy.

Naoko Akagi glanced at Gendo Ikari on the screen, then looked at Fumihiko Ikari, and her gaze fell on Shinji Ikari. After hesitating for a moment, she opened her mouth and asked a question.

"Is there really no other solution?"

Ikari Fumihiko originally proposed this plan with more or less malicious intent, hoping that Ikari Gendō would have an accident so that no one would force him to establish a mental connection with Unit-01. However, the most important thing was that this plan had the highest success rate and was the only reliable solution he could think of.

"If you think there's a problem, come here."

The memories of his past life were brought back to him, and he felt a little annoyed. He directly retorted, then stepped back and gave up his position as the on-site commander.

Naoko Akagi sighed and said nothing more.

The same is true for the people around him. Although Ikari Shinji feels sorry for him, he also knows that in the current situation, there are no other good options.

Ikari Fumihiko was still angry and couldn't control his emotions, so he added with a sneer.

"This is the trouble you caused. It has nothing to do with me. Without your help, she wouldn't be able to do it even if she wanted to."

Everyone lowered their heads in silence.

"let's start."

Ikari Gendo's voice came through the speakers.

Ikari Fumihiko didn't say anything, just looked at Akagi Naoko. He was able to give orders decisively before, but now he didn't have the courage to do so, because at that time he just wanted to find an excuse for himself not to connect with Unit-01 mentally, so he didn't think too much about it. Now he has an extra psychological burden. If something goes wrong with the experiment...

He became the culprit who made Shinji Ikari an orphan.

Naoko Akagi suddenly felt a lot of pressure and took a deep breath to calm herself down.

"Link system activated."

Ikari Gendō's attitude towards Ikari Shinji made her realize that Ikari Fumihiko was right, and Ikari Gendō could indeed "convince" Ikari Yui.

Everyone looked at each other, and after a while they gritted their teeth and started to operate.

"Circuit activated, initial contact in progress..."

The operator's voice suddenly stopped in the middle of his report.

Several pulse circuits that were successfully activated were now all disconnected.

"All circuits are interrupted."

Seeing this scene, Akagi Naoko's mind flashed back to Ikari Fumihiko's previous words, "Of course, the premise is that she is willing to see you."

In this case, does Ikari Yui refuse to meet Ikari Gendo?

Realizing this, she breathed a sigh of relief.

Although the rescue plan failed, the worst-case scenario would not have happened.

At the same time, my mood became heavy.

Fumihiko Ikari's strategy failed, and now the hope of saving Yui Ikari falls on him.

"Try again."

"Circuit activation, in progress...link lost."

……

After four attempts, the result was the same: the startup process of Unit-01 was stuck at the 'initial contact' stage.

Gendo Ikari in the cockpit was unaware of the situation. If he was wearing a combat suit, he would not have to focus on breathing, and he might have been able to detect some abnormalities. However, he was distracted by the liquid breathing, and Akagi Naoko did not turn on the microphone, so he did not feel anything.

Unable to bear it any longer, he asked about the situation.

"What's wrong? Why isn't it starting yet?"

Naoko Akagi turned on the microphone.

"Boot failed. The system is stuck in the initial contact environment."

After hearing this, Ikari Gendo understood that, just as he had originally expected, Ikari Yui did not want to see him.

He was unwilling.

"Try again!"

Akagi Naoko sighed.

"The system has been restarted four times just now, and the fifth restart has failed while we are talking."

"Try again!"

"You should know that no matter how many times you try, the result will be the same."

"Try again!"

"..."

“Try again!!”

"The sixth start... failed—"

……

"Come again!"

"Twenty-five times...failed."

"Again……"

The long period of liquid breathing made Ikari Gendo very tired. Now he didn't even have the strength to speak. All his energy was used on breathing.

Seeing this, Naoko Akagi made a prompt decision.

"Pop out the insertion plug, and the medical team is ready to enter the scene to rescue people at any time."

Ikari Gendou wanted to refuse, but... he was having trouble breathing and didn't have the strength to speak out to stop her.

