On the other side, after leaving Totsuki Academy with Saeko, Morpheus quickly returned to the Umbrella Corporation's Tokyo branch.
This time, he was here to investigate the facility.
Stealth wasn't exactly Morpheus's forte, but as an Extra-Dimensional Demon and Dimension Lord, he had plenty of ways to enter the building without being noticed.
Even with Saeko in tow, it was no issue.
He manipulated the surrounding light, creating an invisibility effect, and strolled into the Umbrella Corporation's Tokyo branch with Saeko, bold as brass.
This invisibility was thorough—not just their forms but their footsteps and voices were cloaked as well.
No one would detect them.
So, Morpheus walked in with complete confidence.
Saeko, following close behind, marveled at the feat, finding it almost unbelievable.
"Lord Morpheus, where do we start?"
Morpheus thought for a moment. "Let's begin with the researchers."
If the biochemical crisis was indeed orchestrated by Umbrella, the researchers would likely know the details.
With that, Morpheus led Saeko through the sprawling Umbrella facility, soon arriving at the research department.
The labs were spotless, not a speck of dust in sight.
Everyone wore pristine white coats, looking every bit the part.
Morpheus waited until one researcher headed to the restroom, then knocked him out with a single strike. Using his formidable mental powers, he forcibly read the man's memories.
John Smith—a typical Western name.
A dime-a-dozen one, at that.
A level-two researcher at Umbrella's Tokyo branch.
His specialty: viruses.
Not biochemical viruses, but HIV, with dreams of conquering the disease and saving humanity from its clutches.
Quite the idealist.
But that was the John Smith of his university days.
The real world was a crucible, and once you were thrown in, only the heavens knew what you'd become.
After graduating, John Smith dove headfirst into society with naive idealism and was quickly tainted.
His fall was so rapid it was staggering.
Within a year of graduation, he'd become a jaded, morally bankrupt veteran, a far cry from his university self. If Morpheus hadn't read his memories, he might've thought the man had been possessed.
The transformation was that dramatic, with not even a hint of resistance.
Three years after graduating, he caught the eye of Umbrella. They bought him off, and he leaked his institute's secrets, causing its downfall.
Umbrella acquired the institute, and John Smith, as a key contributor, was promoted to a level-two researcher.
His annual salary exceeded five hundred thousand dollars—a true high-earner.
Though his methods were despicable and his character vile, his expertise was undeniable. He was a rare talent.
So, when Umbrella discovered a peculiar virus, they gathered a team of researchers to analyze and study it.
John Smith was naturally among them.
In his memories, this unique virus was called the Progenitor Virus. It could enhance human abilities and extend lifespans.
But its side effects were severe, and few could withstand them.
To mitigate the Progenitor Virus's dangers, Umbrella conducted extensive research.
This included using supernatural powers to suppress its side effects.
And even a strategy of fighting poison with poison.
What did that mean? They injected the Progenitor Virus with another virus, letting the two battle it out to evolve into something new.
The hope was for a benign mutation.
So, Umbrella's team introduced the Vampire Virus to the Progenitor Virus.
The so-called Vampire Virus was derived from vampire blood.
Once humans were infected with it, they'd become the lowest tier of… Ghouls.
Hence, it was also called the Ghoul Virus.
But "Ghoul Virus" Sounded too crude, and since it was extracted from vampires most preferred to call it the Vampire Virus.
When the Vampire Virus was injected into the Progenitor Virus, it triggered a mutation.
Not a benign one, however.
It was a terrifyingly malignant mutation.
This mutation birthed an entirely new virus, which Umbrella dubbed… the Blacklight Virus.
When Morpheus read this in John Smith's memories, he was floored.
Seriously? The Blacklight Virus?
Wasn't that the virus from Prototype?
Don't tell him this world had stitched in the Prototype game too.
But something wasn't right.
Morpheus was fairly familiar with the Blacklight Virus's origins, having played Prototype back in the day.
The Blacklight Virus's story began in 1962 in the United States, when the Department of Defense and its Advanced Research Projects Agency secretly formed a special unit called… Blackwatch.
Their mission was to use biochemical warfare to counter all threats to the U.S., both domestic and foreign, with all operations classified.
In 1963, Blackwatch researchers discovered a virus.
Experiments on primates showed that, through DNA fusion, the virus could significantly enhance a subject's intelligence, strength, and other physical attributes at the genetic level.
They named it Redlight, the precursor to the Blacklight Virus.
This led to the launch of Project Redlight.
In 1963, the Blacklight Project officially began. Blackwatch established a small town in Idaho called Hope, relocating the families of deceased soldiers there.
They claimed it was a testing ground for simulating human settlements post-nuclear war, but the families were unaware of the true experiment.
Blackwatch injected the residents with the virus, which initially seemed to have no effect.
In 1965, the first baby was born in Hope. The virus injected into the parents had mutated in the infant, but it appeared to have no impact.
However, in August 1968, everything changed. A disease suddenly swept through Hope, and Blackwatch sealed off the town. Nearly seventy percent of the residents were infected, and the rest were left to die in isolation.
After nearly a year of hellish conditions, by July 1969, all but one of Hope's over four hundred residents were dead.
The sole survivor, Elizabeth Greene, was pregnant when found.
Blackwatch launched a cleanup operation, taking Elizabeth Greene away and leveling Hope with a nuclear strike.
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Hi guys, Elenea here! I just want to announce that starting now I'll be trying to focus on my own original fanfic, which I've been thinking about for the past few days (lol I really mulled this over briefly for a few days and decided I'm going to make it a full novel).
[Worse Than the Devil (DxD)]
Synopsis:
Devil.
An evil and chaotic creature, born from hell, which are often a scapegoat for humans. Blamed for the atrocities they themselves commit.
"The devil made me do it."
A phrase always uttered by humans after committing crimes, casting blame and responsibility for their wrongdoings onto the devil.
But not all humans are like that, for there is one man who would gleefully commit atrocities that would be condemned by all of human history and accept the blame and responsibility for those wrongs with open arms.
His name is Michael, but in stark contrast to the meaning of his name 'Who is like God' he is not a devout man who draws near to God's embrace. Instead… he is the one who sends lost sheep to meet God's embrace much faster.
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Btw, a quick note before you decide to read, if you have a heart as pure as glass, I suggest you don't read this because it REALLY gets dark to early. The first chapter will give you a little idea of what I might explore later on in this fanservice harem-themed world like DxD.
Adios!