Chapter 36: BIRTH

"The enemy forces consist of four Sephiroth Copies. Historically, Sephiroth has always excelled as an individual combatant rather than a team player. While it is unlikely they will coordinate their efforts, it is not impossible. Furthermore, if even one is allowed to escape, that surplus Copy will undoubtedly interfere in other sectors of the battlefield. In short, unless every single one is eliminated, the subjugation of Jenova remains an impossibility."

Professor Hojo once again confirmed the absurd combat potential of the adversary Shinra was facing.

"Phew..."

The President lit a cigar—a habit he had briefly curtailed for his health—and took a long, deep pull. While cigar smokers are rare within Shinra, there is no shortage of those who indulge in cigarettes.

This is true for almost every branch except the Advanced Weaponry Division and the Science Research Division. I personally despise the smell of smoke and cannot stand it clinging to my clothes, so I have a naturally poor opinion of those who indulge.

In the Science Research Division, smoking is "discouraged" to avoid any unwanted contamination of the specimens. I say discouraged, but since the alternative is the distinct "honor" of becoming one of Hojo’s personal test subjects, no one dares to defy the rule. Thanks to this, our group of sickly-looking technicians has surprisingly healthy lungs—a fact officially certified by the Medical Division.

On the other hand, within the SOLDIER and Public Security divisions, smoking has long been a favored pastime, bolstered by old rumors of its supposed hemostatic effects.

"I am informed that the Turks and the Experimental Unit have engaged the enemy on-site. Can they handle the situation?"

The President posed the question to Hojo through a cloud of smoke. Without bothering to hide his irritation at the fumes, the doting, mad scientist father replied:

"Unlikely. While I am unfamiliar with the exact composition of the Experimental Unit, the two specific samples who provide us with data might hold their own against one Copy, but they lack the numbers. Conversely, while the Turks may have the numbers to force a confrontation, they lack the necessary quality."

The Turks are an elite group, the very cream of Shinra’s crop. To claim they lack "quality" is a testament to Hojo’s absolute confidence in the SOLDIERs he created. Or perhaps, as a scientist, he simply has a precise understanding of Sephiroth’s perfection and the true threat of Jenova.

"No matter how strong the Turks may be, they are ultimately just another elite unit. If that were enough to settle things, the war against Wutai or the 'Raven' units used by Avalanche would have been over much sooner. Sephiroth is a man who has overcome all of them to remain undefeated to this day."

"Oya? Isn't it a bit premature to lump the Turks in with those modified by the inferior science of defeated nations or terrorists? I’ll have you know I’ve equipped them with my latest custom-made prototypes."

Actually, Chief Verdot of the Turks had consulted me regarding their equipment. I was more than happy to help—the more allies we had against Sephiroth, the better. Since they are all specialists in their respective weapons, it was the perfect chance to show off my skills. I might have gotten a little carried away and blown past the allocated budget on their gear.

Show them what you’re made of, Shinra Special Tasks Group.

"Chief Verdot!"

We had successfully lured the Sephiroth Copy into the evacuated village of Nibelheim, but the situation remained dire. Our opponent wasn't just a monster; it was a copy of Sephiroth. Given the nature of SOLDIER missions, urban warfare was second nature to him.

The full roster of the Turks had rendezvoused in the village, deploying traps and utilizing Shinra Advanced Weaponry without restraint. Even so, the burden on Director Verdot, who had been drawing the Copy’s attention alone, was becoming too great.

"Reno, Rude! You can still move, right?"

"Yeah, just had a nice little breather."

"Though technically, I'm still on medical leave, yo."

As they answered, we closed the distance simultaneously. The Copy, which had been about to finish off Verdot after knocking him into a building, shifted its focus to us. We launched a three-pronged assault. However, as if he had anticipated it, the Copy evaded effortlessly. Sensing an opening, Rude tossed a grenade while Reno followed up, but...

"Gack!?"

