The Hollow Moth: Reincarnated as a Caterpillar

I slowly awake, feeling my body's different. It's subtle but noticeable like I've grown into something… more.

Pushing aside the silk of my tent, I step out, stretching my many legs. The moment I do, a hush falls over the others. My siblings, already awake and stirring, all stop what they're doing and turn to stare at me.

Goldy's mandibles twitch in surprise. "Whoa, Nur! You—"

Victor, ever the verbose one, dramatically gestures at me. "Dearest sister, thou hast indeed undergone a most extraordinary transformation! Thy visage, now adorned with resplendence, emanates the essence of a valiant champion!"

I glance down at myself. My body is indeed different—bigger, tougher-looking. Protruding spines now jut from my thorax, their tips sharp and menacing. The silk-like fuzz along my body appears denser. Even my legs feel sturdier.

The edgy sibling squints at me before letting out a dry, unimpressed huff. "Show-off."

I resist the urge to roll my eyes.

Seriously what the hell is his problem? Can't a girl show off sometimes without being judged? I am just a few days in and I already have myself a hater in this world. It's not like I evolved just to rub it in his face, but nooo, the moment I decide to be a better version of myself, I get myself a hater—great, I can't even catch a break from getting a hater in this world, too. I mean, I don't exactly know how long it has been since I reincarnated into this world, but still, I have a hater now. Honestly, at this point, I ought to give him a name. If he's gonna keep making snide remarks, might as well make it official.

I jump out of the cocoon tent thingy I made and move around, trying to see how much I've grown. Well, I don't feel like I've grown bigger; I mean, who does? You just grow and that's it. I try to move around, and yeah, I definitely feel lighter, contributing to the fact that I didn't feel like I'd grown bigger. However, whenever I was in the tent I made it does feel a little bit suffocating.

Anyway, enough talking about size now, I have spines protruding on my thorax now, unlike before where I had to concentrate to use them but now they're just there by default. Then I try to summon more spines and it's all over my body, like Goldy did during her fight with the Prince Ant and it works, although not as dense and long as Goldy's. Also, the default spines I have on the thorax grow longer when I concentrate. Good job, Enhanced Spines.

Just as I am testing and admiring myself, Goldy practically bounces at me.

"Nur, you got stronger!" Goldy chirps with an impressed tone.

Victor, with his usual chime, speaks, "Verily, an exceedingly remarkable advancement thou hast achieved, Dearest Sister, and at a most startling pace, unlike any of us—such is the exquisite marvel of evolution."

A few other siblings join in, making their own comments—some in awe, some just happy to see me grow. And then, of course, there's him.

The edgy brother.

He mutters, "Tch."

I roll my eyes internally. Yeah, yeah, we get it, dude, you're too cool to be impressed. I'm not even going to give him the satisfaction of a reaction. Just like in my past life—haters don't exist if you ignore them hard enough.

Actually, you know what? I'm definitely giving him a name now. Vex. It fits. He just oozes that vibe.

Goldy, her usual cheerful demeanor now replaced with a rare seriousness, shoots a sharp glance at Vex.

"Hey! Don't be rude to your siblings," she says, her voice firm but still carrying a sense of protectiveness. "Nur's just evolved, you should be congratulating her instead of sulking like that. It's impressive!"

"Don't mind him, Nur. You did great. We're all proud of you!"

Vex lets out an exaggerated sigh, clearly reluctant. He turns his gaze away from me, muttering under his breath.

"Fine... Sorry, alright?" His tone is flat, and his eyes are still a little cold, not exactly sincere, but at least he isn't being outright hostile anymore.

Goldy raises an eyebrow at him, unimpressed by his lack of genuine apology. "That's better, I suppose," she says, crossing her arms, at least what I imagine she would do if she had a human body. "But just so you know, we're all family here. You don't have to act like that, Vex."

Vex doesn't respond. Instead, he just looks away, silently brooding. He's too proud to admit it, but I can tell he's annoyed by Goldy's scolding. Still, he apologizes—sort of. I guess that's something.

