Part 19: The Frozen North

Update 19: The Frozen North

Fuck yeah, we finally made it to the North Sector, after having to take a detour that shouldn't exist.

You mean several. Lest we forget the random ass detours ON our detour to another server!


Click for ambience

Thankfully, North Sector doesn't seem to be infested by the A.o.A theme, which is a mixed blessing. I mean, on one hand I don't have to listen to that stupid song anymore, but on the other this ambience ain't stellar.

After so much A.o.A. we forgot that there are legitimate players still playing in the North Sector who have 0 idea what's going on.



North Sector seems a bit drier than I expected. I'm not entirely sure why I expected a snowy sector, but Volcano biome is like... the exact opposite.



Going up the stairs, we immediately have to deal with a Tamer.

Tamer Haruka: Ah ha ha ha! I am the best female tamer! No one in this server can defeat me!

(Unfortunately, we can't prove her wrong because she won't fight us. I think my team's Charisma is too low.)

(Yeti, pls. You should have started with more Charisma perks. Tell the DM to change it!)



Up the ramp, we come to a split in the path.

Before we keep going, now's a good time to go over the new Digimon in Boot Mountain.



Name: Flarerizamon
Level: Champion
Location: Asuka North - Boot Mountain, Fire Dungeon

Drops: Fire Power 2

2 STR, 3 DEF, 5 SPR, 3 WIS, 4 SPD,
3 FIRE, 1 WATER, 3 ICE, 2 WIND, 2 THUNDER, 2 MACHINE, 2 DARK

EXP: 204, BIT: 400

Regular Attack: Fire Element
Technique: Flame Ball (Magic-Fire)

Note: Can Run Away



Name: Meramon
Level: Champion
Location: Asuka North - Boot Mountain

Drops: None

1 STR, 4 DEF, 5 SPR, 3 WIS, 3 SPD,
3 FIRE, 1 WATER, 3 ICE, 2 WIND, 2 THUNDER, 2 MACHINE, 2 DARK

EXP: 205, BIT: 410

Regular Attack: Fire Element
Technique: Flame Lance (Magic-Fire)


In-game model:

Name: Triceramon 2* (Red Colored)
Level: Ultimate
Location: Asuka East - Wind Prairie
Asuka North - Boot Mountain, Kulon Mine

Drops: None

4 STR, 3 DEF, 3 SPR, 3 WIS, 2 SPD,
3 FIRE, 2 WATER, 1 ICE, 2 WIND, 2 THUNDER, 2 MACHINE, 2 DARK

EXP: 205, BIT: 400

Regular Attack: Fire Element
Technique: None

All of these guys are pretty weak, all things considered. Flarerizamon and Meramon are weak to Water, and Triceramon 2.0 is the same as every other Dinosaur Digimon we've encountered. Flarerizamon can be a bit dangerous if it spams Flame Ball, but it's not that hard even so.



The southern branch leads to a hole.

Nooooo!



The thing about the Circuit Boards is that they only have like four different screen arrangements, and the way the developers made the Circuit Boards themselves is just throwing them together in new ways each time. Might not actually even be new ways. Anyway, this particular Circuit Board, Circuit Board 12, doesn't even have a chest so I don't know why I spent 30 minutes on it

This is a valuable lesson in making sure that there's always something to find during Exploration. If a player explores and doesn't find anything -- not even an acknowledgement of them exploring -- then the results can be disastrous.




The western branch leads to a new area, but we're not going there right now. Mainly because Veemon and Monmon have been healing my fighters after every battle and I haven't stayed at an inn since before finding the Digi-Egg of Knowledge, so they're running super low on MP right now.



If we hop down, we find a hole and a chest that contains a Power Charge. That hole leads to Circuit Board 22 and fuck that shit.

EXPLORE. THERE COULD BE TREASURE.

FUCK THAT SHIT



Finally, the eastern branch is where we want to go to progress.



Oh wow, a spike ball.



Another fucking hole. This one leads to Circuit Board 5, I think, and I don't want to deal with holes that lead to multiple places like this one. It's just asking to get lost. As for the more important information, the Needle Gloves are weapons for Kumamon (i.e. useless). If we keep going and follow that ramp to the left of the screenshot, it'll loop back to the western branch and so we don't need to go that way just yet.



Huh? What's this?



Hell yeah, this is what I wanted! Snowy area, some icicles, perfect! Also, the predominant color isn't brown, so it's even better!


