MARVEL I AM DRAGON GOD

The chaotic sounds of the Mako Reactor's upper levels slowly began to fade as Arthur, Tifa, and Aerith guided Biggs, Jessie, and Wedge through a series of less-used service tunnels.

The three rescued Avalanche members were still breathing heavily, a mixture of shock and profound relief on their faces.

"I... I thought we were done for,"

Jessie gasped, leaning against a cold metal wall, wiping sweat from her brow.

"Those Shinra guys just kept coming. And that turret... it went crazy!"

She looked at Arthur, her eyes wide with a question she didn't voice.

"You guys were amazing,"

Wedge puffed, still trying to catch his breath.

"And then... everything just went haywire for Shinra. It was like magic!"

Biggs, ever the stoic, simply nodded at Arthur.

"Thanks, Dragon Kid. You saved our skins back there. We owe you."

Arthur offered a small smile.

"We're a team. Now, let's get you somewhere safe to regroup."

Tifa quickly took charge, her practical nature kicking in.

"There's a ventilation shaft two levels down that leads to a secure maintenance room. It's rarely patrolled. We can catch our breath there."

They moved quickly, the adrenaline still coursing through them. Arthur kept his senses alert, scanning for any signs of Shinra patrols.

His Super Focus allowed him to pick up the faint vibrations of footsteps, the distant chatter of radios, and the tell-tale hum of automated drones.

He subtly guided them, indicating which turns to take, which doors to avoid.

Once they reached the designated maintenance room, a small, dusty space filled with old tools and forgotten equipment, Biggs, Jessie, and Wedge finally slumped against the walls, exhausted but safe.

"Alright,"

Tifa said, her voice firm.

"Stay here. Rest up. We'll contact you when it's clear to move."

She looked at Arthur.

"What's next for us?"

Arthur glanced at Aerith, who was already checking on Jessie's scraped arm with a gentle touch.

"Barret and Cloudia are still heading for the core. Our original mission was to provide backup. The diversion we created bought Team Charlie time, and it should also help Barret and Cloudia by scattering Shinra's forces."

"But they'll be on high alert now,"

Tifa pointed out, her brow furrowed.

"They'll know we're inside."

"Exactly,"

Arthur agreed.

"Which means they'll reinforce the core. We need to get there. The sooner, the better."

He looked at Biggs, Jessie, and Wedge.

"Can you three handle yourselves here for a bit? We need to keep moving."

Biggs pushed himself upright.

"Don't worry about us. We're safe for now. Go. Finish the job."

With a nod, Arthur, Aerith, and Tifa continued their descent into the reactor. The deeper they went, the more intense the Mako hum became, a throbbing pulse that resonated with Aerith's connection to the Planet.

"It's so loud here,"

Aerith whispered, clutching her staff tightly.

"The Planet... it's screaming."

"We're almost there, Aerith,"

Arthur reassured her, his hand resting on her shoulder. He could feel the raw power of the Mako, a chaotic energy that was both fascinating and horrifying.

His own Dragon's Aura seemed to hum in response, a protective shield against the oppressive energy.

As they approached the lower levels, the Shinra presence became undeniable. Alarms blared intermittently, and the metallic clang of heavy boots echoed through the corridors. They were no longer dealing with scattered patrols. Shinra was mobilizing.

Suddenly, a heavy blast door at the end of the corridor slid open, revealing a squad of Shinra's elite Shock Troopers. These weren't the standard grunts; they wore heavier armor, carried advanced energy rifles, and moved with a coordinated precision that spoke of extensive training.

At their head was a larger, more imposing figure – a heavily armored commander with a menacing energy shield.

"Intruders detected!"

The commander bellowed, his voice distorted by his helmet's comms.

"Eliminate them!"

Tifa immediately moved into a fighting stance, her fists clenched.

"Looks like they're not messing around,"

She muttered, her eyes narrowed.

"Let me handle this,"

Arthur said, stepping slightly in front of Tifa and Aerith. He knew he couldn't hold back too much here. These were elite troops, and they would overwhelm Tifa if he wasn't careful. But he still didn't want to reveal his full power. He needed to be efficient, not flashy.

