Grinding :)

Ethan woke up early the next morning, his body still aching from yesterday's chase. His mind was clear, though. The Illagers had been too close for comfort, and he knew he needed to be better prepared if he wanted to survive in this world.

Sitting up, he glanced at his supplies. His stone tools were barely holding up, and his armor? Non-existent. He had iron, but it wasn't enough. He'd need a full set of armor and tools if he wanted to avoid any more close calls like yesterday.

"Time to mine," Ethan muttered to himself, pulling out his pickaxe. He knew this was going to be a long day.

The first thing Ethan did was gather his gear, an almost broken stone pickaxe, a few torches, and some food. He packed up quickly and headed out. His goal for the day: iron. Lots of it.

The cave he'd found a few days ago had plenty of resources left, so Ethan retraced his steps, careful to avoid any signs of mobs lurking nearby. The daylight was in his favor, but he knew time was of the essence.

As he entered the cave, the familiar darkness swallowed him. He placed torches on the walls as he went, the flickering light revealing the stone around him. He wasn't interested in coal today; he needed iron, and lots of it.

After some digging, Ethan struck his first iron vein of the day. He quickly mined it, the clinking sound of the iron blocks falling into his inventory lifting his spirits. It wasn't much, just four blocks, but it was a start.

"Not bad," he said, stuffing the iron into his backpack. "But I need more."

He moved deeper into the cave, torchlight flickering as he ventured into the darker areas. Every so often, he'd pause, listening for the telltale sounds of mobs. Nothing so far. He felt the tension in his body ease a little.

After a while, he hit another vein, this one bigger, eight blocks of iron. Ethan couldn't help but smile. He kept digging, breaking through the stone and collecting more iron as he went. The grind had begun.

---

**The Grind Continues**

Hours passed, and Ethan had mined nearly thirty blocks of iron ore. He took a break to eat, his hands shaking slightly from the effort. The cave was quiet now, the only sound the distant dripping of water echoing through the tunnels.

Ethan stretched his arms, feeling the tension in his shoulders. He still needed more iron. His goal was full iron armor and tools, but he'd need at least forty-eight ingots for the armor and another handful for the tools.

"Come on, just a little more," he whispered, pushing himself back to his feet.

He continued deeper into the cave, his torchlight barely reaching the walls now. Every block he broke felt like progress, every vein of iron a step closer to survival.

His pickaxe finally gave out with a sharp *crack*, leaving him standing in the dim light of his torches. Ethan sighed and pulled out a backup, a stone pickaxe he'd kept in reserve. It wasn't as fast, but it would do for now.

As he mined another large vein of iron, he couldn't help but think about how much his life had changed. A week ago, he was living a normal life, now he was grinding in a cave, mining resources to survive. It all felt surreal, but at the same time, there was a certain satisfaction in it. The grind, the progress, it felt good.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Ethan had enough. He glanced at his inventory, fifty-two blocks of iron ore. Enough for full armor, tools, and maybe even some extra for emergencies.

"Time to head back," he said, grabbing the last piece of iron and turning back toward the cave entrance.

The sun was beginning to set as Ethan made his way back to the base. The sky was a deep orange, casting long shadows across the land. He hurried inside, quickly placing the iron ore into his furnace.

The soft crackling of the furnace filled the air as Ethan sat back, watching the progress bar slowly fill up. One by one, the iron ingots popped out of the furnace, and he felt a sense of satisfaction as he stacked them neatly in his inventory.

Once all the ore had smelted, Ethan got to work.

First, he crafted a helmet, followed by a chestplate, leggings, and boots. He put each piece on, the heavy armor weighing him down but making him feel secure. It wasn't diamond, but it was a huge step up from the rags he'd been wearing.

"Much better," he said, admiring the full set of iron armor now equipped on him.

Next, he crafted tools. A new iron pickaxe, an iron sword, and an axe, everything he'd need for the coming days. The tools felt sturdier, more reliable. He tested the weight of the sword in his hand, satisfied with the balance.

Ethan grinned. It wasn't the best gear in the world, but it was a huge improvement. He felt safer already.

---

With the today successful plan, Ethan sat down to plan his next move. He needed to gather more resources, stockpile food, and maybe even build some fortifications around his base. The Illagers wouldn't stop, and he knew he'd need to be prepared for their next attack.

But for now, Ethan allowed himself a moment to rest. The sun had set, and the stars were twinkling in the sky. The world was quiet, peaceful.

He had a full set of iron armor, iron tools, and enough supplies to last him a while. The grind had been worth it.