Rockman X4 (manga)

Rockman X4 (ロックマンX4, Rockman X4) is a manga by Iwamoto Yoshihiro based on the game of same name. It was originally serialized in Comic BomBom from September 1997 to August 1998 for 12 chapters, and later compiled in two volumes in 1998. However, as each volume had five chapters, the last two chapters were not included in the compilation due to the manga's sudden cancellation, leaving the story incomplete in the volumes. The last two chapters were later included in the 2005 release from Fukkan.com, which also included new pages to the penultimate chapter, the battle between X and Magma Dragoon.

Story

The story continues from the Rockman X3 manga.

Suspicion

"A saber is the pride of a soldier! The only time you throw it away is in death!"

―Colonel stands his ground against Zero's demand to disarm.

A smoking gun?

A fateful confrontation.

Suspicion (疑惑, Suspicion) is the first chapter from the manga, originally published on September 1997.

The Maverick Hunters are in a giant floating fortress, celebrating X's return with Dr. Cain and Zero in attendance. Dr. Cain is drunk and goads X into trying out a special beverage he made, but X hates the taste and spits it out, much to the former's amusement. X finds Zero stargazing, and the latter explains how although the universe is a sea of stars, there are beautiful stars down on the Earth as well: the cities and people bustling with life. In other words, the people that X has been working so hard to defend all the years. As long as the Sun shines, the stars will never go away. X understands and says that he is not alone and has many people helping him, that his power comes from the support of Dr. Cain, Marty, and Zero himself. In an undisclosed nearby location, Repliforce field commander Colonel is seen walking amid building ruins damaged from previous Maverick activity. Colonel spots a mechanical rabbit, and looks up at the sky in awe, noting that the night sky is just like Zero: red. There is smoke billowing from the ruins where Colonel is, which indicates that the damage was recent and the perpetrator must have recently escaped from the area...

X meets Double at the party, the newbie addition to the 17th Elite Unit. Double jovially explains how he is a big fan of X, and how his internal systems allow him to store 70% of information about X inside of his mind. He recalls the Nightmare Police, Sigma, and the 24 previous Maverick bosses that X has defeated in battle, although he lacks information on X's third battle against Sigma. X explains that this is because he cannot remember the battle nor how he survived, just that he had won against Sigma. X then explains that while he believes that there are people out there who fight simply because they like to destroy things, there are those who have a strong sense of honor and are sometimes fooled into fighting because of it. X says that such people who fight to protect their honor do not deserve to be hated.

The party is abruptly cut short as the revelers witness a nearby city being attacked by the giant dragon Mechaniloid Eregion. X immediately calls out his Hunters from the 17th Unit to help him, and Zero pitches in with help from the 0th Unit. Both squads engage the Reploid in the air with flying vehicles. X and Zero strike Eregion at the same time, delivering a good deal of damage, when Zero spots a mysterious Reploid girl on the roof of a building and decides to save her while imploring X to take care of the rest. X obliges and delivers the finishing blow to Eregion with a point-blank Buster shot, while Zero saves the unconscious girl who was injured in the attack. As Zero is walking off with the girl, Colonel arrives and reveals that the girl is his sister, Iris, and thanks Zero for saving her. However, Colonel is suddenly snared with electrical chains from a hunter's gun, and Double from the 17th Elite Unit of the Maverick Hunters runs up to Zero, showing a piece of equipment with Repliforce's insignia on it that was spotted next to the Mechaniloid's corpse, and accuses the Repliforce of being involved. Zero then sternly demands for the Colonel to explain himself. Colonel angrily breaks free of the chain with his saber, and refuses Zero's request to disarm, saying it would be dishonorable to do so for a soldier such as himself. He then leaves the scene with Iris, although he still says he owes Zero one for saving her.

Zero bites down his lip so hard in frustration that he begins to bleed, fully aware of the trouble that lies in store.

Uprising

"Dear humanity! We, the Repliforce, as of 1:00 a.m. today, shall part ways with you! We've been working for you, and now we're being forced to give up our weapons because we're considered Irregulars! However! Weapons are our pride! We will only part with our weapons when we are dead! Therefore, we disapprove, and we hereby declare our independence!"

―The General announcing his coup d'etat to humanity.

An army's defiance.

Zero's violent betrayal of his comrades.

Uprising (蜂起, Uprising) is the second chapter from the manga, originally published on October 1997.

