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

Some days after our visit to the temple, Bens-san proposed we exchange information with other adventurers. Recently, disturbances around Sevarya have calmed, and sightings of Diabolos have sharply declined—most are probably just mistaken identities. But today, we’ll meet a group of adventurers who claim to have encountered Diabolos around the same time we fought at the shrine.

When Bens-san found out they wanted to discuss it with us, he arranged for us to talk. So here we are, on our way to the Sevarya guild, accompanied by Sisya.

"Ah, meeting other adventurers makes me nervous."

“Stop squirming! Look confident! If you go in looking nervous, they’ll look down on you!”

“I wasn’t really planning on any negotiations…”

The other group is a five-person B-rank party, so we decided each group would send a representative and one other. After some debate, we decided I’d go with Sisya as the representative.

Given her people skills and ability to read others, Sisya seemed like the best choice. Estel would’ve been ideal, but she refused, saying her youthful appearance wouldn’t give the right impression. Noru would’ve worked, but we felt Sisya’s sharp eye and discerning nature made her the best choice. Now that we’re B-rank, I don’t expect the kind of trouble we had with Deus, but it’s still a first meeting, so best to be cautious.

“As the representative, you’ve got to project authority; how you carry yourself will affect how they perceive you.”

“That’s really how it works?”

“Yes. When you keep calm and confident, most people assume you know what you’re doing. And if you’re at a loss, just smile politely and keep quiet—don’t give them anything to latch onto. If things go south, you can just say, ‘I never said that, did I?’” 

Good grief—she says this with a straight face? It’s reassuring in a way, but I wonder if I made the right choice. Sisya seemed unbothered by my hesitation, her hands on her hips as she struck a confident pose.

“No need to worry! With me by your side, Ookura-san, you’ll be just fine! Just sit back and look impressive!”

“Uh… right. I’ll be counting on you, then.”

“That’s the spirit!”

With confidence like hers, she certainly makes a strong first impression. Okay, as the representative, I’ll try to handle things as confidently as she does—this won’t be the last time I’m in a situation like this, so it’s high time I get used to it.

Arriving at the guild, we’re shown to a meeting room with a table and chairs facing each other. We’re early, so we sit and wait. Soon, a knock sounds on the door, and I stand to greet them as Bens-san enters, followed by two others.

The woman has short, golden hair and an air of strength. She’s in a sleeveless top and trousers, a bit lightly dressed for an adventurer, but it suits her. The man has spiky blue hair and a slightly intimidating look, with his jacket open, exposing defined abs—not overly muscular but lean and strong. His piercing gaze has a predatory edge, and I fight the urge to gulp nervously. These two must be the B-rank adventurers from Sevarya, and they don’t seem ordinary.

I give them a silent nod, and the woman returns it with a polite smile, though the man continues to stare at me. Bens-san takes a seat, and we follow suit.

“Ahem, thank you for gathering here today,” Bens-san says. “As previously mentioned, we’re here to discuss recent disturbances around Sevarya. Let’s begin with introductions, shall we?”

Encouraged by Bens-san, I stand and introduce myself.

“I’m Heiha Ookura. I came to investigate the disturbances in Sevarya on an assignment from the guildmaster in the Capital. I’m new to this town, so please bear with me. I look forward to working with you.”

Yes! A smooth introduction! This should make a good impression, right…? But the woman across from me has widened eyes, staring at me in shock. Huh? Did I say something odd? The man beside her seems equally perplexed. I glance at Sisya, who just shrugs, also puzzled. As I try to figure it out, the woman collects herself and stands up.

“Ah, sorry, you just weren’t what I expected based on the stories I’d heard. I’m Gret. I’m sorry we couldn’t be of more help.”

What the…? Why is she so surprised by a simple introduction? Just what sort of rumors have they heard? Before I can ask, the man beside her speaks up.

“Tch. Don’t bow to him. He just lucked into some big discovery, right? Sure has his share of good fortune.”

“Mars! I told you, stop with the sour grapes. You’re embarrassing yourself.”

“What? I’m not—”

Mars starts to argue but suddenly freezes. I follow his gaze and see Sisya, who’s sitting across from him, wearing a smile as polite as it is unnerving—something I’ve seen Estel pull off many times.

“Wh-What are you staring at?”

“My name is Sisya Arvi. Pleased to meet you.”

“O-Oh… Mars.”

Mars seems completely cowed by Sisya’s greeting. I don’t think I could pull off that kind of pressure even if I tried.

“My apologies,” Gret says, nodding toward me. 

“No need to worry. Though, about these rumors…”

“Oh, we’ve heard a lot from other adventurers about your party. The story we hear most often is how you took down a B-rank adventurer back when you were still E-rank. Apparently, your leader alone inspires awe in those around him… though you seem quite normal.”

“Oh ho, is that the impression going around? Well, today we’re here just to exchange information, so we’re dressed more casually.”

“Hmm… I would like to see you in that infamous outfit sometime.”

Wait, when did we become the ones who took Deus down single-handedly? And they think I inspire awe? I’ve been careful to take off my helm in town lately, so when did these stories start getting out of hand? Well… I guess that’s better than being underestimated.

“Enough of the chatter. Let’s get down to business,” Mars grumbles.

