Genshin x Minecraft: Building the Temple of Virtue

The moment Xiao locked eyes with the Enderman, it happened.

Under the flickering light of their torches, everyone saw faint purple particles shimmering around the tall, slender creature.

And then—

It vanished.

Before Xiao could react, he was struck by a powerful force, sent hurtling backward into the group.

Xiao braced himself against the cave wall, his expression grim. This blow had hit him harder than Cloud Retainer's earlier attack.

"Everyone! Keep your heads down—do not look at it!"

Ryen's voice, sharp and commanding, broke through the tense atmosphere. Without hesitation, he pulled Xiao toward him, swiftly stacking a stone block in front of them and pouring water from a bucket.

The water began to flow outward, rippling across the cave floor.

"Get into the water! All of you!"

The others obeyed without question, heads bowed, gathering tightly around Ryen. As they stepped into the shallow pool, the cool water rushed over their legs, forcing them to steady themselves with their pickaxes to avoid being swept away.

"Xiao, how are you holding up?"

Zhongli's voice was heavy with concern as he supported Xiao, whose face had gone pale.

"Broken ribs… Be careful… that thing… it took out four hearts."

The weight of his words settled over the group like a heavy shroud.

Four hearts.

With a full health bar of only ten hearts, even with iron armor, the Enderman's attack was devastating.

Ryen frowned, his mind racing. With proper armor, an Enderman's strike shouldn't deal this much damage. Then it clicked—Xiao and the others weren't sharing his full stats, only a portion. It made sense now.

"Eat something to replenish your saturation," Ryen instructed, his tone steady.

Zhongli quickly handed Xiao an apple, and the latter accepted it wordlessly, biting into it as he regained some strength.

But Zhongli's golden eyes gleamed coldly. This ambush had been too sudden, and no one had seen the attack clearly. As Xiao's de facto guardian, Zhongli was already calculating how to exact vengeance.

"Be careful…" Xiao inhaled deeply, his voice low but firm. "That thing… it can teleport."

"Teleport?!"

The group exchanged uneasy glances, an icy dread creeping into their hearts.

A creature that could teleport and deal such high damage—how were they supposed to deal with that?

Suddenly, an eerie, distorted noise echoed through the cave.

No one dared lift their heads, but in their peripheral vision, they saw it—a tall, dark figure at the edge of the water, its body impossibly thin and radiating faint purple particles.

Everyone tensed.

Zhongli silently stepped in front of Xiao, deploying Jade Shield barriers for everyone.

"Ryen, what is that thing?" Ganyu's trembling voice broke the silence as she clutched Ryen's sleeve.

Ryen sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. After a moment, he raised his head, meeting the Enderman's glowing white eyes.

"That's an Enderman."

His casual tone didn't match the gravity of the situation, and everyone stared at him incredulously, even without looking up.

"It's native to the MC world," he continued, "though you'll find the highest concentrations in a place called the End."

"And its abilities?" Zhongli's voice was calm but laced with urgency.

"Teleportation," Ryen said, rubbing his temples. "It can pick up blocks and attack. Oh, and…" He paused, his tone growing heavier. "It's immune to ranged attacks."

"What?!"

Keqing's head snapped up at that, though she quickly averted her eyes from the creature's legs.

Immune to ranged attacks?

Even Zhongli, unshakable as he usually was, felt his composure waver.

This creature was a nightmare.

In Teyvat, teleportation wasn't entirely unheard of—Zhongli himself had once used his divine powers to move instantly within Liyue's borders. But here, stripped of his full strength, facing a creature immune to long-range strikes and capable of deadly teleportation attacks, the challenge felt insurmountable.

"You're certain about this?" Keqing asked, her frustration evident. "Immune to ranged attacks, on top of everything else?!"

"I know it sounds ridiculous," Ryen replied, his voice tinged with exasperation. "But it's a fundamental rule of this world. Even if you rain down a literal storm of arrows, it wouldn't take a single hit."

The group's morale plummeted.

They had only just started feeling confident—iron armor protecting them, zombies and skeletons falling like fodder.

Now this.

A boss-level threat.

"What do we do?" Ganyu's voice was soft, almost pleading. "Should we open a portal and leave?"

At her suggestion, Ningguang's eyes hardened, her tone sharp and decisive.

"No."

