《Multiversal Primal Zerg》


 Chapter 1 - Dimensional Traveler

    Starcraft Universe, Planet Zerus


    The scent of prey drifted through the hot, humid air. The young Primal Zerg''s nostrils flared, taking in the complex mixture of pheromones and blood. A pack had passed through not long ago - their scents still fresh and strong.


    The creature moved silently through the dense growth, its claws finding purchase on the rough ground as it darted between towering fungal structures. The acid pools to its left bubbled and hissed, their acrid fumes mixing with the metallic taste of blood in the air. One of the pack members was wounded - the sweet tang of their blood called to the hunter.


    Its body flowed smoothly as it tracked them, muscles coiling and stretching beneath thin scales. The wounded one had fallen behind their pack. Alone, separated, vulnerable. The hunt would be easier this way.


    The ground trembled beneath its feet - the great mountains in the distance spewing their endless fire into the sky. The hunter paid it no mind. Such things were normal here, as natural as breathing. What mattered was the prey ahead.


    It could hear it now - labored breathing, the scrape of claws on stone, the occasional soft growl of pain. The hunter''s vision sharpened as it drew closer, picking out details through the thick vegetation. The prey was larger, but its injury had weakened it. The hunter could smell the infection setting in.


    The distance closed. Thirty lengths. Twenty. Ten. The hunter''s muscles bunched, preparing for the leap that would bring it to its prey''s throat. The timing had to be perfect. It gathered itself, calculating the angle, the force needed...


    The hunter launched forward, but its claws caught on a patch of brittle growth. The snap seemed deafening in the humid air. The prey''s head whipped around, eyes widening as it spotted the hunter mid-leap. Instead of sinking its teeth into the throat, the hunter crashed through a cluster of poison-filled pods, their contents spraying everywhere.


    The hunt had just become much more complicated...


    The burning sting of poison across its scales barely registered - the hunter''s body was used to such things. The prey, though wounded, was now fully alert. It rose to its full height, nearly twice the hunter''s size, mandibles clicking as it faced its attacker. The infection in its leg wound had weakened it, but cornered prey always fought hardest.


    It lunged first, faster than its size would suggest. But the hunter was faster. It rolled beneath the strike, feeling the displacement of air as massive claws tore through where it had been. The ground trembled again, stronger this time, and the hunter used the momentary distraction to its advantage.


    As soon as the prey stumbled from the tremor, the hunter leaped onto one of the massive fungal growths, using it as a springboard. Its body twisted in mid-air, an instinct as natural as breathing. Landing on the prey''s back, its reinforced claws found purchase in the thick hide. The prey roared, trying to shake off its attacker, but the hunter had already sunk its teeth into the base of its neck.


    Venom flooded from the hunter''s glands, pumping into its prey''s bloodstream. The prey thrashed, more desperate now. It slammed backwards into a rock formation, trying to crush its attacker. But the hunter had already moved, flowing around its prey''s body like water.


    The venom began its work. The hunter could smell the change in its prey''s blood, see the sluggishness creeping into its movements. Still, it fought. They always did. The prey charged toward one of the acid pools, perhaps hoping to force a retreat. A foolish move. The hunter darted forward, its claws finding the tendons in the prey''s legs. As it stumbled, the hunter struck at its throat again - this time from below.


    The hunter''s reinforced teeth tore through the carapace like it was nothing. Hot blood flooded its mouth, rich with essence. The prey collapsed, its final roar turning into a wet gurgle. Victory. Food. Essence.


    The prey''s blood and flesh filled the hunter with strength. The essence flowed through it, but there was nothing new to adapt - this one was strong, but simple. Like itself. As it fed, the hunter''s senses remained alert. The prey''s pack could return, drawn by the scent of death. But they wouldn''t. Not with the sweet scents of easier prey carried on the wind.


    A faint movement caught the hunter''s attention. Something different. Not like the usual prey that stalked these grounds. The scent was... wrong. Strange. The hunter''s head lifted from its kill, nostrils flaring. The movement came from beyond the thick growth of toxic spores, near where the ground split and burned.


    The strange prey was more interesting than finishing the meal. The hunter left the carcass - others would find it soon enough. Following the scent was difficult. It kept disappearing, mixing with the acrid fumes from the burning ground. But the hunter knew it was there. Something new. Something different.


    The hunter stalked closer, and its vision sharpened. The prey was moving with purpose, heading toward the high cliffs where the ground was more stable. It moved oddly, not flowing like a proper hunter should. Instead, it seemed to glide over the terrain, barely touching the ground. The scent grew stronger - metallic, but not like blood. Different. Wrong.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    The hunt became easier as the hunter tracked it up the cliffs. Here, away from the burning grounds and toxic spores, the trail was clear. Perfect. Every movement, every displaced stone told where it went. How it moved. What it was.


    A deep rumble shook the ground. Stones tumbled down the cliff face. The prey paused, and the hunter saw it clearly for the first time. Its body bristled with spines - not like claws or teeth, but long, sharp protrusions that covered its back and sides. As it moved, the spines shifted and flexed. Some launched through the air, embedding themselves in a large growth of fungus.


    The hunter''s body trembled with anticipation. New. Different. Something to adapt. Something to become.


    The ground shook again. Larger rocks broke loose from the cliff, but the hunter barely noticed. All its focus was on the spine-bearer. It hadn''t noticed its stalker yet. The hunter moved closer, careful now. The last hunt had started poorly - this one must be perfect. The essence must be pure. Clean.


    The spine-bearer turned its head, sensing danger. But it was too late. The hunter was already moving.


    It launched several spines - sharp, deadly projectiles that whistled through the air. The hunter twisted, feeling them slice past its scales. One grazed its shoulder, drawing blood, but the pain was meaningless. What mattered was the hunt. The essence.


    The ground trembled again, stronger this time. The spine-bearer lost its footing for just a moment. That was all the hunter needed. It lunged forward, its reinforced claws tearing into its prey''s flank. The spine-bearer screamed - a high, piercing sound unlike anything the hunter had heard before. More spines launched, some glancing past the hunter''s scales. The pain was sharp, but manageable.


    They grappled on the cliff edge. The spine-bearer''s defenses made it difficult to find purchase, but the hunter''s venom was already working. Each bite pumped more toxins into its blood. The spine-bearer thrashed, trying to dislodge its attacker. It rolled, nearly sending them both over the edge where the ground burned far below.


    The fight was brutal but quick. Venom slowly took hold, the spine-bearer''s movements becoming sluggish. The last few spines it launched went wide. When the hunter''s teeth finally found its throat, it barely struggled. Hot blood flooded the hunter''s mouth, and with it came the essence it craved.


    This essence was different. Complex. As the hunter fed, it could feel the changes beginning. The knowledge of spine-launching seeped into its body. Its scales shifted and rippled as new growths formed beneath them. The pain was intense but welcome. This was what it meant to evolve. To adapt. To become stronger.


