I transfer myself straight forward. My claws impact his thorax.

*tak*

Except, his supposedly weak armor doesn't even chip. Reh?

He takes a moment to observe my actions, then speaks.

"You spoke the truth; you're indeed quite swift."

"That was nothing. Your talent interests me, however. Drawing my grand interest means you're quite something."

I instantly transfer to his right, my claws striking yet again.

*tak*

He flits his wings and flies up into the air.

*fsst**bzzzzzzz*

Hreh, a tough nut to crack.

I, too, open my wings and fly upward. At which point he swings a blade out of nowehere. No, it comes from the side of his left top leg like a retractable sword. He has six legs, of course, but only the front four have this hidden blade. His two rearmost legs are somewhat thicker— he spins in midair and uses his right rearmost leg to throw a kick.

Although I'm fast, I screw up the timing. His leg hits the claws on my left hand.

*crak*

Ragh. I need more combat experience.

My claws are evidently much harder than my scales. Still, they chipped. This suggests whatever he's using to counter me is powerful, but he isn't strong enough to wield it properly against my raw power. If it comes down to it, I'll utterly crush him under my massive claws. I fly further upward to block him, trying to prevent this from becoming a high-altitude battle.

"Ha, ha dragon, I am—"

Reh, taunts?

Time to bring out the bigger guns: pile driver.

*thoom*

*krak*

*KA-CHOOOOOM*

image [https://timjames.net/data/acd/images/099.png]

image [https://timjames.net/data/acd/images/099b.png]

image [https://timjames.net/data/acd/images/099c.png]

I don't want to damage the planet, so I didn't use nearly my full power. Good thing too: he redirected its momentum.

Still, he ain't happy about that attack.

"— khh!"

I smack him with several abilities all at once. Except for Endless Will, since I don't want to accidentally sciolate him. That might be rude.

*vss*

*vee*

*skreee*

None of them do anything, though, so I smack him with Causal Conduit in an attempt to steal his strength away. Not what I wanted, since that's not very 'dragon' of me, but I figure it's worth a test. Plus, it's silent.

Nothing happens, which makes it doubly silent.

Reh, why do I keep getting these opponents I cannot seem to injure?

"Do you give up?"

"Dragons never retreat! If it comes down to it, I'll return to my full size and smash you between my claws. I doubt you can handle claws the size of planets. One more try before I get serious."

He takes a step back.

The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

"P— planets? Your claims were not a brag nor bluff?"

"Nope!"

Time for the good 'ol killshot.

My Origin thread.

I instantly transfer next to him and slip an Origin thread into his head. He feels it enter, and attacks it with the talent he's been using to defend. Against both of our expectations, I feel my Origin grow STRONGER.

A surge of power flows up my thread, then into my body.

I feel a blast of strength like nothing I've ever experienced— in all my time as a dragon.

My body shifts and contorts slightly. My enviable horns grow slightly longer, my wings grow a bit larger, and my head grows a tad; all of this relative to my body. My chest also gets slightly larger, my legs shift downward a bit, and my kneecap plates each grow a small but wide spike.

My tail thickens, lengthens, and grows a small blade on its end. My chest armor subtly begins to turn from a field of spikes into... Something else. I feel my head and neck spikes running down my spine grow a little bit, too.

Rehm, this hasn't happened before.

Status, name.

Name: Chronometric Dragon God

You are Π||¿

Rank: Demigod

Your lineage (Π||¿) is evolving (3%).

Rah hrah hraw, I just found my Origin's best tonic!

I smile toothily at him.

"That felt incredible! Do it again."

He looks at me in a way I'm used to seeing.

Absolute pure terror.

"PLEASE SPARE ME!"

"Do. It. Again."

I've snagged his talent, so I can use it on myself if he refuses. Its name is Spatial Void. I think it solidifies my theory about my Origin being 'nil.' Amusingly, if that human god had used Causal Void on my Origin, it appears he'd have also made me stronger. To think I was scared of him erasing my Origin back then.

