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

With Estel crafting a path through the lake, we steadily made our way to what the map app indicated as the center of Rishunar Lake.

“This should be the center,” I said, glancing around. “Estel, you should rest a bit now.”

“Whew, I think I’ll take you up on that,” she replied, settling down. “Even if my magic supply isn’t dwindling, using it continuously gets exhausting.”

“Allow me to give you a massage,” Sisya offered with a grin. “Priest-recommended for fatigue recovery!”

“Then, please,” Estel agreed. “Sisya’s massages are always wonderfully effective.”

It had been quite a trek, and even though Estel hadn’t drained her magic, the mental fatigue alone had to be taxing. If we did find something here, it might lead straight into a battle, so it was best for her to take a breather now. Leaving Estel in Sisya’s care, Noru and I went over to Gret and his group, who were scanning the surroundings with an air of unease.

“It’s hard to believe someone could create a pathway out here like this.”

“Exactly. This goes way beyond anything I’ve ever known about adventurers,” Vyle muttered, staring at the path.

Azery piped up eagerly, “Vyle, how about you give it a try? Exploration would be way easier if we did this too!”

“Fool! There’s no way I could pull off something like that! That girl’s capabilities are just on another level!”

Azery didn’t miss a beat, nudging Vyle with her elbow. Attempting to imitate Estel was truly out of the question for most mages—even for multiple mages working together, it would be difficult. Estel’s magic truly was a blessing.

“Now that we’re here, I don’t see anything particularly suspicious,” I noted.

“It’s hard to see anything from up here,” Noru said. “Should we go down?”

“That might be best, but… I’m not too thrilled about those crocs.”

“What’s this, chicken?” Noru laughed. “With your strength, Ookura, you could take them on in a flash!”

I guess I could, theoretically. But still, facing down those massive crocodiles doesn’t exactly appeal to me. Just getting here, I had shivered at the sight of a dozen or so of them lurking along both sides of Estel’s path, staring up at us. There were even some rare species mixed in with the regular ones, each one visibly larger than the last.

---

**Crocodilus Gigas**  

Species: Crocodilus  

Level: 60  

HP: 13,000  

MP: 0  

Attack: 2,200  

Defense: 1,300  

Agility: 120  

Magic Resistance: 20  

Abilities: None  

Skills: Death Roll  

---

Normal Crocodilus are huge enough, but this one looked straight out of prehistory, more dinosaur than crocodile. I had no interest in wading into their territory.

While watching from the relative safety of our path, I glanced at my map app, hoping to spot anything out of place. But despite close observation, nothing stood out. If there were something here, it would have to be below the surface.

I turned to Gret, thinking he might have noticed something. “Gret, have you noticed anything unusual on your way here?”

“Well…” Gret mused, frowning as he scanned the waters around us. “Hard to say. I haven’t come this way before, but I do feel like the number of Crocodilus here is unusually high.”

“Yeah, no kidding,” Mars agreed. “If we’d been down there, we’d have been slogging through all these crocs. There are more Gigas than usual too.”

“So, more Crocodilus than usual, huh?” I muttered, turning to Noru. “What’s your take?”

“Well, usually that could mean an anomaly. But since we’re coming right through the center on a path like this, the vibrations alone might’ve drawn them in. Hard to tell for sure.”

Gret and his team didn’t seem certain either, only noting that it seemed slightly unusual. With such a noticeable change to the terrain, it wasn’t unlikely that the creatures in the lake were responding accordingly. If there were just one exceptionally strong creature, we’d have an easier time confirming something was wrong. But maybe the Diabolos really had just passed through here without doing anything.

Just then, Estel called out, breaking my train of thought. “You know, with all this water making it hard to see, why don’t I just raise the lakebed a bit?”

“Bold idea, Estel,” I chuckled.

Estel nodded confidently. “Sure beats vaporizing half a swamp like last time, right?”

“Well, you’ve got a point there.”

I recalled the time she’d half-drained a swamp with her magic during our encounter with the Frogmen. Just as Estel readied her staff and the yellow grimoire, something unexpected happened—a portion of the lake began to glow.

Streams of light rose up from the water, collecting into particles that rained down into the lake.

“What the—?!” I gasped.

“They’re spawning all over the place!” Noru yelled.

Where the light had fallen, clusters of Crocodilus began appearing out of nowhere. Mars’ voice rang out in alarm as he watched the scene unfold.

“What in the world? I’ve seen monsters spawn, but never like this!”

“Could this be an anomaly?” Gret wondered, watching the creatures emerging in droves. “This is no longer just strange; it’s a disaster!”

“There’s… oh no, look!” Azery’s voice trembled as she pointed, “There are Rexes out there—several of them!”

Gret’s expression darkened, “I have never seen anything like this.”

My heart sank as I caught sight of the Crocodilus Rex—monstrous black crocodiles, each over ten meters long. And there were five of them in view.

