Yea, it's kinda weird that he isn't being given a breather to consolidate his position and make his own plans. We're not at the final confrontation with him. This is just the moment where our apocalypse dragon is established as a true challenge and threat to the New World led by New Gods; an old foe who has resurfaced from the era of the Old Gods.

While it should probably be shown that he's weak(from sleeping so long and is thus vulnerable), this should've also established him as an extremely powerful being not to be pushed, especially by such a new and shaky alliance of Gods. 

This entire scenario is less about the apocalyptic dragon god at the moment and more about how we react to him, and how his very existence changes the game and adds urgency to the Merged fractured and weak pantheon, and how they will have to plan and try(emphasis on try) to work together to face this old enemy. So far, the Merged have failed at that. Though the apocalypse dragon is currently being pushed back, it doesn't mean a thing. It's just wasted energy to chase him; he will slip away somewhere, and chasing him constantly for that inevitable result is just gunna result in us fracturing and losing more time. In that sense, apocalypse Dragon has already decisively defeated the Merged in the opening move of this grand chess game between his alliance of antagonists and the New Pantheon.

If we can't even coherently react to his emergence as a unified front, how the hell will we face him in an upfront, genuine, pound per pound battle? We'd be crushed, especially as he gathers allies who will likely work together more cohesively.

We've already lost the first battle against him. Lets try to change our thinking so we don't lose the war.