SSS Awakening: Rebirth of the Strongest Vampire God Chapter 698 Surrounded?

"…I hate all of you," Kate announced, grabbing two handfuls of water right away and tossing them directly toward Phoenix.

Phoenix let out a sharp yelp when the icy water smacked her face. "Hey!" She choked out the word, her eyes flaring wide in shock for a brief instant, before her mouth twisted into a grin. "You asked for it."

She struck back without delay, launching a sparkling wave of water right at Kate. Ellora, who had been leaning back with a smug look against the side, didn't escape the assault. The water crashed into her chest squarely.

Ellora leisurely brushed the water off her face, her red eyes sharpening with a mix of peril and delight. "Oh? So that's how we're playing?" she murmured in a sugary tone.

In the very next instant, water erupted in all directions.

Ellora lifted herself a bit from the pool and unleashed a massive splash that soaked half the cavern. Mallana let out a little squeak and plunged beneath the surface to dodge the mayhem. Arya gasped in surprise as the water soaked her hair, then she stiffened before clumsily flinging back as much water as she could manage.

Sylvara let out a quiet sigh while drops settled on her shoulder. "…Immature," she whispered under her breath.

Moments later, with a quick snap of her wrist, she sent a sharp, forceful jet that nailed Ellora smack between the eyes.

Aurora, always eager to join in on the fun, submerged herself and resurfaced like a hunting siren right in their midst, blasting a huge fountain of water skyward that soaked the whole group. "No one gets away!" She laughed, striking out haphazardly in every direction, including at Erin, who sat motionless like a statue on the far side, lost in contemplation.

The grace of these elite women and battle-hardened fighters vanished in a flash. The cavern echoed with the sounds of splashing, chuckles, semi-serious cries, and teasing warnings as water surged over the rocks.

The whole grotto turned chaotic in mere moments, filled with the nude women splashing wildly. At that exact point, Erin rose abruptly, her body shifting into her enormous snake-like form. "We're not by ourselves. Enemies surround us. Get ready for battle."

As the women all rushed to call forth their weapons, multiple sets of red eyes materialized around them. Those crimson gazes kept multiplying, flickering to life across the rough walls and overhead ceiling of the grotto.

Right after, the shadows shifted, and the gentle, leathery beat of wings echoed through the space as scores—actually, hundreds—of bats peeled away from the gloom. Though they appeared as regular bats initially, faint trails of shadowy vapor seeped from their forms, lending an odd, enigmatic vibe.

The manner in which they hung inverted, observing everything in creepy quiet, proved deeply disturbing.

"They could just be nuisances, but we'd better eliminate them." Erin issued a deep hiss, her thick coils clenching while her scales toughened and started to shimmer softly with old symbols. The rest nodded in agreement with her view.

Yet Erin by herself could handle such a threat, so the others held off on further strikes. From her coils, Erin released a surge of toxic void power, a choking wave of dark-purple fog that spread out like something alive.

This assault ought to have wiped out the entire flock, yet astonishingly, the bats stood utterly unharmed the following moment. A strong blood shield formed around the group, fully repelling the onslaught.

Erin's expression shifted. Aurora responded without hesitation. These clearly weren't ordinary bats. Something suspicious was afoot. Dark wings unfurled from her back. In the blink of an eye, potent bolts of shadow fired from her, each targeting a bat.

To their surprise, even her shadow bolts, which could make a C-rank fighter break a sweat, failed to pierce the blood shield protecting these ordinary-looking beasts. Aurora clenched her jaw. She ramped up her strength even more, shadows swirling about her as she pulled in energy from the pool.

It seemed she was gearing up for a full-force blast. Before she could build it completely, a recognizable laugh rang out from the cavern's edges. Simultaneously, the bats shrieked and launched into flight, wings flapping furiously as they rushed upward.

This panicked the group further, with Phoenix and Meira both erupting into fire. Not only Aurora, but everyone looked set to unleash their ultimate moves. Prior to any strike landing, the flock stopped dead in the air, contorting oddly as the bats collided, their forms melting into fluid darkness and bloody vapor. The cluster tightened, reformed, and hardened into a lofty, recognizable outline hovering casually over the water.

"Ladies… relax… It's just me." Damon grinned as he appeared fully, his red eyes sparkling with hardly contained mirth. The heavy tension dissolved as though it had never been there, replaced by utter quiet shock. "Sorry, sorry, I didn't intend to scare you all. I only wanted to try the new ability and check its strength. Nothing more." He hurried to explain, raising his hands in apology while his red eyes still held traces of humor.

The sight of all the women standing bare with just their weapons gripped tightly and fierce looks on their faces, primed to explode, struck him as utterly hilarious.

"I'm pleased you're having fun, Damon." Kate advanced a step with clear menace. Her gaze tightened as an icy spark flickered in it.

She popped her knuckles, red specks of blood-glow collecting around her fingertips.

Damon coughed uncomfortably. "What if I make up for it by assisting you all further? Extra meridians?" He cleared his throat and proposed with open generosity.

The suggestion proved far too tempting to turn down, leaving the group content with the situation. They hadn't truly objected anyway. After all, Damon had already examined each of them completely.

Still, only Erin remained on edge. Her gaze stayed icy and detached, brimming with killing intent. "My liege… is that truly you? Maybe you ought to duel me to confirm it."

Damon laughed lightly. He had figured Aurora might detect it too, but Erin seemed a touch more seasoned than the bunch. "Calm down. No need for concern. This is me, yet not entirely the true version. It's my blood clone."

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