The game picks up a few days later with Lan and Megaman deciding to invite everyone on a camping trip. But making the rounds, we find that Dex has to stay home, Yai’s already on a cruise, and Mayl’s at school working on Netopian class homework (she’s half Netopian/American/European according to the fifth game). Lan and Megaman wonder what they should do while everyone’s occupied, but an answer soon arrives in the form of an email notification that the Center in Marine Harbor is now holding the B License exam. If we pass that, Lan will be certified as a genuine City Net Battler. Before we leave, we can jack in to the blackboard at school for a Sword L.
We can get to Marine Harbor by taking the Metroline. Once we arrive at Marine Station we get an email from Dex saying that he’s now free to go camping, but only if he’s the leader. Marine Harbor primarily consists of a large plaza and the Center, the Officials’ headquarters. Outside there’s a new character whom we can freely challenge to battle, the somewhat oblivious news reporter Ribitta
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Toadman
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HP: 300
Element: Aqua
Attacks:
- Tadpole – Tadpoles swim down the top and bottom rows for 10 Aqua damage.
- Shocking Song – Toadman croaks out a music note that will home in on Megaman, dealing 20 Elec damage and paralyzing him.
- Frog Smack – Toadman “surfaces” in front of Megaman and slaps him for 50 Aqua damage.
Toadman can be a tricky boss because he’ll do his best to stay out of Megaman’s row. The tadpoles can be a nuisance even if they aren’t that harmful by themselves. Shocking Song is the attack to really watch out for, because if it stuns Megaman Toadman will follow up with Frog Smack, and that’s half your HP gone right there unless you’ve been purchasing HP Memories from shops, and even then 70 damage is a lot this early in the game. His lack of HP really hurts him though, so if you can pull off an early-game Program Advance like Zeta Cannon 1 or Guts Shoot, go for it.
Winning gives us 500z.
After the battle Ribitta gives us Ribitta Code. Her homepage can be access through the TV van parked nearby. There’s 1000z and an Elec Sword E inside. Damn, I shoulda gotten that before fighting Toadman.
The lobby of the Center’s full of Officials and people reporting netcrime and other problems. There’s a server at one end of the room that we can jack in to to access the Square, an elevator that we can’t use yet, and a coffee machine that we can jack in to to get a Regular UP 1. There’s Sub Chip dealer in the corner of the room with the following:
- Full Energy – 400z
- Sneak Run – 200z
- Locate Enemy – 10000z
Talking to the receptionist about the B License exam will prompt her to give us an Exam Card, which we can use to get through a side hallway to the exam area. Through this area is an exit through a side door on Marine Harbor’s lower level, and a job request board that’s currently empty. We’re let into the test hall where we can jack in anywhere we want to begin the exam.
Megaman comes out in the Square, in an area that was blocked off before. We get an email from Yai saying that she’s available now, before talking to the examiner Navi to get the test started. There are three parts to the B License Exam. The first is a five-round endurance battle against viruses. Not that hard.
The second problem involves us finding a Navi that’s in need and helping him. The Navi in question can be found on the upper level of Den Area 3, which can be access via the eastern teleporter at the Square’s entrance. A criminal Navi stole his Walk Program, leaving him immobile. We then get an email from Mayl saying that she’s available. To find this Navi, we have to go back to Den Area 2 and talk to a mean-looking Navi near the entrance. He sics some viruses on us, but they’re not too difficult – just have high HP. He gives the Walk Program back after this and upon returning it to the stricken Navi we’re given Nice Data. While we’re here, there’s a merchant nearby with the following:
- HP Memory – 3000z
- HP Memory – 5000z
- HP Memory – 8000z
- Power UP – 5000z
- Attack + 10 * - 600z
- Spreader O – 800z
- Recovery 30 B – 1000z
- Area Grab E – 2000z
Returning to the examiner, we hand over the Nice Data and get the third part of the test, which is another five-round survival battle, and upon making it through we’re given our B License as well as a Regular UP 1. We also get an email from Chaud saying that he has “neither the time nor the inclination” to go camping and to go by ourselves. Who invited him?!
Anyway, with the B License, we can now take jobs from the request board at the Center. These are little sidequests done for rewards, but I’ll get to them later. It’s time for bed.
Or is it? One last thing before I end the chapter. Airman’s ghost, Airman V2, can be found in Den Area 1, on a little dead end on the area’s western side. His Navi chip has him use his Triple Tornado attack, and if the tornadoes are spawned right on the enemy they do more damage.
Now it’s really time for bed.
Virus Listing
- Hardhead
- These viruses are immobile and immune to all non-breaking attacks when their mouths are closed. Every five seconds or so they will open and fire a cannonball at Megaman which breaks whichever panel it may happen to land on.
- Shrimpy
- These shrimp viruses move up and down one column, firing bubbles down one row at Megaman whenever they align. When these bubbles hit an obstacle they will also damage additional panels. Shrimpy's shots also damage the panel behind the point of impact, Shrimpy 2s shots burst into a > shape, and Shrimpy 3s' shots burst into an X pattern.
- Shellgeek
- These shellfish viruses are similar to Hardheads in that they cannot be damaged by regular attacks when their shell is closed. When they open they shoot a series of spears down their row.
Soundtrack
- Marine Harbor
- Marine Harbor's theme. Certainly festive-sounding.
- Official Center
- Appropriate for the Officials' headquarters.
