Dragged into Another World's Apocalypse - A LitRPG Story

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

[You have gathered the desert rose.]

Arianna stared down at the cactus's remains. E-rank… but manageable. Their group really was getting stronger. Still, that watering can attack had been a nasty surprise.

Her eyes fell on the item still clutched in the cactus's stiff hand.
"Was it one of its abilities… or is the watering can itself special?" she murmured.

When she touched the handle, a window flickered before her eyes:

[You have found 'Watering Can of Wonders.' Do you wish to bind it?]

Arianna quickly dismissed the option. Not yet. Instead, she stored it in her inventory and turned to the group.
"We'll decide later who gets it."

A cheer rippled through the party. Their first real drop. Every other item they had was something she'd bought as Sapphire.

Cassis and Helen busied themselves carving the cactus apart while the fox gnawed happily at its fibrous flesh. The rest of them slumped down in the shade of the garden, exhausted. They decided to rest for at least half a day before moving on. The desert wasn't kind to the weary.

After finishing his gruesome work, Cassis asked Arianna about her water shields that weren't attached to anyone. "How do they work? Did you rank up water shield to legendary or did you get a new spell?"

Arianna nodded and shook her head at the same time. She grinned. She'd actually reached Master rank with her Water Barrier during the fight with the cactus. "After reaching Master rank with both Water Barrier and Water Shield the system told me that with two water spells at master rank and Mana Manipulation at expert rank I had the qualification to get the spell Water Manipulation. Finally! Now I can actually freely manipulate water mana, well, not quite freely yet, because the spell is only Basic. But I've finally learned how to just work with water mana."

She had a look at her status. Her Water Manipulation spell actually had a submenu. There, all her water-based spells were listed. They'd retained their ranks, but felt … more versatile? "I think that all my water-based spells become more flexible? That's what it feels like. And I think it will be easier to make new spells. I wonder if they will have the same rank as Water Manipulation. If so, I would just have to raise that one spell and all others would automatically grow as well!"

Arianna was extremely excited by the new possibilities. She could already feel a difference in her ability to control water mana outside of her body. The spells flowed better. She couldn't describe it differently. And she could already see herself trying out different things and getting spells for them. It had worked with the water shields actually becoming stepping stones. She'd even gotten a new spell for that: Water Steps.

But not only Arianna was excited. Luke and Nadine had already reached twenty. Danielle, Marcus, and Helen were close behind. Benny, Elena, and Joseph were around level fifteen, still with some distance to go. We're getting there, Arianna thought.

After the break, Joseph closed his eyes and activated his skill.
"I'm looking for a turtle… I'm hunting for a turtle," he muttered under his breath, turning slowly like a compass needle.

Arianna couldn't help but smile. For some reason, the old man's little ritual made the whole situation feel less tense. It was simply adorable.

Finally, Joseph stopped and pointed.
"South."

Cassis gave a firm nod. "Alright, everybody. Let's go."

Groans rose from the group, but one by one they got up. Even the fox gave an indignant little huff, her ears flicking at the heat. Arianna shook her head in envy. Being E-rank meant the weather didn't bother her as much as it bothered their lowly F-rank selves. Lucky her.

They trudged through the sand for hours. Luke and Nadine left the party and didn't participate in the battles anymore. It was better for everyone's experience gain that way. Arianna still kept a watchful eye, ready to heal everyone if needed, and it was needed quite often. She kept her pattern running normally and replenished her mana quickly. Cassis wasn't needed most of the time, but he stayed alert. Only one mistake could cost them dearly.

By late afternoon on the second day, they found them.

Not one turtle, but three.

Each was the size of a horse, their shells ridged and sand-coloured. The moment the creatures noticed them, they froze, retreating into their shells.

Not really knowing what to do with an enemy that wasn't attacking, Cassis struck first, fire blade flashing. Sparks danced harmlessly across the shell. Not even a scratch.

Benny tried next, slashing with a wind blade since the turtles might have a water affinity. Nothing. Arianna hefted her mace and used bludgeon which just as useless.

The fox didn't even bother. She gave them all a withering look, as if to say, Really?

"What do we do?" Arianna asked finally.

Danielle raised her brows at her son. "Maybe… cook them?"

Cassis sighed, but nodded. "It's the only way I can imagine hurting them."

He joined into the weaker party to maximise experience for them, then unleashed a Flame Burst that engulfed all three turtles. Smoke and heat shimmered in the air. The turtles didn't move, didn't emerge.

Minutes later, Cassis staggered, pressing a hand to his head.