Fallout continues from Eregion's attack on the city and the suspicion that Repliforce may has been responsible. The number of human fatalities is rising, and public sentiment has turned against the Repliforce as humans are demanding a reduction of their troops. Zero is completing a Training Room session on maximum danger level, wildly cutting down dummy Mavericks left and right and declaring that he will fight and destroy Mavericks, no matter who they are. The last dummy fires at Zero, who instinctively tries to fire his Buster despite the fact it was destroyed in a prior mission. X, who is witnessing this, destroys the dummy himself and the session ends. Zero, then repeatedly bangs his left arm against the wall in frustration, rendering it inoperable and needing a metal cast. Meanwhile, Storm Owl and Colonel have a meeting in the Repliforce conference room with the General, watching a news broadcast of humans forcibly disarming the Repliforce S Branch and locking the soldiers in an electrical barrier. The reporter notes that the same is occurring in several Repliforce subdivisions around the world, and that the Maverick Hunters will announce what they will do with Repliforce by end of tomorrow. Colonel derides the humans engaging in such actions as fools, while Owl suggests that it is Repliforce who are fools for not seeing it coming. General says that once humans and Repliforce's paths cross once, they'll never cross again.

Zero then investigates the site of the ruins of the attack with fellow Hunters, and to his chagrin the physical evidence he collects only further implicates Repliforce. Double comes up to him carrying a box of mechanical wreckage of Repliforce equipment and says that with all the evidence collected thus far at the scene Repliforce will be considered guilty, and smiles. Zero then smacks the box out of Double's hands in anger, causing the Hunters to look on in worry. Zero apologizes to Double for losing his temper.

Zero then goes to the former headquarters of the Maverick Hunters and relaxes on the roof. As he does so, he reminisces about Storm Eagle while looking up at the sky. X meets up with Zero, who tells X that he is thinking about Eagle and how he confidently fought for his beliefs and willingly gave up his life to stay true to his beliefs. Zero says he is of mind to go and see Eagle in Heaven right now. X tells him it is too early for them to die, and that they have inherited Eagle's will and cannot die until all the Mavericks have been destroyed. Zero agrees. X then informs him that the human government has decided to temporarily disband and disarm Repliforce while the Maverick Hunters continue their investigation. This would be announced by the Hunters officially tomorrow. However, strong winds suddenly blow throughout the air, heralding Repliforce blimps and airships flying across the sky, broadcasting a message to humans from the General at the Repliforce Memorial Hall. Indignant at being accused of being Mavericks after working so hard to support humanity, the General announces they will become an independent organization, and that they have already occupied many areas and main roads to aid in their rebellion. He says they shall fight to the end. This causes the government to declare the Repliforce as Mavericks.

Later, at the Hunter base, Zero is assaulting some fellow Hunters and tosses one through a door, which results in him hitting X who was just behind it. X is shocked to see his friend acting this way, but Zero announces that he is in agreement with the General's philosophy and he won't tolerant anyone who opposes him. X threatens to shoot him, but relents at the last moment, giving Zero the opportunity to slash him with his saber and incapacitate him temporarily. He warns X not to get in his way, and says that he will fight anyone who does, even if that makes justice his opponent.

Jungle

"They're not going to end... the conflict you speak of will never go away... as long as humans are imperfect, it stands to reason that we, created by humans, are also imperfect... as long as humans continue to deny this natural outcome as Irregular, and as long as we live in a world where pseudo-heroes like you are born, we will continue to cry out for the independence of Repliroids... our relationship with humans was predetermined from the moment our first unit was invented. We Repliroids are mechanical puppets that wander through endless hell while in this world..."

―Web Spider's dying words to X.

The lamentations of a defeated soldier. "The conflict you speak of will never go away..."

Jungle (密林, Jungle) is the third chapter from the manga, originally published on November 1997.

X is driving on a Ride Chaser to the Kagikira Forest to investigate the disappearance of a group of Hunters who had went there. There were reports of a Repliforce frontline hiding in the jungle, which the aforementioned investigation team went to the forest to check out only to never return. Zero is now officially a fugitive from justice after his actions in the last chapter. After X arrives at the forest, he is soon attacked by the animated corpses of the killed investigation team who have become Reploid zombies with someone pulling the strings and ordering them to attack him. X, however, decides to let them keep shooting at him until they run out of ammo, and the strategy works.

Web Spider, the commander of a guerrilla unit in the Repliforce, comes out and reveals he is responsible for everything that has occurred. As a former Maverick Hunter who worked with Zero, he reveals he knows about X and that Zero was right about him being naive. Spider then falsely tells X that Zero has really betrayed the Hunters and asked to join the Repliforce to aid them in their coup, as a strategy to get X angry and make him sloppy in battle. Spider engages X in battle, trapping him in a Lightning Web and revealing that it was the Repliforce who had acted in the shadows to support humanity since before Sigma's rebellion, but that didn't stop the public from criticizing them for refusing to aid the Hunters' in quelling Sigma's uprising as they had less authority than the Hunters.

Like the Colonel, Spider considers his weapons to be his pride, and is indignant at the humans and Hunters for ordering Repliforce to disarm. He reveals a secret beam cannon that he has constructed with Repliforce's help, which he plans on using to burn down a nearby city to kill the humans there in order to showcase "the anger of the soldiers." The only way to stop it is if Spider were to die. Not wanting so many people to die, X breaks free of Spider's Web and fights with full power, ultimately mortally wounding him with a charged shot.

