"Of course, a ceasefire is acceptable. However, as compensation for the offense against me, he must offer me something in return." The figure who had gained the upper hand in the brief clash spoke with overwhelming arrogance and confidence, issuing a demand that was nothing short of audacious to the other being of equal rank.
"What do you want as compensation?" Having realized during the brief confrontation that Muria had touched upon a higher level of power, the God of Mechanical Warfare chose to back down.
He still wished to gain benefits from this miraculous place where two realms intertwined. However, it seemed clear now that if he did not offer something, this figure would not allow him to remain here.
"What do you have? Show me what you've collected—anything you think is valuable—and let me take a look," Muria demanded, continuing his audacious approach.
To his surprise, the entity known as the God of Mechanical Warfare, despite his combative-sounding title, conceded again, in a way that even Muria found unexpected. Given the nature of the title, it wouldn't have been unusual for the other party to reignite the conflict over such an unreasonable demand.
"Fine."
Spatial fluctuations appeared, and item after item emerged in front of Muria, some surrounded by dazzling divine light, others plain and unassuming, as if they had been casually picked up from some forgotten corner.
Muria did not underestimate these seemingly ordinary objects. He understood the principle that treasures often concealed themselves in simplicity, a truth proven by the similar items stored in his own treasury.
"Pick one," the God of Mechanical Warfare said after displaying his collection, a level of thorough concession that indicated he likely still held back some of his most prized possessions.
However, Muria didn't press the matter too far. A bit of empathy was enough to understand his position. Before making his choice, Muria glanced briefly at the God of Whales, who had earlier stepped in to mediate, and at the silent God of Hundred Eyes nearby.
He strongly suspected that one—or perhaps both—of these two had covertly negotiated with the God of Mechanical Warfare, offering terms that prompted this sudden retreat. Otherwise, such an abrupt shift in attitude seemed far too odd.
After making some educated guesses about the situation, Muria began examining the treasures displayed before him. Although he was tempted to say, "I'll take them all," he knew it wasn't realistic.
He was undoubtedly stronger than the God of Mechanical Warfare, but not to the extent of being able to outright kill or seal him. In truth, his current power placed him in an awkward position: he didn't fear any other epic beings of the same rank, but neither could he dominate them. At best, he could fend off newcomers to this level of power.
…
"Now that you two have reconciled, let's discuss how we're going to divide the resources of this area," suggested the God of Whales, accompanied by the sound of tidal surges. This was clearly its primary concern.
The arrival of the God of Mechanical Warfare and the God of Hundred Eyes had spared it from having to clash directly with Muria. Now, by virtue of its strength, it could justifiably claim its share of the spoils.
"Before we begin discussions, we should establish a basic agreement," proposed the God of Hundred Eyes, whose aura was filled with the curses and wails of countless beings. "There are already enough gods gathered in this region; we don't need any more."
"That goes without saying. This miraculous place no longer requires a fifth god's presence," agreed the God of Whales. After all, the convergence of two medium-sized worlds' resources was already being contested by four epic beings, which was more than enough.
Hearing the detestable God of Hundred Eyes' proposal, Muria nodded slightly. The meaning was clear: the four of them would form a temporary alliance to exclude any additional epic beings who might sense the fluctuations of laws and rush to the scene.
"In that case, we're all in agreement on this basic cooperation: no matter who the fifth to arrive might be, we'll join forces to drive them away."
"Dragon God from another realm, you were the first to arrive here. Surely you've explored this miraculous land already. I know it's unlikely, but I have to ask: would you be willing to share the information you've gathered?"
"If you know it's unlikely, why entertain such unrealistic expectations?" Muria looked at the blue-hued whale with a peculiar expression. "Frankly, none of you here could make me bow down, not individually or collectively."
"You're insufferably arrogant. Do you think the God of Mechanical Warfare backed down earlier solely because of you? Without this miraculous land, do you truly believe he would have retreated?" The God of Hundred Eyes, known for spreading destruction and calamity, glared at Muria with nearly a hundred eyes filled with malice.
"Don't get too cocky. Individually, none of us can suppress you, but together? Do you think you could hold your ground?"
"Three working together don't necessarily equal threefold strength. If you think you can overpower me, or even defeat me, then you're welcome to try." Muria stood tall, glaring directly at the God of Hundred Eyes, the being he despised most in the room. If not for the unique circumstances, he would have attacked it already.
As a god whose ascension was built on destroying worlds, the God of Hundred Eyes was inherently loathsome and abhorrent to Muria. Encountering such an entity in the void, his first instinct would always be to draw his sword without a word.
"Ahem, let's avoid unnecessary conflicts," interjected the ever-peaceful God of Whales, exasperated by Muria's seemingly perpetual inclination toward combat. It couldn't fathom how someone so combative had managed to ascend to epic status without being killed along the way.
"You see? I don't want this either. I'm a firm believer in peace, but this grotesque creature keeps provoking me," Muria said, his tone softening slightly as he addressed the God of Whales. After all, this god, unlike the other two, had shown no inclination toward hostility or confrontation.
"You dare call me grotesque?" The God of Hundred Eyes, a being feared as a harbinger of destruction, bristled with rage.
"Have you never considered how repulsive you look? Just your appearance alone makes people want to erase you," Muria retorted, feigning shock and disgust.
"Enough is enough," muttered the God of Whales, exasperated at Muria's relentless provocation.
"Hmph, your species is different from mine. Naturally, our sense of beauty differs. To me, you're just as repulsive," snapped the God of Hundred Eyes, its fury barely contained.
"I'll say this one last thing," Muria said, glancing at the visibly weary God of Whales before turning back to the God of Hundred Eyes. "Didn't you hear what the God of Whales called me? A Dragon God. My bloodline is half dragon. If you don't know what a dragon is, let me explain: dragons have a cross-species aesthetic sense. Simply put, if I find you ugly, no normal creature would find you attractive. Understand? You revolting monstrosity!"
"I—" The God of Hundred Eyes was about to explode when the God of Mechanical Warfare's voice reached it, advising calm and reminding it to prioritize the greater good, much like it had done earlier for the God of Mechanical Warfare.
"Enough meaningless bickering. Let's discuss the division of resources," the God of Hundred Eyes said, turning its many eyes away from Muria, choosing to ignore him. The God of Mechanical Warfare had made a reasonable suggestion: perhaps this figure grew stronger through battle, which would explain his behavior.
"I think the simplest and fairest way is to collect resources based on individual ability. Let's not discuss any other distribution methods. None of us would willingly share the treasures we've found with others," proposed the God of Whales, eager to maintain the fragile peace.
"Gathering resources individually works for me. My only concern is that the Dragon God had too much of a head start," remarked the God of Mechanical Warfare.
"I'm just luckier than you. Got a problem with that?" Muria said, his confidence bolstered by his clear superiority. "If you do, then deal with it."
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