Chapter 39: SYNTHESIS

"Oh, Sephiroth... my sweet, darling boy..."

"Absurd. What are you plotting now, manipulating my mother’s body, Jenova!?"

That was Lucrecia, the woman who gave birth to me. Ordinarily, this might have been a touching reunion, but she was now nothing more than a puppet for Jenova. To think this nuisance of a cosmic invader would go as far as creating copies of me to rebel against humanity.

But what irritated me more than anything was the high quality of the copy—and Jenova’s sickening performance as a mother!

"This body is indeed the woman who birthed you. But remember, you are also a SOLDIER born from my cells. The others were merely injected with my cells, but you are different. You are a true extension of myself, granted my very essence. You are my beloved child."

I have no memories of a mother. Yet, it was an undeniable fact that Lucrecia’s appearance stirred a faint sense of nostalgia within me.

"Now, be a good boy... come and live with me..."

"Stop pretending to be my mother. That act would be far more effective on Cloud than it is on me."

I didn’t know what kind of person she truly was, but I was certain she wasn't some strangely seductive woman like this. How could a woman so overflowing with confidence and defiance ever marry a man like Hojo, who was nothing but a mass of complexes?

If anything, her personality seemed modeled after Director Scarlet. Perhaps because she had been speaking with Cloud just moments ago?

"Don't use my mother’s body to seduce my subordinate. If you’re that obsessed with Cloud, go possess some other woman."

"I haven't quite gauged your preferences yet. If it’s a woman you want instead of a mother, I can become anyone you desire. Just touch me, surrender yourself, and I will read your heart in an instant."

Even as she spoke, the fake never slackened his assault. It was like looking into a mirror; from the swordplay to every subtle movement, everything was identical. The precision of the copy was terrifying. He traced my every move perfectly, anticipating my next action.

"Impressive, isn't it? My Sephiroth Copy: SYNTHESIS. Of the four copies, this one is the masterpiece. It can perfectly trace your every combat maneuver."

Every one of her actions was laced with a provocative edge that turned my stomach. Was I offended because my mother’s body was being desecrated, or was it because I saw glimpses of my subordinate’s direct superior in her shadow? I wanted to annihilate the fake immediately, but being a copy of myself, he was formidable.

Furthermore, because it had perfectly copied my habits and movements, I found it difficult to land a decisive blow despite being able to read the attacks. Every strike was heavy and sharp. Fighting this thing made me realize—was this the kind of opponent Zack was always begging to train with? If he weren't a SOLDIER, I’d have recommended him to a psychiatrist.

The same angles, the same distribution of power, the same feints, the same trajectory. Could a copy really be this identical? The exchange of blows repeated like a reflection in a mirror; I couldn't find an opening to strike, nor could I force one open.

"I see. A well-made copy. Even Shinra’s combat simulations couldn't reproduce it to this extent."

"Of course. After all, it is a copy of you."

"However, you won't be able to defeat me. If this drags on, the others fighting elsewhere will converge here."

"Oh? And you don't think my copies might be the ones who emerge victorious and join me?"

This is why I despise the breed known as 'scientists.' They delude themselves into thinking their calculations are absolute truths. Looking at me with my mother's face but with the eyes of Hojo—the man I loathe—treating people as nothing more than specimens to be looked down upon.

"You lack vision. Have you not considered the possibility that your other copies will be defeated?"

"It matters not if they fall. I only used them to stall for time, starting from the least successful models. My prize is this 'Reunion unit'—a special individual capable of learning from the combat data of the other copies in real-time. If the others are defeated, this one will have experienced three battles against forces capable of defeating Sephiroth."

I see. So even now, the entity before me was learning. There were three other swordsmen currently fighting the copies. I decided to "borrow" a bit of their flair.

The speed-focused swordplay of Elfe. The power-oriented strikes of Zack. The technical swordplay of Cloud. I had never fought Cloud directly—it was a mere imitation based on what I saw briefly at Rocket Town—but Zack had pestered me for training so often it was burned into my mind. And as for Elfe, we had clashed in earnest on the battlefield enough that I could reproduce her moves almost perfectly.

"Oh, how marvelous. To think you can even copy the techniques of others... truly my child. The only flaw of my copy is that it can only reproduce the techniques of the strongest version of you..."

Until now, we had used the same techniques, resulting in a mirror match. If I changed my style, the symmetry would break. If you wish to mimic my techniques, let's see how you handle the skills of those other than me.

"How interesting. You're combining the techniques of those three into a single, unique style. You truly have inherited my ability to mimic. Versatility is a fine trait, but that alone won't defeat this child."

I managed to go on the offensive more than before. However, nothing reached. I had successfully changed the rhythm of the assault, but everything was being dealt with perfectly.

No—I would likely handle it the same way. The copy counterattacked exactly when I would have. I was being pushed back slightly. My imitation of those three wasn't bad, but it wasn't enough to overwhelm an opponent of my own caliber.

"...A shame. Your copy is indeed amazing, but you must choose whom you imitate more wisely. You are the ultimate warrior; there's no need for such petty mimicry."

"True. I tend to memorize my opponents' moves instantly. That previous sequence was a movement I had never practiced, yet it took a decent shape."

"Exactly. That is the magnificent power you inherited from me. Come with me, Sephiroth. I will show you a world far more magnificent than this."

Jenova held out her arms, beckoning me.

"Why do you desire me so much? If you can produce copies like this, you have no need to obsess over my existence."

