Chapter 820: How Can Anyone Be So Cruel With Their Storytelling?

Song Ren, filled with emotion, continued to push through the DLC content. Compared to the base game, the story of Zack's DLC wasn't particularly long.

He had already reached the latter half. At this point, Zack and Tseng of the Turks ventured to the border together to investigate Genesis's whereabouts.

It was here that Zack first met Cloud, the protagonist, and the two conversed happily.

They both shared a common trait: they hailed from the countryside.

However, despite Cloud being the game's protagonist, the character with more screen time in this DLC was clearly Zack, not Cloud.

'My honor destroyed, my wings broken when I wished to fly; this is the end for a monster.' Genesis, a representative of the literary youth, always carrying a copy of LOVELESS, even after being defeated by Zack, didn't forget to show off.

Song Ren had to admit one thing: Genesis was genuinely handsome.

Sephiroth, Genesis—these 1st Class SOLDIERs from Shinra were truly one more arrogant than the last.

Even their elder, Angeal, though not as handsome as Sephiroth and Genesis in appearance, carried himself with admirable masculinity in his words and actions.

Especially that one line: As a SOLDIER, you must have a dream, never forget your dream.

Zack even adopted it as his life's creed.

So, as Genesis sang his opera, Zack spoke: 'We are not monsters! We are SOLDIERs! Where is your honor?'

Facing Zack's questioning, Genesis merely retreated slowly towards the Mako Reactor, chanting as he went: 'Even if there is no promised tomorrow, I will surely return to where you are; if this world threatens my life... then, let us perish together.'

With those words, Genesis leapt into the Mako Reactor.

Song Ren: ???????

Watching Genesis disappear from view, Song Ren couldn't help but smack his lips.

The lines were truly cool, the actions were truly awesome, but what about the promised mutual destruction?

Song Ren continued the game, delving deeper into Modderheim, where Zack discovered Angeal and Hollander, and learned more about the Jenova Project G.

Facing Zack, Angeal, who valued honor immensely, made a decision.

'Zack, do you remember? We promised to fight against all those who fill the world with pain. Now, the one causing me pain is myself.' Angeal looked at Zack and summoned the surrounding monsters infused with Jenova cells.

As the perfect experimental subject for Jenova Project G, he possessed the ability to consume and split, but even so, consuming too many Jenova cells at once would lead to an irreversible situation.

Under the influx of countless monster cells, Angeal became the monster he himself hated.

Fighting from noon until evening, the entire Modderheim laboratory crumbled during Zack and Angeal's battle. In the end, Angeal, now a monster, was killed by Zack.

Lying on the ground, Angeal showed a relieved smile and handed the Buster Sword to Zack.

“Well done, Zack... It's up to you now. Don't forget your honor.”

[Hold onto your dreams. To become a hero, you must have dreams, and honor.]

Angeal's past words echoed in Zack's mind. Back in Aerith's church, the usually optimistic Zack shed tears for the first time.

Aerith, seeing the grieving Zack, gently walked over, slowly knelt down, and embraced Zack tightly from behind.

After this came Cloud's past memories.

In Cloud's hometown, during the Mako Reactor investigation mission, Sephiroth also betrayed Shinra.

Zack was defeated by Sephiroth, and with his hometown massacred and his childhood friend Tifa's fate unknown.

Cloud finally stepped forward. He picked up his senior Zack's Buster Sword and ultimately ambushed Sephiroth, knocking him into the Mako Reactor, but he himself was gravely wounded.

This segment also proved one thing: Hojo's so-called clones were nothing but lies.

After Shinra personnel arrived, Hojo took the severely wounded Zack and Cloud back for experiments, injecting them with Jenova cells.

By the time Zack awoke, four years had passed. Cloud, unable to become a SOLDIER due to his mental and spiritual state, remained in a comatose, delirious state.

Awakened, Zack escaped Shinra, taking Cloud with him.

Of course, in this plot segment, there was another character who surprised Song Ren: a Turks girl named Cissnei, who seemed to have a unique relationship with Zack.

