Leveling Up by Seducing Milfs-Chapter 129. The Archon

The Corrupted Zork didn’t allow them to regroup. It moved with such speed that its massive clawed hand swept through a cluster of demon warriors as if they were mere paper.

Those demons were sent flying through the air, their blood splattering across the sand.

Zara threw herself at the creature that had once been her husband. With all her strength, she slashed its chest with her twin blades, which were wrapped in demonic fire. The blades really did cut through the corrupted flesh, drawing out black ichor.

Rick’s heart raced with hope for a moment.

Then the corrupted Zork picked Zara up off the ground with one huge hand and held her by the throat.

"ZARA!" Rick started to run, but he was too far away.

Zara saw the creature’s empty purple eyes staring at her. The mouth opened, and a voice that was both Zork’s and something much worse came out.

"How fucking sweet..."

"The wife tries to help her husband."

Even with the eyepatch on, Rick’s demon eye throbbed with pain. That voice—he recognized it, not for its words, but for the corrupted energy signature it carried. The Archon.

The mouth of the Corrupted Zork twisted into a smile that felt unsettling. "Can you hear me, little hero?"

"Little Rick Rolland?"

Rick collapsed to the ground, a chilling wave sweeping through his entire body. The creature continued to grip Zara by the throat, yet its gaze remained fixated solely on him.

"Yes, I can see you there... with the eye of my dear, departed friend." The Archon’s voice slithered through Zork’s shattered form, thick with mockery. "How generous of him."

"To give you such a gift before I took him away from you."

Carmilla and Natasha stood next to Rick with their weapons drawn. Rick could feel their fear and determination equally through their bonds.

"Who are you?" Rick yelled, his voice shaking even though he tried his best.

"Who am I, you ask?" The Archon laughed, and the sound made every demon in the training grounds stop what they were doing and feel scared. "I am the end of everything."

"I am the evil that will destroy this world and every other world."

"I am the end of your pathetic resistance."

The Archon’s corrupted body grew another foot taller as he fully felt his presence. "You thought you could bring the Seven Major Powers together?"

"You thought your small ties and affection with those mature women could save this dying world?"

The Archon’s laugh could be heard all over the camp. "I will fight every plan you make."

"I will ruin every victory you claim."

"For every step you take forward, I will put ten new problems in your way."

"Little hero, I’m playing a game you can’t win."

Carmilla’s hand on Rick’s shoulder brought him back to reality through their bond. Natasha’s cold presence in his mind helped him think more clearly. But even with their help, the Archon’s words were too much to bear.

"You’re curious how I knew where to strike, huh?" The Archon kept talking, still holding Zara like a toy.

"I can see everything. I have eyes everywhere, with spies in every court and corruption in every kingdom."

"Even now, as we speak, my forces are attacking Valdris, pressing against Liora’s defenses, poisoning the very foundations of your precious alliances."

The creature pointed at the demon army that had gathered with its free hand. "These demons? They will fall."

"The Queen of Dragons? She will fall because of the huge wave of those corruptions."

"The Elven Matriarch? Her forest is already dying, and it’s her job to stabilize it before this world turns into nothing but darkness!"

"What about the Witch Covens? They’re ripping themselves apart."

"The Ocean Empress? She was drowning in her own loneliness because she knew that when the corruption takes over the ocean, then there’s not even a chance to redeem that."

"And what about you...?" The Archon pushed Zork’s huge head down, and his purple eyes stared at Rick. "The Hero of Mature Hearts."

"You are just a pathetic excuse of a guy who dies by masturbating by seeing a lot of porn milf videos! A sad, weak person who got reincarnated and lucky with a system!"

"Do you think those affections will help you win?"

"You think your bonds make you strong?"

The corrupted hand gripped Zara’s throat even harder. She gasped, and her face turned purple.

"Let me show you how weak your strength really is."

The Archon released Zork’s body, and for a brief moment, Rick saw a spark of life return to the Demon King’s eyes as his body trembled. Zork struggled from within, fighting to prevent his own hand from crushing his wife’s throat.

