Chapter 3: Rejuvenation
Ah, the joy of waking up early in the morning. Said no one ever. Well, except for me. I've always been an early bird, rising with the sun, and sneaking around the house to start my day. Until this morning, that is.
As I woke up, I realized that this would be the worst morning of my life. I was covered in a sticky substance, my leg was blaring in pain, and to top it off, there was a puddle of dried void that definitely came from my leg. As the fog cleared from my head, I was finally hit with the putrid stench of corpses surrounding me. Just another day in paradise.
Well, isn't this just peachy? Lucky for me, my void body doesn't require sustenance, so I didn't have to endure the agony of throwing up. Thank the Abyss, I guess. As I sat up, my leg protested in pain, a near-casualty of my encounter with the Nosk. Speaking of which...
I turned my attention to the beast's lifeless corpse and, despite lacking a mouth, allowed myself a small smirk of satisfaction. Alright, enough dilly-dallying. I checked my hammer space for any remaining soul, surprised to find only the ball, now slightly larger and swirling with energy.
Pushing aside my curiosity, I focused on my injured leg, allowing the soul in my chest to travel down and mend the damage. The pain gradually dissipated, and I let out a satisfied sigh of relief. I'm on my own out here, after all. Can't rely on anyone but myself, especially not in this forsaken place.
I stood up and approached my other Kunai-nail, still lodged in Nosk's leg. With a firm tug, I watched as the beast's leg crumbled beneath it in a heap. Mental note to clean every inch of everything I own later. But for now, I pushed deeper into the den, feeling the air lighten with the creature's absence.
As I ventured further in, I finally found what I was searching for - a piece of pale ore, just like in the game. With a grin of satisfaction, I pocketed it in my hammer space before heading back out of the alcove.
Well, it's about time for some experimentation, just as I promised myself. Reaching into my hammer space, I retrieved the small ball of soul and began to manipulate it. With a firm squeeze, it hardened, then softened again at my will.
Inspiration struck, and I decided to test this newfound ability. I mean, I can always gather more soul later, right? Drawing upon the soul within my chest, I envisioned my body as a complex network of veins and chakra pathways, like from naruto with the majority of the energy concentrated in my chest.
As I spread the soul throughout my body, I could feel the energy coursing through me, invigorating every fiber of my void body. The cavern around me began to come into sharper focus with each passing moment, every detail more distinct than before.
Finally, after panting with exertion, I finished spreading the soul throughout my entire body. I felt amazing, like I could run a marathon and back without breaking a sweat. Testing my newfound strength, I sprinted to the other side of the cavern, leaving a deep dent in the surface with my powerful kick-off.
Grinning like a cat, I could only imagine the possibilities now that I had unlocked this potential.
As I continued through the ominous depths of Deepnest, I couldn't help but feel grateful for my new enhancement. The once eerie and treacherous terrain now felt more manageable as I could detect even the slightest movements and anticipate potential dangers.
It was clear that this particular section of Deepnest was devoid of any sentient beings, as the only inhabitants I had encountered were the Nosk and those repulsive corpse creepers. I shuddered at the thought of those disgusting creatures and continued on my way.
Suddenly, a bug-like creature caught my eye as it wandered aimlessly like a zombie. Without hesitation, I swiftly dashed to its side and then quickly changed direction, appearing behind it in an instant. I tightly gripped my nail, accidentally channeling my soul energy into it through the veins in my hand.
As I struck the creature, intending to deliver a swift and clean blow to its head, I was surprised to see the husk effortlessly cleaved in half with a glowing trail following behind it. The creature inside writhed in agony before slowly succumbing to its inevitable demise.
I looked down at my kunai-nail, realizing my mistake for not fully utilizing its potential. In the anime series Naruto, people imbue their kunai with wind chakra to increase their effectiveness in combat. I couldn't help but facepalm at my own ignorance.
With a surge of power, I infused my nail with soul energy, watching in awe as it began to glow with an otherworldly light. Gripping it tightly, I felt the thrill of excitement course through my veins as I prepared to strike. With a swift motion, I swung my kunai-nail through the air, the sound of its sharp edge cutting through the atmosphere like a crack of thunder. It was a sight to behold, a dance of light and sound, as I wielded my newly empowered weapon with ease and precision.
I faintly wondered if I can do the leaf exercise or run up walls because that will definitely be useful while exploring Hallownest. Maybe I can also try to shoot fireballs out of my mouth through the earth like a snake. But that's not what I should be focusing on right now, I need to work on the basics before I try anything like that. I know it's boring but it's whatever.
Aside from my revelation, there wasn't anything too interesting.I had been traveling through the uninhabited side of Deepnest for hours, most likely days, my ragged cloak barely keeping me warm against the damp and musty air. As a void creature, I didn't really need to worry about things like hunger or fatigue, but that didn't mean I wasn't uncomfortable. The constant darkness made for an unpleasant journey.
Finally, after what felt like hours of wandering through the eerie tunnels of Deepnest, I stumbled upon a hot spring. Thank goodness for small mercies, I thought to myself as I eagerly shed my ragged cloak and jumped into the invitingly warm waters. As I sank down into the water, letting the steam envelop me in a comforting embrace, I let out a loud sigh of relief. It was like all the tension in my body was finally starting to melt away.
But as I looked around at the other creatures sharing the hot spring with me, I suddenly felt very out of place. My cloak, tattered and worn from my travels, was the unmistakable white of the palace. I knew that taking it off would reveal my true nature, so I tried my best to clean it and my sharp, kunai-like nails without drawing too much attention.
As I rummaged through my hammer space, a pocket dimension where I stored my weapons and other items, I could feel the eyes of the other creatures on me. They were hissing and clicking in their own strange languages, and I couldn't help but feel like a fish out of water.
With a deep breath, I pulled out my nails and began to clean them with meticulous care. The sound of metal against metal was oddly soothing, and I found myself focusing intently on the task at hand. But as I worked, I couldn't help but overhear snippets of conversation from the creatures around me.
They spoke of the dangers of Deepnest, of the treacherous creatures that lurked in the shadows. Some even whispered of a powerful warrior who had supposedly slain the infamous Nosk. I couldn't help but chuckle at the irony of it all, but my laughter quickly died when I noticed the strange looks I was getting from the other creatures.
Shaking off my discomfort, I turned my attention back to cleaning my nails. Once they were spotless, I moved on to my cloak, carefully scrubbing away any dirt or grime. It was a tricky process, trying to hide my inky black body from the others while still getting my cloak clean, but I managed it in the end.
Finally, I settled back into the warm waters of the hot spring, feeling much more at ease. Despite the awkwardness of the situation, I couldn't help but feel grateful for the chance to rest and recharge before continuing on my journey through Deepnest.
And as I drifted off to sleep, I knew that I needed to plan out how to kill the Radiance. But for now I could rest.