Few quests in Silksong are as challenging as the Twisted Bud quest chain. Silksong players can deliver this unique, screeching item to an NPC in Shellwood. Soon after figuring out where to bring the Twisted Bud, our protagonist will be infested with a parasite that completely changes Hornet's moveset and completely removes her ability to heal, use Tools, or generate silk.
Hollow Knight: Silksong - Interactive Map (Pharloom)
Our interactive map for Pharloom in Hollow Knight: Silksong. All the skills, tools, benches, and more found in the game.
If you are able to find and remove the Twisted Bud parasite, though, you will earn an incredibly powerful reward. This guide explains what to do with the Twisted Bud and offers a step-by-step walkthrough of everything you must do to remove the Twisted Bud parasite and complete the Twisted Bud quest in Silksong.
Silksong Twisted Bud Location
To get the Twisted Bud, Silksong players must first get to Bilewater. Though you can get to this location via Sinner's Road early in the game, it's recommended to go through the Whispering Vaults entrance, as it drops players practically on top of the Twisted Bud location.
Enter the Whispering Vaults and make your way to the far bottom-right corner via the route shown above. Drop down into Bilewater, then go right and drop down again. Immediately go left to enter a dark room filled with twisting vines. Look for the Twisted Bud in the top-left corner of this room.
What to Do with the Twisted Bud in Silksong
Bring the Screaming Twisted Bud to Greyroot, In Shellwood
Upon picking up the Twisted Bud, every time you open the inventory menu, you will hear the Twisted Bud screeching and crying, even when you are on other tabs of the menu – and it shrieks when you highlight it in your inventory. However, it's not obvious what to do with the Twisted Bud, let alone how to stop its annoying crying sound.
The Twisted Bud is tied to Greyroot, a strange NPC that lives in a hidden hut on the left side of Shellwood. You must complete Greyroot's first quest (Rite of the Pollip) before it will remove the Twisted Bud from your inventory in Silksong.
Talk to Greyroot after, and it will ask Hornet to assist in "the final rite". Accept the Rite of Rebirth quest from Greyroot, then continue through its creepy dialogue until suddenly it lashes out at Hornet and crushes her body as the screen fades to black.
Should You Perform the Final Rite & Accept the Rite of Rebirth Quest?
If you accept the Rite of Rebirth quest, Hornet will become cursed with a parasite that removes her ability to heal or equip Tools. You will have to spend a great deal of time removing it, so only accept this quest if you are ready to commit an hour or two to completing this long Twisted Bud quest chain.
You will earn a powerful Crest for completing the Twisted Bud quest, but there is one other thing to consider before accepting Rite of Rebirth. If you complete the game while infested, you will earn the Cursed achievement.
If you want to try to get this incredibly difficult achievement, it's a good idea to wait to start the Twisted Bud quest chain until you earn all other endings in Silksong.
How to Remove the Twisted Bud Parasite
Complete Twisted Parasite Quest Walkthrough
After being infested by Greyroot, break out of the roots trapping Hornet by mashing the attack button. Hornet will find herself in the Chapel of the Witch, but something is wrong – Hornet is now a host to the Twisted Bud parasite, which completely changes her moveset, removes any equipped Tools, and disables her ability to heal and generate Silk.
To get rid of the Twisted Bud parasite, Silksong players must embark on a multi-area quest chain.
From the start point in the chapel of the Witch, escape the dungeon, then head left and upward to reach the lower section of Shellwood. Immediately go back to Bellhart and enter the Bellway Station. Look for a breakable wall to the right of the Call spot, then enter it to drop down into the bell tunnels below.
Go to the left upon landing and you will find a pipe with the Bell Hermit inside. This NPC is important for a few quests in Silksong, and knows how to remove the parasite. Talk to the Bell Hermit to learn about Yarnaby, a surgeon exiled from Bellhart for his experiments.
To find Yarnaby, head to the right of Bellhart to enter Greymoor, then climb upward to reach the top-level rafters. Go left to the top-left corner of Greymoor to find a Locked Bellhome.
Walk up to it and Call Out – Yarnaby will respond from within and, after Hornet explains the situation, opens the door. Enter Yarnaby's bellhome and talk to him. Eventually, he will offer the Infestation Operation quest.
Pick up Infestation Operation, then Yarnaby will talk about an upgrade to his extricator to break Hornet's shell open. He needs Steel Spines to do this, and knows two bugs in Sinner's Road who could provide them.
From Yarnaby's bellhome, g o all the way to the right until you reach the area above the Halfway Home, unlock the elevator shortcut, then jump over the elevator and continue your way across until you reach a platform on the other side. Climb up to enter Sinner's Road.
In Sinner's Road, go all the way to the right of the first room, then go up one floor and look for an entrance on the right side, about midway up the tall room. Make your way to the top-left of this room and use a combination of your movement skills to get to the top-right corner. The Clawline ability is incredibly useful here, as is the Faydown Cloak.
Enter the hut to meet Crull and Benjin. Talk to the duo, and they will offer to part ways with their collected Steel Spines for 220 Rosaries. Either break a few Rosary Strings in your inventory, or go back to Greymoor to farm Rosaries. You can also complete quests to earn large strings of Rosaries.
Purchase the Steel Spines and make your way back to Yarnaby. Give him the spines, and a cutscene will begin as Hornet gets strapped down to the examination chair and a whirring, terrifying machine slowly advances towards her shell.
The screen fades to black as we hear Hornet's cries amidst brutal machinery, then the interwoven symbol of the Twisted Bud will appear.
The Twisted Bud will shriek for the last time, getting louder and brighter until finally it breaks and transforms into the Crest of the Witch. Indeed, by successfully removing the Twisted Bud parasite, Silksong players will unlock a new Crest that they can use to change Hornet's moveset.
With the 
Witch Crest equipped, her moveset becomes an improved version of her moveset while infested – she swings a long-range whip, her dash and downward slash hit twice, and most importantly, she regains the ability to heal and generate Silk.
When Hornet uses Bind with the Witch Crest equipped, she will blast out tendrils that sap the health of any nearby enemies. If there are no enemies around, she cannot heal.
Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Released
- September 4, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Everyone 10+ / Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood
- Developer(s)
- Team Cherry
- Franchise
- Hollow Knight
- Number of Players
- Single-player
- PC Release Date
- September 4, 2025
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PC
