Minecraft Universe, Blocky Planet
He woke up next morning to the sound of rain hammering against stone blocks. Water trickled through small gaps between the cubic rocks, forming shallow puddles on the den floor. The night's rest had helped - his shoulder no longer ached where the skeleton's arrow had struck, and his scales felt more settled against this world's strange physics.
The spines beneath his hide shifted uncomfortably. Only three had regenerated during the night, bringing his total to eleven. The regrowth was slower than expected, probably another effect of dimensional travel. His stomach growled, reminding him that proper hunting would speed up the recovery.
The den's entrance revealed a dreary morning. Heavy clouds pressed down on the cubic landscape, rain falling in perfect vertical lines. The weather limited visibility beyond fifty blocks, but at least the monsters from the night had burned away. His enhanced vision cut through the rainfall, scanning the slopes below for movement.
A sheep wandered near the mountain's base, wool heavy with water. Too far for an accurate spine shot, and the steep terrain would make pursuit annoying. The Primal Zerg's nostrils flared, testing the wind. More promising scents came from the east - a group of pigs rooting through the mud. But the south held nothing but the musty smell of zombies that had burned in the morning sun.
The west... now that was interesting. Small creatures moved through grass blocks - rabbits, according to the human memories. Not much meat, but they might have useful essence for improving agility. The rain would mask his approach, and the terrain offered good hunting grounds.
He began going down the mountain face, claws finding secure holds between stone blocks. The rainfall made the surface slick, but also covered any sound of movement. Halfway down, his enhanced hearing picked up an odd hissing noise. Not the deadly sound of a creeper about to explode, but something similar...
The hissing grew louder, echoing strangely through the rain. A group of creepers appeared from behind a stone outcropping - five of them, moving in formation. Four were the standard green, but the last one sparked with electricity, blue energy crackling between the cubic raindrops. The human memories provided no recognition of this variant.
The Primal Zerg pressed against the mountain face, scales scraping wet stone. The creepers hadn't spotted him yet. Their heads swayed from side to side as they patrolled, spreading out along the slope. The charged one led the group, leaving small scorch marks on the blocks where it stepped.
A spine could take out one, maybe two if they clustered together. But the explosion would alert the others. The charged creeper posed an unknown threat - the electricity might be more dangerous than standard explosions. The height advantage offered some protection, but not enough to risk direct confrontation.
The rain intensified, pounding against stone blocks. The creepers moved closer to the mountain face, seeking shelter. Their path would bring them directly beneath the Primal Zerg's position. Water streamed down the cubic rocks, making each handhold more precarious.
The charged creeper stopped, head tilting up toward the rain. Electricity crackled along its body, far more intense than the brief sparks shown before. The water seemed to energize it, creating an expanding field of blue energy. The other creepers gave their leader a wide berth, spreading further apart.
No choice now. The Primal Zerg began climbing sideways along the mountain face, moving carefully between the rain-slicked blocks. Each movement had to be precise - one slip would send him tumbling down into the patrol. The nearest ledge was twenty blocks away, offering a potential escape route.
The charged creeper's head snapped toward the movement. The creature released a different kind of hiss - sharper, more alert. The other creepers responded immediately, converging on their leader's position. They began climbing the mountain face with surprising speed, using the cubic blocks as stairs.
Ten blocks to the ledge. The creepers were gaining ground quickly. Their climbing technique was efficient, unbothered by the rain. The charged one sparked violently with each step, electricity illuminating the mountainside. Five blocks remained.
The Primal Zerg reached the ledge just as the charged creeper jumped upward. Electricity arced through the rain, striking the stone where he had been moments before. The rock blackened, small chunks crumbling away. The attack had carved through solid stone - a direct hit would have been devastating.
The ledge opened into a narrow cave. Not deep enough for proper shelter, but the walls would funnel the creepers into a bottleneck. The Primal Zerg backed into position, spines shifting beneath his scales. The charged creeper reached the ledge first, electricity intensifying as it prepared to detonate.