“医疗队、救援队已就位，插入栓弹出倒计时5秒，5、4、3、2、1——插入栓成功弹出！”

The site staff quickly opened the bolt gate from the outside and carried out Ikari Gendo, who was slumped in the operating seat.

Out of the liquid environment and in a normal breathing environment, Ikari Gendō finally had the strength to speak.

"I...it's okay."

He gasped for a while before pushing away the people around him, gritted his teeth, got off the bed and stood on the ground.

Naoko Akagi spoke up to persuade them.

"You need to rest now."

"I...can still..."

Ikari Gendō was panting so hard that he couldn't even finish his words.

Naoko Akagi looked at the stubborn Gendo Ikari on the screen. He was not qualified as a father, but as a husband he was definitely infatuated.

"You have failed twenty-five times. You should know that even if you try twenty-five more times, the result will not change."

After a pause, she made her final decision.

"This rescue plan can now be declared a complete failure."

No matter how unwilling Ikari Gendō was, he knew that this plan had indeed failed.

Just as he had initially judged, Ikari Yui didn't want to see him...

16:49:41

267. Cowardice

Looking at the huge body of Unit-01, Ikari Gendo could no longer suppress the emotions in his heart.

All the words finally converge into one call.

"only……"

His voice was already choked and hoarse, and he had no strength left, so his call seemed weak.

As long as they could meet, he was confident that he could implement Ikari Fumihiko's plan perfectly, because if persuasion didn't work, he would really implement it according to Ikari Fumihiko's plan.

however--

However, Ikari Yui didn't even want to see him and didn't give him any chance at all.

"Deputy Minister, you need to rest now."

Hearing the words of the medical team members, he shook his head.

"unnecessary."

She broke free from the male nurse's support, not even in the mood to change her clothes. She just walked towards the command room wet and slowly, with LCL liquid dripping all the way. She looked like a ghost, and her eyes had lost their original luster and were dull, like a walking corpse that had lost its soul.

His soul had been lost in Unit-01, and what came out was only his weak body.

When Naoko Akagi saw this scene, she opened her mouth, but in the end, she didn't say any words of comfort.

wrong--

I feel like it's inappropriate to say anything at this time.

And she prefers to express her attitude through actions rather than words.

He withdrew his gaze from Ikari Gendō, then glanced at Ikari Fumihiko who was thinking about something behind him, then turned back to his post to study the escape procedure.

Everyone lowered their heads and remained silent, giving the space to Ikari Fumihiko and Ikari Gendō.

The moment he saw Ikari Fumihiko, Ikari Gendō reacted.

"No! Not yet... completely failed. As long as..."

Ikari Fumihiko naturally knew what Ikari Gendō was planning, and interrupted him before he could continue speaking.

"Calm down. This rescue plan is a gamble. You are sure you can win, but I am not."

"Only...she..."

Ikari Gendo gasped for breath, and it took him a while to regain some strength.

"How can you let me calm down?

Ikari Fumihiko——

Don’t push me.”

He spoke weakly, but his attitude was clear.

Fumihiko Ikari knew that if he did not agree, the other party would use tough measures to send him into the cockpit.

There are only three people in the R&D department who can communicate directly with the top management. The first one is naturally Ikari Yui, followed by Professor Akagi who has lost his value, and then Ikari Gendō. Now that Ikari Yui has disappeared and Professor Akagi has lost his power, only Ikari Gendō can communicate directly with the top management, and Ikari Gendō is still the nominal deputy minister.

Simply put, Ikari Gendō had every right to do such a thing.

"You should know that there is no point in doing this."

The situation has developed in the most worrying direction. Now, apart from struggling like this, Fumihiko Ikari can't think of any other way.

"I know."

Fumihiko Ikari knew that this rescue plan was only possible because Yui Ikari didn't know the full picture of the plan. Once he knew the full picture of the plan and understood that 'EVA drivers do not require a specific gender', the plan would have a loophole. Knowing this, Yui Ikari would be sure that Fumihiko Ikari was deceiving him, and Yui Ikari would have the confidence to gamble, so no matter how resolute his attitude was, it would be meaningless.

Yes!