Jack Harper had officially joined Sephiroth's resurrection force, naturally becoming part of the trio's inner circle.
Unlike the controlled children, Jack retained his own will—just like Kadaj, Yazu, and Roz. Though Yazu and Roz followed Kadaj without question, their emotional maturity hadn't reached the point of grasping leadership dynamics. That made them easy to influence.
"So, you're planning to start tearing down Shinra's remaining buildings tomorrow at noon, searching each one?" Jack asked, frowning.
Yazu and Roz nodded. "Yes. Starting with that monument."
Jack sighed. "Ever wonder why, if Shinra had something so important and didn't want Sephiroth resurrected, they didn't just destroy it instead of hiding it?"
The trio exchanged confused glances. "Why?"
"Because they couldn't," Jack said. "After the war, Shinra no longer had the means to create new warriors. You've made your intentions clear, and yet they still haven't destroyed that key item. That only means one thing—it's indestructible."
He paused, considering Rufus Shinra's motives. Maybe the president feared retaliation if he destroyed Jenova's head. But judging by later events, Rufus didn't seem afraid of death. In fact, when Cloud and his team confronted him, he revealed the box containing Jenova's head and tossed it aside while firing his gun. That could suggest it was destructible—but Jack suspected it was a bluff. Rufus wanted Kadaj to instinctively protect the box and flee, separating him from his allies and forcing Sephiroth to awaken in an incomplete state.
"If they can't destroy it, they'll hide it. But they know we'll eventually find it. The longer we take, the more Geostigma spreads. So they're more anxious than we are. Two years ago, Sephiroth was defeated. If he's resurrected, they might finally have a way to eliminate Geostigma. That's why I think we shouldn't search actively. Once they believe they're strong enough to defeat Sephiroth, they'll bring the item to us. If we rush to find and protect it, we're just giving them an opening—and lowering our chances of winning."
Jack noticed the trio still looked puzzled. He rubbed his temples. "Forget it. Just tell me—if you find the target, how do you carry out the re-fusion?"
Kadaj thought for a moment. "We gather all individuals with the mother's will and merge them into one great lifeform."
"All individuals—including you three and me?"
Kadaj nodded. "Exactly."
Jack pressed further. "So who controls that lifeform?"
Kadaj hesitated. "The strongest one. Like last time—it was him. Maybe it'll be him again. I wonder who Mother intends it to be."
By "him," Kadaj clearly meant Sephiroth.
Back then, after discovering he wasn't human, Sephiroth embraced Jenova's remains and sank into the Earth's crust. In the crater formed by Jenova's descent, he drew energy from the Lifestream and ancient planetary wisdom. He grew immensely powerful—able to suppress the planet's strongest white magic and unleash devastating black magic. He could casually spawn a dragon from a single cell. Eventually, he summoned nearly all Jenova-infected individuals and fused them into his terrifying seven-winged angel form.
At that point, Jenova was no longer the true ruler. Sephiroth had become the dominant will. Yet he clung to the illusion of "Mother," refusing to absorb Jenova's original head and leaving it behind as spiritual comfort. Kadaj and the others inherited this mindset, still referring to Jenova as "Mother" and even competing for her favor—unaware that all their emotions stemmed from Sephiroth's frozen heart.
Jack understood their confusion but couldn't explain it. He simply sighed inwardly. *How pitiful.*
But now wasn't the time for sympathy. Jack's eyes sharpened. "So you, Roz, Yazu—all of you will merge into one?"
Kadaj nodded. "That's what Mother's will says. All life with her cells will eventually become one."
Jack inhaled sharply, suppressing a chill. His theory was one step closer to reality—though that step might lead straight into the abyss.
Still, he had no choice.
It didn't take long for Jack to seize leadership of the group. His intelligence and emotional acuity weren't on par with prodigies like Elliot Gray or Shinra's president Frieza, but compared to Kadaj and the others, it was night and day. He took control effortlessly.
With plans in motion, Jack and the trio loaded the Geostigma-infected children into a truck and headed toward Shinra City.
Jack finally had a moment to assess his condition.
After using his self-created "Maha Avatara," his internal energy and cosmos were nearly depleted. But natural energy had restored most of it—about 70 to 80 percent. His ice-based cosmos had also improved slightly, from fiftyfold to fifty-onefold. That small step marked a breakthrough beyond Silver Saint level, edging toward Gold Saint territory. If he could grasp the Seventh Sense, he'd become a true Dark Gold Saint. He wouldn't match top-tier Gold Saints like Gemini or Libra, but he could hold his own against lower-tier ones like Pisces or Cancer.