    The hunter continued feeding until nothing remained of the spine-bearer. The new adaptation settled into place - it could feel the spines forming beneath its scales, ready to launch at will. Twelve of them, each as sharp as its claws. They would regrow, it knew this instinctively. A new weapon. A new way to hunt.


    The ground shook again, but something was different about this tremor. There was a new sound. A new scent.


    The hunter turned toward this new disturbance, its fresh spines shifting beneath its scales, ready to be tested.


    The creature before it was unlike anything it had ever encountered. Small. Weak-looking. No claws, no proper teeth. It stood on two legs, covered in strange not-scales that rustled when it moved. But what drew the hunter''s attention most was its eyes - they glowed like the burning ground, but blue instead of red.


    The creature made loud sounds, rapid and high-pitched. The sounds meant nothing to the hunter, but there was something in its scent - fear, thick and pungent.


    The creature pulled something from its side - a small, dark object. The thing made loud cracks, four times. Each time it cracked, a small something whizzed past the hunter. Pathetic. Even the spine-bearer''s attacks had been more threatening.


    The creature''s voice got louder, more frantic. Its arms waved around as it continued making those meaningless sounds. "...dimensional traveler... greatest golden finger... Zerus of all places... fucking Primal Zerg... doesn''t matter... escape... become invincible..."


    The blue glow in its eyes intensified. Something about that glow triggered the hunter''s instincts. Prey trying to escape. It couldn''t allow that. Wouldn''t allow that.


    All four feet pushed against the ground as the hunter jumped forward. The creature tried to make its thing crack again, but it just clicked uselessly. The fear-scent spiked. The blue glow in its eyes became almost blinding.


    Too late.


    The hunter''s jaws closed around its head just as the blue light reached its peak. The creature''s strange not-scales tore like wet vegetation. Its blood tasted different - wrong, but rich with something new. As it fed, the hunter noticed something hard in what remained of its head. Something that pulsed with that same blue glow.


    The strange hard thing in its head pulsed faster as the hunter continued to feed. With each pulse, memories that weren''t its own flooded into the hunter''s mind. Strange images. Metal towers larger than the fungal growths. Creatures that moved without legs. Words. So many words, their meanings suddenly crashing into its thoughts like falling rocks.


    The blue thing detached itself from the prey''s remains. Before the hunter could react, it moved - burrowing into its own head. Pain exploded behind the hunter''s eyes. Not like the pain of adaptation. Different. Wrong. More memories flooded in. Knowledge. Understanding.


    The hunter was... it was...


    The thoughts were confusing. Scattered. It knew things it shouldn''t know. Understood things it had never seen. The prey was called... human. Adrian Thorne. This place was... Zerus. The hunter was... Primal Zerg. The blue thing in its head was... technology. Dimensional travel... special materials... energy from biomass...


    The hunter''s head throbbed. Too much. Too fast. The ground beneath its feet felt less solid. The air shimmered with that same blue glow that now pulsed behind its eyes. Everything started to blur, to shift, to change.


    The last thing the hunter saw was Zerus - its hunting grounds, its territory - dissolving into streams of blue light. Then darkness claimed it, and it fell through space that wasn''t space, through time that wasn''t time.


    When consciousness returned, the air smelled different. Wrong. The ground beneath the hunter''s claws felt wrong too. Everything was wrong.


    It opened its eyes to a world made of blocks.

 Chapter 2 - Blocky Planet

    Minecraft Universe, Blocky Planet


    The ground was divided into perfect squares, each block distinct and uniform. Trees grew in cubic segments, defying natural law. Even the clouds drifted by in rectangular chunks against a sky that seemed too blue, too structured.


    Pain lanced through the Primal Zerg''s skull as memories crashed together - the hunt, the blue-eyed prey, knowledge flooding in like a tide. Words formed meaning. Concepts aligned. The world gained names, context, understanding.


    Adrian. The name echoed in the creature''s mind. Not his name - the prey''s name - but with it came fragments of human thought. Of awareness beyond pure instinct. The creature shook his head, scales flexing as another wave of disorientation hit. The dimensional node pulsed at the base of his skull, sending sharp jolts down his spine.


    The air felt wrong. Too rigid, following rules rather than natural flow. His claws scraped against dirt blocks, testing their substance. Each block remained perfectly cubic until broken, at which point it would shrink into a smaller floating version of itself. The human memories explained this was normal here, though his instincts screamed otherwise.


    His body struggled to adjust to the world''s rigid physics. Scales contracted painfully, trying to align with the cubic environment. The spines he had claimed from his last kill shifted uncomfortably under his hide, refusing to settle properly with this world''s rules.


    Nausea caused him to shudder as his body began to destabilize. The recent adaptations wavered, threatening to collapse. He needed shelter. Needed time to rest. His head snapped up. There, he spotted a cave mouth in a nearby hill. The shadows inside registered as a light level low enough for danger, but he had little choice.


    Each movement felt wrong as he forced himself toward the cave. His organic form fought against the world''s rigid rules - claws slipping on surfaces that should provide grip, muscles working harder than they should to cover simple distances. The human memories warned that darkness meant danger, but his body needed time to adjust or it would tear itself apart.


    The cave mouth was a perfect three-by-three arrangement of block spaces. Inside, the light level dropped steadily until he could guess it reached seven, then six, then five. At these levels, he knew hostile creatures could spawn.


    He paused when he heard a sound from deeper inside - the distinct rattle of bones against bones. Through the darkness emerged a skeleton, its cubic skull turning as it registered his presence. It turned, empty eye sockets fixing on him as it raised a bow.


    The skeleton''s movements were unnaturally precise, following exact patterns. The arrow whistled through the air. The Primal Zerg tried to dodge, but his body moved wrong, fighting against the cubic space. The arrow struck his shoulder, embedding between scales. He hissed, but was more concerned how his flesh seemed to resist healing properly in this structured world.


    No choice. He needed to adapt. The skeleton drew another arrow, bones clicking as it maintained perfect distance. The Primal Zerg launched forward, his awkward movement actually working in his favor as the next arrow flew over his ducking form.


    His claws struck true, killing the skeleton. Small floating bones hovered above the ground, and he quickly ate them up. His enhanced digestive system processed the traces of material, breaking down what little essence remained in the bones.


    Essence was analyzed, and it was just enough to understand how matter existed here. His body began to change, scales shifting painfully as edges became more defined. Muscles realigned, not fully cubic but adapted to move in right angles when needed.


    The transformation hurt, but when it finished, the world felt less wrong. He could feel how to interact with blocks properly now, how to move through space that operated on fixed rules rather than organic flow. The arrow wound in his shoulder began healing correctly, his flesh now compatible with this dimension''s physics.


    He wasn''t fully creature of this world - his form remained largely natural - but he had adapted enough to survive here. Now he needed to find proper shelter before night fell and more monsters spawned in the growing darkness...


