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The next morning was dreary. It figured. The day of his famed, eighteenth birthday and there is a thunderstorm warning on every television channel in existence. Sephiroth had decided to sleep the whole night, something that he rarely did due to his extensive studying that he obsessively continued every night and day. He walked into the small bathroom attached to his bedroom and looked in the mirror. His hair was a mess, and it only figured that the pillow he was sleeping on left imprints on the left side of his face. He rubbed the lines on his face with his hand and sighed. This was just turning into an excellent morning, he thought to himself. Sephiroth didn't even attempt to brush the tangles out of his waist length hair. His bangs were even cringed. His bangs never even really moved, much less get messed up. He sighed. His bangs were one of his only features that he really liked about himself. They gave him a solid uniqueness since nobody he had ever seen really had hair like his. He shook his head and got into the shower. He turned the water on and only freezing cold water came rushing through the pipelines. He didn't even flinch. The eighteen-year old just shook his head and cursed under his breath. He washed out the length of his hair thoroughly and succeeded in scrubbing himself clean before getting out of the shower to find nothing within arms reach to dry himself off with. "Well isn't this day just going to be a blast." As he tracked water all over the floor of the bathroom, he heard a loud knock at his door and the sound of footsteps clobbering away at the wooden stairs. "I swear to God if it is a prank I'm going to find the guy and wring his neck." Sephiroth cracked his knuckles loudly and pulled on his uniform quickly. He finished strapping the tall combat boots to his legs securely and locking his metal armlets to his forearms before opening the wooden door of his apartment. His hair was still wet and seemed to fall down his back in large strands. His bangs had air dried already and naturally positioned themselves the way they always did when they were dry. He looked down each end of the hallway and as he suspected, found no one. He was just about to step out of the room and hunt the immature idiot down like a raptor when he noticed something lying in front of the door with a piece of paper attached to it. "I wonder what this is all about," Sephiroth whispered to himself. Placed neatly in front of his doorway was a long cardboard box. It was a little over six feet long and looked really old. It seemed almost as if it had been in storage for a long time. The edges were worn and ragged. Though its battered shape, the box still contained whatever was inside it well. Sephiroth reached down to pick the box up and found that it was quite heavy. In fact it was very heavy for such a narrow box. He carried the mass of cardboard inside and laid it across the kitchen table. The mystery of what was inside the box outweighed his desire to read the letter and the soon-to-be-SOLDIER reached for a kitchen knife to slice the seam of the box open. After cutting the seams of the box he lifted the jagged edged portion of thick paper away and found what seemed to be a solid brick of Styrofoam. He knew better than that and pulled half of the white material away. What he found beneath took his breath away. It was a sword. It was the most beautiful sword he had ever laid eyes upon. It looked just like a Katana. It had a curved blade and the same type of handle and all. "My god. Who could forge something so perfect?" Sephiroth didn't even touch the sword. He just stared down at it and allowed his enhanced eyes to take in every detail. The five and a half foot long blade had a reflective luster to its perfect, razor sharp edge. He could see every detail of everything that was caught in the mirror-like blade. As he examined further he came to the base of the hilt. The rectangular hand guard that kept the hand from slipping onto the sharp blade was forged of a shiny, black crystal. The poker card sized guard was rimmed with a sleek, intricately symmetrical design. Beyond the base was the handle, which was wrapped with gold and black grip material. Between each of the diamond shaped areas on the side of the handle that weren't bound by the material there were materia slots. Finally, at the end of the ten-inch sword hilt there was the black end cap that kept the handle's grip from fraying. The Katana-like sword was beautiful. That wasn't all though. Lying next to the sword in the Styrofoam was a black sheath. Engraved on the onyx sword sheath was a small inscription. As Sephiroth turned his head to read it he frowned. The sheath had the words 'Angel of Death' carven upon it. After seeing this, the letter was brought back to his attention. He unfolded it and started to read aloud:
Dear Sephiroth,
It is without further ado that I present you with our ultimate family weapon, Masamune. It was blessed millennia ago by an ancient in our family history. The sword is protected from destruction and impurity and is now being passed onto you. This is your master weapon. It conceals tremendous power and magic and will allow you to discover new fighting abilities that you never knew were there. Hence the inscription on the sheath, this blade holds superiority over any weapon you have ever touched, and its' power is matched by few. This weapon will wield as if it were an extension of your body, and will cut through anything as if it were butter. It will only obey your command and cannot be wielded by any other human being. Take Masamune and wield it with compassion. It should be the key to the final door to your ultimate goal.
Sincerely, Father
"Oh my god. My father?" Sephiroth looked back at the blade and studied his reflection upon it. "Impossible. But, how did he know that my main goal involved my ultimate weapon? He would have to be someone in Shinra." Sephiroth shook his head and brushed off the oddity. Whoever it was that left him this gift could not have been his real father. He had been told that his father died on a secret Shinra mission many months before he was born. It must have been a person that my father trusted. Perhaps he was ordered to give me his old weapon before he passed away? "I don't know. Quit going in circles Sephiroth. It's done and over with. You have a cool sword now, big deal." The tall eighteen-year old young man reached his black-gloved hand toward the long Katana-like handle of the Masamune. Before his fingers even touched the black and gold handle he felt a rush of knowledge blast through his mind. It was as if the sword was speaking to him. Images flew past his line of vision like speeding bullets but his darting eyes caught each one. He saw images of people wielding the blade in many different ways. Each person had the similar characteristic of long hair and bangs. He watched as dragons, armored golems, and even villainous people were ripped to shreds under the amazing skills that the people wielding the blade possessed. After absorbing so much knowledge of the sword's past in his family, Sephiroth gripped the sword fully and lifted it. Its heaviness was reduced to that of a feather under his grip and it gleamed with newfound glory. The five and a half foot blade was slid evenly into the black sheath. The mirror blade seemed to pull the reflections inside the sheath with it. The young man looked over at his old Katana swords and back to the one that seemed to fit with him perfectly. He kicked the other battle worn swords under his bed and tied the sheath containing the invincible family sword to his belt. It was much longer than the others but it was perfectly balanced at his side.it truly was an extension of himself, he thought. An hour later he was heading into the courtyard of the Shinra University. He parked his sleek, Shinra Motors XR-70 motorcycle outside of the parking garage and was enduring the thick gazes at his new weapon. Everyone knew him. Everyone had they're own view of him. All of the guys seemed to dislike him. They called him a pretty boy and a teacher's pet. The girls on the other hand considered him a sex god. General Rayze always joked that he had a fanclub. The sad part is the general wasn't really joking. Sephiroth had had girlfriends off and on. When it came down to it though, he realized it was just for the fame. Most girls didn't really care about him, they just wanted to be able to say that they were going out with Sephiroth. That was another reason most guys hated him. He had sex with more virgins than one could count and he didn't really have to try. Sephiroth didn't care about that though. Yes, it was a pleasing experience, but it was nothing like the rush he got from combat. The taste of a victory was much more pleasing for him than anyone could contemplate.
