Back to the Nether

Much time has passed since defeating the Ender Dragon, and you've spent that time enjoying your new and powerful Ender Equipment. Yet... surely a more powerful guardian is out there; another who's power you can forge into even stronger weapons, tools, and armor.

One day, while decorating your home, you notice an odd painting, depicting a strange creature with 3 withered skulls. Even just the image of this... thing seems to radiate power. Yes. You're certain defeating this monster will provide you with a means to forge even more powerful equipment.

So, you venture back to the Nether to fight those terrible skeletons you thought little of during your last trip to the Fortress. Though difficult to harvest an intact skull given their brittle nature, you finally collect all 3 and prepare to summon what you've dubbed "The Wither."

A difficult fight ensues, but you are rewarded with a shining star. It radiates power, and without further thought, you contain it, as you did with the Dragon's Breath. Next, you'll need to find some sort of template to instruct you on how to forge your next set of equipment.

You remember the last template was found in a city belonging to a lost civilization. Perhaps, you think, eyes trained on a Bastion Remnant, the same will be true for this one.

You raid the Bastion, using your sword's powers against the Piglin Brutes to remove them from this world. It doesn't take long before the structure is clear, and you can loot their coffers in peace. As you had hoped, you find a Netherite Upgrade smithing template, and even some scraps of Netherite itself. Flashing some gold at a cowering Piglin nearby, you discover that more of this Ancient Debris can be found hidden in the depths.

As with making the Ender Ingot, the scraps need to be combined with a secondary material to take their proper form, in this case, a Gold Ingot. Fitting, given the Piglins' obsession with the shiny metal. Using what you've now dubbed an Infusion Core, this one filled with the power of The Wither, you infuse great might into the newly crafted Netherite Ingot.

Not long after, you're holding a brand new Netherite Pickaxe. It's hot to the touch, and seems to burn rock around its head, but you determine it's safe to hold. This should make acquiring more Netherite Scraps ever so slightly more convenient. And you certainly want to forge the rest of your Equipment with this metal, though perhaps not to replace your Ender Equipment entirely. They both seem to have their advantages.