Spider is left with a broken body and dismembered head, which he holds up with right arm. As X laments in tears about pointless battles, Spider responds that they will never truly end. Because humans are imperfect and created Reploids, it is only natural that Reploids would be imperfect as well. He said as long as there are heroes like X who do the humans' bidding, Reploids are forever destined to be mechanical puppets, wandering in an endless hell. Spider then dies of his injuries, with X replying that he is wrong about Reploids being in an "endless hell".

After Spider's termination, Zero arrives at a hilltop and watches the forest on from afar, meaning to ask X for the Colonel's location. Suddenly, the mysterious Reploid Magma Dragoon appears behind him. Noticing this, Zero pulls out his saber, and asks Dragoon what he wants from him. Dragoon then tells Zero that he did not come to fight him, and Zero apologizes and puts away his saber. Dragoon gives off a strong aura as he walks past Zero, which startles him, as he feels murderous intent from him. Nevertheless, they both part ways.

Ocean

Stingray fights Zero.

tOcean (大海原, Ocean) is the fourth chapter from the manga, originally published on December 1997.

The Repliforce have occupied the city of Trice Province and forced the humans to evacuate it and go to shelters. Double and Dr. Cain witness this on surveillance footage while at the Hunter base. Trice Province is located at a large-scale energy refinery, and Cain speculates the Repliforce intends to destroy the city as to cut off a lot of energy from the Hunters and make their efforts to stop Repliforce more difficult, which turns out to be the reason. Cain is angry at the bad timing, as X is currently out doing another mission and thus unable to disperse the hostile Repliforce troops at Trice Province. Repliforce navy captain Jet Stingray ends up blowing up the entire city with a button trigger, albeit with some hesitation. Stingray justifies the action by saying they must put their faith in the Colonel.

After the destruction of the city, Zero appears on a Ride Chaser and attacks Stingray's naval ship in the ocean. Stingray has his Repliforce subordinates fall back, saying that he will face Zero alone, who he instantly recognizes due to his red armor and long blonde hair. Colonel once said in a prior conversation with Stingray that he was friends with such a Reploid and considered him his rival. Stingray then engages Zero in battle, but refuses to tell Zero where the Colonel is, saying he has no right to know and has betrayed him.

Stingray fires a barrage of robotic stingrays at Zero, who flees from them with his Ride Chaser, only to suddenly stop and let them all hit his spot, dumbfounding Stingray. This was all according to plan, as the shockwave of the explosion sent his Ride Chaser up into the sky where Stingray was. Zero proceeded to unleash a barrage of Ride Chaser blasts at Stingray, seriously wounding him and briefly knocking him out.

While temporarily unconscious, Stingray has a flashback to the time the Colonel saved his life by taking a blast meant for him, which was the source of his undying loyalty to the Colonel. He remembers Colonel telling him about Zero, the Reploid with "red armor and long hair fluttering in the wind." Stingray was eager to meet this Reploid whom the Colonel considered a rival, and fight together with him in battle one day.

Stingray regains his will, and comes flying out of the ocean, tackling Zero into the water and again berating him for denigrating the Colonel's warrior beliefs by opposing the coup d'etat and thus "betraying" him. Zero replies that his friendship with the Colonel didn't mean he would blindly follow everything the Colonel did, and counter-attacked with his Ride Chaser.

Suddenly, Stingray's Repliforce subordinates intervene on the scene with Ride Chasers, wanting to aid their commander. Before they can, everyone present is blasted in a surprise attack from the Reploid Self-Defense Forces, who had come to stop Repliforce's coup. Stingray is clearly anguished over seeing his men wiped out, and he laments their deaths before succumbing to his own wounds from the blasts and perishing as well.

As Zero is blasted and slips into unconsciousness, he laments that he is now considered a Maverick as well due to his actions at the Hunter base. After a period, he wakes up in an undisclosed location, and sees a heavenly mysterious female Reploid with wings standing over him. Is that what she really looks like, or is it a blissful delusion?

Conviction

"Right now, I can't decide who's right... my brother or you... I want to acknowledge my brother's pride... and I understand where you're coming from. But... I can tell you this, there's no friend or foe when someone is suffering right in front of me... and fighting will only bring grief."

―Iris

A mysterious Maverick butchers Split Mushroom.

Conviction (信念, Conviction) is the fifth chapter from the manga, originally published on January 1998.

Zero has awakened in a mysterious location after his fateful battle with Jet Stingray at the sea. And then, he realizes that while he hallucinated the wings on the beautiful Reploid woman, she herself is nevertheless very real and someone he has seen before. The woman is Iris, the brother of his old friend Colonel and the person he saved from Eregion's rampage on the city. Zero is bewildered at why she would help him as he is an enemy of the Repliforce.

