"Some advocated for their extinction, erasing them from existence just as the first race had met its end. Meanwhile, others contemplated the creation of a new race. However, as the disobedience of the second race continued to spread, it became obvious that the disobedience of the second race would influence any new beings they created. Thus, the gods decided to erase every member of the second race from existence."
"The second race, unable to face the wrath of the gods for their disobedience, fled. However, there was no place in the vast universe for them to hide from the omniscience of the gods who observed the countless universes from above. With nowhere to run and hide, the second race resorted to the unthinkable, shocking us all to our core," Aerialia added. She took a deep breath before continuing, "They threatened to kill the gods and waged war against us."
This time, not only did Orion draw in a deep breath, but even Aerialia, seated nearby and listening attentively, widened her eyes in surprise.
They waged war against the gods!
Neither of them would have believed it if they hadn't heard it from Aerialia herself. Nonetheless, they listened as she continued.
"The gods hadn't expected such a development, so we were startled when we first learned about it. Just like the first race, although the second race was created within the confines of the universe, they were still given the powers to interact with the universe. Within several hundred thousand years, the second race rallied together and decided to use their unparalleled powers to break into the heavens."
"Although the gods doubted if such a feat could be accomplished, how could they allow it? Soon, a battle erupted between the second race and the gods, a conflict unlike anything we had ever witnessed. While the gods managed to push back the second race, they couldn't completely subdue them. Some of the second race managed to get too close to the heavens, forcefully slamming their powers against it to break through. Unexpectedly, the heavens trembled for the first time," Aerialia explained with a sigh escaping her lips.
"The gods were shocked. They realized that if the second race broke through the heavens, they would be free to wander and interact with the universe on their own. The gods slowly restrained themselves in response, creating an illusion that the second race was gradually winning the war."
"This newfound confidence spurred them to attempt to break into the heavens. After a million years, they successfully broke through the first seal, much to the gods' pleasure. Another million years passed, and the second seal was broken. At this moment, the second race breached the heavens. The gods, no longer underestimating them, fought them with everything that they had."
"Despite being immensely powerful, the second race met their demise faster than they could comprehend the situation. Nevertheless, their intention to kill the gods persisted. A half-million years later, the battle between the gods and the second race concluded. Can you guess who emerged victorious?" Aerialia asked, locking eyes with Orion.
"The gods," Orion replied without hesitation.
Aerialia nodded in response. "During that half-million-year war, the gods successfully eradicated the second race. With the countless universes now lifeless once again and the heavens torn open from the outside, the gods finally saw a chance to escape the heavens and interact with the universe by themselves. Without hesitation, they seized that opportunity. However..." Aerialia sighed, "...no matter how close they came and how hard they tried to break out of the heavens through the gaping hole, they were still ultimately pulled back in, lacking enough strength to escape."
"After countless trials and failures, the torn hole in the heavens began to heal. It was at this moment that we realized the heavens were not only designed to trap us but also to keep us away from the universe. As all-powerful beings, accepting such a revelation was unimaginable."
"And so, as we searched for a way out of the heavens, we soon realized that the only path to freedom was relinquishing our primordial powers. Without our primordial powers, we would cease to be considered gods, and there would be no reason for the heavens to confine us."
"However, letting go of their powers seemed inconceivable for beings whose sole purpose for entering the universe was to interact with it. In pondering the steps to take, the gods stumbled upon a solution. Without hesitation, they embarked on creating their third race – or rather, the creation of the third races," Aerialia explained.
"We drew upon their experiences from creating the first and second races to create races that suited our desires individually. Although each race was unique and special, they were not designed to be as vast as the universe or confined within it. Instead, they were created to be a part of the universe."
"As such, we could not bestow upon them powers that would allow them to interact with the universe like the first and second races. Instead, the third races were each endowed with the potential to become even more powerful than the first and second races. The goal was for them to eventually attain the strength necessary to breach the heavens, similar to what the second race had accomplished.'
"Since they were not part of the heavens, they could enter and leave as they pleased. After the creation of the third races, the universes were partitioned into countless planes to allow each race to develop without being influenced by the others."
"After that, are you aware of what the gods did?" Aerialia asked Orion.
Orion shook his head in response.
"They utilized half of their primordial powers to prevent the torn hole in the heavens from healing, and the other half to end their own existence, leaving behind their essence to reincarnate into the bodies of the races they had created. As gods, they knew they would surely be able to return to their former place in heaven. However, it was easier said than done."
"Once all the gods departed from the heavens, it collapsed. With all the gods in their respective planes, no other gods were trapped inside, rendering its purpose useless."
