Chapter 3: Deeper into Darkness is the 3rd story mission in Final Fantasy 7 (VII) Rebirth. This walkthrough will guide you through all objectives of the Deeper into Darkness Main Mission.
Area: Mithril Mines
Objectives:
- Caves of Mythril
- Shadowy Figures
- Where They Lead
- Obstacle
- Ticket Out of Here
- Broken Ladder
- Escape the Depths
- Climbers
- So Close Yet So Far
- Two-Grand Gig
- Exit
- Tracking the Robes
Caves of Mythril
At the start of the chapter, you are just entering the mines. Follow the linear path forward following after Barret. There are some materials along the path you can grab, but nothing major to watch for aside from the rest spot just before the next objective occurs.
Shadowy Figures
You will automatically spot a group of black robes just ahead, make sure you’ve rested and used the vending machine if necessary then follow after them.
Where They Lead
The party will be separated, with now you only having Cloud, Aerith, and Tifa. You can use this first time to pull over any Materia or Accessories if you need, then start following the path ahead. The mines will have all new types of enemies that also count towards the Grasslands assessment count, so make sure you’re doing it on each new enemy.
Deal with the group of Crawlers, then move forward to where there are two paths. The path on the right leads directly across to where there is an AP Up Materia you can grab, but you can also get there by dropping down first and taking the ladder up to it.
Whichever you decide to do first you’ll need to drop down and deal with the Crawlers and Crystalline Crab first, weak to Fire and Ice respectively. The Crab is tougher and will guard against attacks with a defensive stance, but you can break this by hitting it with one of Cloud or Tifa’s ATB attacks.
Once they are dealt with and you have grabbed the materia, head toward the objective where on the way there will be a chest containing the Sylph Gloves weapon for Tifa.
Drop down to the next area where there is a large cavern with a path leading right. First, in the large cavern, you can deal with a group of Crawlers then open the chest for an Ether, then take the path leading out of the cavern.
The path in this room splits, with the lower level having a large number of boxes you can break, possibly dropping items, and allowing you to avoid the Ogre on the upper path if you wish. If you want to fight the Ogre they are weak to Fire, and blocking their club attacks pressures them, also making them good for getting Perfect Blocks on.
Follow the path and in the next large area, there is an optional chest off to the left, guarded by an Archdragon. These enemies are weak to wind, so using Aero is the quickest way to stagger them as they are in the air. After they are defeated you can open the chest for 5 x Iron Ore then continue in the tunnel.
Obstacle
The path ahead is blocked by a mine cart, which you can pull back out of the way by grabbing it with 
.
Ticket Out of Here
Keep following the path to the left, dealing with the group of Crawlers near the structure. You can grab 3 x Hi-potion from the chest just beside.
Broken Ladder
Push the mine cart from the back along the tracks towards the structure, which will allow you to climb up top and progress over the bridge.
At the end of the bridge you go up the stairs or loop around to the left to drop to a lower area. This lower area only actually includes a bunch of materials, including 3 x Lea Titanium in a chest, so can be skipped on repeat runs through the chapter. If you drop down you can get back up using the ladder that is just outside and right of the room with the Crawlers and Crystalline Crab, which puts you right back at the top of the stairs from before.
In the next spot there will be two Ogre you need to deal with to progress, remember they can be pressured by blocking their club attacks. After they are dealt with climb the next ladder and keep heading toward the objective. Make sure to rest and use the vending machines in the next room before continuing. When you reach the area where you can hear voices you will need to stand in the marked spot to hide and progress the scene.
Boss: Elena & Rude
- Weaknesses / Status Ailments: Wind (Rude), Lightning (Elena)
- Lesser Resistances: Petrify (Rude), None (Elena)
- Greater Resistances: Stop, Sleep (Both)
- Immunities: Proportional Damage, Slow, Silence, Stone, Morphable Items (Both)
- Absorbed Elements: —
- Items Dropped: Mega-Potion (Rude)
- Rare Items Dropped: —
- Stealable Items: Mega-Potion (Rude)
- Assess Info: Hitting him with multiple powerful offensive abilities while his guard is up will pressure him. Interrupting his synergy strikes will also pressure him (Rude). Hitting her with powerful offensive abilities will pressure her. Interrupting her synergy strikes will also pressure her (Elena).
This fight is pretty easy as the two enemies are easily pressured, Rude by using Wind magic and abilities, and Elena via Lightning. Use Aerith as your healer, creating a Ward and using Pray/Cure to keep Cloud and Tifa’s health topped up while they use their abilities and physical attacks. Learning the perfect parry timing and knowing when to guard and counter will benefit you greatly here.
The main thing to watch out for is when the two bosses lose roughly a third of their health and team up to start unleashing unblockable attacks. Your best bet here is to keep your distance and dodge them if you can, or if you keep getting hit, just Guard to minimize damage and boost your ATB.
Ultimately, try and pick one boss to defeat first (Rude has more health so is a good choice) since if you Stagger both at roughly the same time, you’ll be splitting your attacking resources and not make the most of the opportunity.