Then the corruption came back with a vengeance. "NO MORE CHIT-CHAT!"

"WE FIGHT! TILL DEATH!!!" The corrupted Zork roared, revealing itself as a true monster this time.

No Archon, no brains—just primal rage and hunger. It tossed Zara aside like trash. She fell hard and didn’t get up right away, coughing and gasping for air.

The ground under the Corrupted Zork broke and cracked. The purple energy flowed out like blood from a cut. And from those cracks, evil creatures started to come out.

One, then ten, then hundreds. Wolves that were corrupted and had too many eyes. Serpents that are twisted and made of solidified darkness.

Big, grotesque demons that appeared to be stitched together from multiple dead bodies. Shadowy beings flickered in and out of reality.

The demon army had to fight not only their evil king but also a whole army of nightmares.

"Get into defensive positions!" Rylah yelled. "PROTECT THE CIVILIANS"

The training grounds went completely crazy with chaos and destruction.

Carmilla pulled Rick back as a corrupted wolf lunged at them. With one quick stroke, her sword cut off its head. "Rick! We have to go!"

Natasha was already casting, and ice was forming around her hands. "The army of corruption is coming into the camp!"

"We can’t stay here!"

Rick witnessed demon warriors clashing with corrupted creatures, the defensive lines crumbling under the relentless assault. The corrupted Zork lumbered through its own ranks, effortlessly dispatching three or four demons with each swipe of its massive claws.

Vyra came out of the crowd with her two swords already covered in blood. "Rick! The evacuation routes are full!"

"We need your orders!"

"W-What the fuck...?! Me...? Giving orders...?" Rick’s thoughts were racing. "I’m not—"

"Zork gives you the title Demon King!" Vyra grabbed his shoulder and looked at him with anger. "You’re the leader now!"

"Go ahead and lead us all to victory!"

Under the eyepatch, Rick’s demon eye throbbed, allowing him to perceive the flow of evil energy. He watched as creatures emerged from the cracks in reality, sensing their life force. He needed to identify the weak spots in their formations.

But just seeing wasn’t enough. Not against this.

"Sebastian!" Rick yelled in his head. "Any advice here would be fucking great!"

The chibi butler sat on his shoulder and didn’t say anything sarcastic for once. "The corruption is too strong."

"You’re only level 22 against a Demon King who was easily level 80 before corruption enhancement, even with all your bonds."

"You can’t win this fight."

"So what the fuck are we supposed to do here!?"

"You make it through! You keep as many demons safe as you can."

"And then you hope Sylvia gets here soon."

Rick gritted his teeth. Their only option was to stay alive. That was all they could do.

"Carmilla, Natasha!" Rick looked at his bonded partners. "We need to focus on getting those demons out."

"Get the non-combatants out of here!"

"What about you?" Carmilla asked.

"I’m going to help Zara beat Zork. While you leave, someone needs to keep him busy."

"That’s suicide—oh my gods, not this again!" Natasha knew immediately what Rick’s plan was. "You saw what he did to Zara!"

"He’ll kill you in a matter of seconds!"

"Then I’ll live for those seconds!" Rick took off the eyepatch even though it made his senses go crazy right away.

"Vyra! With me! We’re going to fight the Corrupted Zork!"

Vyra’s face broke into a fierce smile. "At last! A real fight!"

They ran toward the huge, corrupted shape that was killing off the demon army. There were fights going on all around them.

Demon warriors fought fiercely against the corrupted creatures. Their attacks shattered magical barriers, and blood mixed with ichor stained the sand.

Zara had recovered enough to rejoin the battle. She swung her two swords at the Corrupted Zork’s legs, aiming to sever them, but each strike she landed healed almost instantly, thanks to the corrupting energy that bound the flesh together.

"Zara!" Rick came to a stop next to her. "We need a plan!"

"The plan is to kill it before it kills us!" Zara’s voice was rough from crying and being frustrated.

"That’s all we have!"