Still, Jack wasn't complacent. His rival Magnor had likely improved as well. And with Vincent recovering the remaining materia ahead of schedule, the heroes' forces would be stronger than ever. If Jack's side didn't prepare properly, even Sephiroth's descent might end in disaster.
*Time to strategize,* Jack thought, gazing at the ruins of Shinra City.
Shinra had ruled the world for forty years, and its capital was massive. At its heart stood the 400-meter Shinra Building, surrounded by six 200-meter Mako Reactors. A colossal Mako Cannon loomed by the sea. The city's inner layers formed a fortress of metal.
In the original story, Shinra's clash with the planet's will summoned an ancient superweapon, devastating both sides. The city was left in ruins, functions stalled, countless lives lost. Shinra collapsed, and civilians took over reconstruction. The city center shifted to the suburbs, abandoning old Mako systems. Only basic utilities remained, highlighting the contrast between decay and resilience.
At the center of the new city stood an abstract monument. Jack had once mistaken it for a twisted scaffold or broken signal tower. Later, he realized it depicted the Lifestream and white magic shattering the meteorite two years ago.
The trio, with their limited reasoning, believed the monument hid Jenova's head. They planned to destroy it first, then summon a dragon to wreak havoc.
Now that Jack was in charge, he had other plans.
"Give me a city map," he said.
"You don't have one? Then how were you searching—by instinct? Never mind. Kadaj, send the children out first. They're not strong, but they'll create chaos. Split them into three teams, each with five Shadow Creepers. Head in three directions—avoid the seaside. Don't focus on killing, just stir things up."
"Roz and Yazu, go near the monument. Don't act unless Cloud shows up—then stall him."
"Kadaj, head to the top of the Shinra Building. Summon powerful beasts to destroy the city. Once Shinra sees the threat, they'll bring us what we want. When you get it, retreat to the Forgotten Capital."
The trio followed his orders without question.
Jack knew that without the "Dark Oath" team interfering, his plan would work. Once they obtained Jenova's head, the trio would merge and summon Sephiroth in full form. But Magnor and his allies knew the plot. They'd try to kill the trio to prevent Sephiroth's descent. Their goal was the opposite of Shinra's. If they succeeded, Jack would be cornered—and doomed.
Still, he had another plan. Even if it endangered the trio, he had to proceed.
"Alright, the sun's rising. Let's move."
Jenova's creations weren't known for cunning. In some ways, they were purer than humans. They followed orders without hesitation.
The three teams of children, each with Shadow Creepers, set off. The Creepers were rhino-strong and lion-fierce, roughly Bronze-tier. The children, enhanced by Jenova cells, were Black Iron-tier—like elite special forces. Though their minds were dulled, their agility made them ideal partners.
Jack didn't expect them to win battles. Their job was to draw attention—and delay the heroes.
Roz and Yazu disguised themselves and blended into the crowd. As energy beings, it was easy.
Kadaj rode his heavy-duty motorcycle toward the old Shinra site. Once inside the circle of Mako Reactors, he began summoning.
First came Bahamut—just like in the movie.
In Final Fantasy VII, Bahamut Zero was the ultimate dragon, second only to Knightsof the Round. But in *Advent Children*, Kadaj used corrupted materia to summon a new variant—Bahamut SIN. This version had a skeletal shell and ten insect-like wings, a twisted echo of the original.
After summoning Bahamut SIN, Kadaj vanished into the ruins, recovering his strength and preparing to summon more beasts.
Next came Phoenix—a fire-elemental with healing powers. Jack valued its blazing aura and speed, knowing it would draw the heroes in faster. Then came Titan, a massive creature meant to split the heroes' focus and delay their advance.
Everything was about buying time.
Time for Shinra to panic. Time for them to throw out Jenova's head. Time for Sephiroth to descend.
As Bahamut SIN took to the skies, the silver airship *Highwind* appeared on the horizon, gliding slowly toward the city. Before the summoned beasts could wreak havoc, the heroes arrived.
Barret, the gun-armed brawler.
Cid, the spear-wielding pilot.
Yuffie, the ninja with oversized shuriken.
Red XIII, the wise beast with crimson fur.
Cait Sith, the mechanical cat perched on Red's back.
And Vincent, the red-cloaked gunman.
The planet's defenders had assembled.
In the original movie, Bahamut SIN was nearly unstoppable, requiring all heroes to defeat it. But this time, Cloud hadn't been injured at the Forgotten Capital, and Vincent had recovered most of the materia. The heroes were fully equipped.
Materia amplified their power severalfold. Barret, Cid, Red XIII, and Vincent quickly suppressed Bahamut, Phoenix, and Titan.
Yuffie, carrying a bag of materia, rushed to find Tifa. She ran into Cloud, who had also equipped himself. The trio split up to intercept the Geostigma children.
