Midgar was the largest city in this world, an elevated metropolis.
That did not mean it floated in the sky. Rather, it was divided into upper and lower layers, with hollow space in between.
The two circular layers gave the structure the look of a two-tiered pizza.
The upper layer was supported by massive pillars.
Yesterday, a tremendous explosion had erupted at the Shinra Company, shaking the entire city and badly frightening its people.
Even stranger, an abnormal phenomenon had occurred. Some people had died for no apparent reason, and all of them had died in exactly the same way.
But people soon learned that most of the dead seemed to have been problematic individuals—people who had swaggered around arrogantly in their daily lives.
To put it simply, the people who had mysteriously died all seemed to have been bad people.
Yet the shocks were not over. Shinra then issued one announcement after another, leaving everyone in the city—no, everyone in the world who received the news—somewhat stunned.
"…and that is the full extent of the former Shinra president's hidden, deranged crimes…"
Even the reporter on the news seemed unable to control his emotions. His voice trembled with a choking sob as he denounced President Shinra's crimes.
Apart from President Shinra, the evil deeds of other top executives were also exposed one by one.
For a time, Shinra seemed to become an object of universal scorn.
"…President Rufus's actions…"
Another live broadcast on a different television was the complete opposite. Its content praised Shinra's new leadership.
In particular, it focused on Rufus's act of choosing justice over family. One clip was played repeatedly.
Rufus held a gun and threatened his own father, stopping him from destroying Sector 7. In the end, to prevent his father's atrocities, he personally pulled the trigger and put an end to that madman's actions.
Because of this act of placing justice above family, Rufus did not become an object of hatred. Instead, many people placed their hopes in him, believing that after he became president, he would bring about better changes.
With these two streams of news clashing against each other, Shinra should have been on the verge of collapse.
And yet, somehow, it managed to hold its footing.
"Isn't that report wrong? The one who killed that old Shinra president wasn't his son, right?"
At Seventh Heaven, Tifa listened to the news with confusion.
With the story framed this way, Rufus looked like some kind of hero.
"No, the news isn't wrong. Presenting Rufus as someone who chose justice over family is the 'right' move."
Biggs, who had always served as Avalanche's operational planner, said this.
Only through propaganda like this could Rufus take control of Shinra more smoothly and make people believe in Shinra again.
This was how public opinion was used.
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"You mean…"
Even after listening to the explanation, Yuffie still curled her lips.
In her opinion, they should have promoted someone else. That person was the real hero.
But that guy did not seem interested in becoming famous. He stayed unknown and silent, which only confused Yuffie even more.
"I just hope the bastard doesn't turn out like his old man."
Barret spoke in a rather unhappy tone.
Many people in Shinra had suddenly dropped dead. In a way, the sins festering inside Midgar had almost been cleansed, and that should have been a good thing.
But not being able to personally cut down his enemies still left him deeply unsatisfied.
At that moment, a call came through.
"Mr. Barret, it's time to depart."
It was a communication from Shinra.
At the same time, he heard the sound of helicopter rotors. A helicopter had arrived to pick him up and take him along to clean out Shinra's rebel forces.
Some Shinra branches around the world refused to accept the headquarters' statements at all.
To supervise Shinra, Barret had accepted Rufus's appointment and become one of the heads of the Public Security Department.
He would monitor Shinra's troops, making sure they did not act recklessly or slaughter the innocent.
"Biggs, let's go."
Barret called Biggs along with him.
He knew he was an impulsive man. If it came to fighting, he had no problem. But when it came to thinking things through and making judgments, he was not especially suited for it. He needed someone beside him to help.
Biggs, who had a good head on his shoulders, was his best partner.
"Marlene, while I'm gone, listen to Tifa, all right?"
Before leaving, he also said goodbye to his daughter.
"Mm-hm."
"Tifa, I'll trouble you to take care of Marlene too."
Although Aerith's foster mother would also help look after her, they still were not that familiar.
It was not that he distrusted her. It was just that he felt bad constantly troubling someone else.
