Leveling Up by Seducing Milfs-Chapter 109. Into The Nest

The ruins of an ancient demon temple spread out over a valley below them. The corruption had completely destroyed what had once been a beautiful building.

Black veins marred the landscape, spreading like a cancerous growth over everything. Deep within the ruins, the corruption radiated a sickly purple light. A dark mist rolled out of the doorway in ominous waves.

Abominations lurked around the edges of the ruins. Rick observed creatures that had once been animals or demons, now grotesque caricatures of their former selves.

Shadow constructs drifted among the ruins, resembling malevolent spirits. The corruption had even seized some demons, twisting their bodies into grotesque forms that moved with unsettling, jerky motions.

Rick said, "Fuck me."

"That’s how you feel?" Sebastian showed up on his shoulder. "Not ’maybe we should think about it again’ or ’this looks very dangerous’? ’Just fuck me?’"

Rick said, "That sums it up."

Natasha was already thinking about the situation in a strategic way. "The core is deep down."

"To get there and destroy the source, we’ll have to fight our way there."

"From here, it looks like there are at least fifty enemies."

"Thirty was the last report," Krell said. "And it was three days ago that the corruption spread quickly."

Carmilla holds her hilt hard. "We’ve been through worse."

"Have we, though?" Rick asked.

Carmilla said, "No, but we’re going to do it anyway."

Sebastian let out a big sigh. "There’s still time to use those emergency teleport scrolls and admit that this is too hard for you right now."

Rick said firmly, "Not happening."

"And can you fucking stop that?! Why are you being all desperate like that?"

"Don’t tell me this is one of those things that you try to make me fail as the hero."

Sebastian answered, "Eh. I don’t know. Just felt like it."

Krell’s team started to set up defensive positions about 100 meters from the entrance to the nest. They moved quickly and skillfully, making a barrier that would keep anything from getting out while staying far enough away to avoid getting caught up in the fighting.

Rick, Carmilla, and Natasha stood at the edge of the perimeter and looked down at the ruined buildings. The whispers were much louder here, and they could almost understand them.

Rick could see bits and pieces.

"Join us... power is eternal... no more pain... give up... become one with darkness..."

The words slithered through his mind like snakes covered in oil, searching for a place to land. Rick used his Unbreakable Willpower, and the whispers got weaker right away.

Vyra approached Rick unexpectedly, startling him to the point of nearly shocking him. "Oh, fuck—oh! It’s you..."

She reached into a pocket on her belt and pulled out a small bottle with a glowing green liquid inside. "Here."

Rick took it slowly. "What is that?"

"A potion that makes you less likely to be corrupt."

"Only for a short time, though, and maybe an hour. Who knows?"

"Don’t waste it." She looked at him with a strong gaze. "Don’t die in a dumb way."

"Fight to the death if you have to, but don’t listen to the whispers. That’s the dumb death."

Rick said, "Thanks," and he really meant it.

Vyra’s face stayed hard. "Don’t say thank you."

"Just show us demons that the humans are not weak."

"I’d like to see that at least once before the world ends."

[+5 AFFECTION: VYRA ASHENBLADE 1/10 → 6/10]

Rick blinked in surprise when the jump occurred suddenly. It appears that warrior demons really liked gestures of practical help.

"W-What the fuck...? Ain’t that go up too fast...?" Rick said in his mind.

Krell came closer, holding his war axe. "This is it."

"You three go in now and try to look for the core. After that, you three can try to get rid of it, and it’s done."

"It’s simple, isn’t it?" Krell smirks.

"Simple," Natasha said again, this time in a flat voice. "Oh yeah, it’s simple enough to fight through sixty corrupted monsters to get to a corruption source in the ruins of a demon temple."

"Glad you understand," Krell said, either missing or ignoring her sarcasm.

He turned to Rick. "The general is looking through a scrying crystal, so you better make it count to get her respect."

Rick said, "No pressure at all."

Carmilla put her hand on Rick’s shoulder. He could feel her strong will through their Unbreakable Bond.

"We’re going in together and fighting as a group so that we can survive together."

Natasha moved to stand beside him. "Formation of Bond Resonance."