As the long-haired, SOLDIER clad young man reached the center of the courtyard he found what he least expected. An arena. There were many important people from Shinra sitting at a large table. The group included president Shinra. Sephiroth studied him from across the courtyard. He hadn't ever even spoken to the man but he knew much about him. He had slicked back blonde hair, a family characteristic, and bright blue eyes. His flamboyant red tuxedo was worn with much pride and seemed to domineer over the other members of his council. He was also just a tad overweight, but Sephiroth just figured that was from sitting in his office all day working. A hand rested on his armored shoulder pad and patted with a metallic click. Sephiroth glanced over coolly to see General Rayze standing next to him. "Are you ready for the biggest brawl you've ever been in Sephiroth?" "More than you will ever know. But, I didn't know it would be such a big ordeal." He replied with a shrug. Rayze chuckled. "It is a huge event. This big ass courtyard is going to be packed to the max with people tonight. I pray that you do your best because it will reflect upon me. You were my personal student after all. I hope all of the boasting I did to the Shinra executives and president was a good idea. They will be expecting an impressive fight from you Sephiroth" The general seemed to sweat it a little but he played it off coolly. "Gee, thanks. Can't wait." Sephiroth rolled his eyes. "By the way. Check out the sword that was addressed to me outside my front door." Sephiroth reached for the gold and black handle and unsheathed the Masamune from the black sheath tied to his belt. The long, curved blade exited the sheath with a glass like sparkle. He had inserted five of his master materia into five of the six slots. "That's odd. It was left outside your apartment for you? That is an ultimate weapon, man. Few people ever inherit them." Rayze studied the black sheath next and nodded. "Angel of Death. It's a given then. My ultimate weapons, the two Murasame blades I always fight with, have titles on they're sheathes also. One sheath says 'Alpha' and the other says 'Omega'. It's impossible to sheath one sword in the others sheath also. Its strange, but congratulations." "I haven't used it yet. I hope I do as well with it rather than my Katana." Sephiroth shook his head and brushed off the matter. "Anyway. I need to focus on this fight tonight." "Yes you do because you will be competing against some of the best fighters in the world. If you even manage to make it past them you will then have to face me so get ready for a nasty fight. I'm not going to go easy on you in the least." The General snickered and passed his gaze to the arena that he would be fighting in later on. It was similar to a boxing ring but instead of elastic ropes, there were metal cables that connected each turnbuckle. The level of the arena was also on the ground. The cobblestone floor of the huge courtyard looked very uninviting to the flesh. For the rest of the day, the eighteen year old walked around campus and looked at his old classrooms and study places. He knew he was different. There was something special about him, and he knew it. He knew how easily he grasped things and how well his instincts reacted in combat. He had something special but he wasn't sure why it was given to him. He knew that he had been injected with mako and Jenova as a child but even so he still had something that few had. "I know biochemical compounds off of the top of my head but I don't know who my real mother or father are. I guess it doesn't matter." Sephiroth sighed and got up from his old seat in Gast's classroom. He headed for the door and started back to the courtyard to get ready for the annual SOLDIER competition, which was to begin in less than an hour. He knew now. This was it. This was the time to complete his most important goal. He was going to win the competition above all odds. Friendship, anything, didn't matter now. This was his chance to shine to the world.his one chance to make something of his hard work. The courtyard was already almost crammed with viewers. Space was made for the president's table and his executives by protection of the Turks. The Turks were an elite team of secret agents that had only two purposes. The first was to protect the president with they're lives, and the second was to scout for candidates of SOLDIER. The leader of the Turks was a tall, long-haired man of about twenty six. His hair resembled Rayze's only it was half the length. He stood proudly next to the president of Shinra and pushed away anyone who came too close. Sephiroth shook his head and walked up to General Rayze, who was standing at the far left end of an average sized stage. The wooden floorboards were buffed to a shiny, almost petrified state, the young man noticed, as the tall combat boots strode across it. There was a line of ten First Class SOLDIERs standing to the General's side. About five feet in front of the line of powerful fighters there was a metal microphone stand. A middle aged man with short blonde hair and a stubble of a beard was standing behind it scanning over the massive crowd that was crowded around the stage. It was the president of the university. "Hey Rayze. How is this going to work," Sephiroth asked with a concerned look on his face. The black haired general just nudged him over to his right side and motioned to the announcer. "Ladies and Gentlemen from around the world, welcome to the Annual SOLDIER Fighting Championship. As some of you may remember from the past championships we have held, it will be a battle between ten of the most powerful First Class SOLDIERs in the ranks." The announcer turned and motioned to all of the men behind him. "This year we have a small extra for you though!" The announcer turned to Sephiroth, who was almost directly behind him, and motioned for him quickly with a wave of his hand. Sephiroth glanced at the crowd, slightly nervously and nodded. He strode up to the stand, his beautiful long hair billowing in the breeze. The heavy spotlights all came down on him and the announcer in a whip of color. Sephiroth stood tall and proud under the bright lights, which reflected off of his bangles, armlets, and shimmering hair like rays from a Flare spell.