'Hey... Cissnei, could you be someone my mother can confide in?' Zack knew he was wanted by Shinra and couldn't return to Gongaga for a peaceful life, so he wanted Cissnei to look after his parents.

'Sure, just say please,' Cissnei said with a smile.

'I'm sure they'll ask about a bride or something.'

'They already did.'

'Then what did you say! Cissnei!' Hearing this, Zack suddenly panicked.

Song Ren watched this part of the story, filled with emotion.

So, this is the protagonist's treatment? There are always girls who are fond of him, and not just one!

Even though it was just DLC, in the context of this DLC's narrative, Zack was the protagonist!

While feeling emotional, Song Ren also found a bit of amusement, as the dialogue between Zack and Cissnei was quite cheerful.

But the subsequent storyline completely stripped Song Ren of these cheerful thoughts.

Because Zack and Cloud were still high-priority targets for Shinra, they were pursued and ambushed by countless pursuers. And due to Cloud's fusion with Jenova, it also drew out Hollander and Genesis, who wanted to snatch Cloud for research.

However, Genesis and Hollander, who couldn't properly fuse with Jenova cells and had degenerated, were no match for Zack, who eventually defeated them.

And it was here that Zack received a letter from Aerith.

Four years of waiting, Aerith had been waiting for Zack to fulfill their goal together with a flower cart: to sell flowers in Midgar.

[This is the 89th letter, but there's no sender's address anymore. This is the last letter... Zack, the flowers are selling well, everyone is smiling, all thanks to you — Aerith]

'Four years! So what's this at the end!'

Aerith's face appeared in Zack's mind. He looked in the direction of distant Midgar.

Then he picked up the still unconscious Cloud and took his Buster Sword.

No matter what, he had to go back to Aerith, because he had an unfulfilled promise with her.

Approaching the wilderness of Midgar, hope shone in Zack's eyes. Though Cloud hadn't fully recovered yet, he could now utter a few simple words.

“Don't be silly, I won't leave you behind. We're friends, Cloud.”

“Once we reach Midgar, let's become mercenaries.”

Back on the Midgar wilderness, Zack stopped the car behind the carriage, talking to himself with a smile as he looked at the still disoriented Cloud.

“So, don't go putting death flags on yourself!” Song Ren looked at Zack's smiling face, a premonition already forming in his heart.

This was a classic death flag!

As everyone knows, when someone says something like 'I'll get married back home after this war' or 'I'll wash my hands of this after this time is over.'

They've pretty much pre-ordered their demise.

Now Zack had said something similar.

Coupled with Advent Children, and the fact that the Buster Sword later became Cloud's weapon.

All of this subtly hinted to Song Ren about Zack's impending fate.

On the Midgar wilderness, Zack, who was driving, stopped the car.

Because Shinra's pursuers had already blockaded this entire area.

And Midgar was just ahead, only a short distance away, just a tiny bit.

Zack looked at the still unconscious Cloud in the car, a signature smile gracing his face.

He carried Cloud from the car, placed him beside a hidden rock, chuckled softly, raised his right hand, rubbed Cloud's head, then took one last look at Cloud before walking away into the distance with the Buster Sword on his back.

At this moment, Cloud seemed to regain some consciousness. He slowly raised his hand, looking at Zack's receding back, as if wanting to hold onto something.

'Really! The price of chasing freedom is high!'

Holding Angeal's Buster Sword with both hands, watching the approaching Shinra soldiers, Zack smiled and looked up at the sky.

'Then... embrace your dreams!'

'Never give up your pride as a SOLDIER, no matter what.'

'Welcome!'

Continuous combat, almost endless enemies, wave after wave pushed back.

Although Song Ren had previously controlled Zack to defeat Angeal, Genesis, and countless monsters.

But facing this countless tide of minor mobs, he simply couldn't hold on.

His health constantly dwindled, his supplies continuously decreased.

At the same time, the sky gradually darkened, and without warning, heavy rain began to fall.

