Dragged into Another World's Apocalypse - A LitRPG Story

Cassis and the team sat around the campfire. The stampede had worn them down to the bone, but it had also rewarded them well. He had gained one level, while Arianna had managed two. Despite the fact that they had only fought weak F-rank monsters, the sheer mass of them had provided an enormous amount of experience.

No wonder Benny, Elena, and Joseph had each gained five or six levels, pushing them past level 10. Now they were seriously considering which of the advanced classes to take. Normally, Cassis would have advised them to polish their skills and spells before advancing. Better foundations made for better evolutions later, but time was against them. If their plans were to work, everyone in the party needed to reach level 20 as quickly as possible.

The rest of the team had gained two or three levels each. That meant Luke and Nadine had reached level 20.

"Luke, Nadine, have you fulfilled any evolution requirements yet?" Cassis asked.

Both shook their heads.

Cassis nodded. As expected. Most standard classes required the slaying of at least three dungeon bosses of F-rank dungeons to evolve at level 20. Luke and Nadine already had one boss kill under their belts, and they would claim another here. One more after that, and they'd surpass both Cassis and Arianna, likely evolving before them.

Not that it mattered. His and Arianna's classes were still far stronger than normal, even without evolution. They already had evolved classes, which most people would only get once they reached D-rank. They were still weak right now, but they would continue to grow. And it wouldn't be long. Two weeks more, and they would enter an E-rank dungeon themselves. Then they'd probably fulfil their requirements.

After some thought, Benny spoke up first.
"I'll become a Swordsman."

Cassis considered the choice. The Swordsman wasn't too different from a Warrior, but it came with restrictions: no other weapons, not even a shield. In exchange, their sword techniques became sharper, their skills and spells strengthened whenever the blade was in hand. A focused but solid decision.

Elena shrugged.
"I chose to become a Fire Mage."

Cassis nodded. Most mages, his father included, specialised in their elemental affinity for most of their evolutions, getting more specialisations later. It granted stronger spells and a deeper understanding of their element.

Joseph grinned like a boy at his birthday.
"I'm a Hunter now. Childhood dream, you know?"

Hunters were mid-range archers, a step above Rangers. They specialised in tracking, traps, and refined archery techniques. A practical choice for Joseph, and a good fit for his personality.

Cassis smiled faintly. The team was growing stronger. Congratulations rippled around the circle, and even Arianna roused herself enough to join in, though her eyes looked heavy and her posture bone-tired. She forced her eyes open each time they threatened to close.

No water barrier tonight. But at least the system had promised them safety until morning.

His father spoke up.
"What should we do next? We're still not all level 20, so the turtle has to wait. Should we focus on finding this Zainab? But… what is a Zainab?"

Cassis nodded. "Yes. First, we find Zainab, and in the meantime, we keep killing monsters. Well, you keep killing them. Everyone needs to hit level 20 before we face the boss."

He had never set foot in this dungeon before, but he had a suspicion of the meaning of the word Zainab. All the languages in the world were being used by the system. So sometimes words in a foreign language would appear in a dungeon.
"I think Zainab is a desert rose. It's Arabi. We should look for any blooming flowers in this desert."

Arianna made a strange sound, halfway between a sigh and a groan.

"What's wrong?" he asked privately over the party channel between the two. They'd already left the bigger party in order not to accidentally leech any experience.

Her voice came sleepy but dry. "I think I'm going crazy. Why is your dad asking what a desert rose is, when the name already explains it? And why did you just say: 'I think desert rose is a desert rose. It's language.'? Do you hear yourself? Or am I just tired?"

Cassis paused.

He thought about it for a second, then recalled a conversation they'd had about their titles right after defeating the hobgoblin.

"Arianna, can you tell me about your title again? The one that mentions being from another world?"

Arianna closed her eyes, even her mental voice sounding sleepy and recited :

"[One From Another World]
Given to an awakener who came from another world.
Bonus: Can understand, speak and write/read this world's languages automatically."

"But what does it—" She didn't finish, her tired brain finally catching up with what she had just said. "Oh."

