Aeshi Nero

Master Armor Gigantic Excavator "Aeshi Nero"
Full Name	Master Armor Gigantic Excavator "Aeshi Nero"
Weapons	Missiles, electricity, energy cannon, laser cannon
Games	Metal Slug 2 Metal Slug X Metal Slug Attack Metal Slug: Awakening
Sprite

The Aeshi Nero (alternatively spelt Assy Nero in Metal Slug Attack) is the second boss from Metal Slug 2/X.

Information

The Aeshi Nero is a gigantic excavating machine resembling a cobra created by the Rebel Army. Although it is primarily designed for burrowing purpose, it can be re-purposed for combat in a pinch.

While Metal Slug 2/X implies that it is a Martian machine (as the theme "First Contact" plays during the fight instead of the standard boss music), its description in Metal Slug Attack confirms that it was constructed by the Rebels to clear out room for a base.

Details

The Aeshi Nero is fought in a tower inside a tomb, with it digging through and suddenly appearing from the bottom. It always attempts to keep distance with the player no matter if they're climbing or not. The tower itself is quite limited as there's no walls on the sides and the random platforms are short.

The Aeshi Nero launches missiles and electric balls. It also intermittently charges a laser cannon that goes up the entire tower. The laser is extremely fast, forcing the player to go to the very edge of the tower. Also, it may lower down to bounce up and electrocute the player with energy sparks on its teeth, so keep on jumping up.

Given the dangers, the player mostly has to constantly jump and shoot down. The Slugnoids near the base makes the battle much easier. Sometimes a Rocket Launcher or a Heavy Machine Gun box will drop down. However, they may fall in the inside the boss's mouth, making the retrieval process difficult.

Variants

	Aeshi Nero: The original gigantic serpentine excavator.
	Aeshi Nero MK II: A customized, almost jet-black version of the original version which is also capable of burrowing underground to acquire new targets, smashing them to bits when it emerges with a massive boulder.
	Aeshi Nero MK III: Another customized variant, colored purple. Its power output and armor are a significant step up from the previous version, but the more extreme allocation of its power output means that it shoots rocks out without any precise accuracy.

Gallery

Idle Aeshi Nero in Metal Slug Attack.

Trivia

• If the player moves to the lower right platform below the last item on the tower with the right timing, the Aeshi Nero will stop at the base of the tower and not damage the player, making it possible to defeat the boss without climbing the tower (by using the Slug to continuously fire downwards without jumping) or taking on its attacks. This glitch only works in Metal Slug 2, as in Metal Slug X, jumping on that platform will result in the eventual destruction of the Slugnoid (it is still possible to jump out of the slug or out of the Aeshi Nero's mouth).
• The Aeshi Nero and the supernatural theme of the mission is likely a reference at the belief that the pyramids were built by aliens.
• The Aeshi Nero's sprite is incomplete in Metal Slug 2/X with the tower blocking the massive gap on its mouth. The sprite was completed in Metal Slug Attack when it became a playable unit.