Morpheus wasn't more formidable than Medea because his knowledge was deeper.
It was simply because he was stronger.
Using the same magecraft, Medea could casually unleash dozens of magic bolts, while Morpheus could release hundreds, even thousands.
Medea could summon a hundred Dragon Tooth Soldiers, but Morpheus could conjure thousands, tens of thousands.
That was why he surpassed her.
Moreover, spells that required preparation for Medea, Morpheus could cast effortlessly.
That was the true reason he was more terrifying.
Through studying magecraft, Morpheus's mastery of his powers reached an astonishing level.
No longer did he wield his strength like a brute, relying on sheer force.
Now, he controlled it with finesse.
But that wasn't his greatest progress. His most significant achievement over the past six months in the Light Dimension was the rapid advancement of his relationship with Medea.
Spending half a year together, day in and day out, teaching and learning, it was hard for their bond not to grow.
Though they hadn't yet broken through that final barrier, Morpheus could see it in Medea's eyes—she was drawn to him.
He was certain that, if he wanted, he could easily take their relationship further.
But he held back. He knew his ambitions wouldn't allow him to be with just one woman.
Until Medea fully accepted that reality, he wouldn't push to claim her completely.
He'd take it slow, like boiling a frog in warm water, letting her gradually come to terms with it.
If she couldn't accept it, Morpheus wouldn't force her.
They could maintain a professional relationship—Boss and subordinate.
Medea was aware of this too, which was why she hadn't confronted him outright.
They both tacitly avoided the topic, leaving it for another day.
Back in the real world, Morpheus found Paracelsus and asked, "Any progress on creating an antidote or counteragent for the virus?"
Paracelsus shook his head. "I only got access to the Blacklight Virus today. I don't have a clear path yet—I'll need time to study it."
"How long?"
Paracelsus replied, "It could take a few years."
Morpheus said, "I can send you to my dimension and adjust the time flow. One hour in the real world could be a year there. But won't you get lonely?"
Paracelsus smiled. "The Throne of Heroes isn't as lively as you might think, Boss. Loneliness doesn't bother me. With such an intriguing virus to study, I'm actually thrilled."
Morpheus could tell Paracelsus wasn't lying—his eyes sparkled with eagerness.
"Excellent."
Morpheus nodded, sending Paracelsus, the Blacklight Virus, and all necessary data and equipment into the Light Dimension, quietly adjusting the time flow.
One hour later, Paracelsus had spent a year in the Light Dimension.
His research on the Blacklight Virus surged forward.
Two hours later, two years had passed for Paracelsus.
The research hit a bottleneck.
Three hours later, three years in the Light Dimension.
Progress slowed to a crawl.
Several more hours passed in the blink of an eye.
Paracelsus spent year after year in the Light Dimension, trying countless methods.
Morpheus occasionally entered to offer assistance.
By the next morning, Paracelsus had spent over a decade in the Light Dimension.
In that time, he transformed from an alchemist into a skilled virologist.
His understanding of the Blacklight Virus reached an almost unbelievable depth.
He even developed several derivative viruses based on it.
To put it bluntly, Paracelsus had mastered the Blacklight Virus completely, creating both an antidote and a counteragent, and even achieving mass production.
But that wasn't what thrilled Morpheus the most.
What excited him was that Paracelsus had perfected the Blacklight Virus.
No—it wasn't a virus anymore.
It was the Blacklight Serum.
Those who took the serum would gain a lifespan of about three hundred years and a pseudo-immortal body.
What did that mean? Even if their head was severed, it could be reattached. A pierced heart could regrow.
But if their body was completely destroyed, they'd still die.
That was the pseudo-immortal body.
True immortality was conceptual—surviving even if reduced to ash.
Compared to that, the Blacklight Serum's immortality was merely pseudo.
Additionally, the serum could absorb and assimilate other viruses.
Those who took it could neutralize the Progenitor Virus, Vampire Virus, or any other, turning them into nourishment without fear of infection.
The downside? The serum's production was limited, making global distribution impossible.
A critical component was Morpheus's cells.
As mentioned before, beyond being a Dimension Lord, Morpheus's body was that of an Ajin, capable of dying and reviving.
Paracelsus had used Morpheus's cells, fused with the Blacklight Virus, to create this potent serum.
Mass production was out of the question, but it could serve as a perk for his followers.
Of course, his followers didn't need the serum.
Morpheus's Light Power was far superior to any serum.
What the serum could do, his Light Power could do better.
But his followers could use it to trade with others or recruit allies.
So far, Morpheus's followers didn't seem particularly ambitious.
But ambition could be nurtured.
And he might take on more ambitious followers in the future.
Thus, the Blacklight Serum was perfect for cultivating subordinates or forging alliances.
For creating the serum, Morpheus didn't hold back on rewarding Paracelsus, using his potent Light Power to enhance him significantly.
***
Bonus Chapter:
100 Power Stones = 1 BC
300 Power Stones = 2 BC
500 Power Stones = 3 BC
700 Power Stones = 4 BC
1000 Power Stones = 5 BC
***
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