"Reno!"

The Copy swatted the grenade back toward Reno with the flat of its blade. The moment Reno flinched, the Copy delivered a devastating roundhouse kick into Reno’s midsection, right as the grenade exploded mid-air. Rude caught the flying Reno, but the Copy’s blade lunged forward to skewer them both.

"...Damn, being the bait is a life-threatening job, yo."

Indeed, there is no waste in Sephiroth’s movements. In a group fight, he systematically nullifies individual attacks and reaps his enemies all at once when they are vulnerable. If two skilled fighters are left defenseless, he will always move to eliminate them in a single stroke.

A solitary bullet whistled from nowhere, grazing the top of the Copy’s head. Sephiroth is a pragmatist; he fights alone and prioritizes targets with cold logic. A bullet that isn't going to hit him ranks low on his priority list.

"....!?"

Even if he couldn't speak, his face betrayed his emotion.

The water tower suddenly suffered a small explosion, and a massive torrent of water erupted from the hole. Despite being drenched, the Copy didn't stop, his blade closing in on Reno and Rude. But he knew far too little about us.

It was only natural. No matter how perfectly Jenova reproduced Sephiroth, the Turks operated under strict information control. Their specific members and equipment were secrets that even the real Sephiroth never knew.

"HRAAAAAAGH!!!"

Rude lunged forward, catching the blade with everything he had. It was far too forceful to be called a "sword-catch," but without Rude’s monstrous strength, Sephiroth cannot be stopped.

"Next one’s for you, yo!"

Reno slammed his signature Electro-Mag Rod into the soaking-wet Copy. This was a custom piece I had requested from the Advanced Weaponry Division specifically for this mission. With a Lightning Materia as its core, the charged electrical discharge was powerful enough to electrocute even a Large-scale Monster. With this, he couldn't let go of the sword, and his mobility was sealed.

"D-damn, he’s still moving!"

Despite the shock, the sword Rude was holding continued to strain against him.

"Tseng! Finish it, now!"

"Understood!"

I leveled my handgun at the Copy and pulled the trigger. The bullets fired were invisible to the average person, but you—you can track them, can't you?

Which means you can’t take your eyes off the bullets.

"Sorry. I’m a decoy too."

Having eyesight that is too good can be a curse. And since this thing copied Sephiroth rather than a monster, its human limitations were clear. Humans don't have eyes in the back of their heads.

"It’s over!"

Chief Verdot, who had been feigning defeat inside the ruined house, lunged out. Enhanced by a Haste spell from the other members, he reached maximum velocity and pressed his right hand against the Copy’s back. His prosthetic right arm shifted into its gun-mount configuration, activating a Materia crafted by the Advanced Weaponry Division at point-blank range.

"Farewell, you hollow imitation. Burn from the inside out and be reduced to ash—cells and all."

Firaga—discharged directly into the Sephiroth Copy’s internal organs. I grabbed Reno and Rude by their collars and yanked them back. For a split second, the Copy’s body glowed a violent red before flames erupted from every pore. Even a SOLDIER’s physique cannot withstand being incinerated from within.

"You're late, Tseng! I thought we were gonna get cremated along with him, yo!"

"Seriously. I was about to file an injury report citing 'Acting Director’s Negligence'."

"Enough talk. Gather everyone who can move. We have to reach the Mako Reactor. The Experimental Unit is likely struggling as well...!?"

Something was wrong with the Sephiroth Copy. The flames that had been leaking out vanished, as if the heat was being pulled back into its body...

"Get down! Everyone, get down!"

The moment we hit the dirt in response to Verdot’s scream, the Copy’s body bloomed outward and detonated. A horrific roar and a shockwave tore through the air, leveling the remaining houses and gouging the earth.

The force of the blast sent us flying in different directions.

"Wha... where am I..."