Though the children were enhanced, they couldn't match Silver-tier warriors. The heroes hesitated, unsure how to subdue them without causing harm. Their restraint slowed them down.
Jack, watching from a rooftop, murmured, "The heroes are scattered. The trio won't be wiped out immediately."
But Shinra's president wouldn't act unless the situation escalated. Jack knew two scenarios could force his hand: either the trio was nearly defeated, or they were winning decisively—just like in the movie.
"Time for Bahamut to make its final move," Jack said, speaking into a borrowed phone.
"Hehe, I've been waiting," Kadaj replied.
Phoenix and Titan launched full-scale attacks, pushing back the heroes. Bahamut SIN soared thousands of meters into the sky, gathering energy for a devastating breath that could level the city.
Cloud wasn't nearby. No one could stop the dragon.
But Vincent's materia glowed. A beam of blue light shot skyward, summoning another dragon—Bahamut ZERO. Sleek, black, and six-winged, it tackled Bahamut SIN mid-air. The two dragons clashed, delaying the attack.
Though Bahamut ZERO was weaker, it bought precious time.
Barret, standing on a nearby rooftop, grabbed Cait Sith and hurled him skyward. The lightweight cat soared toward the dragons.
"Yahoo!" Cait Sith shouted, activating his materia. "Come forth, Knights of the Round!"
Even Jack was surprised. The ultimate summon was equipped on the least combat-ready member.
Twelve legendary knights emerged from the light, wielding swords, spears, axes, hammers, and staffs. They surrounded Bahamut SIN and unleashed a relentless barrage. The dragon fought back but was overwhelmed.
Steel clashed. Wings shattered. Armor cracked. The dragon's head was a bloody mess.
Then came King Arthur—not the blonde knight of modern reinterpretations, but a towering figure in iron armor and a demonic mask. He descended, raised his greatsword, and ended Bahamut SIN with a single strike.
Bahamut ZERO and Phoenix perished in the aftermath. The knights vanished after finishing off Titan.
"Damn it," Kadaj muttered. "If they like group summons, I'll give them the corrupted version next!"
He reached for his full-summon materia—but a sudden spiritual resonance stopped him.
A helicopter flew low overhead. Two Shinra agents opened the side door, smirked, and tossed out a black box.
"Mother!"
Kadaj felt the bloodline connection instantly.
Ignoring gunfire, he leapt from the highway and caught the box mid-air. Though Jack believed Jenova's head was indestructible, Kadaj's instincts drove him to protect it.
Jack, watching from afar, sighed. "Impulsive fool. Why didn't he summon something to cover his retreat?"
Cloud was still occupied. But other trouble was coming—the Dark Oath team.
Magnor led the charge, followed by Night Lady and the awakened Flora. Golden Flash provided aerial support—somehow riding a *Harry Potter*-style broomstick.
Jack frowned. He couldn't let them catch Kadaj.
He conjured Thunderstorm Ice Spears—each with the force of a cruise missile. His control had improved since last night. He launched them rapidly, detonating mid-air to slow the trio.
They dodged, but their pursuit faltered.
"Damn it! I'll kill you first!" Night Lady shouted, abandoning the chase and charging Jack.
She was fast, but not faster than Jack on his death horse. He evaded easily.
Magnor called out, "Forget it. Focus on him. Golden Flash, keep him grounded. Night Lady, keep him busy. I'll use Xuanwu's Tenfold Strike to finish him."
Magnor believed Jack's Ice Avatara was powerful but limited—one big strike that required setup. If they could stall him, Magnor's technique would win.
But he underestimated Jack's progress.
Jack leapt from his horse, donned his holy armor, and attacked.
His Frost Sonic Fist had evolved. Once a barrage of fast, scattered punches, it now carried hidden techniques—blocks, locks, pierces. Each strike was precise and devastating.
Night Lady and Golden Flash were knocked back. Only Magnor, with his indestructible body and storm leg, absorbed the blows.
Jack smirked. "Not so easy anymore, huh?"
His Maha Avatara Diamond Rain had once been a brute-force technique—fast but hard to control. Now, with internal energy flowing smoothly, each punch was like a sniper shot. The speed and power remained, but the precision was unmatched.
The Dark Oath team still had strengths. If Magnor could unleash his Tenfold Strike, he might win. But no one could restrain Jack long enough.
Meanwhile, the heroes regrouped and began tracking Kadaj. But as they approached, Kadaj summoned Typhon—a beast second only to Bahamut ZERO. It unleashed massive tornadoes, forcing the heroes to retreat.
Cloud, having subdued the children, pursued Kadaj—only to be intercepted by Roz and Yazu.
The final battle was approaching.