Goldy, with her usual cheery demeanor, claps her... well, her... torso?, since, you know, no hands. It's a bit awkward to watch, but it works. Her bright voice echoes through the group, instantly lifting the tension in the air.

"Alright, enough of that! Let's hit the road, everyone!" she says, her tone enthusiastic as ever. "We've got places to go, and things to do, and if we stay here too long, we might end up getting comfortable and forget the bigger picture!"

Despite not having hands, she manages to make herself as commanding as possible with the movement of her body, the way she straightens up, and the authority in her voice.

The others nod, even Vex, who has settled into a grumpy silence, likely unwilling to argue further. We all start gathering our things, ready to move on with the journey—leaving behind any petty squabbles. It's time to keep pushing forward.

As we continue our journey, we come across a few monsters, but none of them give us the chance to fight.

Either they're too busy tearing into each other, or they bolt the moment they sense us.

Ugh, seriously?

What's a girl gotta do to get a proper fight around here? I just evolved and got some shiny new abilities, and I can't even test them out.

What's the point of getting stronger if I don't get to throw hands—uh, spines—with something?

Goldy leads the way, unfazed as usual, while Victor keeps talking about the "beauty of patience" and how "all things come in due time." Meanwhile, I'm getting increasingly antsy. I need to move, to fight, to see what my new body can do! But noo, all the monsters around here are either cowards or too preoccupied with their own problems.

I glance over at Vex, who seems just as irritable—though probably for a completely different reason. At least I'm not the only one itching for action.

This is getting frustrating. Something better shows up soon, or I swear, I might just throw myself at the next thing I see out of sheer boredom.

As I'm mentally whining about my lack of combat opportunities, Victor suddenly breaks the silence.

"I perceive vibrations," he announces, his voice carrying a weight of caution. "Not from a singular entity, but rather from a multitude of sources converging upon our course."

That immediately gets my attention. Finally! Something interesting.

Goldy perks up, her antennae twitching. "How many?"

Victor pauses for a moment, likely focusing on the vibrations. "A considerable number. Too scattered for a single swarm, yet too rhythmic for a mindless stampede."

Oh, now this is intriguing. Multiple creatures heading toward us, and from the sound of it, they have some level of coordination. Could be a hunting party, could be territorial beasts—we won't know until we see them. Either way, it's a chance to test myself.

I grin, my spines twitching in anticipation. "Well, guess I won't have to throw myself at a random monster after all."

Goldy shoots me a look. "Don't be reckless, Nur."

"Yeah, yeah," I wave her off—well, I would if I had hands. "No promises."

We all stop in our tracks, turning toward the direction Victor is sensing. Whatever is coming, we'll be ready.

Then they appear, a group of skeletal figures, with their hollow eyes glowing. Some have faintly pulsating crystals embedded within their ribcages, while others have them set in their skulls, acting like a third eye.

They wear remnants of adventurer garb, with rusted weapons and worn-out armor. There are nine of them in total: one in full armor with a sword and shield, clearly the strongest-looking; four wielding swords; two gripping daggers; and another two standing at the back, bows drawn.

Goldy's voice is firm, but there's caution. "Beware. These are fallen human adventurers, cursed by the zone. They may not be alive, but they retain their combat skills."

Hearing that makes me pause for a second. Human adventurers? I have never seen a living human since I got here, and now my first encounter is with their undead remnants. But what really strikes me is their size. I assume humans would be massive compared to me but looking at these skeletons; I realize something—I'm actually pretty big. I'm not some tiny, pathetic bug. If anything, I'm dog-sized compared to them then, which means I'm more or less cat-sized when I was a hatchling.

Goldy continues, snapping me out of my thoughts. "Positions! Spine shooters, guard the rear as usual. Victor, stay at the back and watch our flanks. Nur, you and the others take on the swordsmen. You—" she turns toward Vex, "handle the dagger wielders. I'll take on the armored one."

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

Finally, a real fight. And of course, Goldy takes the strongest-looking one. Classic. Not that I'm complaining—if she wants to hog the biggest challenge, fine by me. I have plenty of skeletons to tear apart myself.

