I gave the group my explanation, though I kept the truth about the System close to my chest. I told them that because of my sheer size, the back of the chair simply gave way. Loki, of course, likely saw right through it, but thanks to the hearts, I had ascended beyond the limits of a mere mortal.
"That still doesn't explain how your body... changed like this," Finn said, his brow furrowed in confusion.
Oh, Finn, I thought, if only you'd seen the people on the trampoline, you'd understand.
But jokes aside, the only explanation that made sense was Nosk. I knew Nosk used different forms to lure prey, like in the Pantheon, where it mimics Hornet in her prime. It made me wonder: did Nosk know her? Had the hunter become the hunted, only to barely escape?
[You are correct, Host. By assimilating Nosk's powers, you have gained free control over your skeletal structure.]
'At the cost of unimaginable pain,' I countered.
[Better than losing an entire arm.]
The sensation was alien to me because of the exoskeleton. Did the Knight even have one? Technically, yes. Biologically? It was a "void-filled" mystery. In Hallownest, the shell is an exoskeleton for protection, but the Knight is a Vessel—no organs, no blood, just a shell acting as a diving suit for the formless Void within.
Thinking of Nosk combined with the Knight gave me the shivers. Deepnest was creepy enough; if the Knight inhabited a body like Nosk's, it would turn a biological horror into a Void-powered construct. Right now, the Knight is just a small amount of Void in a small shell. To move Nosk's massive, multi-legged frame, the Void would have to expand significantly.
"I'll explain everything, but I need some help first," I said aloud.
"I'll help you," Loki chirped. The immediate offer made my stomach drop.
"..."
"What? You don't trust me?" she asked.
"Not even a little bit."
"You didn't even hesitate!"
"That's because if you make one wrong move, I might actually snap."
I knew I had to trust her a little, considering what I'd put her through, but I also knew she lived for "stupid and funny" chaos.
"Fine. You can help, but listen carefully," I warned. "Grab my back. When I tell you to stop, push left."
"Alright, alright."
Loki followed my directions at first. "Stop," I commanded.
She paused, but when I looked back, she was wearing a wide, predatory grin—eyes wide open.
"This is for everything you've done to me," she whispered.
Before I could process the threat, a sudden, violent force slammed into my back. My vision went black.
I woke up in a void—a literal black space.
"Did that bitch just kick me so hard I died?" I muttered to the emptiness.
"Well, almost," a voice replied.
I spun around to find myself looking at… myself. He was a literal carbon copy of me, with one glaring difference: his eyes glowed a piercing, sickly orange.
"Oh," I sighed, relaxing slightly. "So that's how it is. Can I imagine things here?"
"Huh? I think so?" the Doppelgänger replied, caught off guard.
"Good."
Without wasting a second, I manifested a PS5, a pile of snacks, and drinks from my old world.
"..."
"Hey, what do you want to play?" I asked, booting up the console.
"Play? What the fuck are you talking about? Can't you see that I'm here and I—"
"You're the Infection inside me," I interrupted, popping a chip into my mouth. "You awakened when I got Nosk." There was no taste to the food. Is it because I haven't eaten in a century? Have I forgotten what flavor is?
The 'Other Me' looked at me like I was insane. "I see you're—"
"And you're the evil version of me," I cut him off again, eyes glued to the screen. "If you take control, you'll destroy everyone I love, blah blah blah. Come on, sit down. Let's play Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero."
He sat down beside me, the menacing aura fading into awkward curiosity. "You're surprisingly chill. Usually, the 'Host' is screaming."
"Look, I know why you exist, and I know the threat you pose. I'm not going to waste time on the 'Evil Overlord' dialogue."
"Fair enough."
We played for hours. The final score was 8 to 7 in his favor.
"You suck," he muttered.
"Shut up, you won by one game!"
He rolled his eyes and then turned serious. "You're about to wake up. I suggest you be careful."
"Oh? Are you worried about me? That's sweet," I teased.
He looked at me with pure disgust. "I said that because I was planning on stealing this body. But after seeing how you live? I'm not sure I want it anymore."
Before I could tell him it was a joke, the black space dissolved.
I woke up in a bed, staring at the ceiling. Well, that was weird. I looked around the room. It was empty. Yeah, I'm definitely going to play 'golf' with Loki's head for that kick.
'Hey, System, what happened?'
[I am unsure. While Loki was 'helping,' I stepped away to scan for glitches in my settings.]
'Convenient timing,' I thought bitterly.
I noticed I was covered in bandages. It felt unnecessary since most of my injuries were internal, but I started unwrapping them anyway. I stripped them all off until I was completely bare, reaching for my clothes—and then the realization hit me like a freight train.
'WHO THE FUCK TOOK OFF MY CLOTHES?!'
I was standing there, completely naked, when the door swung open. Loki and Riveria walked in. Both of them froze, their eyes widening as they took in the view.
Fuck my life.
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Hey everyone, I know it's been a while and that's because my studies, so I want to thank you guys for waiting.
And I noticed that I reached 591.4K views.
Now I don't know if that's something I should celebrate for or no because I'm new to these things.
But all I want to say thank you for reading my story and I hope everyone have a good day.