As always we check in with Gospel’s Admin (finally I can call him something other than "Gospel's leader) for our usual chapter interlude. After writing off Dark he focuses his wrath on the poor mook who neglected to inform him of Megaman’s unusual rate of growth and enacts the "Second Rule of Gospel", which is not “You do not talk about Gospel”, but rather those who make excuses for poor performance die. After severing the mook’s connection, a new individual enters the room to speak to the Admin. Not only is Gospel’s project still going smoothly despite the recent setbacks, but there will be an opportunity coming up soon where both Lan and Chaud can be eliminated…
Checking back in with Lan and Megaman, summer vacation’s already half over (it’s only a month in the Japanese school system), and Lan still hasn’t done any of his schoolwork. Fortunately, a distraction arises in the form of an email from the Officials, inviting Lan to participate in an Official’s meeting concerning Gospel taking place in the country of Netopia. There’s even a plane ticket attached. Lan and even Megaman jump at the prospect of travelling abroad. That’ll be our next destination. We also have an email from Yuuichiro explaining the mechanics for our Style, but I’ve already done that for him.
But before that there’re things that we need to do, like getting registered at the Center for a passport. Can’t travel abroad without that! Upon stepping into ACDC Station we get another email, this one from Mr. Famous challenging us to battle with a new battle chip folder on the line.
So there’s a whole checklist of things to do now. First, as soon as we get to Marine Harbor there’s a little girl hiding behind the wall on the lower level by the sea who’ll give us a Geddon 3 Y chip when we talk to her. Inside the Center’s lobby we have to talk to the receptionist about getting a passport, who will then direct us to another counter across the room. There the passport will be sent directly to Lan’s PET. With that done, let’s take up Mr. Famous on his challenge.
Gateman V2
HP: 800
Element: Normal
Attacks:
- Gate Soldier – Several tiny soldiers are released from Gateman’s chest portal and march towards Megaman for 50 damage.
- Gate Cannon – A cannon fires from Gateman’s chest portal down one row for 100 damage.
- Remote Gate – Gateman summons a gate in his front column. This gate will mirror Megaman’s lateral movements and occasionally fly up in front of him to grasp him with a claw for 80 damage.
Okay, now Gateman’s starting to get harder, but the ever-useful tornado charge shot does a good job of locking him down, destroying his Gate Soldiers, and hitting him even with Remote Gate in the way. Gate Cannon’s gotten faster and still packs a punch though, so be aware of that.
Winning gives us Gateman G.
After the battle Mr. Famous gives us Famous’s Folder. With this, we can now choose which chip folder we want to use from the folder edit screen. Both of them can be freely edited as well. The Gateman chip has him use his Gate Soldier attack on the enemy. Each soldier deals its own damage, so the second best way to use the Gateman chips is by sticking attack multipliers onto them for even more damage.
The best way to use the Gateman chip is in the Gater Program Advance. Consisting of the easy-to-find chips Wind, Fan, and Gateman, this attack works by having Gateman appear and shooting random garbage at all enemies on the screen for 300 damage. That doesn’t sound that bad to you? He does it three times in a row, for a total of 900 damage that’s completely unavoidable under most circumstances. It can be blocked, but 900 damage will utterly decimate most enemies, and certainly in a player vs. player battle. It’s not quite the most broken Program Advance out there (Body Guard, for one, can deal I think around 1800 damage to a single enemy in this game), but it’s certainly up there, being very, very easy to put together.
With Mr. Famous’s challenge taken care of, heading upstairs and investigating Yuuichiro’s PC finds us a Silver Fist I left as a gift. With that done, I’m gonna do some more jobs before shipping out.
Job 6: Chip please!
This one’s easy. We just have to talk to a woman in the Center’s lobby who wants a Fire Sword F. In exchange she gives us a Slasher L.
Job 7: Paying in advance
For this job we need to go to Yumland 1 and meet a Black Navi. When we meet him, he gives us Gate Key B and then suddenly sics viruses on us! The whole thing was a scam! However, with the Gate Key item, we can access one of the teleporters just outside Lan’s homepage in Den Area 1. Each one leads to an area’s square entrance, providing a quick and accessible shortcut. Gate Key B opens the one to Yum Square’s.
Job 8: Need a Cupid
We have to play matchmaker for an old man at Okuden’s entrance. He’s fallen in love with an old woman, but he doesn’t know how he should confess. Megaman suggests writing a love letter, and we’re tasked with delivering it. Our only clue is that the woman likes flowers. We’ll find her looking at some flowers in Marine Harbor. After delivering the letter and returning to the old man we’re given 10000z.
Job 9: For male pride
We have to meet a Navi at the Square’s entrance. He’s about to Net Battle his rival, and wants us to spy on his training. The Navi’s training inside of the guardian statue at Okuden, and we manage to get out of him that he plans to move around erratically in battle. Oh yeah, while we’re here we can talk to that programmer woman who’ll give us Gate Key A for talking to her Koto Square friend. This Gate Key opens the teleporter to the Square’s entrance. Returning to the client and giving him the lowdown, he’ll ask for a Satellite 1 G. In return he’ll give us a Regular UP 2.
Next, I’m gonna start working on a trading chain. The first stop is to talk to a little boy in Okuden who wants to trade an Escape N for an Invisible 1 *. Invisible 1 * can be gotten from S-ranking Spookys. He’ll also throw in an HP Memory. After that, going to the license room at the Center, there’s a young woman who’ll trade us a Hammer Z for it. That’s all the progress that can be made on it for now.
With everything taken care of, it’s finally time to head to Den Airport, which can be gotten to via the Metroline. There are two sections to the airport – Arrivals and Departures, and we naturally want the latter. Mayl is hanging around the Departures lobby, having somehow found out about our trip, and gives us Roll V2 R and the Wireless key item. Lan wonders what use a wireless drive is, but apparently it’s a good luck charm. Well, okay. Chaud’s waiting around too and he tells us not to get in his way in his usual charming manner. We can also jack in to the Departures board for a Bug Frag. Going through the ticket counter is the point of no return for this section. Next up is the metal detector, which Lan immediately sets off. Turns out he can’t bring his PET on board the flight thanks to netcrime concerns. Being separated from Megaman is naturally something that he doesn’t take well. And when he finally gets to the terminal itself, he gets pickpocketed by some French guy who takes off before Lan knows what hit him. Well that royally sucks.
But there is a little bright side to this. Talking to Chaud and giving him a taste of his own jerk medicine prompts him to give back Lan’s PET since he felt sorry for Lan. Still condescending, but at least we get Megaman back. There’s also a little boy standing near the gift shop who’ll give out a quiz to answer:
- Q1: What animal does the ACDC Town Park slide look like? (elephant)
- Q2: What distinguishes the Marine Station kiosk? (the selection)
- Q3: How many tents are in Okuden Valley’s campground? (3)
- Q4: Where did the Marine Café waitress work before? (restaurant)
- Q5: Choose Cannons in A, B, and C order, and what do you get? (Zeta Cannon)
As a prize we get Cannon *.
That’s all we can do for now. Time to head through the gate. Netopia awaits!
Soundtrack
- Begin a Journey
- The airport's theme. I feel that it captures the sense of anticipation a youngster would have going abroad for the first time. It sneaks in a little reprisal of the main theme, too.
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