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

Chapter 81 – The Gacha Waits for No One

After receiving the explanation from Wizzy-chan, we immediately set out for the Angori Ruins.

Our B rank promotion request, surveying the Angori ruins.
The objective, to investigate what monsters currently exist in the Angori Ruins, which lies in the desert area to the west of the royal capital, and also to acquire the special magic gemstones found inside the ruins.

The Angori Ruins were originally a C rank hunting ground, but entry has been prohibited ever since word of B rank monsters had appeared there.

With the experience of subjugating Asterios and resolving a Prime Subjugation under our belts, we were entrusted with this investigation.

Normally, only C rank monsters such as Sand Lizards and Sand Eagles are seen in the areas around the ruins, but recently there have been confirmed sightings of Sandworms, which are B rank monsters.

Investigations of the actual ruins have yet to begin, which is what led to the request falling on our laps.

We are to bring back the subjugation proofs of the surrounding monsters, and the magic gemstone with a green shine which is known to be found in the depths of the Angori Ruins, to complete this request.

[The Angori Ruins, huh…]

[Something on your mind?]

We are currently riding our Magic Carpet, moving at high speeds.

Shisuha’s not with us this time which leaves the space behind us open, but Estel was seated on my lap as usual.
It’s as though his spot has become her designated seat.

When I muttered the name of the ruins, she reacted with that question as she tilted her head up.

[Ah y’knowー, I was just wondering why these monsters appear in ruins that’s all.]

[Maybe it’s because the monsters chose to settle down there?]

[Even if they chose to settle down there, monsters typically don’t move all that much from where they spawn.]

[Ah, that’s right…]

When you think about the word “Ruins”, you’d typically imagine man made buildings made by the people of the past.
It might literally be ruins, but our request this time is to investigate the “insides”, so I’m pretty sure there are buildings there.

Just that there are monsters in there.

[People don’t normally build buildings where monsters spawn, what about the possibility of the place becoming a spawn point after it was built?]

[Who knows.
It is unknown when the structures were made according to the receptionist Onee-san, maybe it’s something similar to a Labyrinth.]

Hーmm… Come to think of it, I haven’t heard of anything regarding how the Labyrinths came to be.

If it really is something similar to a Labyrinth, was it created to be a home for monsters from the start?

[There’s talk about people going inside to investigate in the past, no? If it was a Labyrinth, we would have gotten more warnings about it.]

[Yea… We won’t get anywhere speculating about it so let’s leave it at that.
We just have to do what was requested.]

The Angori Ruins is a place that should have been fully explored by adventurers before us.
I have received a map of the interior from Wizzy-chan too just in case.

We were requested to investigate the place due to reports of powerful monsters appearing inside, but normally even a C-rank adventurer party would be able to reach the innermost areas and gather the magic gemstones.

There’s no Boss monster like the Slime on the 10th floor of the Royal Capital’s Labyrinth known to appear here, so the chances of the Angori Ruins being a Labyrinth are low.

Our speculations won’t give us answers so let’s put that aside, let’s get the monster investigation out of the way, gather some magic gemstones and head on home.

[We need to investigate the monsters around the ruins, check the insides of the Ruins and acquire the magic gemstone known to be gathered there; there’s quite a bit to do this time.]

[The monsters themselves shouldn’t be that strong, the ones inside can’t compare to what we have seen in Labyrinths too… It really depends on what types of monsters they are.]

Our golden pattern up til now has been “Beat the monster! The end!”, but that’s not all this time.

We have to properly check what kind of monsters have been appearing, and retrieve the magic gemstone from the ruins too.

The magic gemstones that form in the innermost areas of the Angori Ruins are known to be a good source of income for adventurers.

With the place being off limits currently, it has become a problem for the C-rank adventurers.

Also, it seems that special monsters spawn inside the ruins.

One type is a humanoid monster with bandages wrapped around their bodies, and the other one is something similar to the scorpions in the Northern Cave.
The scorpions here seem to have much lower defense than the ones in the Northern Cave though.

Personally, I don’t like mummies… I’m not good with the horror stuff.

As I was thinking about such things and controlling the magic carpet, my smartphone suddenly vibrated.

[Geh!?]

[Nn? What is it this time?]

At first I thought it was a call from Shisuha, but my smartphone only vibrated once.

As the words “Could it be……” went through my head, I stopped the carpet and took out my smartphone to check…

[What’s the matter?]

[This reaction… It must be the Gacha.]

Noru called out to me from behind, as I stiffened up from looking at my smartphone’s screen after suddenly stopping the carpet.

Estel leaned her body back to look at me, she immediately realized it’s related to the Gacha.
She understands me well…

[Yeah, as Estel has said, it’s the Gacha.
…..I have been expecting something to pop up, but what’s with this timing…]

[What will it be? Postpone the trip to the ruins today and skedaddle off to farm some manastones?]

[Fa, farming manastones again…]

Estel assumes I want to get some manastones after hearing from me it’s the Gacha.

Noru groaned at hearing the words “farm” and “manastone”.

It’s been awhile since our CompGacha run, this new Gacha banner dropping was within my expectations… Guess it can’t be helped.

We haven’t done any hunting whatsoever during our vacation, we have no manastones stocked up after finishing the CompGacha run.

The deadline for this new Gacha banner is today, and it’s already past noon.
We wouldn’t get enough even if we went farming now.

I’m not a big fan of this type of guerilla Gacha banner.

[Nah, the banner’s deadline is today, we won’t make it in time.
We’ll be passing this one.]

