Party: Cloud, Aerith and Tifa on one side of the split; Barret and Red XIII on the other.
Key unlocks: The Junon region at the far end, with its own tower, chocobo and side quests.
Watch for: AP Up and the Sylph Gloves are in the mine’s first tiers; the mine is walkable later, but it is faster now.
1. The Old Republic tunnels
Following the cloaked figures in.
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1
AP Up
In the tunnels before the quarry: the first AP Up, which levels a linked materia faster.
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2
The quarry, first tier
Sylph Gloves for Tifa in a chest; an Ogre on the second tier, with Ether and Iron Ore in the chests around it.
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3
The mine cart
Push it to open the way. Cloud’s terrain action, and the first of many box-and-cart puzzles.
2. The Turks
The party splits: Barret and Red XIII go their own way, and Cloud’s group walks into Rude and Elena.
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1
Eavesdrop first
The conversation before the fight is the reason they are here.
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2
Rude and Elena
Elena is weak to lightning and goes first: Rude’s Atlas Stance reduces the damage he takes while she is up. Their synergy attacks mid-fight cannot be blocked — dodge them. Wind on Rude once she is down.
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3
The escape route
The three Hi-Potions (by the broken lift) and three Lea Titanium (below the bridge) are in chests on the way to the Turks, not after them.
3. Barret’s half
Control switches to Barret and Red XIII in the lower mine.
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1
The lower layer
Renegade’s Collar for Red XIII by the first rest station, MP Up further on. Barret shoots the rocks for Beast Bones.
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2
Roots, carts and ladders
Climb the roots to the upper layer; the cart levers make the platforms, Barret’s gun clears the boulders and shoots down the ladders to the 1,000-gil chest.
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3
Reunion, and the Golem
Aerith opens the gate at the rest spot. Lightning materia lies before the last fight: the Mythril Golem is weak to lightning, resists physical attacks, and is pressured by hitting the head. A chunk of Mythril Ore by the final lever, then out to Junon behind the robed figures.
4. Bosses
- Rude and Elena: Wind and lightning. Elena first; the synergy attacks are unblockable.
- Mythril Golem: Lightning. The head pressures it; physical hits bounce.
5. Before you leave
Cross-checked
Cross-checked on 16 September 2026 against Game8’s Chapter 3 walkthrough for the route, the split and the chests, and PowerPyx’s boss guide for both fights (Elena lightning, Rude wind, the Golem’s lightning weakness and head). What is still unverified is the only thing reading cannot settle — nobody here has played it. Re-checked on 1 October 2026 against Vandal’s and EliteGuias’ Chapter 3 walkthroughs: the Hi-Potion and Lea Titanium chests come before the Rude and Elena fight.