Moving on, Nebula Area 2 is an area with spiraling pathways and warps scattered about. There's not much going on here, aside from a BMD with an HP Memory and a PMD with a Geddon 3 A (important for a Program Advance). There's a merchant here too if you can navigate through the warps to find him:
- HP Memory – 20000z
- HP Memory – 26000z
- HP Memory – 34000z
- HP Memory – 50000z
- Bug Bomb R – 10000z
- Static N – 16000z
- Voodoo Doll Z – 22000z
- Black Wing W – 28000z
Nothing here I need other than the HP Memories. I guess Black Wing W's there in case you weren't good enough to win it in the previous liberation mission and didn't feel like replaying it.
Blocking the way to the next area is a security door that won't open unless we have one-hundred-forty Standard chips in the library, another requirement I don't have a problem with. Before going on Megaman prompts us if we're really going through, which means...
...another liberation mission. This time Shadowman, Tomahawkman, Numberman, and Toadman will be along for the ride. Colonel's apparently off investigating something “big and angry” he saw lurking around earlier. No time to dwell on that, liberating Nebula Area 3
◊ takes priority!
I think the most succinct way to sum up how this mission went is “train wreck.” As far as I'm concerned this is the most difficult liberation mission in the game for a variety of reasons. First of all, the map. It's another winding one like Undernet 4, only doubled in length. Toadman's presence is likely to help mitigate that, but since Order Points are so scarce he has to be used very, very sparingly. Another thing to note is that on this map the barrier panels act more like choke points than simply blocking off areas, so going around them is very time-consuming. The third point are the traps, which are located in very irritating places, and with so much stage to get through, having one or more of your guys paralyzed for a phase or two is something that one can't afford if you're aiming for the best prize (which you should).
And of course, the final reason why this mission is so tough is due to the viruses. It wasn't so bad during the first Nebula Area mission, but here you've got brutal combinations of species that can dish out huge amounts of damage in short order. Poor Numberman, the Navi with the lowest HP and combat ability of the team just gets torn apart, and you'll need him in order to deactivate the many, many traps strewn about.
Somehow, against all odds I managed to get to the boss, Cloudman, on phase twelve with only Megaman and Shadowman available to fight him. Cloudman basically just repeats what Shademan said about Nebula Area being a gathering area of darkness, just in more words. It's only fitting that the toughest liberation mission in the game has this guy as its boss. And I had to fight him under disadvantageous field conditions too.
Cloudman Beta
HP: 1300
Element: Elec
Attacks:
- Thunder Ball – One of the clouds will shoot a ball of lightning down one row that deals 120 Elec damage and paralyzes.
- Cross Spark – A thundercloud is summoned to Megaman's side of the field and emits lightning that strikes a plus-shaped area for 160 Elec damage.
- Elec Storm – Cloudman hides in a number of clouds as a giant thunderhead roams the friendly side of the field, dealing 160 Elec damage.
I was concerned about being able to take him down with only two Navis, but luckily I drew the Giga Cannon 3 Program Advance pretty early, and Shadowman's pretty well-suited to fighting him to start with.
- Under 13: Muramasa M
- 13-14: Cloudman DS C
- Over 14: 5000z
A very ugly win, but somehow I pulled off the conditions necessary to get Muramasa. This is also the final component of the Bodyguard Program Advance that I need. Megaman wraps the mission up by advising his teammates to take it easy until the next mission before he and Lan press on. At the end of the area is another golden Program that will open a portal leading to the next area. Opening this one will promote all viruses to their level 3 forms and change GMD content once again, so it's time to take a break so that I can get the remaining chips I need.
