diff --git a/pumpkin-core/src/text/mod.rs b/pumpkin-core/src/text/mod.rs
index 2284f60f9..32299fb1c 100644
--- a/pumpkin-core/src/text/mod.rs
+++ b/pumpkin-core/src/text/mod.rs
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ impl serde::Serialize for TextComponent<'_> {
     where
         S: serde::Serializer,
     {
-        serializer.serialize_bytes(self.encode().as_slice())
+        serializer.serialize_bytes(&self.encode())
     }
 }
 
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ impl<'a> TextComponent<'a> {
         self
     }
 
-    pub fn encode(&self) -> Vec<u8> {
+    pub fn encode(&self) -> bytes::BytesMut {
         // TODO: Somehow fix this ugly mess
         #[derive(serde::Serialize)]
         #[serde(rename_all = "camelCase")]
@@ -215,9 +215,7 @@ impl<'a> TextComponent<'a> {
         // dbg!(pumpkin_nbt::serializer::to_bytes_unnamed(&astruct).unwrap().to_vec());
 
         // TODO
-        pumpkin_nbt::serializer::to_bytes_unnamed(&astruct)
-            .unwrap()
-            .to_vec()
+        pumpkin_nbt::serializer::to_bytes_unnamed(&astruct).unwrap()
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/pumpkin-protocol/src/client/play/c_boss_event.rs b/pumpkin-protocol/src/client/play/c_boss_event.rs
index 344526545..0100c154e 100644
--- a/pumpkin-protocol/src/client/play/c_boss_event.rs
+++ b/pumpkin-protocol/src/client/play/c_boss_event.rs
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ impl ClientPacket for CBossEvent<'_> {
                 flags,
             } => {
                 bytebuf.put_var_int(&VarInt::from(0u8));
-                bytebuf.put_slice(title.encode().as_slice());
+                bytebuf.put_slice(&title.encode());
                 bytebuf.put_f32(*health);
                 bytebuf.put_var_int(color);
                 bytebuf.put_var_int(division);
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ impl ClientPacket for CBossEvent<'_> {
             }
             BosseventAction::UpdateTile(title) => {
                 bytebuf.put_var_int(&VarInt::from(3u8));
-                bytebuf.put_slice(title.encode().as_slice());
+                bytebuf.put_slice(&title.encode());
             }
             BosseventAction::UpdateStyle { color, dividers } => {
                 bytebuf.put_var_int(&VarInt::from(4u8));
diff --git a/pumpkin-protocol/src/packet_decoder.rs b/pumpkin-protocol/src/packet_decoder.rs
index 257fb0f8e..c0a3f513c 100644
--- a/pumpkin-protocol/src/packet_decoder.rs
+++ b/pumpkin-protocol/src/packet_decoder.rs
@@ -36,11 +36,12 @@ impl PacketDecoder {
     pub fn decode(&mut self) -> Result<Option<RawPacket>, PacketDecodeError> {
         let mut r = &self.buf[..];
 
-        let packet_len = match VarInt::decode_partial(&mut r) {
+        let packet_len = match VarInt::decode(&mut r) {
             Ok(len) => len,
             Err(VarIntDecodeError::Incomplete) => return Ok(None),
             Err(VarIntDecodeError::TooLarge) => Err(PacketDecodeError::MalformedLength)?,
         };
+        let packet_len = packet_len.0;
 
         if !(0..=MAX_PACKET_SIZE).contains(&packet_len) {
             Err(PacketDecodeError::OutOfBounds)?
@@ -222,11 +223,9 @@ mod tests {
     }
 
     /// Helper function to encrypt data using AES-128 CFB-8 mode
-    fn encrypt_aes128(data: &[u8], key: &[u8; 16], iv: &[u8; 16]) -> Vec<u8> {
+    fn encrypt_aes128(mut data: &mut [u8], key: &[u8; 16], iv: &[u8; 16]) {
         let encryptor = Cfb8Encryptor::<Aes128>::new_from_slices(key, iv).expect("Invalid key/iv");
-        let mut encrypted = data.to_vec();
-        encryptor.encrypt(&mut encrypted);
-        encrypted
+        encryptor.encrypt(&mut data);
     }
 
