As my body materialized in the vast expanse of the desert, accompanied by my belongings, I found myself immersed in a desolate landscape surrounded by rugged terrain. The desert stretched out endlessly before me, its arid nature punctuated only by the presence of countless rocks strewn across the barren land.
Seeking respite from the scorching heat of the relentless sun, I was fortunate enough to stumble upon a nearby cave. The temperature in the desert remained unbearably high as the sun blazed fiercely overhead, casting its unforgiving rays upon the unforgiving landscape.
Within this parched desert, the absence of water became painfully evident. There were no signs of any life-sustaining oasis or water source. The only signs of existence were the occasional small plants and resilient cacti that managed to survive in this harsh environment. It was a cruel place where survival depended on adaptability and resilience.
Amidst the solitude of the desert, the silence was deafening. The vastness of the landscape and the desolation surrounding me seemed to amplify the harsh reality of my situation. The sheer magnitude of the rocky terrain and the arid emptiness served as a constant reminder of the challenges that lay ahead.
With the sun still blazing in the sky, I took a moment to contemplate my circumstances. The weight of uncertainty pressed upon me, yet a glimmer of hope flickered within me. Determined to endure and find a way out of this hostile environment, I gathered my strength and prepared to face the unforgiving desert that lay before me.
As I ventured further into the arid expanse, each step became a testament to resilience and the indomitable spirit within. The desert, with its cruel beauty and daunting challenges, served as a harsh teacher, pushing me to my limits and testing my resolve.
In the desolate desert, where signs of life were scarce, my heart couldn't help but ache for those unfortunate souls residing in the vicinity of the menacing volcano. Their lives seemed trapped in a perpetual state of danger and uncertainty. The looming threat of scorching lava and searing flames threatened to engulf everything in its path, leaving no room for mercy or escape.
Deprivation was a relentless companion in this parched land. The scarcity of food and water created an unyielding struggle for survival. Each day was a battle against the elements, with the scorching sun draining every ounce of moisture from the air and the earth. The search for sustenance became a desperate quest, where every morsel and drop of water held immeasurable value.
The only way to survive here is to ally with someone who can create water, such as people with the element of water or ice.
The creation element is useless here, let alone the cost of creating things. My mana is not 100%, so it was not viable. I could wander this place without food for 4 days but not live 1 day without water.
The weight of the shield pressed heavily against my weary arm, inflicting a dull, persistent ache that seemed to permeate my entire being. Each step I took, burdened by its presence, required an extra effort, draining my energy and leaving me fatigued. The combination of its weight and the sweltering heat made it an arduous task to bear, amplifying the challenges that already lay before me.
Even as I sought refuge beneath the sheltering embrace of the cave, hoping to find respite from the scorching sun, the oppressive heat of the desert persisted. The shade offered only marginal relief, as the searing temperatures seemed to penetrate every crevice, reminding me of the unforgiving nature of this inhospitable environment. The air hung heavy with a stifling heat, making it difficult to find comfort or solace even within the sanctuary of the cave.
In this relentless heat, my body clamored for relief. Sweat trickled down my forehead, stinging my eyes, as the humidity hung in the air, intensifying the discomfort. The combination of physical exertion, the weight of the shield, and the relentless heat created an unwelcome symphony of exhaustion and discomfort.
In my hand was the compass I picked out of the four items that were given for us to choose; the arrow was pointing behind me. It was directed at the southwest side of the compass; it doesn't really tell me what it was trying to point towards or if it's just trying to find the north.
I turned the compass to the north side; it was still locked onto the southwest side. I rotated myself and the compass to see if anything would change. Regardless, it always pointed toward the southwest.
It definitely was not pointing toward the north.
My body was heavily sweating from the heat; it was unpleasant to endure it.
As the sun was near the middle of the sky, I can assume it's only morning.
I was already losing a lot of water from my body; it can't go on like this any further.
I have three options to try and survive: one is to find another biome that can hold life easier; something like the ocean might work, but the forest is the ideal location.
Two is to wait until it's nighttime, then I can venture through the desert, but by that time my body would have wasted a lot of water and I would risk dying.