Why not use it on myself? I'm enjoying this insect's reactions.

Surprisingly, he uses his talent on me as requested.

I experience an even larger burst of power than before, at which, my features grow slightly once more. This feels SO wonderful. Please keep doing that.

"Keep going until I'm satisfied. If you do, you'll be allowed to join my hoard with my highest favor. I treat those I consider 'mine' very well. Do not fear."

"Y— yes..."

He's fearing. Too bad.

He begins pouring his power fully into my Origin. IT FEELS AMAZING. Like I'm being elevated to a higher life form.

Which, I am, so the feeling is quite justified.

My features continue to expand. Soon, my body has largely morphed into an entirely different draconic shape from my previous, thickly armored dragon form. As I change, I gain a lither, sleeker, and more sharply-angled appearance.

Many of my spikes recess in size, but as for the largest spikes on my head, neck, back, tail, elbows, and knees? They each grow substantially larger.

My neck, too, thickens along with my chest. Between my spikes, chest, head, and neck all growing, much more of my total mass is being concentrated into my upper body.

Thankfully, my much-larger tail balances this out. The blade on its end warps, then becomes retractable and flexible like a muscle. It stretches and grows to devour almost the entire length of my already much larger tail. Finally, it shifts and resets itself, looking like a tail again.

My new tail reminds me of a tongue. Its whole length has become much more dexterous and can extend out from its holding spot.

My legs shift; my ankles grow longer as my hip area widens. This would give me a lot more running speed, wouldn't it? Not sure if I need that, since I usually fly, but it looks incredible. I can't complain.

I then notice my hands and feet changing from an angled but still organic dragon to a more machined look. Actually— all of my features are changing the same way.

I don't look mechanical, per se, but my armor does sort of slide and lock together like sheets of metal. It's all well-formed and precise. Not chitinous like this insect's armor, though. That plus my overbearing spikes are beginning to make me look more like an undead bone monster wearing plate armor.

I notice my claws have grown substantially too; both in length and thickness. That's a change I'd initially overlooked. It looks like I have knives on the ends of my fingers and toes rather than dragon claws. A bit excessive, reah? It's not a big deal, though. I can work around it.

Finally, I feel my chest grow some sort of mouth. Not like, om nom, but it can indeed open and close. When I run my claws over my chest, it feels like a solid sheet of armor. Seems it's not at all visible unless I decide to open it.

Within the 'mouth' I note there's a thick bundle of origin threads. Each are equipped with some sort of translucent weapon adorning their tips. That's likely unnecessary— but I do appreciate the development. Strange though it is.

I look at myself in Pathfinder.

Damn. If I looked like this a few days ago, people would simply pass out from fear. Good thing I can control my aura now, otherwise—

[EVOLUTION COMPLETE!]

Reh? My status never did that before.

Status, Name.

Name: Chronometric Dragon God

You are Void

Rank: God

Rokay. I am 'Void.' Cool?

Status, Void.

Void: You are the Origin of Void.

That makes no sense. My status is as utterly useless as ever.

I abruptly notice an oddity: Π||¿ kiiinda looks like the letters 'oid.' The first two symbols being the partial outline of the right side of an 'o,' the third being an oversized 'i,' and the upside down question mark being the bottom part of a 'd.' I think back to Aitos' status spy inscription. I wonder if it'll show something different.

Inscription Status, Name.

Name: Chronometric Dragon God

You are Π||¿

Rank: ?????

RAH! YES.

I actually figured out some information about this defective status panel.

Thanks, Aitos.

I miss you so much.

Whelp, this proves it. I need to tinker with my status to fix it. I've already done the same with everything else, and what, can a literal god not alter their own status panel?

Roh, and that's right.

My rank matches my name.

I'mma godly dragon!

"Rawr! Rawra!"

The bug cowers.

Rahahaha.