GUAL before combat & Out-of-game Benefits

[Squaresoft]

Hello there, last game I tried to do 2 diferent things and everyone was acusing me of cheater, I'd like to know if what I did was legal or not:

1) I was LV6 (with many equipments) and started a combat with a LV1 monster.
I asked: Is somebody going to play something? (no response) OK then! and played a GUAL.
I asked again: Is somebody going to play something? (no response) OK then! and played a GUAL.
I asked again: Is somebody going to play something? (no response) OK then! and played a GUAL.
People tried to stop me but couldn't. I won.
Then everybody started arguing that I cheated.
What I understand is that I cannot play a GUAL "AFTER" the combat, but I can before.

2) Similar question, I'm LV8 and have "The Guild"'s expansion card "Out-of-game Benefits".
Can I force somebody to help me AND THEN play a GUAL to end up LV9 with a forced helper?.

Thanks in advance.