As Song Ren used the last of his healing items, as Zack's last bit of health was depleted.

The scene shifted to the Midgar Sector 5 Slums church.

Aerith was tending to the flowers in the church. The previously clear sky now poured with heavy rain.

As if sensing something, Aerith looked up blankly at the raining sky, her hands clasped as if praying for something, but in a second, she let out a startled gasp.

Then the scene returned to the Midgar wilderness.

Zack, covered in blood, lay in the mud. The heavy rain washed away the blood from his body, but the next moment, fresh blood flowed from his wounds again. Only his rising and falling chest seemed to prove he was still alive.

In the distance, a weakened Cloud crawled on the ground, painstakingly making his way towards Zack.

'Za... Zack...'

Not yet fully recovered from the side effects of Mako radiation, Cloud reached Zack's side and stared blankly at Zack on the ground, instinctively calling out the name from his memory.

Zack looked at Cloud beside him and smiled. Even in his last moments, his face was still graced with a smile.

'Even my share...'

'Even your share?' Cloud stared blankly at Zack lying there.

'Yes, you... you must live on. You... are the proof... that I existed.'

'My honor and my dreams... I entrust them all to you.'

Handing the Buster Sword beside him to Cloud, Zack, lying on the ground, closed his eyes with a smile.

'I am the proof that you existed.' Holding the Buster Sword, a dazed Cloud muttered, looking at Zack on the ground.

After an unknown period, Cloud seemed to remember something. Amidst the torrential rain, he looked at Zack on the ground and let out a mournful wail.

[In blurred pupils, nothing can be clearly seen]

[Nor can the mixed emotions in the heart be perceived]

...

[Why, gazing up at the lonely starry sky]

[Why, can a smile still be seen]

...

Accompanying the interlude titled 'Why', Zack's past words seemed to echo in Cloud's ears.

'Hold onto your dreams. If you're going to be a hero... you must have dreams.'

The rain had stopped at some unknown time. The still dazed Cloud looked at the Buster Sword in his hands.

Then he looked at distant Midgar, slowly stood up, and moved his body forward inch by inch.

At the same time, Zack in 'another world' seemed to come alive, slowly opening his arms, returning to the Lifestream of the planet.

'She... she once said she feared this incredibly ordinary sky, but... this sky still feels good.'

'Such wings, please give me a pair too.'

At this moment, Zack finally possessed the wings he once envied Angeal for.

Wings that belonged to an angel, and also to a hero.

'Cloud... Aerith is in your hands.'

As Zack disappeared, the game screen gradually faded, returning to Cloud's mental world.

At this moment, Cloud finally recalled everything that had happened.

“Have dreams... if you want to be a hero, you must have dreams.”

Looking at Tifa beside him and the Buster Sword in front, Cloud rose from the bed, gently grasped the sword hilt, and closed his eyes.

“Thank you, Zack. Rest in peace.”

“I will not forget your teachings.”

Taking a deep breath, Cloud's gaze became firm once more.

There was no excitement for Cloud's awakening, nor did Song Ren continue the plot to save the world and defeat Sephiroth upon returning to the base game.

Because at this moment, Song Ren was still immersed in the scene of Zack's death, and he let out a cry from the depths of his soul.

“Mr. Chen, damn you!”

He had mentally prepared for Zack's death.

But when the moment truly arrived, he found he still couldn't cope.

How could anyone be like this!

How could anyone be so cruel with their storytelling?

Before Song Ren's eyes, the game screen gradually blurred.

The most crucial point was that this 'knife' was a double attack, complete with a flashback sequence.

Zack's tragic death, coupled with his dying wish for Cloud to look after Aerith, seemed to be just one painful point.

But for players who had played Final Fantasy, it instantly brought back memories of Aerith's death at Sephiroth's blade.

It was like a knife being plunged into his chest, and Mr. Chen, not satisfied, tore open the previously unhealed wound again and poured salt on it.

How could such a person exist!؟

(End of Chapter) <>