"We have General Jericho Rayze's personal student with us tonight. Meet Sephiroth ladies and gentlemen! He has been training with our amazing General for almost two years now and from what I hear has been an incredible success! He has decided to compete against the SOLDIERs in this year's championship for an entry into SOLDIER, folks." The announcer narrowed over to the barely eighteen- year old young man next to him. "So, what is your goal battling against these amazing fighters tonight Mr. Sephiroth?" "I would like to at least come out of this with a respectful rank." Sephiroth spoke into the microphone with a somewhat confident voice. The announcer raised a hand to initiate the wave of hoots and claps that would soon erupt. One person in the front line of viewers, who was very drunk, threw a beer bottle at Sephiroth with a quarterback arm. Sephiroth caught it without the slightest effort and set it on the metal microphone stand. The crowd roared with laughter as the Turks drug the man away. "Well Sephiroth, best of luck to you!" The announcer turned back to the crowd as Sephiroth took a step backwards to rejoin the line of SOLDIERs. "The championship will go as follows. The lowest, or in Mr. Sephiroth's case, no ranked fighter will start the competition against the lowest of the ten SOLDIERs. With each victory, either fighter will be given the option to succeed the rank of the defeated opposition or stay in they're own rank. The winner of each fight will move up to the next highest ranked SOLDIER and follow suite as the fight before. The person who defeats the highest ranked First Class SOLDIER will then be set in a dual with General Jericho Rayze himself. If they defeat him, then they will take the rank of Top Officer respectfully. Let the fighting begin." Instantly, Sephiroth and the last SOLDIER in line were ushered to the twenty-foot square battle arena. The crowd cheered as the made they're way. Before either man was allowed into the ring, they were frisked by a blue suited Turk. As they were approved they were instructed to stand at opposite corners. The Turk looked up at the two fighters that were a few inches taller than him. "At the sound of the bell you can draw your weapons. There are no actual rules, but you are disqualified for acting before the bell rings or falling out of the ring." As the man exited the ring, a bell was rang loudly to initiate combat. Sephiroth instantly had his new Masamune blade poised in his fighting stance. The rush of combat coursed through his veins as he paced forward towards the other SOLDIER. The other man had long red hair that fell past his shoulders. His eyes glowed with a purplish color as he held his severely jagged edged Organics sword in front of him. The crowd roared with excitement as the First Class leapt at Sephiroth with inhuman speed. He thrashed his razor sharp blade downward in an arc and found it intercepted by the long curved blade of the Masamune. He pressed down heavily but was thrown backwards by a kick to the chest. Sephiroth leapt forward with his blade and even more inhuman speed. He could already sense that the man would block his maneuver and faked the downward slice with a horizontal slash. The long blade whipped across the other SOLDIER's breast plate and ripped a red gash into his chest. The man did several back flips backwards and attempted to cure his wound with a cure materia, but wasn't given the chance as his opposition roundhouse kicked him in the chin with tremendous speed and sent him flying with into one of the metal boundary cords. The man fell out of the ring unconscious and the Turk walked onto the stage and lifted Sephiroth's arm into the air. The next SOLDIER came into the ring after the Turk referee exited and took his post. He was a lot bigger than Sephiroth and had an extremely muscular frame. The man hefted a massive broadsword off of his back as the bell rang. Sephiroth wasted absolutely no time in blazing into the larger man with a fury of circular based slices. His attacks seemed to flow into one another as the other SOLDIER blocked each with a tremendous blow. "Your strong. not strong enough though I don't think." Sephiroth kicked the man in the jaw swiftly and followed the blurring attack with an uppercut and a slash across one of the man's wrists. The man was too slow to swing his massive blade with one arm and found himself pummeled brutally by the Katana like blade of the teenager. With a fifth and final hit, the man's huge sword was hacked into two. He now had nothing to block with and tackled the smaller young man like a football player. Sephiroth fell easily under the man's weight but was instantly on his feet again after Judo flipping the man in a single motion over himself and out of the ring.
"He has done well so far. I hope all the money I bet on him is worth it though later on," the president commented between puffs of a cigar and glanced over at his executives sitting around the table. They were about ten feet away from the ring and had a great view of everything that was happening inside. The next First Class SOLDIER had already entered the ring and was fighting against the two-win streak the other sleek fighter had won. "He is perfect. His skills much outweigh any of those First Class SOLDIERs out there. I wouldn't be surprised if he even defeats Top Officer Rayze." Professor Hojo chimed in after the president was done speaking. His white lab coat was buttoned to the neck and his greasy looking black hair was tied back into a ponytail. His stringy bangs hung over his beady, spectacle enhanced eyes while he watched his unbeknownst son fight impressively. "I can't believe you finally gave him your sword Hojo. It had been in our basement for years. I guess you were right. He is ready for it," Scarlet raised an eyebrow as she watched Sephiroth annihilate the third SOLDIER with a powerful baseball swing of his sword. The long blade whipped the man into and over the edge of the arena. Sephiroth did an impressive, crowd-pleasing back-flip to his post and allowed them all to cheer him on. He wiped his blade clean of blood before the fourth SOLDIER entered the ring and was pleased to see that the note had been correct. There wasn't a single scratch or nick on the blade. He slid it back into the sheath and smiled at the title of the blade. Angel of Death. The next SOLDIER to get into the ring was shorter than him, and not nearly as muscular, but he had a dishonorable weapon strapped to his right leg. It was a standard issue Mako Rifle. To prepare for the dangerous fight, the stage technicians activated a blue magical barrier from a large generator like machine at one corner of the arena. The crowd booed due to the reduction of visibility but obliged for they're safety. The bell rang loudly and echoed off the powerful magical barrier surrounding the ring. "Your done." The SOLDIER hefted his black rifle up to his should and instantly fired at the sword bearing man rapidly. His aim was dead on and Sephiroth had to block most of the green lasers with his sword. The bursts of laser dissipated away harmlessly as he flipped the long blade in hundreds of different angles to block all of them. Sephiroth shook his head angrily and flipped into the air, away from the immediate blasts. He levitated with the gravity manipulation technique that Rayze had taught him only months ago and summoned a mass of green energy from his left palm. He threw the magical energy at the gunmen below and soared slightly higher to avoid the blast. "Ultima!" The massive explosion rocked the entire courtyard as the man was knocked unconscious. Sephiroth took a heavy breath and dropped back to the arena. As the blue magical curtain refolded itself, the roar of the crowd could be heard like a rock concert. They chanted his name over and over again. The next SOLDIER got into the ring and the battle began soon afterwards. "His swordsmanship and magical strength is amazing. He has defeated four First Class SOLDIERs in less than two hours. Watch as he flows through his attacks. Each slice flows into the next in almost a circular fashion. He even manages to throw in kicks and punches between his attacks. The speed is incredible." Hojo proudly studied his son as he fought. He was everything that he himself was not, muscular, fast, and intelligent. I.Q., bangs, sharp eyes, and motivation were the only traits that his son had carried on from him. "He's good but I don't think he has what it takes to take down Rayze." The president laughed a little. He was trying to tick Hojo off and the scientists knew it. "We'll see." Hojo scoffed in annoyance. He kicked back in his chair as he watched his son gain yet another victory. The sixth fighter entered the ring and fell within ten minutes of constant sword fighting. Sephiroth's speed and accuracy overwhelmed the higher ranked man as he attempted to keep up with the swift attacks, guards, and parries. Hojo glanced at the president with a glint in his beady eyes and watched as his son began to dual with the eighth