Her gaze flicked toward the glittering veins of gold embedded in the cave walls, her resolve unshaken.

"We've come too far to turn back now. There's a fortune in resources here, enough to change Liyue's future. Abandoning it is not an option."

"But…" Ganyu hesitated, glancing at the hulking figure of the Enderman.

Ningguang's voice turned icy. "If we flee now, the portal will reopen in the same spot next time. Without defeating it, this creature will still be waiting for us when we return!"

Her words struck a chord with the group, even as fear churned in their hearts.

Keqing frowned. "But how are we supposed to defeat it? Looking at it makes it attack, it can teleport, and we can't even hit it from a distance. What chance do we have?"

Ryen, silent until now, calmly set up a crafting table.

Seeing this, Ningguang quickly assessed the situation. She glanced at the Enderman pacing near the water's edge and asked, "Ryen, is the Enderman afraid of water?"

Ryen smiled, nodding. "Not bad. You're catching on quickly."

"Yes, Endermen won't go near water. While looking at them makes them hostile, water is a great way to keep them at bay."

"Of course, if you had a carved pumpkin to wear on your head, you could stare at them all you want without consequence. Too bad we don't have one."

He shook his head in mock regret.

The group exchanged glances, suddenly feeling a glimmer of hope.

"Ryen… you do have a way to kill it, right?" Ganyu asked, her tone hopeful.

Ryen blinked, then gave a small nod. "I'm debating which method to use."

The group fell silent, watching as Ryen pondered his options. Their earlier panic now seemed almost laughable.

After a moment, Ganyu sighed, her voice tinged with exasperation.

"Then why did you scare us like that earlier?"

Ryen spread his hands innocently. "It was to teach you all a lesson. This world is filled with bizarre creatures, and some have very specific mechanics, like attacking when provoked by eye contact. It's not uncommon."

"Endermen are beginner killers, but once you understand their behavior, they're easy to deal with. In fact, later on, I'll probably be hunting them for sport."

"But your lack of understanding about the creatures here worries me. Rushing into combat without knowledge is dangerous."

He glanced pointedly at Xiao, who looked a bit sheepish.

"You should all remember the details I provided in the monster guide I gave you. Endermen aren't even the most dangerous creatures here."

"If you run into a Warden someday—well, let's just say you won't survive a single hit."

"So, until you've learned enough about the monsters in this world, don't act recklessly."

As he spoke, Ryen tinkered with the crafting table, eventually producing a small wooden boat.

Walking toward the water's edge, he began explaining, "Endermen's fear of water is your lifeline, but just avoiding them isn't enough. You need to kill them."

"There are many ways to deal with them, but since you're all new to this, I'll show you two simple methods."

Standing at the edge, he gestured for everyone to watch closely.

"First, build a barrier three blocks high. Endermen are three blocks tall, so they won't be able to reach you."

As he spoke, Ryen quickly constructed a protective ring of blocks.

Then, without hesitation, he stepped out of the water and into the open.

Immediately, the Enderman's eyes glowed red as it charged toward him.

Ryen remained calm, drawing his iron sword.

"Once it's aggroed, its rage will make it lose all sense of strategy. It won't even try to move blocks to get to you."

"From inside the barrier, just attack its legs. This method is called 'Leg-Sweeping.'"

As he spoke, he struck the Enderman a few times. The creature flailed helplessly, unable to bypass the barrier.

"The second method is more advanced but also more efficient."

"It involves one of this world's most versatile tools: the boat."

Ryen's tone grew serious as he held up the small wooden vessel.

"Boats aren't just for sailing. They're indispensable for combat, exploration, and even survival. You can use them to cross lava, break falls, phase through walls, and trap enemies."

"This little thing is more valuable than a diamond sword."

With that, Ryen turned to face the Enderman.

"Watch closely. I'll only show you once."

In a single, fluid motion, Ryen removed the barrier and allowed the Enderman to charge at him.

Just as the creature was about to land a hit, Ryen calmly tossed the boat onto the ground.

The small wooden object expanded instantly, and the charging Enderman found itself seated neatly in the boat, its glowing eyes staring blankly at Ryen.

The once-menacing creature now looked harmless, sitting obediently in the boat.

Ryen turned back to the group, grinning.

"See? Easy!"

"…"

The group was utterly dumbfounded.

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