Zero is reluctant to accept Iris's help due to her membership with Repliforce, and wonders why she saved an enemy like him. Zero states that even though Repliforce evacuated the city of its millions of residents before destroying it, it doesn't matter as Repliforce effectively cut off the financial lifeline for those same millions, making it the same as murder in his eyes. He is also angry over the people killed during Eregion's rampage which Zero erroneously believes that Repliforce was responsible for.

Meanwhile, X infiltrates an abandoned laboratory that has suddenly been re-activated and is crawling with armed turrets and Mavericks, suspecting that the Repliforce might be intending to use it. After plowing through some Mavericks, X finds the boss of the place, Split Mushroom. Mushroom has a childlike demeanor and tells X that he doesn't need weak friends, and proceeds to attack him with his Soul Body clones. Realizing that Mushroom doesn't know the difference between good and evil and has malfunctioned in a way similar to what happened with Wire Sponge, X incapacitates Mushroom with a non-lethal blast to his mushroom-shaped head, exposing the circuitry underneath.

While this is happening, Zero tells Iris that he finds Repliforce's ideal for a Reploid-only nation to be a farce, and can't fathom why they want it. Zero says he believes humans created Reploids as a form of new evolution since humans themselves have reached an evolutionary stalemate. Zero says that while he is not necessarily on the side of humanity, he can't accept Repliforce's violent ways as he is happy with the way the world is currently - humans and Reploids coexisting in harmony. Zero warns he will use violence to stop her brother if it comes down to it.

After Iris's soldier assistant tells her she has an update on the status of individuals that they received yesterday, Zero follows her and Iris, and is shocked to discover an infirmary where Reploids from both the Repliforce and Maverick Hunters are being treated for injuries they have suffered in the war. Iris tells Zero that she has been acting as a nurse to aid Reploids on both sides who have been injured in the current war between Repliforce and the Hunters. Her philosophy is simple: "If I see someone suffering in front of me, regardless of whether they are an enemy or friend, I will wholeheartedly help." Iris also states that her brother did not want a war, and that she feels that an evil force has been manipulating events from behind the scenes to instigate a war.

Iris asks Zero if his strength is justice, and he replies that his "strength" is conviction. Iris asks him what would happen if his conviction was misplaced, and Zero replies that he would have someone (X) out there to hit him and correct his flawed belief. Iris then says that she believes that the power of justice must be shown to those who mistakenly believe that power is justice.

While Iris is saying this, X is still holding Mushroom's injured body. Suddenly, a lightning-fast, mysterious yellow Maverick appears from behind and stabs Mushroom through the chest with his wrist saber and leaps to the roof of the laboratory. X follows him up there and demands the mysterious attacker to let Mushroom go. Instead, the Maverick kills Mushroom by chopping him into little pieces, only telling X that he won't do the same to him because he doesn't have orders to yet. Mushroom's body explodes, and the yellow Maverick vanishes into the night.

Then, Zero leaves Iris and promises that whoever is the true mastermind behind the war, he will find out who it is.

Ice Fang

Frost Walrus fights Blizzard Buffalo and X at the same time.

Ice Fang (氷の牙, Ice Fang) is the the sixth chapter from the manga, originally published on February 1998.

Frost Walrus, the Repliforce commander in charge of the army's Arctic Force, is currently enjoying vanilla at the Repliforce snow base where he is stationed. In the room he is relaxing in, there are over a dozen Reploids encased in ice as prisoners, those who he has captured during the current Repliforce war. Suddenly, Colonel comes barging in. Colonel says that he has heard disturbing reports that Walrus is causing riots that are unrelated to the Repliforce's coup plans. During one such incident, Walrus killed an entire squadron of Maverick Hunters and kept their bodies frozen in ice as part of a collection of his victims. Walrus shrugs off Colonel's complaints, and says he was trying to ease his boredom. Colonel is not amused and berates him for using his power in such stupid and unnecessary ways, and informs him he will report his behavior to General and that he should cease such wanton destruction in the future. Colonel brings up the fact that General saved Walrus from being terminated as a Maverick due to his destructive behavior by enlisting him in the Repliforce, and that he should do what it takes to ensure that General's plan for an independent Repliforce succeeds. After Colonel leaves, Walrus stomps the ground and unleashes an ice blast in a fit of rage.

He then releases dozens of Reploid prisoners and tells them to run as fast as they can, all so he can hunt them down and later kill all of them for sport, save one, who was saved by X and Blizzard Buffalo, the latter of whom has become reformed as a Maverick Hunter. Frost Walrus proves to be more than a match for the two Hunters, and quickly overwhelms X, gaining the upper hand in the battle.

