Using Gacha to Increase My Companions and to Create the Strongest Girls' Army Corps

A few days after hearing Sisya's request.

After returning the horses, we went to the adventurers' guild in the Capital to check Deus's schedule. We also checked Grin's schedule on a different day. Although we could move quickly using the beacon, going to different guilds consecutively would likely alert Christoph, so we had to take this cumbersome approach.

I wasn't too concerned before, but after meeting Christoph, I've become much more cautious.

"Finally, the long-awaited day has arrived!"

"Oh, at last, our earnest wish will come true!"

So today, we are finally going to talk to Grin and his team. Grin returned earlier than Deus, so we'll talk to him today and then to Deus on another day. We asked Marna to relay a message, so they should be waiting at the guild. We need to get there early so they don’t have to wait.

"You're all excited, but remember, they might not agree to help."

"Ugh, w-well, let's be optimistic..."

Unlike our excitement, Estel calmly pointed out the reality. When she said it, I realized they might refuse... but surely Grin and his team will agree!

"So, have you decided what gear to give them if they do agree?"

"Yeah, I plan to give them these."

Estel asked what we would give them, so I took out the equipment we had in mind. This time, we plan to give them three types of rings: the Ring of Protection, the Ring of Happiness, and the Ring of Mercy. Since there are seven of us, we plan to give each person one ring.

"Oh, just rings?"

"The main purpose this time is to invite them, so I thought it would be best to keep it simple with just magical tools as a light greeting."

We've already given R-grade weapons to Armiro and his team who need weapons. Grin and Deus’s team probably have decent gear already, so we chose rings this time. Most of the remaining weapons and armor are SR-grade, and giving them those might be too powerful.

For weapons and armor, we could also give them monster materials like Stinger's Shell and have them upgrade their own gear. We shouldn't rush and give everything at once. Just giving them rare magical tools should be enough for now.

"Oh, are you guys leaving already?"

"Yeah, we have a meeting with Grin today."

Sisya came into the living room, skipping and humming. Ever since she got closer to Luna, she’s been in high spirits. The number of times she gets bitten has significantly decreased, and even if she does get bitten, it's just a gentle nibble.

Luna still doesn't talk much or change her expression often, but she now follows Sisya around and even sits on her lap, something unimaginable before. It was tough, but it seems Sisya has really earned Luna's trust.

"Sisya, are you staying behind again?"

"Yes! Now that I've become friends with Luna, I don’t want to leave her side!"

"That’s a bit of a problem..."

While it's great that they've become close, it's a problem that Sisya has started to become somewhat of a recluse. She wants to stay inside in case Luna wakes up. As a result, Luna, who used to wake up at night, now wakes up in the early evening to spend more time with Sisya.

"There's no point in talking to Sisya now. It's like when Ookura is obsessed with gacha."

"What!?"

Nooru compared Sisya's current state to me being obsessed with gacha. Hey, that's not fair! I'm much more rational and cool-headed!

●

With no plans to hunt monsters, we left Sisya at home and headed to the guild. After a while, Grin, Armiro, and Kamilla arrived, and we decided to talk at a place where we could chat over a meal.

On the way to the restaurant, Grin saw our plates and was surprised to see that we had reached B-rank so quickly. It must be shocking for him, considering how recently we became adventurers.

"So, what's this about?"

Once we finished eating and took a breather, Grin asked.

"There's something I’d like to ask you. Could you equip these and hunt rare species for us?"

"Hey, aren’t these magical tools?"

"Yes, they are."

I took out the rings and showed them to Grin. I had considered various ways to explain, but nothing seemed right. So, I decided to be straightforward, explain what I needed, and offer what I could in return, hoping to establish a cooperative relationship. It’s like a small contract.

"You asked us for something similar before. Is this a continuation of that?"

"Well, yes, in a way."

"And you want us to do it?"

"Exactly."

Grin stroked his chin and pondered.

"We can't hunt rare species alone. They’re not the kind of monsters we can hunt easily."

"I-I also think taking on a Black Orc would be too much..."

"Yeah, it's impossible."

After some silence, Grin finally said it was impossible. Armiro and Kamilla quickly agreed.

"We’ve considered that. If you accept, we’ll also give you this Stinger's Shell."

I expected this reaction. I knew it would be dangerous for them to hunt rare species as they are now. So, I took out the Stinger's Shell from my bag and placed it on the table.

"Wow, is this the Stinger's Shell? With this, our armor’s quality will improve significantly..."

"W-We're getting magical tools and materials too?"

"Grin, Armiro, let’s do it!"

When I mentioned giving them the Stinger's Shell in addition to the magical tools, Grin and his team were surprised. Armiro and Kamilla seemed eager to accept, but Grin remained serious and contemplative.

"Ookura, why us? Wouldn't it be more reliable to hire other adventurers to hunt rare species?"

"This isn’t a one-time thing. We want you to do it regularly. And it’s not a formal request. We just want you to help whenever you can."

"Ah, so you’re saying it’s more like, if we happen to hunt rare species during our usual hunts, that’s good enough?"

"Exactly! That’s why we want to give you these magical tools and ask for your help. In return, we'll prioritize helping you if you need anything."

While we could’ve hired adventurers through the guild and given them gacha gear to hunt rare species, it was uncertain if they would be recognized as part of our party. We trusted Grin and his team, and they knew us well, so it made sense to ask them. Plus, I didn’t want to give gacha gear to just anyone.

