Episode 15: Buried Truths

After narrowly escaping the Volatile siege in the Volatile Nest main quest, we receive another contact from Olivia to prepare for the next Chimera hunt. This is the Buried Truths main quest in The Beast. Similar to the Toxic Relationships mission, this is a relatively short main quest with the core objective of locating and killing a Chimera boss to obtain its blood sample. Notably, this will be the final sample Kyle Crane needs to fully upgrade his Beast Mode abilities. To help you achieve this goal, I've prepared this concise guide to assist you in finding the boss battle location and mastering the strategy to defeat it.

Olivia instructs Crane to meet her at the sewage treatment plant. This location is on the eastern side of the map, relatively close to the infected exiles' hideout. After entering her truck, a cutscene triggers revealing that Olivia's father was the one who originally introduced Crane to the Baron. His intention wasn't malicious but rather an attempt to maintain what humanity remained in Crane's body.

Although Crane feels increasingly agitated by this revelation, it's best to vent this emotion on the next Chimera. Fortunately, the target is inside the treatment plant, so there's no need to travel far to find it. Before proceeding, make sure you have: - Plenty of healing items (bandages, medkits) - Your strongest melee weapon - Full health and stamina

You might wander around the facility a bit before discovering that the target is actually in a lower area, structured like an underground greenhouse—our Chimera is there. The path to the lower level is quite obvious: as shown in the diagram, the broken railing and opening in the ceiling grid is the entrance. After climbing down, smash the wooden barricade here to reveal another passage. At the end, there's an interactive point on the metal plate. Interact with it to trigger the boss battle with the Chimera.

For battle preparation, I recommend using melee weapons, as we're facing a Brute-type infected with a large body and relatively slow attack movements. Additionally, it's best to craft some bandages in advance, because the arena is an enclosed space, and during the battle there may be no breathing room to craft them on the spot. The arena also contains toxic crates scattered around that can be broken for area damage—use these strategically.

If you've already fought the 'Behemoth' in the A New Strain main quest, then you won't be too unfamiliar with this tall Chimera named 'Colossus' wearing a small gas mask. It has quite a distinctive appearance. Aside from its looks, the battle takes place in the underground area of the treatment plant. I strongly recommend adopting a steady defensive strategy, as there are other wandering zombies in the arena that will interfere while you're dealing with the main threat.

One unique aspect of this battle is that toxic crates are scattered around the arena. Both the Colossus and the player can break them, causing continuous poison damage to units within range. Although the damage doesn't last long, it's an effective way to deal significant damage to the Chimera. If your Beast Mode skill can activate when the energy bar is half-charged, you can use it to quickly reduce a large amount of the boss's health.

Besides the regular arm swings and sweeps, you need to pay special attention to the Colossus's ground pound attacks. In addition to the common stomp, it occasionally unleashes a forward-facing shockwave attack that catches you off guard. Be aware of the timing and dodge to the side when you see these attacks coming. The shockwave in particular has good range and can hit you even if you're not directly in front of it.

Finally, when the battle reaches halfway—when you've depleted its first health bar and triggered the phase transition—be alert for the Runner infected it summons. If possible, eliminate them as quickly as possible. Obviously, as the second phase of the boss battle, the Colossus's attacks and combos will become more frequent and aggressive, such as launching multiple ground pound attacks in succession. Therefore, when it exhibits this behavior, be sure to keep your distance. Stay mobile, use the toxic crates strategically, and save your Beast Mode for critical moments when you need burst damage.

After successfully extracting the blood sample, you'll obtain enough Beast skill points to max out the Beast Mode skill tree. This is a significant milestone in Crane's transformation journey—you now have access to the full power of the beast within. All feral abilities are unlocked and ready to be unleashed on your enemies.

After completing the Buried Truths main quest, in addition to obtaining the final skill point needed to strengthen Beast Mode, you'll also receive: Rewards: - Final Beast Point (completes Beast Mode skill tree) - 12,500 XP - 800 Old World Currency - Co-op Loot Chest (if completed in co-op mode) With the Beast Mode skill tree fully unlocked, Crane's transformation abilities are now at their peak. You're ready for the final confrontation with the Baron.