“Yes, let’s,” Bens-san agrees, nodding as he reviews the events.

To summarize: initially, there were multiple sightings of Diabolos around Sevarya, and some hunting grounds experienced changes in monster appearances. They’d even attacked the Guardian Shrine to dismantle the protective blessing on the region. Luckily, we stopped them, and sightings decreased considerably… yet around the same time, Gret’s group reportedly encountered Diabolos elsewhere.

“Ever since Ookura-san’s group dealt with the shrine, sightings have dropped significantly. There might still be the occasional report, but they could easily be mistaken sightings of other monsters…” Bens-san explains.

“And the monster you encountered matches the description?” I ask.

“Red eyes, pitch-black body, wielding a trident, and flying through the air. We’ve crossed paths with it multiple times—it’s unmistakable.”

Seems like they’ve genuinely encountered Diabolos, given the matching details. It looks like Gret’s group was investigating this area long before we arrived. Now Sisya joins in, posing a question.

“Matching the description precisely, yes. Did you engage it in battle?”

“We did… though it got away at the last second. Quick creature.”

“It’s only natural for a flying creature to evade. Don’t worry too much,” she replies with a soft smile.

“Worry? Me? Listen, you wouldn’t understand since you don’t fight yourself, priest.”

No! Don’t say that! This priest is more than happy to fight monsters if provoked! I tense, hoping Sisya won’t snap back, but she just smiles calmly, holding her peace. She may be wild, but she knows how to handle herself in situations like this.

Mars’s hostility feels aimed at us—probably because we claimed credit first. Given his reaction earlier, he’s likely got a bit of a competitive streak. If we can keep things amicable, though, we might avoid unnecessary drama. Gret, sensing the tension, continues the discussion.

“We were exploring along the southern coast when we encountered it, which seems to match the timeframe of your encounter at the shrine. Maybe it was a decoy. Just hearing there were five more gives me chills.”

Hmm, the timing is suspicious, indeed. So, it wasn’t just the shrine; Diabolos could’ve had multiple objectives. These aren’t your average monsters—they seem meticulous.

“Do you know where it went after fleeing?”

“We tracked it as far as we could. It escaped out to sea, and we had to give up. I doubt it made it across the sea, though.”

The sea? Did it escape to an island, perhaps? Bens-san’s eyes light up with a sudden realization.

“Wait, didn’t it flee southeast?”

“Yes.”

“If it escaped to the sea, it might’ve taken refuge on that little island nearby.”

An island? No way…

“Are you talking about the one with the Guardian Shrine?” I ask.

“Yes. Every few years, the temple organizes a big protection mission to the island. There’s nothing else there, but if the monster’s hiding…”

Great. Just what we needed—more temple-related mysteries. Could Diabolos have been targeting the shrine on that island from the start? If it’s related to Testudo, though, Irina-san’s group might’ve sensed it

. Perhaps we need to check that island ourselves. Just then, Mars speaks up.

“What’s a temple got to do with it, anyway? You fought it at a shrine, didn’t you?”

“If only we knew for sure… the shrine we visited is part of a protective barrier around Sevarya. That monster was trying to destroy it.”

“What… I didn’t believe in guardians, but…”

“You mean… the Guardian Shrine is real?”

Gret and Mars look stunned by the shrine’s role. Wait, are they saying they didn’t believe in the Guardian’s power? Sisya, noticing my surprise, questions them.

“Your reactions suggest you don’t believe in Testudo?”

“Well, we didn’t doubt… exactly… there’s a Sevarya-born member in our party, and we hear stories often enough. But until recently, it seemed like just a belief.”

“Right. We’re based here, but we never really saw the Guardian’s power firsthand.”

So they’re not from Sevarya. While they’ve been here a while, they still don’t believe in Testudo’s protection. Maybe that explains why the temple cared so much about local roots. I think back to the temple’s curiosity over my origins and begin to suspect they saw something in me. My thoughts are interrupted when Gret makes a proposal.

“In any case, it sounds like this Diabolos might be a bigger threat than we assumed. If you’re willing, we’d be glad to take you to where we encountered it. Let us be your guides.”

“What? Why work with them?” Mars protests.

“They’ve found things we missed. They might pick up on something new.”

An expedition with other adventurers… we met them today, but a firsthand look at Diabolos’s territory is tempting. It could also help forge ties with other B-rankers here. Mars’s attitude is a concern, but if we can work together, it might be worth it. I glance at Sisya, who nods in agreement.

“Yes, we’d be happy to join you.”

And with that, we agree to team up with Gret and Mars for a joint mission. Working alongside other B-rank adventurers… let’s hope everything goes smoothly.

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Author Notes:

  During a recent editorial meeting, my editor asked if I could add more gacha-style characters. I’ll try to work some in after this Sevarya arc!

  Also, the bonus booklet’s contents are almost finalized. The title is “Girls Corps: Estel Edition,” a story where Heiha experiences Estel’s character scenario. Some navigational characters who won’t appear in the main story will also make cameos. I’ve written about 20,000 words for this, so I hope you enjoy it.

  You can access this through the QR code on volume 5’s obi and use the password from comic volume 1. Make sure to enter before November 30!

  Thank you for your continued support!

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