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

A few hours after starting the full-scale exploration, we arrived at an open area within the bamboo forest, similar to Alde Forest.

Naturally, there was a giant tree in the center, surrounded by what appeared to be Trents.

"Ah, we ran into them."

"They're here again, aren't they?"

Ugh, we've really found them. What should we do? Should we wait until it escalates into a large-scale subjugation? 

If we wait, others might get hurt, and if it develops into a large-scale battle, it might become something we can't handle on our own. But if it does turn into a large-scale battle, there will be rewards from the gacha... no, let's not do that.

If I get greedy, it might backfire, and choosing something that might cause casualties for the sake of gacha is a no-go. I want to pull the gacha feeling good.

"Hmm, but doesn't it look smaller than the one we fought before?"

"Hmm? Yeah, it does look a bit smaller..."

While I was worrying alone, Estel looked at the giant tree and tilted her head.

Now that she mentioned it, this Grandis does seem smaller than the last one. Could it be a different one? Let's check the status.

――――――

●Grandis [Temporary] Species: Trent

Level: 50

HP: 60,000

MP: 1,800

Attack: 1,500

Defense: 1,300

Agility: 10

Magic Resistance: 120

Unique Ability: Mimicry

Skills: Magic Absorption, Earth Movement

――――――

"...What's this? It says 'Temporary' next to its name."

"Oh, something's coming out!"

"Huh?"

While I was focused on the unusual status display, Sisya suddenly raised her voice and pointed.

It was in the direction of the Grandis. I looked and saw something black emerging from the giant tree.

The black object completely detached from the Grandis, spread its wings, and began to fly.

It was a small creature, about the size of a goblin, with a fierce, demonic face adorned with horns.

In its left hand, it held a trident with three prongs, and in its right, a black gem-like object.

It flew above us, observing us with its red eyes.

W-what is that... is it a monster? Let's check its status.

――――――

●Species: Diabolus [State: Minion]

Level: 70

HP: 65,000

MP: 2,700

Attack: 3,900

Defense: 2,000

Agility: 160

Magic Resistance: 70

Unique Ability: Control

Skills: Life Drain, Incubus Spear

――――――

W-what the heck! It's quite strong!

And the 'Minion' status next to its species... I have no idea what that means.

While I was bewildered by the sudden development, Diabolus let out a loud roar.

The sound was so loud that it made the air and ground vibrate, making me want to cover my ears.

"Guh... s-so loud..."

"What's with the... oh!? The Trents are moving!"

Looking ahead, I saw that the previously motionless Grandis and the surrounding Trents had pulled their roots from the ground and started moving.

Now that they could walk, the Trents began advancing towards us.

"Is that monster controlling them?"

"It seems so... We need to defeat it here, or it'll become a huge problem."

With the Grandis and the Trents, plus this Diabolus thing, the situation was bad. Should we retreat and regroup, or push through and defeat them?

Encountering a creature that might be related to the anomalies around Queres here and letting it escape would be bad.

Considering the future, I really want to take it down here...

"Hmm, let's see... Whoa, close!?"

The Diabolus in the air aimed its trident at Sisya and Estel behind me and threw it.

The thrown trident, wrapped in a dark glow, flew towards us.

I quickly deflected it with a pot lid, though the impact pushed me back, but I managed to withstand it.

The force of the throw made my arm numb. The deflected trident spun through the air before disintegrating into light particles and returning to the Diabolus's hand.

That bastard... it targeted the rear first. It's smart enough to go for the weak points?

Well, it doesn't matter. I can't forgive it for targeting Estel and Sisya!

"Alright, we'll finish it off right here!"

"Bring it on! Come down here and fight us!"

"It's not coming down. Calm down, both of you."

Damn, I let my anger get the best of me.

The Trents are still coming at us. We're being attacked from both the ground and the air. I need to assess the situation properly.

Should we take down the Diabolus in the air first, or deal with the Grandis on the ground?

Or handle both at the same time... that's it.

"Noru, can you handle the Grandis and the Trents alone until we take down the airborne monster? You can use your skills."

"If I can use my skills, it's a piece of cake!"

"Alright, sorry, but I'm counting on you."

"Understood!"

In her silver aura state, Noru should be able to handle the ground enemies alone.

And this Grandis is weaker than the previous one.

While she handles the ground, I'll protect Estel and have Runa attack Diabolus from the air.

If we focus on the ground enemies first, Diabolus might escape when things get tough. We need to deal with it first.

I asked Noru to handle the ground enemies, and she charged at the Trents, enveloped in a silver aura.

This way, we don't have to worry about the ground for a while.

"I'll make sure to take that thing down. It deserves to die for targeting Sisya."

"R-Runa... you're so angry for my sake..."

Runa glared at Diabolus with sharp eyes.

She held her spear with a determined look, her face filled with fighting spirit, unlike her usual reclusive self.

It reminded me of the time we fought Smiter.

"Alright, Estel, attack with Runa."

"Got it. Runa, let's take it down."

"Leave it to me."

Only Estel and Runa could attack Diabolus in the air.

My Centibar was too slow to hit it.

So, I had Estel and Runa start attacking.