"Are you alright?" Arianna hurried to his side.

"Yeah… just a headache. Too much mana." He paused, then gave a faint grin. "But we got the message. They're dead."

Arianna frowned. That was it?

Elena voiced what everyone was thinking. "Well… that was anticlimactic."

Arianna nodded slowly. "It wasn't the boss. There's no oasis here. And there wasn't a message about that."

Helen shrugged and started butchering the turtles. "We're definitely taking those shells. They're nearly indestructible. Not even the fire hurt them."

Joseph scratched the back of his head, looking sheepish. "I only searched for a turtle. Sorry. I'll try for an oasis this time."

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He muttered again under his breath, "I'm looking for an oasis… I'm hunting for an oasis…"

The familiar spin began, and his finger snapped toward a new direction. Without a word, the group fell in behind him, trudging onward once again.

They tracked in that direction for five more days. Five days filled with sand, sun, and screams. Her team fought so many monsters that it actually got boring. They already knew the weaknesses and strengths of each creature, and Arianna was mostly needed only for healing. The real fighting was left to those still needing experience.

Finally, after those long five days, Elena reached level 20 as the last person. Now everyone was level at the bottleneck to E-rank. The boss fight could finally begin. If they could find it!

Arianna noticed how much she hated deserts. Hated the sand. She wanted to leave. At least now that everyone had joined the party again, she could fight a little to relieve her boredom.

On the sixth day of searching for the oasis, Nadine finally spotted something shimmering in the distance.
"I think it's an oasis. I'm not quite sure, but it's in the right direction."

"Finally," Danielle mumbled, and the others let out relieved exclamations.

A few hours later, they reached it. Monsters clustered around the water, but no turtle. Still, the group cut them all down with ease. They'd grown strong. Strong enough that each of them could handle themselves without Arianna and Cassis needing to step in constantly.

When the last monster fell, the oasis was quiet again. But still, no turtle.

"Let's rest here for a bit," Marcus suggested. "Maybe the turtle's just out on a walk or something?"

Cassis shrugged and used the unexpected break to address the rest of the group. "I think for this fight, Arianna should only stick to healing, and I'll try to hang back. You guys need to improve your skills and spells so you can get better evolutions. Arianna might grow her heal spell to Master if she only heals, and I'll try to get my fire lance to rank up. That way, all of us can train. Remember: combat is the place where we grow the most."

Danielle looked unsure, so did Joseph and Marcus, but the rest of the group readily agreed. Everyone wanted to become stronger. And they needed to become stronger. They'd have to clear dungeons by themselves soon.

Then Cassis turned towards the fox. "You should also hold back because you have another way of growing strong. You don't need to fight right now."

The fox snarled, not impressed by his suggestion, but then nodded. She'd not join the fight, for now.

With that decided, they sat and greedily drank from the fresh water. It was delicious. Arianna noticed at once how dense the place was with water mana, far stronger than anywhere else she had been.

After half an hour without anything happening, Arianna grew bored and asked, "Joseph, could you hunt for the turtle now?" Even though the oasis was a relief, she wanted to leave. And for that, they needed to kill the turtle.

Joseph nodded. "I'm looking for a turtle, I'm searching for a turtle."

He spun like a compass needle, but instead of stopping, he kept turning and turning.

"Dad!" Benny shouted, grabbing his arms to stop him. "What's wrong?"

Joseph staggered, just as confused. "I don't know! The skill doesn't tug in any direction. What do we do?"

Arianna's stomach sank. The turtle had to exist; otherwise, the system wouldn't have told them to kill it.

Cassis cursed and jumped to his feet at the same time the fox did, ears pulled back, snarling.
"Everyone, be alert! That means the turtle is already here!"

The group surged upright, faces tense with confusion and alarm. No turtle. They couldn't see it. Arianna couldn't feel it. And judging by Cassis's wide-eyed scan of the area, neither could he.

Suddenly, Helen slammed into Joseph and pushed him flat. A moment later, a turtle's head with two sharp rows of teeth snapped down right where Joseph had been.

Everyone reacted instantly. Cassis employed his fire lance and the warriors leapt, slashing and striking at the monster with everything they had, but it vanished again.

They spread out, trying to sense the enemy.

"How did you notice it, Helen?" Nadine asked over the party chat.

"It's a stealth creature. I noticed a faint ripple in the stealth weave," Helen answered like it was the most natural thing in the world. Arianna had no idea what the stealth weave was, but she didn't have the concentration to ask. She focused on her awareness instead, just like everyone else.

They stood tense and ready, scanning the area.

