I participated in the development of EVA

"so what?"

“This project carries considerable risk for drivers.”

"We do need to be cautious and not cause casualties outside of combat. The best solution now is to complete the demonstration of this technology on Unit 0, so that we can ensure that the pilot will not be killed due to accidents." What Naoko Akagi wanted to express was very simple, that is to use clones to complete the research, and activate the backup if there is a problem.

He was not angry when he heard these words. In fact, he had expected these words and he knew that this was Naoko Akagi's personality.

However, I still can't help but think of the first appearance of Rei Ayanami in the original work.

The reason why Unit 00 went berserk is most likely because Rei Ayanami conducted too many extremely risky experiments of this kind, and the people around her treated it as a consumable.

"You should know I won't do that. Any other suggestions?"

Akagi Naoko hesitated for a moment before speaking again, naming a person he had ignored.

"Professor Yamaki."

He was silent.

This is indeed the best candidate, and he can accept the risk of letting the other party bear the experiment, but... this guy is Ibuki Huimi's grandfather, the only blood relative left in the world!

"Don't you have any reliable suggestions?"

"You are not rational enough and your emotions are affecting your judgment. Either of my two options is the best."

17:49:05

393. I thought there would be an update to Abyss 4.2, but it turns out to be 4.1.

When Fumihiko Ikari first traveled through time, he must have been speechless when faced with this situation. It was only after the event that he could think of what he should say and how to refute.

Not so now.

He is not static either.

"Is it the best? It is, indeed. I cannot refute that. But the best is not necessarily correct."

"I am just giving you advice. It is up to you to decide what to do."

Naoko Akagi paused and spoke seriously.

"Just do what you think is right. If you think it's wrong, then it's wrong. If you think it's not possible, then it's not possible. I don't know what you are worried about. If you think the risks of Beast Mode are uncontrollable, then don't study it. You are just thinking of another way to enhance EVA's combat power. With your ability, there is no need to worry about such a small matter."

After hearing these words, Fumihiko Ikari stood there in a daze, and it took him a long time to come back to his senses.

"But……"

Naoko Akagi interrupted what he was about to say.

"You made a mistake."

"what's up?"

"In terms of preventing the Third Impact, all of humanity has a common destiny. No matter what the higher-ups want to do, whether it's purifying the world and restarting civilization, or ruling the world, or whatever other ambitions they have, the premise is that humans can defeat the apostles. And you are the one with the best hope of accomplishing this feat. Everyone, including me, may be at risk of being abandoned, but you are the only one who won't."

It’s not that he is unaware, but that he knows his own business and he is clear about his true abilities.

"..."

He pondered.

Will things turn out as Naoko Akagi said? It seems to be the case.

Both Ibuki Huimi and Akagi Naoko seemed to regard him as hope in the current crisis of extinction of human civilization.

"It seems that you really don't realize that your will is the future direction of the EVA project. If you want to study the beast mode, then study it. If you think the risks are uncontrollable, then don't study it. No one can influence your will. Others can only give you their opinions as a reference. It's up to you to decide what to do."

"..."

"Your past achievements have proven your ability."

He let out a long sigh.

"I made things too complicated."

"Anything else? If not, I have something else to do."

He thought for a moment before speaking.

"Do you have any ideas about the subsequent development of EVA?"

"Before you brought up the concept of beast mode, I never thought that EVA's upper limit could be raised in this way besides genetic modification."

Having said this, Naoko Akagi paused.

If Ikari Fumihiko hadn't asked about this, she wouldn't have said anything more about it. But now that Ikari Fumihiko asked, she wouldn't hide it anymore.

"Beast mode needs to be developed."

She let out a long sigh.

Just because she doesn’t understand emotions doesn’t mean she really knows nothing except research.

"Please remember that since you have chosen to sit in this position, your first consideration is how to defeat the apostles and ensure the survival of human civilization. The rest are secondary factors. Don't let your emotions sway your judgment. Every decision you make now concerns the fate of all mankind."

"What if I can't bear it?"

"I can't give you an answer to this kind of thing. It's up to you to decide what to choose."

Ikari Fumihiko sighed.

"Is there no compromise on Beast Mode?"

