Toward the end of the lengthy prologue chapter of Bravely Default 2, a new Nintendo Switch RPG, a number of side quests send you into the Hydrangea Hills dungeon to the north of the first main city. The level contains plenty of treasure chests with a bunch of helpful items, but the last (and best) is conveniently out of reach. It’s blocked by a tree that’s a little hard to see and even harder to get past. Here’s how to cut the tree in Hydrangea Hills and what you’ll find inside the final chest.
Where is the last chest in Hydrangea Hills?
Most of the chests in Hydrangea Hills are relatively easy to come across. Just follow the dirt roads and they’ll take you up and around several hills with chests tucked away at the back.
If you haven’t managed to find the last chest in Hydrangea Hills — which you can confirm by equipping anyone who’s reached Freelancer Lv. 3 with the Divining Rod ability — just head for the deepest reaches (generally northwest in the case of this dungeon). Hug the west sidewalls and you should spot a chest on one of the higher ledges above, with a stone bridge or arch connecting the two cliffs.
Another way to find this is to count your way through the teleporters. Aside from the one at the start of the dungeon, you should pass one other teleporter by a bridge that goes over the river. At this point, simply cross the bridge and follow the path to the left for a few steps until you can go up onto the cliff. You should see the tree and stone bridge up here.
How to cut the tree in Hydrangea Hills
The last chest in Hydrangea Hills can’t be accessed until a certain Bravely Default 2 recurring character teaches you how to cut trees: Truff. You’ll find him blocking the route to Wizwald at the tail end of Chapter 1, shortly after you claim the Water Crystal from Savalon.
The poor plump piggy wants to cross into the region himself but is blocked by, you guessed it, a massive tree that has fallen on top of the only bridge across the river. It starts a chain of tree-related stories, so it isn’t quite as convenient a plot device as it initially seems.
Truff can destroy any tree blocking his path with ease, but he won’t. He’s too hungry and he has a real hankering for the Jam Schnitzel they serve back in Savalon. Just as soon as you leave the desert kingdom, you’re sent back one last time before you’re free to progress to the next key area.
To learn how to cut trees in Bravely Default 2, you’ll need to pick up Truff’s quest (Quest 028 – Man’s Best Friend Part II). Head to Savalon Market to enquire about the tasty treat and you’ll be told that the town’s innkeeper specializes in them. Head there, grab the snack, and take it back to the hungry hog.
After a quick bite, he’ll chop the tree with ease, miraculously teaching you how to chop trees yourself in the process. From this point on, you can cut trees by pressing Y — just as you do to cut grass.
What’s inside the final chest in Hydrangea Hills?
So why should you bother heading back to Hydrangea Hills after a whole chapter? Not only are you clueless as to how to reach the chest this early in the game, but you have no idea if what’s just out of reach is a powerful weapon or a simple Teleport Stone.
Inside the temporarily unreachable final Hydrangea Hills chest is the Oak Staff. It’s not some god-like weapon, but it is a pretty noticeable upgrade to your mages if you grab it as soon as you can — that being just as Chapter 1 closes out. It’s not the only Oak Staff in the game, but it’s a quick and easy (and free) upgrade to your team, and it can help in the fights ahead.
