MARVEL I AM DRAGON GOD

The air in the Sector 5 Mako Reactor hummed with a low, ominous thrum.

It was a sound Arthur had come to associate with Shinra's greed, a constant reminder of the Planet being drained.

Tonight, however, that hum was about to be interrupted.

The plan was set. Three teams, each with a critical role to play.

Barret and Cloudia formed Team Alpha. Their mission was direct: plant the main bomb at the reactor's core.

Barret's sheer power and his gun-arm made him perfect for brute-forcing any resistance, while Cloudia's SOLDIER training and raw combat prowess would be invaluable in navigating the reactor's complex internal defenses.

Arthur had a feeling Barret would keep a close eye on Cloudia, despite her impressive display during the spar.

Arthur, Aerith, and Tifa made up Team Bravo.

Their role was multifaceted: secure an alternative entry point, provide backup to Team Alpha if needed, and most importantly, ensure Aerith's safety.

Her unique connection to the Planet was their most valuable asset, and a target Shinra desperately wanted to exploit.

Arthur was acutely aware of the danger, but also of the opportunity.

With Tifa's agility and combat skills, and Aerith's ability to sense the Lifestream, they were a formidable trio.

Biggs, Jessie, and Wedge were Team Charlie. Their task was to create a diversion on the reactor's upper levels, drawing Shinra's security forces away from the core.

Jessie's explosives expertise, Biggs's steady aim, and Wedge's surprising agility made them an effective unit for this purpose.

As they prepared to split up, Arthur felt a knot of dread in his stomach. He knew the story. In the original game, and even in the remake, Jessie, Wedge, and Biggs didn't make it out of Midgar alive.

They were casualties of Avalanche's fight, heroes who sacrificed everything.

'I don't know if the world I am in was the Original or the Remake,'

Arthur thought, glancing at Cloudia's spiky blonde hair as she moved with Barret.

'With Cloudia here, a female Cloud… that changes everything. It's not just a simple re-telling. But even if things are different, I won't let anyone die. Not on my watch.'

He had to change things, to save those who were destined to fall. Jessie, Biggs, and Wedge were good people, dedicated to a cause greater than themselves.

He wouldn't stand by and watch them become footnotes in a tragic history.

"Alright, everyone knows their roles,"

Barret boomed, his voice a low growl that managed to be both commanding and hushed in the vast, echoing tunnels.

"Let's do this for the Planet!"

With a series of determined nods, the teams diverged into the metallic labyrinth of the Mako Reactor.

Arthur, Aerith, and Tifa navigated the shadowy maintenance tunnels. The air grew colder as they descended deeper into the reactor's bowels. Tifa, nimble and silent, led the way, her movements practiced and efficient.

Aerith, despite the seriousness of their mission, maintained her bright demeanor, her senses keenly attuned to the whispers of the Planet.

"Can you feel it, Aerith?"

Tifa whispered, glancing at the flower girl.

Aerith nodded, her expression momentarily somber.

"The Planet... it's crying. Shinra is hurting it so much here."

Her small hand instinctively reached for Arthur's, a silent plea for protection and comfort.

Arthur squeezed her hand gently.

"We're going to stop them,"

He promised, his gaze hardening. He could feel the pervasive drain of Mako, a dull ache in his own connection to the Lifestream through his Soul Magic. It was a constant reminder of Shinra's destructive power.

They moved through a series of narrow corridors, avoiding automated security drones that patrolled with whirring precision.

Arthur's Super Focus allowed him to quickly analyze their patrol patterns, guiding Tifa to the optimal moments to slip past.

He also used his enhanced senses to detect faint vibrations in the floor, indicating approaching Shinra guards before they were even visible.

At one point, they encountered a small patrol of Shinra grunts. Tifa immediately readied her fists, her knuckles cracking.

"Leave them to me,"

She murmured, her eyes glinting with determination.

But Arthur stepped forward, a faint, almost imperceptible shimmer in the air around his hand. This was a moment to conserve energy, not engage in a full-blown brawl.

He focused on his Dragonic Hand power, not for combat, but for manipulation.

As the guards rounded the corner, their flashlights sweeping the corridor, a strange, metallic groan echoed from a nearby pipe.

Then, with a sudden hiss, a steam vent burst open, enveloping the corridor in a thick, blinding cloud.

The guards cried out in surprise and confusion, coughing and spluttering. "What was that?!" one yelled.

"Move!" another shouted.

In the chaos, Arthur, Tifa, and Aerith slipped past them, moving swiftly and silently through the obscured passageway.

Tifa glanced back at Arthur, a hint of surprise and admiration in her eyes. "Nice one," she whispered.

Arthur simply nodded, a small smile playing on his lips. It was a subtle display, but effective. He was saving his overt combat powers for when they were truly needed. He knew the path ahead was riddled with dangers, and he needed to be ready for anything.

As they pressed on, Arthur's enhanced hearing picked up faint, distant sounds from the upper levels where Team Charlie was operating – a muffled explosion, followed by the distinctive crackle of gunfire, then shouts.

His stomach clenched. That was too intense, too early. They were drawing too much attention.

'No,' Arthur decided immediately. 'I won't let them be overwhelmed. The plan needs to change.'

He stopped abruptly, holding up a hand.

"Hold on,"

He whispered.

"Something's wrong with Team Charlie. They're in heavy contact. Too heavy."

Tifa's eyes narrowed, instantly picking up on the urgency in his voice.

"Are you sure?"

