SSS Awakening: Rebirth of the Strongest Vampire God Chapter 680 Should I intervene?

The quiet of the clearing faded after several hours as the group began to return, seeking a brief intermission before their training continued.

Aurora, Kate, and Lirae were the first to emerge from the woods. "Lunch is served!" Aurora declared with pride. She withdrew the carcass of a massive, mutated stag from her inventory; the creature possessed six eyes and jagged bone protrusions along its spine. It landed with a resonant thud, splitting a rock beneath its weight.

"Mother, have you ever prepared a beast like this? The experience and skill points from cooking this meat should be incredible!" Aurora said, her face lighting up.

Damon’s mother stood motionless, looking as though she had been handed a ticking explosive. Her gaze swept over the grotesque pile of muscle, fixating on the extra eyes and the serrated antlers that remained menacing even in death.

Swallowing hard, she managed to say, "I… No, dear. I have never cooked… that."

Standing behind her, Damon’s father muttered under his breath, "It looks like it could still jump up…"

Noticing the hesitation, Kate quickly stepped in. "I can assist with the butchering and cleaning, mother. I also brought some different beast meat for you."

Relief washed over Damon’s mother at the offer. However, a moment later, Kate reached into her own inventory with the nonchalance of someone grabbing groceries and dropped a second carcass next to the first. This creature resembled a giant boar, featuring tusks of crystallized mana and a hide that looked like reinforced armor.

The impact made the ground tremble. Damon’s mother retreated a step, while his father moved back two.

Aurora clapped her hands. "Excellent! Now we have both a beginner-level and an intermediate-level monster to practice our cooking on!"

"Beginner?" Damon’s mother echoed, her eyes wide as she stared at the six-eyed monstrosity.

Aurora gave a knowledgeable nod. "I hardly had to use any Qi to take it down, mother."

Lirae, who had been watching in silence, stepped forward with a serious air. "I also bring a tribute." From her inventory, she produced a delicately wrapped bundle and set it beside the other kills.

As it was unwrapped, it revealed a third beast: a sleek, panther-like hunter with three tails and veins that glowed a dull red.

A small, high-pitched sound escaped Damon’s mother.

"…I think the fur is still twitching," Damon’s father whispered.

Lirae bowed. "The blood remains warm, as its heart stopped only moments ago. The flavor will be at its absolute peak."

Covering her mouth, Damon’s mother nodded weakly. "Y-yes… extremely… fresh."

Aurora leaned in, smiling brightly. "How can I help, mother? What should I slice first? Do you want the meat prepped or the vegetables?"

Kate stepped up eagerly, her hands beginning to glow with a faint mana light, looking more like a surgeon than a cook. "Mother, I can tenderize the flesh, slice it, or extract the blood. Just give the word."

"I am capable of deboning it," Lirae added, her expression full of anticipation.

Aurora bounced on her toes like a student desperate to be called on by a teacher. "And I can handle the chopping! The vegetables, the monster, the spices—anything you need!"

Damon’s mother looked between the three women. Aurora was vibrating with a sort of murderous joy, Kate held a shimmering blade of blood like a master butcher, and Lirae looked ready to perform a sacred ritual.

She swallowed repeatedly. She was accustomed to Georgina, who had no interest in the kitchen and would likely burn rice before blaming the pot for being temperamental.

Getting Georgina into the kitchen usually required a heated debate.

This, however, was the total opposite. Three incredibly powerful and intimidating women were staring at her with stars in their eyes, waiting for her commands. Did they truly want to assist her? She couldn't wrap her head around it.

She cast a desperate look toward Damon, but he had strategically retreated, pretending to be deeply interested in a nearby tree. His mother’s eye began to twitch.

"Mother, tell me what to do! I want to be useful!" Aurora urged.

Kate nodded in agreement. "Please, give us your instructions. We are prepared."

Lirae bowed low. "Command us, elder matriarch."

Damon’s mother nearly choked. His father approached her slowly, resting a steadying hand on her shoulder. "Honey…" he said softly, "just relax and go with it. Don't overthink things."

She immediately shot him a fierce glare. She was certain he was enjoying her predicament, and she refused to give him the satisfaction.

Straightening her posture, she wiped her hands on her apron and forced a smile born of survival instinct. "O-Okay… let’s start by taking small slices of meat. I need to determine which dish suits each beast best." The three women beamed as if they had just received a divine blessing.

"Yes, Mother!"

"Yes, ma'am!"

"As you command, Matriarch."

The word 'Matriarch' made her freeze again, but before she could object, the trio sprang into action.

Aurora, wearing a grin that was far too bright for someone standing over a corpse, summoned a black cleaver vibrating with dark mana. "Small slices! I understand! I shall produce the most flawless slices in existence." She raised the blade with dramatic flair and began.

Kate started on her beast using a thin, sharp blade made of blood.

Lirae approached the panther with a sense of ceremony, her hands glowing with crimson sigils. "I will extract the bones without damaging a single vessel. The marrow contains essence that must not be wasted." She bowed to the carcass. "May your strength provide nourishment for our family."

Damon’s father coughed. "Why does it sound like a funeral service?"

Damon’s mother was too overwhelmed to respond, watching three different weaponized butchering techniques happen at once. All three women were looking at her as if she were a legendary master chef.

She could only throw helpless glances at her son, who continued to ignore her.

Damon chuckled softly. "Maybe I should step in…" he whispered, though he did nothing, choosing to procrastinate. When he finally looked back a few minutes later, the atmosphere had shifted entirely.

Damon blinked in surprise. The awkward tension had evaporated.

Aurora was now kneeling by his mother, using a gentle breeze to fan the fire. Kate was meticulously placing meat onto a flat stone heated by magic, and Lirae was stirring a pot with a wooden spoon, her face solemn as if she were brewing a potent elixir.

In the center of it all, Damon’s mother sat amidst the prepared ingredients, barking out orders like she had been training them for years.

"Kate, those slices for the stew need to be thinner. That part is too tough."

"Yes, Mother," Kate replied, instantly adjusting her work.

"Aurora, keep that flame consistent. Don't let it burn."

"Understood! Perfect heat!" Aurora chirped, obeying immediately.

"Lirae, stir slower. You're letting the spices bloom too fast."

Lirae bowed her head. "My apologies, Matri… I mean, Mother."

Damon’s mother nodded with approval, tossing herbs into the pot with the confidence of a professional. She looked genuinely proud, having successfully tamed three apex predators into kitchen staff.

"She actually looks… happy," Damon noted.

"Of course she is. Look at her checking her interface," his father said, his voice tinged with envy. He shook his head. "She must be racking up skill points. At this rate, she’ll leave me in the dust and become some high-level powerhouse just to boss me around. Hmph. That woman always has the best luck!"

Damon stood there, stunned. Only moments ago, she looked ready to faint, and now she was leading a masterclass in cooking. His father smirked at his confusion. "Your mother is a quick learner."