Oh hell yeah, he was my BOY in Digimon World 2
Name: Frigimon
Level: Champion
Location: Asuka North - Snow Mountain, Freeze Mountain

Kicking Trees: Asuka North - Lake of Ice, Snow Mountain

Drops: Ice Chip

4 STR, 4 DEF, 3 SPR, 3 WIS, 2 SPD,
1 FIRE, 2 WATER, 3 ICE, 2 WIND, 2 THUNDER, 2 MACHINE, 2 DARK

EXP: 206, BIT: 420

Regular Attack: Ice Element
Technique: None



Name: Mojyamon
Level: Champion
Location: Asuka North - Snow Mountain, Freeze Mountain

Drops: None

3 STR, 3 DEF, 5 SPR, 3 WIS, 3 SPD,
1 FIRE, 2 WATER, 3 ICE, 3 WIND, 2 THUNDER, 2 MACHINE, 1 DARK

EXP: 205, BIT: 420

Regular Attack: No Element
Technique: Ice Blow (Magic-Ice)

Both of these two have a weakness to Fire Techs, which is Veemon's main export. They don't last long.




Looping around nets us a nice warchest.



...I'll be back for you later, after Veemon has more than 80 MP remaining.

So much optional exploration. You're gonna need a whole update just to clean that up.



We could keep going north to a new screen, but it's more important we hop down.



Not for Tamer Poemy, who also refuses to battle me, but because of the little log cabin right behind us.



It's an inn

WE'RE RICH



Ah, much better. Now everyone can heal like they're supposed to. Side note in regards to healing: while I was running around in the Circuit Boards, lost as usual, Monmon got the MagnaAngemon Digivolution leveled high enough to unlock Mega Heal, which is about six times as expensive as Small Heal and heals more than three times our max HP, so it's completely useless.

Math!



If we head up that ramp right in front of us, we come to a chest that has a Shamshir inside. I'm pretty sure it's a weapon, but I'm equally pretty sure it's already outclassed by our two-handed weapons.



There's also this ladder that leads to nowhere. It looks like there might be an NPC here later, but I have no idea.



Back on the main path, there's...



YOU LITTLE BITCH

Back on the main path, where we don't ever run into holes ever, there's another fork. Fortunately, the right path leads to literally nothing, so left we go.




By hopping down to the inn, we had to leave the level that led to progression. Fortunately, this exit leads back to Boot Mountain, and that Circuit Board I explored.



Right, so the only reason I'm going in this one is because it has no other exits, just this one.







It doesn't stop me from getting lost, of course, and I don't even remember if I found a treasure chest or just gave up and left.



Right, that was pointless.

Just like this franchise


Click for ambience

Freeze Mountain has no new encounters, but it does have new music.

Oh, cool. Proper ambience this time.



If we head up that ramp then down the other one, it leads here.




There's nothing here at all nope nothing (this one actually connects to the Circuit Board we explored at the beginning, the one in Boot Mountain)

You should go inside it.



Back at the first ramp, there's actually a path off to the right that's hidden a little bit by the foreground. Now, game, I'm not asking for much, but I've had enough of this shit back in Protocol Forest, so cut it out.

Yeah, that's amateur-ish. Game pls.




The Knights Shield is a shield and therefore not good.

That's equipment-ist.




If we go down that other ladder, it leads here. I know I'm not saying much of interest, but there's not much to talk about. It's a single path, with no new enemies, and no goodies. I can only milk my hatred for Circuit Boards so long, too.



Well, that's why Giver's here. So that I can make fun of him.

Joke's on you asshole. All your insults bounce off me.



Tamer Shingo won't make things interesting, because he refuses to fight me. He only wants to duel, and fuck that.



YAY MORE CIRCUIT BOARDS!



i can't take it anymore i have to jump



Why are they still giving me Power Charges this late in the game? At least, I'm assuming we're at least 70% through the game. We've cleared out 5 Sector Leaders, and I'm hoping we don't have to go to Servers other than Asuka and Amaterasu, so we can't have much further to go.

Inb4 there's a 3rd server



Finally.




Neat. I like the aesthetic.



There aren't even any random battles. Just a straight shot to the door.


Click for music

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
LOADING!

And welcome to Genbu City. We fucking made it, finally! Next time: we take on the Genbu Leader.









































I wouldn't do that. Or, well, I would, but I want to get this shit over with more than I want to mess with my readers.

And Yeti says I'm an asshole.

DO Guard: Welcome to the fort city, Genbu City! Even the A.o.A isn't here. You can relax!

Genbu City is a lot more militant than the other cities. Even putting aside the giant guns we saw coming in, I think this is the first place where DO Guards are in the entrance to the town proper.

Maybe they're just more competent.



After a brief stop at the Armory, Renamon has a new hat that ups her Spirit a little bit. I'll take gains where I can get them.

That sentence made it sound like she's sad.



Opposite the Armory is the Inn and save point. There's also a chest taunting me, just out of reach.

Go find the secret entrance, you fuck. That's where it has to be.



Moving right along, there's another branch a little bit ahead. The right branch has Pixiemon, and I'm stopping by.




After raising MetalMamemon to level 40, MetalGarurumon is unlocked for our battling pleasure. I'm equipping this one.




No shit.

