The parasitic root in Hollow Knight: Silksong– another interesting quest with which one of the endings of the game is connected. This is not just a “disease” that needs to be cured in order to return to normal life. This is the path that leads to one of the game's most mysterious endings – “Cursed”. But first things first. Next, from the guide you will learn how to start the Parasite Root quest and a detailed walkthrough.
How to start the task Parasite Root
The first thing you need to do is complete the side quest – “Ritual with polyps”, which can be obtained in the “Shell Forest” location from the Roseroot, which has settled in the tree trunk. She will tell you about the ritual of rebirth, which requires the hearts of polyps. Fulfill her request and continue to play through the game.
Soon you will be able to visit a secret location. But we go on a search after we get the double jump skill and open the maps – “Whispering Catacombs” and “Bilewater”.
In order for the quest plot to move forward, you need to get to the Citadel. There, in the area between the Catacombs and the Bilewater, there is a secret passage down. It is very easy to miss; the passage itself is carefully hidden. To get there, we move to the “Choir Chambers” location, run through the stage and exit into the “Whispering Catacombs”. You need to go to the right side of the location. Please note the screenshot of the map below.
Having entered this room, we look up. You can get there using large wooden cubes.
They are located right in the same room, just go down a little lower to find them. First we move the first one to the right. Then you need to lift it up, but to do this you need to hit the cube from below.
We go down even lower and push the second similar cube to the right. Proceed with caution – there are several enemies waiting below. We push the cube to the right and climb onto it. Now we can push the one on top.
Now all that remains is to climb onto the top one, which was just pushed. Let's look up. You need to climb into the hidden passage on the right under the ceiling.
So we will find ourselves in a secret area. Having passed to the right, we will run into a closed iron gate. We jump up, using a tenacious grip, and pushing off from the same gate.
At the top, if we go left, we will find beads at a dead end, but the quest requires you to go right.
Jump over the small gap, there will be a ring hanging in the room on the right. We pull it and open the hatch. We fly down, avoiding sharp saws.
We land on the bridge. We go down below, move to the right and fall down. As a result, we will find ourselves in the “Bilewater” location.
You need to go down to the very bottom. There is a passage on the left, but it is blocked by wooden beams.
We break them and move on. There will be roots on the way – we destroy them too and clear the passage. We move along a narrow corridor. It’s impossible to get lost there, we just go to a dead end (you’ll have to jump on the buds).
At the end we find a crying baby. We take it and take it to Sizoroot, to which the hearts of the polyps were previously assigned.
We remind you that the necessary bug is in the “Shell Forest”.
We pass the find to Silksong. She will perform a special ritual during which we will become infected with a parasitic root.
Where to find the hermit healer Yarnabi
Now that we are sick, we need to find a healer. It is located in the Dismal Marsh. After meeting with the bug, we will wake up in another location – “The Witch’s Chapel.”
Let's get out of here. We note that our sign will change, or rather simply be blocked, therefore, we will not be able to use the usual compass to see our location on the map, or other tools. Getting out of the “Witch’s Chapel” is quite easy, there is only one exit, and all other branches lead to dead-end zones with different bonuses.
After leaving the new location, we will also find ourselves in the “Shell Forest”, but on the lower levels. There we will find a new bench to save. To find the hermit, you need to go to the “Dark Marsh”.
We rise higher, as indicated in the screenshot below. Then we just run to Zvonville – it’s the easiest way to get to the right place.
We run straight to the “Gloomy Marshes”. Next you need to go higher. Pay attention to where the hermit's hut is located.
That is, you do not need to use the local metro, on the contrary, if you do, the road will only become more difficult. Thus, the easiest way is to leave the “Witch’s Chapel”, go up and through “Zvonville” along a straight road to reach the desired location.
Next you need to go up a little higher. We will go to the place where we previously killed the boss in the Gloomy Swamp.
You can climb along the air flow.
Going out into the street, we climb onto the wooden bridges and run to the right – through the cage.
Inside the room we go upstairs. We jump along the bridges to a large rotating mechanism with sharp gears.
We climb higher using this mechanism. Then there will be a passage on the left – this is the exit to the street, we don’t need it. You need to climb one level higher using the sheer wall and the tenacious grip skill.
We are interested in the passage one level higher; as soon as we climb up the first steep wall, we immediately go left. As a result, we will go to the bell hut, where you need to call the tenant.
The hermit will not come out right away. The first attempt to call the character will not be successful. Let's try again – Hornett will explain that she needs help getting rid of the vile parasite, after which Yarnaby will let us into the house. We enter and talk to the bug.
How to get rid of a parasitic root
Let's find out that the hermit agrees to help and get the worm out of the shell, but this requires finding steel spikes. A new goal will appear – “Invasive Operation”.
For the necessary tools, we go to the location – “Road of Sinners”. Two brothers have steel spikes – Krull and Benjin. But they won’t just give them away. Let's hit the road!
I advise you not to go down, but to leave the hermit and immediately move to the right. We pass through the bridge, where there is a worm with a pitchfork.
Let's move to the neighboring dome, and from there to the street.
We jump onto the roof of the elevator and jump onto the bridge. We don’t go into the passage on the right, but climb to the very top. This is where the transition to the “Road of Sinners” is located.
Next we run to the right until the bench sign. There will also be a cage with a locked character hanging here, which can be opened with a simple key.
We rise to the bench, from there we jump even higher along the roofs of the cells. We are interested in the upper transition on the right.
After passing through this passage, we rise to the upper bridge, go down to the one located just below and from here, using a double jump, a tenacious thread and a jerk, we get to the desired balcony.
We enter the hut and meet Krull and Benjin.
For steel spikes they will ask for 160 beads – quite a bit to get rid of the parasite. We pay and return back to the healer in the Gloomy Swamp.
Having arrived at the place, we give Yarnabi the spikes and watch as the healer performs an invasive operation to remove the uninvited guest from our shell.
This completes the quest with the parasitic root in Hollow Knight: Silksong. As a reward, we will receive a new sign that allows you to heal by delivering sweeping blows to enemies around you.
If after completing the task you return to Sizoroot in the “Shell Forest”, you will find a dried corpse.