Hard Tips: As Rude and Elena are weak to Wind and Lightning respectively, equip one member with Elemental-Wind and Lightning on their weapon, then Elemental-Wind and Elemental-Lightning on the other members so they can all take advantage of their weaknesses. Use Cloud’s Counterstance ability whenever you get the chance to deal some good damage to them. You won’t use Cloud, Tifa or Aerith again this chapter so feel free to expend all your MP.
Escape the Depths
After the scenes following the boss, you will switch to playing Barret and Red XIII on their own. You can pull over any materia you need now (make sure to grab Assess and put it on the character you prefer) then can start making your way on after using the nearby rest spot. There is also a purple chest immediately beside the rest spot which contains the Renegarde’s Collar weapon for Red XIII.
If you remember from Remake Barret can shoot his arm at aspects of the environment while you play as him, though these are always just transmutation materials so don’t worry too much about hitting every single breakable item in this section.
Start moving toward the objective and you’ll encounter a new enemy type, called Flan. Most of the enemies in this section are these enemies, who resist most physical attacks (which is what Barret and Red primarily deal). You can quickly deal with them by attacking them with Fire-based magic, which is very useful in this area as they also drop items that replenish some of your MP whenever you defeat them.
Climbers
Ahead in the next large room, you are meant to take the path up to the left, but you should first head down to the right through the water.
At the very end of the area with the water you can find an MP Up Materia at the dead end in the southeast corner, then can take a path directly north leading to the objective.
On the large root structure ahead there are several handholds to allow you to climb up. On the second platform up there are boulders you can shoot, with one of them blocking the next set of handholds to allow you to reach to top of the area.
Head through the next large cavern where you will encounter some enemies you faced when playing previously with as Cloud. Deal with them and make your way through to where you encounter another mine cart.
So Close Yet So Far
Here the mine cart track splits, with a switch in the middle determining where it goes. First push the cart without touching the switching, which will allow you to reach the chest on the left that contains the Bulletproof Vest accessory.
After grabbing this push the cart back and pull the switch, switching the track and allowing you to push the mine cart to the other ledge to continue.
Two-Grand Gig
After spotting your friends across the gap, you’ll need to find a way to make a path for them. First, head left where there are two ladders you can shoot down. You should head up the ladder on the right first, as it leads to a small spot with a chest containing 1,000 Gil.
Drop down and climb the other ladder to find a group of Crawlers you need to deal with. There is a rest spot here that you can deal with now, or wait a few minutes until right before the upcoming boss fight. When the Crawlers are dealt with you first need to pull the switch to the left of the tracks, which will open the door blocking your way.
Start pushing the cart along the tracks. On the way, you will need to stop and shoot the Boulders blocking the path. Just to the right of the bridge, you can also find a chest containing a Hi-ether before progressing further.
Push the cart further past the split in the tracks, then pull the switch. This moves the track in the other direction, allowing you to push the cart off the ledge ahead to make a path for the others.
Exit
Now backtrack to the room with the rest spot, and the others will pull a switch opening a door for you. Make sure to rest here now if you hadn’t before, then pick up the Lightning Materia on the ground. If you don’t have one of these on Barret or Red already it would be helpful to equip now before progressing.
Boss: Mythril Golem
- Weaknesses / Status Ailments: Lightning
- Lesser Resistances: Fire, Ice, Sleep
- Greater Resistances: Physical
- Immunities: Proportional Damage, Berserk, Slow, Poison, Silence, Petrify, Stone, Morphable Items
- Absorbed Elements: —
- Items Dropped: —
- Rare Items Dropped: —
- Stealable Items:
- Assess Info: It is resistant to physical attacks, but damaging its head will pressure it, making physical attacks more effective.
This fight presents something of a conundrum as you only have Barret and Red XIII for it, both of whom are physical attackers whilst Mythril Golem is heavily resistant to physical attacks. If you do have Lightning Materia or Abilities with that element, then make those your priority, and if not aim for the Head which is a separate target. Destroying this will make the Golem susceptible to physical attacks for a brief time until it regenerates.
Halfway through the fight, Golem will develop a right arm and spine, both of which increase its attack options but conversely, targets you can take out to greatly boost the Stagger bar and reduce his effectiveness. Keep aiming at his appendages, only attacking the main body if all else is out of commission and he’s open to physical damage. This will be quite a long fight, which works in your favor as it allows you to build up Limits, Summons and Synergy Abilities if you have them to do significant damage.
Hard Tips: Equip both Barret and Red with Elemental-Lightning on their weapons to exploit the Golem’s weakness. Focus on the head, then when it spawns extra parts, focus on the drill weapon. Once again, feel free to use all your MP here as it’s right at the end of the chapter.
After the boss is defeated, follow the newly opened path back out to where you meet back up with the others and switch back to playing as Cloud.
Tracking the Robes
With everyone reunited, you can make your way through the tunnel ahead. There will be one more group of Ogres you need to deal with on your way out, then when you reach fresh air again you will complete the chapter.
This finishes Chapter 3: Deeper into Darkness in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth.
Next Up: Chapter 4: Dawn of a New Era
For all other Mission Walkthroughs, check out our complete Final Fantasy 7 (VII) Rebirth Walkthrough.
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