I checked my combat log for the previous wave while waiting for the countdown to end. I needed to figure out why the wave leader took so little damage from my explosions. I dug through the combat log until I reached the wave leader and looked at the first explosion.
Combat log - Enhanced Explosion - Explosive base damage(50)*(7)*(3)=1,050 / explosion resistance(40%) = 600 damage at center of blast radius. Damage decreases as the radius travels outwards.
So the beast leader had explosion resistance? That did not seem fair and it seemed very targeted. I wondered if other people were having beast leaders tailored to defeat them as well. Another issue that could be overcome by a group. I needed to be careful of the beast wave leaders having even higher resistances going forwards. I needed to get them in the center of the blast so that it did full damage. The timer counted down to 0 and a notification popped up.
Survival Event! Beast Wave 2! Defeat the lead beast to end the second wave! Survive!
There was no delay this time as the falcon shrieked loudly immediately, pointing its head directly to the middle of the forest. It didn’t take long for me to see the first beasts in the wave. I triggered Identify as they reached my vision.
Forest Hyena - Event Beast Wave 2 - Level 7 - Health 55/55
I mentally shortened the notification from including all the other details, I didn’t need any extra distractions right now. Knowing a beast's weakness would be helpful with a larger group for combat who had different types of specialities. I only had one type of damage and it would have to be enough. I waited patiently for the group to converge in the clearing, I didn’t want to detonate too early, I needed to save as many pre-planted bombs as I could. I waited what felt like hours but took seconds for the first hyena to get within 50 feet of the mine entrance. There were at least 12 in the first group.
Triggered a staggered detonation of two bombs managed to catch all of the hyenas in the blast. It was a gory repeat of the first wave with blood and viscera splashed everywhere. The clearing was starting to look like the remnants of a butcher's shop. I didn’t have much time as the hyena were much faster than the bushbears had been. It only took a few moments for another large group to tear through the clearing directly at me. There were more like 30 in this group and I had to trigger all three bombs closest to me or risk getting overrun. I miscalculated and blasted myself into the wall of the mine, coming down harshly on my side.
I looked out over the clearing and sighed with relief that all of the hyena were dead or dying. I would have to finish some off or wait for their wounds to do it for me. I chugged a health potion to regain a few health points, my health bar had gone down 1/6 from the impact of the wall. The falcon shrieked again above and I saw a massive hyena stalking between the trees. I remembered how smart the previous wave leader had been and triggered Identify to confirm.
Behind the leader there were another two packs of the beasts on its flanks. I had been optimistic that the beast wave leader would be by itself for the waves but it seemed as if the framework had wanted to up the difficulty even more. Thankfully the two trailing groups were in an area I had littered with simple bombs. I stared arrogantly at the leader of the wave and triggered three detonations that would obliterate its back up.
Forest Hyena - Event Beast Wave 2 Leader - Level 12 - Health 70/70
I would need to hit it hard and fast, especially with my side injured. I took a few steps and grunted, it would take a few more minutes for my side to heal. I didn’t have the time to think about much else before the hyena charged. I prepared to throw my standard bomb when a gray shape swooped down and struck the hyena in the eye. It roared in outrage and swiped up at the falcon but the quick flighted bird was already dozens of feet in the air above it. I didn’t waste my chance while it was distracted and threw the standard bomb, detonating it and two simple bombs closest to the massive hyena all at once.
The explosion rocked the clearing and I was again blasted backwards into the wall. I knocked my head hard against the pocketed surface of the cave wall and slid down. There was so much dust and debris floating around the clearing I couldn’t see the body of the hyena at all. I chugged another health potion, narrowly avoiding the cooldown penalty and looked out over the clearing, using my spear to brace myself.
My health bar was down to half and I could tell my reaction speed was slowed. I likely had a head injury that would take longer to heal. I needed to finish this wave as soon as possible and get to my bed to heal. The falcon was circling the air above the dust cloud, searching for the hyena. It let out a shriek and dove down directly to the right of the mine entrance. I turned and saw the body of the hyena smashed against the wall of the mine. I walked over and triggered Identify, confirming it was dead.
Congratulations! You have slain the Beast Wave Leader!
Congratulations! You have survived Beast Wave Level 2!
Congratulations! You have reached level 16!
Congratulations! You have earned Bronze item box x3, Silver item box x2!
The timer appeared in my vision and immediately began counting down again. I sighed in frustration, thinking of my injuries. I dumped two more skill points in remote detonation and opened my item boxes. I was given 5 standard bombs, 15 simple bombs, 2 more standard health potions and 1 standard regeneration potion.
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The framework was giving me just enough to survive the waves, leading me on a little at a time. I was full of frustration as I chugged down the standard regeneration potion and another health potion. I limped back to my room in the mine and laid down on the bed to use the regeneration bonus. I kept an eye on the timer and decided to get up when it reached 10 minutes. I needed to think of a better plan or I wouldn’t survive the next wave.