"You'll prioritize helping us, give us magical tools and rare materials, and you’re not forcing us... Is hunting rare species really all you need? What about the materials or rewards from the hunt?"

"Yes, that’s all. You can keep the rewards and materials."

"Umm... it feels like we’re getting all the benefits..."

"We gain plenty too. Consider the magical tools a sign of our cooperation."

Grin seemed confused about why we were offering so much just to hunt rare species. Without understanding gacha, it would be hard to see what we stood to gain.

"Alright, I get it. We’ll accept."

"Really?!"

"But we can't promise to hunt rare species immediately. Even with the magical tools and materials, I can’t guarantee we’ll succeed."

"Of course! We wouldn't ask for the impossible!"

After some deliberation, Grin nodded. While they couldn't promise immediate results, just having them agree was a huge step forward.

Since they agreed, I laid out the three types of rings and explained their effects, letting them choose. All three chose the Ring of Protection. Since they’re all melee fighters, it made sense.

"Wow, this is amazing! Look, Armiro!"

"Y-Yeah... I can't believe we're getting something so valuable..."

Kamilla was excitedly admiring her ring. Armiro was trembling slightly, probably overwhelmed by receiving such a high-quality magical tool, but he looked happy.

"So we just need to wear this and hunt rare species? What's the catch?"

"Well, when you wear these rings and hunt rare species, it helps us collect something through them."

"Hmm, some kind of magical effect?"

"Yes, you can think of it that way."

"I see. Well, even if we don’t fully understand, it seems related to magic."

I mixed in a bit of truth, explaining that the rings help collect something when they hunt rare species. Grin seemed to accept this, given Estel's presence as a mage in our party.

"Well, it all worked out."

"It's more like a friendly partnership than a formal group."

"So, are they recognized as part of our party?"

After giving them the Stinger's Shell and finishing our discussion, we headed home. While it wasn’t exactly as planned, we managed to establish a cooperative relationship by giving them gacha gear. Now we just needed to check if they were recognized as part of our party.

I took out my smartphone and checked the beacon screen, hoping for the best.

"Oh, it worked!"

Grin and his team’s names were successfully added to the screen.

"Maybe it was because we emphasized our willingness to cooperate?"

"Anyway, I'm glad it worked out."

I was worried we might not have a strong enough connection, but it seemed to have worked. Perhaps the rings as a symbol of cooperation helped.

Alright, now that we know it works, we’ll ask Deus and his team to help too!

●

A few days after talking to Grin, it was time to meet Deus and his team. We headed to the guild in the Capital and, after meeting up, found a suitable place to talk

 over a meal.

"Hunt rare species?"

"Yes, just wear these magical tools and hunt rare species."

"Magical tools? Can I see?"

I explained the request and showed them the rings. Deus was surprised and asked to see them, inspecting the rings from various angles.

"These are the same as what we use. They’re a symbol of our cooperation, so if you agree, we’d like you to have them. They’re fully functional magical tools."

"Does that mean Estel-chan wears one too?"

"Yes. See, here it is."

"Wow! I want to do it!"

"Hey!"

Upon hearing that Estel also wears one, Miguru-chan excitedly agreed. Estel showed her the Ring of Happiness she was wearing. Miguru-chan, thrilled, agreed immediately, prompting Deus to scold her.

"But it’s the same as Estel-chan's! And it's a ring! How can I say no?"

"It’s tempting, but we need to think it through!"

Miguru-chan's enthusiasm was apparent. While it was convenient for us, it was also a bit scary.

"What are the effects of these magical tools?"

Ignoring the commotion, Sumika-chan timidly asked about the effects. I explained the effects of the Ring of Protection, the Ring of Happiness, and the Ring of Mercy.

"That's amazing. The ring that increases durability sounds appealing."

"Sumika and Gauss-san too..."

While Sumika-chan was intrigued by the Ring of Mercy's healing and magic-boosting effects, Gauss-san was interested in the Ring of Protection.

"Aren’t you tempted too?"

"Well, yes, but we need to clarify a few things."

Despite the others’ interest, Deus, being the leader, remained cautious.

"Does any rare species work? How many do we need to hunt? Are you after the materials?"

"Any rare species will do. We’re not after the materials; we just need you to hunt them with these rings. There’s no set number or period. If you happen to hunt rare species during your regular hunts, that’s enough."

"The rings have impressive effects, so we’d wear them all the time during hunts... but hunting rare species just for that sounds odd."

"I understand your skepticism, but please! If you agree, we’ll prioritize helping you whenever you need it. We can even give you materials like Stinger's Shell!"

Deus was skeptical about our intentions, suspecting we wanted the materials. I explained that we just needed the rings worn during hunts. While it was suspicious, claiming we wanted the materials might have led them to suggest buying from other adventurers or stores.

"Well, if you insist that much... but it feels like we’re getting the better deal. What’s your goal?"

"Actually..."

I explained, like I did to Grin, that the rings collect something when rare species are hunted. Deus's team wasn’t well-versed in magic, so they seemed to accept it with a simple understanding. Estel's presence helped, but I felt a bit guilty always using her as an excuse.

"Alright, we’ll do it. We owe you, and the terms are good. It’s hard to refuse."

"Thank you!"

After detailed explanations, Deus finally agreed. They chose their rings: Deus and Gauss-san picked the Ring of Protection, Miguru-chan the Ring of Happiness, and Sumika-chan the Ring of Mercy.

Finally, we’re set up for automatic magic stone collection! Now, our magic stone collection will be even more efficient! The grand opening of the Heihachi Carnival is near! Maybe.