SOLDIER. The man was very fast and powerful with the two short swords he wielded as if they were extensions of himself. Sephiroth's catlike pupils narrowed in on every swift movement that the man made as he blocked with his Masamune blade. The man was suddenly shocked to see Sephiroth bat one of his swords out of his hand and into the air. The short one-handed sword hilt landed in Sephiroth's right hand while he blocked the man's single sword with his Masamune. He wiped the blade out of the way and stabbed the overwhelmed fighter with his own sword. The blade protruded from his left should with a red splash. As the referee drug the wounded man off of the arena and sent him to the hospital, the ninth SOLDIER entered the ring. Hojo glanced over at the president. "Are you sure about what you said earlier?" "We'll see." Rayze sat down at the table as the group watched Sephiroth annihilate the nineth and tenth SOLDIER. The two fights altogether only lasted a matter of fifteen minutes. Rayze equipped his weapons well. He knew he was going to have to fight and after seeing Sephiroth fight he wasn't sure what the outcome would be. He didn't care if he lost his rank to Sephiroth though. He had spent twelve long years in the military and he had more important things he wanted to do with his life, like a family and a home. "Rayze. Get up there and show that boy who is boss. He's made it to the last bout, right chap?" The president urged the Top Officer on. Rayze just looked up and slicked his hair back. "Sephiroth has earned his skills with more compassion than I ever had. You may just be surprised who makes it out of this competition standing. There is a good chance it will be him. Thank you for the kind words though president." Rayze arose from the table and walked over to the battle arena. He took the position next to the opposite turnbuckle and scanned over the crowd that roared for him and the fighter opposing him. "Utilize everything I have taught you and you will win, Commander Sephiroth." Rayze nodded and the glare of mako seemed to burn in his eyes. Sephiroth raised his eyebrows at the title of commander. That must have been the rank of the last First Class SOLDIER he had defeated. The bell rang and everything seemed to go in slow motion for the student and teacher. Both of they're swords were drawn the instant the bell toned. Sephiroth studied the other's eyes with his own as both SOLDIERs made they're actions concise and with perfection. The crowd seemed to grow silent as they witnessed high-speed sword fighting at its best. Sephiroth matched every attack from his General's dual Murasame with a perfect display of accuracy and power. They're attacks and parries seemed to blend together perfectly. Nothing could have penetrated either of they're defenses until Sephiroth delivered a lightning quick knee to Rayze's chin. Rayze went flying backwards under the force and landed on his hands. He instantly flipped onto his feet and blasted a ray of Flare into Sephiroth's chest. The super-concentrated heat beam knocked Sephiroth into the turnbuckle. Rayze was there the instant he collided and began his lightning quick onslaught of punches and kicks. Sephiroth took the full force of it for about five seconds until he slashed his Masamune across Rayze's chest and ripped the strong armor of his breastplate open. Blood didn't even have enough time to surface before the Jenova cells in Rayze's body healed the wound. "It'll take a little more than that to take me down and you know it." "I know," Sephiroth replied coolly as he raised his sword to his fighting position. Rayze attacked with a long chain of powerful sword maneuvers next. Sephiroth knew what the Top Officer was doing. He blocked each one with his long sword and kicked the man in the stomach. Rayze attempted to grab his leg and turn him on his face but only succeeded in leaving an open space for a jab. Sephiroth sliced one of Rayze's bangles completely from his shoulder and did a succession of quick back-flips away from the SOLDIER. He raised his left hand back and collected a handful of green magical energy. He released it in a wave of powerful spells as he called them off. "Ice Three, Fire Three, Lightning Three, Quake Three, Comet Two!" "Damn you." Rayze attempted to cast a Reflect Spell but the magical chain had already begun to take its toll by the time he parted his lips. The elements all ravaged him violently with a sort of beautifully scenic display. Following the sinkhole beneath his feet came a barrage of magical Comets. He was only stumbled backwards, but was exhausted as the magical energy dissipated. "So you want to play magician. Try this on for size kid! Knight's of Round!" Three spheres of light swarmed around the weakened General's hand and erupted in a cataclysmic array of light as Sephiroth was thrown into an illusionary abyss and attacked by twelve knights. They ravaged him with they're swords, staves, axes, and even magic for a total of twelve hits before a giant knight raised a sword of light above the target's head and slashed downward. Sephiroth stumbled backwards as the magic disappeared from all around him. The crowd was cheering deafeningly as they witnessed the magical supremacy that the two warriors possessed aside from they're sonic speed swordsmanship. Sephiroth breathed heavily in exhaustion as he watched in slow motion at the invading attack that he was about to take full force. Rayze slashed in a sextuplet of sleek maneuvers with his Alpha and Omega swords. Sephiroth perceived the attack seconds before it happened and brushed it off with a wave of red light from his body. General Rayze saw it coming as soon as Omega deflected off of the energy wave. He knew what was coming and began to take steps backwards. The crowd booed at his involuntary retreat but he didn't care. He took his guarding position and watched as the silver haired, almost angelic, swordsman held his long Katana like Masamune in front of him and closed his eyes. Light began to radiate off of the blade as a gentle wind began to sweep across the arena. The once silver bladed Masamune glowed brightly and became crystalline as he parted his lips and met his binocular eyes with his best friend. "Angel of Death," Sephiroth whispered under his breath and, with light speed, clashed with the other man in a fury of flowing sword maneuvers. The crystalline blade of his Masamune seemed to disappear as he thrashed his old trainer like a soulless monster. It felt like betrayal but he couldn't control it. Rayze blocked as many of the slices as he could before his arms went limp under the pressure. Even with his mako strength he couldn't hold up and the final blow came nearing his chest. Sephiroth rose into the air as if he had wings and dropped like the Angel of Death upon Rayze with his long, curved blade poised downward to go through his chest. At the last second Rayze cast a Protect spell over his body. The blue light encased him protectively but the long blade still pierced him through the stomach. As the uncontrollable limit break came to an end, Sephiroth realized what he had done and pulled his blade free from the man's stomach. Paramedics were sprinting to the fallen General as the crowd stared with disbelief. Sephiroth grabbed the Restore materia from Rayze's left sword and cast Cure Three as quickly as he could. Rayze was coughing blood from his lungs as the light enveloped him and began to heal his wounds. He suddenly began to laugh. His eyes closed and he brought a hand to his forehead as he hyperventilated and laughed at the same time. Sephiroth stood to his feet, ragged, bloody, and sore and reached a hand down to the General who was in worse condition. "Where did you learn that at? I didn't teach that to you." General Raze stood up and sheathed his swords. He pulled his shoulder guards off and unlatched the leather straps that connected to the armored rank belt around his waist. He unlatched the small fasteners that connected to the belt of his fighting pants and pulled the heavy, symbol bearing rank belt over his head. You certainly have proven that you are Top Officer material. Here, take it. You have proven yourself over the past two years well enough. You deserve it more than I do." "Thank you.sir!" Sephiroth saluted the Ex-General with more pride than he had ever felt and attached the Top Officer belt around his waist. The crowd couldn't hear anything that they were saying but cheered happily and congratulatory for the new Top Officer of SOLDIER. Rayze walked up to the microphone stand with Sephiroth standing next to him and pulled it from the stand. "I now resign my rank of Top Officer of SOLDIER to my successor and student, Sephiroth." All of the SOLDIERs that were in the crowd gave they're last salutes to Jericho Rayze. Back at the table, Professor Hojo gave a sneer to the president. Shinra just gave a smug look like he didn't care he had been wrong and clapped. Hojo glanced up at Sephiroth, who had just proven himself as the best fighter in the world. "That's my boy."
