Preparing 2

MC POV

The morning air was still as we gathered around the crafting table, each of us with our tasks for the day. We had all the materials we needed, and now it was time to prepare. The final battle was on the horizon, and the Ender Dragon wasn't going to go easy on us.

"Alright," I began, looking over the group. "Today's the day. We've got everything we need, but now it's about making sure we're all equipped properly. Armor, weapons, enchantments—it all needs to be perfect. The Ender Dragon is no joke, and we can't afford mistakes."

Everyone nodded, a collective determination settling over the group.

"We should start by dividing the work," I continued, pointing to Hinata and Rose. "You two will farm sugar cane and craft books for enchantments. We'll need plenty of bookshelves for the best results."

Hinata smiled, eager to help. "Got it! I'll make sure we have more bookshelves than we know what to do with."

Rose gave a curt nod, her usual quiet confidence showing. "No problem. I'll make sure everything's done quickly."

I turned to Bruce and Tatsumaki next. "You two head to the village and get us some enchantment books. We need Protection, Mending, Unbreaking—anything that'll help us survive this fight."

Bruce crossed his arms, thinking. "We'll prioritize the essential enchantments. We can bargain with the villagers using the emeralds we've stockpiled."

Tatsumaki stretched her arms casually. "I'm sure I can convince them to give us what we need," she said, a mischievous smile tugging at her lips. "If not, maybe I'll just blow the village over."

Bruce shot her a look. "No blowing anything up. We need their trades, remember?"

She rolled her eyes.

Finally, I glanced at Megumi and Peter. "You two are with me. We'll build a mob grinder to farm XP. We'll need it for enchanting all the gear. Once we're set with that, we'll start crafting and gearing up."

Peter gave a mock salute. "Aye-aye, Captain! We'll have that XP flowing in no time."

Megumi, ever serious, nodded. "Efficiency is key. The faster we get the XP, the sooner we can enchant and prepare."

I clapped my hands together. "Alright, let's get to work."

---

Hinata POV

As Rose and I made our way towards the river near the dark oak forest, I found myself smiling despite the pressure of what was ahead. There was something peaceful about this moment—farming, crafting, preparing. It reminded me of simpler times.

After drinking a potion Shiro had given to us which would double our drop rates, we started harvesting, working in comfortable silence for a while before I spoke up.

"Do you ever think about what comes after all this? You know, after the Ender Dragon?" I asked, carefully cutting the sugar cane and replanting it.

Rose paused for a moment, considering my question. "Honestly, I try not to. Focusing on the future when we've got such a huge task in front of us can be distracting. The Ender Dragon's the priority."

I nodded, understanding. "I get that. I just... I wonder if we'll all be the same after it's over. This has started to become such a huge part of our lives."

Rose's expression softened a bit. "We won't be the same, but that's not a bad thing. We'll be stronger for it. And we'll still have each other. That's what matters."

Her words brought comfort, and I smiled. "You're right. As long as we're together, we'll be okay."

Rose glanced at the growing pile of sugar cane. "Looks like we'll have more than enough for bookshelves."

I laughed softly. "We're definitely going to need them all. The Ender Dragon isn't going to go down easy, but with the right gear, we'll stand a chance."

"Let's focus on that, then," Rose said. "The sooner we get those bookshelves up, the sooner we can start enchanting."

With renewed energy, we continued our work, the quiet companionship making the task feel lighter.

---

Bruce POV

Tatsumaki and I arrived at the village, the sun high in the sky. The villagers were bustling about, tending to their crops and animals, but I had my mind on one thing—enchantments. We needed the right books if we were going to survive the fight.

"After trading with the Fletcher, we should head straight to the librarians," I said, scanning the village. "They'll have what we need, but we'll need to be strategic. We don't want to waste too many emeralds on low-tier enchantments."

Tatsumaki shrugged, following my lead. "Whatever you say, boss. I'll let you handle the boring negotiations. If things go south, I can always step in."

I shot her a look. "We're not terrorizing the villagers."

She smirked. "I'm kidding. Mostly."

We found the first librarian, who greeted us with a nod. I began bartering right away, offering emeralds in exchange for books. Protection III, Unbreaking III, and Mending were the top priorities. It took some time, but eventually, we got what we needed.

"See?" I said, holding up the books. "No need for explosions."

