Daily Rewards! Transmigrating into a novel as a side-character!

I appeared back in the exact location where I had originally been fighting the ant.

I quickly assessed my situation and didn't find any trace of it nearby.

I was no longer consumed by the raw anger I had felt initially, but I was most certainly petty and wouldn't let that ant escape if it was still alive somewhere.

I had luckily kept a portion of its blood stored in my pendant, and my new Blood Trail trait would help me locate it.

I drank the ant's blood, hoping to activate my tracking ability.

Suddenly I felt an intense pull indicating the creature was somewhere to the north of my current position.

A smirk formed on my face, and without delay I began moving toward the north.

I was absolutely hellbent on killing that ant before leaving this forest.

I didn't think too deeply about why it was positioned to the north. Either it had simply ignored the portal and remained in this realm, or it had entered and activated its mana to return just as I had.

Either way, it was going to die by my hands.

After several minutes of tracking, I luckily spotted the ant from a distance, and it spotted me simultaneously.

It turned to face me with obvious anger etched across its face. After all, I was alive when I was meant to be dead. The creature was still heavily injured from our previous encounter, yet despite its weakened state, it held the same murderous rage toward me.

After we faced off in the forest clearing, I spoke mockingly. "I must admit, your courage is the only admirable thing about you. Other than that, you're just a piece of shit."

I looked around the area before adding, "I don't see that friend of yours. Where is he?"

The ant seemed to become even more enraged after hearing about its companion, though I didn't understand why the mention triggered such a strong reaction.

I didn't particularly care about its emotional state. Using my Blood Control, I shaped some of its stored blood into a spear.

"Are you ready to die by your own blood?" I smirked before charging directly toward the wounded creature.

I activated my new Stone Armor echo, feeling the Transcendent-rank defensive capabilities envelop my body like an impenetrable shell, and pushed forward with complete confidence.

Unlike me, the ant was still heavily injured from our previous battle and lacked any defensive abilities to match my new protection.

The moment I charged forward, the ant responded with fury, launching itself at me with the intent to kill.

But this time, everything was different.

Its massive claws struck my Stone Armor with enough force to shatter boulders, yet the Transcendent-rank defence held firm. The impact still hit me, but it was not life threatening at all, it was like the attack of a powerful elite-rank beast.

The ant's compound eye widened in shock and confusion as its most powerful attacks accomplished absolutely nothing. I could see the creature's growing shock as it realized I was once again immune to its attacks.

"My turn," I said coldly, drawing my sword.

I decided this was the perfect opportunity to test my newly acquired secret art. While I was still a complete novice with barely any proficiency in the technique, the foundational knowledge was there, waiting to be applied.

Channelling my mana into the blade as the Sky's Secret Sword Art had instructed, I felt the weapon begin to resonate with otherworldly power. The Null Strike technique was designed to eliminate resistance rather than overpower it.

The ant attacked again with fury, its damaged claws seeking any weakness in my defence. But instead of simply blocking or dodging, I raised my sword and attempted to execute the first form.

"First Form - Null Strike!" I declared, pouring my mana into the technique.

The blade seemed to cut through reality itself as it met the ant's attacking claw. For a brief moment, the very air around my sword seemed to vanish, creating a void-like cutting edge that negated the resistance of matter along its path.

The result was extraordinary. My relatively simple defensive movement became something far more devastating as the Null Strike technique activated. The ant's steel-like claw, which had previously been nearly indestructible, was severely damaged and large cobwebs appeared on its surface.

Even though my execution was clumsy and imperfect, the inherent power of an Overlord-rank sword art was undeniable, even if it was only a form I could use at the elite-rank. The sheer quality of the technique compensated for my lack of experience, creating effects that should have been impossible at my current skill level.

The ant shrieked in agony and disbelief as it lost another limb, dark fluid spurting from the clean cut. It stumbled backward, trying to process how its natural weapons had been so easily destroyed.

But I wasn't finished. While the creature was reeling from the loss of its claw, I activated my Blood Control trait to manipulate the blood spear I had prepared earlier.

The weapon, formed from the ant's own blood, streaked through the air. The creature, distracted by pain and shock, failed to notice the projectile until it was too late.

The blood spear struck the ant directly in its thorax, punching through the damaged sections of its chitinous Armor, creating a devastating effect. The impact created a critical wound that penetrated deep into the creature's vital organs, causing massive internal damage.

Dark fluid poured from the wound as the ant's breathing became labored and irregular. Its remaining limbs trembled as it struggled to maintain its fighting stance despite the mortal injury.

Yet even facing certain death, the creature refused to surrender. Its eye burned with undiminished hatred as it prepared for one final assault.

The ant gathered its remaining strength and launched itself forward in a suicidal charge, determined to take me down with it. Its once sharp claws that had become dull, sought to inflict as much damage as possible.

I met its charge head-on.

I channelled my mana and performed the first form of the Sky's Secret Art, negating the incoming attack. Some of the damage still made it through but my Stone Armor absorbed the impact.

Without hesitation, I countered with a strike of my own.

My counterattack was swift and merciless. Using another imperfect but devastating Null Strike, I drove my blade deep into the ant's head, piercing through its remaining eye and into its brain.

The massive creature shuddered once before collapsing to the forest floor, its body finally succumbing to the accumulated damage. Its limbs twitched briefly before going completely still.

I stood over its corpse, victorious. The fight had been a complete reversal of our previous encounter, this time, I had been the predator while it had been the helpless prey.

After making sure the ant was truly dead, I crouched near its corpse and began withdrawing its blood into my collection vials. The blood accumulated to about five litres, more than enough to quench my thirst for several days while also serving as a valuable reserve for emergency situations.

I used my sword to dissect the ant's body. Although the exoskeleton was still remarkably tough, it wasn't nearly as impenetrable as it had seemed during our first encounter.

After carefully harvesting the undamaged portions that could be sold for significant profit, Transcendent-rank beast materials were incredibly valuable on the market, I secured everything in my storage ring and prepared to leave.

The eastern horizon was already showing the first hints of dawn, painting the sky in soft shades of pink and gold.

I desperately needed rest before my first official day at the academy began.

The walk back to the city was quick. I bumped into a few elite-rank beasts that I disposed of quickly, and efficiently.

As I approached the city gates, I reflected on everything that had transpired. In the span of a single night, I had nearly died, discovered a Vampire Queen, gained Transcendent-rank defensive echo, acquired an Overlord-rank sword art, and successfully taken revenge on the creature that had almost killed me.

The guards at the gate nodded respectfully as I passed, recognizing me despite my slightly dishevelled appearance.

By the time I reached the academy dormitories, the sun was beginning to rise properly. Other students would be waking soon to prepare for their first day of classes.

I made my way quietly to my room, already planning to grab a few hours of rest before the day officially began.