I dig my legs into the ground, my body tensing with excitement. This is my chance to test my evolution. My spines bristle as I eye the sword-wielding skeletons ahead of me.

"Alright, let's do this."

I lock eyes—er, eye sockets?—with the skeleton swordsman in front of me. It isn't that much taller than me, which is weird considering I'm still just a caterpillar. Guess being reborn like this really messes with my sense of scale.

Beside me, two of my lesser-evolved siblings each square off against their own skeleton opponents, while the two hatchlings team up against a single swordsman. Five of us against four of them. Numbers are in our favor, but that doesn't mean this will be easy.

The skeleton in front of me raises its rusted sword, the dim glow in its sockets flaring slightly. I bristle—literally. My enhanced spines stand on edge, ready for action.

I dart forward, aiming for its leg—a small target, the perfect position for a caterpillar like me, right? Wrong. The skeleton's sword whirls around, parrying my strike effortlessly. And just as I think I have it, it kicks me, sending me skittering back.

"Great, I'm practically a snack to this pile of bones," I grumble.

Not giving up, I launch a spine shot at the skeleton, aiming for the torso. But of course, the thing blocks that too. It isn't even struggling.

"Oh sure, just block everything, why don't you? Not like I'm trying to actually do damage or anything," I mutter under my breath, feeling more than a little irritated.

Just as I'm gearing up to strike again, Victor's voice cuts through the air like a warning bell.

"Nur, beware! An arrow cometh!"

I barely have time to react, but instinct kicks in, and I shoot to the side, narrowly dodging the incoming projectile. My heart pounds, but there's no time to catch my breath.

I turn back to the skeleton in front of me, grinding my mandibles in frustration. This time, I'm not going to stop. I charge in, striking nonstop with my spines and mandibles, hoping to overwhelm it with brute force if nothing else.

The skeleton's sword clashes with my mandibles and spines over and over, and while it isn't breaking its defense, it's definitely starting to lose ground. I can feel it. The force of my strikes, the sheer persistence of it all—it's wearing down its resolve, if not its actual defense.

It isn't much, but it's progress. And I'm not about to stop.

I grit my mandibles together, adrenaline rushing through me as I see the opening. The skeleton staggers, just enough for me to strike. With a burst of speed, I extend my spines, charging at it like a missile, aiming for the weak points between the ribs. My spines pierce the skeleton's ribcage, sinking in with a satisfying click.

But then, reality hits me hard.

While I manage to pierce it, it doesn't seem to do much. The spines just pass through, scraping along the bones and ribs but not quite delivering the killing blow. This thing is made of solid, cursed bones—not soft flesh. Damn it.

And before I can back away, the skeleton takes its opportunity. Its sword comes down with a precise stab, striking me straight into my side. I hiss, my body jerking from the impact.

Pain. My spines are still out, and I haven't been quick enough to dodge. The sword cuts into me, but not too deep. Still, it's enough to slow me down.

I stagger back, my mind racing. Not good. Not good at all.

The skeleton just stands there, its skull mocking me with that eerie, hollow gaze.

"This isn't over," I mutter to myself, trying to regain my balance.

Then I strike again.

I clamp my mandibles down on the skeleton's arm, feeling the brittle yet sturdy bones grind between my jaws. With all the strength I can muster, I yank it off balance and slam it into the ground.

The thing doesn't shatter immediately—of course, because why would it? I'm not exactly some hulking beast with overwhelming strength. But I'm not done yet.

I bite down again, this time gripping it around the torso, and with a mighty heave, I fling it through the air toward another swordsman locked in combat with one of my siblings.

"Yeet!"

The poor sibling freezes in shock as a whole skeleton comes flying at them.

"What the—" my sibling barely has time to react before the airborne skeleton crashes into their opponent, sending both clattering to the ground in a tangled mess of bones and old adventurer gear.

I grin. "Hehe, two for one! You're welcome!"

Victor, watching from not too far away, lets out a small chuckle. "A most effective and commendable maneuver, dearest Sister. Thy ingenuity in battle is a spectacle most delightful."