Buffalo and X are seriously outmatched in the battle against Walrus. X decides to leap into the air and fire a buster attack from above, but then notices with shock from the lack of footprints around Walrus that Walrus has not moved his feet at all since the battle began, staying in the same spot. Walrus takes the opportunity to ruthlessly impale X on his shoulder ice blade and hurl him to the ground. Blizzard Buffalo then steps in to protect X, an act that elicits mockery from Walrus since he would not understand why someone weaker than X would try and protect him. Buffalo says that he will not stand by and let his friend die, and doesn't expect a man like Walrus to understand such friendship. He then proceeds to walk toward Walrus, while X loses consciousness due to his injuries.

X later awakens after some time has passed, wondering whether Buffalo has won the fight. Then he looks up and sees a gruesome sight, the destroyed body of Blizzard Buffalo, impaled by Walrus's Frost Tower attack. X screams in disbelief and grief for his dead friend who gave his life for him.

Strength

A sociopathic, corrupt soldier reaps what he sows.

Strength (力, Strength) is the seventh chapter from the manga, originally published on March 1998.

X is at the Maverick Hunter base, brooding over the loss of his friend Blizzard Buffalo at the hands of the ruthless Repliforce soldier Frost Walrus. Double appears, and informs X that he should get some rest as he is still injured. Double points out that what happened wasn't X's fault, as no one could have expected Walrus to be so strong as he previously killed an entire battalion of hunters and then used their frozen corpses to decorate the Repliforce snow base as a "collection." Double reminds X that his true power is his righteous spirit, and he should stay strong if he wants to win the battle in the long run.

Moved by Double's words, X procures a modified Eagle Ride Armor and heads to the Repliforce snow base to confront Walrus for a rematch. While on route he accidentally crashes down in the snow before regaining flight, and then has a tormenting vision of the various Maverick bosses he has defeated chasing him. He crashes through the roof with it, and fires haphazardly in Walrus's direction, destroying his collection of frozen Reploids. This enrages Walrus, who proclaims that "I will not forgive anyone who dares to destroy my collection." Walrus then easily withstands the blasts of the Ride Armor, and proceeds to swiftly destroy X's armor with a Frost Tower attack. However, X survives the explosion of the armor, and manages to heavily damage him by setting him ablaze with the Ride Armor's damaged fuel tank, and fires a barrage of X-Buster shots at him.

Walrus recovers, and proceeds to endure X's blasts. X is undeterred, and keeps firing, but Walrus finally reaches him and grabs him by the head, preparing to kill him. Before he can, Walrus is brutally shot down by General as a punishment for his previous misconduct and to save X's life.

General solemnly stares down at X, and the latter proceeds to fire a barrage of X-Buster blasts at him. The blasts have no effect due to the General's immense power, and General shuts his eyes in resignation and proceeds to leave without saying anything to X. X then slams his X-Buster arm to the ground in frustration, breaking it.

All the while, a mysterious Reploid watches from afar on a ceiling cable and surmises that General was showing respect and an apology to X by letting himself be attacked, after he gave Walrus the sanction of death for breaking military regulations. He says that General is quite the man.

Big Tree

"That's a majestic tree, isn't it? I love this tree. It encompasses this city and human culture at large. When I'm having a hard time or sad, the size of this tree cheers me up. People and nature can blend together, so never lose heart."

―Colonel's first conversation with Zero years ago.

Zero and Colonel fight in a clash of ideals.

Iris interrupts the battle between her brother and Zero.

Big Tree is the eighth chapter from the manga, originally published on April 1998.

There is a large explosion at Frost Walrus's base, and Dr. Cain arrives on the scene with Double and other Hunters and notes in shock the base has entirely collapsed. Amid the wreckage, Cain is shocked to discover X's wrecked buster arm, while X is nowhere to be found. This leads people to theorize he is dead.

Meanwhile, Zero is in a jet, having just finished destroying his ninth Repliforce base. Zero is still on the lookout for the Colonel, hoping he can persuade his old friend to see the bigger picture and call off the Repliforce's coup which has resulted in numerous deaths already. He decides to go visit a big tree near a city, which carries symbolic meaning for Zero. It is the place where Colonel and Zero had a chat years ago, just two months after Zero became a Maverick Hunter. He remembers the Colonel telling him that he was awed by the grandeur and beauty of the tree, and that it embraces the culture of humanity. Whenever there are times of despair and sadness, Colonel looks to the tree for comfort and to remember what he is fighting for and regain his spirit, so that he will never absolutely lose heart. He says that he feels humanity and nature are intimately connected.

The city has since been devastated from Maverick battles, although the tree remains standing tall and proud. Suddenly, in the present, Zero sees that the Colonel has arrived as well. Zero sourly notes that Colonel is now in darker-colored armor. Colonel replies that he came to say goodbye to an old friend, and engages Zero in battle. They are evenly matched, demonstrating their agility and skill with their respective sabers in battle. Just as they are at a standoff and charge each other, about to slash each other's heads off, Iris appears and grabs their attention by firing a gun into the air.

