Reincarnated as a dragon’s egg ～Lets aim to be the strongest～ - Chapter 520

520 – [Doppel Cocoon] (side: treant)
Atlach-nacha-dono releases [Severing Thread] from her fingertips. Aiming for the moment Alexio twists to avoid it, the [Doppel Cocoon] advances and raises its arm.

Up till now, she has only been using skills that allow her to keep her distance, with both herself and her body double focused on keeping Alexio at bay. But, she’s finally now moving to end the battle.

Aro-dono and myself are also looking for chances to assist while fighting the dragon riders.

However, that doesn’t mean we have much leeway either. The dragon riders are attacking us alternately from the ground and air, waiting for us to become exhausted. We’ve somehow managed to bring down around six, but over two-thirds still remain.

Atlach-nacha-dono is holding fast to her decision to take on Alexio, so I’d like to assist her somehow, but… I’m not able to step forward at the moment.

Alexio catches the downward swing of the puppet’s arm with his sword, slicing it off. The gap between their speeds really is big. Perhaps she was in too much of a hurry to win. Alexio follows up with a horizontal slash, cutting through the puppet’s torso.

The reason Atlach-nacha-dono has been able to hold out all this time is thanks to the assistance of her thread puppet. She won’t be able to last very long just by herself… Is what I thought, but then something unexpected occurs.

“What is this thread…!”

The puppet’s torso hasn’t completely separated in two. Its upper body is hanging loosely towards the ground, with just a sliver of skin keeping it from falling off. The thread it’s made of clings to Alexio’s sword and arm.

The body of a [Doppel Cocoon] is made of thread with strong adhesive properties, and so it is able to stick to anything that hits it. On top of that, it’s made of the difficult-to-tear-off [Magic Draining Sticky Thread of Darkness], which depletes the health and mana of anything it touches.

The copy exhibits physical abilities similar to her actual body, and it’s even able to stick thread to its opponent in retaliation for a melee attack, obstructing their movement and sapping their stamina…! [Doppel Cocoon] truly is a useful skill. It’d be nice if I had such a convenient skill too…

“Kuh!”

Alexio tries to take a large step backwards, but the thread still coils around his arm and sword. The strings extending from the [Doppel Cocoon] are pulling at Alexio even now.

“I won’t let you get away!”

Atlach-nacha-dono arches her body forward and slams the ground with her fist. A web of black thread snakes out from the impact, rapidly covering the ground’s surface. Alexio, whose movements are already obstructed, is unable to escape its range and his legs are caught in the web.

“B- By the likes of this monster…!”

Alexio’s forehead breaks into a cold sweat.

This settles it. His arm and legs are restricted. He’s no longer able to display his full strength. All that’s left is to deal the finishing blow before he can escape.

“Alexio-sama!”

“[Gale]!”

The dragon riders heading to rescue him are intercepted by Aro-dono’s wind magic.

“…[Dark Sphere].”

A mass of black light swirls in front of  atlach-nacha-dono’s outstretched arm, gathering into the shape of a ball. Alexio grits his teeth.

“Don’t underestimate one like me too much!”

Forcibly stepping forward, Alexio takes a large swing. However, he strains himself overly hard to escape from the threads’ binding, and his movement is clearly rushed, making his swing wide and obvious.

Atlach-nacha-dono retreats one step, standing just outside the reach of the sword. Alexio’s giant swing brushes past, right in front of her spider lower body. Alexio’s eyes open wide. She levels the [Dark Sphere] at his exposed body.

The [Dark Sphere] bursts. The armour around Alexio’s abdomen shatters, and he’s blasted backwards before landing on his waist. Spitting out blood, he staggers to his feet. He’s escaped from the threads’ restraint, but the damage he’s received is definitely far from insignificant.

I was worried that our chances of victory would be slim if he received a decisive blow and yet didn’t even flinch, but… With this, we can win.

“…What a troublesome disposition. I’ve lost a bit too much blood it seems.”

Alexio mutters, glaring up at the sky. He probably wants to retreat to the air and heal his body with magic.

However, we won’t let that happen. It’s the chance that atlach-nacha-dono has brought about by laying her life on the line. Aro-dono and myself will keep the dragon riders away, and make sure that Alexio will be finished off here.

Atlach-nacha-dono releases [Severing Thread] from her fingertips, as she sprints towards Alexio.

“Guh!”

Alexio repels the thread with his sword, and takes a step back. However, his reaction speed has fallen. In his prior state, he would have easily slipped past her thread and closed the distance. The damage he’s suffered is surely grave.

Atlach-nacha-dono continues towards Alexio, releasing another [Severing Thread]. Alexio tries to ward it off with his sword again, but the thread brushes past the side of his sword, tearing through his upper arm.

S-she can do this…! If she keeps pressing him like, she’ll surely be able to take him down.

“Wearing me down bit by bit…!”

Alexio lowers his sword, letting his shoulders rise and fall. With another step forward, she closes in on him. She’s probably thinking that she can deal with any of Alexio’s attacks at this range.

“Bring it on then, spider woman!”

Alexio shouts, seeing her approach as a challenge and readying his sword.