---

**Crocodilus Rex**  

Species: Crocodilus  

Level: 60  

HP: 65,000  

MP: 2,000  

Attack: 3,000  

Defense: 1,600  

Agility: 160  

Magic Resistance: 30  

Abilities: None  

Skills: Water Breath, Wild Press, Death Roll  

---

It wasn’t their strength that worried me most—it was the sheer number of them. Just glancing around, I estimated well over a hundred Crocodilus in total. The red markers on my map app were so clustered that it was practically useless.

“Good grief, the lake is completely overrun,” Sisya muttered. “And they’re all looking right at us.”

“Glad we’re up here,” Mars grinned. “We’re fine to attack them now, right?”

“We don’t want to leave them to multiply,” Estel added, eyeing the growing mass. “Better to take them down now before they can spread.”

“But that mystery creature in the sky earlier… it’s still dangerous to go too far from the barrier,” Noru cautioned, looking back at the path.

I followed Noru’s gaze to see a red-winged creature hovering above, wielding a black scythe. It resembled Diabolos, but it was larger, and instead of a spear, it held the deadly-looking scythe. Before I could check its status, it raised its arm and threw something down at us.

I barely had time to react, throwing my pot lid shield up to block, but whatever it was crashed down just in front of us, smashing against the path.

Sisya chuckled, covering her mouth, “Really? That thing can’t aim worth a lick!”

“Uh… it’s leaving!” Noru shouted.

Estel readied her staff to fire off a counterattack, but just then, the ground beneath us cracked, collapsing entirely. As we tumbled down, I grabbed Estel, holding her close as we splashed waist-deep into the lake.

As I steadied myself, Estel screamed, “Behind you!”

I turned, and right there, a Crocodilus Rex loomed over me, its jaws open wide. My limbs froze, but Mars appeared from nowhere, slamming a powerful kick into the beast’s side, knocking it away.

“What are you staring at?!” Mars barked.

“S-sorry!” I stammered, fumbling to activate the *Sanctuary of the Goddess* and expanding the shield around our party. As the light extended, the crocodiles that had approached us were shoved back by the barrier.

Azery and the others appeared safe, thanks to Noru’s intervention. 

“Whew, that was close.”

“This… this light. The Crocodilus can’t pass through it,” Gret marveled, watching the writhing creatures on the other side.

“Yet another mystery with you lot,” Mars muttered, shaking his head.

With Gret’s group calmed, we had time to regroup. Estel used her magic to create a steady platform inside the shield, giving us some stability. Outside the shield, the Crocodilus, especially the Rexes, pressed closer, some even shooting streams of water at the barrier. But the shield remained steadfast.

“So, should we stay and fight?” I asked. “We can always retreat with the beacon.”

Estel shook her head. “We have the upper hand with the barrier; we should finish them off here rather than risk them spreading out later.”

We took positions, ready to counterattack. Estel created a gradual slope, inviting the creatures to approach, and as they climbed, we attacked relentlessly from within the safety of the barrier. Occasionally, Nor

u, Sisya, or Mars would step out briefly to attack directly, retreating before the Crocodilus could retaliate.

Eventually, as the attacks took their toll, the creatures began to hesitate. Even monsters could recognize a losing battle.

“Hard to believe we’re surrounded by monsters, yet handling them like this,” Gret noted, marveling.

“This makes things so much easier!” Azery chirped. “Is this some kind of priestly miracle?”

With a smug look, Sisya nodded, “Indeed. A divine barrier that repels evil.”

“Whoa… impressive!” Azery replied, eyes wide.

Of course, Sisya’s claim was a bit over the top. But it was easier to let her take the credit as a priest than explain the truth.

“They’re finally pulling back,” Mars noted, squinting at the creatures hesitating just beyond the barrier.

“I’d like to go out and finish them off, but that mystery creature is still around,” Noru cautioned.

Estel smiled confidently, “Leave it to me. I’ll make sure none of them escape.”

With her white grimoire in hand, Estel raised her staff, casting the *Light of Destruction* spell. Above us, a massive spell formation took shape, and five smaller formations appeared, each one aligned with a Crocodilus Rex.

“Take this!”

At her command, the light funneled into the formations, releasing beams that hit the Rexes, obliterating them and any nearby Crocodilus. The beams continued until the Rexes vanished entirely, leaving holes in the lake’s surface as water poured back in. Estel lowered her staff, visibly pleased with her work, as Mars muttered in disbelief.

“This kid could probably take down the entire lake on her own.”

I chuckled awkwardly, sharing in his astonishment. Estel’s magic really was something else.

[TL NOTES:

I’ve decided to stop working on "The Reincarnated Count's Daughter Is the Strongest as She Is Loved by the Spirits, Though She Is Only Wishing for Regular Romance!" and "Using Gacha to Increase My Companions and to Create the Strongest Girls' Army Corps" as of this chapter. Thank you so much for your continued support!

]