The next morning was dreary. It figured. The day of his famed, eighteenth birthday and there is a thunderstorm warning on every television channel in existence. Sephiroth had decided to sleep the whole night, something that he rarely did due to his extensive studying that he obsessively continued every night and day. He walked into the small bathroom attached to his bedroom and looked in the mirror. His hair was a mess, and it only figured that the pillow he was sleeping on left imprints on the left side of his face. He rubbed the lines on his face with his hand and sighed. This was just turning into an excellent morning, he thought to himself. Sephiroth didn't even attempt to brush the tangles out of his waist length hair. His bangs were even cringed. His bangs never even really moved, much less get messed up. He sighed. His bangs were one of his only features that he really liked about himself. They gave him a solid uniqueness since nobody he had ever seen really had hair like his. He shook his head and got into the shower. He turned the water on and only freezing cold water came rushing through the pipelines. He didn't even flinch. The eighteen-year old just shook his head and cursed under his breath. He washed out the length of his hair thoroughly and succeeded in scrubbing himself clean before getting out of the shower to find nothing within arms reach to dry himself off with. "Well isn't this day just going to be a blast." As he tracked water all over the floor of the bathroom, he heard a loud knock at his door and the sound of footsteps clobbering away at the wooden stairs. "I swear to God if it is a prank I'm going to find the guy and wring his neck." Sephiroth cracked his knuckles loudly and pulled on his uniform quickly. He finished strapping the tall combat boots to his legs securely and locking his metal armlets to his forearms before opening the wooden door of his apartment. His hair was still wet and seemed to fall down his back in large strands. His bangs had air dried already and naturally positioned themselves the way they always did when they were dry. He looked down each end of the hallway and as he suspected, found no one. He was just about to step out of the room and hunt the immature idiot down like a raptor when he noticed something lying in front of the door with a piece of paper attached to it. "I wonder what this is all about," Sephiroth whispered to himself. Placed neatly in front of his doorway was a long cardboard box. It was a little over six feet long and looked really old. It seemed almost as if it had been in storage for a long time. The edges were worn and ragged. Though its battered shape, the box still contained whatever was inside it well. Sephiroth reached down to pick the box up and found that it was quite heavy. In fact it was very heavy for such a narrow box. He carried the mass of cardboard inside and laid it across the kitchen table. The mystery of what was inside the box outweighed his desire to read the letter and the soon-to-be-SOLDIER reached for a kitchen knife to slice the seam of the box open. After cutting the seams of the box he lifted the jagged edged portion of thick paper away and found what seemed to be a solid brick of Styrofoam. He knew better than that and pulled half of the white material away. What he found beneath took his breath away. It was a sword. It was the most beautiful sword he had ever laid eyes upon. It looked just like a Katana. It had a curved blade and the same type of handle and all. "My god. Who could forge something so perfect?" Sephiroth didn't even touch the sword. He just stared down at it and allowed his enhanced eyes to take in every detail. The five and a half foot long blade had a reflective luster to its perfect, razor sharp edge. He could see every detail of everything that was caught in the mirror-like blade. As he examined further he came to the base of the hilt. The rectangular hand guard that kept the hand from slipping onto the sharp blade was forged of a shiny, black crystal. The poker card sized guard was rimmed with a sleek, intricately symmetrical design. Beyond the base was the handle, which was wrapped with gold and black grip material. Between each of the diamond shaped areas on the side of the handle that weren't bound by the material there were materia slots. Finally, at the end of the ten-inch sword hilt there was the black end cap that kept the handle's grip from fraying. The Katana-like sword was beautiful. That wasn't all though. Lying next to the sword in the Styrofoam was a black sheath. Engraved on the onyx sword sheath was a small inscription. As Sephiroth turned his head to read it he frowned. The sheath had the words 'Angel of Death' carven upon it. After seeing this, the letter was brought back to his attention. He unfolded it and started to read aloud:
Dear Sephiroth,
It is without further ado that I present you with our ultimate family weapon, Masamune. It was blessed millennia ago by an ancient in our family history. The sword is protected from destruction and impurity and is now being passed onto you. This is your master weapon. It conceals tremendous power and magic and will allow you to discover new fighting abilities that you never knew were there. Hence the inscription on the sheath, this blade holds superiority over any weapon you have ever touched, and its' power is matched by few. This weapon will wield as if it were an extension of your body, and will cut through anything as if it were butter. It will only obey your command and cannot be wielded by any other human being. Take Masamune and wield it with compassion. It should be the key to the final door to your ultimate goal.
Sincerely, Father
"Oh my god. My father?" Sephiroth looked back at the blade and studied his reflection upon it. "Impossible. But, how did he know that my main goal involved my ultimate weapon? He would have to be someone in Shinra." Sephiroth shook his head and brushed off the oddity. Whoever it was that left him this gift could not have been his real father. He had been told that his father died on a secret Shinra mission many months before he was born. It must have been a person that my father trusted. Perhaps he was ordered to give me his old weapon before he passed away? "I don't know. Quit going in circles Sephiroth. It's done and over with. You have a cool sword now, big deal." The tall eighteen-year old young man reached his black-gloved hand toward the long Katana-like handle of the Masamune. Before his fingers even touched the black and gold handle he felt a rush of knowledge blast through his mind. It was as if the sword was speaking to him. Images flew past his line of vision like speeding bullets but his darting eyes caught each one. He saw images of people wielding the blade in many different ways. Each person had the similar characteristic of long hair and bangs. He watched as dragons, armored golems, and even villainous people were ripped to shreds under the amazing skills that the people wielding the blade possessed. After absorbing so much knowledge of the sword's past in his family, Sephiroth gripped the sword fully and lifted it. Its heaviness was reduced to that of a feather under his grip and it gleamed with newfound glory. The five and a half foot blade was slid evenly into the black sheath. The mirror blade seemed to pull the reflections inside the sheath with it. The young man looked over at his old Katana swords and back to the one that seemed to fit with him perfectly. He kicked the other battle worn swords under his bed and tied the sheath containing the invincible family sword to his belt. It was much longer than the others but it was perfectly balanced at his side.it truly was an extension of himself, he thought. An hour later he was heading into the courtyard of the Shinra University. He parked his sleek, Shinra Motors XR-70 motorcycle outside of the parking garage and was enduring the thick gazes at his new weapon. Everyone knew him. Everyone had they're own view of him. All of the guys seemed to dislike him. They called him a pretty boy and a teacher's pet. The girls on the other hand considered him a sex god. General Rayze always joked that he had a fanclub. The sad part is the general wasn't really joking. Sephiroth had had girlfriends off and on. When it came down to it though, he realized it was just for the fame. Most girls didn't really care about him, they just wanted to be able to say that they were going out with Sephiroth. That was another reason most guys hated him. He had sex with more virgins than one could count and he didn't really have to try. Sephiroth didn't care about that though. Yes, it was a pleasing experience, but it was nothing like the rush he got from combat. The taste of a victory was much more pleasing for him than anyone could contemplate.
