"What do you mean, 'no need'?"
A dragon claw, muscular yet elegant, pierced through the void. Its surface shimmered with scales that gleamed like divine metal, intricate patterns of light flowing across them. The claw exuded an aura of strength and mystery, captivating and terrifying all at once.
As it emerged, the claw extended a single finger toward the spatial fissures surrounding the steel planet under Mecha God's control. With a light sweep, the cracks in the void sealed shut, not only healing but becoming sturdier than before.
The dragon's claw didn't stop there. A slender, almost negligible finger—when compared to the steel planet—prodded the massive construct gently.
Boom—
A deafening explosion rang out as the metallic surface, etched with countless intricate runes, twisted and fractured. Fragments of spiritual steel erupted into the void like glowing sparks, leaving fiery trails behind and forming a spectacular burst of light.
This awe-inspiring scene was the result of the Dragon King's casual gesture—a single finger had obliterated nearly half of the planet-sized artifact. Fiery torrents erupted from the jagged fissures of the metallic crust, an unstoppable surge of destruction.
Within the flaming wreckage, Mecha God's muffled groan of pain resonated. The Dragon King's seemingly casual attack had pierced the planet's core and wounded him directly.
The ruined steel planet drifted to a halt, its owner subdued. Mecha God made no further moves. His battered creation, which had taken immeasurable effort to construct, had been rendered useless in moments. Floating in the Dragon King's other claw was an enormous, bloodied mass of flesh—the mangled remains of an Evil God.
The sight of this grotesque trophy, still faintly quivering with life, sent a shiver through Mecha God. He knew exactly who the defeated entity was from the lingering energy and aura.
"They tried to leave, but I wanted them to stay a little longer," Muria remarked, both amazed and amused by his grandmother's overwhelming power.
"Leave?" Alysta, the Dragon King, glanced at the trembling blue whale and the shattered metal sphere. Her tone was calm, but there was an undeniable edge to her words.
"You mean flee, don't you? Did they cross paths with you before?"
"No! I never fought or conflicted with your grandson," the Whale God hastily denied, shaking its massive head. Survival instincts outweighed any sense of dignity or pride.
"It was him." The Whale God pointed one of its fins toward the steel planet. "He fought your grandson. Check for yourself; his energy traces are still on it."
The Whale God's betrayal was swift and merciless. Its motto was clear: better him than me.
"Is that so?" Alysta's radiant dragon eyes narrowed as her gaze locked onto the broken steel planet.
"Whale God, I have no quarrel with the Dragon God," Mecha God snapped, his metallic voice tinged with fury. "That was merely a sparring match, and I compensated him fairly afterward!"
"Muria, did you encounter this individual before?" Alysta ignored their squabble and turned her gaze to her grandson.
"We had a minor skirmish," Muria replied truthfully. He had no reason to cover for someone he barely knew.
"That's enough, then." Alysta's voice carried a tone of finality. For her, any conflict involving her grandson was justification enough.
"You think I'm afraid of you? I—no!"
Realizing escape was impossible, Mecha God attempted to feign courage. However, in the next moment, his confidence shattered as Alysta's claw swiped down.
Boom!
The steel planet exploded into fragments. The explosion lit up the void, scattering metallic debris and bathing the entire area in dazzling brilliance. When the light faded, Muria saw Mecha God's true form—a colossal steel titan engaged in a desperate struggle against his grandmother.
It was a hopeless battle. The Dragon King, who had recently enhanced her body with vast amounts of source energy, effortlessly dismantled the Mecha God's mechanical form.
Muria watched in awe as his grandmother tore off one of the titan's massive limbs, sparks and energy spilling into the void. Despite his impressive regenerative abilities, Mecha God's efforts were futile against Alysta's overwhelming might.
"This mechanical body is rare," Muria mused, observing the battle with interest. Mecha God's towering frame matched Alysta's size, but it offered no advantage.
Every attack the titan unleashed, even weapons capable of decimating entire continents, barely scratched Alysta's scaled hide. Her source-enhanced body rendered her practically invulnerable to Mecha God's assaults, reducing him to a mere plaything.
"Dragon God, we're friends, aren't we?"
While Alysta disassembled the steel titan with casual ease, the Whale God slinked over to Muria, lowering its massive head to his level.
"Oh? I don't recall us being friends," Muria replied, his golden eyes narrowing. The sight of the Whale God's massive form stirred an involuntary thought:
"The Great Northern Abyssal Fish, named Kun. Kun is so large... one pot isn't enough to cook it."
Muria quickly shook off the absurd notion. No matter how tempting the thought of roasted whale might be, the creature before him was a fellow epic being.
"Well, maybe your memory isn't great. But that's okay! We can start fresh and become friends now," the Whale God said shamelessly, sacrificing its dignity for survival.
"Friends? No need. I'm not short on friends," Muria replied with a sly grin. His gaze lingered on the Whale God's broad back. "What I lack is a suitable mount."
The Whale God froze. Though it was willing to endure humiliation to save itself, the idea of becoming a mount for another epic being was too much. That level of degradation was beyond even its tolerance.
"Not interested? Pity," Muria sighed theatrically before turning back to watch Alysta yank another limb from Mecha God's mechanical body.
As the Dragon King toyed with her opponent, the steel titan finally ceased resistance, allowing his disassembled parts to drift in the void.
"Why did you stop fighting? You still had energy left," Alysta asked curiously, observing the floating wreckage.
"What's the point? Are you going to seal me, kill me, or use my body to bolster your world?"
"Why would I kill you?" Alysta replied, genuinely puzzled. "You only had a minor skirmish with my grandson. A simple lesson is enough."
"Just like that?" Mecha God reformed part of his body, his metallic face etched with disbelief. "If you killed me, you could integrate my remains into your world, perfecting its laws."
"No need." Alysta dismissed the notion with a scoff. Source energy flowed in abundance for her, rendering such methods unnecessary.
"Dragon God," the Whale God interjected, emboldened by Mecha God's survival. "I don't think being your mount suits me. But being your friend? That works perfectly!"
"Fine, then," Muria replied with a laugh, watching as his grandmother finished disassembling the steel titan.
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