"Heh, you know me, always full of surprises," I shoot back at Victor, still feeling smug about my impromptu skeleton toss. "Anyway, what's the situation?"

Victor, ever the tactician, quickly assesses our battlefield. "Our Young Highess engages the armored foe with remarkable resilience. Though both land their strikes upon the other, she doth not appear hindered."

I turn to look at Goldy. She and the strongest skeleton are locked in a stalemate—she has taken a few hits, but so has her opponent. She doesn't seem to struggle much, but neither is she making decisive progress.

"As for the rest," Victor continues, "our kin contend admirably against their skeletal adversaries, save for the youngest among us, who find themselves at a disadvantage."

I glance at the two hatchlings struggling against a single swordsman. The fight isn't going in their favor, and if it keeps up, they'll probably get overpowered.

"Our Venomous Kin," Victor goes on, "finds himself most unfortunate, for these cursed remains possess immunity to his greatest weapon. His form of combat, regrettably, proves ineffective."

I catch a glimpse of Vex—he isn't looking too great. His usual poison-based attacks are useless here, and he seems to be struggling.

What is he, stupid? Gonna keep stabbing reanimated bones with venom and hope they suddenly develop a bloodstream?

"As for our spine shooters, they remain devoted to aiding our Glorious Kin, directing their fire upon her adversary," Victor finishes.

So, in short: Goldy is holding her own, our siblings are mostly managing, the hatchlings are struggling, Vex being stupid here, and the spine shooters are busy supporting Goldy. Alright. Time for me to make some calls.

"Alright, I'm going after the bow guys," I say, turning my focus toward the skeleton archers still lurking in the back. "That flying skeleton stunt should've freed you up, so help the hatchlings out."

The sibling I assist nods and immediately rushes toward the struggling hatchlings.

I turn to Victor. "What about you? Think you can join the fight?"

Victor chuckles. "Indeed, it would prove most beneficial. The tides have shifted in our favor."

"Good, then go assist the Venomous Brother," I say.

Victor gives a knowing nod before moving to back up our oh-so-edgy sibling. With that settled, I refocus on my new targets—the bow-wielding skeletons.

"Alright, let's see how well you shoot when you've got a giant caterpillar coming straight at you," I mutter, already making my move.

I crawl up to the ceiling, trying to be sneaky, but that doesn't last long. The bow-wielding skeletons notice me almost immediately, their hollow eyes locking onto my movement.

Well, so much for stealth.

Before I can make another move, they loose their arrows at me. I quickly leap off the ceiling, pushing myself toward the wall, then to the floor, dodging in an erratic zigzag. The arrows strike where I have been just moments ago, clattering uselessly against the stone.

"Hah! You guys have the aim of a stormtrooper!" I taunt, skidding to a stop on the ground. "Let's see how you handle a moving target up close!"

With that, I charge forward, closing the distance between me and the bow-wielding skeletons.

Just as I grab the bow skeleton by its ribcage, ready to send it flying like the last one, a sudden sharp pain shoots through my back.

What the—?!

I hiss in surprise and whirl around, spotting a dagger-wielding skeleton right behind me, its empty sockets staring into my soul.

Since when did this guy get here?!

Wasn't Vex supposed to be handling these guys?! I don't have time to complain, though. The skeleton wrenches its dagger free, preparing for another stab, and I have to act fast.

Before I can react, the dagger skeleton stabs me again—same spot, just to make it worse.

I grit my mandibles. Oh, you little—!

Without a second thought, I tighten my grip on the bow skeleton and slam it into the dagger one, sending both clattering to the ground in a tangled mess of bones.

"Take that!" I growl, backing up slightly to reassess. My back hurts, but at least I manage to get some breathing room.

Still, that dagger guy is fast. And why is it even here?! "Vex, what are you doing?!" I call to him.

"Tch, don't call me that," Vex snaps back, his tone dripping with irritation. "And it's not my fault! My poison doesn't work on these things!"

Of course it won't, you idiot.

Victor, now actively ganging up on the dagger skeleton with him, lets out a sigh. "Then perhaps thou shouldst have compensated for thy ineffectiveness with a sharper wit and keener vigilance, rather than allowing thine adversary to slip away unnoticed."

