Chapter 5: A Game Changer

I woke up feeling gentler than a newborn snail, warmth spreading through my void body like butter melting on toast. I was momentarily lost in a haze of cozy comfort, forgetting everything - my goal, my situation, my very existence. It was like being wrapped in a fluffy blanket, floating in a sea of marshmallows. But then, a bug appeared before me, and I was rudely awakened from my fluffy dream.

This bug was tall and had on a fancy red cloak that hid their upper half, only allowing their long legs to be shown. They had a spherical mask with six eye-shaped holes that made them look like a bug-eyed monster from a cheesy sci-fi movie. I couldn't help but think they were compensating for something. I faintly recognized this creature as one of the weavers - a species that had only been shown once in Hollow Knight; when the Knight explored the weaver's den, you could spot one lone weaver scuttling out of the den.

The weaver approached me and started clicking and hissing at me like a malfunctioning robot. I could somehow understand what they were saying, even though it sounded like a mix of Morse code and a dying modem. "That robe, even ragged and torn, I can still say they are that of the servants of the white palace," the weaver said, with a tone of self-importance. They leaned in a bit closer, invading my personal space like a nosy neighbor. "Tell me, what is noble doing in a place like this, instead of in the safety of the Palace?"

I tried to respond, but I spoke English, not bug (Is that racist?). And the weaver gave me an odd look, as if I had just belched the national anthem. I would have blushed in embarrassment, if I wasn't made void. I shook my head and pointed down at the floor, before pointing upwards, like a toddler trying to communicate with an adult.

The weaver made a trill of realization, "Ah, so you are not one of the king's subjects and trying to get your way back up?" I nodded my head, relieved that I didn't have to explain myself in bug language. (Still think its kind of racist) "Ok then, I'm not gonna question where you got that robe from, but there is a tram way just over there. I must warn you though, the Garpedes do not hesitate in turning you into mush."

I nodded my head towards the weaver as they walked off, and I couldn't help but chuckle to myself. That didn't go as bad as I expected. And actually, there is something I need to experiment on - I have a theory on how all of this might work and I needed a space where no one would bother me.

I stood up out of the waters of the hot spring and wrung out the end of my cloak like a damp rag. Now standing out of the water, I realized I had grown - my cloak's sleeves which were once slightly above my elbows now resembled an actual short sleeve, and the ends of the cloak which were once below my knees were now slightly above them. It was like the cloak had shrunk in the wash. I would definitely need to get a new one. Maybe I could visit the hidden village and buy one from one of the weavers, or better yet, try to sew one myself. I chuckled at the thought of me, a blob of void, attempting to sew a cloak. It was like asking a fish to knit a sweater. But then again, stranger things had happened in Hollow Knight.

After getting directions from the weaver, I set out towards the tramway, but something in me told me to take a detour. Maybe it was the excitement of finally having some free time to test out his theory that has been nagging me, I decided to take a little detour and search for a secluded spot where I could conduct my experiments.

As I walked towards the Garpeade tunnels, I couldn't help but marvel at the intricate tunnels and the various bugs that scurried around. The Garpeades were notorious for being one of the most careless creatures in the underground, but I didn't let that stop me.

After an hour of searching, I finally found what I was looking for: a small, abandoned room tucked away in a corner of the tunnel. The room was cramped, but it would have to do. I sat down on the floor, cross-legged, and began to focus.

I was going off of what I had read in a fanfic about someone getting isekai'ed into Hollow Knight. It was called "not so Hollow Knight," and the protagonist used memes to cast spells. I couldn't believe I was actually basing my experiment on this, but hey, desperate times call for desperate measures.

I closed my eyes and focused on the "Sneak 100" spell. I imagined myself as the protagonist, my body cloaked in a near-undetectable veil. I felt my soul pathways losing energy slowly, and I opened my eyes to find myself...still visible.

I frowned. Something was missing.

Suddenly, an idea struck me, and I began to channel a bit of void subconsciously. My vision darkened, and my arms seemed to fade into the darkness. I got up and left the room, eager to test my newfound power.

As I walked down the tunnel, I saw a passerby, a bug woman who looked on edge, constantly glancing around as if something was going to pop out and eat her. I decided to have a little fun and tugged on her cloak.

She whipped around, searching for whatever had just tugged her cloak, but she didn't notice me. I waved my hand in her face, but she still didn't spare me a glance. I grinned, realizing that I was completely invisible.

I quickly made my way back to the room, eager to experiment further.

_

As I walked back to the room, my mind racing with ideas, I knew there was one thing I needed right now: transportation. I fidgeted with my kunai-nail, twirling it in my fingers, trying to come up with a plan. I stared at the handle, deep in thought, and then it hit me.

I had always been a fan of Naruto and its incredible abilities. Suddenly, an idea struck me that would not only solve my transportation problem but also fulfill my anime dreams. And based on my success with the Nosk, I was sure I could pull this off.

Excitement bubbled inside me as I started bringing my idea to life. First, I printed the words "Sneak 100" onto the base of my cloak using my finger to expel some void, like a pen. I pumped some soul into it and was intrigued when the words swirled into a pattern on the cloak.

With that success under my belt, I set to work on my project. I carefully printed words and phrases onto the handle and base of the nail, each one with a specific role in achieving what I wanted. As I worked, I could feel the anticipation building inside me.

Finally, I finished and stepped back to take a look at my creation. But instead of feeling excited, I cringed at the garbled mess of words on the Nail. I knew it would take some fine-tuning to get it just right.

So, I stretched out my limbs, feeling cramped from being hunched over my work. Then, I channeled some soul and void into the nail, and suddenly, I felt a connection forming between it and my soul network. The nail glowed white as all the words on it seemed to solidify and swirl into an abstract piece of art in the center of the handle.

I stared at the art, trying to make out the words, but they were jumbled and overlapped. All I could see was one word: "Flying Thunder God". I couldn't wait to try out my new creation.

With a sense of anticipation building inside me, I stood at the end of the tunnel, my eyes fixed on a particular stone that was near dead center. I prepared and threw my nail like a dart at the stone, and thanks to the soul system coursing through my body, the runes on the nail, and my laser focus, it cut through the air and plunged into the stone with a satisfying thunk.

I channeled some soul into the link I had with the nail, and then it happened.

Blink

In a flash, I was teleported to the other side of the tunnel, holding the nail in my free hand. I couldn't help but grin like a madman, the possibilities with this power. I held the blade of the nail in one hand and placed my other on the seal now stamped on the handle. I gripped it tightly, imprinting the seal onto my hand.

I took out my other nail and stamped the seal onto the handle, focusing some soul into it. It reacted the same way as the first nail did, the seal righting itself into the very center of the handle.

As I looked at the seal on the nail and read it aloud, a sense of anticipation filled me. The words were just as I had hoped: "Flying Thunder God." The possibilities of what I could do with this power were endless.