I Died and Became a Noble's Heir

Chapter 518 518: Elemental Immunity

Ren went perfectly still, every muscle in his body locking as if someone had frozen him mid-motion.

His star-bright eyes blazed brighter, power flooding outward in waves that made reality itself seem to strain.

The temperature dropped twenty degrees instantly. Frost spread across glowing grass in patterns that looked like cracks in reality.

The eternal sunset dimmed as if recoiling from Ren's sudden spike in killing intent.

"Where," Ren's voice was barely above a whisper but carried the weight of three hundred years of accumulated rage. "Where is he?"

His hands clenched into fists so tight that his knuckles cracked audibly. "Tell me where this friend is. Tell me NOW!"

The bloodlust radiating from Ren's form became visible. There was a thick red aura that distorted the air, making breathing difficult for anyone within fifty feet. Loryn stumbled backward, his power insufficient to withstand the sheer pressure of Ren's fury.

Even Emberion shifted his massive bulk slightly, recognizing that the ancient hero had just been handed information that transcended simple anger into something apocalyptic.

Jack's lips curved into a slight smile despite his injuries, despite the blood still pouring from his wrist.

"He's on the other side of my portal," Jack replied, his tone carrying satisfaction. "Waiting for me to return. Along with his partner."

He met Ren's blazing gaze directly. "I have a plan. And if it works the way I think it will..."

Jack paused, letting tension build.

"You'll get to have your fun with Warren."

The name hit Ren like a blade through his heart.

Warren.

One of the seven who'd betrayed him.

One of the champions who'd bound themselves to spirits and used that combined power to weaken him, to make him vulnerable to the curse that had cast him into this prison.

Warren, who'd been twenty-four when he'd helped orchestrate Ren's downfall, who'd laughed as the ancient hero was torn from reality and hurled into Tartarus Spire.

Warren, whom Ren had spent three hundred years fantasizing about killing in increasingly creative ways.

The ancient hero's laugh was like breaking ice, sharp and filled with vindication that transcended sanity.

"Warren," Ren breathed the name like a curse. "Warren is RIGHT THERE. Within my reach."

His star-bright eyes tracked Jack with newfound intensity. "You've brought me one of my betrayers. You've delivered vengeance I've waited centuries to claim."

Power flooded Ren's form, his purple armor beginning to glow as his power threatened to surge from sheer emotion.

"Tell me your plan," Ren demanded, his voice still carrying that edge of barely-controlled fury. "Tell me how I can get my hands on that traitorous bastard."

Emberion watched the exchange with fascination, his molten eyes tracking between Jack and Ren, as if observing a fascinating experiment.

The Iron Soot Clan Leader chose that moment to approach, his eight-foot frame carrying something wrapped in dark cloth.

The massive gray demon bowed respectfully before extending his burden toward Jack.

"Master," the Clan Leader's voice rumbled like grinding stone. "The prototype is ready."

Jack's remaining hand moved toward the wrapped object, but before he could accept it, Emberion's voice cut across the courtyard.

"Stop."

The single word carried enough weight that everyone froze. The magma dragon's attention focused entirely on the wrapped weapon, his enhanced perception seeing through the cloth to whatever lay beneath.

"You shouldn't use that weapon yet," Emberion stated, his tone brooking no argument. "It's not complete. If you deploy it now and the Council learns what it can do, they'll develop countermeasures. They'll have plans ready for the next time they attack you."

The dragon's molten eyes fixed on Jack with intensity that made the air shimmer. "What is your plan? How do you intend to deal with enemies that are beyond what you can currently handle?"

Jack's golden eyes met Emberion's gaze directly, and his lips curved into a smile that carried dark confidence.

"Simple," Jack replied, his voice steady despite blood loss and pain. "I'll just become immune to fire. Then one Council member won't be able to do anything to me."

The statement hung in the air for three full seconds.

Then a full-throated roaring tremor escaped his lips that shook the ground beneath their feet.

The magma dragon's mirth was seismic, making the castle walls vibrate and sending tremors through Floor 25's foundation.

Birds scattered from distant trees. Lesser demons cowered in their hiding places. The very air seemed to compress from the force of Emberion's laughter.

"IMMUNE TO FIRE!" The dragon's voice boomed across the landscape. "You claim you can simply BECOME IMMUNE to an entire element! The sheer AUDACITY of that statement!"

Emberion's laughter continued for perhaps twenty seconds, genuine amusement mixed with disbelief at the boldness of Jack's claim.

Finally, the dragon's mirth subsided enough for speech, though his molten eyes still gleamed with humor.

"If you could actually do that," Emberion said, his tone carrying challenge wrapped in dark interest, "if you could truly make yourself immune to fire magic, I would sign a contract with you right now."

The offer was significant. Emberion was Emperor-class. One step below Tyrant, the strongest classification in existence. Binding an entity of that level would dramatically elevate Jack's capabilities.

But the dragon clearly believed the claim was impossible, that Jack was either delusional from blood loss or engaging in wishful thinking born from desperation.

Jack's smile widened slightly.

His remaining hand resumed moving through the System interface, fingers dancing through invisible menus with renewed focus.

Loryn watched his young master work, confusion evident in his ancient features.

Ren's attention remained divided between Jack's actions and the portal that would eventually lead to Warren.

Emberion settled into a more comfortable position, clearly prepared to watch this impossible claim fail spectacularly.

The System responded to Jack's commands, windows cascading through his vision as he navigated toward specific menus.

His enhanced mental processing speed allowed rapid scanning through options that would have taken normal users hours to examine properly.

[Death Tokens: 38,087,250]

[Skill Points: 1,650]

[Dread Cores: 7,461]

[Nightmare Cores: 3,762]

Jack's fingers tapped through conversion protocols, accessing functions that most Soul Wardens never discovered existed.

[Convert Cores to Skill Points?]

[Dread Cores (7,461) = 29,844 Skill Points (Exchange Rate: 1:4.]

[Nightmare Cores (2,500) = 22,500 Skill Points (Exchange Rate: 1:9)]

[Total Skill Points Gained: 52,344]

His finger pressed the confirmation.

[Conversion Complete]

[Skill Points: 1,650 → 53,994]

The notification appeared in Jack's vision, accompanied by the familiar sensation of energy flooding his awareness.

'This system is so perfectly suited to the Soul Warden class,' Jack thought, a sincere expression of appreciation illuminated his face.

'Having creatures that can slay monsters for me, that generate cores I can convert to experience, skill points, or stat points. Without the System, managing this would be nearly impossible.'

He navigated deeper into skill trees, searching for somethinf specific.

The interface responded to mental commands as much as to physical gestures, shifting and rearranging windows based on his intent.

[Elemental Immunity (Unique Skill Tree)]

[First Purchase: 50,000 Skill Points]

[Select Element: Fire, Water, Earth, Wind, Lightning, Dark, Light]

[Warning: This is a permanent physiological change. Cannot be reversed.]

Jack's finger hovered over the Fire option for two seconds, his mind racing at the thought of revenge.