Iris reminds her brother Colonel how he always talked about the majestic nature of the tree and how he would never lose heart with it around, and not to betray the tree. Colonel angrily shouts in despair that there is no way back for him and the Repliforce, because of their hearts. He then asks Zero to continue their battle, and that Iris is not strong enough to stop them as it is the first time she has even held a gun.

Iris then points the gun at herself and threatens to commit suicide if they don't stop. Zero and Colonel hesitate for a few moments, but then the latter still charges at Zero, yelling that he is still a soldier no matter what, and implores Iris to forgive him as he takes the final swing to kill Zero. Zero then plants his saber on the ground, causing the Colonel to relent at the last second. Colonel says that as a soldier, he will not battle against those who have lost their will to fight. He then mentally thinks to himself that Zero has saved Iris again, and as such he would forgive Zero this one last time.

Suddenly, Iris faints and collapses into Zero's arms, and they both rest right in front of the tree.

Diving

Cyber Peacock's defiant last stand against Zero.

Diving (潜行, Diving) is the ninth chapter from the manga, originally published on May 1998.

Zero is standing at the edge of a cliff over water, deep in thought. He is wondering how he should move forward, seeing as how he always acts alone even though he is being hunted as a Maverick now. He remembers that Iris has saved him twice now.

Suddenly, one of Iris's comrades from Repliforce comes and informs her that their colleague Murada has been infected by a virus from the virtual network, seriously harming him. His body has been turned into a giant square block. This is all because a possibly sentient virus has corrupted the virtual network.

Iris had been using this network as part of her work as a nurse to help those injured in the ongoing war between Repliforce and the Maverick Hunters, and as such was able to help save Zero's life. To repay the debt he owed to Iris, Zero offers to have his own A.I. sent virtually into the network and into a free-moving simulator body in order to rid the network of the bugs and the malicious presence infecting it. After destroying many of the bugs in the virtual network, Peacock uses his powers to make Zero hallucinate and relive past memories, particularly memories he had forgotten, of his past as a Maverick.

Peacock finally appears after Zero asks him to come out. Peacock asks if he wants to stay and be his friend, but Zero retorts he was never good at making friends and attacks Peacock. Peacock easily evades and gets the upper hand in the fight, all the while mocking Zero for having memories he has forgotten. Peacock, however, is angered when Zero stays silent and refuses to listen to his taunting anymore, and fires his Tracking Shot feathers at him. Zero easily destroys every one, and confidently says he doesn't need to worry about a forgotten past, nor an unforeseen future, only the present, and injures Peacock with his saber. Peacock then vows that he won't let Zero leave the Cyber Space and does a "suicide bomb" attack, erasing himself and then spreading the erasure to the entire network in an attempt to permanently trap Zero in the virtual world. However, Zero is able to escape just in the nick of time.

Unfortunately for Iris, Peacock's suicide attack also affected the computer screen from where she was monitoring Zero's activities in the real world too, making it explode right next to her, infecting her with the bug and seriously wounding her which put her into a coma.

Running

A ruthless commander.

X in the Ultimate Armor, gleefully burning the Repliforce flag after killing Slash Beast.

Running (疾走, Running) is the tenth chapter from the manga, originally published on June 1998.

In the Kagikira Forest, X has just obtained the Ultimate Armor from a capsule that his late creator Dr. Thomas Light left for him, who warns him in the message that its power could also be a double-edged sword due to its powerful, destructive nature.

Iris is unconscious in a stasis pod to help stabilize her body after it was infected with a virus when the computer terminals exploded due to the machinations of Cyber Peacock. Zero angrily asks a Repliforce soldier how to save her. The soldier explains that there is a Repliforce vaccine chip for Reploids like Iris, aboard the Repliforce freight train that is commanded by Slash Beast. Zero leaves, and heads for the train.

Elsewhere, the Repliforce freight train is going full speed ahead, utterly rampaging through a city, destroying buildings and crashing through a smaller train after ignoring its request to slow down. Zero uses a Ride Armor to reach the train, and jumps aboard it after his Armor is shot down. He engages the Repliforce troops in battle in a fierce charge.

Inside the train, Repliforce sub-commander Slash Beast receives news from a Repliforce soldier that they have lost one of their cargo supplies because of Zero's attack. The soldier tells Beast that Zero was stronger than they thought, but Beast angrily implores him not to make excuses. The soldier repeats himself about Zero's strength, but Beast once again says to not make excuses, and how he hates people who make excuses for their failures. He then brutally kills the soldier by ripping him apart with his claws, for "staining" their Repliforce flag with his failure. Beast then orders his maidservant to bring him the vaccine chip, and muses why anyone would risk their life to try and get it.

Zero then fights onward aboard the Repliforce train, but is momentarily knocked out after a Repliforce soldier in a Ride Armor skewers him from behind with an energy lance. The blood from Zero's wound causes him to have visions of his Maverick past and mysterious creator, but then he remembers Iris and how he needs to save her and his fighting spirit returns. He uses all his strength to punch the soldier down, toppling him and his Ride Armor. Zero then pushes forward, and uses a Rakuhouha attack to detach more of the train and kill the remaining soldiers.

