SSS Awakening: Rebirth of the Strongest Vampire God Chapter 704 Can’t I come to visit my sexy priestess?

"Not bad," Damon mused inwardly, his gaze steady while he moved along with the crowd. At this point, locating a member of the guild—ideally a key figure—became his priority. He accessed the nearby chat channel and scanned its contents. Gathering details on the guild proved straightforward.

The Northern Frontier guild made no effort to conceal its influence. Essentially, the whole city served as their base, with all operations controlled by the Northern Frontier guild. Thus, Damon had no reason to search actively. Eavesdropping would suffice.

He spent some time in a nearby tavern, but useful leads eluded him. Although discussions swirled around dungeon explorations and pursuits in the abyssal lands, little was said about truly vital matters. An upscale crowd was what he required.

Damon understood precisely his next step. He had planned to save this technique for a more crucial moment, yet with time running short, he decided to proceed.

Closing his eyes, Damon extended his awareness toward the faint trace of blood essence he had implanted in the golden-haired foe's form back during the fierce clash at Niera City's Blood Hall. Remarkably, the Blood Mark endured unchanged despite the passage of time.

Regrettably, it seemed the individual was deep within one of the abyssal zones.

"No way. I'm not venturing there right now." Damon promptly retracted his blood sense. Next, he probed the two additional guild leaders involved in that confrontation. The one with the fiery orange hair and the sorceress who had hexed him.

Surprisingly, the orange-haired leader wasn't present in the game realm. Alternatively, he could be in a spot beyond Damon's blood sense range. Perhaps he had even purged the blood trace? Regardless of the cause, attempting to detect him yielded nothing.

This narrowed Damon's options to a single choice. The sorceress, known as the Rune Priestess, leader of the Southern Vanguard. Damon sought her position, and a signal returned instantly. By chance, she was close by—just across a handful of cities.

Damon recognized that spot. She occupied a demonic temple. Given that the orange-haired leader was absent from the game or hidden away, the moment was ideal for approaching her.

Exiting the tavern quietly, Damon made his way to the teleportation hub. Within moments, he stood before the demonic temple. He stepped inside under Stealth, yet shortly after, a furious voice echoed through the air.

"What are you doing here?"

Damon grinned. Dropping his Stealth, he manifested as the ostentatious orange-haired figure. "Can't I drop by to see my alluring priestess?"

Viola fixed him with a glare before pivoting to leave. She proceeded deeper into the temple, joining a cluster of assembled individuals. "Why show up now? Aren't you supposed to be expanding your holdings? Or have you abandoned the event entirely?"

Damon hummed nonchalantly. "Meh. What's even the use?" Idly, he traced his fingers along the runic carvings adorning the temple's walls. Replicating the orange-haired man's speech patterns and demeanor wasn't challenging, thanks to the abundant rumors circulating about him.

"What do you mean, what's the use? Are you backing out of the team now?" Viola's tone carried clear irritation. "I warned them right from the start not to rely on a guy like you, and you're just confirming my words."

Damon let out a sigh. "What, are you my fiery stepmom or something? Just drop it. I'm handling everything. No need to get so uptight. Fancy a drink? I stumbled on some excellent vintage recently." Viola snorted dismissively. She offered no further reply and moved toward the temple's inner chamber, where robed figures encircled a group of villagers.

"Whoa, what's this about? Another one of your killing frenzies?" Viola stayed quiet once more. With a gesture to one of the robed attendants, the ceremony commenced without delay. Runes etched into the ground began to glow sequentially. The villagers in the middle froze as luminous chains bound their arms and legs, holding them fast. Their lips parted in wordless cries while the array engaged, drawing forth an essence far beyond mere blood.

"So you're pushing full throttle, eh?" Damon observed serenely.

"You ought to be focusing on that yourself, rather than bothering me. How often must I repeat it? I'm not interested in being your toy. Just leave me be."

"Aw, Viola. Lighten up. I've even brought you a present." Damon produced a gemstone retrieved by one of his shadow beasts from the Umbra's legacy realm. The system couldn't identify it, and it appeared remarkably unique.

Of course, he had no intention of handing it over, but dangling it as enticement cost nothing.

"…Where did you find that?" Viola inquired softly, her gaze lingering on the gemstone with curiosity. Damon arched an eyebrow, embodying the role flawlessly. "Tch. You rune enthusiasts are all alike. Probing with questions instead of savoring the gift." He flipped the gemstone casually in his hand. "Let's say I've got sharp instincts and even sharper fortune."

Viola's gaze sharpened. Brushing him off, she reached out subtly, her awareness scanning the gemstone from afar. The instant her senses made contact, her eyes widened in shock.

Her response revealed it all to Damon. This woman had undoubtedly discerned something profound about the gemstone. Credit where due—these heirs from secluded clans, despite their lavish upbringings, possessed real knowledge and invested effort to excel.

"So, what makes it special?" Damon queried.

"I'm not certain yet, but it's a rare component for arrays. Actually, using this in place of one of my present ingredients would greatly reduce the backlash from this ceremony."