Cassis snickered inwardly. "Yeah, oh. We all speak government standard, so you haven't noticed it until now. Everyone here does, but many people are bi- or trilingual since their home countries have their own languages too. My parents, for example, speak Ilty. Liam and I can speak a little bit, though we mostly stick to standard."

Arianna grimaced with her eyes still closed. "That just sounded like 'my parents, for example, speak language.' This is so weird."

Cassis agreed silently. Automatic understanding was powerful, but it could backfire if she didn't notice which language she was responding in. Most people wouldn't think twice if she knew three languages. Five would make her a prodigy. Ten would start raising suspicion.

"We'll work it out later," he said.

Arianna gave the smallest, sleepy nod. That was it for now. They'd already decided who had watch duty. He and Arianna were last, a quiet gesture from the others to give her more time to rest.

"Alright, get some sleep," he murmured.

Arianna stirred, trying to rise, but had trouble. Without much thought, Cassis scooped her up.

She squealed softly, protesting, "I can do it on my own—" before letting her head fall against his shoulder. "Or maybe not." She snuggled closer.

He grinned, carrying her toward their tent to the hoots and teasing whistles of their party.

The next morning, everyone was ready to move. Arianna still looked sore from the mana overload, but her steps were steady, her eyes clear. She was confident she could heal and fight just as effectively as before.

As a group, they discussed how to find Zainab, the desert rose. But with only sand stretching endlessly around them, no one knew where to even begin.

Joseph finally spoke up. "As a Hunter, I got a new skill called Hunting. It says it'll point me in the direction of the object I'm hunting. Maybe it'll work with the desert rose?"

They all agreed to try it. Joseph activated the skill, muttering aloud, "I'm looking for the desert rose. I'm hunting for the desert rose."

Nothing happened.

His mother suggested gently, "Maybe you need to imagine what it looks like?"

"But I don't know what it looks like," Joseph said.

Arianna chimed in, her voice soft but steady. "That's a good idea, though. It says rose, so just try picturing a rose. You'll probably also need to infuse the image with mana. Lean into the skill."

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

Joseph went quiet, eyes shut, lips pressed together. The rest of them held still, not wanting to disturb him. Then a smile crept over his face.

"I can feel a slight tug. That way." He pointed east. "It's not strong or exact, but I've got the sense we'll find it if we go there."

Cassis shrugged. "Better than nothing. Let's follow Joseph's tug."

The group began to wander across the endless sand, heading east. Cassis and Arianna lingered behind, letting the others take the lead. They could fight well on their own now, only occasionally needing a bit of healing or someone to step in when things got rough. It was a huge improvement.

And for the first time in a long time, Cassis felt the grip of his worries loosen. Maybe his family would actually survive this time. Maybe they had truly changed this world's fate.

The ripple effect still worried him concerning what consequences it would bring for his people, but he couldn't regret his wish. It had brought him here, with his family, his friends, and the woman he loved at his side.

The only regret was Arianna. She had never chosen this life. He had forced it onto her.

He tightened his hand into a fist. He would make it right. By protecting her now. By finding a way, later, for her to return home.

Then, she would have a choice.

They wandered in Joseph's chosen direction for over two days. The desert sun beat down mercilessly, baking the sand until it shimmered. They had some hats, and thankfully, the protective sets also worked as sun protection. But it was also their high levels that made them less susceptible to the sun, making their journey uncomfortable rather than unbearable.

During those days, Cassis and Arianna didn't have much to do. Joseph's tug led the way, and the others fought most of the monsters. Arianna occasionally healed injuries, while Cassis had only needed to intervene once, leaping forward to drag Elena aside before a massive scorpion's stinger skewered her clean through. The rest of the time, he and Arianna followed quietly, watching the rest of the group grow in confidence.

But after the second day, Joseph grew visibly nervous.

"Maybe I've got it wrong," he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. "I can still feel the tug, but… it hasn't gotten stronger. It hasn't moved either. I'm sorry. This is a new skill. I don't know how to use it right."

His father placed a steadying hand on his shoulder. "Don't blame yourself. Without your skill, we would've just walked aimlessly. At least now we're heading somewhere." He paused, frowning. "The real question is, how do we find our way back to the gate?"