A cry rang out. Danielle.

The turtle had lunged for her head, but she had managed to move her sword arm up at the last second. Now its jaws clamped around her arm instead, and she let go of her sword due to the pain. Arianna could hear the bone-crushing snap. Instead of trying to rip free, Danielle threw down her shield and used her other hand to hold onto the monster. Only its head was visible, no body. But now it was still chewing on Danielle instead of just vanishing.

The fox was snarling, barking even, but stayed put as per their agreement. Cassis also only launched more fire lances. The mages and rangers aimed for the area around the head, trying to hit the turtle's invisible body. They soon had to be more careful with their attacks as the warriors reached Danielle and also started hacking around the area. Benny managed to strike the invisible flesh of its neck. Purple blood spurted from the wound, but the body itself remained hidden.

Arianna could only faintly sense it.

She sent a heal surging into Danielle. Cassis' mother screamed as the arm knit together, only to be bitten through and crushed again. It had to feel like torture, but Arianna couldn't risk Danielle losing the limb, so she kept healing, again and again. Danielle didn't ask her or Cassis to get into the fight, but continued holding onto the monster.

The mages and rangers fired everything they had into the bloodied area since only Benny's sword was in the way. The other warriors still hacked wildly, this time Luke's blade coming away slicked in purple and stopping against something soft. He'd found another fleshy spot.

Just how long is this thing's neck? Arianna thought grimly because Luke stood more than two metres away from where Benny kept his sword thrust into invisible neck and was trying to saw the turtle's head off. Still, the turtle's head didn't even try to get free of the two swords, still crushing Danielle's arm.

Arianna moved next to Danielle so she could better heal her. And if there really was an emergency Arianna would use her mace to bludgeon that creature to death. Danielle still clung desperately to it, refusing to let go, even with pain wrecking her body.

Before they could press the advantage and finally saw the turtle's head off, Arianna felt a massive amount of water mana gather. A freak wave unexpectedly erupted from the oasis. Water surged outward in a crashing wall, slamming into the party and sweeping them off their feet.

Surprised, Arianna clung to Danielle with everything she had as her friend was dragged toward the oasis instead of being pushed away like the rest of them.

The water pressure was immense. The turtle kept dragging Danielle and Arianna, who clung desperately to her, further into the oasis, like a fisherman reeling in a hooked catch.

They were already deep, far from the surface, when Arianna finally got her bearings. Both she and Danielle held their breath, but their lungs screamed for air. Still, the turtle pulled them down. Danielle began to thrash, twisting, trying to wrench her arm free. Arianna helped as best she could, her mace far too heavy to swing underwater. She shoved it into her inventory and wrapped her arms tighter around Danielle.

An idea sparked. She didn't need to summon a massive amount of water, not when they were already surrounded by it. If she could just shape it… Arianna forced her trembling hand forward, pressing her palm in front of the turtle's bulging eye. She focused with everything she had, willing the water to harden. Pain split her head, partly from mana strain, partly from the desperate lack of oxygen. Still, she pushed.

At last, a sharp spike of water, far denser than their surroundings, shot from her hand, stabbing straight into the turtle's left eye. Purple blood clouded the water. Yet the beast did not release Danielle.

Her skull throbbed as she tried again, shaping another spike for the other eye. Before she could strike, the turtle suddenly released Danielle and snapped its head back into invisibility.

Damn. Now it could come from any direction.

The surface was still so far. Arianna threw up a water barrier around herself and Danielle, a shimmering dome that drifted upward with them. Her heart pounded as the turtle slammed against it. Cassis and her hadn't expected this situation. But now she would fight as best she could.

She quickly layered three more barriers inside the first, just to be safe, while she continued swimming upwards. Her Water Barriers would hold. But she didn't know how long she could hold her breath.

The turtle rammed them again and again. The barriers held. Arianna's vision, however, swam. Her lungs burned. Danielle was slowing too, her movements weaker and weaker.

No. Arianna's arms shook as she clutched her. She would not drown! They were strong enough to beat the turtle. But it was vicious and cunning, dragging them into a disadvantageous environment like this.

Then Danielle's body went slack. A stream of bubbles burst from her mouth as she exhaled the last of her air. She stopped moving. Her eyes slipped closed.

"No!" Arianna screamed into the party chat, her voice raw with panic even in her own head. "Help!"

But her chest convulsed. She couldn't hold on. Her lungs seized, screaming for air. Her barriers would hold, but her lungs couldn't go on.

Her vision flimmered. Her grip on Danielle weakened.

And everything went black.