    With his body partially adapted to the cubic world, movement became more efficient. His claws found proper purchase between blocks as he explored deeper into the cave, seeking defensible space. He measured light levels instinctively now. Level 7 meant safety. Anything lower would spawn threats.


    A zombie emerged from where the light dropped to level 3, its blocky form shuffling forward in a straight line. The Primal Zerg clawed at its flesh, and the zombie disappeared with a flash of red, leaving behind rotten flesh that he quickly consumed and determined to contain no useful essence.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    More groans echoed from the depths. The cave system was too dark, too open to monster spawning. He needed somewhere else. Backing out of the cave, he looked at the biome with new understanding. The sun was falling in perfect increments across the sky. Night would arrive suddenly, not gradually, and with it monsters would appear anywhere dark enough.


    The nearest mountain rose in clear block segments. His adapted claws could break those blocks now, create shelter rather than just find it. He moved quickly across the cubic grass, each step matching the grid-like nature of the ground. A sheep wandered nearby, but food could wait. Shelter came first.


    Halfway up the mountain face, he began carving into the stone blocks. Each block broke in exactly eight hits from his claws, shrinking into a smaller version that he could collect against his scales. The process was easy now that he understood the rules - dig three blocks in, two blocks up, creating a space just large enough to defend.


    Thunder cracked overhead in sharp booms. Rain began falling in perfectly straight lines, each droplet following exact paths. He worked faster, breaking and placing blocks. The entrance was deliberately small - one block high, one block wide. Most hostile mobs wouldn''t be able to fit through, except baby zombies. But he could deal with those.


    The moment night fell, he put the final blocks in place. The den was basic but secure: three blocks deep, two blocks high, two blocks wide. A single block gap in the ceiling provided ventilation.


    From his den, he watched the monsters appear. They didn''t spawn gradually or walk in from elsewhere - they simply popped into existence wherever light levels dropped to 7 or below. Skeletons took up positions. Zombies began their gridlike patrols. Spiders spawned behind trees.


    And there, in the distance, the distinct hiss of creepers. Their cube-shaped heads swayed as they moved. None of them could reach his position easily, because the mountain face was too steep for their simple intellect to navigate.


    The night would pass in exactly ten minutes of real time. His shelter was secure, his body adapted enough to function. Now he could rest, heal, and plan his next move in this world.


    Rain struck the mountain in perfect vertical lines. Each droplet followed an exact path downward, but no water collected on the ground.


    Three zombies wandered in straight lines twelve blocks below. A skeleton positioned itself twenty-three blocks away, bow ready but unable to calculate a firing solution to his elevated position. A spider attempted to climb the cliff face but slid down when it encountered an overhang - the creature''s pathfinding unable to cope with the obstacle.


    The skeleton essence he had consumed earlier finished integrating into his system. His body settled further into this world''s rules. Muscles and tendons aligned to move in exact increments. His claws adapted to break blocks in precisely eight strikes. Even his eyes became squares.


    Through the small ventilation hole, he studied the mountain''s composition. Stone dominated the upper sections, with veins of coal blocks visible in the walls. Deeper in, iron ore sparkled. The human memories suggested these resources held value, but gathering them would require proper tools.


    His defensive position proved perfect. The single-block entrance prevented larger mobs from entering. The elevated position gave him clear sightlines while staying out of mob detection range. Even a creeper that spawned nearby simply stood still, unable to path its way up to his location.


    When morning arrived, it came instantly. Zombies and skeletons burst into flames under the square sun, dropping items that vanished after exactly five minutes, while the creeper had wandered away. The rain stopped as suddenly as it had started, the sky clearing in a single tick of time.


    Hunger drove him from his shelter. There was a group of sheep grazing eight blocks away. They moved in simple patterns, turning at exact angles, completely unaware of the predator above them.


    The hunt proved almost trivial. He dropped from the high ground, landing on the largest sheep. His claws struck its head, and the sheep vanished in a puff of red particles. Raw mutton and wool remained floating above the ground, rotating slowly. The other sheep showed no reaction.


    A strange sound drew his attention. "Moo." The noise came from a cubic cow nearby. The creature stared at him with blank eyes. The cow''s behavior pattern was simple - walk forward until blocked, turn, repeat. Yet when he approached, it didn''t flee. It simply continued its basic routine.


    He clawed at it, the cow disappearing like the sheep. The floating meat and leather vanished into his gullet. Each bite brought new fragments of memory - words, concepts, understanding. The human memories that had been forcibly integrated into his mind were slowly becoming clearer.


    A cave entrance gaped in the mountainside. The dimensional node at the base of his skull tingled, suggesting materials for attunement lay below. The human memories warned of danger underground, but also spoke of valuable ores.


    The cave mouth led to a twisting tunnel system that descended at sharp angles. Torches would make this safer, the memories suggested, but he had no way to craft them yet.


    The darkness posed no challenge to his night vision. Coal ore dotted the walls, along with specs of iron. The tunnels branched and split, some leading deeper underground. Water dripped from the ceiling in single-block sources that spread across the floor.


    A red glow caught his attention. Redstone ore. The node pulsed stronger - this material could help attune him to this world. He moved toward it, but stopped at the sound of bones clicking against stone.


    Three skeletons walked out from an adjoining tunnel, bows raised. The first arrow bounced off his scales. He spun, tail sweeping two skeletons off their feet. The third kept firing as he pounced, crushing its skull between his jaws. The bones crumbled into items.


    The remaining skeletons stood no chance. A few strikes of his claws reduced them to floating bone meal and arrows. But the sound of combat had drawn attention. A distinct hiss approached from behind.


    The creeper never got close enough to detonate. His spines pierced its head, and the green mob vanished in a puff of gunpowder. Creepers exploded, destroying blocks and creatures alike, didn¡¯t they? The human knowledge was becoming clearer with each passing moment.


    He returned to the redstone, breaking the ore with his metal-lined claws. The glowing dust would help attune him to this world. But he needed more. The node''s pulses suggested other materials deeper underground...

 Chapter 3 - Mine Craft Online

    Minecraft Universe, Blocky Planet


    The redstone dust floated into his gullet, and his eyes glowed a subtle blue as the material was taken by the node for attunement to this dimension.


    The tunnel ahead split into three paths. His enhanced hearing picked up the distinct bubble of lava from the leftmost passage, while water dripped steadily from the right. The middle path descended at a sharp angle, leading deeper underground.


    According to the integrated memories, diamonds and other valuable ores appeared most frequently between levels 5 and 12. He wasn¡¯t certain at which level he was currently, but he could guess he needed to go deeper. The middle path would take him where he needed to go.


    The passage narrowed as he descended. His claws scraped against stone blocks, breaking them when they blocked his path. The process was mind-numbing: break, move forward, break again.