Tifa, on the other hand, was an old friend. There was no need to stand on ceremony.
"Of course."
And so, the bar lost two more people, leaving it feeling a little empty.
Now, only Tifa, Yuffie, and the child Marlene remained in the bar. Everyone else had left to handle their own matters.
Aerith's mother had gone back to tidy up her old home and help take care of the garden in Aerith's absence.
As for Jessie, she had originally been a well-educated technical specialist and an upper-plate resident. Now, as one of Avalanche's monitors inside Shinra, she had joined one of the company's departments.
That department was the one Shinra had previously treated as powerless and idle—the Space Development Department.
It had once been a manufacturing department that gathered Shinra's most advanced technologies, but after the rocket launch failed, its projects had been halted.
Now, because of the technology Mr. Kain had brought, the department had been restarted. Its person in charge was still Palmer, its original head.
Calling him a good person would not be accurate, and calling him a bad person was also somewhat true. But compared to the others, he seemed remarkably mediocre.
He really did possess technical knowledge, so he had been allowed to remain in charge.
With his department restarted, he had thrown himself into the work with great excitement.
As for Wedge, despite looking rather simple and giving people the impression that he was slow and not very clever, he was actually quite skilled at gathering intelligence.
Wedge had joined Shinra's intelligence department, and through him, they had also connected with Avalanche headquarters, integrating information so they could handle matters more effectively.
As for Mr. Kain and Aerith, the two of them had gone to the Cetra temple ruins to retrieve what the Ancients had left behind.
Through those things, Aerith would gain more of the Cetra's knowledge, including how to use the Lifestream properly.
It was not that the Lifestream could never be used at all. The problem was that Shinra's way of using Mako was like killing the chicken to get the eggs.
The reason Tifa had not gone with them and had stayed here was also because she had a role to play. If something drastic happened at Shinra headquarters, she could use their previous method to let Mr. Kain instantly arrive here and save the situation.
"Tifa, aren't you worried about those two?"
"No. I believe Mr. Kain will be fine, and that he can protect Aerith."
"That's not what I mean. I mean, it's dangerous for those two to be alone together."
Yuffie could not tell whether Tifa truly did not understand what she was hinting at, or whether she was pretending not to.
"Dangerous for the two of them to be alone? Why?"
Tifa spoke with a puzzled expression, as if she truly did not understand, leaving Yuffie nearly tearing her hair out.
This child was adorable.
In truth, Tifa understood exactly what Yuffie meant.
This girl was simply trying to provoke her into taking Yuffie along to find the two of them.
Still, Yuffie's words really did make Tifa feel that there might be some kind of "danger."
Aerith was actually very bold. If the two of them were alone, maybe Aerith really would launch an even bolder offensive.
In that case, what had happened in the mental world might end up happening in reality.
And when Tifa thought back to what happened in that mental world, her face could not help heating up again.
In the mental world, things had not ultimately developed into the same sort of situation as Dr. Yūko Kōzuki's livestream. They had not gone that far.
They had only reached the point of using their hands to make contact before Mr. Kain woke up.
Returning to the current issue, even if Aerith truly took things further with Mr. Kain, Tifa would not be worried or jealous.
If she truly felt anything, it would probably be envy.
Tifa had no way to be as bold as Aerith.
"I mean, that. The two of them kissing, or doing something even more intimate."
"And what exactly would 'something even more intimate' be? Little Yuffie, say it clearly."
"It's, uh, it's…"
Yuffie's voice jammed in her throat, because those words had not come from Tifa.
The voice had come from behind her.
The person in question had returned.
And since Yuffie had been talking about her behind her back, it made her look like a petty little villain.
Yuffie mechanically turned her head and saw Aerith and Kain standing there.
"Is it this?"
After saying that, Aerith suddenly did something extremely bold, leaving Yuffie frozen.
Tifa froze as well.
Because Aerith abruptly wrapped her arms around the person beside her and kissed him.
No—not merely kissed him.
A kiss would have been only a light touch of lips.
This went deeper.
It was a tongue kiss.
(End of Chapter)
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