Naoko Akagi pondered for a moment before speaking again.

"We can also not conduct theoretical verification, but only improve the theory and add this function to EVA, and use it as a trump card against the apostles in the future."

"so be it."

This is the best solution right now.

"If everything is ok, I'll go back."

"Ah."

Naoko Akagi turned and left to deal with the matter of superconducting materials.

Normally, Fumihiko Ikari should follow along and discuss the final decision together, but he feels a little tired now.

As soon as Naoko Akagi left, Ritsuko Akagi walked back into the team leader's office.

She cannot take the documents out of the project team or bring them to the public area for review, and can only read them in the office.

Seeing Ikari Fumihiko's worried look, she couldn't help but ask.

"The negotiations were not going well?"

“I didn’t get the answer I wanted.”

She couldn't figure out what Fumihiko Ikari was worried about, so she could only offer him some words of comfort.

"If you're tired, take a rest."

“This is not a problem that can be solved by taking a break.”

Ikari Fumihiko didn't want to continue talking about this issue and immediately changed the subject.

"Isn't your hair cut too short?"

"There are so many things to learn, and I don't have enough time to take care of long hair, so I cut it into a short haircut that is easy to manage."

"Let it grow a little longer, at least to shoulder length."

"This is already considered workplace sexual harassment."

"It's not that exaggerated, is it?"

"there must be."

He smiled confidently.

"Then I will modify the rules and regulations. Women's hair must be longer than shoulder length. That will be fine, right? Don't disbelieve me. With my ability, it will be easy to implement this measure."

Ritsuko Akagi was not choked. They had known each other for so long that she was already accustomed to Fumihiko Ikari's unconventional thinking.

"Your behavior is even worse. It has gone from sexual harassment to bullying. I am so unlucky to have a boss like you."

Just as Fumihiko Ikari was about to say something, the phone rang.

At his signal, Ritsuko Akagi sighed helplessly and acted as the operator.

"It's the council representative who wants to see you."

"Let her in."

Ritsuko Akagi hung up the phone.

"When someone comes, stay here and don't go out."

Fumihiko Ikari didn't dare to be alone with this high-level representative.

Akagi Ritsuko responded.

"Oh."

After a while, the senior representative walked in wearing high heels and a professional suit that perfectly showed off her figure.

Uniform temptation.

This was Ikari Fumihiko’s first reaction.

At this time, Akagi Ritsuko also reacted and realized why Ikari Fumihiko asked her to stay. It was because he was worried that she would not be able to resist the beauty trap and make a mistake.

"Hello, Director Ikari. The higher-ups asked me to come over and urge you to complete the handover of the smart city project as soon as possible."

Akagi Ritsuko glanced at Ikari Fumihiko, as if to say—

The other party is so swift and decisive, and this style of behavior doesn't seem like a beauty trap. Are you being a little too self-indulgent?

Fumihiko Ikari understood it, but ignored Ritsuko Akagi.

The lowest level of beauty trap is to directly pay for the target. The higher level one is to rely on one's own charm to capture the target.

"We are already preparing here. I am not sure exactly when the handover will be completed."

"please hurry."

"Team Leader Akagi is handling this matter. You'd better go talk to her."

17:49:22

394. Weakness

"Can you please ask Team Leader Akagi to come over? I don't have enough authority to move freely here."

Is this true or false?

You have low authority, so how can you represent the top management?

Fumihiko Ikari glanced at Ritsuko Akagi.

Ritsuko Akagi picked up the phone and called Naoko Akagi.

"She couldn't come, so she asked me to convey that it would take an hour or two to prepare the information."

Without waiting for the senior representatives to speak, Fumihiko Ikari directly issued the order to expel them.

"I'll call you once the information is ready."

"My task is to stay here and complete the project handover."

"Then go to the public rest area and wait."

“I don’t know the terrain.”

Fumihiko Ikari really didn't want to spend even a second with this high-level representative.

"Ritsuko, take her to the rest area."

"Yes."

Since there were outsiders present, Ritsuko Akagi gave Fumihiko Ikari enough face.

Before the senior representatives left, Fumihiko Ikari's cell phone rang.