False Knight

The knight looked up at Shen Yu on the wall. His legs suddenly drove against the ground, launching his massive body into the air as he brought his War Hammer down on his target.

Shen Yu dodged with an Aerial Thrust, reaching the center of the arena, then fired several shots with his left hand, striking his opponent's head.

After landing, the knight raised his hammer in both hands and charged up a blow, smashing it down to unleash a white shock wave.

But Shen Yu cleared it with a simple jump and kept shooting.

Seeing this, the knight leaped high into the air and came crashing down toward Shen Yu with crushing force.

But he had misjudged the attack and jumped too high. Shen Yu moved clear long before he landed, slashing at his knee as he did.

Meanwhile, the fools frowned and began grumbling:

(Sas) "Why is this guy so slow?"

(Loang) "This goes beyond slow. He can't even dodge or block. Is that body really his?"

(Coales) "Hegemol's armor, one of the kingdom's Five Knights. But who's wearing it now?" The Fool King tilted his head to look down, frowning.

(Loang) "The Five Great Knights! Good heavens, to think I'd have the honor of seeing one of them." A fool stood up at those words, his voice trembling.

(Laso) "Idiot, didn't you hear what the king said? It's just a suit of armor. If he were one of the Five Knights, how could he be this pathetic? There's probably just a thief inside."

A crystal shot struck, and the knight's massive body collapsed. His helmet fell off, revealing a soft white head. That frail, shell-less body made his identity unmistakable-a maggot.

At the sight, fury erupted throughout the arena. Every fool rose to their feet, shouting abuse at him:

(Laso) "I didn't come here to watch a maggot!"

(Lanlos) "You lowly maggot! Get out of that knight's armor!"

(Sanik) "Let me down there! I'll eat him!" The fool who had bet 2,000 Geo on the knight hammered his armrests in a rage.

Amid the jeers, countless pieces of trash rained down, striking his soft head.

The Fool King chuckled at the sight, resting his head on his hand.

(Kara) "Interesting. While I was dead, maggots actually learned to fight?"

Maggots were the weakest creatures in Hallownest, forced into menial labor or simply used as food. No bug had ever imagined that such creatures would fight back.

After Shen Yu landed several slashes on his exposed head, the maggot hoisted the armor upright again, retrieved his helmet, and leaped into the air.

Shen Yu avoided him with a Backstep, shooting as he retreated.

The False Knight roared, swinging his War Hammer wildly as orange-yellow boulders rained down from above.

(Woah, Umsah) "I'm braver than all of you! As long as I'm here, you won't hurt my kin!"

"I'm the strongest! This great big armor... it belongs to me!"

Although his frenzy briefly silenced the fools, they began laughing again when they saw Shen Yu easily dodge the falling rocks:

"Look at this pathetic thing."

The False Knight roared, relentlessly chasing Shen Yu with his War Hammer raised.

Every blow landed with a thunderous crash, white shock waves carving across the battlefield.

Shen Yu darted through the gaps between the hammer blows and falling rocks, his Crystal Pistol firing continuously in his left hand. In his right, the Meat Cleaver trailed bloody light, throwing off showers of sparks as it struck the hard armor.

When the False Knight fell for the third time, he no longer had the strength to rise. His vacant eyes stared ahead as he muttered to himself, whether in questioning or penitence, no one could tell.

(Wolas) "I wanted that... strength to protect others... when I saw that knight... sleeping safely inside his great armor...

"I didn't do this because I was mad... I just wanted that strength... but... then what? If even strength can't save you, what can?"

"I don't know." Shen Yu sighed and looked at the False Knight. "But you really were the only knight among your kind who took up a weapon to protect his kin."

In Hollow Knight's story, after Hegemol died, a maggot stole his armor.

And so a race that never fought back gained a protector, but his strength still wasn't enough.

After the False Knight died, his kin mourned beside his body, hoping he would rise again and protect them.

Yet not one of them chose to put on that armor and become a guardian.

Only in this dream beyond reality, spanning time itself, could the False Knight's long-dead soul don that armor again.

As the Meat Cleaver fell, the False Knight's body turned into a mass of light. At the same time, the Godtuner trembled again:

[False Form]

Combat techniques:

[Charged Hammer]: Charge up a hammer swing to create a powerful shock wave.

[Jumping Heavy Strike]: Leap into the air, lock onto the enemy's position, then smash down.

[Frenzy]: Swing rapidly for 3 seconds. Each hammer strike summons falling rocks.

[Protective Will]: Increased mental resilience (mental resistance increased: 1.0"0.8)

The weak's protective will: The desire to protect others drives a mad pursuit of strength. Weak or despicable, all I want is the strength to protect others.

Protection, huh? Shen Yu sighed, suddenly thinking of someone else. Though their strength was worlds apart, the two shared a similar conviction.

Perhaps the False Knight hadn't deserved that armor, but he certainly deserved the name of knight.

With a ding, brilliant light burst forth, and the scene changed to a lush green space.

A wild giant Mossball (Moss Charger) appeared. (Image)

Giant Mossball used Big Jump.

It missed.

Giant Mossball used [Knockbackable Charge].

Shen Yu used consecutive slashes.

Giant Mossball was repeatedly knocked back.

Giant Mossball was defeated.

Shen Yu refused to learn [Knockbackable Charge].

After Mossball was defeated, several little bugs fled from within, quickly burrowing underground.

The bugs in the audience could no longer contain themselves and hurled abuse at Mossball:

(Karas) "Fuck you! Give us our money back!"

(Lox) "Are you here to be a joke?"

(Kas) "Rigged! This is definitely rigged!"

Ding!

This time, Shen Yu returned to the place where he had first met Hornet. She dropped from above, looked around, and complained:

(Hakaras) "Here again? Why do I have to fight people in my dreams?"

As expected of the daughter of the ancient god-the Pale King. She already knows this is a dream. Impressed, Shen Yu ventured:

"How about we just go through the motions?"

(Game) "Let's do that," Hornet replied casually, drawing the Stinger from her back.

"Shaw!"

Didn't we agree to go through the motions? Shen Yu grumbled inwardly. He dodged the Needle Throw with a Backstep and, while firing, wrapped silk thread around his Meat Cleaver, following up with a sweeping slash.

Hornet avoided it with a Backstep of her own, then looked at Shen Yu in surprise:

(Kamero) "Why can you use a technique I created?"

"Well..." Shen Yu cleared his throat and gave her a brief explanation.

(Lafenlido) "Interesting. You can acquire combat techniques directly through battle." Hornet rubbed her chin and pointed at the Pale Throne in the center.

"So you know that little one?"

"Of course." Shen Yu nodded. "Then we don't have to fight, right?"

He still had to fight the Little Knight's master later. According to the Godseeker, the master had even broken through his limits. Better to conserve his strength.

Having said that, Shen Yu turned to the Godseeker. To his surprise, she did not object, instead turning sideways to watch the dozing Little Knight.

(Hakaras) "Agreed. We have no reason to fight in the first place."

"Then, thank-"

Before Shen Yu could finish, he heard her speak again.

(Ruos, Karimei) "However, I cannot tolerate your crude use of my techniques. You may not leave until you have mastered them."