>>214448837
Thank you for the explanation! I see I was thinking about ない the wrong way.

In the homework and coming to school examples, someone is actively doing something (doing their homework, or coming to school). If instead some desired event is happening late, would you just use the relevant verb for that event? For example, if it finally rains after a long dry season:
>遅くても降らないより(は)マシだ

>By the way, 遅くともしないよりマシ suggested by jisho.org sounds kind of stiff to me.
I also think it feels stiff, but not sure if I can explain why. It sounds old fashioned or how a character with 中二病 might speak.