Grandpa Tor: You're exceptional for your age.

I'd just like to point out that A) that DO Guard said 'even the A.o.A isn't here', which implies that nobody else is either, B) this guy IS here, meaning he has the Digi-Egg of Knowledge, which implies the fucking things are spawned on a per-player basis, and C) HOW THE HELL DID HE GET ONE IF THEY'RE ONLY IN AMATERASU.

...Yeah, that's a pretty big flaw. But wait, the things are possible spawned per-player?


WHAT THE SHIT WERE THE DEVELOPERS SMOKING

So you have to go to a different server that's populated with bad guys who will turn you into a pig, and each player's Digi-Egg is in a different place...so it can be anywhere in that giant massive fuck-off server. What are the odds it spawns for someone in Amaterasu's North Sector? Guess what, you're boned.


This fucking MMO game has 0 sense of proper questing.




DO Guard: We all love him!

Alright, cool.



Stepping outside, we're back on the gun ramparts.

Guilmon: Genbu Leader is the one above here! He's the best of all the City Leaders!

Eh, we'll just bring Fire-types.



Renamon: Good tamers always fight with everything they've got!



If we head through the B door right behind us, we can get this chest that was taunting us earlier. Who's laughing now, chest! It's me! I'm laughing!

I told you all we needed was the secret entrance.



I just realized this image makes it look like Kite jumped halfway up the ladder. Kid's got skills

's got mad ladder hopping skills, yo. Gonna dunk on some bitches.



Up the next ladder, and right next to some fuckhuge missiles, is the Genbu Leader.

So much phallic imagery.



Kite: Genbu Leader, I've got a favor to ask! Can I have your badge to get to the Real World?
Genbu Leader: Sorry, no matter what, I can't give the badge for free. Those are the rules. If you want it you have to win against me!
Kite: Oh, all right. I knew you were gonna say that! Let's get this over with!

I'm not sure what's the best about that conversation: the fact that Kite's totally over this shit by now, or that he actually tried to just ask for the fucking badge in the first place. Talking: it might actually solve problems occasionally.

At least we can see that this situation is changing him.



So yeah, let's just get this over with.

First up: MagnaAngemon vs. Vikemon.



Vikemon is dangerous because it's got about... a 60% chance of countering a physical attack? It's pretty common, even if it doesn't do much damage.

A free Counter and a physical attack that hit Yeti for 4-digit damage. We got a challenge on our hands.



That being said, Vikemon is still dangerous. Good news: Monmon had a pretty high Blast Gauge at the start of the fight, so I got the blast off.



Better news: Once the Rookie reached level 39, they Blast to the Mega+ Digimon (I don't know? It's not the natural Mega). Monmon happens to become BlackWarGreymon, who has the Signature Tech Terra Destroyer. It's Dark-element and Vikemon has a Dark weakness.

Get rekt, nerd



Second fight: WarGrowlmon vs. MetalEtemon.

MetalEtemon is less threatening than Vikemon. So much so that I just spend a few turns using my stat-boosting Techs to set up for the third fight.



Also, it was mainly to burn time so that Renamon could Blast as well.



I wonder if I should be concerned that all of my Digimon are apparently super evil. ...Nah.

Evil will triumph because good is dumb



Final fight: Antylamon vs. MetalGarurumon.



This one is, sadly enough, the most boring. Just spamming Fire Techs until Antylamon falls over dead.



Genbu Leader: Kite, I apologize for making you fight. I wanted to see for myself that you can really fight against the A.o.A!
Kite: Oh, I see...
Genbu Leader: Now take this and stop the A.o.A's plans!
Kite: Yeah! I got the Genbu Badge!
Genbu Leader: I think you're strong enough to fight on. But they too are strong, so keep your guard up!
Kite: Thanks, Genbu Leader!

Well, that was easy enough.

Why can't he call the real world again? I mean, he's a Sector Leader, so he might have the prestige to raise the alarm? Ah, fuck it.



Let's just cut out all the backtracking, mmkay? We've seen this shit already.



Kulon Mine is kinda important, but not right now; we're just cutting through.

There are new enemies to fight, though.



Name: Drimogemon
Level: Champion
Location: Asuka North - Kulon Mine
Circuit Boards - 02, 05, 06, 07, 10, 12, 19, 21, 22

Drops: Drill Horn

4 STR, 3 DEF, 2 SPR, 2 WIS, 3 SPD,
2 FIRE, 1 WATER, 3 ICE, 2 WIND, 2 THUNDER, 3 MACHINE, 2 DARK

EXP: 205, BIT: 450

Regular Attack: Machine Element
Technique: None



Name: Fugamon
Location: Asuka North - Kulon Mine, Kulon Pit

Drops: None

5 STR, 4 DEF, 2 SPR, 2 WIS, 3 SPD,
2 FIRE, 2 WATER, 2 ICE, 2 WIND, 2 THUNDER, 2 MACHINE, 2 DARK

EXP: 210, BIT: 430

Regular Attack: No element
Technique: None

Fugamon ostensibly exists, but I only ever fought Drimogemon. We've actually been fighting Drimogemon before, in the Circuit Boards, but since those don't exist this is the first time we've met them.