Meanwhile, a powered-up X arrives on the scene, and crashes through the roof of the train to Beast's chambers inside. Beast confidently replies that he considers X to be nothing more than prey, and that he'll have fun killing him. He proceeds to lunge at X. Then, when Zero arrives at the door of Beast's chamber, a huge blast tears through it and destroys a large portion of it, and Zero is stunned to find Beast's hand on the ground. X has just killed Beast and is burning the Repliforce flag as a symbol of victory. X mentions how ironic it is that Beast begged for his life before his death, considering that he had just so casually murdered one of his own troops moments earlier.

X warns Zero not to get in his way, otherwise, he will kill him too. Zero watches in worry and astonishment as X flies off, but nevertheless takes the vaccine chip from the remains of Beast's hand.

Fate

The deadly cost of war.

Colonel content with his own demise at the hands of his old friend Zero.

Iris becomes a casualty of the struggle between her brother Colonel and her friend Zero.

"And I believe in those hopes... that one day we can all smile together again... that there must be a love that defies all obstacles..."

―Iris's explanation of her ideal world, which Zero remembers.

"I won't apologize to you... because this is the path we've chosen. Instead, I will carry them... your souls, your faces in death... the faces of those I killed..."

―Zero thoughts while killing Colonel, knowing Iris would die as well.

"I knew that my fight would catch up with you... but I'm a man who can only find himself in fights... so if someone like me can respond to your heart, then I want to... for the first time in my life, I'm fighting for someone else! Iris! It's just for you alone!"

―Zero explains his raison d'etre to a rampaging Iris and how it has dramatically changed.

Fate (運命, Fate) is the eleventh chapter from the manga, originally published on July 1998. The 2005 release included new pages to the chapter.

Iris is currently in a stasis pod at her Repliforce base, being treated with the vaccine data Zero received from Slash Beast. However, her brother Colonel has broken military protocol and arrives at the base in order to save his sister and clashes with Zero. Zero knows that Colonel came to save Iris, and argues that they don't have to fight since the virus in Iris's body can be cured with the vaccine. Colonel retorts that wherever they meet, it is their fate to fight each other. They then battle, and are seemingly evenly matched.

Meanwhile, Iris's Repliforce subordinates are guarding her from Zero and Colonel while the vaccine does its work. They notice that even though the vaccine installation has been completed, Iris's inner systems are still full of bugs and errors. "Such a beautiful face, and yet her body is being destroyed from the inside by bugs," remarks one soldier.

Zero has gained the upper hand in the battle, and slashes Colonel's right arm off with his saber. At this exact moment, Zero and the soldiers notice that Iris's right arm has become corroded as well. Zero remembers what Iris said to her earlier, about how she and her brother are "two people, but one person" at the same time. This is the reason why Iris's body is still full of bugs and errors; the damage that Colonel is receiving in battle is affecting her as well due to their bond as Reploid siblings. Despite having his arm cut off, Colonel refuses to surrender, and charges at Zero one last time. As he does, Zero remembers Iris's words to him about how she wishes there would be peace between everyone, and the day would come when everyone could laugh again.

Reluctantly, Zero proceeds to finish the Colonel off by slicing him in half with his saber, even with the knowledge that doing so would kill Iris as well. Zero notices with bewilderment that Colonel has a smile on his face as he is dying, which was due to the respect Colonel had for Zero as a lifelong rival.

Iris feels her brother's death due to their connection, and breaks out of the pod in a panic. She crawls to her brother's body in anguish, at which time she is suddenly merged with him and transformed into a winged Ride Armor type Reploid. She frantically says that it is "dark", and asks where her brother and Zero are, specifically imploring Zero to save her, all the while slaughtering the Repliforce solders in the base in an uncontrolled frenzy. Zero makes an emotional plea to Iris, saying that he knows she has been watching his long fight with Repliforce and her heart must hear his words now. Zero then proclaims that for the first time in his life, he is fighting for someone other than himself. Zero screams that he is fighting for only Iris and her alone as he destroys her armor and pulls Iris out of it. Iris then says she enjoyed the time they spent together in spite of her brother Colonel's death and the fact that his actions hurt many of Colonel's own friends. Unfortunately, due to her link to Colonel and his death, she then dies in Zero's arms, just as in the game, causing Zero to scream in anguish and question his ideals.

Meanwhile, at a volcano, Repliforce air brigade commander Storm Owl and the entirety of his fleet have been shot down over the sky by X, who is currently extremely powerful thanks to the Ultimate Armor he received from Dr. Light. Owl is gravely injured, yet still alive, and yells at X that he is the real Maverick, not Repliforce, as he has just displayed powers that are far beyond what normal Reploids are known to possess. X then coldly kills him with a charged buster shot, and and tells Owl that he was a Maverick and the humans made no mistake in deeming Repliforce as such, unaware of the real culprit behind Repliforce's coup.

