SSS Gacha Master: I Can Only Gacha Bikini Warriors-Chapter 44. Something Bad Is Coming. And We’re Going to Meet It Head-On
Later that night, Octavia went up to Glacielle, who was filling up canteens at a water source.
Octavia asked, "You really love him, don’t you?" in a tone that was serious and not teasing. "I mean the Master."
Glacielle got tense in a defensive way. "Yes, I do love him... More than anything else in either of my lives."
Octavia sat beside her. "I can tell by how you look at him and fight beside him."
"That’s true devotion, the real thing," her voice softened. "I won’t interfere with that relationship."
"I’m here to protect him, not seduce him, despite how much fun teasing him is."
Glacielle felt a little better. "Thanks for saying that, and I was worried you might try to take him away."
"Please, I know better than that," Octavia said with a kind smile. "Plus, he’s already busy with you."
She looked over at Marshal, who was training Lucian. "And perhaps he will be training her as well, eventually."
"Marshal?!" Glacielle said, her face turning red.
"Oh, you sweet, naive thing." Octavia gives her a slow pat on the head. "The way she looks at him now?"
"That’s not just professional respect anymore." She then whispers in her ear. "Mark my words, Ice Princess... This party is going to get emotionally complicated soon."
"And you already know that a master is supposed to have a lot of partners..."
The foreshadowing was in the air, and then Glacielle just nodded because she knows that at some point Lucian will have a lot of bikini warrior harem. But still, she can’t just let her guard down to someone who hasn’t fully bonded with him yet.
...
The next morning, Octavia found Marshal on watch duty and initiated conversation.
"You’re softer on him than you pretend to be," Octavia observed casually.
"I don’t know what you’re talking about," Marshal said defensively.
"The way you corrected his fighting stance earlier... it’s rather gentle guidance instead of harsh criticism." Octavia held her cheek. "The way you smiled when he did that hard move."
"You care about him, Marshal, more than just a commander caring for soldiers."
For a long time, Marshal didn’t say anything. "He’s earned respect through hard work."
’He went from being useless to being able to do things in just a few days. Of course I respect that."
"Just respect?" Octavia asked with a smile that said she knew what was going on.
"Oh, fuck me." Marshal said, "Don’t start with romantic speculation."
"I’m just saying... denying feelings is pointless for people like us," Octavia giggled. "We’re warriors, not kids playing games."
"If you care about him, own that truth instead of hiding it."
Marshal stayed quiet, which made things awkward, but the idea was planted.
Lucian did his Dragon Breathing meditation that night while Octavia watched in silence.
"You’re dedicated, aren’t you?" she said as she sat down next to him.
"I have to be dedicated," Lucian replied, as he finished his breath cycle. "Everyone is counting on me to get stronger."
"Such a heavy burden for such young shoulders," Octavia said with real warmth. "But you handle it very well, and... I can see why they follow you and love you."
Lucian said honestly, "I’m just trying to be worthy of them and this second chance at life."
Octavia put her hand on his shoulder in a motherly way, not a romantic way. "You’re already worthy, sweetheart."
"Don’t doubt that by the slightest bit..." She smiled softly. "It’s my job to make sure you live long enough to figure it out on your own, and for me... I take my job very seriously."
Lucian could tell that she really cared about him, which was different from Glacielle’s love or Marshal’s respect. This was energy from a protective mother.
"Thank you, Octavia," he said with all his heart.
She playfully messed up his hair. "Fufufu, what a sweet young Master you are."
"Now get some sleep. Tomorrow we’ll train with all four of us, and I promise you’ll see what a real tank can do in battle."
[Bond Level Increased: Octavia 0.5 → 1.5 Hearts]
[Relationship Classification: Protective Guardian - Maternal]
...
Far away in an unknown location, Corvus Blackthorn watched through his crystal orb. The viewing sphere showed Lucian’s party training together.
"Three SSS-rank warriors now," he mused with a manic grin. "My, my, Bikini Master is certainly busy collecting powerful women."
He looked at how they formed. "Tank, DPS, and Control... What a balanced party composition."
"He’s learning the basics of tactics as a rookie, and honestly... I’m almost proud."
He surrounded himself with newly summoned monsters. Not just dragons anymore, but chimeras, behemoths, and various elementals.
"But quantity isn’t sufficient anymore."
"You’ve grown too strong for simple numerical superiority." He pulled out a new crystal orb, different from his others, but this one pulsed purple-black with ominous energy.
"Limited Edition Gacha System Upgrade."
"Cost me absolutely everything I’d saved across months of grinding... but it’ll be worth the investment." His grin widened maniacally. "Now I can summon MYTHIC-tier creatures."
"Beyond SSR."
"Beyond even legendary classification."
He activated the orb. A purple-black portal opened, and something absolutely massive began emerging.
