SUMMARY
X heads to the coordinates Vava gave him, thinking there is an upgrade there he could use. Arriving there, X sees that it is a massive industrial area that reeks of death. X enters one of the factories, and is surrounded by compactors crushing junk machines and corrosive acid dropping from pipes above. X walks across a conveyor belt, mentioning how everything seems to be decayed yet moving. Suddenly a Scrap Robo on the conveyor belt fires a laser from its eye, almost hitting X as he fires back, discovering that the machines are still active. X rushes through the industrial area as several explosions can be seen from a distance.

X reaches a massive steel door, forcing it open as he feels an immense heat coming from behind it. As X enters, he discovers a massive number of Repliroid bodies hanging from the ceiling. X realizes that they are all Repliroids who opposed Sigma, and that this the true form of this "graveyard". A massive Repliroid awakens and walks behind X. He introduces himself as Burnin' Noumander, and immediately attacks X with a Fire Wave which X barely dodges with a jump. X continues to dodge and shoots off Noumander's arm. Noumander says X is pretty strong, but he will still win. X thinks Noumander is just being a sore loser, but he calls forth parts from one of the hanging Repliroids which assemble into a new arm replacement. Noumander says that everything hanging above him will become part of himself. X watches in horror at the revelation, and is struck by Noumander's newly-rebuilt arm. X dashes away, but Noumander jumps up and crashes down causing X to trip from the shockwave. Noumander fires a stream of oil which hits X, setting him on fire. X's movements are slowed down by the attack, and is aware that attacking him head-on would only make him repair himself again. X attempts to feint, but his buster shot barely hits Noumander, instead hitting one of the hanging bodies above. X realizes that he cannot just fire recklessly as he'll hit the bodies above, and in attacked with a kick from Noumander who mocks X for being unable to attack. Noumander mocks X, saying he can set fire and destroy the Repliroids hanging above him without a second thought, and says he'll do it again. Before X can tell him to stop, Noumander, stomps down on X, who asks why Noumander is doing this to his own kind. Noumander tells X to shut up, and sets them all ablaze while screaming that they should all burn. Noumander makes X watch as some of the living Repliroids emerge from the flames in agony as he continues to mock X with an image of hell.

Noumander asks if X's scared yet, but X fires a charged shot down on the ground, causing Noumander to lose his balance and allowing X to break free. X says that Noumander can't hear those screams despite his giant ears, and that their voices are not sounds of agony but pleading. X continues to fire at Noumander, destroying his trunk and the rest of his body but notices one of his shots deflecting off Noumander's left chest. X fires again, and it is deflected again as X wonder why that's the case. Noumander asks if X's finished, and retorts that it's his turn to make fools out of X and the other Repliroids as he starts absorbing parts of the fallen. X realizes that whatever is behind the chest plating must be Noumander's weakness, and rushes forward as he's reassembling himself. X punches his buster forward, forcing it to be absorbed halfway into Noumander's body. Noumander panics as he's caught in X's trap, as X says he's discovered what allows Noumander to regenerate would have to be behind the tougher plating. X fires a charged shot, which goes through Noumander, destroying his body from the inside.

X jumps away as Noumander's body falls apart, revealing a damaged tiny ball-shaped robot to be Noumander's true form. X walks towards it, and it angrily shouts at X for calling him small. Noumander says that he has been mocked endlessly by Repliroids for his small size, and he couldn't take it anymore and joined Sigma to seek vengeance against everyone. X crouches down, telling Noumander that he had a friend who told him that things such as "rank" and "size" mean nothing, and that honor and such a way of living means far more as a Hunter. Noumander says that X's just spouting idealistic nonsense, but X responds by saying even he managed to defeat the humongous Noumander despite his own small size. Accepting defeat, Noumander opens a hidden door leading outside and tells X to finish him off. X refuses, and tells Noumander that he still has the important duty to never make this place a graveyard again.

COMMENTARY
The battle against Burnin' Noumander is another self-contained chapter and story arc, though the main highlight is how different Noumander is from the games and how far Sigma's army would go to abuse Repliroids who go against his will. Having a villain whose ability is to rebuild itself using the remains of someone or something else sounds like something out of a horror film, even if the effect is dampened slightly by the fact that this is being done with machines instead of living creatures. Once again X shows his adaptability and manages to come up with a way to defeat Noumander by using Noumander's own ability against him.

Burnin' Noumander's original form and motive being revealed as a tiny Mechaniloid bent on taking revenge for being berated by Repliroids was interesting to say the least, especially since X uses the same logic against him, making Noumander see the errors in his ways and reform after their fight. It is also interesting to note that Noumander is the first (and only) boss character that survives after the fight against X. With X telling Noumander that he has an important responsibility left, it is plausible to think that Noumander isn't going to succumb to his damages even if he doesn't appear again in later chapters.