Earth's Greatest Magus

Though the realm of Tartarus had always stood tall in magical might, it had long neglected the systematic rigor of scientific research.

And in this oversight lay their current vulnerability.

Despite facing a mysterious infestation for over two years, their scholars had uncovered only fragments of truth. Emery, pouring over dusty parchments, bound spirit tablets, and scattered alchemical notes, could only sigh at the inefficiency.

They had called them Scourge Parasites—a name whispered with dread across the war-torn fronts. From what little was gathered, the parasites spread in the form of tiny, nearly invisible eggs, released into the air during moments of battle. These cursed seeds floated like ash, finding new hosts wherever the veil between worlds thinned. The air itself became a threat.

However, the parasites could not survive long outside a host, and even less so in foreign realms.

The conclusion was clear: only those who had fought or walked among the corrupted battlegrounds were at true risk.

The incubation process came in three distinct stages.

The first was the Dormant Ovum Phase—undetectable eggs that entered through breath, open wounds, or spirit channels, quietly embedding themselves beneath the skin or soul shell. Then came the Larval Seeding Phase, when the egg hatched into a wriggling, threadlike soulworm that tunneled through the victim’s body, devouring both essence and energy. And finally, the Cerebral Bloom Phase—a terrifying transformation where the parasite matured and seized control of the host’s body and soul, reducing once-mighty warriors into mindless husks puppeteered by alien instincts.

The timeline between infection and full takeover varied. Lesser Magus fell in a matter of days or weeks. High-tier cosmic experts, protected by their powerful soul defenses, might last years. But eventually, all succumbed.

Emery leaned closer to the illuminated glass that housed a dissected worm in preservation fluid. He could see its translucent body, twitching even without spirit energy, its many hook-like appendages still clinging to imaginary hosts. He reviewed both the Pardera Kingdom’s files and confidential Celestial database entries—cross-checking spirit wavelengths, etheric patterns, and temporal development records.

It didn’t take long to identify the most damning truth.

The parasites grew faster in Tartarus realm.

Their internal gestation time shortened drastically, and in some cases, warriors had fallen under full control within mere days of contact. Worse still, the local researchers had no reliable method to detect the parasite in its early stages. Their most skilled spirit masters and high-rank alchemists could only sense the parasite after it had hatched—when its resonance began interfering with the host’s own spirit aura.

Too late.

That explained the surge in reports. The infection was spreading like a silent plague. Emery’s best estimate suggested thousands of Tartarus warriors were already compromised—walking with worms inside them, unaware that their fate was sealed.

“This is real bad,” he muttered under his breath.

There were two primary objectives when dealing with the Scourge. First was prevention—to find a method of early detection and neutralize the parasite before it bloomed. Second was the cure—to cleanse or extract the fully matured parasite without destroying the host’s body or shattering their soul core. Both were incredibly difficult.

The Magus Universe, luckily, had inherited remnants of the Celestials’ older research. Several alchemical concoctions—such as Astral Leech Elixir, Soul-Ward Incense, and Exspira Draught—were known to delay or kill early-stage larvae. But even those weren’t reliable anymore. The parasites mutated depending on the host’s race, realm, and soul composition.

Even with what little resources he had in the fortress laboratory, Emery knew he needed more samples. The parasite fragment in front of him wasn’t enough. He needed a larger pool—infected hosts at every stage of infestation. Only then could he create a working detection method or modify one of the existing treatments.

He glanced around the cramped lab, its shelves lined with dusty reagents and chipped instruments. “Damn, this’ll take a long time…”

Yet time was the one luxury they didn’t have. To complicate matters further, Emery couldn’t openly share the knowledge he’d drawn from the Celestial databanks. Doing so would not only expose his origins.

He returned to the records of infected individuals, scrolling through the list provided. Hundreds of Tartarus were currently being held in containment chambers across the seven fortified strongholds. Some were in the larval stage; others were already controlled.

But as he read, a disturbing realization dawned on him. Not a single name on the list was from beyond Tartarus.

“Where are the travelers?” he murmured.

According to intelligence, dozens of travelers had been detained in recent months. Yet none of them were listed among the infected. That couldn’t be right.

Suspicion flared. Someone was withholding information.

He subtly passed his findings to Gelael, the Ember Sage, knowing the man had no patience for politics. True to form, the fiery alchemist erupted with anger when he was told some records were off-limits.

“How can we help if you’re hiding critical data from us?!”

Under pressure, the truth surfaced. Another sealed report was delivered—containing twenty names. They were travelers. Cosmic-ranked experts and rogue forces from other realms. All were infected or suspected of being infected and were kept under strict containment.

Two of the names were particularly shocking; they were supreme figures, and among them was Rosin Karat, the leader of the Karat faction.

Emery let out a breath; a plan formed in his mind.

During the next meeting, Emery carefully stepped forward. With measured words, he presented his findings—just enough to gain their trust, not suspicion.

“I believe I can develop a detection method,” he said. “But I will require access to certain subjects for controlled resonance analysis. Full soul-mapping and blood essence testing. If permitted, I may be able to synthesize an adaptive solution.”

The warmaster, standing tall beside the war council, studied his request carefully. “These… subjects. You mean the travelers?”

Emery nodded. “Yes. The unique resonance of non-native hosts may hold the key.”

There was a pause, a flicker of doubt—but Emery’s recent success, particularly the completion and creation of the Tier 8 pills, ultimately led to a nod of approval.