Chapter 48

48-1
Her objective completed, Ariel leaves. Having observed the situation, Body Brain tells Kumoko's other parallel minds that the main body went down. Wondering what happened as surely they would disappear too if the main body died, the weight their options and decide to assume the main body survived and continue attacking Mother and use the link betwwen her and Ariel to attack Ariel as well, since [Heresy Nullification] will protect them.

Kumoko awakens in the sea, with nothing left but her head. Perplexed by her survival when she is just a head, Kumoko realises it is the work of the [Immortality] skill. Wondering who Ariel is, Kumoko takes a moment to lament how impossible Ariel's stats are, before the thought that she might be able to use the same method as the one she is attacking Mother with. Contacting the parallel minds, she tells them about [Immortality] and they discuss the plan. They agree that the main body will move evasively to avoid Ariel while the parallel minds finish Mother and then move on to attack Ariel.

Ending the conversation, Kumoko realises that both Mother and Ariel must know she is still alive and decides staying in the ocean would be safest for now.

48-2
Kumoko is whizzing around the ocean as just a head, under assault by Water Dragons until she finally returns to land once she had fully healed herself with magic as even moulting hadn't fully restored her body. Feeling all sticky and salty, Kumoko washes off under a waterfall while observing Ariel's movements with [Wisdom]. Contemplating what to do about the Puppet Taratect, Kumoko decides trapping it is the best option so she needs to whittle down the Taratect army first.

Teleporting back to the Great Elroe Labyrinth, Kumoko is shocked to find a Puppet Taratect waiting for her when the one she marked is elsewhere. Unable to teleport, Kumoko flees and encounters a second new Puppet Taratect. Realising Ariel must have made more. Deciding on drastic action to escape, Kumoko pounces at one of the Puppet Taratects and impales herself in the abdomen, using thread to bind it's arms in place and buying time to teleport away by cutting off her abdomen.

As she uses [Healing Magic] to restore herself, Kumoko realsies she needs to find a way to counter the Puppet Taratects and fast.

Quick References

 * 1) Kumoko's main body is blown away.
 * 2) The parallel minds decide to attack Ariel as well as Mother.
 * 3) Kumoko only survived due to [Immortality].
 * 4) Kumoko and the parallel minds decide for the main body to evade Ariel, while the parallel minds continue the attack.
 * 5) Tha damage was so severe, even moulting didn't fully restore Kumoko's body.
 * 6) Kumoko resumes whittling down Mother's forces.
 * 7) Kumoko discovers there are multiple Puppet Taratects.

Chapter Notes

 * 1) None.

Characters by Appearance
Ariel Kumoko