The next chapter begins with Lan receiving an email from his father concerning Chaud. Apparently he’s been at SciLab recently, looking glum. Yuuchiro thinks that his Official work hasn’t been going well and asks to talk to him to see what’s wrong. After the stunt tried to pull in the last update, Lan should really just tell the kid to piss off, but Lan’s not one to hold grudges and But Thou Must! and all.
But before I do that I’m quickly hopping on the Net so that I can use the WWW PIN to open the skull doors in Internet Areas 1 and 2, obtaining a Tri-Lance M and a Power UP. Back in the real world, Higsby’s added a few more chips to his stock:
- Slow Gauge Q – 5000z
- Geddon 2 K – 8000z
- Fighter Sword S – 12000z
- Buster Sword S – 20000z
In ACDC Station we can trade our Hammer M for a girl’s X-Panel 3 S. In front of the Government Complex we can re-battle Sharkman for his Navi chip. It has him use Fin Cutter on all three rows. Anyway, we learn from a scientist in the SciLab lobby that Chaud’s just left for Dentown. Apparently he’s tasked with finding the WWW server so he’s gone to look for members. Down in the restaurant there’s a young man who’ll trade a Wood Aura C for an Invisible 2 J, Cloudiest K, and a Ratton 3 L. Unfortunately we won’t be getting all of those chips until much later, but it’s something to keep in mind.
We find Chaud in Central Dentown harassing local passerby, looking for information on how to get into an area called the Undernet. Unsurprisingly he rebuffs Lan’s offer to help and walks away. So now it falls to us to get in to the Undernet. Fortunately, we have a lead in that WWW members should know how.
While we’re here we can visit Ms. Yuri’s classroom to find a little boy who wants to take a quiz. This will be a recurring thing in the series, and answering them all correctly nets us a prize. The questions and answers for this one are:
- Q1: How many light bulbs in the power plant network? (18)
- Q2: What’s the name of the Navi that took over the Waterworks? (Iceman)
- Q3: What do you always say when you jack in? (Transmit!)
- Q4: Which of these chips does 80 damage to your opponent? (Sword)
- Q5: Which of these chips increases your battle area? (Steal)
Answering them all correctly gets us a Ratton 1 E.
We can also refight Miyu and Skullman now. His Navi chip has his head come off and crush the nearest enemy.
Higsby’s the name to see. Ex-WWW maybe, but he should do. After hearing us out he hands over the Higsby Memo that’ll let us access the entrance in Dentown’s net. So off we go. I recommend using Miyu’s network as a shortcut, since she’s right there in Internet Area 4. We need to go to the very end of the area to where the exit marked with a W was, right next to a skull door guarding an HP Memory. The Higsby Memo unlocks the exit, as well as triggers a virus battle. After that, we’re in the Undernet.
Welcome to Internet Area 5, the beginning of the Undernet. As the name implies, the Undernet is a place where criminals gather and operate away from the eye of the law. It’s home to powerful viruses and rare chips for those lucky enough to venture into and come back in one piece. While in this game the Undernet looks exactly the same as the rest of the Net, in future games it takes on a much more sinister air. Before we can begin to explore however, we get an email from Higsby telling us that we need three more codes from ex-WWW members before we can reach where the WWW server is. Dammit Higsby, why didn’t you tell us this before we hauled ass all the way out here?! Fortunately though, he gives us a hint that one of the ex-members is at SciLab.
One of the scientists wandering around Sci Lab’s lobby is our man. He at first denies involvement but as soon as Higsby’s name comes up he admits to being ex-WWW and gives us the Lab Memo. He mentions that the other two people we need to meet for the other codes are a “young beautiful lady and an old man.” Well thanks, that really narrows it down… We have to hit up the woman first, even though seeing the old man would be more convenient.
It turns out that the woman is Ms. Yuri. Yep, unless the player has jacked in to her classroom’s blackboard and remembered that one of the Programs inside mentioned formerly being criminals, there’re no hints guiding you towards her. Even if you know that it’s her, she won’t fess up unless your library has a certain amount of chips recorded, but I don’t know what the requirement is. She’ll give us the Yuri Memo. Now for the old man, who’s actually an old man NPC in ACDC who’s claimed to not be senile throughout the game. Upon seeing that Megaman is at a certain level (again, I don’t know which) he’ll give us Pa’s Memo. Okay, now we’re ready to explore the Undernet.
The first point of interest that Internet Area 5’s path brings us to is a merchant:
- HP Memory – 8000z
- HP Memory – 10000z
- HP Memory – 12000z
- HP Memory – 15000z
- Power UP – 20000z
- X-Panel 1 S – 1000z
- Invisible 1 Q – 5000z
- Time Bomb 2 S – 8000z
- Tri-Spear J – 10000z
- Recovery 150 C – 10000z
- Ratton 2 G – 10000z
The second point of interest is a skull door with an HP Memory behind it. At the back of the area there are two exits. The one we need to go through to progress is the one marked with a W, but by going through the second exit and then returning links this area with Internet Area 9, which is right near Yuuichiro’s access point for a handy little shortcut.
Internet Area 6 doesn’t have that much to talk about, save for Elecman’s ghost waiting at a hard-to-miss dead end located near the end of the area. His chip has him automatically strike all enemies with a lightning bolt. Amusingly enough I ran into his third form almost immediately afterward and got Elecman 2 E. Lucky me. The Yuri Memo allows us to access Internet Area 7. There’s nothing really to say about this area either, apart from that Pa’s Memo lets us access Internet Area 8.
Internet Area 8 is the last area of this part of the Net, and it’s where we find the Navi Bombman guarding the entrance to the WWW server. After some rather straightforward banter between him and Megaman, it’s time to fight.
Bombman
◊
HP: 800
Element: Normal
Attacks:
- Bomb Fire – Bombman kicks a bomb into Megaman’s field after which it will explode in all four cardinal directions for 140 Fire damage.
- Mine 1 – A hidden landmine is set on Megaman’s field. Stepping on it deals 160 damage.
- Steal – The rightmost column of Megaman’s field is added to the enemy area.
The frequency of Bombman’s attacks is the main thing I find tricky about him. Up to three bombs at a time in Megaman’s area, each covering an entire row and column, plus Mine 1 and Steal…if one isn’t careful they’re going to be literally walking straight into attacks. Another thing to keep in mind is that the fire from one bomb’s explosion will automatically detonate another bomb should they hit.
Winning gives us 4000z.
After the victory we obtain the WWW’s address, but unfortunately Bombman takes the path to the server itself down in one final blaze of glory. Well even if we can’t take the direct route, we can still go talk to Yuuchiro to see if he can do anything with the address itself.
It turns out that Yuuchiro can indeed use the @WWW to find the location of the WWW base in the real world. Lan asks if he can tell him the location once he finds it, but his father refuses on the grounds of not wanting to put his son in further danger. Lan argues that he’s gotten involved in every WWW plot so far already and gotten through them all and he wants to finish the job. Yuuchiro gives in and says that he’ll send him an email when the base is found. Nothing left to do but go to bed.
Back at the WWW HQ, Wily has the four superprograms displayed as holograms in his lab. Yahoot warns him that SciLab has their IP address, and that they’ll be discovered soon. The four balls of light merge together into a larger black ball, and Wily says that it doesn’t matter anymore, because he already has the Life Virus is his hands.
Virus Listing
- Gaia
- These hammer-wielding viruses generally remain immobile on pedestals before moving up to the front of their field and smashing their hammers into the ground, creating a rolling explosion. When they are colored gray all attacks will only deal 1 point of damage.