    A vein of gold ore sparkled in the wall. The blue glow from his eyes deepened. Yes, this would help with attunement. His claws made short work of the blocks, the raw ore floating before him. The gold had a strange quality to it ¨C quicker to degrade than iron despite its value.


    The gold ore disappeared into his maw, and the blue glow in his eyes pulsed brighter for a moment. A zombie groaned somewhere in the darkness ahead, but the sound held no threat. These cubic undead moved in predictable ways, and their attacks barely scratched his scales.


    The tunnel opened into a larger cavern. Water flowed from the ceiling in perfect columns, spreading across the floor in exact square patterns. Lava bubbled in a pool twenty blocks away, exposing iron and coal veins embedded in the walls.


    The precious gems would be near the bottom of the world. He broke through more stone blocks, creating a path downward at a steep angle.


    The air grew warmer. More lava pools appeared, some hidden behind thin stone walls. He could smell them - that distinct scent of heat and melted rock. A skeleton''s arrow bounced off his scales. He ignored it, continuing to dig. The skeleton''s programming wouldn''t let it navigate the steep tunnel he was creating.


    The stone changed texture, becoming darker and harder. This deep underground, the blocks took an extra strike from his claws to break. Small blue crystals caught the light from his eyes - lapis lazuli. He harvested it, the fragments vanishing into his gullet.


    An odd hum made him freeze. Not a creeper this time, this was something different. Through a hole in the cave wall, he spotted the black skin of an Enderman. The tall creature teleported randomly around a cavern adjacent to his tunnel, holding a stone block in its long arms. Don¡¯t meet the eyes.


    But the Enderman''s ability to vanish and reappear would make a valuable adaptation, wouldn¡¯t it? He broke one more block, and jumped at the tall creature. His claws raked across its dark flesh, the impact sending both damage particles and purple teleport wisps into the air. The Enderman''s body flashed red as it took the hit, and with its characteristic vwoop sound, it vanished - leaving behind only a cloud of purple particles where it had stood.


    He waited in the cavern, head low and muscles tensed. The creature had to return, they always returned to fight. A minute passed. Then another. The Enderman was gone.


    The remnant memories suggested this behavior was unusual. These creatures typically fought back when damaged. Did this one have different programming? He shook his head and returned to mining downward.


    The stone turned to smooth granite, then back to regular stone.


    A glint of blue caught his eye. Diamond ore sparkled on the wall, and his eyes glowed brighter in response. He moved toward it, already anticipating whether it might be enough for-


    "Don''t move."


    The voice came from behind him. Human voice. Female. Young. His muscles tensed, but he remained still.


    "I have an enchanted bow aimed at your head. You¡¯re not completely cubic, so whatever you are, you''re not supposed to exist in Minecraft. Turn around. Slowly."


    The urge to strike made his body twitch - one quick movement and the threat would become sustenance. The remnant memories pushed back against the urge. Humans could be valuable. Could share knowledge. Could help understand this world better than basic consumption would allow.


    He turned slowly. A player stood ten blocks away, bow drawn and aimed. She wore iron armor that covered most of her cubic body, leaving only a pixelated face visible. The bow had a purple glow.


    The player''s square eyes widened. "You... you''re some kind of lizard-dinosaur hybrid?"


    The Zerg opened his mouth, working to form words with a throat and tongue not designed for human speech. "Not... dinosaur." Each word came out as a growl-tinged rumble.


    She took a step back, bow still trained on him. "You can talk? What are you doing down here?"


    "Mining." He gestured toward the diamond ore with his tail. "Need... materials."


    "With your claws? That''s impossible. You need at least an iron pickaxe for diamond ore." Her bow lowered slightly. "Unless... those aren''t normal claws, are they?"


    He flexed his metal-reinforced claws. One of his adaptations allowed him to use consumed metals to improve his teeth and claws.


    "Strong enough," he growled. "Not here to fight."


    "Right. Just a peaceful mining trip by a talking lizard monster." She snorted. "I''ve been stuck in this game for eight months, but this is new. Did they add you in an update?"


    The words ¡®stuck in this game¡¯ triggered fragments of memory. Sword Art Online. A digital world turned real. Players trapped inside their avatars. His eyes narrowed.


    "Not from here," he said. "Different world. Arrived... recently."


    Her bow finally lowered completely. "Different world? Like... you''re from outside the game too?"


    A zombie groaned nearby. The player spun, bow raising again, but one of his spines cut through the air and embedded itself in the undead before it could reach her. The zombie burst into experience orbs and rotten flesh.


    "Thanks." She stepped away from the floating items. "I''m Sarah. Or at least, that was my name before I got trapped here. Now everyone calls me IronMiner_217." She shrugged. "Not very creative with usernames."


    "No name," he rumbled. "Never needed one."


    "Well, No Name, want to explain why you''re after diamonds? Because I''m looking for them too, and maybe we can help each other out. Safety in numbers down here."


    He tilted his head. The offer made sense. She probably knew this world''s rules better than he did, despite the remnant memories. And she hadn''t shot him when she had the chance.


    "Want diamonds," he growled, "to enhance claws." He waved them in the air. "Make them stronger."


    IronMiner_217 leaned against a stone block. "Enhance them? Like enchanting?" She shook her cubic head. "Never mind, we can talk while we mine. There''s usually more diamonds in these deep areas."


    She pulled out a stone block and placed it beneath her feet, using it to reach the diamond ore. An enchanted diamond pickaxe appeared in her square hand. The ore broke quickly under the tool''s strikes, shrinking into collectible items.


    "So what''s your story?" she asked, storing the diamonds in her inventory. "You said you''re from another world?"


    "Yes." He moved to the next vein of diamonds, collecting them as well against his scales in their miniature form. "Arrived here... recently. Everything different. Cubic."


    "Tell me about it." She laughed, but the sound held little humor. "One day I''m playing Minecraft on my computer, next thing I know I''m actually inside the game. Woke up in a village with a bunch of other players. All of us trapped in these blocky bodies."


    A creeper''s hiss disturbed them. The Zerg spun and launched another spine. The green mob flashed red and disappeared before it could explode.


    "Nice shot." IronMiner_217 mined another diamond. "We''ve got whole communities now. Players working together to survive. Some try to find a way back home, others have just... accepted this as their new reality."


    "How many?"


    "In our region? Maybe three hundred players spread across different settlements. I''m from New Haven - it''s built into a mountain about two thousand blocks from here." She paused. "The bigger cities have thousands. But travel between them can be dangerous without proper gear, especially with the rare modded mobs¡­"The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    The mention of proper gear sparked more remnant memories. Enchanted armor. Potions. Methods of improving tools and weapons beyond their base capabilities.


    "You live alone?" he asked.


    "Nah, came down here with my mining team. We split up to cover more ground." She checked her coordinates. "They''re probably a couple hundred blocks east of us."


    More diamond ore sparkled in the wall ahead. The blue glow in his eyes brightened slightly.


    "More players mean more questions," he rumbled.


