Mega Man Zero 2/Neo Arcadia Temple

Items to collect
Elves to obtain (3):
 * [[File:MMZ Nurse Elf Icon.png]] Cyber-Elf Nureff
 * [[File:MMZ Nurse Elf Icon.png]] Cyber-Elf Parick
 * [[File:MMZ Animal Elf Icon.png]] Cyber-Elf Beellet

Other items:
 * EX Skill: [[File:MMZ2 Filter Shield Icon.png]] Filter Shield (A or S-Rank only)

Mission requirements

 * Clear Time Limit: 3:30
 * Enemies Killed: 23

Elpizo's Major Mistake
After all four missions to chase Elpizo are complete, you'll receive a stunning reply from the tireless Reploid himself...

Elpizo suddenly taps into the Resistance Base's communication system. After a sly chuckle, he mocks Zero for being unable to stop him. The operator recognizes his ID the second he does: it's not a trick: it's the real Elpizo. After putting his image on screen, it's very clear he's suffered way too many crossed wires since his last contact with the Resistance. Elpizo's power-starved mind got the better of him a long time ago, evident by his wild-eyed look on the monitor.

Elpizo has reached Yggdrasil, Neo Arcadia's central core, where the body of X protects both the Dark Elf and Neo Arcadia. It's even more exciting to him because it's completely cordoned off from all outsiders, not even within the highest-ranked executives reaches. He's planning to wake up the Dark Elf, and do the unthinkable: destroy X's body! The defense system in X's body seals off the Dark Elf, and if his Cyber-Elf cannot reattach to his body, it will dissipate. Worse, if he does wake up, the protection will immediately vanish. The idea of so much power sends Elpizo into a frenzy.

Luckily, X's Cyber-Elf suddenly speaks to Elpizo and startles him for a while. Elpizo sees X can't move a muscle while protecting the Dark Elf, but he doesn't know his Cyber-Elf form isn't so powerless. After a few stinging attacks, a Baby Elf feels threatened, squeals in terror, then runs away.

Elpizo still doesn't back off, taking a jab at Cyber-Elf X, wounding both him, and by extension, his body, and the Dark Elf's seal. X takes the full brunt of it, but part of the Dark Elf leaks out from his body with a huge explosion. X tries to keep the energy bottled up inside him, but it's beyond even his control, wounding him even further. Since X's body is directly connected to Neo Arcadia to protect the city, the extra energy he can't stop from dumping out has nowhere to go but right into Neo Arcadia's power grid. The energy amplifies, sending a gigantic energy surge coursing through the city that officials will later cover up as an earthquake. Meanwhile, Elpizo is content with what energy he did get, and leaves to try it out.

The surge even hits the Resistance Base and shakes everyone up. X is forced away from Yggdrasil and can't reconnect to his body. He goes straight to the Resistance Base to reveal the disastrous news of Elpizo getting all the way to the vault and damaging the Dark Elf's seal. He gives a remorseful apology. X says that people call "her" a "Dark Elf" for what she once did: something truly unforgivable. X is critically injured, but he's mustering enough strength just to keep her from waking up. Out of options, he begs for Zero to come to Neo Arcadia to stop Elpizo, flying off to parts unknown after this.

Zero automatically decides to go to Neo Arcadia, asking Ciel to transfer him. It's not as easy as he makes it sound. The anti-teleport mesh restricts transfers to those with authorized passage, meaning Zero has to go into the city from an outer entrance. Unfortunately, the only way to Yggdrasil is exceedingly dangerous: the Neo Arcadia Temple, with three more temples inside. Zero has never had much regard for his own safety over innocent lives, so he's bound and determined to find a way in, ignoring any danger it may hold. The operators transfer him at his command, while Ciel is left speechless at the insanity of it all.

Zero has rushed into the Neo Arcadian Temples posthaste, throwing all caution to the wind. It's home turf for Neo Arcadians, so it's natural truckloads of Pantheons comb the corridors, and all the more reason to clean house. You've got a short, but fortified area to get through before meeting the boss, and not too many Cyber-Elves to get.

EX-skill walkthrough
When the cutscene ends, you'll be prompted to save again. Like the Bombardment Aircraft, this is also a forced mission. Get ready for the final, deadliest areas of the whole entire game. They're coming... right now!

The entryway is a cinch. Watch for incoming Pantheon Gunners and the occasional Gli-Eyes. Use the Shield Boomerang or Buster to get Pantheons up high. The path has a small detour with some rewards, an open pit, but it's not priority.

Now the area starts to show signs of real difficulty. Pantheon Launchers have also joined the fight, but they're still sitting ducks.

You can chose to go up or down a lot of times in the deeper part of the temple. Generally, going up is best beyond the ever-present Pantheon Launchers, because the lower path has treacherous spikes that involve Chain Rod antics you really shouldn't attempt.

Switch to the Fire Chip after the first two-way section. It won't be long after that you discover Signaloids for, thankfully, the last time in the game! Still, there's quite a lot set up for painful moments.

Close Shaves


Past the first Signaloid and a smart-aleck Gli-Eye, the area undergoes a spiky transformation. Spikes alternate up and down the passage, so beware the height of your jump.

The shiny spikes may strike fear, but you can do this. Execute a decently high dash jump (not a crazy one!) and hold to clear the small set of spikes below with an extra tip on the end to give them more range. Make another smooth jump for the other spikes, and you're all set to get through this level. No more problem spots beyond here... unless you count enemy ambush. Don't let the Gli-Eye at the end make a move, and drop down without the fear of spiky demise.