"Ugh, shut up! That thing is elusive, alright?!" Vex protests, clearly grasping for an excuse.

I twitch my antennae in frustration. "At least report a missing skelly, dammit!" I yell, still feeling the sting from my wounds.

"It's not like I just let it go! It just—urk— kept slipping past me!!" Vex shoots back as he dodges an incoming stab.

I huff, making a mental note—as soon as Victor stops keeping watch on everyone, I need to watch my own back. It isn't that I don't understand—the dagger wielder obviously has an assassin build, but come on, Vex should at least apologize!

Enough distractions. I can chew Vex out later—right now, I have a job to finish.

I lock eyes—well, metaphorically—with the last bow skelly and charge straight at it. The rattling bag of bones immediately lets loose a barrage of arrows, its hands moving unnaturally fast as it fires shot after shot.

I zigzag, twisting my body to avoid as many as I can, but—tch—one manages to graze my side. Not deep, but still annoying. Before it can land more, a few of my spine-shooting siblings provide cover, forcing it to adjust its aim.

Perfect.

Using the opening, I lunge forward, mandibles wide, ready to end this.

I leap at the last bow skelly, mandibles snapping shut around its neck. Crunch. The brittle bones give way with a satisfying crack, the skull now uselessly dangling as the body twitches.

Not done yet.

I grab it by the leg, bracing myself, and with all my strength, I swing it into the ground. Crash! Bones shatter, scattering in all directions. Just to be sure, I lift what's left and slam it down again.

And that's the end of that.

I turn my gaze toward Vex and Victor, and—oof. That poor dagger skelly.

Victor has it pinned, his sheer bulk pressing it down, while Vex… well, he's just biting it repeatedly, despite the fact that poison clearly isn't doing a damn thing. The skeleton twitches, struggling to break free, but with Victor holding it down and Vex going full overkill, it's only a matter of time before—crack! The brittle bones finally give in, crumbling under the relentless assault.

"Yeah, that thing's definitely not getting back up," I mutter, shaking my head.

I scuttle back toward Vex and Victor, shaking off the dust from my last takedown. "Alright, that's another one down. How are we looking?" I ask, scanning the battlefield.

Victor, ever the analyst, responds first. "The tide shifts in our favor. The swordsmen dwindle, the Venomous kKn and I have dispatched our foe, and the Young Highness persists against her formidable opponent."

I turn my gaze toward Goldy, who is still going at it with the armored skelly. They are both covered in scratches and dents, trading blows without slowing down. She doesn't look like she's struggling exactly, but it's clear she hasn't gotten a decisive upper hand yet.

Meanwhile, my siblings are making solid progress against the remaining swordsmen, and the spine shooters are still keeping Goldy covered. The hatchlings, now with some extra help, have turned their fight around.

"Alright, so basically, we're cleaning up," I muse. "Goldy's still in a slugfest, but she's fine. Vex—" I turn to glare at him, "—you're gonna report if another one of these things vanishes next time, right?"

He clicks his mandibles, annoyed. "Tch. It won't happen again."

"Uh-huh, sure," I mutter. "Alright, let's finish this up. Who needs backup?"

I scan the battlefield once more, analyzing our position. The swordsmen are nearly done for—our siblings have things handled, but a little extra push will wrap it up faster. Meanwhile, Goldy is still locked in a battle with the armored skelly. She's holding her own, but this thing is clearly built different compared to the rest. If we want to end this fight soon, we have to take it down.

I turn to Victor. "Alright, you help finish off the last swordsmen. Shouldn't take too long with our siblings already wearing them down."

Victor nods. "A most logical course of action. I shall ensure their swift demise."

Then, I turn to Vex. "You and me? We're backing up Goldy."

Vex makes a noise somewhere between an annoyed click and an acknowledgment. He doesn't argue, though, which is probably the best I'm gonna get out of him.

With that, I lunge forward, aiming straight for the armored skeleton. "Goldy! Incoming support!"

End of Chapter 10