Chapter 1: Cube Man Arrives in 2077
Night City is a city of dreams—and a city that devours them.
Every year, countless people flood into Night City chasing those dreams. Yet only a few ever succeed. Most arrive full of passion and hope, but within half a year, they're reduced to lifeless corpses rotting in an alley—forgotten, unclaimed, and dumped in a trash heap.
Their bodies swell, decay, and reek, becoming fertilizer for this cold, mechanical monster of a city.
Still, whether you're one of the lucky few who made it big, or a failed dreamer who escaped the city in disgrace, there's one truth no one can deny:
Dreams can come true in Night City.
Compared to other regions dominated by rigid corporate control, Night City—chaotic as it is—is overflowing with opportunity. It's the kind of place where you can forge your own path... or die trying.
A chubby black man once said: "Nameless nobody, or legend known across the land? That's your choice."
Welcome to Night City.
---
Time: October 6, 2077
Location: Badlands, outskirts of Night City
The weather in the Badlands was as brutal as ever. Sandstorms raged frequently, and dust filled the air like a disease. The people living here had no choice but to adapt—they'd all learned how to survive the desert winds.
But Adrian wasn't one of them.
He was just your average college student from the 21st century. Of course, he didn't know the first thing about surviving in this wasteland. He'd just been suddenly transported here—and he hadn't had the time to prepare, let alone learn anything.
So now, Adrian stood in front of a crumbling house in an abandoned town, completely dazed… before catching a full mouthful of sand.
Or at least, it felt like a mouthful of sand.
He spat, coughed, and tried to scrape the gritty taste off his tongue. Finally coming to his senses, Adrian looked around and shouted:
"Where the hell did you send me? Am I still on Earth?! Hey, System? If you've got a voice, now's a good time to explain yourself!"
Ding!
Esteemed Host, the Magic-Modified Cube System is now online. Upon activation, the system immediately initiated teleportation, in accordance with default startup protocols.
However, as the teleportation was randomized, the destination could not be predetermined. We appreciate your understanding, Host.
Adrian scratched his head. "Okay, okay. Since you're clearly a freshly installed system with no training data, I'll let this one slide."
He pointed upward and continued, "Now I've got a thought. No—wait—a question."
"I was chilling in my dorm, skipping class and having the time of my life playing Cyberpunk 2077. I was glitching for eddies, cheesing missions, living it up. Then bam—you send me here?"
Adrian looked around and frowned.
"This… feels weirdly familiar."
He paused, folded his arms, rubbed his chin, and muttered, "Judging by the game I was playing and the usual isekai tropes, don't tell me… you dumped me in the middle of the Badlands? Right outside Night City?"
Ding!
Congratulations, Host. You are absolutely correct.
Adrian clapped his hands. "Haha! Knew it. I'm a genius!"
He smirked. "Alright, System—introduce yourself."
"Depending on your answer, I'll decide whether to grind my way through this dystopian hellhole or find the nearest cliff to throw myself off of."
Ding!
Please, Host, do not entertain negative thoughts. This system's potential is far beyond your imagination!
I am the Magic-Modified Cube System—incredibly powerful, full of promise, and totally overpowered!
You can think of me as a Minecraft system that's been magically upgraded.
With my help, you don't even need a brain. Just live your best life while I take care of the rest!
The system has your back. Always.
Adrian's eyes sparkled with hope. "Now that's what I'm talking about. I'm back in business."
He cracked his knuckles confidently. "I might only be two blocks tall now, but even in Night City, I'm gonna dominate."
With a dramatic pose, he pointed and shouted:
"Alright, System! Give me the good stuff. Personal stats? Modules? A shop? I need the full modded MC experience!"
Ding!
Host Module enabled. Quest Module enabled. Shop Module enabled. Dimensional Travel Module is currently locked. Additional modules coming soon. Please stay tuned!
Adrian rubbed his hands together like a villain in a cartoon. "Perfect. If I've got the Host Module, that means I've got a personal panel, right?"
Ding! Displaying current personal panel:
---
[ Personal Panel ]
True Name: Adrian
Username: Adrian
Identity: Block Person
Skin: Adrian (In Use)
Gender: Psychological Male
Level: 1
Total Level: 1
XP: 0 / 100
Total XP: 0
Health: 20 / 20
Armor: 0
Hunger: 20 / 20
Saturation: 20
Attack Power: 1
Attack Speed: 1 hit/sec
Movement Speed: 10 m/sec
Placement Range: 100 m
Placement Speed: 100 blocks/sec
Loaded Plugins: None
Loaded Modules: None
---
Adrian examined the panel and nodded. "Not bad... not bad at all."
After checking the tooltips and data, he had a rough idea of what each stat meant.
He patted his blocky chest. "So I'm not human anymore? Should I throw my head back and scream, 'I'm no longer human!' like a JoJo villain?"
Ding!
Correct. You are now a datafied being—a 'Block Person.' You are no longer considered human by traditional standards.
Adrian stared blankly for a second... then gave up trying to think it through.
"Whatever," he said. "Let's test this out."
He cracked his knuckles. "Time to say it—'To get rich, first punch a tree!'"
He looked around.
Nothing but sand.
Silence.
"..."
Adrian's eye twitched. "Right. No trees. No bushes. Not even a cactus. How the hell am I supposed to punch a tree if there aren't any?"
Without another word, he raised a fist and punched the ground.
The sand block instantly popped, and a one-meter-deep hole appeared beneath his feet.
He dropped straight into it—landing flat, legs unbent.
"Whoa. A normal person would need to bend their knees to absorb the fall. But this body—this data form—absorbed it with zero damage."
He grinned. "I love this."
Opening his HUD, the classic Minecraft interface appeared: heart icons for health, chicken legs for hunger, hotbar inventory slots.
Looking down, he saw a small sand block in his hand.
He smiled and muttered:
"Ah yes—the unmistakable power of block logic."
"Now... things are looking stable."