Chapter 556: I’ve returned
Jack’s consciousness abruptly returned to his physical form, the transition from the divine realm to a mortal vessel invariably accompanied by a period of disorientation as his perspective shifted from an eternal awareness to the constraints of a corporeal existence.
He opened his eyes to find Seraphina standing before him, her posture perfectly composed despite obvious concern radiating from her expression.
Her hands were clasped in front of her, fingers interlaced; she’d been waiting patiently but worriedly for some time.
"Young Master," She said it quietly, her voice showing professional concern that kept the right distance between a servant and a noble, even after all those years.
Her gaze followed his facial expressions, then briefly shifted to his injured arm before re-engaging with his eyes. "Are you... Should I summon a healer?"
"I’m fine," he stated, his tone carrying certainty despite the obvious severity of his condition. "It will be over shortly. I have a solution in progress."
Seraphina’s demeanor subtly altered, reflecting a blend of relief and apprehension.
She refrained from expressing dissent, acknowledging the impropriety of such an action given their professional relationship.
Instead, she executed a perfect curtsy, her movement carrying grace born from years of training in proper noble household protocol.
"As you say, Young Master," she replied, maintaining professional demeanor despite worry still visible in her eyes.
Then she turned and departed from the shrine, her footsteps fading as she made her way back toward the main estate.
Jack waited until her presence had completely withdrawn before opening the portal back to Floor 25.
The gateway stabilized quickly.
He proceeded without hesitation, departing from the Kaiser Estate’s shrine as he returned to his tower domain.
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Jack spent every waking hour on Floor 25, pushing his newly acquired fire affinity to its limits while his blackened arm grew progressively heavier.
The necrosis was advancing exactly as the System had warned.
Tissue becomes more rigid, weight increases, and cracks begin to appear in the transformed flesh, as pottery left too long in the kiln.
But he ignored the deterioration, focusing instead on mastering the element he’d gained through Emberion’s contract.
The Slag King’s presence in his soul space provided constant guidance, the dragon’s vast experience with fire manipulation translating into instruction that accelerated Jack’s learning beyond what simple practice could achieve.
’Your control is improving,’ Emberion observed during one session, his mental voice carrying satisfaction as Jack created a perfect circle of flames that rotated around his position without consuming oxygen or generating smoke.
’But you’re still thinking of fire as a separate force rather than an extension of your will. The flames should respond to intent, not conscious direction.’
Jack adjusted his approach, letting his desire shape the fire rather than manually controlling each flicker and curl.
The circle responded immediately, expanding outward before condensing into a tight sphere that hovered above his palm.
’Better,’ Emberion approved. ’Now try something more ambitious. Transform the ground beneath you into magma.’
Jack focused on the marble floor, channeling fire mana downward as Emberion suggested through their mental link.
The stone resisted at first, its molecular structure too stable to be transmuted by brute-force heat.
Then he remembered Sarin’s Judgment.
How the lightning-magma bolt had transformed everything it touched into slag through a combination of elements.
He added lightning to the mix, the electrical energy disrupting molecular bonds while fire provided transformative heat.
The marble began changing, its solid surface becoming viscous and glowing orange as it transitioned into a magma pool that spread outward from his position.
The transformation was meticulously managed, not volatile, with the liquefied stone maintaining its integrity and responding to Jack’s cognitive directives as he molded it into diverse forms.
’Excellent,’ Emberion’s satisfaction radiated through their bond. ’You’re beginning to understand elemental fusion on an instinctive level. This is the foundation for using Sarin’s techniques without killing yourself. learning to combine affinities that they function as a single unified force rather than separate powers operating in proximity.’
The training continued like this for five days, Jack pushing his fire manipulation through progressively more complex exercises while his arm deteriorated and the necrosis advanced toward the two-day deadline remaining before amputation would become necessary.
On the fifth day, Loryn returned.
The ancient mage materialized in the throne room without announcement, his gaunt features showing no signs of exhaustion after nearly a week spent searching the tower’s various floors for the God’s Blood tree.
Demons didn’t show the wear and tear that mortal beings did.
Their enhanced constitutions and connection to the tower’s corrupting energy enabled them to operate indefinitely without visible decline.
"Master," Loryn’s raspy voice carried across the chamber as Jack turned from his fire practice to face the ancient demon. "I’ve acquired the tree you requested."
Jack’s yellow and orange eyes tracked Loryn’s form, noting the small plant the mage held carefully in both hands.
The God’s Blood tree was tiny.
About two feet tall, its trunk no thicker than Jack’s wrist, four luminescent fruits hanging from branches that seemed almost too delicate to support their weight.
"Where did you find it?" Jack asked, his mind already processing implications of successful acquisition.
"A clan on the twentieth floor," Loryn responded, his discerning gaze fixed upon Jack’s countenance with a professional assessment.
"When I sent word about your requirements and the consequences of refusal, they responded immediately. Brought the tree to Floor 25’s border themselves, requested the audience to express their desire to submit to your rule formally."
Jack’s expression shifted slightly, intrigue bleeding through his usual tactical neutrality. "They wanted to submit willingly? Before any threats were actually carried out?"
"Yes," Loryn confirmed, something approaching approval flickering across his skeletal features. "They’ve heard stories about what you did to the Council members, about your capabilities and your growing influence throughout the tower. Rather than risk your displeasure, they chose to pledge loyalty and offer tribute before conflict became inevitable."
Jack processed this information with growing satisfaction.
Fear was a useful tool for controlling enemies, but was willing submission from entities who recognized his power and chose alliance over resistance?
That was the foundation for long-term authority.
"Prepare the tree," Jack commanded, his tone making clear this was an immediate priority. "Remove all the fruits and drain the sap into a bowl. I need the God’s Blood in concentrated liquid form."
Loryn nodded without questioning the strange request, his ancient experience with mystical processes making him an ideal assistant for this kind of preparation.
"It will take approximately an hour to extract properly. The sap needs to be drawn carefully to avoid contamination, and the fruits must be processed in a specific sequence to maximize yield."
"Do it," Jack confirmed. "And when you’re finished, bring the bowl to me in the throne room."
The ancient mage departed, carrying the small tree with careful precision as he made his way deeper into the castle toward his workspace.
Jack stood alone in the throne room, his blackened arm hanging at his side while cracks spread further through the necrotic tissue.
The weight was becoming almost unbearable, pulling at his shoulder joint with such force that maintaining proper posture required conscious effort, even with his enhanced constitution.
Two days remained before the seven-day deadline expired, and his arm separated from his body completely.
But...