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

After dealing with the three Diabolos, we returned to the place where the shrine, now occupied by Grandoris, used to be. The place was in ruins, with walls collapsed and debris scattered everywhere. Probably from when I blew things up with the Magic Dynamite while making my escape… In the center of the area sat Grandoris, surrounded by three remaining Diabolos, each flying around and keeping an eye on the multiple entrances.

“They’re definitely on guard,” I observed.

“Of course, they’d be, considering their comrades were taken down,” Runa replied.

“So that’s the monster you were talking about, Heiha. It’s really huge!” Freesia added, awe in her voice.

We kept ourselves hidden under the Invisibility Cloak, observing them from a distance. As expected, it seemed the news of the outside Diabolos getting defeated had reached them. Naturally, they assumed an enemy would come here next.

“Heiha, what’s the plan? If we attack like this, they’ll notice us before we even start,” Runa said.

“Should we just go for it?” Freesia suggested with reckless enthusiasm.

“Are you kidding? Why do you think we sneaked all the way here?” I shot back.

We had taken every precaution, crawling inch by inch under the Invisibility Cloak from a good distance away. We just needed to get that first hit in for the surprise attack… Was there anything I could use to grab their attention? I already used all the Flash Bombs when I escaped, and I didn’t have anything else… Wait, maybe that could work. I quickly rummaged through my backpack and pulled out an item.

“Let’s use this,” I said.

“Is that…”

“Isn’t that one of those plushies from Noru-chan’s room?” Freesia asked.

It was an R-rank item from the Gacha, a plushie. This one was a 50-centimeter, round, pink one.

“Can something like that really catch their attention?” Runa questioned.

“Well, it’s the best I’ve got. I used up all the Magic Dynamite, remember?”

“And if it doesn’t work?”

“Then… we’ll fall back and come up with something else.”

If we could distract them for even a second, we’d have a chance. As long as they were distracted, we could launch an attack, and the plan would be a success. Using the Dimension Bracelet, I placed the plushie at Grandoris’ feet, making sure it was far enough away from its antennae. It wasn’t clear whether Grandoris could see, but it didn't seem to notice the plushie immediately. The Dimension Bracelet was turning out to be extremely useful; it allowed me to place objects from a distance.

The Diabolos were busy watching the entrances, so it took a while before one of them noticed the plushie. Eventually, one Diabolos spotted it and approached, tilting its head in confusion. It poked the plushie with its trident, seemingly puzzled by its sudden appearance. The other two Diabolos noticed it as well and joined in, poking the plushie and rolling it around.

“They’re distracted. Well done, Heiha,” Runa praised.

“Who knew monsters would be so entertained by a plushie?” I muttered.

I had expected they might grow more cautious with the sudden appearance of a plushie, but this worked even better than I’d hoped. Alright, now to take them down while they’re distracted.

“Freesia, now’s your chance!” I whispered.

“But if I attack now, the plushie will get caught up in it,” she hesitated.

“It’s a necessary sacrifice for the mission. Just do it, and keep this between us… Noru doesn’t need to know,” I insisted.

“Got it,” Freesia agreed reluctantly. “Oh, I really don’t want to pass out…”

Though visibly unhappy, Freesia nocked an arrow onto her bow. As the green arrow began to glow, I lifted a corner of the Invisibility Cloak, and Freesia released the shot. She immediately sprinted to the wall, slammed the doorknob into it, and opened a door, disappearing inside. I had given her the Dimension Room before entering the cave so she could use it to escape after unleashing her skill. Now, she would pass out in a safe place, leaving Runa and me free to fight without having to worry about protecting her.

As Freesia made her escape, the glowing arrow flew straight toward Grandoris, only to change direction sharply upward just before impact. The Diabolos, who had been engrossed with the plushie, finally noticed, but it was too late.

The moment the arrow burst into a bright green light, a deafening roar filled the air, and the entire space before us was bathed in descending beams of green light. Each beam, shaped like an arrow, was so densely packed that they resembled a thick, continuous laser. The Diabolos, looking up in shock, were instantly obliterated, the cave shaking violently as if on the verge of collapse.

Wow… I had anticipated it, but seeing it in action was something else. The last time I saw Freesia’s *Inversa Sagitta*, it was used in a wide-open forest. But here, in a confined cave… All those arrows pouring down into such a small space, it was downright brutal.

