Reincarnated as a dragon’s egg ～Lets aim to be the strongest～ - Chapter 478

478 – Show of Power

I sprint in a direct line to the hades mandragora. The maris caterpillars are only C+… As long as Volk is around to cover for them, then even if the nightmare and black lizard get forced back somewhat, they should be unharmed. However, the hades mandragora is fast, and each of its blows have a lot of weight behind them.

We’ll kill it in one burst.

『M-master-dono…! Is this not a little too dangerous!?』

『It’s okay! Hold on tight and attack the bugs around us with [Fire Sphere]!』

The accuracy and speed of treant-san’s [Fire Sphere] isn’t great. Hitting any specific target within the swarm of wriggling bugs would be difficult, but with how closely-packed they are, it should hit something.

『If it gets dangerous, wrap your roots around me and use [Statue]!』

As long as I can act as treant-san’s legs, we can work around the immobility aspect of [Statue]. Normally, any time you use [Statue] in a pinch, you would just get surrounded and eventually die. But while we’re together, I can simply carry the metal treant-san to safety. It should be perfectly safe.

『H-hah! Leave it to me!』

The treant then frenetically shoots [Fire Spheres] in every direction, dealing direct hits to some of the caterpillars directly and inflicting fatal wounds. But, the caterpillars have a lot of HP. It’s enough to immobilise them and cause them to writhe in pain, but it’s not enough to finish them off.

I quickly swing my claws, aiming with pinpoint accuracy for the injured caterpillars. Some of the experience should have gone to treant-san.

In my mind, experience acquisition messages pop into existence one after the other. [Dimension Claw] really is great for hunting these lower-ranks from a distance. It’s an excellent junior that has already surpassed [Wind Slash]-senpai. As the messages continue, my level rises from 65 to 66, and then all the way to 68.

I’m still not perfectly able to grasp the distance, so it sometimes takes a second or third swing to hit my target.

【Normal skill [Dimension Claw] has risen from level 3 to 4.】

Great, this is good progress. The treant’s level has also risen from 49 to 53.

Alright! We’ll keep this up and beat down the hades mandragora!

『Master-dono… I’m almost out of mana…』

The treant says, regretfully… If it’s all been used up, then there’s no helping it.

『…Treant, you can spread your roots in my head.』

『I-Is it okay?』

There’s no helping it. I want it to evolve this time. It’s…probably fine. 

『Don’t dig in too deep, okay…?』

…A mixture of discomfort and pain stabs into my head. W-well, I have my skull, so I should be safe. I kick off the ground, rapidly closing the distance to the hades mandragora.

“Buruwaaaah!”

It snaps at my head. More caterpillars spill out of its mouth press towards me.

『Th-this is…!』

『Don’t worry, treant! Keep shooting!』

As I speak, I use [Dimension Claw] with my finger to carve a line in the back of the hades mandragora’s mouth.

“Buruwah!?”

The hades mandragora flinches back. The treant’s two [Fire Spheres] pass through its open mouth and explode inside.

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Species: Hades Mandragora

Condition: Enraged

Lv: 81/85

HP: 592/786

MP: 267/267

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The treant is a magic type, and has a fairly high level now. The hades mandragora isn’t particularly resistant to fire-attribute or magical attacks. It has recovery skills aplenty, but its MP isn’t very high. If we can keep this up, it’ll eventually be worn down.

『Master-dono… The caterpillars.』

『I know.』

The scattered caterpillars surround me, edging closer. With my defence stat, their attacks won’t hurt. Without some kind of defence-piercing skill, they would need to have at least【Attack: 500】to do anything to me. At most, they can’t do more than 3 to 5 damage. And I have 3000 HP.

Even so, it doesn’t feel nice to have them clinging to me. There’s also the risk of them climbing up to reach the treant.

『[Mirage]!』

Manipulating light, I create a false image of myself. Unable to find footing on my body, the caterpillars flail. I use my tail to sweep them aside as they launch themselves at me in confusion.

“BuruwaaAAAAh!”

The hades mandragora swings a thick root through my false image, causing it to overbalance and topple over. The treant fires at its head.

“BuruwaaaaAAh!”

Realising its mistake, the hades mandragora springs up to launch itself at my real position. I lightly swing my claw. I miss, but the slash still severs one of its root arms. [Dimension Claw] almost feels too convenient…

The roots supporting the hades mandragora pull back like springs. It has the [High Jump] skill. Having it move around too much would be annoying.

『[Gravity]!』

Black light shoots out of me. The hades mandragora collapses on the spot. The surrounding caterpillars stop moving, their bodies trembling. I twist around, cutting them down with a casual [Dimension Claw]. The caterpillars burst open, and a huge cut appears in the hades mandragora.

That one attack has pushed many of surrounding caterpillars to the verge of death. It seems the power was dispersed by applying it over such a wide area, but even so, three have died.

【1530 experience points have been acquired.】

【Due to the title skill [Walking Egg: Lv -], an additional 1530 experience points have been acquired.】

【The level of [Oneiros] has risen from 68 to 71.】

I try mowing down more of the caterpillars with another wide-range [Dimension Claw].

【1490 experience points have been acquired.】

【Due to the title skill [Walking Egg: Lv -], an additional 1490 experience points have been acquired.】

【The level of [Oneiros] has risen from 71 to 73.】

The hades mandragora starts digging a hole to try to escape from me.

Now that I’ve fought properly, I’ve come to realise my strength. B+ is usually a calamity class. And yet, as I am now, I could defeat any number of hades mandragoras. I am far stronger than I’ve ever been. I could even fight the ruin head-on now.

I never thought I would get this overwhelmingly strong… Though I suppose this amount of power makes sense for how high my stats are.

The caterpillars around me struggle desperately, slamming their heads against the ground. Those that can still move are quickly fleeing while the treant picks them off with [Fire Spheres]. More experience points flow into me, and my level increases again.

Once there are no longer any caterpillars around us, I look down at the hades mandragora.

“Buu… Buruwaa…”

Having been one-sidedly attacked by the treant, it has already used up all its MP to heal. Unable to heal any further, it moans feebly. Sorry, we need the experience points.

『Treant…』

I call out, and the treant shoots out a [Fire Sphere]. It hits the hades mandragora in the forehead, and its strange eyes rotate back into its head, finally signifying its death.

【1944 experience points have been acquired.】

【Due to the title skill [Walking Egg: Lv -], an additional 1944 experience points have been acquired.】

【The level of [Oneiros] has risen from 74 to 76.】

【Normal skill [Ideal Weapon: Lv5] has been acquired.】

I-I got another new skill… More importantly, I should check the treant’s level.

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Species: Magical Tree

Condition: Cursed

Lv: 60/60 (MAX)

HP: 425/425

MP: 51/346

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I-it’s here! We made it all the way to the maximum level! The treant should evolve right away… But before that, we need to deal with the remaining caterpillars.

It looks like Volk has been skilfully covering for Aro, the nightmare and the black lizard with [Shockwaves], and the battle is almost over already.