As the long-haired, SOLDIER clad young man reached the center of the courtyard he found what he least expected. An arena. There were many important people from Shinra sitting at a large table. The group included president Shinra. Sephiroth studied him from across the courtyard. He hadn't ever even spoken to the man but he knew much about him. He had slicked back blonde hair, a family characteristic, and bright blue eyes. His flamboyant red tuxedo was worn with much pride and seemed to domineer over the other members of his council. He was also just a tad overweight, but Sephiroth just figured that was from sitting in his office all day working. A hand rested on his armored shoulder pad and patted with a metallic click. Sephiroth glanced over coolly to see General Rayze standing next to him. "Are you ready for the biggest brawl you've ever been in Sephiroth?" "More than you will ever know. But, I didn't know it would be such a big ordeal." He replied with a shrug. Rayze chuckled. "It is a huge event. This big ass courtyard is going to be packed to the max with people tonight. I pray that you do your best because it will reflect upon me. You were my personal student after all. I hope all of the boasting I did to the Shinra executives and president was a good idea. They will be expecting an impressive fight from you Sephiroth" The general seemed to sweat it a little but he played it off coolly. "Gee, thanks. Can't wait." Sephiroth rolled his eyes. "By the way. Check out the sword that was addressed to me outside my front door." Sephiroth reached for the gold and black handle and unsheathed the Masamune from the black sheath tied to his belt. The long, curved blade exited the sheath with a glass like sparkle. He had inserted five of his master materia into five of the six slots. "That's odd. It was left outside your apartment for you? That is an ultimate weapon, man. Few people ever inherit them." Rayze studied the black sheath next and nodded. "Angel of Death. It's a given then. My ultimate weapons, the two Murasame blades I always fight with, have titles on they're sheathes also. One sheath says 'Alpha' and the other says 'Omega'. It's impossible to sheath one sword in the others sheath also. Its strange, but congratulations." "I haven't used it yet. I hope I do as well with it rather than my Katana." Sephiroth shook his head and brushed off the matter. "Anyway. I need to focus on this fight tonight." "Yes you do because you will be competing against some of the best fighters in the world. If you even manage to make it past them you will then have to face me so get ready for a nasty fight. I'm not going to go easy on you in the least." The General snickered and passed his gaze to the arena that he would be fighting in later on. It was similar to a boxing ring but instead of elastic ropes, there were metal cables that connected each turnbuckle. The level of the arena was also on the ground. The cobblestone floor of the huge courtyard looked very uninviting to the flesh. For the rest of the day, the eighteen year old walked around campus and looked at his old classrooms and study places. He knew he was different. There was something special about him, and he knew it. He knew how easily he grasped things and how well his instincts reacted in combat. He had something special but he wasn't sure why it was given to him. He knew that he had been injected with mako and Jenova as a child but even so he still had something that few had. "I know biochemical compounds off of the top of my head but I don't know who my real mother or father are. I guess it doesn't matter." Sephiroth sighed and got up from his old seat in Gast's classroom. He headed for the door and started back to the courtyard to get ready for the annual SOLDIER competition, which was to begin in less than an hour. He knew now. This was it. This was the time to complete his most important goal. He was going to win the competition above all odds. Friendship, anything, didn't matter now. This was his chance to shine to the world.his one chance to make something of his hard work. The courtyard was already almost crammed with viewers. Space was made for the president's table and his executives by protection of the Turks. The Turks were an elite team of secret agents that had only two purposes. The first was to protect the president with they're lives, and the second was to scout for candidates of SOLDIER. The leader of the Turks was a tall, long-haired man of about twenty six. His hair resembled Rayze's only it was half the length. He stood proudly next to the president of Shinra and pushed away anyone who came too close. Sephiroth shook his head and walked up to General Rayze, who was standing at the far left end of an average sized stage. The wooden floorboards were buffed to a shiny, almost petrified state, the young man noticed, as the tall combat boots strode across it. There was a line of ten First Class SOLDIERs standing to the General's side. About five feet in front of the line of powerful fighters there was a metal microphone stand. A middle aged man with short blonde hair and a stubble of a beard was standing behind it scanning over the massive crowd that was crowded around the stage. It was the president of the university. "Hey Rayze. How is this going to work," Sephiroth asked with a concerned look on his face. The black haired general just nudged him over to his right side and motioned to the announcer. "Ladies and Gentlemen from around the world, welcome to the Annual SOLDIER Fighting Championship. As some of you may remember from the past championships we have held, it will be a battle between ten of the most powerful First Class SOLDIERs in the ranks." The announcer turned and motioned to all of the men behind him. "This year we have a small extra for you though!" The announcer turned to Sephiroth, who was almost directly behind him, and motioned for him quickly with a wave of his hand. Sephiroth glanced at the crowd, slightly nervously and nodded. He strode up to the stand, his beautiful long hair billowing in the breeze. The heavy spotlights all came down on him and the announcer in a whip of color. Sephiroth stood tall and proud under the bright lights, which reflected off of his bangles, armlets, and shimmering hair like rays from a Flare spell.