Even with high stats, there’s no way Grandoris could survive after taking repeated hits of over 5000 attack power. Checking the map app confirmed this, as the signals for the three remaining Diabolos were already gone. They didn’t even have a chance to escape and were annihilated in an instant… Even Runa, standing next to me and witnessing the spectacle, was left speechless, her mouth agape.

“...That skill of that ditzy elf… is really this powerful?” Runa muttered in disbelief.

“Haha, we did it! Victory is ours!” I cheered.

When launching a surprise attack, it’s crucial to end it before the enemy even has a chance to retaliate! We taught them what it’s like to be on the receiving end of pain and fear! …The shrine area is a bit wrecked, but we can ask Estel to help repair it later.

Now, we just had to wait for Grandoris to go down. I was already thinking about the cleanup, feeling a bit too relaxed, when Runa suddenly shouted.

“No, wait! That big thing is still moving. It might be trying to escape!”

“No way! Damn it! Don’t let it get away!” I exclaimed.

Looking at the map app, I could see Grandoris was still moving amidst the relentless downpour of arrows. I could hear it repeatedly slamming into walls, trying to break free from the onslaught. Are you kidding me? How could it still move under that kind of attack?

“It’s thrashing about wildly!” Runa yelled.

“And it’s emitting something. The mist burns my skin on contact.”

Through the falling green light, a purple mist began to spread, and Runa quickly covered her mouth with her cloak to avoid inhaling it. Ugh… Is this its *Spray* skill? Now that it’s mentioned, my nose and throat feel itchy… Even if poison is neutralized, maybe it’s starting to dissolve from the inside.

“Anyway, don’t breathe it in—Whoa!” I shouted.

Just as I noticed the mist, Grandoris charged straight at the entrance where we were hiding. The ground shook violently as it plowed through, shattering walls to dust. It stopped for a moment and spat a stream of purple liquid into the tunnel. I quickly pulled Runa close and wrapped us both in the Holy Shroud to shield us. A sizzling sound filled the air, accompanied by smoke as the acidic substance ate away at the fabric, clinging to us like sludge.

“Gross… Runa, now!” I commanded.

“On it!” Runa leaped out, hurling a crimson spear with all her might. The spear, flashing with a scarlet glow, struck deep into Grandoris’ body, pushing it back into the space filled with Freesia’s still-active arrows.

We had used Runa’s skill, *Kazikli*, which had a strong knockback effect, to push Grandoris back whenever it charged. It had proven useful in the Angori Ruins and was just as effective here.

“You okay, Heiha?” Runa asked.

“Yeah, thanks to you. Let’s heal up while we can,” I replied.

Even with the Holy Shroud, my arm hurt a bit from the impact. I’d also inhaled some of that mist, so it was better to heal up while we had the chance. I drank a potion, while Runa took a swig from the bottle of my blood.

“After all, it’s best to drink blood directly. Bottled blood lacks warmth,” she remarked.

“Bear with it… By the way, how’s the recoil? Are you okay?” I asked.

“Yeah, seems fine,” she replied.

If this method of providing blood works to control Runa’s bloodlust, it’ll make using her skills much easier. I’ll make sure to prepare more blood bottles before diving into any more dungeons.

With our healing done, I checked on Grandoris. It was still alive, having been blasted back to the far wall by Runa’s skill, but it was moving again, thrashing around. To ensure we finished it off while *Inversa Sagitta* was still active, I used the Dimension Bracelet to stab Excalibar into its body, and Runa threw her spear to chip away at its HP bit by bit. 

Grandoris charged again, but Runa, having waited for her skill cooldown, hit it with another *Kaz

ikli*, knocking it back once more. This time, as its HP finally reached zero, Grandoris began to shrink under the barrage of green arrows, eventually turning into particles of light.

“Phew… We got it. I was hoping Freesia’s skill alone could take it down, but I guess that was wishful thinking,” I sighed.

“To withstand my skill twice while being bombarded by that elf’s arrows… I’m glad we didn’t have to fight it directly,” Runa replied.

Surviving through all that and still being able to fight back… If we had faced it in open combat, we might not have made it out in one piece. I guess we should be grateful we fought it in the cave.