1.9 - Chapter 9: The Nibelheim Incident

At Nibelheim, approach Sephiroth after the scene, then talk to him. Now you can do an option thing, namely the quest 'The Seven Wonders'.

Optional

This is an optional quest. First talk to the boy who hangs around at the square and select the first option.

Wonder #1: Check the Water Tower in the middle of the square, and you'll get •PHOENIX MATERIA (Phoenix DMW).

Wonder #2: Check a picture of a girl in the bedroom of the 2nd floor at the Inn, and report it back to the boy. Check the picture again, and the girl will be gone. Now go up and down the stairs a few times, until you see a man in an overall going up the stairs. Follow him without getting too close. In the bedroom, you'll get •2000 GIL after the scene. Now go up and down and keep checking the picture. If the girl is on it, check it and you can get between 3 and 108 Gil.

Wonder #3: Take the eastern path from the town square, and grab an •ETHER from the chest in that area. Check your map again, and head north into Mount Nibel. At Mt. Nibel, head east at the intersection (check your map), and grab a •HI-POTION, •ELIXIR and •HP STONE along the way. Close to the last two chests, you'll encounter three Bomb-like creatures with 15530 HP each. Beat them fast, without any of them blowing up, and you'll receive the •GOLD SHARD. Report back to the boy for a •SAFETY BIT.

Wonder #4: Take the northern path from the town square, and west in the next area towards the Shinra Mansion. The goal is to get the combination for the safe in the northwest room.

1. Check the northeast room of the 2nd floor, and look through the keyhole. Count the amount of books that are not in the shelves: The books on top of the bookshelves count, the books on the ground count, and the book(s) on the chair on the right count also. You may have to zoom in/out to see part of the chair. This number is the hardest, so you may have to guess this one.
2. Go downstairs to the main hall. Look through the keyhole of the door on the east, and count the amount of Funny Faces that are floating around. Beware, they can vanish for a short amount of time, plus they can be on the edges. The ones on the edges are very difficult to spot.
3. At the western room of the 2nd floor, count the amount of blue banora apples and cans combined. Do NOT count the green Potions.
4. Now check the west door in the main hall, and count the chairs. This one's fairly easy, although the chairs can also be near the edges.

Now open up the safe. A cactuar pops out.. and you'll get a •MASTERED VITAL SLASH (M) (which gives +15 Strength). Head back to the boy and get sent out for the 5th Wonder. We'll put this on hold since it can't be done yet.

End of Optional

Head into the Inn and talk to Sephiroth when you're ready. After the scenes, don't speak with Sephiroth yet. Instead, walk out and get the •WHITE CAPE, then come back and talk to Sephiroth. After the scene, it's (semi) boss time.

Strategy

It is accompanied by two Genesis Legions (with 3040 HP each). Take those out first, then concentrate on Genesis Deleter. It's a slow creature, and you should be able to attack it fairly easy from behind.

If you didn't get the White Cape from the chest yet, you can do so now. Backtrack to Nibelheim, which is south on the maps. Don't worry about Tifa and Cloud, they'll appear right before you after each enemy encounter. Some scenes will happen. When you're inside the Inn, head outside toward the middle. After the scene, talk to Cloud (who's already outside with his Shinra Helm back on), and follow him to the Shinra Mansion. Here, talk to him again and move to the second floor. Head over to the northeast room and check the secret door.

Be surprised by the new surroundings, I personally liked the original much better, but at least this gives us room for.. enemy encounters. Yay? Check the chest at the top of the stairs for a •SOMA, then head down the ladder. In this area, check the southeast room for a •TALISMAN and the west room for a •X-POTION.

Wonder #5: Beat up a Sahagin and you'll get the Coffin Keys. Use this Coffin Keys to unlock and open the right coffin in the southeast room. Vincent Valentine sleeps in this.. what you see (or don't see) is what you get though. Now report back to the boy if you ever want to do the 6th and 7th mysteries. The other coffins only contain Bizarre Bug enemies.

Head back to the underground cave and head south. After the scene, check the room with the tubes for a chest with an •ELIXIR. When you attempt to leave, more scenes will happen and 1997 (history) will repeat itself. Grab the •FIRE RING (Oh Square Enix, always sense of irony) from the chest, talk to the boy, and select the first option. You must save his mother from the burning house.. except you can't see where you're walking. You'll have to do it on touch, and you have only 1 minute to get his mother, and all the way back. This is Wonder #6. This map can help you accomplish this:

   ooooooooooooooo
   o             o
   o             ooooo
   ooooooooo         o
           o         o
        Mother       o
                     o
          oooooooooooo
          o
   oooooooo        
   o
Entrance

You'll receive the •ATK Up++ (M) if you succeed. Now head north to see the legendary cult scene re-done. Head north, go through Mount Nibel, and please, by all means, SAVE YOUR GAME. Be sure to have at least one strong magic materia equipped, for example Blizzaga. Vitality boosting accessories will also do you good. If you have ReRaise on you, great. If not, consider using a Phoenix Down to get the status. Enter the Mako Reactor. Inside, approach Tifa, and many scenes will play.

Strategy

In my opinion the hardest, and definitely the coolest fight in the entire game. If you raised Zack's Vitality with accessories, all the better, but you can manage without. At least cast Barrier at the start, and hack away for a bit. Don't bother with his back, because he can teleport, plus he's too fast and he will keep up with you. His attacks are powerful. The absolute joker in this fight is the devastating Heartless Angel move, which reduces your HP to 1. Immediately heal up after this or you'll be toast if you don't have ReRaise. Focus Slash and Octaslash are powerful, but Barrier protects a good deal.

The fight continues.

Strategy

The glass is now broken, and the area is reduced to a small walkway, where Sephiroth is attempting to push you off in the depths of the Lifestream. Your goal is basically to defeat Sephiroth as QUICKLY as possible. To do this, I use a cheap but effective strategy: Spam your most powerful magic from a distance and use Ethers or Elixirs when you run out of MP. This will always get the job done. If you must rely on physical attacks, the main issue you'll be dealing with is that Sephiroth will slash you backwards, and this costs you precious time for healing and running back up to him. If you get driven to the end, it will be game over no matter what. ReRaise can't save you from it, should you have any doubts.

The inevitable happens, and more scenes play to end the chapter.

End of Chapter 9 Picture: The famous photo with Zack, Tifa and Sephiroth.