     /// Helper function to build a packet with optional compression and encryption
@@ -274,7 +273,8 @@ mod tests {
 
         // Encrypt if key and iv are provided
         if let (Some(k), Some(v)) = (key, iv) {
-            encrypt_aes128(&packet, k, v)
+            encrypt_aes128(&mut packet, k, v);
+            packet
         } else {
             packet
         }
@@ -416,7 +416,7 @@ mod tests {
         packet_buffer.put_var_int(&packet_len_varint);
         packet_buffer.put_slice(buffer.buf());
 
-        let packet_bytes = packet_buffer.buf().to_vec();
+        let packet_bytes = packet_buffer.buf();
 
         // Initialize the decoder with compression enabled
         let mut decoder = PacketDecoder::default();
diff --git a/pumpkin-protocol/src/packet_encoder.rs b/pumpkin-protocol/src/packet_encoder.rs
index dec7e0acd..c9158b3a2 100644
--- a/pumpkin-protocol/src/packet_encoder.rs
+++ b/pumpkin-protocol/src/packet_encoder.rs
@@ -37,11 +37,11 @@ impl Default for PacketEncoder {
 impl PacketEncoder {
     pub fn append_packet<P: ClientPacket>(&mut self, packet: &P) -> Result<(), PacketEncodeError> {
         let start_len = self.buf.len();
-
-        let mut packet_buf = ByteBuffer::empty();
+        // Write the Packet ID first
         VarInt(P::PACKET_ID).encode(&mut self.buf);
+        let mut packet_buf = ByteBuffer::empty();
+        // Now write the packet into an empty buffer
         packet.write(&mut packet_buf);
-
         self.buf.put(packet_buf.buf());
 
         let data_len = self.buf.len() - start_len;
@@ -229,11 +229,9 @@ mod tests {
     }
 
     /// Helper function to decrypt data using AES-128 CFB-8 mode
-    fn decrypt_aes128(encrypted_data: &[u8], key: &[u8; 16], iv: &[u8; 16]) -> Vec<u8> {
+    fn decrypt_aes128(mut encrypted_data: &mut [u8], key: &[u8; 16], iv: &[u8; 16]) {
         let decryptor = Cfb8Decryptor::<Aes128>::new_from_slices(key, iv).expect("Invalid key/iv");
-        let mut decrypted = encrypted_data.to_vec();
-        decryptor.decrypt(&mut decrypted);
-        decrypted
+        decryptor.decrypt(&mut encrypted_data);
     }
 
     /// Helper function to build a packet with optional compression and encryption
@@ -356,13 +354,13 @@ mod tests {
         let key = [0x00u8; 16]; // Example key
 
         // Build the packet with encryption enabled (no compression)
-        let packet_bytes = build_packet_with_encoder(&packet, None, Some(&key));
+        let mut packet_bytes = build_packet_with_encoder(&packet, None, Some(&key));
 
         // Decrypt the packet
-        let decrypted_packet = decrypt_aes128(&packet_bytes, &key, &key);
+        decrypt_aes128(&mut packet_bytes, &key, &key);
 
         // Decode the packet manually to verify correctness
-        let mut buffer = &decrypted_packet[..];
+        let mut buffer = &packet_bytes[..];
 
         // Read packet length VarInt
         let packet_length = decode_varint(&mut buffer).expect("Failed to decode packet length");
@@ -399,13 +397,14 @@ mod tests {
         let key = [0x01u8; 16]; // Example key
 
         // Build the packet with both compression and encryption enabled
-        let packet_bytes = build_packet_with_encoder(&packet, Some(compression_info), Some(&key));
+        let mut packet_bytes =
+            build_packet_with_encoder(&packet, Some(compression_info), Some(&key));
 
