Research

I suppose by now, we all know what's going on in certain parts of the Net; Electopia's bustling market Electown, as well as the capital cities of Sharo, Yumland, and Netfrica, are experiencing severe network lag. Just wandering through an affected area can very nearly stop a navi in his or her tracks, and Programs have it just as bad. If left unheeded, these problems could deal a huge blow to world economy. This is where the noble Net Police step in, bravely daring to let other navis do their work for them. Gunner and I have been instructed to investigate Yumland Net. With us are three other navis; Gungnir, Count Edgar, and one who wasn't on the roster and hasn't given his name yet. Nikko and Naviman are nowhere to be found. Thus far, we've encountered a small group of shambling mounds... That is to say, heaps of foliage and shrubbery. Looking through the Virus Database, I can find nothing on them. They're most similar to Killby or Bagworms, I guess, but that's making the dangerous assumption that there is something else entirely under the leaves and vines. And we saw no indication of such as our team blew them to bits, with no small thanks to the mysterious gunslinging stranger.

Now, heralded by a loud roar, a green jack-out barrier has formed around us, and walls of thorns have grown to prevent our escape. I eagerly await the denizen that formulated such a plan.

Have any of the other teams encountered a phenomenon such as this?

<Swift>
This is a bit disconcerting. After a few more strange and powerful viruses, appearing to be normal virses in modified forms (Boomer viruses grown to behemoth proportions, giant Wallas chiseled from wood, and Moloko augmented in their own way,) we reached what appeared to be the center poin of the dome preventing any escape. A gigantic bowl-shape depression formed in the peat. Upon reaching the bottom, we found this.

[ATTACHED: Photo of Kuman]

I fear it's very likely that this monster is one of the Cybeasts discussed on the BBS a short time ago. His demeanor strikes me as odd; if he hadn't demonstrated his harmful intent by preventing any kind of escape, I could have sworn the thing sounded a little sad. Whether remorse or actual pain, I don't know; it was probably just my imagination, at any rate.

I'm sure that the other three groups sent to other areas have encountered similar hardships as well. I'm reluctant to kill this thing, but at the moment it's him or us.

<Swift>