The third was to find someone who had a skill or element that was fit for this environment, and then I could suggest an alliance.
I remembered one thing the bearded man said: the items that they gave were supposed to be crucial to survival. But what could it possibly mean?
While waiting in front of the cave, I could feel a penetrating gaze. It was as if someone was marking me as a target; I suspected I had been spotted.
I don't know where they were, but they were nearby.
I prepared my shield and readied myself. I used [R.E.Q.U.I.E.M.] just in case I still felt their gaze.
"I know you are watching!" I shouted as long as I could. I didn't know their exact location, so I'm faking it.
As the skill didn't work, there is a high chance of them being far away from me since the skill works 100 feet from all angles and sides. It had the range of a sphere.
"I do not wish to engage in battle; I merely wish to coexist with you."
I let go of my shield, which fell to the floor as dust flew away from the fall.
I put both of my hands above my head and dropped everything I was holding.
My heart began to beat faster as I observed the surrounding rocks; there was no movement.
"I'm a healer, I can help!"
Without any other way to prove my class, I used [Heal] on myself as my hand glowed with a green hue. To show that I truly was of the healer class, though I wasted mana, I hoped it was enough to show proof that I was indeed a healer.
A gentle voice telepathically answered me.
"A healer...?"
"I'm not sure if you can hear me, but yes, I'm a healer."
"How are you even here?"
"What do you mean?"
"...Most of the people here are either Class 2, 3, or 4, but there was no Class 1...?"
The voice was referring to the rank class; the Healer class is one of the many beginner classes. They are categorized as "Class 1" as it is the first class a person will obtain; Class 2 is the evolved version of the previous, which basically works as the branch of a tree; "Classes 3 and 4 follow the same as Class 2.
"Seeing the motion in your heart, you really are not lying."
"...That would be that you either lied about your will and not actually reached level 50, or you are keeping your class for something greater..."
"I did not lie about my 'Will', as I am the (Apostle) follower of the Will of Creation. As for the second question, yes. I am indeed saving it for another class that requires me to be Class 1."
The first answer to the first question was a lie and a truth: I lied about my "Will" but did not lie about being a follower of the Will of creation. To obtain the stigmata from the "Angel's Domain," I would need a Class 1, specifically, meaning I had to be stuck with the healer class until I got the exact amount I needed for my "Holy" stat.
Each level grants 3 status points; if I were to obtain [Ascended Divinity] into one of my objects, then I would be able to get 6 or 9 status points on the "Holy" stat.
There was also the issue of [Heal] and similar healing skills from the same branch being proportional to the amount of status placed in the "Holy" stat.
I needed 1000 "Holy" stats, and I only have 1 right now; it will take a long time.
Unlike in most games, the amount of stats was actually not that important, as they only gave a miniscule amount of extra effects unless you were at a higher level.
To give you a comparison of how useless the stats were, if a stat point reached 5,000, it would only give it a 1.5x scale buff. If it was the maximum, which was 9999, then it would only give a 1.99x scale buff.
Stats are mainly used to fill up the requirements of classes, artifacts, relics, catalysts, quests, and so much more.
It was the main reason why I managed to survive here without dying from a single attack.
"Do you trust me?"
"...I can't afford to trust anyone here, especially when everyone is aiming for the top three prizes.... I am one of them."
"What a coincidence; I'm also aiming for it too."
"...So we will be enemies."
"No, we can ally with each other for now."
"You only care about your own survival, not being allied with people."
"It is necessary."
"But it's true, isn't it?"
"I won't deny that."
After a long silence between the conversations, the gentle voice spoke again telepathically.
"...Very well, let's team up for now. But this does not mean I trust you."
"I understand."
The penetrating gaze was gone; it felt like no one was watching me now. But I knew the person who was watching me was definitely nearby; otherwise, it would not have made sense to come into contact and agree to my offer.
"So, what do I gain from this temporary truce?"
"In a support-type class, I also have a skill that makes a person invulnerable to any forms of damage, which lasts for 3 minutes. It doesn't work on me, however."