I decided to try holding out in the mine this time, if the people in a town were defending from town walls, I should be able to do the same. I wasn’t sure what would happen if the beasts made it to the door. I got up when the timer hit 10 minutes and stretched, grateful to feel healed. I headed back to the clearing and scattered more simple bombs across the clearing and out in the forest. I planted all of them this time, leaving none remaining in my inventory. For the standard bombs I planted them in increments of 20 or so feet from the mine door all the way to the end edge of the clearing. I would stand at the doorway of the mine and trigger the detonations as the beasts approached and then duck back inside when they got too close.
The timer reached 0 and my ever faithful falcon friend gave a shriek from the sky. It sighted itself back to the middle of the forest, letting me know it had seen the beast wave. I waited until I could see the first of the beasts and began to trigger detonations at my maximum range, taking down as many as I could. By the time one made it to my Identify range I could already see what it was and my heart rose to my chest, the framework was just taunting me.
Cave Bear - Event Beast Wave 3 - Level 9 - Health 75/75
I had killed half a dozen with the detonations but they still came forwards undeterred. Did these beasts even live in the forest? Where would so many bears even live? There had only been two in this entire area before I claimed the mine. The first bear to make it to the clearing was violently thrown to the air by a simple bomb exploding right under its belly. So far so good. I killed another three or four this way as the tide of bears began to slow down. My plan of putting the bombs at max range and detonating as soon as each bear entered range, rather than waiting for them to group, was paying off.
I was feeling confident until the falcon turned in the sky and shrieked a warning pointing itself directly behind me. I heard a loud roar come from the backside of the cave and realized there were bears coming from the sides. I wouldn’t be able to catch these with any of my planned simple bombs and I didn’t have anything left in my inventory. Cursing my brashness to place everything I had I threw my three smokers in the clearing and sent one last look to the sky to my companion of the last few weeks, I hoped I would see it again. I backed inside the mine and closed the door.
I backed up in the common room and looked around, desperate for anything to use. I had no more bombs and no vision to the outside to trigger the ones I had. I knew I could trigger them without vision but I would have no idea when to do it. I knew I couldn’t risk going back outside, one hit from one of the massive bears would likely kill me, or maim me in the least. I had my spear and a room of sparse, utilitarian furniture. I drug over the tables and chairs to make a makeshift barricade and waited.
It did not take long before the bears reached the door, they began to slam themselves in to the door and to my horror a health bar appeared for the door in my vision. It was listed as town defense and was rapidly shrinking. I looked at the town interface for defensive options but nothing was available until the town reached level 2.
The door was already at half health, I had to do something. I triggered the closest standard explosion and heard a roar of pain from an unlucky bear that must have been nearby. There was a moment of silence before the loudest roar I had ever heard sounded from the clearing. The beast wave leader must have appeared. If the leveling of the beast wave was consistent this leader would be level 14, almost the same level as me. It was a strange moment as I thought of the bear as weak compared to the ones I had killed weeks before. The beast wave was only the third level, if the trend continued the last leader would be level 28. The main difference was that these bosses seemed to all have explosion resistance where the normal cave bears did not.
I was distracted with my thoughts when a crash sounded and the door to the mine exploded inwards. I could see a massive bear staring at me through the opening of the mine, its shoulder too wide to fit. It tried to breach the entrance by twisting itself around to no avail and gave a defiant roar. I rapidly triggered every single bomb in range in desperation. I shrunk back to the far wall and waited for death to come as I triggered Identify.
Cave Bear - Event Beast Wave 3 Leader - Level 14 - Health 100/100
The massive bear was still trying to force itself through the comparatively narrow door in an almost comical fashion. I stood there dumbfounded watching the bear wrestle with the stone and lose. Technically I had spent my gold on closing off the cave entrance and creating this chokepoint, the framework was clearly rewarding me for the initiative. The cave bear had managed to get both of its shoulders through the frame but it was stuck at its hips.
An idea popped in my mind and I ran to the alchemy lab to find any kind of flammable oil. I rapidly identified vials until I found one that listed itself as an accelerant, ignoring all the other details and grabbed a torch off the wall. I slowly approached the still struggling bear and took a deep breath. If that bear made it inside I was dead.
This was my last chance, if I killed the wave leader it would clear the wave. I took the vial of accelerant and doused the bear with it. It roared angrily, spittle flying in my face, I took one last look at the enraged cave bear and threw the torch directly at its face. It rapidly caught on fire and roared pitifully as it became fully engulfed. I watched as the massive bear turned to charcoal in the entranceway. I triggered Identify multiple times and watched its health tick down to 0.
Congratulations! You have slain the Beast Wave Leader!
Congratulations! You have survived Beast Wave Level 3!
Congratulations! You have reached level 17!
Congratulations! You have earned Bronze Item box x2, Silver Item Box x2, Gold Item box x1!
A timer popped back up in my vision and I just slumped to the ground by the wall, staring at the remains of the former cave bear. I was completely emotionally and physically exhausted and I only had one hour to pull myself together.