The rain poured down.
Droplets joined one by one, forming an ink-wash painting and adding an artistic touch to this world.
Pitter-patter! Pitter-patter!
Park Sam-chang sat on the edge of the island, letting the rain soak his clothes.
His heart had completely died.
It had been almost a day since he officially qualified for Block Civilization, and he still hadn't figured out how to get to the resource area.
He'd even started to wonder whether choosing Mushroom Island had been a good idea.
Apart from food, why was there nothing else?
And after the first-night challenge, monsters wouldn't spawn on his block again.
His prospects for development had been cut off completely!
Staying put and waiting out the clock might have been possible, but Large Civilization wasn't going to let him idle around.
Unable to enter the resource area, he could only have one block forcibly collected from him each day until the very last block was gone.
Then he would fall into the void and perish completely!
By then, even Big Stick Nation might be crushed beneath the wheels of history...
He gazed into the distance and opened the block rankings.
[Current Block Score: 1 (Micro Block)]
[Player Rank: Not ranked]
One point. He didn't even qualify to compete with others and join the rankings!
How were the others doing now?
Had the top-ranked Kyushu Nation already broken into double digits, or even scored higher?
For Park Sam-chang, that was utterly out of reach!
The rain poured harder, and thunder boomed.
The viewers from Big Stick Nation were at rock bottom.
"Great God Gu Yu already has a block in the resource area, while we haven't moved an inch?"
"How did the gap get so huge at the start, only for us to fall behind now?"
"Lots of people have already gone to the resource area. If we arrive any later, won't all the Crafting Tables be taken?"
"Huh? There's a monster!"
In the depths of his despair, a howl caught Park Sam-chang's attention.
At some point, a three-meter-tall creature with a pitch-black body had appeared behind him!
It seemed to be under attack from something. Each time it was struck, it teleported a random distance away.
By the time Park Sam-chang realized what was happening and tried to hide inside, it had died right there on the island.
Not knowing why the monster had spawned and died, Park Sam-chang waited until he was sure there was no danger before going outside.
"What's this?"
He picked up the drop on the ground. It was a bead shaped like an eye.
[Ender Eye]
"An Ender Eye? What's it for?"
He casually raised his hand, and the eye floated out of his palm, drifting into the distance.
A few seconds later, darkness swallowed his vision, and he felt his body go weightless.
Snap!
[Sky Island, Outskirts]
When he opened his eyes again, he had arrived in the resource area!
"I get it! This eye can teleport you!"
The Ender Eye had teleported him to the resource area!
Hope flared in the eyes of Big Stick Nation's viewers.
"You can turn things around like this?"
"Smida, you're the chosen one!"
"Who said Big Stick Nation was doomed? We're making a comeback from the brink!"
"This rain is falling for us. Even heaven is on our side!"
"Sam-chang, you're the best!"
He'd wanted a pillow and one had been delivered; he'd wanted to go to the resource area and a monster had teleported him there.
What else could that be but destiny?
More importantly, the resource area was littered with Ender Eyes. Many Endermen had died there just now!
He could collect the Ender Eyes and come back whenever he wanted!
His heart, long dead, reignited. Park Sam-chang laughed loudly.
"Luck is part of strength. The rankings have never been about who's ahead at any given moment!"
"The one still standing at the end is the winner. I'll stand at the summit!"
If he could endure a predicament like this, what could possibly stop him?
At the Kyushu Research Institute, Dean Qi watched the scene.
"The Big Stick Nation contestant really is lucky. He should thank this rain."
Monsters didn't spawn on Mushroom Island.
But monsters spawned elsewhere could still enter it.
Endermen had the ability to teleport. Any player who'd encountered one should know that.
They teleported when injured. Dean Qi guessed the rain might have been hurting the Enderman, producing this effect.
After watching for a few moments, he switched back to his own country's broadcast.
The resource area was ultimately too chaotic and prone to mishaps, so Gu Yu had moved his bed to the Sky Island.
After building a simple little house, he climbed into bed and entered [Sweet Dreams].
There was nothing wrong with that plan, but when the broadcast switched to Free Nation...
Under cover of night, Free Nation's two contestants decided to sneak into Gu Yu's block and attack!
"I hope he can hold out."
Dean Qi silently prayed in his heart.
The darkening sky meant monsters would soon appear.
Most players were preparing to fend them off or get to bed.
But Mark had a sudden flash of inspiration. He and Jett headed back to the resource area with their golden swords.
"On a rainy night, Gu Yu will definitely be resting or asleep. Nobody would risk going out while monsters are attacking!"
"And that's exactly our chance!"
Protected from the cold by their armor, they pressed on through the rain.
One held a shield, the other a sword. They circled around the monsters.
The two soon reached their destination.
"Up ahead—that's Gu Yu's block!"
Jett had scouted the area during the day and found Gu Yu's block.
The viewers from Kyushu all cursed.
"Couldn't come during the day, so you sneak attack on a rainy night?"
"Why not face him head-on? What's the point of stealing while someone's asleep?"
"Haha, the Kyushu monkeys are freaking out!"
"Good job, Jett. Keep making things difficult for them!"
"This place should have been ours to begin with. Who are you Kyushu people to tell us when we can come?"
"Damn, this is disgusting!"
"We should've set up more defenses. Too bad we didn't have an item to warn us!"
"Can the guard Great God Gu Yu set up stop them?"
Since he hadn't expected anyone to sneak in at night, Gu Yu hadn't set up many defenses.
There was only one Iron Golem guarding the block.
The two of them were fully equipped, and outnumbered it. The viewers were extremely worried.
"Mark, did you notice?"
Once they arrived, Jett sensed something was off.
"Yeah. There are hardly any monsters. Or rather, none at all?"
There were already plenty of monsters on the islands and outside the resource area, but for some reason, none appeared near Gu Yu's block.
They soon learned why.
A huge white figure made of iron came into view.
It was massive and undaunted by wind and rain, patrolling the block as a guard. Any monsters that came near were killed by it.
Sensing Mark's gaze, the Iron Golem fixed its red eyes on the two of them.
"Did it spot us?"
Mark hadn't expected a giant like this to be here, but he stepped forward.
Since they hadn't actually entered the block, the Iron Golem hadn't attacked them yet, giving the two a chance to observe it.
"Gu Yu's lucky to have this big guy guarding his territory."
Jett faced the Iron Golem's gaze without fear.
The Iron Golem was made of iron. And what about them?
They wore golden armor, more precious than iron!
Only an iron pickaxe could mine it. It might be heavier, but that also meant it was stronger!
They had the numbers and the equipment. The advantage was entirely theirs!
"Kill it!"
With a divine shield in hand, Mark couldn't imagine how they could lose.
He leaped and swung his sword with all his strength.
Critical hit!
Mark's face lit up when his very first attack landed a critical hit.
But before he could celebrate for even two seconds, the Iron Golem looked puzzled, as if a mosquito had bitten it.
Only after a long pause did it realize it had been hit and retaliate against the intruders!
Before you continue