The Shock Troopers opened fire, a volley of bright energy bolts streaking towards them.

Arthur moved with incredible speed, his AGI and Dex allowing him to weave through the incoming fire like a phantom. He didn't just dodge; he flowed, his body a blur of motion.

Tifa, seeing his incredible agility, used the distraction to her advantage, darting forward to engage the nearest troopers. Her punches were like pistons, each one carrying immense force. She moved like a dancer, dodging incoming attacks while delivering devastating blows.

Aerith, meanwhile, began chanting softly, her staff glowing with a gentle light.

She cast Cure on Tifa, mending a slight graze on her arm that Arthur had noticed, and then used a subtle Sleep spell on one of the troopers, causing him to slump to the ground, his energy rifle clattering.

Arthur focused on the commander and the remaining troopers. He didn't draw the crimson masamune.

Instead, he relied on his Dragonic Hand and Dragonic Shot. With a flick of his wrist, a precise Dragonic Shot struck the energy shield of the commander, not breaking it, but causing it to flicker violently, momentarily overloading its systems.

As the commander stumbled, Arthur used Dragonic Hand to grab a discarded piece of metal debris from the floor and sent it flying with surprising force, striking another trooper in the helmet and sending him sprawling.

He moved like a shadow, disarming one trooper with a swift, unseen motion, then using another Dragonic Shot to disable the weapon of a third.

He wasn't killing them, just incapacitating them, making them harmless.

The commander, recovering from the shield overload, roared in frustration. He lunged at Arthur, his armored fist aiming for a powerful blow.

Arthur met him head-on. He didn't block with his hands. Instead, he allowed his Dragon's Aura to flare, a subtle, invisible wave of force.

As the commander's fist connected, it was as if he had punched a solid wall of pure energy. The commander cried out, his armored hand recoiling with a loud clang, the force of the impact jarring his entire body. He stared at Arthur, his eyes wide with disbelief through his helmet visor. It was like hitting a brick wall made of pure power.

"What... what are you?"

The commander stammered, backing away, clearly shaken.

Arthur didn't answer. He simply took a step forward, his gaze unwavering. The commander, despite his heavy armor and training, felt an instinctive fear.

This wasn't just strength; it was something else, something beyond his comprehension. He turned and fled, shouting orders for a retreat to his remaining bewildered troopers.

The corridor was silent again, save for the hum of the reactor and the groans of the incapacitated Shinra soldiers. Tifa stood panting slightly, her eyes fixed on Arthur. Aerith rushed to him, her face beaming.

"Arthur, that was amazing!"

Aerith exclaimed, her eyes sparkling.

"You just... made them run away!"

Tifa walked over, her expression a mix of awe and deep curiosity.

"I've never seen anything like it,"

She admitted, her voice low.

"You barely touched them, but they just... fell apart. And that commander... he looked terrified."

Arthur just shrugged, a small, tired smile on his face.

"Just a few tricks I picked up."

He wasn't going to elaborate. The less they knew about Reality Blending or Low Tier Godling status, the better for now.

"Tricks?"

Tifa scoffed lightly, but there was no malice in it.

"That was more than a trick. You're... something else, Arthur. I knew you were different, but..."

She trailed off, shaking her head. Her trust in him was now absolute, tinged with a healthy dose of wonder.

"We need to keep moving,"

Arthur urged, sensing the distant rumble of a larger explosion from deeper within the reactor. That would be Barret and Cloudia. They were getting close to the core.

As they continued, Arthur's mind raced. The world was definitely not following the script. Cloudia's presence, his own intervention, Biggs, Jessie, and Wedge being alive – it was all evidence of a diverging timeline.

They rounded a final corner, and the sight that greeted them was intense.

A massive, cylindrical chamber stretched before them, pulsating with raw Mako energy. In the center, Barret and Cloudia were locked in a fierce battle with a massive Shinra mech, its metallic limbs thrashing, energy cannons firing.

The air crackled with power, and the ground trembled with each impact. They had reached the core. And the final battle was just beginning.

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