         // Decrypt the packet
-        let decrypted_packet = decrypt_aes128(&packet_bytes, &key, &key);
+        decrypt_aes128(&mut packet_bytes, &key, &key);
 
         // Decode the packet manually to verify correctness
-        let mut buffer = &decrypted_packet[..];
+        let mut buffer = &packet_bytes[..];
 
         // Read packet length VarInt
         let packet_length = decode_varint(&mut buffer).expect("Failed to decode packet length");
diff --git a/pumpkin-protocol/src/server/config/s_cookie_response.rs b/pumpkin-protocol/src/server/config/s_cookie_response.rs
index 3f8185351..69440254b 100644
--- a/pumpkin-protocol/src/server/config/s_cookie_response.rs
+++ b/pumpkin-protocol/src/server/config/s_cookie_response.rs
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ pub struct SCookieResponse {
     pub key: Identifier,
     pub has_payload: bool,
     pub payload_length: Option<VarInt>,
-    pub payload: Option<Vec<u8>>, // 5120,
+    pub payload: Option<bytes::Bytes>, // 5120,
 }
 
 const MAX_PAYLOAD_SIZE: i32 = 5120;
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ impl ServerPacket for SCookieResponse {
             ));
         }
 
-        let payload = bytebuf.copy_to_bytes(length as usize)?.to_vec();
+        let payload = bytebuf.copy_to_bytes(length as usize)?;
 
         Ok(Self {
             key,
diff --git a/pumpkin-protocol/src/server/config/s_plugin_message.rs b/pumpkin-protocol/src/server/config/s_plugin_message.rs
index ea20a35c0..d5770139c 100644
--- a/pumpkin-protocol/src/server/config/s_plugin_message.rs
+++ b/pumpkin-protocol/src/server/config/s_plugin_message.rs
@@ -8,14 +8,14 @@ use crate::{
 #[server_packet("config:custom_payload")]
 pub struct SPluginMessage {
     pub channel: Identifier,
-    pub data: Vec<u8>,
+    pub data: bytes::BytesMut,
 }
 
 impl ServerPacket for SPluginMessage {
     fn read(bytebuf: &mut ByteBuffer) -> Result<Self, DeserializerError> {
         Ok(Self {
             channel: bytebuf.get_string()?,
-            data: bytebuf.get_slice().to_vec(),
+            data: bytebuf.get_slice(),
         })
     }
 }
diff --git a/pumpkin-protocol/src/server/login/s_cookie_response.rs b/pumpkin-protocol/src/server/login/s_cookie_response.rs
index a5fcf06ee..8f70bfb52 100644
--- a/pumpkin-protocol/src/server/login/s_cookie_response.rs
+++ b/pumpkin-protocol/src/server/login/s_cookie_response.rs
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ pub struct SCookieResponse {
     pub key: Identifier,
     pub has_payload: bool,
     pub payload_length: Option<VarInt>,
-    pub payload: Option<Vec<u8>>, // 5120,
+    pub payload: Option<bytes::Bytes>, // 5120,
 }
 
 const MAX_PAYLOAD_SIZE: i32 = 5120;
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ impl ServerPacket for SCookieResponse {
             ));
         }
 
-        let payload = bytebuf.copy_to_bytes(length as usize)?.to_vec();
+        let payload = bytebuf.copy_to_bytes(length as usize)?;
 
         Ok(Self {
             key,
diff --git a/pumpkin-protocol/src/server/login/s_encryption_response.rs b/pumpkin-protocol/src/server/login/s_encryption_response.rs
index 06c224624..64be02b4c 100644
--- a/pumpkin-protocol/src/server/login/s_encryption_response.rs
+++ b/pumpkin-protocol/src/server/login/s_encryption_response.rs
@@ -8,9 +8,9 @@ use crate::{
 #[server_packet("login:key")]
 pub struct SEncryptionResponse {
     pub shared_secret_length: VarInt,
-    pub shared_secret: Vec<u8>,
+    pub shared_secret: bytes::Bytes,
     pub verify_token_length: VarInt,
-    pub verify_token: Vec<u8>,
+    pub verify_token: bytes::Bytes,
 }
 