Estel shot fireballs at Diabolus, but it easily dodged them, flying around.

Because of its speed, her attacks couldn't even graze it.

While dodging, it threw its trident at us whenever it found an opening.

I blocked it, and Sisya healed the minor damage it caused.

"Ugh, it's too fast!"

"Leave it to me. Hah!"

Runa threw her spear, which was glowing red, at the dodging Diabolus.

The skill-enhanced throw carried a lethal intent.

Diabolus shuddered in surprise but barely dodged it by flapping its wings.

Runa's spear, wrapped in red light, flew off into the distance.

"Tch, it dodged."

"Even Runa's spear missed!?"

"Don't worry. It won't escape my spear."

"What?"

I couldn't believe Diabolus avoided Runa's strike.

She just clicked her tongue, unfazed by the miss.

Diabolus, seemingly mocking us, laughed and prepared to throw its trident again. Just as it did, a red spearhead pierced its belly.

Diabolus, now impaled, lost control and fell to the ground.

"Even if it dodges once, my spear will bend space to hit the target... just once."

"...That's right, it has homing."

"That monster doesn't know what happened."

"Now's our chance! Let's finish it!"

The spear had changed direction mid-flight to hit Diabolus.

I had never seen its homing effect in action because it always hit on the first try... bending space is overpowered.

As I thought about this, I was grateful for Runa's spear and began attacking the fallen Diabolus.

Its spear had returned to Runa's hand, but Diabolus couldn't fly again, clutching its belly.

Estel bound its limbs with earth magic, then shot water bullets to puncture its body.

I used Centibar, transforming it into spikes and stabbing its body repeatedly.

Meanwhile, Runa kept throwing her spear.

We attacked it from a distance, relentlessly. It might look cruel, but we couldn't let it escape again. We had to finish it.

Sisya, with no long-range attacks, was throwing rocks at it.

We continued until Runa's spear pierced its forehead, finally depleting its HP and making it dissolve into light particles.

"Alright, let's go help Noru--"

I turned around, ready to assist Noru with the Grandis.

But the Grandis was already gone, and Noru, still enveloped in a silver aura, was decimating the Trents.

With each swing, parts of the trees exploded. There was no sign of her getting caught by the branches.

Most of the Trents were already gone.

"The Grandis is already gone..."

"And most of the Trents too. Noru's amazing."

"She's that strong in that state..."

Estel and the others watched Noru, who had just finished the last Trent and was returning to us.

Then the silver aura disappeared, and she collapsed.

"It hurts, it hurts..."

"You did great. We'll head home soon, so rest up."

"She's powerful, but always collapses after."

I

 carried the crying Noru on my back.

...Oh, right, Runa used her skill too.

"Runa, are you okay after using your skill?"

"I only used it once, so I'm fine. If I need to, I'll just drain some from Heiha."

Runa looked at me with a stern expression, suggesting she'd drink my blood.

Ugh... getting bitten on the neck is scary...

But since she used her skill for us, I should offer my blood.

Besides, it might not be so bad to be bitten by a young girl... no, that makes me sound weird.

"Well, it's--"

"No! You should take mine!"

Just as I was about to agree, Sisya interrupted.

She knelt before Runa, clasping her hands and desperately pleading to be bitten.

Yeah, that's the true pervert. I couldn't even if I wanted to.

Runa, looking sorry, turned away from Sisya.

"...It's disgusting, so no."

"So it wasn't just dislike, it actually tasted bad."

"Yeah, it numbs my tongue, burns my mouth, and leaves a foul taste lingering."

"N-no... foul taste..."

A foul taste that lingers... what does that even mean?

Sisya's blood must be terrible for Runa.

Sisya, devastated, pounded the ground in tears.

"A priest upset about not being bitten... what's with that..."

"It's just Sisya. It can't be helped."

"True..."

Noru and Estel watched, exasperated but not deeply bothered, as this had become routine.

Leaving the crying Sisya to Runa, I asked Estel about something that had been bothering me.

It was about the gem dropped by Diabolus.

"Estel, do you know what this is? The flying monster had it."

"Oh, the gem it had in its right hand? It's shattered... let me see."

I handed a piece of the shattered black gem to Estel.

She covered it with her hands, closed her eyes, and concentrated.

"Hmm... it's hard to tell because it's shattered, but it feels similar to a magic stone. There's still some magic left, so I think it contained some kind of spell."

"A magic stone... That monster emerged from Grandis, so it might be related to the anomalies around Queres... but its status didn't show any such abilities. So maybe..."

"You think the stone caused it?"

"I can't be sure, but maybe..."

Diabolus's unique abilities and skills didn't seem capable of causing such large-scale disturbances.

But it emerged from Grandis, so it must have been doing something inside it.

The 'Temporary' tag on Grandis was also concerning.

Diabolus didn't use the gem during the battle, so it might have had another purpose.

If only it hadn't shattered...

Diabolus might have destroyed it before dying.

And its status said 'Minion', implying it was controlled by someone else...

While pondering this, my phone suddenly vibrated in my pocket.

"My phone... whoa! This is...!"

"That reaction, is it gacha?"

I took out my phone and saw the screen displaying [Box Gacha Event!].