    "Yeah, they''ll definitely freak out when they see you." She grinned. "But don''t worry. After eight months here, we''ve seen some weird stuff. As long as you don''t try to eat anyone, they''ll probably accept you."


    A skeletal skull reached through a gap in the wall. IronMiner_217 casually shot an arrow through its skull, and the mob collapsed into items.


    "Nice bow," the Zerg said, the words coming easier now. The remnant memories helped shape the sounds more naturally.


    "Thanks. I got lucky with one of the enchantments." IronMiner_217 examined her weapon. "Power II and Infinity. Never runs out of arrows."


    A distant explosion echoed through the caves. IronMiner_217 pulled out a map, checking the red dots that marked her teammates'' positions.


    "That came from near Jason''s location." She stuffed the map away. "Probably just a creeper, but we should check."


    The tunnel branched ahead. One path led upward, while the other went toward bedrock. More diamond ore glinted in the lower passage.


    "Your friends first," the Zerg rumbled. "Diamonds can wait."


    They took the ascending path. IronMiner_217 placed torches every few blocks, keeping the light level above seven. The Zerg''s night vision made the torches unnecessary for him, but he understood why humans needed them.


    "So what should I call you?" she asked as they climbed. "Can''t just keep saying ''hey you'' all the time."


    He considered this. Names held meaning to humans. Humans used them to form connections and build trust. What name should he use? Just ¡®Primal Zerg¡¯ felt inaccurate since that was just his species. Maybe he could use the name of the human from whom he got the Dimensional Travel Node (DTN)?


    "Adrian," he said. "That is who I am."


    "Adrian it is then." She stopped at an intersection. "Jason should be... wait, you hear that?"


    Multiple zombies groaned ahead, and he could hear the skittering of multiple spiders.


    "Jason!" IronMiner_217 called out. "Where are you?"


    "Over here!" A male voice yelled back. "Cave spider nest! Could use some help!"


    "This way." Adrian moved toward the sounds, his claws finding purchase on the stone blocks as he climbed. The tunnel opened into a larger cavern where wooden support beams supported an abandoned mineshaft.


    A player in diamond armor swung his sword at three cave spiders while two zombies approached from behind. Cobwebs covered the floor and walls, slowing movement. More spiders appeared out of thin air from a spawner block tucked between support beams.


    IronMiner_217 fired arrows at the zombies. The enchanted bow made quick work of them, but more spiders kept spawning.


    "The spawner!" Jason yelled, backing away from a spider. "Break the spawner!"


    Adrian ran forward. The cobwebs that slowed players had little effect on him, his greater speed meant he could navigate the sticky blocks efficiently. He reached the spawner and struck it with his claws.


    The block cracked but didn''t break. Cave spiders swarmed toward him. He spun, tail sweeping two away while his claws caught a third. The spiders were fast but predictable in their movements. Each one followed the same attack pattern - jump, bite, retreat.


    "What is that thing?" Jason shouted between sword swings.


    "Friend!" IronMiner_217 answered. "Adrian, the spawner needs more hits!"


    Adrian struck the spawner again. More cracks appeared. A spider landed on his back, fangs seeking purchase between his scales. He rolled, crushing it against the stone floor. The spider burst into string and spider eyes.


    The spawner broke after six more claw strikes, disappearing in a puff of particles. Without new spiders spawning, they could focus on the remaining ones. Jason''s sword cut through two while IronMiner_217''s arrows found their marks. Adrian''s claws eliminated the rest.


    "That''s the last one." Jason leaned against a support beam, pulling out bread from his inventory to restore his health. "Now, anyone want to explain why we''re working with a... whatever that is?"


    "Adrian," IronMiner_217 said. "He''s from another world. Like us, sort of."


    Jason studied Adrian through his diamond helmet. "Another world? You mean like Earth?"


    "No," Adrian said. "It¡¯s a different place. Called Zerus."


    "It talks!" Jason stepped back. "Sarah, are you sure about this? Remember what happened with those ''friendly'' pillagers?"


    "He saved my life from a creeper," IronMiner_217 said. "And just helped clear this spider nest. I''d say he''s earned some trust."


    More groans from deeper in the mineshaft interrupted their discussion. The spawner might be gone, but abandoned mineshafts always contained multiple monster spawning points.


    "Where''s Marcus?" IronMiner_217 asked.


    "We split up when I found the diamonds." Jason pointed down a side tunnel. "He went to check out some redstone deposits."


    "How long ago?" Adrian asked. The words came easier now, less growl and more speech.


    "Maybe twenty minutes?" Jason pulled out his map. "He should be right... huh." He tapped the map. "No marker. His signal''s gone."


    IronMiner_217 grabbed the map. "That''s impossible. These maps have that modded enchantment. They only stop tracking if someone..." She didn''t finish the sentence.


    "Dies," Jason said. "Or loses connection to the server. But we know that¡¯s not the case¡­"


    Adrian sniffed the air. The cubic environment made scents behave differently, but he could still detect traces of redstone dust. "I can track him."


    "You can smell him?" Jason asked.


    "The redstone. Fresh marks where he mined." Adrian moved toward the side tunnel. "This way."


    The tunnel descended sharply. Water dripped from the ceiling in perfect columns, spreading across the stone floor. Redstone dust glowed on the ground, marking a clear trail.


    "Marcus!" IronMiner_217 called out. "Can you hear us?"


    No response. Just the bubble of lava somewhere below and the endless drip of water.


    "Look." Jason pointed at broken blocks. "Signs of mining, but..." He picked up a dropped miniature iron pickaxe. "He wouldn''t leave this behind."


    Adrian examined the walls. Holes showed where redstone had been mined, but not everything had been taken. A two-block wide hole gaped in the floor.


    "He fell?" IronMiner_217 peered down the hole.


    Jason readied his sword. "Sarah, are you thinking what I¡¯m thinking?"


    "Yes." IronMiner_217 nocked an arrow. "Those players we banned from New Haven? The ones who kept stealing?"


    "Raiders." Jason spat the word. "They''ve been getting bolder lately."


    Adrian stuck his head through the hole. The shaft dropped straight down into darkness. His night vision revealed more broken blocks and scattered redstone dust.


    "I''ll go first," he said. "My scales can take more damage from falling."


    "Wait." IronMiner_217 pulled water buckets from her inventory. "We''ll make a water elevator. Safer that way."


    She poured water down the hole. The liquid formed a perfect column that would slow their descent. Jason went first, then IronMiner_217. Adrian followed, his body sliding smoothly through the water stream.


    They were now in a larger cavern. More mineshaft supports criss-crossed the space, and rails ran along the floor in different directions.


    The ground rumbled.


    Jason picked up a scattered iron ingot from the ground. "Marcus''s stuff is everywhere. But where''s-"


    The floor blew up twenty blocks away. A massive cubic worm burst through the stone, segments of its body covered in what looked like wooden planks and cobwebs. The creature''s head split into four parts, revealing grinding mandibles that processed blocks into different resources.