 impl ServerPacket for SEncryptionResponse {
@@ -21,9 +21,9 @@ impl ServerPacket for SEncryptionResponse {
         let verify_token = bytebuf.copy_to_bytes(shared_secret_length.0 as usize)?;
         Ok(Self {
             shared_secret_length,
-            shared_secret: shared_secret.to_vec(),
+            shared_secret,
             verify_token_length,
-            verify_token: verify_token.to_vec(),
+            verify_token,
         })
     }
 }
diff --git a/pumpkin-protocol/src/server/play/s_cookie_response.rs b/pumpkin-protocol/src/server/play/s_cookie_response.rs
index 97311b311..b7ad9b703 100644
--- a/pumpkin-protocol/src/server/play/s_cookie_response.rs
+++ b/pumpkin-protocol/src/server/play/s_cookie_response.rs
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ pub struct SCookieResponse {
     pub key: Identifier,
     pub has_payload: bool,
     pub payload_length: Option<VarInt>,
-    pub payload: Option<Vec<u8>>, // 5120,
+    pub payload: Option<bytes::Bytes>, // 5120,
 }
 
 const MAX_PAYLOAD_SIZE: i32 = 5120;
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ impl ServerPacket for SCookieResponse {
             ));
         }
 
-        let payload = bytebuf.copy_to_bytes(length as usize)?.to_vec();
+        let payload = bytebuf.copy_to_bytes(length as usize)?;
 
         Ok(Self {
             key,
diff --git a/pumpkin-protocol/src/var_int.rs b/pumpkin-protocol/src/var_int.rs
index caf7a2ccc..7c461d1fc 100644
--- a/pumpkin-protocol/src/var_int.rs
+++ b/pumpkin-protocol/src/var_int.rs
@@ -7,8 +7,7 @@ use crate::VarIntType;
 pub struct VarInt(pub VarIntType);
 
 impl VarInt {
-    /// The maximum number of bytes a `VarInt` could occupy when read from and
-    /// written to the Minecraft protocol.
+    /// The maximum number of bytes a `VarInt`
     pub const MAX_SIZE: usize = 5;
 
     /// Returns the exact number of bytes this varint will write when
@@ -20,30 +19,12 @@ impl VarInt {
         }
     }
 
-    pub fn decode_partial(r: &mut impl Buf) -> Result<i32, VarIntDecodeError> {
-        let mut val = 0;
-        for i in 0..Self::MAX_SIZE {
-            if !r.has_remaining() {
-                return Err(VarIntDecodeError::Incomplete);
-            }
-            let byte = r.get_u8();
-            val |= (i32::from(byte) & 0b01111111) << (i * 7);
-            if byte & 0b10000000 == 0 {
-                return Ok(val);
-            }
-        }
-        Err(VarIntDecodeError::TooLarge)
-    }
-
     pub fn encode(&self, w: &mut impl BufMut) {
         let mut val = self.0;
         for _ in 0..Self::MAX_SIZE {
-            let mut b: u8 = val as u8 & 0b01111111;
+            let b: u8 = val as u8 & 0b01111111;
             val >>= 7;
-            if val != 0 {
-                b |= 0b10000000;
-            }
-            w.put_u8(b);
+            w.put_u8(if val == 0 { b } else { b | 0b10000000 });
             if val == 0 {
                 break;
             }
@@ -57,8 +38,8 @@ impl VarInt {
                 return Err(VarIntDecodeError::Incomplete);
             }
             let byte = r.get_u8();
-            val |= (i32::from(byte) & 0b01111111) << (i * 7);
-            if byte & 0b10000000 == 0 {
+            val |= (i32::from(byte) & 0x7F) << (i * 7);
+            if byte & 0x80 == 0 {
                 return Ok(VarInt(val));
             }
         }
diff --git a/pumpkin-protocol/src/var_long.rs b/pumpkin-protocol/src/var_long.rs
index 1f4b384dd..3f33ca771 100644
--- a/pumpkin-protocol/src/var_long.rs
+++ b/pumpkin-protocol/src/var_long.rs
@@ -7,11 +7,10 @@ use crate::VarLongType;
 pub struct VarLong(pub VarLongType);
 
 impl VarLong {
-    /// The maximum number of bytes a `VarInt` could occupy when read from and
-    /// written to the Minecraft protocol.
+    /// The maximum number of bytes a `VarLong`
     pub const MAX_SIZE: usize = 10;
 