"Is it not obvious? Because you are my child. You are the only one in this world who is special to me. You were bored too, weren't you? The loneliness of having no one who could understand you. But with me, it’s different. You can take every human heart, every superior trait, and make it your own. You will never be alone. I will birth as many rivals for you as you desire."

I see. I must revise my assessment; such a malignant existence truly cannot be allowed to persist. Had she been talking this whole time just to find a crack in my heart? Ever since I laid eyes on Jenova, a disgusting voice had been echoing in my head, as if questioning my soul.

"Either speak with your mouth or speak in my head! Doing both at once is unpleasant."

"It would be so much easier if you just surrendered to the voice. How stubborn. But you’re reaching your limit, aren't you? The edge of your attacks has been dulling for a while now."

"I suppose so. I was only mimicking others; there was no soul behind it!"

If I’m going to use it, it’s now. Here we go!

"Where am I?"

A virtual space adjusted by Chadley. Looking around, a familiar sight spread before me. The sky was infinitely blue, and the horizon in the distance was blurred with white mist.

Contrary to the sense of freedom from the sky, the ground beneath my feet was hard, smelling of iron and busy with hissing steam. This was Junon, the port where Shinra gained autonomy after winning the war. I was standing alone atop the Mako Cannon—a place where no person was meant to stand.

"Nostalgic."

This was the staple field for training with Genesis and Angeal. It had the best view of all the training grounds, and we often engaged in complex urban warfare simulations after taking in this sight. The tip of the barrel was Genesis’s favorite spot; He stood there so often during training that I frequently ended up slicing the barrel to pieces.

"Nostalgic, isn't it? You're standing right in Genesis’s favorite spot."

"...Angeal?"

Standing there was the man who once ran across this field and swung his sword alongside me. I heard Zack had delivered the final blow, but his image remained burned into my memory. The only difference was that he wasn't holding his usual training sword.

"Not a very tasteful choice for an opponent."

"Don't go complaining to young Chadley. Genesis and I were the ones who requested this."

"What?"

"You know what happened to us at the end. Professor Hojo kept our monsterized forms as samples."

I had cut down the two who defected alongside Zack. I took Genesis, Zack took Angeal, and their monsterized bodies were sent to the Science and Research Division, barely retaining their original forms. At first, I considered burying them in the earth rather than handing them over to those people, but Zack pleaded with the Science Division, saying he wanted them to at least regain their human forms rather than remain monsters.

"Our bodies are apparently in the Science Division. For some reason, Professor Hojo decided to experiment with reading our brainwaves and reflecting them in simulations."

I recalled that all official data on the two had been purged. There was no way the public would be told that the two icons of Shinra’s SOLDIER program had defected. Officially, they had both retired due to injuries sustained in the Wutai War.

"And as for Chadley’s true nature... you’ve probably noticed. The boy is a cyborg. He can link his mind to the cyber-world. He linked our brainwaves to the simulator, which is how we’re able to speak with you like this."

"So, you are a fake mimicking a soul."

I placed my hand on Masamune and slashed at the data reproducing my best friend. However, he swung the Buster Sword from his back and blocked my strike.

"The real Angeal would never use that sword!"

"True. It’s a precious sword I received from my father. Zack used to tease me for always keeping it as a lucky charm and never using it."

We clashed several times. He parried my attacks with the blade and countered. Every strike was heavy. Looking back, his raw strength was easily the greatest among the three of us.

"Begone, ghost. You passed that sword to Zack."

"Yeah. He carries the sword and my pride as a SOLDIER now. But you know, when you lose your body and have nothing but time, you start thinking about a lot of things. Thanks to that, I’ve learned to do things like this."

The moment Angeal readjusted his stance with the Buster Sword, he closed the distance in a flash. I should have been able to block it firmly with my blade, but the impact was too great to parry, and I was sent flying.

This is bad. A follow-up is coming.

He raised the Buster Sword high and brought it down. There was nowhere to dodge on this narrow footing. I mustered every ounce of my strength to catch Angeal’s Buster Sword with Masamune.

"Wha—What is this...?"

"How do you like it? I’ve been training from morning till night with Genesis. Sometimes we even got Cloud and Zack to join us!"

My hands trembled from the impact. Angeal’s strike was heavier than any blow I had ever received.

"I’ll show you—the techniques I refined specifically to surpass you. Our way was always to blow off steam through training whenever we were troubled by something, wasn't it?"

"You muscle-brain... You were always the one who thought things through more than the rest of us!"

"That’s because you and Genesis kept everything bottled up! Do you have any idea how much trouble that caused me!?"

After that, we crossed blades again and again, shouting at each other. Frustrations, worries, pride—we spat it all out. Before I knew it, the blue sky had turned crimson. We sat on the ground, both breathing heavily.

"Well? Do you feel a bit better?"

"Yeah. It’s the first time in my life I’ve felt this refreshed despite losing."

"I only won by points, though."

"Are you here of your own will? Not because someone programmed you to be?"

I stood up and offered a hand. Angeal took it, stood up, and nodded while looking me in the eye.

"It’s my will. I’ve wanted a rematch for a long time. My soul was carried on by Zack, but given an opportunity like this... I wanted to gift at least one technique to my best friend. Genesis is waiting next, so go have a talk with him too."

"What is that technique?! That’s not in the data...!"

"I am not the 'strongest.' There are two men who surpassed me. And I have subordinates who will continue to strive to surpass me."

Farewell, my copy. You didn't lose to me. You lost to my best friends.

"I didn't copy this. I inherited it from them. They told me... that's what it means to be human."

Jenova stared at the shattering copy with an expression of pure disbelief.

"Humans can achieve a Reunion even without your powers."