A spine launched forward, striking the creature's head. The impact knocked the charged creeper backward into two of its companions. All three tumbled down the mountain face, exploding halfway down. The blast carved a crater in the cubic stone, sending blocks scattering in all directions.
Two creepers remained. They paused at the ledge entrance, swaying in the rain. The explosion should have frightened them off, but these creatures knew no fear. The first one rushed forward, hissing growing louder. The Primal Zerg's claws tore through its body before the detonation could trigger. The last creeper used this distraction to close the distance.
No time to strike. No room to dodge in the narrow cave. The Primal Zerg leaped forward, ramming into the creeper with his shoulder. Both creatures tumbled off the ledge as the creeper began to flash white. The Primal Zerg's claws scraped against stone, catching a handhold. The creeper fell past, exploding against the mountainside below.
Rain poured down as the Primal Zerg pulled himself back onto the ledge. The fight had cost him two more spines, and the charged creeper's electricity had left scorch marks on nearby blocks. But the encounter revealed something important - this world held creatures with unique abilities, beyond what the human memories knew.
A glint of blue caught his eye. Among the scattered blocks below, something sparkled...
The Primal Zerg narrowed his eyes, and struck the exposed stone block with his claws. To his satisfaction, cracks spread across the cubic surface in a regular pattern. Another strike, and the entire block shrank down to a smaller version of itself. The miniaturized stone floated slightly above the ground, defying gravity like many things in this world.
He nudged the floating block with his snout. The cube moved easily, coming to rest against his scales. More blocks followed as he established a rhythm - strike, shrink, collect. Each successful mining attempt taught him more about the strange physics of this place. The blocks seemed to merge with his body somehow, ready to be placed again when needed.
The cave entrance widened as he worked. His night vision adaptation pierced the darkness, revealing glints of ore embedded in the walls. The lapis lazuli vein continued deeper underground, and other minerals sparkled in the stone - iron, gold, and something that glowed red in the darkness.
Water dripped steadily from the ceiling, forming shallow pools on the uneven floor. The sound echoed strangely, mixing with other noises from deeper in the cave system. The rattling of bones suggested skeletons. The groans of zombies. And something else - a high-pitched chittering he didn't recognize.
The dimensional node at the base of his skull vibrated stronger now, responding to the mineral wealth around him. But the cave twisted in multiple directions, and without clear markers, maintaining direction would be difficult.
He attempted to place one of the mined blocks, trying to create a barrier against the water flow. The cube slipped from his grasp, landing at an odd angle. The block refused to stack properly, falling back into its smaller form. The human memories suggested blocks should align perfectly, but his claws weren't made for such precise placement.
The chittering grew louder. He could hear the sound of multiple legs scraping against stone - spiders, but larger than any the human memories knew. Red eyes gleamed in the darkness, reflecting what little light reached this deep. A nest, and the water was driving them upward.
The Primal Zerg backed onto a higher ledge, using his improved understanding of block placement to create a narrow chokepoint. The floating blocks settled more naturally now, locking together as he nudged them into position with the flat of his claws. The barrier wouldn't hold long, but it would force the spiders to climb single file.
Cold water swirled around the cave floor, rising steadily. The temperature dropped as more water flowed in, but his heat regulation handled the change. The cave walls groaned under increasing pressure. Mining would become dangerous soon - the structural integrity was already compromised.
His enhanced hearing showed a clear picture of the cave system. Sound bounced off the cubic walls in predictable patterns, revealing multiple tunnels and chambers. The spider nest connected to a larger cavity below, and the water was flooding it steadily. But the same acoustics also revealed rich mineral veins - including a massive lapis lazuli deposit.
The first spider reached the barrier. Eight eyes focused on the Primal Zerg as the creature tested the blocks with its front legs. More spiders crowded behind it, mandibles clicking. The cold water rose past their legs, driving them forward...
The first spider charged through the gap. The Primal Zerg's counter-strike came too slow - eight legs gave the creature unexpected agility. Sharp fangs scraped against his scales as the spider twisted past his defense. But the attack revealed crucial information: these spiders fought like hunting machines, not mindless beasts.