Helen answered at once, her tone calm and confident. "I've got Tracking and made a mental map of our path. I know exactly where to go. And if something goes wrong, Joseph can probably lead us back with Hunting anyway."

Cassis nodded. This was exactly why rangers and their evolutions were invaluable in a party. In the other timeline, he hadn't trusted anyone and had trained Tracking himself. But here, with people he trusted, it felt different, lighter.

So they kept walking.

The next day, early afternoon, Nadine suddenly shouted, excitement ringing in her voice: "I can see trees in the distance! Not many, but something green!" Nadine was the first to notice because, as a sharpshooter, her class automatically improved her eyesight, directing more mana towards her eyes naturally.

The whole group perked up. Relief rippled through them as they quickened their pace, eager to escape the endless sea of san. By evening, they reached the treeline. It wasn't a forest, just a patch no larger than a garden, scattered with trees and shrubs, but to them it was paradise compared to the barren desert.

"Could the desert rose be here?" Luke wondered aloud.

They searched carefully, combing the small grove until dusk. Nothing.

Joseph frowned. "The tug brought us here… but now it's gone. I can't feel it anymore." His voice carried clear disappointment.

Cassis placated him. "That's just because your skill is still low-ranked. When it levels up, it'll become more reliable. And don't forget that it led us here. Now we just need to find the desert rose."

But despite their efforts, they found nothing.

In the end, they set up camp among the trees. Cassis couldn't shake the unease prickling down his spine. No monsters had appeared near the garden, not even the smallest sand spiders. That alone was suspicious. He shared his worry with Arianna, and she immediately lifted her hands, casting her water barrier.

"Just to be safe," she murmured.

He smiled faintly. "Good idea."

They still kept guard rotations, though the others quickly drifted off to sleep, relieved to finally rest in shade and greenery.

Cassis woke to shouting. Joseph and Helen's voices, sharp with alarm.

He was on his feet in a heartbeat, Arianna already awake beside him, her face pale. "My barrier is being attacked!" she said.

They rushed out. And there it was, looming at the edge of the barrier.

A cactus.

But not just any cactus. This one towered over them, thick as a house pillar, with eyes that glowed faintly green and a jagged mouth split across its trunk. Two heavy arms and legs bristled with spines. In one arm, it clutched a giant watering can. And atop its head, blooming defiantly in the moonlight, was a single, perfect rose.

A desert rose.

"What is that?" his mother asked.

Luke laughed despite the danger. "Are there no normal monsters in these dungeons? First there are tentacle monsters and now here is a gardening cactus! What's wrong with the system?"

Nadine shouted. "DO NOT TALK ABOUT THE TENTACLES!"

Cassis shuddered. He did not want to be reminded of those things. Arianna couldn't even speak their name, only calling them those things. He'd somehow gotten into the habit of doing the same.

Arianna brought them back into the present. "It's strong," she gasped as the cactus. "The barrier won't last long. Get ready!"

Benny quickly re-invited Cassis and Arianna into the party. It wouldn't do for the two of them to slay the monster and take all the experience alone.

The ground trembled as the cactus raised its arm, spines glinting in the starlight.

Arianna dissolved her barrier, and the warriors—Cassis included—charged straight for the cactus. Behind them, the mages and rangers spread out, forming a semi-circle at a safe distance where they could unleash spells and arrows. Arianna, of course, was on the front line, water shield shimmering around her as she fought shoulder to shoulder with the others, bludgeoning the monster with everything she had.

Their blades hacked into the cactus's thick hide. The monster retaliated, stomping down with spiked feet, but the party dodged aside with practised ease. Then it swept its massive arm low across the sand, knocking Luke off his feet and sending him flying. Arianna instantly sent a healing spell his way while keeping her focus on shielding. Luke gave a quick message that he was alright, and the others pressed the attack.

Elena raised her staff and shot a fire missile. It struck home, igniting the cactus's side. Fire should have been devastating against something so steeped in plant and earth mana. But the cactus calmly tipped its watering can over itself, dousing the flames in a hiss of steam.