Circuit Boards? What are those?



Yeti go down the hooooO00leeeee



I'm getting an old-timey mining town vibe from this place, which makes sense given that it's a mine.



Up the ladder, we've got a person to talk to.



Tamer Brown: I'm all worn out just getting here. I'm still an active tamer though. Ho ho ho ho.

This guy will actually fight us! Oh frabjous day!

I'm calling PETA.





Nothing new. MagnaAngemon and Dino Buster kinda destroys them.




Who the fuck is Kimmy?

Your mom.

Tamer Makoto: I'm going to be Server Champ! So can you duel with me and throw the fight?

Kid's got literally the exact same team as Tamer Brown. It'd be pretty hard to lose this fight unless you were actually trying.




I mean, the areas do look nice to traverse through. It's a just a shame that the encounter rate is so high?




This place is the entrance to Kulon Pit, but we're not interested in that right now.



Back up to Makoto, there's this ramp off to the side.



It also doesn't go anywhere.

That's not an entrance into some sort of mine judging by those tracks?

Nope. If you look really closely, we're on a ledge above the tracks.



This is where we want to be going. Also, what's up with the random railroad rollercoaster in the foreground?



The entrance leads to the Lake of Ice. But before we keep going through the area, we're gonna take a detour and head down that Seabed.

YETI YOU FOOL! NOOOOOOOOOOO



There's only one enemy in this place.



Name: Octomon
Level: Champion
Location: Seabeds 05, 06

Drops: None

3 STR, 3 DEF, 4 SPR, 4 WIS, 2 SPD,
3 FIRE, 3 WATER, 2 ICE, 2 WIND, 1 THUNDER, 2 MACHINE, 2 DARK

EXP: 200, BIT: 400

Regular Attack: Water Element
Technique: None

This dingus. What's up with this guy. He looks silly.




This fuckin' chest, man. It's been staring at us ever since we first arrived here.

Will that be enough to let us fight at the chick at the start of the update?



Back in the Lake of Ice, we can loop around and start walking on ice. This is probably dangerous, given that the lake isn't entirely frozen over.

Guilmon: And it's slippery too.

(Don't listen to his lies, there's no ice physics, thank god.)

We need more ice physics. I want circuit boards with ice physics now.



Kimo from Hawaii: This place is too cold for me.

They legit mentioned a real-world place. Interesting.



The Lake of Ice has only one fight:


EW. WHAT IS WRONG WITH HIM
Name: Icemon
Level: Champion
Location: Asuka North - Lake of Ice

Drops: Ice Power 2

3 STR, 4 DEF, 3 SPR, 2 WIS, 3 SPD,
1 FIRE, 2 WATER, 3 ICE, 2 WIND, 2 THUNDER, 2 MACHINE, 2 DARK

EXP: 215, BIT: 420

Regular Attack: Ice Element
Technique: None




Noble Sir Perrin: Let's enjoy this place more peacefully.



This thing looks pretty fucking awesome. Not gonna lie.


Click for music

Hell yeah it should, because this is the Legendary Gym.

Let's GOOOOOO



No fights here, but there's some people to talk to.



Kazuya: I can't do anything by myself!

Fucking bitch-ass.



Tamer Pierre is a smug shithead who won't battle us.

Of course, he's French.



Kumamon: I heard that it's in this direction!



This place is very vertical and very pretty. I like the environment, because it's a good use of color and different from the other 90% of the game.



Kotemon: Men, dou, kote! To be strong, your soul must be strong too. These are my ideal training grounds!



pretty ladder



Raging Cecilia: Why can't he play Digimon Online by himself!

Yeah, I wouldn't want to play with someone called 'Raging' either. Just seems like a bad idea, like playing with some tool called 'killer' or some teenage emo shit like that.

Uh-huh, sure. Do tell how you've been promoted to the rank of General at such a young age, Yeti. Child prodigy, I bet?



Finally, we come to the bottom of the area and find Flamedramon.



Flamedramon: I'm going to train you hard, so get ready!



Check it out, we finally made it to the best gym in Asuka Server.



This is because of the Ultra Training Chance with any training with a star, or called Super [training name here]. The first three stat gains are, on average, lower...



But if you risk the fourth stat boost, you have a chance to get a boost that's three times as great as a normal one, instead of just two times. The failure rate is higher, though.



It's much, MUCH better than regular training, and that's the reason I've been super stingy with training at the other gyms.

So, be right back, just gonna train like the Digimon popped a bunch of steroids.

Unethical.