White strands shot from the spider's abdomen, aiming for his legs. The webbing looked strong enough to bind stone, but moved slowly enough to dodge. More webs sprayed from behind the barrier as other spiders tried to pin him down. The cold water now reached halfway up the walls, making each movement slower.
The cave rumbled. Cracks spread across the ceiling, promising collapse if the water rose much higher. But the lapis lazuli deposits were just within reach. The Primal Zerg's claws tore through stone with desperate speed, breaking blocks faster than ever before. The mineral blocks shrank and attached themselves to his body, but many fully shattered in the process - mining would take practice to master.
His remaining spines shifted beneath his scales. The spiders had boxed him into this position, but that made them predictable. Three spines launched in rapid succession, each finding a target. The spider corpses disappeared like all creatures in this world, leaving behind string and eyes that floated on the rising water.
More red eyes flashed from the darkness. Not a huge nest, but enough to overwhelm through sheer numbers. The Primal Zerg's enhanced senses picked up the first signs of structural failure - hairline cracks spreading through key support blocks. The water's weight would bring down the entire chamber soon.
His heat regulation struggled against the frigid flood. Each breath came out in clouds of steam as his body fought to maintain temperature. The original entrance was blocked by spiders, and the other tunnels either dropped straight down into water or led deeper into darkness.
The Primal Zerg snatched the floating spider parts from the water - eyes still gleaming red, string still holding tension despite the cold. The essence felt promising, especially the silk glands. His enhanced digestive system would preserve the material well for later adaptation.
The cave groaned. Massive cracks spread across the ceiling as water pressure built up. But the cold no longer bit into his scales - his heat regulation had finally adjusted to the temperature drop. The spiders pressed forward, mandibles clicking as they coordinated their attack.
His claws tore through stone blocks with unprecedented speed, breaking through the wall in seconds. A new tunnel appeared, sloping upward. The spiders launched a final assault, forcing him to expend his remaining spines. Each shot found its mark, the projectiles piercing through multiple targets.
Water rushed through the breach. The Primal Zerg's attempt to swim failed completely - his body wasn't built for underwater movement in this cubic world. The current slammed him against walls as the cave system began to collapse. Many of the mined stone blocks scattered from his body, lost to the flood.
He scrambled for purchase on the stone, claws scraping against blocks. The tunnel he chose dead-ended quickly. Behind him, spiders skittered through the water, red eyes glowing through the murk. The pursuit wouldn't stop until they had prey or drowned.
The cave ceiling finally gave way. Blocks crashed down as water filled every space. But the collapse created new openings, and his enhanced senses picked up fresh air movement from above. The Primal Zerg broke through the falling blocks, strength fueled by desperate need. Some spiders followed, others were crushed by the cave-in.
The Primal Zerg's claws broke through to a promising tunnel, angling sharply upward. His senses caught the distinct smell of surface air - thirty blocks up, maybe less. The remaining spiders skittered through the gap behind him, but this time he was ready. The confined space worked against their numbers, and his strikes crushed them efficiently.
Blocks crashed down everywhere as the cave system suffered catastrophic failure. The collapse spread faster than expected, whole sections of the mountain falling in on themselves. But each falling block was predictable in this cubic world, letting him dart between the debris.
He wedged blocks into the tunnel walls, creating crude stairs. The technique wasn't pretty, but the steps held his weight. Water surged up from below at terrifying speed, swallowing everything in its path. Most of the gathered spider drops washed away in the flood, leaving only trace amounts caught in his scales.
The mountain shook. What started as a local collapse had triggered something bigger, and entire chunks of the underground structure were giving way. The Primal Zerg still had decent stamina, but the water rose faster than he could climb. His last spine missed completely as another spider leaped through the flood.
Each air pocket lasted only seconds before filling with water. The lapis lazuli and other blocks pressed against his scales, threatening to drag him down. He had to choose - drop the resources or risk drowning. But the dimensional node vibrated strongly near the blue crystals. These minerals were vital for attuning to this world...