    "What is that?" IronMiner_217 fired an arrow. The projectile bounced off the creature''s armored hide.


    "Run!" Jason grabbed her arm. "That''s an Architect Leviathan! The admins warned us about these back when we were in the real world!"


    The worm slammed into the ceiling, depositing fresh support beams from specialized glands. Rails sprouted from its underside as it moved, laying down track.


    Adrian launched three spines at the creature''s exposed segments. Two bounced off minecart plating after penetrating through multiple blocks, but one penetrated deep into its flesh, causing it to flash red. The Leviathan roared in pain.


    "My arrows aren''t doing anything!" IronMiner_217 backed away. "The mod creator made these things nearly invulnerable!"


    Jason charged forward, diamond sword glowing with enchantments. The blade struck the worm''s hide, leaving a small red damage indicator. The Leviathan responded by slamming Jason into a wall. His health dropped to half.


    Adrian circled around, looking for weak points. The creature moved in straight lines, creating perfect tunnels as it went. Each segment produced different materials - wood, rails, support beams. The head contained the grinding mechanism.


    "The joints!" He called out. "Attack between segments!"


    IronMiner_217 adjusted her aim, arrows finding gaps in the plating. The Leviathan shrieked.


    Jason recovered, eating golden apples to restore health. "We need to get some space! The underbelly might be weaker!"


    The worm dove into the floor again. The ground shook as it moved beneath them, creating new tunnel systems. Adrian tracked its movement through vibrations in the stone.


    "There!" He shoved IronMiner_217 aside as the Leviathan burst up through the floor. His claws raked across its side, tearing free a wooden plate.


    The massive worm sprayed hardening resin from its mouth. The liquid turned to cobwebs, trapping Jason. His health ticked down as he struggled to break free.


    "Sarah!" Jason called out. "Use the TNT!"


    IronMiner_217 pulled TNT blocks from her inventory, placing them near the Leviathan''s path. The worm''s predictable movement meant it would pass right over them.


    Adrian had four spines left. He launched two at the TNT as the creature approached. The explosions rocked the cavern, breaking the Leviathan''s momentum.


    The worm thrashed, mandibles grinding random blocks. Its armored segments showed cracks from the blast. Jason finally broke free from the cobwebs.


    "The head!" Adrian launched another spine into the creature''s grinding mouth. "While it''s stunned!"


    IronMiner_217 fired arrows into the same spot. Jason''s sword found gaps in the damaged plating. The Leviathan''s health dropped steadily.


    But it wasn''t enough. The creature recovered, body coiling to strike. Jason was nearly dead, and out of healing items. IronMiner_217 wasn¡¯t of much use. The worm lunged forward, mandibles open to grind them into resources.


    Adrian''s last spine flew true, striking deep into the exposed mouth. The Leviathan froze. Red damage particles erupted from its body. The massive form shuddered, then burst into items.


    Wooden planks, rails, cobwebs, and various ores scattered across the floor. Among them lay Marcus''s diamond armor and tools, along with half a stack of redstone dust.


    "That''s why we couldn''t find a body," Jason said quietly, collecting his friend''s items. "The Leviathan processed him into resources."


    IronMiner_217 leaned against a wall, drinking healing potions. "I''ve never seen one up close before. They usually stay in the deep caves, building these tunnel networks."


    "Now I understand why the mineshafts exist," Adrian muttered, remembering the confusion from the original Adrian in the remnant memories. "These creatures create them naturally."


    "Yeah." Jason stored Marcus''s items in his inventory. "The mod creator wanted to explain Minecraft''s abandoned mineshafts. Didn''t expect the monsters to be so deadly when the game became real."


    Adrian examined the Leviathan''s drops. His eyes widened slightly when he spotted a dark-brown round item he didn¡¯t recognize. Glancing at his new allies, he quickly gulped it down when they weren¡¯t looking.


    "We should head back," IronMiner_217 said. "The council needs to know these things are coming closer to the settlement."


    "What about the diamonds?" Jason asked. "We barely filled half our quota."


    "I can help," Adrian offered. "I still need some for myself anyway."


    IronMiner_217 smiled. "Thanks. But first we need more healing potions. That fight took everything we had. It¡¯s just too bad that Marcus died, he will have to wait a month to respawn."

 Chapter 4 - New Haven

    Minecraft Universe, Blocky Planet


    "We should head back to the surface," Jason said, collecting the last of Marcus''s items. "The Trading Post might still have some healing potions in stock."


    The water elevator carried them back up through the stone layers. Adrian''s claws found easy purchase on the blocks as they climbed, while the humans placed temporary blocks beneath their feet when needed. The deep rumble of lava faded behind them.


    "So Adrian," IronMiner_217 asked as they ascended, "what''s your world like? You mentioned it was called Zerus?"


    "It''s a primal world. Harsh. Everything there evolves and fights to survive." Adrian broke through a block of granite blocking their path. "My kind lives there."


    "Your kind?" Jason pulled himself up onto a stone ledge. "There are more like you?"


    "Yes. The older ones can speak and think like I do. The young ones are more... basic. They need time to grow into awareness." Adrian paused at an intersection, sniffing the air. "This way leads up."


    "How did you learn to talk then?" IronMiner_217 placed a torch on the wall. "English, I mean?"


    Adrian considered his answer carefully. "I encountered something strange. It gave me memories - knowledge of Earth, humans, languages. Most of it is unclear, like trying to remember a dream. But it was enough to wake up my mind." He broke through another block. "Then I ended up here."


    "Just like that?" Jason asked. "One moment in your world, next moment here?"


    "More or less." Adrian didn''t mention the pain of the transfer, or how his body had fought against the cubic nature of this reality.


    The tunnel opened into a larger cavern. Sunbeams shone down through holes in the ceiling. They had reached the upper layers.


    "We''ve got company," IronMiner_217 warned, pointing at three creepers blocking their path to the surface.


    IronMiner_217 drew her enchanted bow. "Stay back. I''ve got this."


    The first arrow made the nearest green mob flash red and stagger backward. A second arrow finished it off before it could start its explosion animation. The other two creepers turned toward the sound.


    "These things used to terrify me," IronMiner_217 said, taking aim again. "Now they''re just target practice."


    Two more arrows whistled through the air, eliminating the second creeper. The third one got within five blocks before an arrow caught it in the head, turning it into experience orbs and gunpowder.


    "Nice shooting," Jason said, collecting the drops. "We could use the gunpowder for TNT if we run into another Leviathan."


    Adrian moved toward the sunshaft piercing down from above. The cave opened into a ravine that cut through several biomes. Oak trees grew along one edge while there was a desert on the other side.


    "The Trading Post is that way." IronMiner_217 pointed toward some buildings in the distance. "About five hundred blocks."