"We have General Jericho Rayze's personal student with us tonight. Meet Sephiroth ladies and gentlemen! He has been training with our amazing General for almost two years now and from what I hear has been an incredible success! He has decided to compete against the SOLDIERs in this year's championship for an entry into SOLDIER, folks." The announcer narrowed over to the barely eighteen- year old young man next to him. "So, what is your goal battling against these amazing fighters tonight Mr. Sephiroth?" "I would like to at least come out of this with a respectful rank." Sephiroth spoke into the microphone with a somewhat confident voice. The announcer raised a hand to initiate the wave of hoots and claps that would soon erupt. One person in the front line of viewers, who was very drunk, threw a beer bottle at Sephiroth with a quarterback arm. Sephiroth caught it without the slightest effort and set it on the metal microphone stand. The crowd roared with laughter as the Turks drug the man away. "Well Sephiroth, best of luck to you!" The announcer turned back to the crowd as Sephiroth took a step backwards to rejoin the line of SOLDIERs. "The championship will go as follows. The lowest, or in Mr. Sephiroth's case, no ranked fighter will start the competition against the lowest of the ten SOLDIERs. With each victory, either fighter will be given the option to succeed the rank of the defeated opposition or stay in they're own rank. The winner of each fight will move up to the next highest ranked SOLDIER and follow suite as the fight before. The person who defeats the highest ranked First Class SOLDIER will then be set in a dual with General Jericho Rayze himself. If they defeat him, then they will take the rank of Top Officer respectfully. Let the fighting begin." Instantly, Sephiroth and the last SOLDIER in line were ushered to the twenty-foot square battle arena. The crowd cheered as the made they're way. Before either man was allowed into the ring, they were frisked by a blue suited Turk. As they were approved they were instructed to stand at opposite corners. The Turk looked up at the two fighters that were a few inches taller than him. "At the sound of the bell you can draw your weapons. There are no actual rules, but you are disqualified for acting before the bell rings or falling out of the ring." As the man exited the ring, a bell was rang loudly to initiate combat. Sephiroth instantly had his new Masamune blade poised in his fighting stance. The rush of combat coursed through his veins as he paced forward towards the other SOLDIER. The other man had long red hair that fell past his shoulders. His eyes glowed with a purplish color as he held his severely jagged edged Organics sword in front of him. The crowd roared with excitement as the First Class leapt at Sephiroth with inhuman speed. He thrashed his razor sharp blade downward in an arc and found it intercepted by the long curved blade of the Masamune. He pressed down heavily but was thrown backwards by a kick to the chest. Sephiroth leapt forward with his blade and even more inhuman speed. He could already sense that the man would block his maneuver and faked the downward slice with a horizontal slash. The long blade whipped across the other SOLDIER's breast plate and ripped a red gash into his chest. The man did several back flips backwards and attempted to cure his wound with a cure materia, but wasn't given the chance as his opposition roundhouse kicked him in the chin with tremendous speed and sent him flying with into one of the metal boundary cords. The man fell out of the ring unconscious and the Turk walked onto the stage and lifted Sephiroth's arm into the air. The next SOLDIER came into the ring after the Turk referee exited and took his post. He was a lot bigger than Sephiroth and had an extremely muscular frame. The man hefted a massive broadsword off of his back as the bell rang. Sephiroth wasted absolutely no time in blazing into the larger man with a fury of circular based slices. His attacks seemed to flow into one another as the other SOLDIER blocked each with a tremendous blow. "Your strong. not strong enough though I don't think." Sephiroth kicked the man in the jaw swiftly and followed the blurring attack with an uppercut and a slash across one of the man's wrists. The man was too slow to swing his massive blade with one arm and found himself pummeled brutally by the Katana like blade of the teenager. With a fifth and final hit, the man's huge sword was hacked into two. He now had nothing to block with and tackled the smaller young man like a football player. Sephiroth fell easily under the man's weight but was instantly on his feet again after Judo flipping the man in a single motion over himself and out of the ring.
"He has done well so far. I hope all the money I bet on him is worth it though later on," the president commented between puffs of a cigar and glanced over at his executives sitting around the table. They were about ten feet away from the ring and had a great view of everything that was happening inside. The next First Class SOLDIER had already entered the ring and was fighting against the two-win streak the other sleek fighter had won. "He is perfect. His skills much outweigh any of those First Class SOLDIERs out there. I wouldn't be surprised if he even defeats Top Officer Rayze." Professor Hojo chimed in after the president was done speaking. His white lab coat was buttoned to the neck and his greasy looking black hair was tied back into a ponytail. His stringy bangs hung over his beady, spectacle enhanced eyes while he watched his unbeknownst son fight impressively. "I can't believe you finally gave him your sword Hojo. It had been in our basement for years. I guess you were right. He is ready for it," Scarlet raised an eyebrow as she watched Sephiroth annihilate the third SOLDIER with a powerful baseball swing of his sword. The long blade whipped the man into and over the edge of the arena. Sephiroth did an impressive, crowd-pleasing back-flip to his post and allowed them all to cheer him on. He wiped his blade clean of blood before the fourth SOLDIER entered the ring and was pleased to see that the note had been correct. There wasn't a single scratch or nick on the blade. He slid it back into the sheath and smiled at the title of the blade. Angel of Death. The next SOLDIER to get into the ring was shorter than him, and not nearly as muscular, but he had a dishonorable weapon strapped to his right leg. It was a standard issue Mako Rifle. To prepare for the dangerous fight, the stage technicians activated a blue magical barrier from a large generator like machine at one corner of the arena. The crowd booed due to the reduction of visibility but obliged for they're safety. The bell rang loudly and echoed off the powerful magical barrier surrounding the ring. "Your done." The SOLDIER hefted his black rifle up to his should and instantly fired at the sword bearing man rapidly. His aim was dead on and Sephiroth had to block most of the green lasers with his sword. The bursts of laser dissipated away harmlessly as he flipped the long blade in hundreds of different angles to block all of them. Sephiroth shook his head angrily and flipped into the air, away from the immediate blasts. He levitated with the gravity manipulation technique that Rayze had taught him only months ago and summoned a mass of green energy from his left palm. He threw the magical energy at the gunmen below and soared slightly higher to avoid the blast. "Ultima!" The massive explosion rocked the entire courtyard as the man was knocked unconscious. Sephiroth took a heavy breath and dropped back to the arena. As the blue magical curtain refolded itself, the roar of the crowd could be heard like a rock concert. They chanted his name over and over again. The next SOLDIER got into the ring and the battle began soon afterwards. "His swordsmanship and magical strength is amazing. He has defeated four First Class SOLDIERs in less than two hours. Watch as he flows through his attacks. Each slice flows into the next in almost a circular fashion. He even manages to throw in kicks and punches between his attacks. The speed is incredible." Hojo proudly studied his son as he fought. He was everything that he himself was not, muscular, fast, and intelligent. I.Q., bangs, sharp eyes, and motivation were the only traits that his son had carried on from him. "He's good but I don't think he has what it takes to take down Rayze." The president laughed a little. He was trying to tick Hojo off and the scientists knew it. "We'll see." Hojo scoffed in annoyance. He kicked back in his chair as he watched his son gain yet another victory. The sixth fighter entered the ring and fell within ten minutes of constant sword fighting. Sephiroth's speed and accuracy overwhelmed the higher ranked man as he attempted to keep up with the swift attacks, guards, and parries. Hojo glanced at the president with a glint in his beady eyes and watched as his son began to dual with the eighth