Where to go after the Mantis Lords in Hollow Knight

Beating the Mantis Lords is a major milestone — defeating them earns you safe passage through Mantis Village, which opens the way directly into Deepnest.

Here's what to do after the fight:

• Head into Deepnest. With the Mantis Lords defeated, the warriors of the Mantis Tribe will no longer attack you as you pass through their village. Continue through the lower exit of Mantis Village to enter Deepnest, the dark, sprawling area beneath the Fungal Wastes.

• Explore Deepnest for key items and upgrades. Deepnest is one of the most dangerous areas in the game, filled with fast and aggressive enemies. However, it contains important rewards worth tracking down, including the Mantis Claw (if you haven't already picked it up — it's located in Mantis Village itself before the Lords' arena) and other progression items deeper inside.

• Consider returning to the City of Tears. The Mantis Village and Fungal Wastes connect to the City of Tears, a major hub area. If you haven't fully explored the City of Tears yet, now is a great time to push through it and access further areas of Hallownest.

• Watch out for Mantis Traitors in Deepnest. These are former Mantis Tribe members who were infected and exiled — unlike the regular Tribe warriors, they will attack you on sight. They're fast and aggressive, so keep your distance and bait out their lunge before counterattacking.

The key next step is pushing through Deepnest to uncover its secrets and continue progressing toward the game's critical path. It's a tough area, so make sure you've stocked up on Notches and upgraded your Nail if possible before diving in.