I steadied my dizzy head and looked around. There was no trace of the Nibelheim we had just been standing in. The surroundings were a mountain of rubble. A fierce fire had spread, turning the area into a sea of flames. Fortunately, because I hadn't taken the direct hit, I felt no major pain.

However, my equipment was shredded. It was in no condition for combat.

"It looks like rejoining Cloud and the others won't be as easy as I thought."

I tried to locate the others, but Verdot had been at ground zero, and Reno and Rude had pushed themselves to the limit. They were in no state to continue the mission. I could still move, but if I had to face another Sephiroth Copy, I’d be little more than a shield for someone else.

"First, I must check the village for survivors... I have to hurry, or the fire will take them."

I forced myself up and looked through the smoke. Across the wall of fire, I saw a silhouette. The shadow swayed like a mirage...

"It can't be..."

"It was never going to work. No matter how much you bolster them with superior equipment or weapons, machines cannot surpass their limits."

Hojo wiped his glasses with the sleeve of his lab coat as he answered my question.

"Furthermore, there is one concern. You can mimic Sephiroth’s techniques and appearance, but in the end, what Jenova creates is a monster. Think of it as granting Sephiroth's power to a beast—a total inversion of the SOLDIER program."

"An inversion?"

"Precisely. A SOLDIER is a human granted the power of Jenova. But a Sephiroth Copy created by Jenova is likely a creature far closer to a monster, granted the techniques of Sephiroth. Naturally, there will be discrepancies compared to the human Sephiroth. The most likely difference is biological durability. Specifically, they must possess the genetic memory of their defeat by the Ancients. Unless Jenova is a fool who refuses to learn from history, it will have developed countermeasures against the Materia-based magic the Cetra excelled at. If I had a specimen fail an experiment, I wouldn't leave the cause of that failure unaddressed. There is always room for improvement."

Hojo looked at me as if to say, You are the same, aren't you? Certainly, as an engineer, the urge to upgrade and version-up a design is an inescapable instinct.

"I suppose you're right. If you don't do everything you can, you're left with nothing but regret."

"All the pieces are on the board. All we can do now is leave it to the personnel on the ground."

Rufus sat back in his chair and tossed his silent PHS onto the desk. All we could do was wait for a report.

Despite being reincarnated into this world, I have zero combat ability. I hate that I can't intervene at a time like this.

Don't lose, everyone.

"Tseng, report."

The Sephiroth Copy standing in the flames seemed to flicker, and suddenly, a voice spoke right beside me. It was a voice I was used to hearing over a comms link, but hearing it in person felt like a lifetime ago.

"Elfé... What are you doing here?"

"There’s no point in staying undercover with Avalanche anymore, right? I came straight here after reporting to Shinra."

Though she spoke to me, her eyes never left the Copy. She remained in a state of absolute readiness.

"Where are the other Turks? I saw the explosion."

"The blast scattered us; I haven't accounted for everyone. Director Verdot managed to deal significant damage, but do not lower your guard."

Only a single woman stood beside me, yet the sense of security was overwhelming. It was because I knew. If Sephiroth was the strongest in SOLDIER, she was the strongest in the Turks.

"Understood. Tseng, go recover the others and provide medical aid. I left a Chocobo waiting at the village entrance."

"You're far too prepared. When did you become so 'Turk-like'?"

She had supposedly been embedded in Avalanche for years. She shouldn't have had any Turk training for a long time.

"If you want to thank someone, thank your former Turk senior currently fighting in the Experimental Unit. He went out of his way to send his own Chocobo to my hideout so I’d make it here in time."

I see... Verdot had once told me to rely on Vincent if anything ever happened. This level of meticulous planning was definitely the hallmark of a Turk.

"Understood. I’ll gather those who can move and return. I won't let this debt go unpaid."

The Experimental Unit ahead must be fighting just as hard. We need to secure this victory quickly and move to support them.

"We’ll be fine here. For now, let’s handle the problem in front of us."

Elfé VS Sephiroth Copy: BIRTH