"Come forth, my trump card against these so-called heroes."
A shadow too large to fully comprehend stepped through.
[MYTHIC SUMMON: SUCCESS]
[Creature: DATA REDACTED - Too powerful to display publicly]
[Level: 50]
[Threat Classification: CATASTROPHIC]
Corvus laughed with pure insanity. "Let’s see your cute bikini warriors deal with THIS monster!"
"When we meet again, rookie... it will be your LAST battle in this world!"
"Hehehe..."
"HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"
...
Lucian suddenly shivered at the camp, even though the fire was warm.
"Master...? What’s wrong?" Glacielle asked with immediate concern.
"I don’t know for sure," Lucian said, looking around nervously. "Just felt like someone was watching us from far away..."
Marshal’s face got serious. "Trust that instinct to fight."
"We need to get stronger quickly because I can also sense that something bad is definitely coming."
"Then we train harder starting tomorrow," Octavia said with a smile that showed she was determined. "Let whatever’s coming come."
"They have to get through ME first before they can touch any of you."
The next four days were all about intense training for four-person tactical coordination.
Day one was all about trying out new formations. Octavia drew aggro with enthusiasm, Marshal dealt damage from the sides, Glacielle controlled from a distance, and Lucian commanded while dealing damage as well.
At first, coordination was bad, but it got better quickly.
Day two saw the rise of combination attacks. "Tidal Fortress" made Octavia build a dome of water that protected the whole party and healed everyone inside.
"Frozen Tsunami" combined Octavia calling up huge waves with Glacielle freezing them in mid-crash to make ice walls and do damage at the same time.
"Solar Evaporation" had Octavia make steam fields that Marshal heated up until they became scalding mist.
Day three challenged the boundaries of synchronization. Lucian tried to sync with all three warriors at the same time. Too much ice, fire, and water flowing together.
After just five seconds, his system was overloaded, and he fell.
"Damn it...!" he said. "I’m still not ready for that yet."
"Take it slow, Master," Octavia said softly. "Even legends start with the basics."
"Yeah... thanks for the words of encouragement, Octavia."
On the fourth day, there was a full mock battle. Lucian and Glacielle are fighting Marshal and Octavia to see how the new dynamics work at full strength.
The love-synced pair worked together perfectly, and the professional pair worked together well. The intense back-and-forth ended in a tie, with both teams tired but happy.
On the fourth night, they were resting after training when a notification from the system popped up. Not the usual blue window, but a gold and red one that shows how urgent it is.
[URGENT MESSAGE FROM ADVENTURER’S GUILD HEADQUARTERS]
[PRIORITY LEVEL: MAXIMUM]
[ALL A-RANK AND HIGHER ADVENTURERS SUMMONED IMMEDIATELY]
[EMERGENCY CONTINENTAL QUEST ISSUED]
[Quest: Continental Crisis Response]
[Situation: Multiple major cities under siege simultaneously]
[Enemy Forces: Unknown army with coordinated attack patterns]
[Casualty Estimates: EXTREME and rising]
[All high-rank adventurers required for defense]
[Meeting Point: Capital City - Royal Palace War Room]
[Time Limit: Arrive within 3 days]
[Failure Consequence: Continental governmental collapse]
[Rewards: 50,000 gold + Royal Recognition + Noble Title]
[WARNING: This quest likely involves Corvus Blackthorn and unknown allies]
Lucian read the note and felt his blood run cold.
"This is it," he said softly. "Now the real fight begins."
Glacielle quickly moved to his side. "Master, we’re ready for anything that comes."
The grim smile on Marshal’s face showed that she was looking forward to what was going to happen. "It’s about time things got really interesting."
"Let’s show them what we can really do."
"Really...? A war?" Octavia’s eyes sparkled. "How wonderfully nostalgic~!"
"Don’t worry, Master." For the first time, her face became serious. "I promise that no one will touch you."
They immediately began their preparations for the trip, packing supplies, thoroughly checking all the equipment, and reviewing their battle plans.
Three days to get to the capital, then the real war would start.
As his warriors got ready, Lucian stood and looked up at the night sky. His mind was racing.
Ten days ago, he was weak, sick, and useless in a valley. He now led three legendary warriors and had power he had never thought he could have.
But Corvus had also been getting ready, getting stronger in the dark.
He looked at the soldiers he led.
Glacielle was full of love and devotion.
Marshal was respectful and loyal.
Octavia showed care and protection like a mother.
"I won’t let them down." He promised himself, "Not this time."
"We’ll face whatever comes together as a team."
The sun rose over their camp, and the group set off immediately, journeying toward their destiny in the capital. They were going to war.
He could hear Lucian’s voice in his head. "I wanted to matter in this second life."
"Be careful what you wish for, because I’m about to find out what that really means."
The journey to make the world a better place had really begun.
