Slash Beast

"Challenging my unit was both foolish and reckless! You are nothing more than my prey... One that is soon to be retired!"

- Slash Beast

Slash Beast, known in Japan as Slash Beastleo (スラッシュ・ビストレオ), is a Lion-based Reploid in Mega Man X4. He is a member of the Repliforce, a group labeled as Maverick due to their wanting independence. He enlisted in Repliforce only to freely exercise his combat abilities, but despite this attitude he showed dauntless courage in battle, fearing no one. During the coup, Slash Beast was put in charge of guarding Repliforce's military supply train.

Power & Abilities

 * He poses excellent hand-to-hand combat skill with his speed and strength. He can grab his enemy and crash into the wall or stomp onto his enemy (mostly pairs this with his ability to jump very high).
 * He can shoot crescent moon-like energy projectiles from his somersault/invert front-flip kick moves (X will gain this weapon called Twin Slasher).
 * He can perform claw attacks, which pair with his combat skill. He can also perform charge attack with his claws (Zero will learn this technique called Shippuuga).

Strategy
The battle can be easy or hard depending on what character is being played. As X, the Ground Hunter is the best choice. The first hit will break his claws off and any additional strike will cancel his attacks, trapping him in a loop. Zero has his work cut out for him, as he'll need to keep moving to avoid the charges, slashes, and (when his health is low enough) avoid getting grabbed and shaken like a ragdoll. Zero can hit him with Raijingeki if there is a clear shot.

Most bosses show the ability the player will gain during the battle. For X, his Twin Slasher is identical to the energy arcs generated by Slash Beast's somersault kick. For Zero, his Shippuuga comes from Slash Beast's charge attack when at low health.

Data
Stage description: A military train is moving supplies. Cut off Repliforce's supply route.

Stage enemies
Enemies in Slash Beast's stage, the Military Train.
 * Mid-boss: DG-42L
 * Bat Bone B81
 * Knot Beret B
 * Knot Beret G
 * Metall D2
 * Plasma Cannon
 * Raiden

When Playing as X
Slash Beast: Challenging my unit was both foolish and reckless! You are nothing more than my prey... One that is soon to be retired!

When Playing as Zero
Slash Beast: You dared to attack my unit?! I'm gonna enjoy fighting you!

Archie Comics
Slash Beast later appeared in the Worlds Unite crossover event, in which he and his fellow Mavericks fought against the unified heroes assembled by X, Sonic the Hedgehog, and Mega Man.

Trivia

 * Slash Beast may be a tribute to Guile and Charlie from the Street Fighter series (like Magma Dragoon is to Ryu, Ken and Akuma). Like them, he is military and his somersault attack is similar to their "Flash/Somersault Kick" special move.
 * Oddly, Slash Beast's artwork shows him as orange and yellow, although, in-game, he is brown with yellow highlights.
 * Slash Beast is one of two Mavericks in the X series to have two separate battle entrances. In the first encounter, he uses his speed to outrun the train and jumps on it. The second encounter, on the other hand, is just him inexplicably falling from the top of the screen, simply due to the fact that there is no train on the Final Weapon. The other character to have this trait is Dark Mantis, if certain conditions are met in his stage.