Tatsumaki sitting on a fence post, watching as villagers moved around us. "Sure, but my way would've been faster."

I rolled my eyes. "Your way would've destroyed half the village. We need them for future trades."

She grinned. "Yeah, yeah. You and your careful planning. Anyway, we've got what we need, so let's head back."

I looked over the books, satisfied with the haul. "Once we get back, we'll start enchanting right away. Every piece of gear needs to be maxed out for protection. The Ender Dragon's attacks could be relentless, and one misstep could cost us."

Tatsumaki's usual smirk faded slightly as she became more serious. "I get it, Bruce. I'm not taking this lightly. We're all in this together."

I nodded. "I know. Let's go."

---

MC POV

Back at the base, Megumi, Peter, and I were hard at work building the mob grinder. It wasn't glamorous, but it was necessary. We needed the XP to power up our gear, and this was the fastest way to get it.

Peter was hammering away, whistling a tune as he worked. "You know, this is kind of fun. Not the whole 'No respawning' part, but the building, the teamwork. It's nice."

I smirked. "Yeah, because you're not the one doing the calculations for the water flow and drop height."

Peter laughed. "I know i am smart but we have you and Megumi. I'm just here for moral support and to swing a hammer."

Megumi, who had been quietly working, glanced over at me. "The grinder should be efficient enough to get us the XP we need in a few hours. After that, we'll be ready to start enchanting."

I nodded. "Good. We'll need everyone at full strength for this fight. If we're not prepared, we won't last long."

Peter raised an eyebrow. "You really think it'll be that bad?"

I looked over at him, my expression serious. "Worse. The Ender Dragon's not just a regular mob. It's the final boss of this world, after seeing the state of this world and the New Mobs, it's going to come at us with everything it has—fireballs, ender crystals, swooping attacks. We can't afford to underestimate it."

Megumi chimed in. "That's why we need max-level enchantments on all our gear. They'll give us the durability we need to survive the onslaught."

Peter scratched his head, his usual humor fading. "Alright, alright. I get it. No jokes during the big fight."

I clapped him on the back. "You'll do fine, Peter. Just focus on staying alive and taking out the ender crystals. We'll handle the dragon."

With the mob grinder finally finished, we stood back and watched as the first few skeletons and zombies funneled into the trap. The XP began to flow, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment.

"This is it," I said, more to myself than anyone else. "The final step before we take on the Ender Dragon."

Megumi nodded, his expression focused. "Once we're geared up, there's no turning back."

Peter grinned, his usual optimism returning. "And when we win, I'm throwing a party. Drinks on me."

I chuckled, shaking my head. "Let's survive the dragon first. Then we'll worry about the party."

---

By the time the sun set, everyone had returned to the base. Bruce and Tatsumaki came back with enchantment books, while Hinata and Rose had finished crafting an impressive number of books and bookshelves. The mob grinder was working perfectly, and the XP was flowing steadily.

We gathered around the enchanting table, a sense of unity settling over us.

"Tomorrow, we'll start enchanting our gear," I said, addressing the group. "Once we're ready, we'll head to the End Portal."

Bruce crossed his arms. "We'll need to strategize. The Ender Dragon's attacks are unpredictable."

Tatsumaki grinned. "I'm ready for whatever it throws at us."

Hinata and Rose exchanged a glance before Hinata smiled. "We'll handle the support from the ground. Defending and providing cover while you guys take care of the dragon."

Bruce nodded in agreement. "Coordination is key. We can't have everyone attacking blindly. We'll need to keep communication tight, focus on taking out the Ender Crystals first, and then handle the dragon's aerial assaults. Tatsumaki and I can work on keeping its attention while the rest of you take down the crystals."

I could feel the weight of what we were about to do settling in. Everyone had their role, and while we were all confident, the reality of facing the Ender Dragon was looming over us.

"Alright," I said, taking a deep breath. "We've got everything we need to start enchanting tomorrow. Get some rest, everyone. We're almost at the end."

Peter chuckled. "If this really is the end, I'll make sure to savor every last moment of sleep tonight."

The group laughed softly, the tension easing slightly as we prepared for the long day ahead.

As the night settled in, I looked up at the sky. We were prepared—more prepared than I had ever been for anything. But the Ender Dragon could be a force of nature, and even with all our enchantments, strategies, and teamwork, if my intuition was correct then there was no guarantee we'd make it out unscathed.