"Stubborn, aren't you? Sooner or later, you'll become a Dragon God. Why refuse now?" In the Pantheon, a god observed Arista rejecting the divine spark, smirking with a hint of jealousy. Any god who heard him could sense the bitterness in his tone—a clear sign of envy.
"She probably wants to become stronger before ascending to godhood. With her current power, she'd only be a weak deity, which wouldn't be much fun. Being a Dragon King is far more carefree."
"Not necessarily. The world is changing. The Dragon race has allied with the Titans and Seraphim. Previously, Dragon Kings ascended to godhood because they lacked a way to harness source power. But that's no longer the case."
"Are you kidding? Why would the Titans or Seraphim share such techniques with the Dragons if they don't have them?"
Regardless of the discussions in the Pantheon, Arista's rejection of godhood was now an undeniable fact. A new presence had joined the ranks of those in the world whom the gods could not afford to offend.
"For now, rejecting godhood and choosing to walk the path of the Dragon King is the smartest choice. A truly wise child."
The Platinum Dragon God, Bahamut, looked down from his throne with pride at the new Dragon King, one of his descendants. The emergence of each new Dragon King represented the strengthening of the Dragon race. Dragon Kings could effectively and directly slow the decline of their bloodline.
Whenever a new Dragon King appeared, they could create a generation of ancient dragons and even elevate the bloodline quality of dragons in a certain region. The importance of a Dragon King to their race was immense.
"If I remember correctly, this Dragon King is Deimos' partner, right?"
"Yes, indeed. A pair of Dragon Kings, which is quite impressive."
"Does that mean the child of the Titan and Dragon now has another Epic to back him? I wonder what trouble he'll stir up next."
"With his current backing, what difference does one more Epic make? No ordinary being would dare provoke him."
"True enough!"
...
"You just threw it away? That was decisive. How do you feel now?" Atreus asked, watching her mother discard the divine spark with interest.
"I just gave up the chance to instantly double my power. What do you think I'm feeling?" Arista responded, glancing sideways at her daughter.
"Pretty great!"
"Hmph!" Arista sneered. "Let me tell you something—if I ever want it back, that divine spark will appear before me at any time. I can choose to ascend to godhood whenever I want."
"Wow, that's amazing!" Atreus said, astonished. Though this was common knowledge among Epics, to others, it was a well-kept secret.
"So, does that mean all Epics have the same privilege as you? A divine spark they can merge with at any moment?"
"More or less."
"In that case, I'd love to see what the divine sparks of the Ten Lords and the Warden of the Ancient Prison look like."
"The Ten Lords? The Warden of the Ancient Prison? Those names sound familiar." Arista's eyes revealed a contemplative expression. She vaguely recalled those titles from an ancient book.
"They're the titles of two Titan Lords."
"You've met them?" Arista finally remembered the famous names of the two Titans, but what surprised her was her daughter's casual tone when speaking about them.
These Titans had ascended to Epic status so long ago that even few living beings would remember them. Such powerful beings were figures she would have to call "boss" if she ever encountered them. As a newly ascended Epic, she was just a rookie in the grand scheme of things.
"Yes, a few times," Atreus replied calmly.
"Impossible! Why would such beings bother with you?"
"I'm married to the Titan race. Why wouldn't they? I've even continued their bloodline!"
"Seriously? You basically forced a Titan to have a child with you. I'm surprised they didn't kill you for tainting their bloodline."
"What nonsense! Ansel pushed me, not the other way around."
"Hmph!" Arista snorted, knowing her daughter all too well. Just as Atreus knew her mother's nature, Arista understood her daughter perfectly.
"Since you know these two Lords, why don't you introduce me to them? I have some important matters to discuss with those big shots."
"Do you have something urgent? If you want, I can take you to them right now."
"I just got home. I want to visit my family first. Since Deimos isn't here, I'll go see my grandson and his Seraphim wife."
"Alright, let's go!"
...
"Your Highness, are you not going to join the battle?" the ancient Amethyst Dragon, who had been healed by Muria but was still weak, asked while lying on the ground next to him.
"I'd like to, but these guys won't let me," Muria replied flatly, watching the ongoing battle. Three Titans had arrived and pushed him aside, taking over the fight against the avatar of Bane, the God of Tyranny. They took turns battling the god, treating him like a punching bag.
While Muria watched with boredom, Bane's avatar found the situation increasingly humiliating. Fighting further would only bring more shame, but retreating would make him look cowardly, which would be even worse.
If Bane had any excuse to end the fight, he would have withdrawn his avatar already. Since the three Legendary Titans arrived, his dignity as a god had been completely trampled, and he had no way to salvage it.
"Pitiful," Muria thought, evaluating the situation. If he could, he would ask Bane's avatar, "How do you feel right now? Embarrassed much?"
These three Titans had rushed here after being summoned, showing no respect for the God of Tyranny. To them, Bane's avatar was nothing more than a high-level, unpaid sparring partner with great skills and a strong constitution.
Hmm? Just then, Muria sensed two very familiar auras approaching. One was unmistakably his mother, Atreus, while the other was odd—familiar yet strangely distant, like the aura of his grandfather, Deimos.
"Titans, do you doubt your ability to win? First, you send three Titans, and now you bring a Dragon King? Why even continue fighting?" Bane's avatar, locked in battle with the Titans, also sensed the approaching Dragon King and quickly seized the opportunity to retreat.
With a scornful snort that carried a mix of arrogance and disdain, Bane withdrew his consciousness and divine weapon from the avatar, signaling a tactical retreat.
Facing an Epic Dragon King, withdrawing his avatar wasn't shameful—it was wise. This was how a prudent god should act.
Bane's meticulously crafted body fell to the ground, lifeless. The sudden turn of events left the Titan he had been fighting momentarily stunned, then visibly disappointed as the thrill of battle drained from his eyes.
He glanced toward the approaching figures. One of the incoming auras was overwhelmingly powerful, the very presence that had given Bane an excuse to withdraw.
"Ahem, uncles, there will be plenty of opportunities to fight gods in the future..." Muria approached the disgruntled Titans and gently reassured them. He knew that one of the approaching figures was deeply connected to him by blood.
"Hey, Muria! Did you just finish fighting?" Atreus soon appeared in Muria's sight, boldly stepping beside him and surveying the battlefield without hesitation.
At the same time, a beautiful golden-haired woman, who bore a striking resemblance to Atreus, stood a short distance away, observing Muria.
"I was still fighting, but thanks to you, the battle's already over." A Legendary Titan glanced at Dragon King Arista, speaking in a calm tone.
"Looks like I interrupted your fun," Arista laughed, understanding the nature of Titans all too well. "I do apologize, but I was eager to see my grandson. I hope you can understand."
"Not at all. There will be many battles like this in the future. It's no big deal." The Titans were moved by Arista's apology, their frustration quickly fading. After all, an Epic commanded respect, regardless of the circumstances.
"You're my grandmother!" Muria exclaimed in surprise, realizing the golden-haired woman who resembled his mother was indeed his grandmother. Her aura felt similar to a Dragon King, which only strengthened his already formidable background.
"You can just call me 'Grandmother,'" Arista replied with a smile. Before arriving in Erathia, she had already learned that her daughter had only given birth to one child. In other words, Muria was her only grandchild.
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