The flood ripped most resources from his scales - precious ores and spider parts swallowed by the torrent. He managed to wedge a few lapis lazuli crystals into gaps between his armor plates, but everything else disappeared into the darkness. The dimensional node pulsed weakly, acknowledging the bare minimum of materials needed for attunement.
Water filled the tunnel completely. No more air pockets, no time to place blocks for climbing. The Primal Zerg pushed upward through pure muscle power, each movement barely enough to counter the current. His body handled the crushing pressure, but lungs burned for air.
The tunnel wobbled dangerously, supports creaking. But somewhere above, rain still fell in perfect cubic lines. Just a little further. His claws broke through stone carefully - the wrong angle would bring everything down. Blocks cracked and shifted, threatening total collapse.
One final surge of desperate strength. His claws punched through the surface just as the tunnel system gave way completely. The Primal Zerg exploded out of the mountain face in a geyser of water and debris. The timing couldn't have been better, a second later and he would have been buried forever.
He tumbled onto solid ground, panting heavily. The few preserved lapis lazuli crystals pressed painfully against his scales, but the dimensional node's hum confirmed their worth. The mountain behind him continued to collapse, great chunks of terrain falling away into newly formed caverns.
The rain washed mud from his scales. Most of the gathered resources were lost, but he had gained something more valuable - knowledge. Understanding of this world's physics, its creatures, its dangers. And soon, once the lapis lazuli fully attuned, a way to return here when he left the world.
Movement caught his attention. Two spiders crawled up from the newly formed crevices, legs finding purchase on the wet blocks. The Primal Zerg struck without hesitation, claws tearing through both creatures before they could react. The spiders flashed red and vanished, leaving behind four glowing eyes that bobbed gently in the rain.
He snatched the spider eyes quickly. These would provide better essence samples than the diluted remains from before. The mountain groaned again, reminding him that he needed a new shelter. The plains offered no protection, and the forests would be full of creepers once night fell.
A cliff face rose in the distance, overlooking a river valley. The elevation would provide good visibility, and the stone looked more stable than the collapsed mountain. The Primal Zerg moved across the rain-soaked terrain, keeping the spider eyes and lapis lazuli secure against his scales.
The cliff proved ideal. Three blocks up from the base, he carved out a new den. The entrance was narrow but opened into a spacious chamber, with enough room to move freely. Small gaps between blocks provided ventilation while staying too small for mobs to squeeze through. This time, he reinforced the walls properly, learning from his previous mistakes.
Once settled, he consumed the spider eyes. The essence flowed through his digestive system, breaking down into pure genetic information. His body analyzed the spider DNA, focusing on the specialized cells responsible for silk production. The adaptation process began immediately, restructuring tissue and creating new organs.
Unlike the spiders with their abdominal silk glands, his body adapted the system to fit his predatory nature. Small, efficient glands formed near his throat, connected to specialized ducts around his mouth. The genetic code was streamlined - sacrificing the ability to create thick structural webbing in favor of quick-firing strands perfect for hunting.
Each new gland contained modified spinnerets, capable of producing silk protein strands on demand. The protein formula was simpler than the spiders' version, requiring less energy and biomass to maintain. What he lost in raw strength, he gained in efficiency and control. The silk would never support his weight or permanently trap large prey, but it could snare legs or create near-invisible triplines.
He tested the new organs, feeling the silk proteins mix with catalyzing agents as they passed through the ducts. A thin stream sprayed from the openings around his mouth, spreading across the den entrance in a fine mesh. The strands caught the light perfectly - visible enough for him to track, but nearly impossible for prey to spot until too late.
The adaptation had integrated smoothly with his existing biology. His enhanced digestive system had preserved the most useful aspects of the spider essence while discarding unnecessary components. Between these new silk glands and his spines, his ranged combat options had expanded significantly.
The rain continued outside as night approached. From his elevated position, he could see monsters beginning to spawn in the shadows. But the den was secure, the adaptation successful, and the dimensional attunement progressing.