[O, Okura-dono said we are passing on a gacha banner!? D, did something happen?]

[Are you alright? Hnngh… he doesn’t feel… feverish.]

[T, that’s just rude…]

After hearing me say we are giving up on this banner, Noru reacted with an exaggerated jaw drop, while Estel stood up and put her hand on my forehead.

I sorta remember being treated like this before… Was my choice really that surprising?

[If you girls are taking me to be some Gacha crazed madman who must roll every banner that exists, then I have just proved you wrong.
Think about it.
I’m sure you can remember the times that I have held back before.]

[Come to think of it… Can’t really say anything that comes to mind?]

[If memory serves, I don’t remember any such time…]

Noru did a thinking pose with her arms crossed, tilted her head and said no.
Estel placed one hand on her cheek and also said no.

Eeeh? That’s strange… I’m sure I have said stuff about holding back on rolling the Gacha before…
(ED note: nope)

I remember the times when I had to give up on rolling those limited Gacha banners when I was low on money back in my original world.
I also remember enduring and crying into my pillow when the thing I really wanted appeared on those banners…

As attractive as the banner this time may be, it’s on a level where I can afford to give it up.
So let’s properly give up this time and forget it ever happened.

…… though I really want to roll it.

[W, well let’s leave that aside, hahaha…]

[Changing the topic, eh… But anyway, what kind of gacha is it this time?]

[Ahh, it’s a Step-up Gacha.]

[Step-up Gacha? What kind of Gacha is that?]

The Gacha that appeared in my notifications this time was a Step-up Gacha.

It’s a Gacha where you roll on a specific table where the items you get become “better” as you go, and you get something guaranteed to be the highest rarity at the end, a very atypical Gacha.

[This is the kind where you do 4 single rolls, and you get a UR for free at the end.]

[… Estel, what did “free” mean again?]

[Even I don’t know what it means.
Philosophy?]

When I said the word “free”, Noru and Estel both tilted their heads.

Ahh, how wonderful it is to be able to get a guaranteed UR gacha for free just from using manastones, it’s fabulous.

[But if it’s only 4 single rolls, that’s only 20 stones isn’t it? If that’s all that’s needed, we can gather enough in time if we go right now, no?]

[No, the first roll is 10 manastones.]

[Ara that means it totals to 40 stones, which is still manageable.]

[Huehuehue, this is a Step-up Gacha, you know? That won’t be enough.]

[What do you mean?]

Unlike the normal Gacha which is 5 manastones per single roll, the first roll of this Gacha is 10 manastones.

If it was as simple as 4 single rolls times 10 equals 40, I would already be traveling to the Northern Cave via Beacon by now.

However, a Step-up Gacha isn’t that simple.

[The thing about this Gacha is that every time you roll the cost increases each time.
If you look at the explanation given… The rate starts from 10 and it increases to 30, 40, then finally 60 per subsequent roll.]

[Th, that’s quite the price inflation…]

[That means it’s a total of 140 stones… That’s not a number we can gather in the allotted time.]

The 1st roll guarantees a SR or better, 2nd roll increases the chances for SSRs, 3rd roll guarantees a SSR or better, and finally you get a guaranteed UR on the 4th roll, these are the Gacha rates for this banner.

This Gacha is actually a really good deal, for the 140 stone total cost.

[sigh …..Well it can’t be helped.
There are times like this too.]

[If only he gave up this easily every other time…]

We have no manastones in stock right now.
I’d roll for sure if we had some, but even if we went hunting like crazy now there’s just no way we can collect 140 in time.

We have worked our best for the Gacha each time, but if it’s impossible to this degree it makes the choice to give up easier to pick.

This happening now is within my expectations, with us taking our vacation and all that.

That’s why I regret nothing… Nothing you hear me!

[Estel? What’s up?]

I was setting up the carpet to head for the Angori Ruins again now that we have chosen to give up, but Estel, who was sitting on my lap, seemed to be musing about something.

I wonder what’s bothering her?

[Maybe there is a way for us to roll on this banner?]

[Re, really!?]

[Didn’t you just say you have given up…..]

I certainly have given up, but things are different now that Estel mentioned a possibility to roll the Gacha.

We have yet to complete our setup for automated manastone farming, so how are we supposed to get 140 manastones in time?

[We are on our way to the ruins now, yes? We might be able to get some manastones if we fully conquer that place.]

I was wondering what sort of bold unstoppable plan it would be, but it turned out to be quite normal.

It’s true that we were given bonus manastones from completion of the Prime Subjugation and the Goblin Labyrinth.
So it shouldn’t be surprising if we get something from conquering the Ruins.

However, the Angori Ruins we are going to have already been investigated by people in the past, there shouldn’t be anything left to conquer for us.

[It’s a place where regular adventurers have gone through and from to the innermost areas of.
What’s there for us to conquer, it’s not a Labyrinth, yeah?]

[But-but, there’s that saying “You won’t know til you get there”, right? I wouldn’t mind us conquering the Ruins!]

[We’re going there anyway, no harm in expecting to get something out if, I guess?]

It’s a win-win if we can get manastones at our destination, the Angori ruins.
Besides, there’s strange stuff happening at the Ruins right now, so maybe there’s something we can get due to that.

[Hーmm… maybe you’re right.
Let’s go for now, we’ll talk about this again after we get there.]

I was planning to finish this quickly then head on home, but now that manastones are at stake we are going to have to investigate the ruins thoroughly.

Now that that’s decided, we should hurry on to the Angori Ruins!