’I’ll help with tactics and control of the area."

"Carmilla is in charge."

"Rick, you’re the center of our group. Use your new skills to plan our attacks."

Rick turned on Bond Resonance, and right away the strength of his network flowed through him. Carmilla’s protective flame, Natasha’s clear, cold light, Liora’s distant divine warmth, and Sylvia’s fierce dragon fire.

The four energies came together and made each other stronger, making something bigger than their own powers. The demon squad was clearly surprised to see auras appear around the three humans.

"Is that the bond network?" One demon grumbled. "Looks really impressive, not gonna lie."

"Looks don’t win fights," someone else said. "Let’s see if it works."

Rick, Carmilla, and Natasha started to walk toward the entrance to the nest. The mist of corruption got thicker around them, and the whispers got louder and more demanding. Even though it was hot outside the corruption’s reach, the temperature kept going down.

They reached the entrance to the ancient temple. Massive stone archways carved with demonic script loomed overhead, now covered in pulsing black veins. The corruption seemed almost alive, writhing slowly like breathing flesh.

Rick stopped at the door and turned around. Krell and his team were on the ridge, watching. Vyra stood a little apart from the others, her two swords drawn and ready to fight if any corrupted creatures tried to get past the barrier.

Rick said quietly, "This is it."

"We can’t go back once we go in."

"Then let’s not turn back without finishing our mission first," Carmilla said, drawing her sword and letting it glow faintly with her Guardian’s Resolve.

"Agreed," Natasha said, and frost started to form around her hands as she got ready to use her magic.

Rick took a deep breath and drank the potion that Vyra had made to protect him from corruption. It tasted like copper and fire, and it burned down his throat.

But right away, he felt a protective layer cover his mind and body until the whispers got even quieter. "Seems like the potion does the trick."

He could feel all four of his partners through his bond network. Carmilla and Natasha were next to him, ready to fight.

Liora was in Valdris, sending divine protection across the distance. And Sylvia was in the Northern Peaks, her presence serving as a burning promise that she would sense the moment he was in danger.

Rick said, "Okay," and turned on his Dragon’s Presence, which made his eyes glow with dragon power. "Let’s clean up this nest and engage those motherfuckers."

They stepped into the darkness.

The temperature plummeted immediately. The corruption was thicker here, almost tangible in the air.

Rick could barely see ten feet ahead through the dark mist. Their footsteps echoed unnaturally in the ruined temple, each sound repeating far longer than it should.

The whispers were all around them now, coming from all sides.

"Join us... become strong... eternal power... no more fear... embrace the darkness..."

Rick used his Tactical Mind ability, and all of a sudden the nest’s chaos made more sense. He could tell when things were moving, where they might be hiding, and how to work better with Carmilla and Natasha through their bonds.

"Movement ahead," Natasha said, and her frost magic formed protective walls around them. "More than one contact."

"I see six," Carmilla said, her heightened senses cutting through the dark. "Shadow constructs, and it’s all around us."

Rick could see them now. Six pairs of red eyes opened in the dark, floating in the fog like evil lanterns. The shadow constructs started to take shape, becoming vaguely human-like figures made of living darkness with claws that dripped corruption.

Sebastian appeared on Rick’s shoulder, and all three of them could see him now. "This is just as bad as I thought it would be."

"I’m going to haunt all of you in the afterlife if we die here."

Rick said, "Get in line. Sylvia already claimed it."

The shadow constructs moved together, attacking from all sides at once.

[WARNING: CORRUPTION DENSITY 85%]

[MENTAL RESISTANCE REQUIRED]

[BOND NETWORK STABILITY: MAINTAINING]

[COMBAT INITIATED]

As Carmilla activated Guardian’s Resolve, her sword glowed red. "Here we go!"

In a defensive formation, Natasha’s ice barriers blew outwards. "Formation defensive positions!"

Rick’s eyes changed completely into dragon-like ones, glowing with gold fire in the dark. "Let’s get rid of this fucking nest!"

The six shadow constructs attacked at the same time from all sides, their twisted claws reaching for living flesh to tear apart and eat.

And the fight for the heart of the corruption nest began.