    "What''s with your eyes?" Jason asked Adrian. "They keep glowing blue."


    "Side effect of what brought me here," Adrian replied. The less said about that, the better.


    A skeleton took aim at them from the shadows of an overhang. The arrow struck Jason, causing him to flash red and stumble backward, but his diamond chestplate absorbed the damage.


    "Let''s move," IronMiner_217 suggested. "The sun''s going down soon, and we don''t want to be out here when all the mobs spawn."


    They reached the Trading Post just as the sun dipped below the horizon. The wooden structure stood three stories tall, surrounded by a wall of cobblestone with iron golems patrolling the perimeter. Players moved between market stalls, exchanging emeralds and items.


    "You two get the potions," Adrian said. "I need to rest for a bit."


    "Sure." IronMiner_217 pointed to a quiet corner near some hay bales. "We''ll meet you there after we restock."


    Adrian settled down in the suggested spot, away from the other players. The Leviathan''s essence burned inside him, demanding attention. He closed his eyes and focused inward.


    The genetic information revealed itself to his instincts. Three distinct paths of adaptation presented themselves. The first would create segmented armor plating, offering protection similar to the Leviathan''s wooden shell. The second would give him grinding mandibles capable of making instant tunnels.


    But the third option... Adrian''s eyes narrowed as he felt out the Essence. The Architect Leviathan hadn''t just created tunnels - it had processed and transformed materials. Inside its body, a specialized organ had acted as a biological crafting system.


    He directed his body to begin the adaptation. The essence flowed through him, reorganizing cells and creating new structures. A crystalline pearl formed in his chest cavity, surrounded by specialized tissue. The integration exceeded his expectations, the essence meshing perfectly with his biology.


    The organ could store and combine materials according to specific rules, namely the same rules that governed crafting in this world. Items would be miniaturized, just like when players stored them in their inventories. He could even sense empty slots waiting to be filled.


    His first Major Adaptation settled into place, one out of five. He picked up a nearby stick and brought it near his snout, causing it to disappear in a pop. The item appeared in one of the slots inside him, ready to be brought out or combined with other materials.


    "Got the potions!" IronMiner_217 called out, walking over with Jason. "You okay?"


    "I''m fine," Adrian replied. "Just processing some changes." He would need time to experiment with this new ability, but for now, it was better to keep it hidden. "Did you get everything you need?"


    "Yeah, got everything," Jason pulled out several healing potions. "Cost us most of our emeralds, but better safe than sorry."


    They waited in the Trading Post as night passed. Other players huddled around crafting tables and furnaces, some trading items while others discussed recent events. A group near the entrance talked about a raid on one of the smaller settlements.


    The sun rose within 5 minutes. Zombies and skeletons caught in the open burst into flames.


    "We should head to New Haven," Jason said, checking his map. "The council needs to know about the Leviathan, and..." He glanced at Adrian. "Well, people are going to have questions about you."


    "What kind of questions?" Adrian asked.


    "The usual stuff. Where you came from, what you want, if you''re dangerous." Jason shrugged. "Don''t worry too much about it. We''ve gotten better at telling friend from foe. The troublemakers got kicked out months ago."


    "Now they''re raiders," IronMiner_217 added bitterly. "Stealing supplies, killing isolated players. They even have a fortress somewhere in the mountains."


    "What happened when everyone first arrived?" Adrian asked as they walked toward the city.


    "Chaos," Jason replied. "Three hundred confused players spawning in the same area? It was a mess. Some panicked, others tried to take charge. A few just started attacking everyone."


    "The players who knew the most about the game eventually restored order," IronMiner_217 explained. "They organized us into groups, and created laws to keep everyone in check."If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    "Not everyone liked those laws," Jason said. "The griefers and trolls formed their own group. They raid outposts, destroy farms, kill players for fun. We had to build thick obsidian walls just to give us time to respond."


    "How many players ended up in this world?" Adrian asked, jumping over a small stream.


    "No one knows," IronMiner_217 said. "Every time we send exploration teams out, they find more settlements. Some tiny, some massive. The world seems endless."


    "The biggest city we know of is Imperial Diamond," Jason added. "About fourty thousand blocks east. They''ve got nearly ten thousand players living there."


    A burning skeleton died ahead of them. The morning sun lit up the plains biome, revealing herds of sheep and cows grazing on grass blocks.


    "Some think everyone on Earth got transported here," IronMiner_217 said. "Not just Minecraft players, but everyone. We met a group last month who''d never even heard of the game before waking up here."


    "Makes sense," Jason said. "The raiders we kicked out? They keep finding new members. Either they''re convincing established players to join them, or they''re running into more people out there."


    Adrian watched a chicken pop out an egg. "So no one knows what caused this?"


    "Nope." IronMiner_217 shook her head. "One day everything''s normal, next day we''re all blocks. The really weird part is how the game mechanics work now. Health bars, inventories, crafting - it''s all real."


    "Some players tried breaking the rules early on," Jason sighed. "You know, building floating bases, making infinite water sources. Everything works exactly like in the game."


    A creeper spawned in a dark cave entrance nearby. IronMiner_217 casually shot it with two arrows before it could approach.


    "The respawn mechanic is different though," she continued. "Used to be instant in the game. Now it takes a month, and you spawn randomly within ten thousand blocks of your death point."


    "That''s why the raiders are so dangerous," Jason explained. "A month without your gear, spawning in who knows where, it can be rough. Most players stick to safe areas now."


    They walked up a hill, and New Haven came into view. The town was built into the natural terrain of a mountainside. Obsidian walls that were thirty blocks high, with guard towers spaced evenly along the perimeter. Iron golems patrolled between farms that extended out from the main gates.


    "Home sweet home," IronMiner_217 said. "Population is nearly four hundred now. We''ve got everything - farms, forges, enchanting rooms. Even built a proper marketplace last month."


    Players worked the wheat fields while others transported items between buildings. Someone rode past on a horse, carrying messages between guard posts.


    "Council meets in the central tower," Jason pointed to a tall structure made of stone bricks. "We should report the Architect Leviathan situation first. They''ll want to send warning messages to the other settlements in case of any other modded mobs this close."


    "What about me?" Adrian asked.


    "Yeah, about that..." Jason scratched his blocky head. "The guards might freak out when they see you. Let me do the talking."


    They approached the main gate. Two players in full diamond armor stood watch, crossbows ready.


    "Hold up," one guard called out. "What is that thing with you?"


    "StoneBreaker, it''s us," Jason - or rather DiamondSlayer_332 - stepped forward. "This is Adrian. He helped us fight an Architect Leviathan in the deep caves."


    The guard, StoneBreaker, kept his crossbow ready. "Never seen anything like it. Could be another mod creature."


    "He can talk," IronMiner_217 said. "And he saved our lives. We need to speak with the council about the Leviathan anyway."


    The second guard, RedstoneKing95, lowered his weapon. "Wait, where''s NetherWalker?"