Then it spun.

Spikes erupted from its body like arrows from a thousand bows. Arianna expanded her shield to cover Cassis, Helen, and Luke, who had rejoined the frontlines. His mother braced her flaming shield in front of her and Benny, while his father raised a thick earthen wall to protect the backline. Spines clattered off the barriers, embedding themselves deep.

Cassis waited for the spinning to stop, then lunged, fire blade glowing as he slashed deep into the monster's side. Before his eyes, the thorns regrew instantly.

The cactus tipped its watering can again. This time, the liquid splashed over the fighters and even towards the backline. Cassis staggered as a wave of cold lethargy sank into his limbs. His mana sputtered, his body sluggish. Around him, his allies slowed too. Even Arianna's rallying war cry only dulled the edge of the debuff.

The cactus spun again. They weren't fast enough this time. A spine ripped through Cassis's arm; his mother raised her shield to protect her head and stepped in front of Benny but was pierced herself, blood streaming down her side. The backline suffered too. Elena went down with several spikes in her legs, though she still managed to fire spells from the ground. Nadine barely rolled behind the wall in time. His father leaned heavily on his staff, reinforcing the wall to give them breathing space.

Helen and Luke had taken multiple hits. Only Arianna remained mostly untouched, her shield absorbing most of the front line's punishment. She spread her healing as best she could, though slowed by the debuff.

Before they could regroup, the cactus leapt, its massive body crashing down, aiming to flatten them. Arianna threw up a water barrier at the last second. The cactus bounced, sliding down the slick dome. It immediately tipped the watering can again. Acidic water splashed against the barrier, hissing as it burned holes straight through.

"Damn!" Arianna cried. "Whatever's in that water, it's eating through my shields! It won't hold for long."

Cassis narrowed his eyes. Could the cactus be imbuing its water with different effects? Fascinating, but dangerous. They had to destroy it fast.

He switched tactics. Summoning a massive surge of mana, he unleashed a Flame Burst without his sword. Fire roared across the cactus's torso, charring a section black. The desert rose sat untouched high on its head, and Cassis carefully aimed to avoid it.

He followed with a blazing fire lance, ignoring the stabbing headache of using his mana pattern more. Better a headache than letting the cactus drown them in more water.

Luke and Benny, with their water and wind affinities, couldn't harm it much, so they relied on non-elemental strikes. His mother imbued her sword and shield with fire, stabbing and slamming into the cactus's body. Helen, meanwhile, had vanished from sight after receiving healing. Moments later, she reappeared behind the cactus, her daggers glowing with fire mana plunging deep into one leg. The monster staggered, forced onto one knee.

Cassis and Elena focused on their fire attacks, their spells and flames igniting the cactus over and over. Each time it doused the flames, its wounds sealed with unnatural speed. Still, their combined assault wore it down.

Finally, the sluggishness left Cassis's body. The debuff had ended. He knew what to do: that watering can had to go.

Gathering every ounce of fire mana he could into his blade, Cassis leapt high, aiming to sever the arm that held the cursed can. The cactus swung to swat him out of the air, but Arianna manifested a water shield midair, blocking the blow. Cassis's blade bit into the arm, but not deep enough to sever it. The cactus screamed, a harsh grinding wail.

Cassis prepared to land and jump again, when Arianna's voice rang out: "I have an idea! Jump in three seconds. One… two… three!"

Trusting her, Cassis felt something solid under his feet, another water shield used as a platform. He launched himself higher, his fire blade trailing sparks. This time his strike cleaved clean through, severing the arm at the shoulder. The watering can clattered to the sand, spilling harmlessly.

Meanwhile, Helen's blades crippled the cactus's remaining leg. Benny, Luke, and his mother rammed their swords deep into its torso. The monster screamed, but it still didn't fall.

Then Arianna leapt, using water shields as stepping stones. She bounded upward, higher and higher, until she reached the cactus's crown. With both hands she ripped the desert rose free.

The cactus froze. Its glowing eyes went dull, and its massive body sagged.

A chime echoed in Cassis's mind.

[You have slain Gardening Cactus (E-rank). Experience gained.]