"My senses are picking up too much commotion,"

Arthur confirmed, his voice grave.

"They're drawing more than just a diversion. They might be getting cornered."

Aerith looked worried.

"Biggs, Jessie, Wedge... they'll be okay, won't they?"

"They will be,"

Arthur stated, a steely resolve entering his tone.

"Because we're going to help them."

Tifa hesitated.

"But our mission is down here. Barret needs us for backup near the core."

"Barret is with Cloudia,"

Arthur countered.

"They can handle themselves. If we lose Biggs, Jessie, and Wedge, we lose valuable members of Avalanche. And Shinra will be stronger for it. Our alternative entry point can wait. This is more urgent."

He didn't need to explain his prescience. The authority in his voice, coupled with his previous display of power, was enough. Tifa looked at him for a long moment, then nodded.

"Alright. What's the plan?"

Arthur immediately began outlining a revised strategy.

"We need to hit Shinra from a different angle, creating a larger distraction on the upper levels. Not just to draw fire, but to scatter their forces, giving Team Charlie room to breathe, or better yet, escape and regroup."

He explained how they could use the reactor's internal systems against Shinra, creating controlled power surges to trigger alarms in unexpected locations, and even manipulate some of the security drones to target their own forces.

He was tapping into his understanding of the reactor's mechanisms, and subtly, imperceptibly, infusing his Dragon's Aura to influence the minor electronics within.

Tifa's eyes lit up with understanding.

"We could cause a localized blackout in certain sectors... or overload some of their automated turrets!"

"Exactly,"

Arthur confirmed.

"We draw their attention, but we also create chaos they can't immediately contain. And then, we help Team Charlie extract."

Aerith, ever practical, pointed out,

"But how will we know where they are?"

"I'll find them,"

Arthur said, his focus already shifting. He began to extend his perception, not just his physical senses, but a deeper, more profound connection.

He used his Super Focus skill, a high-level form of spatial and sensory awareness, to map the reactor's interior in his mind, searching for the unique energy signatures of Biggs, Jessie, and Wedge.

It was like feeling faint heartbeats within the metallic body of the reactor.

They changed their trajectory, ascending through service tunnels and air ducts that Tifa knew like the back of her hand.

The distant sounds of conflict grew louder, more urgent. Arthur could feel the frantic energy of the Shinra troops, the desperation of Avalanche's defenders.

They emerged onto a higher catwalk, overlooking a vast, cavernous chamber filled with humming machinery.

Below, Shinra security forces, heavily armed and armored, were closing in on a desperate firefight.

Biggs was laying down covering fire with his rifle, Jessie was frantically planting a last-ditch explosive, and Wedge, surprisingly agile for his size, was trying to create a barricade with some fallen debris. They were cornered, just as Arthur had feared.

"Too many of them,"

Tifa whispered, her hand instinctively going to her limit break,

"Dolphin Blow."

"Wait,"

Arthur commanded softly. He closed his eyes for a brief moment, focusing. He needed to be precise. He needed to make a statement.

He extended his hands, palms outward. A faint, almost imperceptible shimmer surrounded them.

Then, with a surge of controlled power, he unleashed Dragonic Canon. It wasn't a raw, destructive blast, but a series of concentrated energy pulses, aimed at critical points in the chamber's infrastructure.

One pulse struck a reinforced pipe, causing it to buckle and spray high-pressure steam, creating an instant wall of superheated mist that blinded a squad of Shinra soldiers.

Another hit a large overhead lamp, causing it to explode and plunge a section of the chamber into darkness, disorienting another group.

A third pulse targeted the control panel of an automated turret, causing it to spark and sputter, its targeting system going haywire as it began firing wildly at its own forces.

Chaos erupted below. Shinra soldiers yelled in confusion, firing at shadows, while the rogue turret added to the pandemonium.

Biggs, Jessie, and Wedge, seeing their unexpected reprieve, looked up in disbelief.

"What in the...?"

Biggs muttered, wide-eyed.

"That's our chance!"

Jessie shouted, grabbing Wedge.

"Alright, Tifa,"

Arthur said, opening his eyes, the faint glow of his power subsiding.

"Go. Get them out of there. I'll provide cover."

Tifa didn't need to be told twice. She launched herself from the catwalk, dropping with feline grace into the thick of the confused Shinra forces.

Her fists became blurs, striking with astonishing speed and power, knocking out grunts with precise blows. She was a whirlwind of controlled fury, clearing a path for Biggs, Jessie, and Wedge.

Arthur, meanwhile, focused on suppressing any attempts by Shinra to regain control. If a group of soldiers tried to coordinate, he'd use Dragonic Shot, small, focused bursts of energy, to disable their comms or send objects flying, keeping them off balance.

He subtly used his Reality Blending to create small, localized pockets of distorted air, making their shots go wide, or causing their footing to slip.

Within minutes, Tifa had reached Biggs, Jessie, and Wedge.

"Go! Go! We need to regroup!"

She urged them, ushering them towards a newly opened escape route created by Arthur's chaos.

As the three Avalanche members scrambled to safety, Jessie looked back, catching Arthur's eye.

Her face, smudged with dirt and sweat, held an expression of profound gratitude and utter bewilderment.

Arthur nodded reassuringly, then turned his attention back to the disoriented Shinra forces. He knew the job wasn't over yet.

They still had to extract themselves and ensure Barret and Cloudia completed their mission.

But for now, he had saved lives, and that was a victory in itself. The Planet, he could feel, let out a tiny, relieved sigh.

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