    "Marcus is dead," DiamondSlayer_332 replied. "The Leviathan got him. He''ll respawn in a month."


    StoneBreaker cursed. "That''s the third death this week. First WolfHunter gets killed by raiders, then Dragon888 falls into lava, and now this."


    Other players noticed the commotion at the gate. Some backed away while others drew closer, curious about the new arrival. A player in diamond armor with glowing enchantments pushed through the crowd.


    "What''s going on here?" The new arrival asked. The name tag above his head read ¡®Obsidian_Lord¡¯.


    "Sir," StoneBreaker straightened. "DiamondSlayer and IronMiner returned with... something."


    "Something that speaks and fights alongside us," IronMiner_217 added. "We need to warn the council about modded mobs appearing near our territory."


    Obsidian_Lord looked down at Adrian. "You''re not like any mob I''ve seen before. Where did you come from?"


    "Another world," Adrian replied. "I arrived here recently."


    Obsidian_Lord studied Adrian for a moment. "Another world? Like Earth, or somewhere else?"


    "Somewhere else," Adrian said. "A place called Zerus."


    More players gathered around the gates. A player in leather armor ran toward the central tower, probably to alert the council.


    "The Architect Leviathan is the bigger concern right now," IronMiner_217, or rather, Sarah said. "It was way too close to our mining routes."


    Obsidian_Lord nodded. "Follow me to the council chamber. StoneBreaker, return to your post. Everyone else, back to work."


    The crowd dispersed reluctantly. Adrian followed the group through New Haven''s streets. Players worked at crafting tables outside wooden houses, while others traded items in front of market stalls. Furnaces glowed from inside blacksmith shops, processing ores into ingots.


    The central tower was not far. Built from stone bricks and decorated with quartz blocks, it served as both a meeting hall and a last-defense point during raids. Iron golems guarded the entrance, stepping aside as Obsidian_Lord approached.


    Inside, redstone lamps lit the circular chamber. Five players sat around a table made of dark oak wood. The one in the center wore netherite armor.


    "Council members," Obsidian_Lord announced. "We have a situation."


    The player in netherite armor stood up. The name Witcherqueen01 floated above her head. "Report."


    Sarah stepped forward. "We encountered an Architect Leviathan in the eastern mining system. It killed NetherWalker. Without Adrian''s help, we would have died too."


    The council members exchanged glances. A player named Blazing420 leaned forward. "Adrian? You mean this creature?"


    "Yes," Jason stepped forward. "He''s not from Earth. He came from another world called Zerus."


    The room went silent. Witcherqueen01 gripped the edge of the table. "Another world? Not Earth?"


    "That means there could be more," a council member named Snapp said. "More beings from other worlds appearing here."


    "Exactly what we need," grumbled Honeystinger. "As if raiders and modded mobs weren''t enough trouble."


    The fifth council member, Bluemage2000, raised her hand. "Let''s focus on the immediate threat. An Architect Leviathan this close to our mining routes puts all our resource gathering at risk if there¡¯s other modded mobs nearby."


    "Agreed," Witcherqueen01 stood up. "All mining teams must carry ender pearls for emergency teleports for the next two weeks. Bluemage2000, send runners to warn the nearest settlements."


    "What about him?" Snapp pointed at Adrian. "We can''t ignore a creature from another world showing up at our doorstep."


    "I''m not here to cause trouble," Adrian said. "I helped kill the Leviathan because it threatened Sarah and Jason."


    "It speaks perfect English," Honeystinger muttered. "And it uses their real names."


    Snapp stood up. "How do we know there aren''t more of your kind out there? Maybe planning to-"


    "Enough," Witcherqueen01 cut him off. "He saved two of our best miners. That earns him the benefit of doubt."


    The council voted to let Adrian stay. They provided him with a small cave near the eastern wall, which he modified into a comfortable den. The first few days brought curious onlookers, but the novelty wore off as Adrian proved to be more helpful than threatening.


    Two weeks passed quickly. Adrian spent most days helping the mining teams, his natural abilities making him excellent at fighting off hostile mobs. The players appreciated having someone who could mine without worrying about the durability of tools, and his night vision meant fewer torch placements.


    The mining expeditions also gave Adrian opportunities to gather Essence from various creatures. Cave spiders proved particularly useful, and after consuming several, he developed the ability to spray sticky webs from specialized glands in his mouth. The webbing worked just like cobwebs, slowing down anything caught in them.


    Other creatures yielded less impressive results. Sheep, cows, and chickens contained no useful genetic information. He even tried consuming an ender pearl, but the crystallized item held no viable Essence. A fresh sample directly from an Enderman might work better, but he hadn''t encountered another one since that first meeting.


    The diamonds proved more valuable. Each one brought him closer to attuning with this world - he estimated about ninety-five percent completion. Only one material remained, and based on what he''d seen of the equipment hierarchy, netherite seemed the logical choice.


    "Another successful run," Sarah said, climbing out of a mineshaft. She dropped several diamond ores into a portable chest. "We''re getting spoiled having you around, Adrian. No torches needed, no pickaxes breaking..."


    "The spiderwebs help too," Jason added, pulling himself up. "That ability would have been useful against the Leviathan."


    Adrian watched the diamonds disappear into the chest. The blue glow in his eyes remained dormant - he''d learned to suppress it when he wasn¡¯t examining potential attunement materials. No need to make the players suspicious of his true goals.


    "Speaking of abilities," Sarah said, "the council wants to know if you''ve seen any others like yourself out there."


    "No," Adrian replied. "Just the usual mobs."


    A bell rang from New Haven''s central tower, the signal for sunset. Time to head back before the hostile mobs started spawning.


    The group walked back toward New Haven. Adrian mentally checked his stored items - the Crystalline Minecraft Pearl inside him held plenty of valuable resources. One hundred thirty-one diamonds might be enough to trade for a netherite ingot, but the material was incredibly rare. Only a handful of players owned any, mostly the settlement''s leader and elite guards.


    The alternative was exploring the Nether, but from what he''d learned, that hellish dimension was even more dangerous than the deep caves. Still, he could gather useful Essence there as well...


    Sarah hummed as they approached the gates. "I¡¯ll probably use some of the excess diamonds to craft some diamond armor, I lost my last set when I died a while ago."


    StoneBreaker waved them through. "Just in time. Sun''s almost-"


    Three sharp rings cut through the evening air. The warning bell.


    "Raiders!" Someone shouted from a guard tower.


    The peaceful atmosphere shattered. Players rushed to arm themselves, while others herded animals into protected pens. Iron golems moved to defensive positions along the walls.


    "How many?" Jason pulled out his diamond sword.


    "At least thirty!" StoneBreaker called down. "They''ve got TNT cannons!"


    Another bell rang - this one from the eastern tower.


    "Two groups," Sarah nocked an arrow. "They''re attacking from both sides."