The Underworld Daoist's words plunged Raphael into thought once more.
So many of this universe's rules were actually aimed at humanity?
The Underworld Daoist again gave Raphael a dozen or so seconds to think before continuing, "Do you remember the wills we spoke of before, hidden in humanity's collective consciousness, which once fought against this universe's Great Old Ones?"
Raphael nodded. "Of course I remember."
"According to what the Celestial Master learned from the Knowledge Moor," the Underworld Daoist said, "after the Great Old Ones split off from the Oldest One in various ways, the sefirot and Beyonder characteristics immediately began attracting one another.
"The Oldest One was already asleep at the time. To avoid being drawn back into the Oldest One, the Great Old Ones each severed a portion of their characteristics and authorities, deceiving the laws of Beyonder characteristics. They managed to escape into the depths of the universe and hide, thus avoiding converging with the Oldest One again.
"Because the Mother Goddess of Depravity was the first to think of this method, and the first to sever her characteristics, those characteristics soon developed a degree of consciousness.
"They were the source of all intelligent life-"
Raphael suddenly chuckled, recalling a similar story the Oldest One had told him before.
In that story, however, the Great Old Ones had felt the universe was too barren and had willingly created humanity, each "contributing" a portion of their own power.
Raphael thought, And I actually fucking believed it! I should have known those sons of bitches wouldn't be that kind.
The Underworld Daoist continued, "The first intelligent beings had a very high ceiling. If my deductions are correct, even without proper methods such as potions, becoming a Great Old One should have been easier than it is now.
"Humans belonged