"...Are you lying?"
"Absolutely not."
A humanoid thing made of water manifested near me; it was similar to a whirlpool, as water splashes everywhere. A girl appeared within the spiraling water; it was the same girl I had met before being teleported here.
Her long robe and golden staff with the mysterious red cube were two of her main items. Her eyes were still displaying blue concentrated particles that were moving chaotically in and out; staring into her eyes was like staring into a bright sea of blue light that spanned endlessly.
"You were also teleported to the desert?"
"Yes, unfortunately." Her gentle voice was still in my head; she did not move her mouth and continued to talk telepathically as she stepped out of the water.
Her eyes were almost closed as she was under the rays of the sun. It seems she's sensitive to light.
"Why do you speak through my mind?" I asked as she was using her robe to clean her golden staff.
"According to the 'Archmages', it was wise to save your voice for chanting spells, she replied while she walked closer towards me.
My height was 194 centimeters, and she was almost the same height as I was but slightly shorter by a short margin. Her robe had strange symbols engraved on it. The most noticeable symbol was near her heart. A shattered crown with a cube within it.
"I've seen your battles, especially during the massacre, which only had 300 participants. You fight recklessly and brashly, which is unfitting and illogical for a healer." Her way of speaking showed annoyance.
"Don't even get me started on the duel you had; I was the first to finish the duel, and I saw your battle, and it was horrid. The only reason you managed to win was the condition and your opponent's pride."
"If he was serious, you would have been long dead." After expressing her distaste towards me, her face turned less serious and had a calm expression. She sighs and taps my forehead.
"I hope you know your limits." She sounded more like a mentor trying to correct their student's mistake, not someone who devalues a person's worth. She quickly removed her finger from my forehead and looked into my hand, which was the golden compass I picked.
"You picked the compass?"
I nodded in response to her question.
"Have you figured out what it does?"
"Not yet, but it's pointing in a fixed direction. It is not facing north but somewhere else."
"Interesting, as for me, I picked the silver pocket watch. As for what it does, well, it just points at 2:41." Within her robe, she takes out a pocket watch. Its glass was cracked, but its hand still moved except the hour hand.
"It has been like this ever since I got here." The pocket watch looked like an antique watch, which looked fancy and expensive.
"Maybe it's a code to something?" I replied as I stared at the compass in my hand.
"It is possible. Since we are allies for now, we can follow your compass to see where it leads us." Her voice was gentle but monotone, yet it hints at a sense of curiosity.
"We can follow the arrow; if there are supplies that are found at the end, let's split 50/50, I suggested to her, but her face smiled eerily.
"40/60." She was looking at me as if I were a goldmine.
"50/50." I retorted her statement as it was a huge disadvantage to me, but her face didn't change and she still remained smiling.
"30/70." She continued to lower it; I knew very well she would make it even lower if I suggested it be 50/50.
"You-fine, I get a 30% split while you get 70%..." I gave up on bargaining with her; her smile was now cheerful rather than creepy.
"I'm glad we can come to an agreement." She grabbed my hands and shook them as she gave me a big smile.
"I'm getting scammed so badly..."
"Hehe." As she pivots gracefully, her body twisting in fluid motion, she takes three deliberate steps forward. In an awe-inspiring display of power and control, a human-sized orb of water materializes at the very tip of her outstretched fingers. The transparent sphere glistens with a shimmering radiance.
With a sudden shift of focus, she locks her gaze on me. Time seems to stand still as her finger extends, directing her intent towards me. In that moment, the colossal water ball obeyed her command, hurtling towards me with remarkable speed and force. The anticipation builds within me—a mix of exhilaration and trepidation—as the massive sphere of water hurtles closer, ready to engulf me in its aqueous embrace.
In an instant, the enormous, watery projectile collides with my body, engulfing me from head to toe in a cascade of liquid. The impact is immediate, drenching me in its cool embrace. The water caresses my skin, soothing and refreshing me as I find myself momentarily submerged in this ephemeral deluge.
"You didn't have to give it like that." Soaked and wet, oddly cold even though I was in the middle of a desert.