SOLDIER. The man was very fast and powerful with the two short swords he wielded as if they were extensions of himself. Sephiroth's catlike pupils narrowed in on every swift movement that the man made as he blocked with his Masamune blade. The man was suddenly shocked to see Sephiroth bat one of his swords out of his hand and into the air. The short one-handed sword hilt landed in Sephiroth's right hand while he blocked the man's single sword with his Masamune. He wiped the blade out of the way and stabbed the overwhelmed fighter with his own sword. The blade protruded from his left should with a red splash. As the referee drug the wounded man off of the arena and sent him to the hospital, the ninth SOLDIER entered the ring. Hojo glanced over at the president. "Are you sure about what you said earlier?" "We'll see." Rayze sat down at the table as the group watched Sephiroth annihilate the nineth and tenth SOLDIER. The two fights altogether only lasted a matter of fifteen minutes. Rayze equipped his weapons well. He knew he was going to have to fight and after seeing Sephiroth fight he wasn't sure what the outcome would be. He didn't care if he lost his rank to Sephiroth though. He had spent twelve long years in the military and he had more important things he wanted to do with his life, like a family and a home. "Rayze. Get up there and show that boy who is boss. He's made it to the last bout, right chap?" The president urged the Top Officer on. Rayze just looked up and slicked his hair back. "Sephiroth has earned his skills with more compassion than I ever had. You may just be surprised who makes it out of this competition standing. There is a good chance it will be him. Thank you for the kind words though president." Rayze arose from the table and walked over to the battle arena. He took the position next to the opposite turnbuckle and scanned over the crowd that roared for him and the fighter opposing him. "Utilize everything I have taught you and you will win, Commander Sephiroth." Rayze nodded and the glare of mako seemed to burn in his eyes. Sephiroth raised his eyebrows at the title of commander. That must have been the rank of the last First Class SOLDIER he had defeated. The bell rang and everything seemed to go in slow motion for the student and teacher. Both of they're swords were drawn the instant the bell toned. Sephiroth studied the other's eyes with his own as both SOLDIERs made they're actions concise and with perfection. The crowd seemed to grow silent as they witnessed high-speed sword fighting at its best. Sephiroth matched every attack from his General's dual Murasame with a perfect display of accuracy and power. They're attacks and parries seemed to blend together perfectly. Nothing could have penetrated either of they're defenses until Sephiroth delivered a lightning quick knee to Rayze's chin. Rayze went flying backwards under the force and landed on his hands. He instantly flipped onto his feet and blasted a ray of Flare into Sephiroth's chest. The super-concentrated heat beam knocked Sephiroth into the turnbuckle. Rayze was there the instant he collided and began his lightning quick onslaught of punches and kicks. Sephiroth took the full force of it for about five seconds until he slashed his Masamune across Rayze's chest and ripped the strong armor of his breastplate open. Blood didn't even have enough time to surface before the Jenova cells in Rayze's body healed the wound. "It'll take a little more than that to take me down and you know it." "I know," Sephiroth replied coolly as he raised his sword to his fighting position. Rayze attacked with a long chain of powerful sword maneuvers next. Sephiroth knew what the Top Officer was doing. He blocked each one with his long sword and kicked the man in the stomach. Rayze attempted to grab his leg and turn him on his face but only succeeded in leaving an open space for a jab. Sephiroth sliced one of Rayze's bangles completely from his shoulder and did a succession of quick back-flips away from the SOLDIER. He raised his left hand back and collected a handful of green magical energy. He released it in a wave of powerful spells as he called them off. "Ice Three, Fire Three, Lightning Three, Quake Three, Comet Two!" "Damn you." Rayze attempted to cast a Reflect Spell but the magical chain had already begun to take its toll by the time he parted his lips. The elements all ravaged him violently with a sort of beautifully scenic display. Following the sinkhole beneath his feet came a barrage of magical Comets. He was only stumbled backwards, but was exhausted as the magical energy dissipated. "So you want to play magician. Try this on for size kid! Knight's of Round!" Three spheres of light swarmed around the weakened General's hand and erupted in a cataclysmic array of light as Sephiroth was thrown into an illusionary abyss and attacked by twelve knights. They ravaged him with they're swords, staves, axes, and even magic for a total of twelve hits before a giant knight raised a sword of light above the target's head and slashed downward. Sephiroth stumbled backwards as the magic disappeared from all around him. The crowd was cheering deafeningly as they witnessed the magical supremacy that the two warriors possessed aside from they're sonic speed swordsmanship. Sephiroth breathed heavily in exhaustion as he watched in slow motion at the invading attack that he was about to take full force. Rayze slashed in a sextuplet of sleek maneuvers with his Alpha and Omega swords. Sephiroth perceived the attack seconds before it happened and brushed it off with a wave of red light from his body. General Rayze saw it coming as soon as Omega deflected off of the energy wave. He knew what was coming and began to take steps backwards. The crowd booed at his involuntary retreat but he didn't care. He took his guarding position and watched as the silver haired, almost angelic, swordsman held his long Katana like Masamune in front of him and closed his eyes. Light began to radiate off of the blade as a gentle wind began to sweep across the arena. The once silver bladed Masamune glowed brightly and became crystalline as he parted his lips and met his binocular eyes with his best friend. "Angel of Death," Sephiroth whispered under his breath and, with light speed, clashed with the other man in a fury of flowing sword maneuvers. The crystalline blade of his Masamune seemed to disappear as he thrashed his old trainer like a soulless monster. It felt like betrayal but he couldn't control it. Rayze blocked as many of the slices as he could before his arms went limp under the pressure. Even with his mako strength he couldn't hold up and the final blow came nearing his chest. Sephiroth rose into the air as if he had wings and dropped like the Angel of Death upon Rayze with his long, curved blade poised downward to go through his chest. At the last second Rayze cast a Protect spell over his body. The blue light encased him protectively but the long blade still pierced him through the stomach. As the uncontrollable limit break came to an end, Sephiroth realized what he had done and pulled his blade free from the man's stomach. Paramedics were sprinting to the fallen General as the crowd stared with disbelief. Sephiroth grabbed the Restore materia from Rayze's left sword and cast Cure Three as quickly as he could. Rayze was coughing blood from his lungs as the light enveloped him and began to heal his wounds. He suddenly began to laugh. His eyes closed and he brought a hand to his forehead as he hyperventilated and laughed at the same time. Sephiroth stood to his feet, ragged, bloody, and sore and reached a hand down to the General who was in worse condition. "Where did you learn that at? I didn't teach that to you." General Raze stood up and sheathed his swords. He pulled his shoulder guards off and unlatched the leather straps that connected to the armored rank belt around his waist. He unlatched the small fasteners that connected to the belt of his fighting pants and pulled the heavy, symbol bearing rank belt over his head. You certainly have proven that you are Top Officer material. Here, take it. You have proven yourself over the past two years well enough. You deserve it more than I do." "Thank you.sir!" Sephiroth saluted the Ex-General with more pride than he had ever felt and attached the Top Officer belt around his waist. The crowd couldn't hear anything that they were saying but cheered happily and congratulatory for the new Top Officer of SOLDIER. Rayze walked up to the microphone stand with Sephiroth standing next to him and pulled it from the stand. "I now resign my rank of Top Officer of SOLDIER to my successor and student, Sephiroth." All of the SOLDIERs that were in the crowd gave they're last salutes to Jericho Rayze. Back at the table, Professor Hojo gave a sneer to the president. Shinra just gave a smug look like he didn't care he had been wrong and clapped. Hojo glanced up at Sephiroth, who had just proven himself as the best fighter in the world. "That's my boy."