Suddenly, Magma Dragoon comes charging up from beneath the ground, and challenges X to a fight, saying power is the only thing that matters, not the "law of heaven" or the "law of the land". Dragoon puts up a good fight, and blocks X's blast with a fire barrier. Dragoon then attacks X with a powerful fire blast. X is able to disperse it by flying directly at it with a Nova Strike charge, and then charges at Dragoon. However, Dragoon catches X in mid-air during his Strike, pounds him to the ground and punches him away into a crater, and compliments X's power while doing so, saying he understands why X bears the title of legend. Dragoon then assumes X is dead and confidently remarks that Heaven gave the Earth a fleeting legend. X, who has been losing his mind to the power of the Ultimate Armor, has a vision of Zero, Dr. Cain and Marty reaching out for him. X then flies out of the crater and fires a charged shot at Dragoon. Dragoon tries to stop it with a fire blast, but X's power proves too much and Dragoon is then bisected by the charged shot and killed. X then confidently declares that righteousness will win, the war between Repliforce and the Hunters will end, and that peace will come, and is moved to tears.

Tears

General sacrifices himself to destroy the Final Weapon, saving the Earth from certain destruction.

"Tears... that's the potential only X has for the future of Repliroids... and I must have the potential for a future that only I can provide... there's nothing to be jealous of... no need to get anxious... I just need to find "it" in my fight... my future..."

―Zero's thoughts after punching X.

Tears (涙, Tears) is the final chapter from the manga, originally published on August 1998.

X and Zero have both made their way to the Repliforce's Death Flower* colony in space, a flower-shaped space station which the organization is intending to use as their independent, Reploid-only nation. However, the colony's enormously destructive laser weapon, the Death Seed Cannon, has been activated and poses a very real threat to the Earth.

Inside the colony, General lies exhausted and unconscious on the ground after being seriously damaged in his battle against X who is equipped with the Ultimate Armor. The mysterious yellow Maverick who previously destroyed Split Mushroom appears before the two of them, and mocks "the ridiculous sight of an amateur with a rotting old soldier." He is the one who has apparently activated the Death Seed cannon to fire at the Earth, and X engages the Maverick, who dodges his attack, and suddenly morphs his face into someone who X is very familiar with: his loyal subordinate, Double! The sudden hesitation on X's part gives Double the opportunity to viciously stab him and punch him away.

Double then reveals to X that it was him who planted the Repliforce equipment next to the corpse of Eregion after the Mechaniloid's destructive rampage throughout a city in order to frame them for the incident. He did this at the behest of theHunters' archnemesis Sigma, the person Double is really loyal to and was acting as a spy for. It was all a scheme to get the Repliforce and Maverick Hunters at loggerheads and destroy each other.

X, enraged at this revelation, recovers from Double's attacks and rams straight through him with a Nova Strike attack, tearing his body in half and destroying him. A small orb falls out of Double's body and bounces onto the floor, which X also quickly destroys with buster shots in fear that Double could somehow regenerate from it.

Suddenly, the General rises from behind X and reaches out to him. X fires several shots at the General that ultimately have no effect on him as he grabs X, but he hugs him instead of attacking him, letting X know that he has realized his folly and that he and his organization were manipulated. Then, the General delivers a final salute to X and slams his body straight into the Death Seed Cannon to save the Earth from destruction, resulting in his demise. The ensuing explosion reaches X and destroys his Ultimate Armor, revealing the Fourth Armor underneath.

Elsewhere in the Death Flower colony, Zero is tearing his way through Repliforce soldiers, looking for the boss of the destructive Death Seed Cannon. Zero suddenly feels an evil aura in front of him, and notices with curiosity that the soldiers have stopped pursuing him. He theorizes that the place ahead is sacred to them, and runs ahead to finish it once and for all. He also says in his thoughts that he will never forgive those who played with their lives and forced him to kill Colonel and cause Iris's death as well.

However, Zero doesn't find anyone*, instead encountering X who has just ended the threat of Double. Zero then throws his helmet to the ground and punches X in frustration, angry that the latter has the ability to cry but he does not, as Zero was unable to cry when holding Iris's dead body in his arms. He calms down and agrees to return home with X, believing that he will be able to find a future for himself even if Iris can't have one.

• "Death Flower" is the manga name for the Final Weapon from the game. Furthermore, the reason there was no fight with Sigma in this issue is because of a rushed production by Iwamoto Yoshihiro and complications with publisher Bom Bom Comics, resulting in a shortened final issue.

Gallery

Rockman X4 vol. 1 (February 1998)

Rockman X4 vol. 2 (July 1998)

Rockman X4 (September 2005)

2005 cover art

Bonus illustration from the 2005 release