-    /// Returns the exact number of bytes this varint will write when
+    /// Returns the exact number of bytes this varlong will write when
     /// [`Encode::encode`] is called, assuming no error occurs.
     pub const fn written_size(self) -> usize {
         match self.0 {
diff --git a/pumpkin-world/src/chunk/anvil.rs b/pumpkin-world/src/chunk/anvil.rs
index 6d13e9604..c97142ac4 100644
--- a/pumpkin-world/src/chunk/anvil.rs
+++ b/pumpkin-world/src/chunk/anvil.rs
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ impl ChunkReader for AnvilChunkReader {
             .decompress_data(chunk_data)
             .map_err(ChunkReadingError::Compression)?;
 
-        ChunkData::from_bytes(decompressed_chunk, *at).map_err(ChunkReadingError::ParsingError)
+        ChunkData::from_bytes(&decompressed_chunk, *at).map_err(ChunkReadingError::ParsingError)
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/pumpkin-world/src/chunk/mod.rs b/pumpkin-world/src/chunk/mod.rs
index 93edbbfaa..a04e9f5b2 100644
--- a/pumpkin-world/src/chunk/mod.rs
+++ b/pumpkin-world/src/chunk/mod.rs
@@ -232,15 +232,15 @@ impl Index<ChunkRelativeBlockCoordinates> for ChunkBlocks {
 }
 
 impl ChunkData {
-    pub fn from_bytes(chunk_data: Vec<u8>, at: Vector2<i32>) -> Result<Self, ChunkParsingError> {
-        if fastnbt::from_bytes::<ChunkStatus>(&chunk_data)
+    pub fn from_bytes(chunk_data: &[u8], at: Vector2<i32>) -> Result<Self, ChunkParsingError> {
+        if fastnbt::from_bytes::<ChunkStatus>(chunk_data)
             .map_err(|_| ChunkParsingError::FailedReadStatus)?
             != ChunkStatus::Full
         {
             return Err(ChunkParsingError::ChunkNotGenerated);
         }
 
-        let chunk_data = fastnbt::from_bytes::<ChunkNbt>(chunk_data.as_slice())
+        let chunk_data = fastnbt::from_bytes::<ChunkNbt>(chunk_data)
             .map_err(|e| ChunkParsingError::ErrorDeserializingChunk(e.to_string()))?;
 
         // this needs to be boxed, otherwise it will cause a stack-overflow
diff --git a/pumpkin/src/client/client_packet.rs b/pumpkin/src/client/client_packet.rs
index a95c4b40a..ac21d99f2 100644
--- a/pumpkin/src/client/client_packet.rs
+++ b/pumpkin/src/client/client_packet.rs
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ use crate::{
     },
     server::{Server, CURRENT_MC_VERSION},
 };
+use core::str;
 use num_traits::FromPrimitive;
 use pumpkin_config::{ADVANCED_CONFIG, BASIC_CONFIG};
 use pumpkin_core::text::TextComponent;
@@ -412,8 +413,8 @@ impl Client {
             || plugin_message.channel.starts_with("MC|Brand")
         {
             log::debug!("got a client brand");
-            match String::from_utf8(plugin_message.data) {
-                Ok(brand) => *self.brand.lock().await = Some(brand),
+            match str::from_utf8(&plugin_message.data) {
+                Ok(brand) => *self.brand.lock().await = Some(brand.to_string()),
                 Err(e) => self.kick(&e.to_string()).await,
             }
         }