Once again, stick to the Fire Chip. The Ice attack of Signaloids is cynical down in the corridor; Thunder also bugs you; Fire is the easiest attack, by far, to dodge. Accordingly, Pantheons repeatedly show up alongside them. If you haven't figured it out yet, enemies team up for backup, always and forevermore. The Laser Shot or Triple Shot will clear the way for you.

Beyond the very last Signaloid (ever!), the bottom of the enemy maze has a final spike pit in store for you. A simple dash-jump should do the job. Just get past the remaining Pantheons on the straight climb up, and you're already to the boss.

When Zero passes through the shutter, a familar set of gelatinous globs tumble into the room, holding a Pantheon head. That's right: the Rainbow Devil is back in action, but this isn't the same luminescent symbiote: it's the Rainbow Devil Mark Two!

Boss: Rainbow Devil MK.II


Rainbow Devil is raring to kick your keister again, but like the Guardians, he's got a fancier skillset for you to deal with, and retains three health bars. That makes him the toughest boss so far! With no real weakness, pick any chip you see fit. This hulk is just like Jello: he gets shaken, but doesn't topple over that easily. The only way to hurt him is to strike the Pantheon head controlling the slime, exactly like before.

Rainbow Devil's way of moving is to slither across the floor towards you. If you don't see what's he's doing, he just might coil up around you and begin draining health. Mashing buttons will free you quickly.

Rainbow Devil usually transforms into a dinosaur head and leaps into the air, bouncing. Contrary to the original battle, he instantly splits apart into three pieces on the first bounce, all hurtling across the entire room. Try to stay at the very top of a wall to dodge these. You can always dash in the other direction Rainbow Devil is heading. You're less likely to get hit clear on the other side of the room.

Following original attacks, Rainbow Devil also winds up tightly to fling slime all over the walls, like a brazen snowball fight. However, some of these slimeballs now have combustible material and actually explode when they smack a wall. The rest stick to the lower floor and crawl back to him. As long as he doesn't suffer critical damage, Rainbow Devil's Mark Two abilities let him regenerate pieces he loses in the attack. Again, head to the top of a wall and wait the attack out until it's safe to strike.

Rainbow Devil even uses his old EX Skill, Nightmare Fist, as a regular attack. He can redirect most of his mass into a giant, muscular fist, and take a swing at Zero. This punch really hurts, so you should never try to stare down Rainbow Devil at all. That can complicate hurting his weak point.

EX Skill: Nightmare Filter
Following the trend of A-Rank+ EX Skills, Rainbow Devil MKII has a trump card. When his health drops around the halfway mark, he practically turns into the Incredible Hulk. Raising his fists in the air, his slime body turns to solid carbon steel, acting as a huge coat of armor that blocks any and all attack. Rainbow Devil will stomp from one side of the room to the other, and weighing a couple tons, each step rattles the room, knocking chunks of the ceiling down on you as he passes. The crumbling panels tend to fall where you stand, and standing in place anyway is foolish. Small bits of debris alert you to the panels about to give way. Dash as much as possible to evade the rain of pain. Rainbow Devil loses all its mobility, and burns it power up using Nightmare Filter, so it's pretty easy to just wait for its effect to wear out, but then the fight will go back to its usual pandemonium. Full Sub Tanks help you avoid any potential failures.

Rainbow Devil MKII doesn't fight exceedingly cruel, different from future bosses, but he can give you a run for your money. In return, give this mutant ameoba a one-way trip to Junkville, where he belongs.

After his second beatdown, Rainbow Devil explodes and evaporates, gone for good.

Suprisingly, Rainbow Devil MKII holds the final EX Skill of the game, the EX Skill Filter Shield. This unique skill works on the Shield Boomerang. If a bullet comes near you and you activate the shield upon the moment of contact, you get instant E-Crystals in place! This is brilliant to use in front of enemies like the Pantheon Gunner that shoot multiple bullets, and it makes raising Cyber-Elves effortless. No wonder Neo Arcadia has such an ample supply: they were working on a special program just like Ciel did. It's a fitting end to a nice set of 10 EX Skills. Congratulations if you got them all! All that's left to collect from this point are Cyber-Elves. Bosses still exhibit EX Skills, but these are unnatural and can't be duplicated.

Cyber-elves walkthrough

 * 1) What is of interest near the entrance is a sneaky Cyber-Elf Box. When the path dips down past a Pantheon and Gli-eye, there's a wall out of the way. Dash-jump to it and climb up to claim [[File:MMZ Nurse Elf Icon.png]] Cyber-Elf Nureff.
 * 2) Blow the Pantheon Launchers away with the Buster, and if you nail 3, you get [[File:MMZ Nurse Elf Icon.png]] Cyber-Elf Parick.
 * 3) To bait you to the junk heap, a Cyber-Elf Box lies over to your left. Again, dash-jump over, but delicately, and you'll be able to get [[File:MMZ Animal Elf Icon.png]] Cyber-Elf Beellet and already have all the Elves of this area.

Afterword
Ciel reports to Zero and tells him she's set a coordinate axis, making it possible to return to the temple at any time, and, fearing for his safety, begs him to come back to base. He does as she wishes, returning there and then.

Jaune announces Zero's return, and Ciel thanks him for his effort. She thanks him for the effort and wants him to take a rest. However, the worlds of humans and Reploids are totally different. Zero has no time to rest.

You can choose to save again, and it's imperative you do. After all, you just passed through the Temple of Darkness. Hidden Phantom would've guarded that place. Had he not blown up with his own failure, the area would be filled with additional traps. The Rainbow Devil was just a replacement guardian. On the other hand, the next three temples ahead mark the way to Yggdrasil, but the danger inside is through the roof. It would take a maniacal, power-mad individual to even fathom going in. Elpizo is just that sort of individual. The Temple of Flame, first in line, is especially hard. The challenge is immense... but you have to survive... It's your duty!